INT. ANATOMY LAB – LATE NIGHT

​

YOUNG ZARA is alone, her face glued to a microscope. YOUNG KIRAN comes in, sees Zara, and takes a minute just watching her.

KIRAN

(after a long beat)

You’re here, again. I was

wondering why you weren’t at the

library.

​

ZARA

Come over here.

​

She takes out a slide from a box and sets it up for Kiran at the adjacent microscope.  She inhales softly.

 

ZARA (cont...)

God.  Look at this.  Neuronal cells.

​

She steps back, drifts to her own station again, fully absorbed.

ZARA (cont...)

Look at that branching…

It’s like a river’s delta.

​

Kiran glances into his microscope for a moment but pulls back and watches her, not the slide.

 

ZARA

It’s insane how precise the brain

is. One wrong fold, and a whole

person disappears.

​

KIRAN

You make it look so easy.

​

Looks up from her microscope, startled, a bit panicked.

​

ZARA

What do you mean?

​

Tilts his head and smiles.

​

KIRAN

You just see things differently

than everyone else.

​

Zara freezes. She blinks.

KIRAN

Most people would see… a nerve.

You see architecture.

​

ZARA

(Small smile)

It’s beautiful…

(a beat)

Intentionally.

​

KIRAN

I know you’ll change the world

someday, Zara. I just… hope I’m

around to see it.

​

Suddenly gathers her books haphazardly, avoiding his eyes.

ZARA

Uh— right. Big test tomorrow. I

should… go.

(a beat)

See you then.