5 Seconds
(Outside, a warm afternoon along a busy city street. Becca is walking a few steps behind Sam, who is reading as he walks.)
BECCA
Woah! Hold on.
(She lunges forward to grab Sam’s sleave, pulling him backwards.)
SAM
What’s? Oh! Wow that car was really close.
BECCA
Yeah.
SAM
Umm, thanks.
BECCA
Oh no problem, just uh watch out. They go really fast here.
(She let’s go of his sleeve, looking a bit embarrassed.)
SAM
Right ya. I’m Sam by the way.
BECCA
Becca. It’s nice to meet you.
SAM
You too. I’m just on my way back from a work thing, could I buy you a coffee for saving me from reckless drivers.
BECCA
Umm, ya alright. I could go for something warm.
SAM
Excellent. Hey are you good, you look like you’re shaking?
BECCA
Oh well just a bit I suppose. It’s a bit chilly.
SAM
It’s nearly thirty degrees. I’m regretting wearing pants. Are you sure you’re okay?
BECCA
I’ll be fine might just need some food and maybe to sit down. Have you ever thought about how your body is like a sun?
SAM
How do you mean?
BECCA
You are a tiny radiator, burning food and producing heat.
SAM
OK sure, but the sun is much hotter.
BECCA
Well, yes. The sun is a much bigger radiator and doing more complicated things, but the concept is the same. You’re both heat sources.
SAM
Alright. Why does it matter?
BECCA
It doesn’t. I just wondered if you thought about it.
SAM
Not really.
BECCA
Hmm. Me neither I guess.
SAM
(Stops walking and gestures.)
Have you ever been to this place? It’s one of my favorites.
BECCA
No, I’m not around here very often.
SAM
Then how did you know about the drivers at that crazy blind turn?
BECCA
Lucky guess I guess.
SAM
You sure you’re ok? I can also call a cab and you could to the hospital, you look like you just saw a ghost and you’ve gone really cold.
BECCA
No. No. I don’t need attention, just some warmth. Thank Eddington for the sun.
SAM
Who is that?
BECCA
Doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re ok.
SAM
Of course I’m ok. Thanks to you. But now I’m worried about your chills.
BECCA
I’ll be alright. Tell you what, buy me a coffee and we’ll call it even.
SAM
Yeah? That’s all it takes? You saved my life, you could ask for my eternal servitude.
BECCA
Well, let’s start with the coffee. Then we’ll have to see about the rest.
(She laughs weakly as Sam opens the door for her.)
10 seconds
(Inside a nice restaurant, Sam and Becca sit opposite each other having just finished a main course)
SAM
Do you know what the heat death of the universe is?
BECCA
Yes. Why do you ask?
SAM
I was watching a show and they were talking about how it’s the ultimate end of the universe if nothing else gets us first.
BECCA
That’s a fun definition.
SAM
What does it actually mean?
BECCA
Are you familiar with entropy?
SAM
Not really? It has to do with energy right?
BECCA
Ya. Energy is like money that can be passed around between things. You can give an object more or less energy, but it has to come from somewhere else.
SAM
Cause energy is conserved. Do you want dessert?
BECCA
Exactly. And umm, yes that sounds nice.
SAM
What do you want?
BECCA
Your pick. I’m happy with anything.
SAM
(To someone over his left shoulder, pointing at a menu.)
Cool. We’ll have this then.
(Back to Becca)
What about entropy then?
BECCA
Entropy always increases. It drives everything to share energy, which is heat, equally.
SAM
What do you mean by share?
BECCA
Some parts of the universe are very hot.
SAM
Like the sun.
BECCA
Yes. And some are very cold.
SAM
Like winter in Boston?
BECCA
(laughing)
Like outer space.
SAM
Ah. Very cold.
BECCA
Yes, very cold. And entropy increases when heat goes from somewhere hot to somewhere cold. Because it never decreases the net effect is that everything will eventually end up just above 0 kelvin.
SAM
So, we’re all going to freeze.
BECCA
No. We’re all going to die, this is a really really long term kinda thing. There’s probably lots of other things that could end the universe first.
SAM
Ah. Wait but we can make hot things hotter. We do it all the time. Doesn’t that decrease entropy?
