DAMIAN'S CAR – EVENING]
Damian turns to Ella casually as the car moves along.
DAMIAN
You'll need to take care of someone for me tomorrow.
ELLA
(confused)
But I'll be with you the whole day.
DAMIAN
I'll handle that. You won't be.
ELLA
Okay... who is it?
DAMIAN
He'll arrive at your place in the morning.
ELLA
Wait—what's the name?
DAMIAN
(smiling slightly)
Happy.
ELLA
Happy?
DAMIAN
Just make sure nothing happens to him. If anything goes wrong… forget about your script.
ELLA
(quickly)
Okay, okay! Don't worry.
---
[INT. ELLA'S HOUSE – NEXT MORNING]
The doorbell rings. Ella opens the door and finds a covered cage waiting for her.
ELLA
(confused)
He said someone would arrive… not something.
(She lifts the cover and gasps.)
ELLA
A cat?! Is this… Happy?
(The small black cat sits inside the cage, indifferent.)
ELLA
(crouches down, gently)
Happy?
(The cat finally turns to look at her.)
ELLA
Okay, so it is Happy. A cat for 24 hours?
(picks up the cage carefully)
That doesn't sound too hard… right?
Ella notices a small bag tucked behind Happy's cage. She picks it up and finds some cat food, a little red collar, and a note written in neat, all-caps handwriting:
> "Feed him at 4, 6, and 9.
Take him for a walk at 5.
Don't you dare cage him for long."
ELLA
(reading, sarcastically)
Great. A cat… with dog instincts.
(She glances over at Happy.)
ELLA
Well, he looks calm and quiet. How bad could this be?
(sits on the sofa, relaxed)
I heard cats are lazy. Maybe he won't even want to leave the cage.