The Wrong Umbrella
Format: Thriller two-person scene
Approx. length: 1-3 minutes
Original audition scene

EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM - RAIN - NIGHT

LENA grips a black umbrella. OWEN approaches, calm and soaked.

OWEN
That’s mine.

LENA
Lots of umbrellas are black.

OWEN
Mine has a silver scratch on the handle.

She looks. There is a scratch.

LENA
Then I picked up the wrong one.

OWEN
No, you were given the right one.

A train passes. Noise swallows the moment.

LENA
Who are you?

OWEN
Someone trying to keep you alive until the 22:14.

LENA
That’s in six minutes.

OWEN
Then we should be efficient.

LENA
There’s nothing in it.

OWEN
Press the runner above the hinge.

She does. A small plastic capsule drops into her hand.

LENA
What is this?

OWEN
Insurance.

LENA
Against what?

OWEN
The man in the brown coat by the vending machine.

LENA glances. A man watches them.

LENA
Why give it to me?

OWEN
Because they search people like me.

LENA
And people like me?

OWEN
They underestimate.

The platform speaker crackles.

OWEN
When the train arrives, get on the third carriage. Do not sit. Do not call anyone. At Clapham, hand the capsule to the woman reading a green book.

LENA
And you?

OWEN smiles without warmth.

OWEN
I’ll ask for my umbrella back.
