[Part 2: Act 2]

[ACT 2: SCENE 1]

[START SCENE 1]

[SCENE: LANE garage.  One dangling light bulb overhead.  Speakers in corner, drum kit, keyboard, several guitars.  Shelves filled with cobwebs and unknown shapes line three walls, with the fourth being the door of the garage.  There are several beanbags scattered around on the dusty floor.  A small scared table is pushed up against the wall, filled with old pizza boxes, beer cans and electronic fix-it gear.  It's obvious this garage hasn't seen the outside of a car in a very long time.]

Daria [exasperated]: It's 'expressed' not 'depressed'.

[CAMERA PAN TO: DARIA sprawled on a beanbag in front of a very self-conscious TRENT standing in front of a microphone]

Daria: And you *sing* to the microphone, not rub against it.  [note: DARIA (as TRENT) sounds extremely irritated, totally out of character for TRENT and slightly more irritated than normal for DARIA]

Trent [irritated]: These lyrics -

Daria: [calmly, husked] Don't listen to what they sound like it.  Listen to the words. 

Trent: [irritated] So I'm supposed to listen but not listen at the same time?

Daria: [interrupting]: Come on Daria - you're the smartest teenager I know.  And the coolest -

Trent: [eyes narrowing] Shut.  Up.  [beat]

[There's silence in the garage, both DARIA and JANE stare at TRENT in mild shock at the anger.]

Jane: Um. 

[Note: DARIA (as TRENT) sounds and looks more wired than normal for DARIA - a little reminiscent of JAKE MORGENDOFFER in coffee mode - and is far more wide awake than normal for TRENT, also sounds a trifle stressed]

[Silence stretches]

Trent: [clears throat; uncertainly] So we scream and scream and screaming - we -

Daria: [interrupting] No! [JANE turn to look at him, eyes wide at this out-of-character outburst; TRENT merely glares, irritated and impatient]

Trent: This is *impossible*.  I am *not* a singer.

Daria [ignoring TRENT]: There's more to this than just lyrics Daria!

Trent: [eyes narrowed] Uh huh.

[DARIA, still angry, stands up, grabs the microphone from TRENT.  There is a feedback squeal - the over-extended microphone picks up the sound of wind as DARIA whirls it around so it's pointed at her mouth]

Daria: There's got to be *feeling* behind the words - or what's the use?

Trent: [dry] Money?

Daria: Like *this*: [singing] So we scream -  ['scream' is actually screamed - DARIA still not used to the body's vocal capabilities actually hits a higher note than TRENT is capable of - the scream echoes in the garage.  DARIA however, doesn't actually notice, just keeps going.]

[TRENT's and JANE's eyes go wide]

Trent: [DARIA's V/O: "Who would have thought them vocal chords could do more than talk."  [beat] "Well, biologists for one.  Trent for another - now."]

Daria: [lowered] And scream and screaming - we find - [beat; whispered] - silence -

[CAMERA SWITCH TO: side of garage door.  It's open, with JESSE, MAX and NIC standing there, watching DARIA singing into the microphone]

Daria [V/O]: [singing] And the words that haunt me; the words that return; over and over and over and over till my head wants to shatter [beat] and I can't feel and I can't see and I can't hear -

[CAMERA PAN TO: JANE turning as she notices MAX, JESSE and NIC watching DARIA]

Jane: [V/O: "Crap."]

[TRENT seeing MAX, JESSE and NIC]

Trent: [Daria's V/O: "What? No smart comment?" [pause] "Too busy trying not to loose composure."  [beat]  "Thinking.  Leave message at tone."  [beat] "Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep."]

[CAMERA SWITCH TO: DARIA, literally leaning into the microphone, typical TRENT pose]

Daria: Cannot be uttered - cannot be expressed.  Just a malcontent [switches from singing to chanting/shouting] [beat] and anger [beat] a dissatisfaction [beat] with the world at large.  Rebel without a cause [beat] cause without a catch phrase - [long pause, DARIA freezes in the pose, bent over microphone, eyes shut] [whispered] The world's a louse - and we're the fleas.

Jane: Daria - what are we going to do? [beat] Daria? [turns to TRENT]

[TRENT is staring at DARIA.]

[CAMERA ZOOM IN: TRENT's eyes - narrowed]

Trent: [DARIA's V/O: "Light bulb."]

[COMMERCIAL BUMPER: TRENT singing awkwardly; DARIA yelling; TRENT with narrowed eyes; DARIA leaning over microphone frozen in a pose]

[END SCENE 1]