By the Waterside

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. LIVING ROOM - 19:00

6. 
   

7. Warm lamplight. A few framed photos.

8. 
   

9. PETER sits at an upright piano. He wears a T-shirt and shorts. On his right wrist - a square band-aid. On his right knee, another square band-aid. He moves a little stiffly, but his face is calm.

10. 
    

11. He rests his hands on the keys. Then begins to play.

12. 
    

13. The opening notes of "在水一方 " (By the Waterside) - gentle, flowing, unhurried. His touch is soft but sure. The melody fills the room.

14. 
    

15. He hums a line - not the words, just the shape of the tune.

16. 
    

17. He looks down at the band-aid on his right wrist, moving over the keys. Then, glances at the one on his right knee, poised above the pedal.

18. 
    

19. He doesn't frown. He doesn't smile. He simply plays, and the song carries him somewhere.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.): 綠草蒼蒼,白霧茫茫 (Green grass grows lush, white mist spreads wide)...

22. 
    

23. His left hand broadens the chords. The music swells gently, then settles. He lets the final note ring.

24. 
    

25. Act 2

26. 
    

27. FLASHBACK

28. 
    

29. EXT. CAR PARK, SILVERSTRAND - 17:05 (Today)

30. 
    

31. A red Nissan S13 pulls into space. The engine cuts. Peter steps out. He wears a T-shirt, shorts and slippers. He carries a swim bag. He pays at the meter.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): 45 minutes. Lifeguards off at six.

34. 
    

35. He turns towards the stairs leading down to the beach. Before he even reaches them - the sound of waves. Deep. Rhythmic. Powerful.

36. 
    

37. He pauses at the top of the stairs. Looks down. At the bottom, a red flag. It snaps in the wind.

38. 
    

39. His jaws tightens slightly. He looks out at the sea.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday, there was no wind. The sea was calm. Today...

42. 
    

43. He descends the stairs anyway.

44. 
    

45. EXT. SILVERSTRAND BEACH - CONTINUOUS

46. 
    

47. The tide is coming in. The water near the shore is murchy - sand churned up by the crushing waves.

48. 
    

49. Peter walks to a low embankment of concrete. He places his swim bag on top of it. He steps out of his slippers, leaving them on the sand below the embandment, side by side.

50. 
    

51. He wades in. He begins to swim towards the far edge of the swimming area where the water clears.

53. PETER (V.O.): I won't swim near the floating platforms. Their hard rims can strike a body.

54. 
    

55. The water grows clear. The waves here are swells, not crashes. He slows. He rows onto his back. Floats. Breathes.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The sky is enormous. I'm at peace.

58. 
    

59. Later, he swims butterfly strokes back to the shore - a burst of power, his arms rise and fall.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm exhausted...I believe my feet can touch the sandy bottom now.

62. 
    

63. He stands, the water is just a bit above his waist. The waves are however louder and closer. The first wave hits him from behind.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whoa, a very strong push...

66. 
    

67. He stumbles forward. He plants his feet. Then a second wave slams into him. This one is even stronger. It knocks his legs out from under him. He goes down hard.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Whoa, the current is dragging me back toward the sea too.

70. 
    

71. He fights. Digs his hands into the sand. The water sucks at him. Another wave spins him. He loses all balance - rolls to the right.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Coarse sand and stones grind against my right side.

74. 
    

75. The water pulls again. He claws at the sand and stones, resisting.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, I'm being pushed toward the embankment...

78. 
    

79. He braces. Twists. Manages to get his feet under him. Sees his swim bag is right in front of him. He grabs it and walks up towards the bathroom.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Sharp, searing pain on the right side of my body.

82. 
    

83. Bathroom. He inspects his body.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Scrapes along my right forearm. A gash on my right knee. My right shoulder throbs...I don't need any tetanus injection. I had my third shot just months ago.

86. 
    

87. He washes himself, particularly the wounds. Finished, he returns to the beach.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, the waves have subsided. See if I can recover my slippers.

90. 
    

91. There, one slipper about three meters from where he left it. And the other one, about 20 meters away. He retrieves them.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Didn't have to leave them behind.

94. 
    

95. He climbs the stairs, trying to clear the sand in his ears at the same time.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I didn't call for help. Not from pride, but from honesty: The red flag was there and I chose to swim.

98. 
    

99. RETURN TO PRESENT

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. BEDROOM -22:30

104. 
     

105. Peter uploads a photo to a draft on his laptop. It shows a quiet. overcast shoreline: waves wash around the shoreline, while pebbles and Peter's other slipper are by the waterside.

106. 
     

107.  PETER (V.O.): The sea keeps no memory of the swimmers who love her - and that's precisely why she must be respected.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The melody promises a beautiful girl by the waterside. The sea promises nothing - but delivers everything.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Age doesn't take the sea away from me. It only asks that I stop pretending I own it.

116. 
     

117. The END

118. 
     

119. FADE OUT