7.21 Reading Is Fundamental (Transcript)
Written by: Ben Edlund
Directed by: Ben Edlund
Air Date: 4 May 2012
NOW
Suite No. 5 in C minor by Johann Sebastian Bach plays. We see a close-up of a framed National Scholastic Society certificate in the name of KEVIN TRAN. The camera pans along the wall, revealing many other certificates.
INT. – TEENAGER’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is playing Bach on a cello.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
SAM and DEAN enter a large unlit room carrying flashlights and bags, including the case they stole from DICK ROMAN in 7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo. SAM puts the case on a table and DEAN puts a duffel bag down on the floor. SAM opens his laptop. DEAN walks over to the case on the table.
INT. – TEENAGER’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN’s cell phone rings. He continues to play until an alert on his computer pops up with the message “Cello Practice Complete.” He then puts the cello aside and answers the phone.
GIRL
Hey, Kevin.
KEVIN
Princeton just adjusted its acceptance rate down to 8.7% for 2013.
INT. – GIRL’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
An Asian-American GIRL is sitting on her bed talking on the phone.
GIRL
Breathe, Kevin. Are you studying?
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN
I'm talking to you.
An alert on KEVIN’s computer screen reads “Elective Period 14:55”.
KEVIN
I'll start on probability and statistics in 14 minutes.
The scene switches between KEVIN’s and the GIRL’s bedrooms.
GIRL
I hate probability.
KEVIN
Tomorrow's my last chance to get a perfect math score.
GIRL
Your S.A.T.s are great!
KEVIN
Channing, everybody's S.A.T.s are great. I have to do perfect.
CHANNING
Who knows? The essays are at least as important.
KEVIN hits some buttons on his computer and brings up a document headed “College Admission Essay.” The rest of the document is blank.
KEVIN
I have absolutely nothing to say.
CHANNING
I know. I know what you mean. I read one by a kid who got into Cornell. He didn't have any arms or legs or anything. He had to type the whole thing with his mouth. It was beautiful.
KEVIN
I am so screwed.
CHANNING
You know, no matter what, one day, college isn't going to matter anymore.
KEVIN
You're out of your mind.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
SAM is unwrapping the piece of clay in the case. He takes it out and puts it on the table. DEAN walks over with a tool box.
DEAN
That's a lot of fuss over a caveman lego.
SAM
Yeah. Well, whatever Dick wants is bricked up inside that.
DEAN takes a mallet out of the tool box, hands SAM a pair of safety glasses and puts some on himself.
DEAN
All right.
DEAN hits the clay once. Thunder claps.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN’s blank college admission essay is still on the screen. KEVIN, who is standing, opens an energy drink and takes a sip. Lightening flashes and thunder claps.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN hits the clay again. Lightening flashes and thunder claps.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN takes another drink.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN
That sound like somebody saying, "No, wait – stop," to you?
SAM
Uh... Yeah. Yeah.
DEAN
Yeah. [shrugs] Oh, well.
DEAN hits the clay several more times.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Lightening flashes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
EXT. – SKY – NIGHT
White light radiates from above the clouds and seems to erupt as the thunder roars.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Kevin looks up as more lightening flashes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN continues to hammer at the clay.
EXT. – SKY – NIGHT
Bolts of lightening shoot down from the clouds.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
The lightening reaches into KEVIN’s room and strikes him. He yells as he is lifted off the ground.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN lifts an inscribed stone tablet out of the broken clay casing.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN is suspended in the air by the lightening as pieces of the roof swirl and fall around him. He drops to the floor. White light flashes behind his closed eyes.
INT. – ABANDONED BUILDING – NIGHT
DEAN turns the tablet over.
INT. – KEVIN’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
KEVIN lies on the floor as white light shines behind his closed eyelids. We see close-ups of some kind of hieroglyphics and when the camera returns to KEVIN there is no longer white light in his eyes. His body jerks on the floor and then goes still.
SUPERNATURAL (Title Card)
