Wallace and the Ants

By Tom Van Gemert

FADE IN:

INT. ELEVATOR - MORNING

An empty elevator opens and two large CONSTRUCTION WORKERS with yellow hard hats and orange vests enter. One has a long, bushy red beard and the other has a large, jutting chin. Just before the two metal doors slide together, a small hand appears between them, causing them to open again.

WALLACE WEMPTNER steps in, presses the 8th floor button, and stares at the floor. He is a short and thin and in his mid 20s with sharp features; black, wire rimmed glasses rest on a round nose; a small mouth and chin below high cheek bones. His pale complexion contrasts sharply with his jet black, well groomed hair. A brown tie with repeating, black cricket shapes hangs over a starchy white shirt. He carries a folder in one hand and a brown lunch bag and thermos in the other.

The construction workers stare at him briefly and then grin at each other. The one with the beard taps his big boot on the floor and twists his ankle from side to side. Mild wheezing LAUGHTER emits from the other and Wallace's eyes peer back without turning his head.

A bell RINGS and the doors slide open. Wallace steps out and walks down the hall briskly. The construction workers watch him and smile as the doors begin to close.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

(mumbling)

                        Almost squashed um'.....

Wallace stops short and stares straight ahead. ROARING LAUGHTER BURSTS from the elevator just before the doors close to muffle it. His jaw and eyebrows tighten.

INT. LAB - DAY

Florescent lights brighten a small laboratory with long grey counter tops. Glass containers full of various crawling insects litter the shelves on the walls. OVID DAPPENSHIRE with wild, frizzy, orange hair and a long face peers into a microscope. Wallace bursts in and SLAMS the door. Ovid jumps a bit and turns his head to watch him march across the room.

OVID

                        Wrong side today, Wallace?

Wallace slams his folder down on the counter, pulls open a drawer, and thumbs through small glass containers with CLINKING sounds. Ovid continues to gaze into the scope.

OVID

                        The new grub samples are in.

WALLACE

                        Where?

OVID

                        Right here. Check out these wing slits.

Wallace walks over and peeks into the microscope.

OVID

                        Ant tourney this weekend at Harvey's.

WALLACE

                        And.....?

OVID

                        Just thought I'd mention it.

Wallace shakes his head walks back to his work area and continues searching the drawers.

OVID

                        I'm tellin' ya, you're missing out....

WALLACE

                        Where are the aphids I was working on yesterday?

OVID

                        Quinlin borrowed em'.

WALLACE

                        Why can't he stay out of my drawers?

He sighs loudly, shoves the drawer in with a WHAP and marches out, SLAMMING the door behind him. Ovid smiles and shakes his head.

INT. SUBWAY - 5 PM

Wallace sits on a bench with a silver sealed tray on his lap. He stares blankly at a train WHIZZING by with a hint of a frown on his face. The sounds of the train get fainter and an unshaven man with scraggly hair and a filthy, puffy vest sits down next to him. His greasy hand presses a tin can to Wallace's chest.

HOMELESS MAN

                        Can you spare a little?

WALLACE

                        I'm sorry. I don't have any change.

He looks down at the can which doesn't move and then to the homeless man, who glares back at him without wavering.

WALLACE

                        I really don't, sorry.

He shuffles slowly away from the man and watches the can bury deeper into his chest. His mouth parts slightly and he quickly pulls out his wallet and drops a dollar bill into the can. A subway train comes to a halt and it's doors pop open.

WALLACE

                        I have to go now.

The man continues to stare at him, his eyes widen slightly. Wallace tries to stand up but the can holds him down. He drops another bill in and the man releases his hold with a smile. Wallace bolts up and runs over to the train, getting inside just before the doors close. As the train rolls away, he stares out the window at the man on the bench digging into the can with his filthy fingers.

INT. WALLACE'S APARTMENT - NEXT DAY

Wallace sit's on a dark green couch in the center of a dimly lit room. The walls are blank save for two small paintings. A small trophy without a label sits atop a dusty cabinet. With bony elbow on knee, he pumps a small dumbbell rapidly.

