Friend & Bullies

Night time. Saku is walking through a park hoodie on and smoking. There is nobody around and he sits on a bench. Blowing smoke into the sky, he watches the smoke fly away.

SAKU: "Real misery hates to see company... Let the troubles fly away with it."

He hears a whimper from a dog in the distance. He puts out what he is smoking and runs towards the noise. He approaches the top of a hill and sees a young German Shepard puppy cornered by 4 coyotes. The puppy is injured and the coyotes are going in for the kill.

SAKU: "Hey! Leave him alone!"

Saku starts running down the hill. The beasts turn towards him and run towards him.

One coyote jumps towards Saku and he dodges. The next one leaps but Saku kicks its side. Then the other two leap at the same time from both his sides Saku ducks and the two jump into each other. Saku looks around and the first coyote bites his leg.

SAKU: "Argghhhh!!"

The dog that was cornered leaps and bites the coyotes neck. The coyote lets go of Saku and the dog lets go of the coyote. The other three group with the last one and run away.

Saku looks down at his bite wound that is bleeding. The dog whimpers and licks his wound. Saku pets the dog and smiles.

SAKU: "Your fur feels so nice and, oddly relaxing. What are doing out here alone little guy? Your mother must be worr-"

SAKU: "Yours too huh? Don't worry from now on we look out for each other. I know humans are terrible and scary but I'm one of the good ones. We have to get you some food and water."

He stops and gets a sad look. The dog is missing a piece of its right ear and only one eye open.

SAKU: "Buddy, you're not blind in one eye are you?"

He realizes that it is missing an eye. Saku frowns but then he smiles at the dog.

SAKU: "Don't worry I'll be your extra 2 eyes… Oh yea! What are we gunna name you let's see… How about... Friend?(Tomodachi)"

The pup yips in acceptance of its new name. Saku picks the dog up, as he gets up he falls down and the bite mark stings. Saku grabs his leg in pain and yelps in pain but doesn't drop Friend.

While Saku tends his wound, a pair of sneakers come into frame. 3 boys are smirking at Saku behind some trees.

3 boys, dopey twins and a larger butch child who is obviously in charge, are smirking and spying on Saku behind some trees.

BULLY BOSS: "Check it out the loner has a puppy. Let's go ruin his day."

The other two are obviously his goons.

BULLY 2: "Hehe what are we gunna do to him bro? Kick his ass?"

BULLY 3: "Nah nahh he said ruin his day. We're gunna take that puppy of his right boss?"

The head bully looks back and smirks.

BULLY BOSS: "Why not both?"

The other two look at each other and grin evilly. They nod their heads.

BULLY 3: "See that's why you're the boss. Always thinking outside the box."

BULLY BOSS: "Ok here's the plan…"

They huddle together.

Saku is sitting up against a tree with the puppy's head in his lap. The 2 twin goons come from the tree they were hiding behind. Both start giggling like idiots.

BULLY 2: "Heheh Hey bro what has 6 legs, 2 arms, and cries all the time?"

Saku gets up his leg still hurting, he winces in pain but he is able to stand. The puppy gets up and starts to growl.

BULLY 3: "Hahaha lemme hear it bro."

Saku is looking at the two then a puppy yelp is heard. Saku looks back and sees the boss dragging the dog by its tail.

BULLY 2: "CRY BABY SAKU AND HIS DEAD DOG!!"

Saku goes to chase but the two grab his arms.

SAKU: "STOP IT LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

The puppy is on his back and the boss is still dragging him. The dog curls up, bites the bully's hand and runs back to Saku's feet. The two goons let go of Saku in fear of the dog.

BULLY BOSS: "IT BIT ME! THE SON OF A BITCH REALLY BIT ME! I MIGHT HAVE RABIES!"

BULLY 2: "That means we can legally kill it!"

Saku gets furious and can't feel the pain in his leg anymore.

SAKU: "You were hurting him! What the hell is wrong with you guys?! Why can't you just leave us alone? We weren't bothering you and we're both hurt. You and all you other humans are just the same."

BULLY BOSS: "There he goes talking about how he hates humans. F.Y.I spaz you… are… a… human. And this is why we beat on you. Because you're weird."

BULLY 3: "Yea hahaha weirdo."

They begin to approach him and the dog. Saku's head is down hair covering his eyes.

SAKU: "God you must have terrible parents."

They stop.

BULLY BOSS: "What the hell did you just say?"

BULLY 3 : "Yeaa… want to repeat that?"

Saku looks at them tears held back in his eyes.

SAKU: " I said you must have terrible parents. I didn't even have a father growing up and I'm still more of a man than all 3 of you combined."

The three of the bullies are getting angrier.

BULLY 3: "Nobody is gunna talk about my Pa or my Ma that way."

BULLY BOSS: "Now YOUR dying with that dog!"

Saku looks at the cross around the boss's neck.

SAKU: "You even believe in a God and you're doing this to us? Or was it just a gift and you think it looks cool?"

The boss stops and looks down at his necklace and gets mad.

BULLY BOSS: "DON'T TALK ABOUT MY RELIGION!"

He begins to attack but then there is a bright light on the kids. A man's voice is heard on a megaphone.

PARK OFFICER: "You kids are on public park property after dusk hours. Remain where you are and we'll call…"

BULLY BOSS: "RUN!"

All the kids and the dog scatter out of the flashlight into the darkness. Saku and the puppy are shown limping through trees and bushes. 

They stop when they get to a fence and look around. There is an area that a group of bushes and the fence meet to make a semi-circle. Nobody was chasing them and the other kids were gone. 

Saku sits and is completely hidden by the bushes, the puppy curls up next to him and puts its head on his lap again. He starts to pet the dog. There is a silence and Saku starts to cry silently. 

Tears stream down his cheeks and lands on the dog's snout. It perks up licks the tear from the side of its nose and then licks the tears from Saku's cheek. He is calmed down by the dog. The two fall asleep against the fence.