Stafen: A Short Story

MEF

I guess you know that Nikola Tesla always had financial problems.

STEFAN

Yeah.

(Mef turns to the window again. Her ice queen posture doesn’t seem strange to Stefan. On the contrary, he jumps out of his chair and walks briskly, following Mef, wanting to hear more about Tesla.)

MEF

Unlike his big rival, Edison, on whose list of priorities the fame and the money were the most important things, Tesla wanted to ensure the prosperity of entire humanity. But he didn’t have the funds. However...

STEFAN

Who was the man who was financing Wardenclyffe tower?

MEF

Suffice it to say that his sponsor was the banker, who, after finding out that he won’t have any cash benefits, withdrew all his funds. But it was too late.

(Stefan stands next

STEFAN

Well, we all know what the army will do with them. Especially if they are made for the benefit of mankind.

(Mef and Stefan walk through the corridor on whose walls we can see some family photos. While passing by, Stefan glances at the picture of him and Mef as children playing in the sand and it brings him a tiny smile.)

MEF

But that 's not all. There is a speculation that the Tesla had a secret room on one of his properties, however, no one has ever found anything.

STEFAN

According to all those facts, Tesla was a very interesting man.

MEF

I would rather say eccentric, it’s more appropriate epithet. In the eyes of the scientific community he was “a mad scientist”.

STEFAN

Why?

(They descend the staircase leading to the garage. Rigor stillness of Mef’s voice gets interrupted only at times by direct looks addressed to Stefan.)

MEF

So, for example, in one occasion, while he was experimenting, he was hit by electricity. Several million volts. If his assistant wasn’t near, he would die. However, the thing Tesla said after that has caused astonishment in others.

STEFAN

What do you mean? What he said?

MEF

He said that he had traveled through time and space.

STEFAN

Like what?

(Mef approaches one of the shelves, moves things on it and finds the item. She moves to the exact object, as if she already knew where he was.)

MEF

Got it.

(They hear the voice of professor Samir coming from another room.)

PROF. SAMIR (OS)

Mef, we need to shake a leg. We 'll be late.

STEFAN

C’mon, hit the road now. Take care.

(Mef goes away, while Stefan moves towards the open door of the garage. He looks at the horizon bathed in orange color of the sun that has just risen. However, he can’t just let himself stay and adore birth of a new day, because it’s clear that some more sad thoughts are bothering him.)

INT. ORPHANAGE - MIKE 'S AND GRACESYN 'S ROOM - DAY

Mike’s in bed in his room. He is waken up by the sun that already reached the zenith.

MIKE

Jeez, I slept like a log.

(He looks at his watch.)

MIKE (CONT’D)

Huuh, it’s the noon already. Get up, Gracesyne.

(Mike turns and sees Gracesyn’s bed being empty and all messy.)

EXT. SOMEWHERE on Long Island - SAME

Gracesyn goes by a deserted street on Long Island. He looks at his phone, then he looks around, and then again at the phone. He stops in front of a wooden, shabby storefront covered with napless