Who is the sinner?

Script created with Final Draft by Chastity White Rose.


               EXT. PODUNK TOWN STADIUM - DAY

               Many people are gathered around the soccer field. The Podunk
               Unicorns are playing against the Applewood Dragons.

               A crowd of spectators are on the bleachers and watching. Some
               of them are cheering. Others watch as they drink cold drinks.

               Players kick the soccer ball around to each other. CHAD, 25,
               kicks the ball as it comes his way. He kicks it back and
               forth while dodging the opponent players. The opponents are
               also trying to kick it out of his control as he makes his way
               toward the goal.
               At 20 feet away from the goal, he kicks the ball as hard as
               he can into the goal net. While he kicks it, one of the
               members of the opponent team accidentally kicks Chad's right
               knee very hard.

               The soccer ball passes the goalie by 5 inches to the left and
               hits the net, scoring a goal.

               Chad falls to the ground and screams in pain; his teammate,
               LUKE, 25, runs towards him.

                                   LUKE
                         Chad, are you okay?

                                   CHAD
                         No, I got kicked directly in the
                         knee as I kicked the ball.

                                   LUKE
                         Coach, stop the game for a minute.
                         We need to get Chad to the doctor.
                         Chad, can you walk?

               Chad tries to lift himself but falls again because it hurts
               too much. A spectator, MATT, 23, in the bleachers, leaves his
               seat and runs to help Luke and the coach carry Chad to the
               local sports injury clinic close to the field.



               INT. CLINIC - MOMENTS LATER

               Luke and Matt carry Chad into the small building where
               DOCTOR, 50s, is writing something down on a clipboard.

                                   CHAD
                         Doctor, can you check out my knee?

                                   DOCTOR
                         Yes, let's do a quick x-ray to see
                         if anything is broken.

               Doctor X-rays Chad's knee. Matt grabs some ice while Luke
               exits.

                                   DOCTOR
                         It looks like a minor fracture. I
                         suggest you hold off from playing
                         soccer for at least six months, and
                         I will give you a tight compression
                         knee brace to help keep it in
                         place.

                                   CHAD
                         Thanks, doc. Do you have any
                         painkillers you can prescribe?

                                   DOCTOR
                         Sure, I will prescribe a strong
                         pain reliever for you. Get some
                         rest while the pharmacy gets it
                         ready.

                                   MATT
                         Sorry Chad, I know it must suck not
                         to play soccer for a while.

                                   CHAD
                         Yeah, but it's not the only thing
                         in life. There are plenty of other
                         things I can do while I heal.

                                   MATT
                         Maybe you should come over tomorrow
                         to my house, and we could play
                         video games?

                                   CHAD
                         Yeah, that will be fun. I can tell
                         you about plans I have for a new
                         career.

                                   MATT
                         New career? Are you quitting soccer
                         permanently?

                                   CHAD
                         No, I will still play for fun, but
                         I think this injury is a sign that
                         God wants me to find a new line of
                         work. Soccer is nice, but I want to
                         do something that will make a
                         difference for change in the world.

                                   MATT
                         What do you want to do for a new
                         career?

                                   CHAD
                         I want to be a writer who can write
                         about important topics like how to
                         be a follower of Jesus and also
                         write books about the different
                         sports in the world as being for
                         fun, even more than as a
                         competition for prize money or
                         scholarships. But what about you,
                         Matt? Do you have any plans for the
                         future?

                                   MATT
                         Honestly I don't really know about
                         my future. I would like to move to
                         a new state or maybe even country
                         and live a private life where I can
                         figure it out.

                                   CHAD
                         But you already have a private life
                         on your farm in this town. Why
                         would you need to go somewhere
                         else?

               Luke arrives with some lemonade for himself and Chad. While
               he is coming toward the room, he stops to listen in.

                                   MATT
                         Chad, I need to leave this town
                         because I can't be a Christian
                         anymore. I know I am a sinner,
                         doomed to hell no matter what I do,
                         so I am going to go live somewhere
                         else while I figure out if there is
                         any new religion or spiritual path
                         that I can really believe in.

                                   CHAD
                         What are you talking about? Why do
                         you think you're going to hell?

                                   MATT
                         Chad, I have heard the pastor
                         preach from 1 Corinthians about how
                         homosexuals can't inherit the
                         kingdom of God.

                                   CHAD
                         Wait, you mean to say you're gay? I
                         had no idea.

                                   MATT
                         Yes, I hope this doesn't mean we
                         can't be friends anymore.

                                   CHAD
                         Not at all. Look, Matt, I don't
                         know anything about being gay, but
                         I think the point is that Jesus has
                         forgiven us of all our sins,
                         including those we will do in the
                         future.

                                   MATT
                         But Chad, do you think being gay is
                         a sin? Am I always going to be
                         displeasing to God because of my
                         impure thoughts? I don't know if I
                         can take that.

