DEADLINE MEANS DEADLINE

GENRE: Campus Drama / Comedy

CHARACTERS:

• Teni

• Amaka

• Lecturer

Scene 1

INT. HOSTEL ROOM – SUNDAY EVENING

Teni is lying on her bed laughing loudly at her phone.

Amaka sits at a table reading seriously.

TENI:

See this video...  I can’t breathe!

AMAKA:

Teni, have you started the screenwriting assignment?

TENI (dramatically):

Amaka please… inspiration cannot be rushed.

AMAKA:

Deadline cannot be moved.

TENI:

Relax. I work best under pressure.

Amaka gives her a knowing look.

Scene 2

INT. CLASSROOM – THURSDAY

The lecturer stands at the front of the class addressing the students.

Students are seated quietly with their notebooks open.

LECTURER:

Remember, submission is tomorrow morning. No excuses.

Teni suddenly freezes in her seat and slowly turns to Amaka.

TENI (whispers loudly):

Tomorrow?? Like… tomorrow tomorrow??

AMAKA:

Yes. The same tomorrow I warned you about.

Some students nearby laugh quietly.

Scene 3

INT. HOSTEL ROOM – THURSDAY NIGHT

The room is messy. Papers are scattered everywhere.

Teni sits at her table with messy hair and tired eyes.

A cardboard sheet is placed in front of her.

TENI:

Why is cardboard so hard to draw on?!

She attempts to draw a stick figure.

TENI:

Why does it look like a ghost?

She erases aggressively and sighs in frustration.

TENI:

I should have started on Sunday. Even Monday. Even Tuesday. Even Wednesday!

Scene 4

INT. CLASSROOM – FRIDAY MORNING

Students walk confidently to the front of the class to submit their assignments.

Amaka submits her neatly arranged work to the lecturer.

Teni slowly approaches with a poorly drawn cardboard sheet.

The lecturer examines it with a confused expression.

LECTURER:

What is this?

TENI:

Sir… it’s… abstract animation.

LECTURER:

It is abstract zero.

Some students laugh lightly.

LECTURER:

You failed this assignment.

Teni stands frozen in shock.

Final Scene

EXT. OUTSIDE CLASSROOM – FRIDAY

Teni and Amaka walk out of the classroom together.

TENI:

From today… if I say I’ll do it later, slap me.

AMAKA:

Gladly.

Text appears on screen:

“Procrastination is funny… until it costs you.”

Fade out.