BIRTH

Written by Rachit Agarwal

INT. TUNNEL A dark tunnel. We cant see the walls. The only light comes from a distant source. It might be an opening. We cant be sure. A MAN. Hes stumbling from end to end. Scared. We cant quite make out his features, but he might be around 25 or 26 years old. Every time he bangs against a wall, the earth rumbles, as if the tunnel is about to collapse around him. We notice theres a ROPE around his waist. The kind used by mountain climbers. The rope disappears somewhere into the depths of the tunnel. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM MAN. Only older. At least 80 to 90 years old. It might be the man we saw earlier, or it might be his father. We cant be sure. Harried looking. Pacing around. Hes too agile and swift for his age. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL OPERATION THEATRE A WOMAN. In deep pain. Shes obviously in labor. Around her, doctors and nurses busy themselves preparing for the new child whos about to enter the world. The energies of everyone indicate that child birth is near. CUT TO: INT. TUNNEL We see MAN Presently, taut for a at the end is close to the opening. Hes still stumbling. he stops and tugs at the rope. The rope becomes brief second, and we realize that whatever it is of the rope is stuck somewhere. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL OPERATION THEATRE The BABYs head peaks out. The doctor goads the woman to push harder. We notice that Man, as seen in the waiting room, is also inside the OT now.

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Presently, the BABY pops out. Theres a collective cheer. Man looks at the baby lovingly. We are about to see the childs face for the first time when we CUT TO: EXT. TUNNEL - BRIGHT DAY Man stumbles out of the tunnel. We see that the tunnel is cut into a rocky mountain face. The rope attached to the man is as taut as ever. We see there are bruises all over Man, and he is bleeding. He is dressed in rock climbing gear. Man is standing outside the tunnel, taking in the world. Hes dazed by the bright sunlight. He blinks. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL OPERATION THEATRE BABY blinks. Probably blinded by the bright white light. We pull back to see that Baby has Mans face. The exact face. Baby is covered in blood and birth goo. Man, as seen in the waiting room, is handed a pair of SCISSORS. He takes it close to the UMBILICAL CORD, and snapCUT TO: EXT. TUNNEL Man, pulling at the rope, on his knees. The rope snaps, and man stumbles back. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL OPERATION THEATRE Man is holding baby. He is in a state of shock. And yet, he wants to smile. Not quite sure what to do. Baby is crying. Theres another baby in the hands of the doctor. Stillborn. CUT TO: EXT. TUNNEL Man is on his knees, crying his heart out, frayed rope in his hands.

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INT. TUNNEL We travel into the depths of the cave, dodging rocks and stones, all the while following a rope on the ground. Its the same rope which was wrapped around Mans waist. We travel over a wall of rock, and onto a body lying on the floor. Its of a WOMAN. Shes still. Obviously dead. We see her face, and CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL OPERATION THEATRE We see the face of the dead baby. Its the exact same face as that of the woman we saw in the tunnel. FADE TO BLACK. [TITLE] [CREDITS] [END]