HEATED POOL
The large rectangular heated pool stands eerily still, its stairs under repair.
In the distance, WE SEE, Ruby and Garnett, running towards the pool, and they FREEZE-FRAME in mid-air as they jump in.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
And this is the story of how one magical birthday wish forever changed the lives of our little Twins gems.
UNDERWATER
As Ruby and Garnett splash into the pool, they surface to the top, gasping for air and laughing hysterically.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Ah, to be young and foolish. It’s truly a gift. I mean, who needs life jackets when you have youth on your side?
But, their laughter quickly fades as they realize they didn’t wear life jackets anymore, and the depth of the pool is too much for them to handle.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
And yet, life is never that simple, and in just an instant... now our little gems are beginning to realize the true depth of their poor wishes. Too bad they didn’t wish for the ability to swim.
As they keep falling deeper into the water, their arms and legs flail in a desperate attempt to reach the surface.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Now, their joyful screams turn into desperate cries for help. It feels like the voice beyond the grave kept calling them more and more.
HEATED POOL
With the splash, WE CAN SEE their hands waving, signaling for help.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I just can’t help but wonder, what’s the lifeguard having for his lunch? A whole pizza? Too big, but delicious. It’s not like he’s getting paid to save lives or anything.
They continue to drown without anyone noticing. Panic sets in as they begin to lose hope.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
If you’re can’t swim, and you drowning. What will you do? Right, keep calm, and do not make any stupid moves.
UNDERWATER
A moment.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Hey, may I ask you something? When faced with a life-and-death situation, our primal instinct kick in. Fight or flight? In this case, it’s a fight to survive at all costs. No one else matters at this moment, not even your sisters.
They continue to struggle, elbowing, kicking, and even using each other as a foothold to try and reach the surface.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Welcome to nature, kids.
But, Ruby is growing exhausted, and she can no longer hold onto Garnett's grip.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Hey, just a quick question, when you were a little girl, who was your first love? Of course your Daddy! Am I right? And I wonder who’s the second? Take a guess, I’ll wait.
In the end... Ruby gives up... and Garnett uses her body as a foothold to push herself up, occasionally kicking Ruby's head in the process.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Natural selection at work. It’s a brutal but necessary part of life. Dinosaurs did it too as well, you know.
ON RUBY
As her consciousness fades, she slowly starts to sink. The only thing she can see are glimpses of Garnett trying to reach the surface.
Just as all hope seems lost, TWO FIGURES jump into the pool like rockets and save them.
It’s Thomas and Edison!
A MOMENT...
ON THE EDGE OF A HEATED POOL
They pull the girls to the edge of the pool and give them artificial respiration, and they vomit up water, a lot.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
A moment of heroism. A chance to cheat death. But the trauma of nearly dying drowning will stay with them forever.
As the girls slowly regain their composure, they glance at each other with a mix of guilt and fear.
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: then, without any warning, they start crying, loudly.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
In those moments, all they could think about was survival. And who can blame them? Life is a precious thing, and we’ll fight tooth and nail to keep it. And at last, all they have is each other. But sometimes, that’s just not enough.
Everyone gathers around them, including Judy...
...and WE DRIFT TO THE SKY...
NARRATOR (V.O.)
The twin sisters, once so close, now drifted apart like two sips lost at sea, their bond forever shattered by the trauma they had endured and they never spoke to each other again, forever.
(then)
In the end, it was as if the water had claimed not just their bodies, but their souls as well.
FADE TO BLACK
WE CAN STILL HEAR the Narrator for the last time.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
The memory of that day lingered, a haunting reminder of how quickly life can be taken away. The Twins learned a harsh lesson that day, and it changed them in ways they couldn't even begin to fathom. But such is life, full of moments of beauty and tragedy; and it's up to us to make the most of it, to cherish every moment and never take it for granted.
And then, a title card:
THE END
