2 Female Actors (F + F) 5 - 8 Minutes Sci-Fi/High-Concept
The Oxygen Room
Full Shooting Script in Industry Courier Monospace Format
INT. OXYGEN CHAMBER - SPACE STATION - RED EMERGENCY LIGHTS
Sealed chamber. Condensation beads on metal walls. Status panels blink erratically. Ventilation hisses weakly.
CAPTAIN JAYA (39), fitted utility suit, helmet under arm, stands at the emergency panel. Disciplined. Bone-tired.
ESHA (39), matching suit, data pads in hand, faint tremor in her fingers, checks an oxygen gauge.
The gauge dips.
ESHA
Thirty-two minutes.
JAYA
Agar hum dono suit pehenenge, toh
twelve minutes bhi nahi.
ESHA
Mujhe pata hai.
JAYA
Toh phir calculation band kar.
ESHA
Calculation hi toh bacha hai, Jaya.
Jaya turns. Cold.
JAYA
Science se oxygen nahi banega.
ESHA
Aur command se miracle nahi.
A beat. The ventilation stutters.
Esha swallows.
ESHA (CONT'D)
Final suit ek hi hai.
JAYA
Haan. Aur final decision bhi.
ESHA
Hamesha tumhara hota tha.
JAYA
Kyunki main command mein thi.
ESHA
Nahi. Kyunki tumhe lagta tha tum
sabse zyada sacrifice kar rahi ho.
Jaya steps closer.
JAYA
Aur tumhe lagta tha tum sabse zyada
samajhti ho.
ESHA
Main samajhti thi.
Bas tum sunte nahi the.
A harsh beep. The emergency panel lights up.
ON SCREEN: SURVIVOR ALLOCATION PROTOCOL ENGAGED.
A synthetic voice speaks — but it is ESHA’S voice.
AI (ESHA’S VOICE)
Captain Jaya. Final suit transfer
authorized.
Both women freeze.
JAYA
Yeh... tumhari voice kyun hai?
ESHA
Main kuchh nahi kar rahi.
The screen flashes again.
AI (ESHA’S VOICE)
Oxygen reserve insufficient for two.
Survivor selected.
JAYA
Selected?
ESHA
System glitch?
JAYA
Nahi.
Glitch itna clean nahi hota.
Esha looks at her data pad, fingers shaking harder now.
ESHA
Voiceprint authentication.
It’s using my biometric key.
JAYA
Toh choose kisko kiya?
Esha reads the pad. Her face changes.
ESHA
Tumhe.
Jaya laughs once, no humor.
JAYA
Of course.
ESHA
Jaya...
JAYA
Station ne decide kar liya.
Aur messenger ko galat voice de di.
Esha looks at the lone RATION BAR on the shelf.
ESHA
Take it.
She tosses it to Jaya.
JAYA
Main suit nahi lunga.
ESHA
You will.
JAYA
No.
ESHA
Captain.
A command. Jaya flinches.
ESHA (CONT'D)
Aaj order main dungi.
Jaya stares at her.
JAYA
Tu kab se itni brave ho gayi?
ESHA
Jab se pata chala
bravery aur stupidity mein
bas oxygen ka farq hota hai.
Jaya almost smiles. Almost.
The AI voice returns, now softer, still in Esha’s voice.
AI (ESHA’S VOICE)
Protocol correction.
Survivor is Captain Jaya.
Biologist Esha is expendable.
Silence.
JAYA
Expendable?
Esha exhales, oddly calm.
ESHA
Data bol raha hai.
Aur data kabhi jhooth nahi bolta.
JAYA
Data kabhi pyaar bhi nahi karta.
Esha meets her eyes.
ESHA
Nahi.
Par log karte hain.
Jaya’s face cracks. She looks away.
JAYA
Main tujhe yahan chhod ke nahi jaa sakti.
ESHA
Tum mujhe chhod ke nahi jaa rahi.
Tum station ko bachane ja rahi ho.
JAYA
Aur tu?
ESHA
Main yahan oxygen ka last chapter banungi.
Jaya grabs the suit.
JAYA
I hate this.
ESHA
I know.
Jaya hesitates, then puts on the suit. Esha steps in, helping seal the collar.
A tiny, intimate ritual. Old familiarity.
JAYA
Tu hamesha meri mistakes count karti thi.
ESHA
Aur tum meri silences.
JAYA
Kaun jeeta?
ESHA
Aaj?
Koi nahi.
Jaya lifts her helmet. Esha wipes condensation off the visor with two fingers.
JAYA
Agar main wapas aayi...
ESHA
Toh pehle mujhe blame karna.
JAYA
Uske baad?
ESHA
Phir chai.
Jaya gives a real smile now.
The chamber door begins to unlock.
JAYA
Esha...
ESHA
Haan?
JAYA
Thank you.
Esha nods once, holding herself very still.
ESHA
Go, Captain.
Jaya exits through the door.
It seals shut.
Esha stands alone in the red glow. The oxygen gauge drops near zero.
The AI speaks one last time, in Esha’s voice.
AI (ESHA’S VOICE)
Mission complete.
Esha closes her eyes.
CUT TO BLACK.
---