THE LAST TRAIN
3 Minute Short-Film.
Tobias Baumann
EXT. - NIGHT.
WIDE SHOT, we see a deserted train station in a dark winter night.
MEDIUM SHOT, of the platform down the tracks. The whole scene is only partly illuminated by the eerie light from the station. We hear the silence of the night. No train is coming. No passengers can be seen. A normally busy place is resting.
MEDIUM SHOT, on the train announcement board. It is empty.
MEDIUM SHOT, on the ticket office. Its empty and the lights are off.
MEDIUM SHOT, on the train station clock. The minute pointer is moving with a click to 04:00 am.
FULL SHOT, on two waiting persons sitting on a bench at the station. They both wear the same cloths: white hospital robes. That’s the only thing they are wearing in this cold night. However they don’t seem to be affected by the cold and actually look quite comfortable. Lets’ call them Joe and Dave. The film title “The last Train” appearing overlaid.
Joe is looking at the clock and says:
JOE
This thing is never on time!
Dave doesn’t respond. He is staring forward with no obvious point of focus. His face is emotionless.
Joe looks at him waiting for a response. After a few seconds he fumbles around in the bags of the hospital robe to reveal a ticket.
CLOSE-UP SHOT FROM JOES POV, on the ticket. It looks like a common train ticket with some unusual differences: PERSONAL ONE WAY TICKET, Joe Johnson, from: present location, to: re-incarnation cycle number two, via: the afterlife, valid: ticket is valid for one use only, departure time: 04:00.
MEDIUM SHOT, on both with Joe still looking at the ticket.
DAVE (talking to himself)
I’ll never get used to this.
Joe looking at Dave –-
JOE
What?
DAVE
Nothing...
Joe is looking at Dave with curiosity. After a while he says--
JOE
So how did you die?
DAVE
There were some complications during a bypass operation.
JOE
Oh! So you were in the hospital too! What a coincidence.
MEDIUM SHOT, focus on Dave with Joe in the background. We see in his expression that he is worried about someone and would rather be left alone with his thoughts. He isn’t paying much attention to Joe, which doesn’t stop Joe from talking.
DAVE (speaking to himself)
I hope she will be fine without me...
JOE
You know, I think I’ll be a human again in my next reincarnation cycle. They are so fascinating. What about you?
DAVE
Something without ears so I can’t hear people speaking. Trees don’t have ears right?
MEDIUM SHOT, focus on Joe with Dave in the background. Joe obviously not getting the hint laughs—-
JOE
Uhm, I guess so. This is only my 17th cycle. But you know what really bugs me? I’ll tell ya! how do we always end up at these stations? I mean how do they manage to--
Joe’s monolog is abruptly interrupted by a distant train horn being blown. They both look up, listening to the sound. It echoes eerie trough the night.
FULL SHOT, on the bench. Dave mumbles with a sigh of relieve--
DAVE
Ugh, finally!
JOE
Oh look here it comes... Time to go!
The camera follows them as they stand up and walk to the platform with their tickets in hand.
JOE
Make sure you got all your stuff. (laughs)
Pointing out the obvious fact that they don’t have anything with them.
FULL SHOT, on Joe and Dave standing on the platform looking down the rail tracks. As they stand on the platform we see how a big cloud of smoke is coming nearer to the station. We hear a steam machines rhythmic pump is coming closer, slowing down. Just as the smoke is reaching the station a big black steam locomotive is coming out of it followed by some passenger wagons. The train halts with a screeching sound to a stop in front of them. The whole scenery looks very ghostly and unusual with all the steam coming from the train.
MEDIUM SHOT, on Joe in focus as Dave is walking away from him to another compartment in the background. Joe screams after him—-
JOE
See you in the next live buddy!
Dave is doing a short, cold, wave with his hand, not looking back.
MEDIUM SHOT, on Joe’s upper body. We see how he is taking of his hospital robe. It slips weightlessly over his shoulders. He enters the train.
CLOSE-UP SHOT, on Joe’s hand reaching and grabbing the rail of the stairs.
CLOSE-UP SHOT, on his naked right foot stepping onto the first step of the stairs.
CLOSE-UP SHOT, on his naked left foot as it slips out of the hospital robe lying on the ground. Detaching from the earth.
All the last three shots are shown in slow motion while the steam is flowing around diffusely in the background.
MEDIUM SHOT, of Joe standing in front of the entrance into the train compartment. A person wearing a black robe blocks his path. It’s the ticket inspector of the afterlife. His face is concealed by the shadow of his hood. In a monotone voice he says--
TICKET INSPECTOR
May I see your ticket please?
Joe hands him his ticket. The ticket inspector looks at it and then hands it back to Joe.
TICKET INSPECTOR
Thank you Sir. Enjoy your ride.
Joe disappears into the train compartment.
FULL SHOT, on the platform and the rail tracks into the direction of the train. We see how the train is starting to move. Slowly as the rhythm of the steam engine starts to build up. Slowly the train disappears into a cloud of smoke the same way it came from it. Leaving the station deserted and empty behind.
FULL SHOT, on two hospital robes lying motionless on the ground.
WIDE SHOT, on the train station. The station is empty again. Illuminated in its own eerie light it rests silently.
The credits roll.
