Scene 1
[Camera fades in from opening credits to pan around a large living room, where we find piles of wrapping paper scattered across the floor and presents stacked neatly in large piles in different section’s of the room. Camera pans further out and we see a younger Axel sat on the sofa with his legs tucked under his body; he is sat with his parents. Sitting on an arm chair, we find Axel’s Cousin Jonson playing on a game boy]
(As camera pans around we see that the family are watching the news, the camera zooms in onto the screen)
News reader: With the death toll doubling each day, all eyes are turning to the government…asking one question….where is the cure?
(Camera pans around to show that there is no Christmas cheer in the house. Axel let’s out a sign as he reaches for his phone to see if he has any messages.)
(The sound of the front door causes Axel to practically jump out of the sofa, he gives his mum a quick smile as he makes his way across the room. Camera follows Axel as he makes his way though the house, until he reaches the front door.)
Axel: (smiles) Hey
(Camera pans around and we see that it is Harley standing in the doorway. He is wearing a long black coat; he rubs his hands together to keep them warm. His eyes light up when Axel smiles at him)
Harley: Hey (smiles) Merry Christmas
Axel: Merry Christmas Harley….(looks towards the front room and calls out) I’m popping out for awhile…wont be long don’t worry!
[No one replies, so Axel grabs his Jacket from the coat rack and quickly pulls it on, his hands tumble with the zip as he tries to do it up quickly, Axel then grabs a woolly hat and pulls it on, before turning and leaving. Axel pulls the door shut behind him and turns to Harley who is leaning against the brick wall. Axel pushes his hands deep inside his pockets before he walks down the driveway. Harley pushes himself away from the wall and follows Axel down the path, Camera fades out to black]
Scene 2
[Camera slowly fades back in from black to show Axel and Harley walking through a snow covered park, while snow falls around them.]
Axel: It’s getting worse isn’t it?
Harley: The virus? (Sighs) Yea
Axel: (hopeful smile) But they were talking about an antidote…some sort of research team are working on it.
Harley: (shakes his head) It’s probably just lies to keep the adults hopes up…if they really knew a cure, they would be giving it to people already instead of letting them die…
(Axel stops in his tracks as realisation kicks in)
Axel: Your mum? Is she ok?
Harley: (Closes his eyes) She passed away this morning
Axel: Harley…I’m so sorry…
(Harley shakes his head again before holding his hand out for Axel, who accepts it)
Harley: Can we not talk about it?
Axel: (Nods) sure whatever you want…
(The two fall silent as they continue walking through the park. Harley reaches a bench and sits down and Axel copies. The two boys sit side-by-side, holding hands and they both watch as snow falls around them)
Harley: (Breaks the silence) My dad…
(Axel turns to face the older guy)
Harley: (Cont) …he’s thinking about sending me to one of those army camps…you know the ones advertised on the telly…he thinks it will help me prepare for the future.
Axel: (Concerned) your not going to go though are you?
Harley: (laughs) I don’t have much choice Axel!
(Axel head drops and he turns away from Harley clearly upset. Harley reaches up and places his hands under Axel’s chin and turns him to face him)
Harley: If I go it won’t be for another couple of weeks yet…so it just means we’ve got to spend as much time together as we can before I go
Axel: (smiles) Ok then.
(Axel leans in and the couple share a kiss, not caring about the other people in the park.)
Harley: (Stands up) Come on I want to show you something
[Axel nods as he jumps up and Harley leads him further into the park. Camera pans out before fades to black]
Scene 3
[Camera cuts in from black to show Jonson sat on the armchair, camera pans around to show that Axel’s parents have left the room and that Jonson is on his own. The teenager places his GameBoy on the floor and pulls himself up, he crosses the room and looks out of the window to see snow falling down around the street. Shaking his head, he heads back to his pile of presents and picks up a gift bag, he looks at the gift tag which reads “To Jonson, have a wicked xmas…from Axel”]
(Jonson reaches into the bag and pulls out a long black and dark blue scarf he wraps it around himself quickly before going out into the hallway where he pulls his coat on and leaves the house)
(Camera follows Jonson as he makes his way down the street, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials Axel’s number before holding the phone up to his ear, after a couple of rings, Jonson hangs up and then tries Harley’s number who just like Axel doesn’t answer.)
[Getting angry, Jonson puts his phone back into his pocket before breaking out into a run towards the park. Camera pans out before cutting to black]
Scene 4
[Camera cuts back in from black to reveal Axel and Jonson sat on the bandstand in the middle of the pack with their backs against the iron fence. Axel is holding a leaflet in his hands while Harley has one arm wrapped around the other guy’s waist]
Harley: see it doesn’t look that bad
Axel: (Reads out loud) To prepare for the changes that is sweeping over the world, send your sons to us and we can train them up…prepare them for the future… with virtual simulations they will get first hand training in the battle field (Looks up) Sounds like a load of rubbish to me
Harley: (Smiles) How did I know you were going to say that?
Axel: Come on Harley…it sounds like they are making an army out of teenage boys…sounds like brainwashing to me
(Snatches the leaflet back)
Harley: Well it’s lucky you’re not going then…
Axel: Too right
Harley: Anyway the real reason I got you to come out was to give you this…
(Harley reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out a small box which is wrapped in gold wrapping paper and has red ribbon wrapped around it. Axel takes the small present into his hands)
Axel: (Frowns) I didn’t think we were doing presents?
Harley: Just open it
(Axel shakes his head with a grin as he pulls the ribbon off and starts to wrap the paper away. Camera pans out and we can see Jonson walking across the field he starts to break into a run but suddenly stops in his tracks as he watches Axel jump up and pulls Harley into a hug before pressing his lips against the other guys.)
Jonson: (to himself) what the…
(Camera cuts back as Axel breaks the kiss)
Axel: You shouldn’t have brought me this.
(Camera cuts to Axel’s hand to show that he is holding a silver chain in his hands)
Harley: Come on you told me you wanted it so many times
Axel: That didn’t mean you had to go and buy it!
Harley: (smiles) Can you not be normal and just say thank you?
Axel: (smiles back) Thank you
[Camera pans out as the two boys share another kiss. Camera pans out to where Jonson was standing to show that he has disappeared into the night but on the floor where he was standing is the scarf that Axel had got him for Christmas. Camera zooms in before fading out to black]
Scene 5
[Camera fades back in to show Axel and Harley standing at the bottom of the steps of the Bandstand.]
Axel: And you will come see me tomorrow?
Harley: (smiles) I promised didn’t I?
Axel: (nods) I’ll see you tomorrow then?
(Axel closes the gap between himself and Harley and the couple share another kiss, as they break away Harley holds Axel’s face next to his)
Harley: I love you
Axel: (smiles) I love you too!
(After sharing another kiss, the two boys say their goodbyes and set off towards their homes.)
(Camera follows Axel as he makes his way through the park a smile plastered on his face. Something in the snow causes Axel to stop, his smile fades and he bends down to pick up the item of clothing)
Axel: (Whispers) Jonson?
Harley Over voice: I love you!
(Shaking his head, Axel lets the scarf drop back onto the floor and he continues to walk home replaying the three words which Harley said to him again and again through his head)
Harley: I love you
Axel: I love you too
[Camera pans out before fading to black]
[End Credits cut in]