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.
Chastity White Rose 