                                   CHAD
                         I have some questions myself about
                         whether I believe everything in the
                         Bible. But in any case, we will
                         figure this all out together as
                         friends, okay?

               Luke walks into the room with cups and a gallon of lemonade.
               He pretends he didn't hear the conversation they were just
               having, but they quit talking as soon as Luke enters the room
               to finish the conversation in private later.



               INT. MATT'S HOUSE BASEMENT - THE NEXT DAY

               Matt is in his basement setting up his TV and Nintendo 64 to
               play Super Smash Bros. with Chad. While he is getting things
               plugged in, he notices a burning smell. He goes up the stairs
               to check where the smell is coming from but sees flames
               coming from the door. He is in the basement, where everything
               is concrete, so he is not in immediate danger, but he doesn't
               know where the fire could start.



               EXT. SIDEWALK LEADING TO MATT'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

               Chad is rolling down the sidewalk with his electric
               wheelchair towards Matt's house. He sees the entire house in
               flames and worries about Matt. Just as Chad pulls out his
               cell phone to call Matt, he sees Luke running towards Matt's
               car, holding a blowtorch.
               Luke gets in the car and drives away as fast as possible.
               Chad proceeds to call Matt. Matt answers.

                                   CHAD
                         Matt, are you okay?! Your house is
                         burning down!

                                   MATT
                         I know! I am trapped in the
                         basement where nothing can burn,
                         but I wasn't cooking anything, so I
                         don't know how a fire would start.

                                   CHAD
                         I just saw Luke with a blowtorch
                         outside your house and he also
                         stole your car!

                                   MATT
                         Wait, why would Luke burn down my
                         house and steal my car?

                                   CHAD
                         I don't know, but clearly, he was
                         expecting you not to need the car.

                                   MATT
                         Chad, I think I may know what's
                         going on. I don't like to think
                         about this, but Luke may be trying
                         to kill me.

                                   CHAD
                         Why would he kill you? What did you
                         do to him?

                                   MATT
                         There is no time for that; I will
                         explain later. Just get me out of
                         here.

                                   CHAD
                         Have you called the fire
                         department, or should I call for
                         you?

                                   MATT
                         I haven't yet. Please call them but
                         don't tell them anything about
                         seeing Luke outside my house.

                                   CHAD
                         Wait, why would I not tell them? If
                         Luke is trying to kill you for some
                         reason we need to stop him?

                                   MATT
                         Chad, if God burns gay people in
                         hell, why should Luke be any
                         different?

                                   CHAD
                         I don't know what to think about
                         that, but I will talk with you
                         about it later. I will call the
                         fire department, and they will get
                         you out safely.

               A big fire truck arrives, and a group of firemen attaches a
               giant hose to the nearby fire hydrant. They spray the fire
               completely out. Then they open the basement door, and Matt
               walks out.

                                   MATT
                         I am so glad to be out of there. I
                         still want to talk with you
                         somewhere private. Can we use your
                         car and drive somewhere far away
                         where people like Luke can't hear
                         us?

                                   CHAD
                         You got it, bro. Here are my keys.
                         I want you to drive so I can rest
                         my knee. It hurts really bad from
                         yesterday's injury still. Drive
                         wherever you need to.



               EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY

               Chad and Matt drive in the direction of Applewood, the
               nearest town to Podunk.

                                   CHAD
                         Matt, I need to know what you meant
                         about God burning gay people. What
                         does this have to do with Luke?

                                   MATT
                         I believe Luke may have heard me
                         tell you at the clinic that I am
                         gay.
                         When people in a small religious
                         town find something like that out,
                         they tend to react negatively. Now
                         that Luke knows my secret, he could
                         tell the police and they could
                         arrest me. That's why we can't
                         trust anyone in town, not even the
                         people of the fire department, to
                         know I am gay.

                                   CHAD
                         Arrest you for what? You haven't
                         done anything!

                                   MATT
                         It's not anything I have done. It's
                         about what they assume I will do if
                         I am allowed to live. They assume
                         that homosexuality is a worse crime
                         than other sins based on certain
                         bible verses.

                                   CHAD
                         But why would they act differently
                         for that sin than lying, stealing,
                         or adultery?

                                   MATT
                         Chad, you know as well as I do that
                         the Bible says in 1 Corinthians
                         Chapter 6 that homosexuals can't
                         inherit the kingdom of God. I
                         assume that means I am going to
                         hell because that's literally what
                         it sounds like and what many
                         preachers say.

                                   CHAD
                         So you think that Luke got the idea
                         that you should be burned because
                         you're gay? But you haven't even
                         done anything! How would he know
                         you're gay anyway? Have you told
                         anyone before?