A flesh colored, rotary phone on a coffee table in front of him rings loudly, interrupting the dead silence and causing him to jump back in alarm. Slowly putting the weight down, he looks fixedly at the receiver for a few seconds before picking it up and placing it awkwardly to his ear.

WALLACE

                        Heh...Hello?.....Oh, hi.....Oh I'm fine.....Cards?.....Uh,Ya I'd like to but I've got a dentist appointment.....Uh, that's because I have to go back again to get a filling.....Ya, Uh huh.....Maybe next time.....Bye.

Slowly lowering the receiver from his ear, he looks at it before hanging up. He picks up the dumbbell and continues to pump it with a troubled look on his face.

INT. LAB - DAY

Wallace and Ovid stand on opposite sides of the lab squinting through microscopes. Wallace looks over to Ovid and opens his mouth as if to speak but shakes his head and continues working. A moment later he looks over again.

WALLACE

                        Hey about the ant war....

Ovid looks up surprised and stares at the wall in front of him.

OVID

                        Are you in?

WALLACE

                        Yea I'm thinking about it.

Ovid grins and nods his head.

EXT. HALL - AFTERNOON

Wallace presses the down button next to the elevator and it lights up. Moving back a step, he stands with both hands at his side, staring at the two stainless steel doors.

Three seconds pass before a low toned bell RINGS and the doors part to reveal the two construction workers in the midst of a loud conversation.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        On the spot my ass! I'll bet that son of a bitch was rehearsing the night before!

They laugh in unison and turn their heads to watch Wallace step in slowly, turning around and walking backwards the last few paces. He quickly presses a button on the side panel and looks down at the floor nervously as the doors close.

INT. ELEVATOR - DAY

The second worker gazes at the back of Wallace's head and scratches his large chin, grinning.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        You should of seen the size of the bug I squashed in my driveway this mornin'.

The other worker folds his arms and chuckles.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        Oh yeah? How big was it?

The second worker raises his hand palm down to the level of Wallace's head, who looks puzzled but doesn't turn around to see what's going on.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        Oh I'd say it was about yay tall.....

He spreads his hands apart to match Wallace's thin frame

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        ...and yay wide.

They burst out laughing. Wallace's brow tightens and he clenches his fists. The elevator opens and he marches out.

INT. WALLACE'S WORK ROOM AT HOME - DAY

A large table with a white linoleum surface stands in the center of an empty uncarpeted room save for a cabinet and chair in two corners. Light shines in through a window well and casts dim shadows around the room.

Three large ant farms sit on the table in the shape of a triangle. Thin tubes connect the glass boxes together with a long tube running up to the window. Wallace sits at the table and watches the many red ants crawl through tunnels.

He pulls one of the tubes out and seals the open hole with a little blue cap. Putting the end of the tube into a small jar, he waits for an ant to pop out and then puts the tube back. With a tiny, fine tipped brush he dabs some clear liquid all over the scampering ant.

He slides another jar over with ten larger black ants inside. One by one he deposits them into the red ant's jar with tweezers. Immediately a battle begins and the black ants swarm over the red one.

Wallace frowns as the red speck disappears into a raging black mound. But one by one, the swarm stops moving as the black ants die and the red ant emerges with a dismembered thorax in its mandibles.

Wallace smiles and with tweezers, places the ant back into the farm. He picks up a vial of clear liquid and stares at it, smiling faintly. His eyes go out of focus and he nods his head.

The red ant crawls down a tunnel and into a small chamber. It crouches into a corner and remains still.

INT. LAB - DAY

Wallace and Ovid stand on either side of a large glass box and measure white beetles with small pinch rulers. Ovid picks up a clip board and begins scrawling at a chart.

OVID

                        So how's your army lookin'?

WALLACE

                        Oh good. Good.

OVID

                        Don't get frustrated when you get whipped the first time around.  You're going to be going up against some veterans.

Wallace glances up at him and smirks.

WALLACE

                        Sure.

He opens a drawer and looks around inside.

WALLACE

                        We're out of mayberry leaves.

OVID

                        There's a new box of em' in the storage room.

Wallace begins to walk away.

OVID

                        Oh yeah. Those boxes are a real pain to get open. There's a knife you can use on that shelf over there.

Wallace takes the fold up knife off the shelf, and looks at it hesitantly before putting it in his pocket and walking out.

