A Life Not Wasted

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. LIVING ROOM/BEDROOM - 01:47

6. 
   

7. Bright. Cluttered with papers. PETER finishes a reply and hits "SEND".

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): Only after I had published my daily screenplay did I notice that my instructing solicitor had sent me an urgent message at 11:35pm.

10. 
    

11. Leaning back to his chair, exhaustion creeps in.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I prefer to get the job done quickly, as I might have trouble falling asleep otherwise.

14. 
    

15. At 07:15, Peter is awake and a thought strikes him. He sits up in bed.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I need to modify my reply a little.

18. 
    

19. Peter grabs his smartphone, notices something and shakes his head with a mix of admiration and frustration on his face.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My instructing solicitor has already thanked me for my reply at 03:14. I know he can't wait.

22. 
    

23. Peter quickly types out the addition, his fingers flying over the screen. He hits "SEND" again.

24. 
    

25. Act 2

26. 
    

27. EXT. SILVERSTRAND BAY - 16:45

28. 
    

29. A red flag flutters in the breeze. A few BEACHGOERS dot the sandy shore. Peter is swimming at the far edge of the swimming area.

30. 
    

31. PETER (V.O.): A life not wasted is one that chose the stinging salt of the sea over the safety of the shore.

32. 
    

33. Changing room. After savouring a warm bath, Peter glances at the HKeMeter app on his phone.

34. 
    

35. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Just two minutes left? I can make it!

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37. Staircases leading away. Peter ascends, his breaths comng in quick gasps as he reaches the top.

38. 
    

39. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A life not wasted isn't measured by the number of breaths I take, but by the number of moments that leave me breathless with purpose.

40. 
    

41. INT. LIVING ROOM - 17:45

42. 
    

43. The warm glow of the setting sun streams through the window, casting a cozy light. Peter sits on the sofa, casually strolling through Facebook feeds on his Redmi Pad 2.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.): The 5 causes of death of senior citizens?

46. 
    

47. Peter taps on the video and listens intently.

48. 
    

49. NARRATOR (V.O.): ...aging itself isn't a primary cause of death...

50. 
    

51. After about 30 minutes, the narrator wraps up the discussion.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): So the 5 causes are: Heart Disease, Falls, Lung Failure, Strokes, and Cognitive Decline.

54. 
    

55. Peter holds up a hand, ticking them off on his fingers.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One. The heart. My lovely auntie recently died because of that.

58. 
    

59. Pausing.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I believe my chances of having a heart attack are less than 15%.

62. 
    

63. Peter makes a mental check.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Two. The fall. My Mom had a fall, and after that, she lost her independence.

66. 
    

67. Pausing.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In 2009, I had a fall while challenging my figure skating techniques and broke my ankle. Since then, I've maintained constant vigilance to prevent another injury.

70. 
    

71. Peter makes another mental check.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Three. Lungs. A good friend of mine, Shui Chung, died of lung cancer in 2002.

74. 
    

75. Pausing.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've been coughing sporadically for the past fortnight, so I just bought some over-the-counter medicine.

78. 
    

79. Again, Peter makes a mental check.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Four. Strokes. My good friend Alfred suffered one, leaving him partially paralyzed.

82. 
    

83. Pausing.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): How do I stop a stroke? It isn't a banana peel on the stairs. A question mark.

86. 
    

87. Wondering.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And five...cognitive decline - the great forgetting. It's an issue my Mom is facing as well.

90. 
    

91. Pausing.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That one shouldn't get me. I don't just remember things. I create them!

94. 
    

95. Peter stands up and walks to the window.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And one can't live fearing the lightning strike.

98. 
    

99. Recalling.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But my matriculation classmates, King Chau and Shui Fun, tragically lost their lives at Lantau Peak back in 1974.

102. 
     

103. Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. BEDROOM - 22:30

106. 
     

107. Peter uploads an image depicting a lit up cave river within the Seven Star Crags, Zhaoqing to a draft on his laptop.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): I swim for my heart. I travel for my soul, and I create so my soul has a reason to stay.

110. 
     

111. Thinking.

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113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A life not wasted isn't a checklist of prevention; it's a shelf of overflowing stories.

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We're all temporary curators of kindness, knowledge and beauty. A life not wasted is one that passes these on, enriched.

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT

120. 
     

121. END