FADE IN:

INT. BAKERY KITCHEN, 6 AM. 

WE ARE VIEWING THIS SCENE THROUGH A SECURITY CAMERA. RICK, A MIDDLE AGED MAN, IS BAKING IN THE KITCHEN, SINGING ‘SUPER BASS,’ WHICH IS COMING FROM A NEARBY RADIO, UNAWARE OF HIS SURROUNDINGS.

RICK

Boy, you got my heartbeat runnin' away

RICK turns away, his apron is exposed to the flame that is currently on the stove. The apron catches fire but RICK doesn’t notice. He continues cooking as he faces away from the stove; the fire grows.

RICK

Beatin' like a drum and it's comin' your way

TOMMY, an older man in his PJs, enters with worry on his face as he spots the fire.

TOMMY

RICK! RICHARD WHAT IS GOING ON?

Still not noticing the fire, the music blaring in his ears, RICK turns to greet TOMMY.

RICK

Good morning sunshine! Dad those 

pants look fantastic. 

TOMMY

RICK!

RICK

You should open the shop like that.

TOMMY

RICK YOU’RE ON FIRE!

RICK finally notices the fire and screams, flailing frantically, throwing the apron and incidentally spreading the fire. We see TOMMY start to lose his balance. From the stairs comes JENNY, a woman around the age of RICK, OLIVIA, a teenage girl, and TEDDY, OLIVIA’s twin brother. They all start panicking. 

JENNY

OH MY GOD?!

OLIVIA

GRANDPA?! ARE YOU OKAY?

TOMMY passes out, OLIVIA and TEDDY just narrowly catch him as he falls. The twins scream.

TEDDY

DID HE JUST DIE?!

Meanwhile, JENNY is trying to put out the fire, but there is not much she can do. RICK is trying to open the door, but the handle is heating up.

RICK

IT’S TOO HOT! I’M GONNA RAM IT!

RICK begins to run at the door. Meanwhile, JENNY yells to her children to call for help. TEDDY becomes closest to the rotary phone hanging from the wall as OLIVIA is able to steady TOMMY, who is still passed out. 

JENNY

TEDDY CALL 911!

RICK lunges at the door at full speed but isn’t able to open it. He stumbles to the ground.

TEDDY

MOM I’M SORRY, I DON’T KNOW HOW! 

THIS PHONE IS OLDER THAN GRANDPA.

OLIVIA

TEDDY. GRANDPA WON’T GET MUCH OLDER

IF WE DON’T GET OUT OF HERE.

Instead of trying to explain the phone to her son, JENNY rushes over and dials 911.

JENNY

NONE OF US WILL!

RICK has to take a moment to regain full consciousness, but he backs up and tries again, this time successfully breaking it open.

JENNY

(with rushed breathing)

Hello. Our home is on fire and

we have a medical emergency. 

342 East 11th Street. Thank you.

JENNY hangs up the phone and helps OLIVIA and TEDDY drag TOMMY outside, while RICK is crouched over, trying to regain breath after his various attempts at opening the door. Our view switches to the security camera outside of the Bakery. ‘Super Bass’ can still be faintly heard playing on the radio, but it slowly fades away as the radio falls victim to the fire.

RICK

I did it. 

RICK gasps for air, while pumping his fist in the air, as he applauds himself for breaking down the door. JENNY, TEDDY, and OLIVIA, all out of breath, disregard RICK’s plea for approval, as they try to help TOMMY.

JENNY

Tommy. Tommy... Wake up Tommy!

JENNY mutters under her breath.

JENNY

This wouldn’t have happened to you if you

were in the home Tom.

TOMMY is unresponsive, the three of them exchange worried glances. Sirens begin to wail in the distance. 

OLIVIA

Mom, what did you just say? 

JENNY does not answer.

OLIVIA

Okay forget that... Will he be 

okay?

Silence follows OLIVIA’s question.

TEDDY

Mom?

JENNY does not answer again, but this time, RICK comes over. JENNY slightly shifts the conversation. 

JENNY

Richard. While we are waiting for our

house to be converted into a Sauna,

would you care to tell me what started this. 

RICK

Jen, I really don’t know. But whoever

did this is out to get us.

JENNY

Rick, I don’t think anyone did this to us.

RICK

Oh my god.

Everyone looks toward RICK with anticipation, as if he has made an important realization.

RICK

It had to have been that guy from

the Greek bakery. No one goes there

anymore. But it’s not my fault his-

A siren wails and two fire trucks and an ambulance pull into view. 

