A Big Friend

[sunlake1]

INT. ROGER EL SAYAD’S BEDROOM- BEFORE DAWN

Gray morning light illuminates a room cluttered with clothes, colored pencils, and crumpled paper. On a nightstand squashed between a twin-sized bed and the wall, an alarm vibrates.

Stretching his arm from beneath the bed covers, ROGER,  eighteen, slams the alarm, interrupting its buzzing. 

Roger glances at the time and groans. His head drops onto the pillow.

ROGER

Why now...

He lies still momentarily, staring at the dark ceiling before pushing himself out of bed.

ROGER

Time to check on Minnie.

EXT. BACKYARD- TEN MINUTES LATER

The red-tinted indigo sky gleams above a small backyard, bordered in the back by a row trees leading to a forest and empty except for a shed across from the house. The light chirping of birds flits through the air. 

Roger creaks open the screen door and exits his house, careful the door doesn’t slam behind him.

He tiptoes over to a shed with his arms wrapped around two bowls of cereal.

ROGER

(whispering)

Minnie!

A low groan sounds from the wooden structure.

ROGER

I know it’s early, but you gotta eat!

A snort from within. Roger sighs and looks around him. 

A few beats pass and then the shed door creaks open and a minotaur appears, towering over Roger.

Roger grins.

ROGER

There you are, Minnie!

EXT. FOREST- A FEW MINUTES LATER

Roger and Minnie sit side-by-side on a log in the forest munching on cereal. Fall leaves lay scattered around them.

ROGER

I have to say, even though it's been a couple of months now, I’m still not used to doing all of this alone.

Minnie pauses in his eating to glance at the boy.

ROGER

I know I should be happy that Aziza has started college and Loli is working now, but...I don’t know...I guess I sound kind of stupid.

MINNIE

You don’t to me. I miss them, too. 

They sit in silence.

A yellow-speckled gray bird flits to the ground before them.

ROGER

I’m surprised this little guy hasn’t left yet for migration.

MINNIE

Maybe he’s like us, not ready to leave home yet.

Roger smiles at his friend.

ROGER

So how should we make the most of this fine day?

The two friends sit side-by-side laughing as the yellow-speckled bird lifts off the ground and follows the breeze into the sunrise.