Trauma

JORDAN and JOSH stand in the studio, chatting about the week’s show. CHRISTIAN enters, looking distracted.

JORDAN
Hey, Christian, you ready to go?

CHRISTIAN
I—I don’t know.

JORDAN
Well what do you mean? This is the first show of the spring semester, we have to make a good impression.

CHRISTIAN
I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do the show this week. I just—I’m sorry.

JOSH
What do you mean you can’t do the show?

JORDAN
Christian, the show is about to start in fifteen minutes. Why—

CHRISTIAN
I shot a gorilla!

Everyone is silent, shaken by the gravity of the situation.

JOSH
Jesus Christ.

JORDAN
Wait, you shot—

CHRISTIAN
(frenzied, on the verge of tears)
I shot a gorilla, Jordan! You didn’t hear me the first time? I shot a gorilla!

JOSH
OK, I know you feel bad, but it’ll be OK. Was he attacking you?

CHRISTIAN
(shaking his head)
Nuh uh.

JOSH
So why—

CHRISTIAN
No reason. I just—I saw him—and there was a rifle on the wall, for show—and I took it down…oh God.

CHRISTIAN breaks down and collapses into JORDAN’S arms who tries to comfort him by caressing his hair.

JORDAN
There there, Christian, there there.

JOSH
(to Jordan as Christian continues crying uncontrollably)
So what do we do?

JORDAN
There’s only one thing we can do.

CUT TO

Opening sequence.