Counting Sleep

## Plot

After Robert stays up all night due to a nightmare, he is barely able to function.

## Script

*[In Robert's room, Robert is laying on his bed kicking and hugging his teddy bear tightly. He is drenched in sweat, his eyes are shut tight, and there is a worried look on his face. His eyes barge open, as he jumps up, standing on his bed in a fighting position.]*

**Robert**: "Come on! I'm gonna punch your teeth ou-- oh. I'm just in my room!" *[Looks around]* "Teddy?? Teddy where you go??" *[Spots him on the ground]* "There ya are! How ya get down there, little guy?"

*[Robert smiles and grabs teddy and hugs him.]*

**Robert**: "Teddy, I had a dream where huge geewaff was a warrior-- and i had to fight him 'cause he was tryna take friends away. But he cheat because he become this scary big monster."

*[Robert sits there for a moment, staring off into space.]*

**Robert**: "Well, now that I can't go to sleep, I'm hungry! We should go find something to eat!"

*[The toddler climbs off his bed, and toddles out of his room. He climbs down the stairs carefully, and then toddles towards the kitchen, only to meet Stevie, who is drinking a glass of water. Stevie notices Robert, and accidentally drops the glass.]*

**Stevie**: "D'oh! Robert, you scared me! Aren't you supposed to be in bed?? It's 12AM!"

**Robert**: "Yea! But I had a bad dream and I'm hungry now! Can I have a cookie..?"

**Stevie**: "Isn't it early for swee- actually, whatever. You can have as many cookies as you want. Be my guest." *[Yawns]* "I'm going back to sleep. The cookie jar is right there." *[Goes back upstairs]*

**Robert**: "Tank you, Stevie!"

*[The toddler tries to grab the cookie jar, but he's too short to reach the counter. He grumbles, and stomps away off camera. He pushes a small chair up to the counter, and then is able to grab the cookie jar. Once he grabs it, he hops off the chair and crawls up the stairs, holding the cookie jar in his arms. Once he's in his room, he sits on his bed, opens the cookie jar, and takes a cookie out. He is about to put the cookie in his mouth until he hears a bark. He sees Sugar sitting on the floor near the edge of his bed.]*

**Sugar**: \*What're you doing??\*

**Robert**: "Eating cookies.. why?"

**Sugar**: \*Arion said no sweets after 10 PM! It'll give you nightmares!\*

**Robert**: "That's why I still awake, Sugar! I had a nightmare about a geewaff."

**Suga**r: \*A what?\*

**Robert**: "Geewaff."

**Sugar**: \*You mean Giraffe??\*

**Robert**: "I don't know words yet! I'm two!"

**Sugar**: *[Groans and rolls her eyes]* "Anyways.." *[Climbs on Robert's bed]* "Can I have a cookie?"

**Robert**: "Fine, just don't tell Arion! You know what happen last time?"

*[Flashback to the kitchen, in Robert's scribbly drawn imagination. Robert is trying to get the cookie jar, but it falls and breaks, causing a loud noise. Arion is shown in the doorway of the kitchen, looking angry.]*

**Imaginary Arion**: "That is it, Robert! No food, no toys, no playing, no TV, no video games, and NOO breathing!"

*[Imaginary Robert starts crying his eyes out. The flashback ends.]*

**Robert**: "Big bro can be cruel sometimes.."

**Sugar**: \*Really, Robert? He didn't say all that. All he said was no toys, no TV, and no video games.\*

**Robert**: "Well, he could've said it! Anyways, i just got lucky dis time! Stevie even said I could have as many cookies as I want!"

**Sugar**: \*Of course Stevie said yes! He must've been tired and disregarded what you were ACTUALLY doing!\*

**Robert**: "Well, I got the cookies and you didn't!"

**Sugar**: \*Because I'm a dog!\*

**Robert**: *[Sticks a cookie in Sugar's mouth]* "Silence, dog. Time to eat my cookies."

*[4AM. After Robert and Sugar eat some cookies, their stomachs are full. Robert burps, and he has cookie crumbs on his mouth. Same with Sugar.]*

**Robert**: "Now I'm bored! We should watch TV!"

**Sugar**: \*Robert--\*

**Robert**: "No more rules! I'm not going to sleep and that's final!" *[Robert gets a strange feeling and holds his stomach as he groans]* "First, i need to use the bathroom!" *[He rushes to the bathroom]*

*[Robert and Sugar are back in the room, and Robert is on his tablet. He can't seem to figure out how to work it.]*

**Robert**: "Okay, why did Arion get me dis?? I don't even know how to work it! I wanna watch my show!"

**Sugar**: \*Let me see that..\*

*[Sugar uses her paws to work the table. She goes to a TV app and then she presses a random show that looks like a cartoon, pressing play. She hands it back to Robert.]*