OVID

(while the door is closing)

                        Be careful with that. It's pretty sharp.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Wallace walks out of a room marked "404 Storage" with a small, red glass jar in his hand. He looks up as a low RUMBLE and SQUEAKING emits from down the hall and he quickens his pace.

WALLACE

                        Hold the elevator please!

INT. ELEVATOR - DAY

The two construction workers stand in the elevator. The one with the big jaw leans with his back to the wall with his thick arms folded. The bearded one holds the door open.

Wallace charges in and freezes abruptly when he sees the two. He turns around with a faint look of disgust and presses the 8th floor button. The workers grin at each other and gaze at the number lights above the door.

Suddenly there is a loud GROANING and the lights dim for a second. A look of confusion passes over all three faces.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        I don't think we're moving. Damn it we're gonna be late again.

They continue to stare at the numbers under which no light can be found. The bearded worker looks over to the other.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        I got a brand new fly swatter yesterday.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        Oh yeah? Does it work good?

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        Real good. There was a real pesky one flyin' around. You know the kind I mean?

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 2

                        Yeah I know the kind. Keeps gettin' in yer face?

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        Uh huh. It was buggin' the hell out a me. But I took care of em'.

He SMACKS the wall with the flat of his hand causing Wallace to jump.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER 1

                        One swat was all it took.

The workers wheeze uncontrollably, the bearded one triggering a juicy COUGH. Wallace's face strains in anger and he looks down at the small jar. His hands gripping it shake slightly and his knuckles whiten.

Suddenly he spins around and flings the jar into the wall between the workers. It SHATTERS and red shards of glass fly everywhere. The workers jump back and stare at him wide eyed.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the knife, unfolding it to reveal a shiny three and a half-inch blade. Breathing heavily through his nose with loud, rapid SNIFFS, he looks intently at both of them with darting eyes.

The workers back up against the wall with mouths agape and arms raised up in front of them. Wallace's chest heaves and his whole body shakes uncontrollably. He begins sucking air through his teeth and sweat glistens on his brow.

A GRINDING of metal sounds and the lights brighten. A low toned bell rings and the doors open. Wallace glances over his shoulder at the open hallway and then snaps back to stare at the workers, holding the knife out in front with both hands. Slowly he backs out of the elevator without breaking the gaze.

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

The workers lower their arms slightly but continue to stare fearfully at Wallace as the doors close. Once the doors come together, Wallace looks around with a blank expression on his face which turns to that of fear when he looks down at the knife in his hands.

He tosses it into a nearby garbage can and walks hurriedly down the hallway.

INT. WALLACE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

A small lamp glows dimly atop a dresser in the corner of a small room. Wallace sits in a hard wooden chair opposite a single sized bed. He stares blankly at the wall in a bent over position with his hands in his lap.

Suddenly his body starts to shake and a look of intense sadness passes over his expression. He SNIFFLES deeply and buries his face in his hands, weeping silently.

INT. HARVEY'S HOUSE - DAY

Five men including Ovid sit around a hexagon shaped table with colorful ant farms on it.

HARVEY

                        Come on Ovid he's a no show.

Lifting his head from a leaning hand, Ovid glances at his watch.

OVID

                        Just give him a few more minutes.

EXT. HARVEY'S FRONT PORCH - DAY

Wallace walks slowly up two steps onto Harvey's front porch. He carries his ant farm in front of him with both hands. He reaches towards the buzzer but hesitates and stops within two inches. He looks down at his ant farm and frowns. He moves his finger a little closer to the button, shakes his head, and drops his hand down. Turning around, he walks away.

INT. WALLACE'S WORK ROOM - DAY

A small vial containing clear liquid THUDS off the inner rim of a yellow, plastic waste basket and lands with a RUSTLING sound amongst the crinkled papers within.

Recoiling his arm, Wallace leans back in his chair, clasps his hands behind his head, and kicks his feet up on the table. He gazes at the ants crawling around in the three connected ant farms.

One ant pops up from a tunnel and sits there for a while staring back at him. Slowly it creeps back down into the tunnel. A faint smile reaches Wallace's calm face and he closes his eyes.

FADE OUT

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