Future Darkly: All The Time In The World

'Time is the longest distance between two places.' ― Tennessee Williams, The Glass Menagerie SCENE OPENS on Ted (Justin Hunt), who is in his room, preparing for a dinner party for his friend Gabi's birthday. There is the sound of a Newton's Cradle which we see clacking in the foreground on his desk. We can also hear the faint sounds of a cityscape through his bedroom window. Ted is nervous and adjusting his clothes. He is rehearsing in front of the mirror, trying to come up with a way to express his love for his best friend Gabi and to convince her to break up with her longtime boyfriend Drake. He retrieves a pocket watch that he got for Gabi's birthday. He thinks it's broken and manhandles it, accidentally uncovering a secret compartment that emits a strange effect as it opens. The distortion effect ripples out across the screen like a shockwave. Sound and movement slow to a stop for everyone but Ted. Ted is confused, looks around the room, sees that his clock is no longer moving. He remarks that it's weird the clock stopped. He feels something is amiss and sees that the Newton's Cradle has stopped in mid swing. He can't believe what he's seeing, and pulls back a bit in fear. Ted leans in to peer and scrutinize the Newton's Cradle with shock and curiosity. Ted looks in wonder and cautiously reaches a hand out. He touches the Cradle. At his touch, the balls instantly start to swing again, the clacking sound whooshing back. Ted stares for a moment at the moving Cradle, then something catches his attention out the window. He goes to look out the window. 'What...the...hell? Everything's just...STOPPED. The birds...the people. Nothing's...MOVING. Th-that's IMPOSSIBLE. It's like time is just...FROZEN,' Ted says in stunned disbelief. Ted looks down at his hand, only now noticing he still is idly holding the open watch in his hand. It starts to dawn on him that the watch did this. He looks out at the frozen city in awe, gazing back and forth between the city and the watch a few times. He seems to get an idea. As he stares out the window, he snaps the clock closed. Instantaneously, the sounds of the cityscape whoosh back in and the clock hand begins moving again. Everything has become unfrozen. Ted stares, stunned into silence, for several seconds. 'Gabi...' he finally whispers. CUT TO TITLE CUT TO another day. Gabi's birthday dinner party is in full swing. Gabi (Alina Lopez) sits beside Drake (Nathan Bronson) at the dinner table. Ted sits across from Gabi. Their mutual friends Pat and Leslie sit around them, and everybody but Ted are clearly enjoying themselves, engaged in light and lively conversation, laughing and joking. Ted seems withdrawn and distracted, spaced-out. He isn't talking to anyone, and instead keeps pulling the watch in and out of his pocket and looking at it under the table. As the other guests are busy, Gabi notices Ted's distraction. She touches his hand and asks what's wrong. Ted snaps out of his distraction, seemingly reminded of his strong feelings for Gabi. Ted is about to profess his love for Gabi when he is interrupted by Drake getting on bended knee in front of Gabi. He proposes and Gabi says yes as Ted panics. Ted's panic boils over and he makes a snap decision, activating the watch to freeze time. Sound and movement slow to a stop for everyone but Ted. Gabi's words cut off as she freezes, hand out. Ted gets up slowly from his chair and paces the room, slowly walking and examining the guests. He seems bitter and disgusted at their happy expressions. He looks at Gabi first, then over to Drake with jealousy, then enters the kitchen briefly to circle Pat and Leslie making sure they're frozen - waving his hand in front of their faces and snapping his fingers in front of their eyes. Ted takes a deep breath, exhaling heavily as he calms down, glancing at the pocket watch and considering what to do. Ted resumes his spot at the dining room table, sighing. He looks back at Gabi, Drake beside her, her hand held out to Ted showing off the ring. His expression turns possessive as he gazes at her. He readies himself and reaches out to touch her outstretched hand. Gabi unfreezes and immediately panics when she discovers everyone else is frozen except her and Ted. She tries to get Drake up but can't. Ted explains that the pocket watch can stop time. Ted finally professes his love for Gabi, thinking she will reciprocate, but she doesn't. He reveals that he stopped time so that they could be together forever. Gabi is freaked out. Ted feels betrayed and hurt that she doesn't share his feelings. He threatens to smash the watch unless she fucks him. Gabi, full of resentment, agrees to have sex - 'You aren't the person I thought you were, Ted... I'll have sex with you, but I could NEVER love you after this.' Ted tells her that she'll see, she'll change her mind. She tries to lead him to the bedroom. Ted says that he wants them to do it in front of Drake so he can prove to Gabi he's a better lover than Drake. Gabi is appalled but reluctantly agrees. Ted's going to take his time with Gabi. They DO have all the time in the world, after all. Nominated - Best Art Direction, AVN 2020 Nominated - Best Special Effects, AVN 2020