**Robert**: "Wait, this isn't my show.."

**Sugar**: \*Well, it's a cartoon!\*

**Robert**: "Fine.."

*[Robert lays on his bed, watching the cartoon, humming. Sugar is fast asleep. As time passes, Robert is first seen happily watching the cartoon. As time goes on, his face becomes more and more weary and upset. He yawns a few times but is still awake. He has eyebags and his eyes are bloodshot. It is finally 9AM, as Robert has fell asleep, snoring and dropping the tablet on the floor. A few minutes later, Arion walks into Robert's room to wake him up.]*

**Arion**: "Time to wake up, Robert! Robert?" *[Notices Sugar, looking up at him and wagging her tail]* "Oh, hi Sugar! When did you get here?? Hm." *[He pets her as he then tries to wake Robert up]* "Robertt, time to wake up, little bro."

**Robert**: *[Groans and shakes head]* "No, no. No wake up. Just 5 more minutes."

**Arion**: "But, you're gonna miss breakfast??"

**Robert**: "Bweakfast.. no. Bweak my face."

**Arion**: *[Confused]* "You're acting weird today, Robert." *[Picks him up]* "Guess I'm carrying you today."

*[Arion takes Robert downstairs to where Joy, Stevie, Kameron, Rosie, and Alvey in their highchairs, are sitting at the dining table. Arion places Robert in his highchair, next to Alvey and Rosie. Robert's eyes are nearly close, and he can barely sit up.]*

**Arion**: "Oh, jeez. Robert, are you sick??" *[Feels his head]* "No, no. You aren't sick.."

**Robert**: *[Blubbers and babbles]* "Sickle fickle duckle s\*\*\*!!"

*[Everyone is shocked, even Arion.]*

**Joy**: "Robert??"

**Arion**: "Robert, what's wrong with you?? Did you sleep??"

**Robert**: "Nothing wrong! Only right!" *[Laughs]*

*[Everyone looks a bit worried. Especially Rosie and Alvey.]*

**Arion**: "Um, okay?? Well, are you gonna eat?"

*[Robert looks down at his food on the chair tray. He picks up the fork and pokes at the scrambled eggs. He makes an angry expression and throws the food off his highchair.]*

**Robert**: "I ain't eating that!"

**Arion**: "Robert! Ugh.." *[Gets up to clean the mess.]*

**Rosie**: *[Whispers]* "Robert? What's wrong with you?"

**Robert**: "What wrong with YOU??"

**Rosie**: *[Gasps and then grumbles, going back to finishing her food]*

*[Arion is shown trying to feed Robert his breakfast but Robert refuses, crossing his arms.]*

**Robert**: "I said.. i ain't eating that! You can't make me!"

**Arion**: "If i force you, yes I can!"

*[Whenever Robert opens his mouth to speak, Arion shoves the spoon into the toddler's mouth. Robert then immediately spits it out.]*

**Robert**: "Yuckie! I don't want that!" *[Robert climbs out of his highchair and runs to the counter, where the cookie jar is supposed to be]* "Where-- where's the cookies??"

**Arion**: "Oh, no, Robert. You can't eat cookies in the morning. You'll get a stomachache.."

**Robert**: "Cookies! Sweets, now!" *[Stomps his foot]*

**Arion**: "Robert, I said no!"

**Robert**: "F\*\*\*!!" *[Kicks Arion's leg]*

**Arion**: *[Yowls and holds his leg]* "WHAT THE HELL, ROBERT?!??"

**Robert**: "Hm? Oh. I'm going to play with toys." *[Walks off]*

**Arion**: "Ugh, whatever! Hopefully that will put you in a better mood!"

*[Robert, Rosie, Alvey, and Micheal are outside, playing with their toys in the yard. Robert is barely able to keep his head up.]*

**Alvey**: "Robert? You okay?"

**Robert**: "Huh? Oh. Yeah."

**Rosie**: "You don't look okay.."

**Robert**: "Don't tell me what I look like, woman!"

**Rosie**: *[Gasps]*

**Robert**: "..Sorry.."

**Micheal**: "Robert, what's gotten into you?"

**Robert**: "Look, I.. I had a bad dream! About a geewaff. And I couldn't sleep! Sugar told me not to but I didn't listen!"

**Micheal**: "..Geewaff?? Do you mean Giraffe??"

**Robert**: "What's with all the spelling corrections?!"

**Alvey**: "Robert, calm down.. look let's just play with blocks. Look at this tower I made!"

**Robert**: "Tower, huh?" *[Robert stands up and kicks down Alvey's tower]* "Not anymore.."

*[Alvey gasps as he then starts to cry. Rosie also starts to cry. Micheal looks upset and angry.]*

**Micheal**: "Well! If you don't wanna be nice, then we'll play elsewhere! Come on, guys." *[They walk away]*

**Robert**: *[Angry]* "F-fine! I can play by myself!"