                                   MATT
                         No, Chad, you're the first person I
                         have told. I need to know if you
                         can still love me.

                                   CHAD
                         Matt, you're just the friend I have
                         known my whole life.
                         Nothing changes just because you
                         told me you're gay. If a good guy
                         like you is damned to hell, then I
                         guess so am I!

                                   MATT
                         Wait, why would you go to hell? Are
                         you gay, too?

                                   CHAD
                         No, I am your straight best friend,
                         but I am no more or less a sinner
                         than you. We have all done things
                         we shouldn't have done before. I
                         just think Christianity is more
                         about God's forgiveness than
                         judgment.

                                   MATT
                         But do you believe that we suffer
                         eternal punishment for some sins?

                                   CHAD
                         I am not God, and it's not my place
                         to judge. It's also not Luke's
                         place to judge you or try to kill
                         you!

               They almost have left city limits when they notice they are
               being followed by Matt's car.

                                   CHAD
                         Matt, it looks like your car is
                         behind us, Luke must have followed
                         us driving your car. What do you
                         want to do?

                                   MATT
                         I don't know, Chad, I am scared!

                                   CHAD
                         Stop the car and let me get out. As
                         soon as Luke stops, you drive away,
                         and I will distract him while you
                         go somewhere he can't find you.

                                   MATT
                         But what will happen to you?

                                   CHAD
                         There is only one way to find out.

               Matt stops the car just long enough for Chad to get out. Luke
               stops Matt's car that he is driving and gets out to speak to
               them. Just as he does, Matt drives away, leaving Luke in
               shock.

                                   LUKE
                         He is escaping! Chad, you better
                         tell me where Matt is going!

                                   CHAD
                         Why, so you can try to kill him
                         again? What is wrong with you?!

                                   LUKE
                         I know he is a homosexual, and he
                         is going to burn in hell for his
                         sins anyway, so what difference
                         does it make to you?

                                   CHAD
                         If you really believe that, then
                         why not let God be the judge of
                         Matt instead of attacking him now?

                                   LUKE
                         Because I can't let other people be
                         corrupted by the homosexual
                         lifestyle, especially the children!

                                   CHAD
                         First, you don't know Matt's
                         lifestyle. Second, you have just
                         tried to murder a friend that we
                         have both known since childhood.
                         Aren't you a little bit concerned
                         about your act of murder? You
                         hypocrite, first take the log out
                         of your eye, and then you will see
                         clearly to take the speck out of
                         your brother's eye.

                                   LUKE
                         Don't quote scripture at me, Chad.
                         Get out of my way, or I will kill
                         you, too.

                                   CHAD
                         Go ahead, Luke, do what you want
                         with me, but I won't let you harm
                         Matt.

                                   LUKE
                         Why would you defend an abominable
                         sinner like Matt?

                                   CHAD
                         First, Matt hasn't actually done
                         anything wrong, and even if he had,
                         I forgive him just as Jesus would.
                         I think to myself: "What would
                         Jesus do?". Jesus died for us. It's
                         the least I can do for Matt.

                                   LUKE
                         You can't be serious! As
                         Christians, we need to condemn
                         wickedness and not justify or
                         accept it as valid in our society.

                                   CHAD
                         When did I accept or justify
                         wickedness? I only remain a friend
                         to Matt the same way I always was.
                         So go ahead and kill me. Take my
                         money, my car, and my house, and
                         replace me on the soccer team. I
                         quit.

               Luke drops to the ground, crying for a while. Finally, he
               speaks to Chad

                                   LUKE
                         Chad, I have never seen a human
                         love someone so much as you love
                         Matt. I am not going to kill you or
                         take your stuff. In fact, you've
                         given me a lot to think about. But
                         what am I going to do now? If the
                         police find out what I have done, I
                         will go to jail. How can I forgive
                         myself for what I have almost done?

                                   CHAD
                         With humans, this is impossible,
                         but with God, all things are
                         possible. We will cross that bridge
                         when we get there.

               Chad drives Luke back to town and drops him off near the
               church. Luke prays for a while, asking God for forgiveness.
               Chad goes back and continues to drive to Applewood. On the
               way, he calls Matt.

                                   CHAD
                         Matt, where are you?

                                   MATT
                         Chad, you're alive. I am at a hotel
                         on Main Street in Applewood. What
                         happened to Luke?

                                   CHAD
                         I had a conversation with him about
                         who is really the sinner in this
                         situation. As long as you're safe,
                         that's what counts. I will come to
                         find you at the hotel, and then we
                         can talk about everything.

                                   MATT
                         Thanks, Chad. If I didn't have a
                         friend like you, I don't think I
                         would have survived. How can I ever
                         repay you?

                                   CHAD
                         Don't worry about it. Every gay
                         dude should have a straight best
                         friend.

Comments

Leave a comment