OLIVIA

Thank goodness.

Medical personnel rush toward TOMMY, while the firefighters hurry to put out the fire. OLIVIA and TEDDY step back as TOMMY is put on a stretcher, obviously thrown off by the situation, while JENNY goes to talk to the first responders with RICK hurrying behind her. They watch as TOMMY is put into the ambulance. 

EMT

We’re going to need a close relative,

if possible, to travel in the ambulance

with him.

RICK steps up, nodding his head.

RICK

I’ll go with him.

JENNY, OLIVIA, and TEDDY, all huddled together, watch as the doors to the ambulance close as RICK gets in. Just before the doors close RICK starts dialing on his phone.

TEDDY

(Trying not to cry)

Bro he had his phone this whole time? 

The doors to the ambulance shut.

FADE OUT TO INTRO.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM.

We are now viewing through the documentary crew’s cameras (mocumentary style filming), as the FILM CREW enters. TOMMY is lying in a hospital bed, while doctors move around the room. RICK is with him. RICK can be seen in a “dad stance,” taking photos of TOMMY. His attention soon turns to the film crew.

RICK

Woahhh. JJ! You guys were quick. 

JJ goes to shake RICK’s hand. He has headphones and is dressed like you would imagine a director to be dressed.

JJ

Rick, my man.

JJ glances over at TOMMY.

JJ

Oh my god is he really unconscious? 

RICK

Change of plans.

JJ

Rick I thought he was acting sick,

not that he would actually be sick!

RICK

I guess you could say he’s method acting.

BEAT. 

RICK looks at the film crew and then the camera in an attempt to get a reaction. JJ is in shock.

RICK

(Clearing his throat) 

The bakery caught on fire this morning.

JJ

Oh my god?

BEAT.

JJ

Will he be okay?

RICK

(Nodding as if he is truly certain)

Just a coma.

RICK TALKING HEAD

RICK

JJ is my buddy who works for a film company. One day, He had asked me to be apart of one of his films on (he does air quotes) historic New York bakeries. Today I had a better idea. Documentary. Plus. Plus plusity plus plus. Our bakery will need a wee bit of money to rebuild after our little incident. Plus plus plus plus, I already spent some of the kids’ college savings on the medical bill.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM.

JENNY, TEDDY, and OLIVIA. They all face the camera crew with puzzled expressions. 

OLIVIA

What the f-

RICK shoots her a look. She looks confused but stops herself from cursing.

OLIVIA

Falalalalalala?

TEDDY

(Biting his lip in confusion)

Okay Dad what is going on?

The camera focuses on JENNY who rushes toward a doctor who is tending to TOMMY.

JENNY

Is he alright? Will he be alright?

DOCTOR

I’m sorry ma’am it’s currently unapparent.

Mr. Connolly has fallen into a coma…

due to the incident. I was able to

gather some information from Mr. 

Connolly’s son here. 

BEAT.

DOCTOR

Well... not much information actually.

Does Mr. Connolly have any health

issues we should be aware of?

JENNY

Diabetes. He has diabetes.

RICK

Yup. Silly Dad. Honestly... He

probably got it from living in a

bakery. Poor guy.

JENNY

Richard, he has type one.

The camera turns to TEDDY who is drawing a frowny face on the ‘HOW ARE YOU FEELING’ board before he turns to JJ. OLIVIA notices the drawing and laughs before remembering the situation at hand.

TEDDY

(talking to JJ) 

Who are you?

RICK interjects before JJ is able to respond.

RICK

Children. Wife. Meet JJ. Because of

him, we are going to have our own docu-series.

JJ

Well-

CUT TO BLACK.

“ONE WEEK LATER” flashes across the screen

FADE IN:

EXT. THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE BAKERY

Maintenance and repair vans are parked in the street in front of the house. OLIVIA, TEDDY, KACEY (OLIVIA’s best friend), and KEV (KACEY’s father and RICK’s best friend) get out of an SUV. OLIVIA and TEDDY both have suitcases. KEV gives his wife MARY a kiss before he exits.

OLIVIA

Thank you so much Mary.

MARY

Of course Liv.

TEDDY

Yes. Thank you. You guys are the real

heroes in this situation.

MARY

Ok Teddy. Thank you kiddo.

They turn to face the shop, as workers move throughout the store. A new sign is being lifted onto the building, it reads: ‘RICK’s BAKERY.’

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF ACT