BECCA
Yes. Looking at a smaller scale you can decrease entropy, but only by paying an energy cost and having an equal or greater increase in entropy somewhere else.
SAM
Where is somewhere else?
BECCA
If all you care about is the temperature in your house, you can heat up an already warm house in the winter, and entropy will decrease in the house, but the exchange with the environment means the outside increased in entropy more than the house decreased.
SAM
I see. I like the way you explain things. That’s also awfully complicated for a cute tv show.
BECCA
Probably they just mean everything will freeze eventually. What else do they talk about?
SAM
Nothing else science-y. It’s just a silly drama where a bunch of people lose their memories and wake up on a space ship and fly around.
BECCA
Classic.
SAM
And there’s a very funny love triangle.
BECCA
I expect nothing less. Are you rooting for one of the characters?
SAM
Not really. Both suiters are rather disappointing, a lot of muscle and not a lot of thought.
BECCA
Why do you watch the show then?
SAM
I like to see what people do when they have no context for their lives. All their goals and expectations and prejudices have been taken away.
BECCA
Huh. Sounds interesting. Oh! Dessert.
(To someone to their right)
Thank you.
(to Sam)
How’s your brother doing?
SAM
(Reaches into his pocket and fidgets with something below the table.)
Good! He just got a little Boarder Collie called Hades and apparently, he’s a little rascal.
BECCA
That’s so sweet! Does Hades have other dog friends?
SAM
(While picking up a slice of dessert on his fork.)
Yes. They go to the park every day to meet -
BECCA
(Suddenly shivering violently and looking around wildly.)
Stop! Don’t eat the… nuts. It has nuts.
SAM
What? Oh the, ok, I won’t, I’m not eating it. Jesus what just happened?
BECCA
Don’t eat, don’t eat the -
SAM
I won’t. I’m not. How did you know there were nuts?
BECCA
You’re allergic. No EpiPen. So I had to warn you.
SAM
(Stands up and touches Becca’s forehead, as he does a small black box falls from his hand onto the floor.)
You’re freezing! You feel like you’ve got hypothermia. My brother got hypothermia when we were kids from swimming in a nearly freezing lake. How did you get it so suddenly? It’s –
(Becca falls out of her chair.)
Shit. Come on, we’ve got to get you to the hospital.
(Sam lifts Becca under one arm and half carries her offstage)
20 seconds
(Inside a cozy kitchen. Becca bounces a small one year old baby on her knee as she feeds him peas. Sam is standing behind a counter pealing potatoes.)
BECCA
(As she feeds the baby)
Zooooom. Goes the airplane. And…. Zoooooooooooom goes another.
SAM
So, what is this new research grant you’ve acquired?
BECCA
Soooo. Entropy always increases. And time always go forward. Zooom.
SAM
Right.
BECCA
Entropy increasing is one of our only ways to define the difference between time going forward and time going backwards.
SAM
So, you’re researching if their related. If they can be connected?
BECCA
Yep. If we can show they are correlated then we can try and show how decreases in entropy can allow objects to experience time differently.
SAM
Do you think you can show that?
BECCA
Well, we know that things traveling at different speeds can experience time differently, so maybe. Open wide.
(As she finishes speaking she goes entirely still. Her hand drops into her lap and a pea rolls across the floor.)
SAM
It’s such an interesting question. I guess if it could be proven for the speed of light then why not for something else right?
(A moment before Sam looks up and realizes Becca hasn’t responded.)
Becca?
Becca what happened? Becca?
(Sam runs around the counter and grabs the baby, looking around the kitchen. Then he reaches down and touches Becca’s face before quickly pulling his hand back as if burned.)
Shit. Shit. Why? What happened? How long do I have?
(Becoming hysterical.)
What’s the point of this if you can’t warn me! What am I supposed to do?
(Sam takes a big breath)
Ok. You had the baby, so I wasn’t going to pick him up. You’re gone so if I take him away that’s different. Then it will be ok.
(Sam carries the baby about five feet away and continues staring at Becca.)
God damn it Becca why would you do this!
(He puts the baby down in a squishy chair and runs back over to Becca. Touching her forehead and grabbing her wrist.)
You’re too cold. You’re too – Why would you do this?
(Sam pulls Becca’s body into his arms rocking back and forth with sobs.)