Seven Minutes In Hell , Scene #01
In the quiet of a dimly lit staircase, Laura (Jaye Summers) finds herself perched alone, a silent observer to the remnants of a once-thriving party. The night has worn on, and the formerly crowded gathering has dwindled to a mere handful of teens, scattered around the room in intimate clusters. The basement, now a landscape of discarded red cups, empty bottles, and half-eaten snacks, bears the signs of the evening's revelry. A soft, rhythmic pulse of party music hums in the background, but Laura seems detached from the scene, her gaze fixed on a particular figure across the room: Vince (Zac Wild). As Laura watches, a boisterous guy brushes past her, red cups sloshing in his hands, barely acknowledging her presence. She flinches, her discomfort evident, but her focus quickly returns to Vince, who is engrossed in conversation with an attractive girl. Laura's eyes linger, a mixture of longing and envy flickering across her face. Why can't that be her? What secret charm does this other girl possess that she seemingly lacks? Suddenly, the atmosphere shifts as Janet, the party host and Laura's best friend, commands attention with a daring display. Laughter erupts, and Janet announces it's time to reignite the party's fading spark with a classic game: Seven Minutes in Heaven. Groans and chuckles ripple through the group, but Janet's persuasive enthusiasm wins them over. This isn't your average game, she assures; tonight, anything goes—as long as it's consensual. Names are scribbled, torn, and tossed into hats. Anticipation builds as Janet draws the first pair: Felicia and Brad. Nervous smiles and shrugs are exchanged, and the countdown begins. Janet, satisfied with her matchmaking, turns her attention to Laura, still sitting alone on the stairs. "How's the party treating you?" Janet asks, sitting beside her friend. Laura's response is noncommittal, but Janet sees right through her. "Liar," she teases, calling out Laura's unspoken infatuation with Vince. Laura blushes, her feelings laid bare. Why can't she just talk to him? Janet's advice is straightforward: be bold, make the first move. Meanwhile, Felicia emerges from the designated room, unimpressed and uninterested in her pairing with Brad. The partygoers laugh and tease, but the game must go on. Janet draws the next names: Vince and—to Laura's surprise and dismay—herself. But with a sly grin, Janet calls out Laura's name instead. Panic flutters across Laura's face, but Vince's encouraging smile calms her nerves. The room falls silent as the unlikely pair disappears into the room, the door clicking shut behind them. Inside, Vince turns to Laura, his voice soft yet eager. "Where should we start?" Laura, flustered, suggests they can just talk—or not talk at all. Vince chuckles, genuinely puzzled. Why wouldn't he want to do something with her? She's one of the cutest girls in school, he confesses. Laura is taken aback; she had no idea he even noticed her. Vince admits he's been waiting for her to make the first move, afraid of coming on too strong. Fate, it seems, has brought them together tonight. Laura, emboldened, admits she wants more than just conversation. Vince grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Good," he says, "because so do I." Time ticks away, and the partygoers outside grow restless. Kyle, Janet, and a few others huddle together, whispering and giggling. Ten minutes have passed—what could possibly be happening in there? Kyle, unable to contain his curiosity, decides to take a peek. He creeps upstairs, quietly opening the door to reveal a scene that makes him stifle a laugh: Vince and Laura, lost in passion, oblivious to the world outside. Kyle retreats, his eyes wide with disbelief. "They're totally fucking!" he announces to the room, igniting a flurry of whispers and gossip. Janet looks worried, trying to quell the growing interest, but the damage is done. The group inches closer to the bedroom door, drawn like moths to a flame. Inside, Laura is living out her fantasy, unaware of the storm brewing just outside the door. As the partygoers congregate, their voices a mix of excitement and disbelief, Laura and Vince remain entwined, their connection deepening with each passing moment. The game has taken an unexpected turn, and as the timer counts down, the party outside is about to take a dramatic shift. Will Laura's seven minutes in heaven turn into a nightmare, or will her newfound connection with Vince prove strong enough to withstand the scrutiny of her peers? Only time will tell, as the clock ticks down and the party teeters on the edge of chaos.