NELLY FURTADO
(softly)
“JCJ, you’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. I can see it breaking you.”
JCJ
(looking up, his face weary)
“It’s more than the world, Nelly. It’s the burden of sin itself. The weight of every choice, every failure, every broken promise… no man can bear this alone.”
NELLY FURTADO
(sitting across from him, her voice steady)
“No man is meant to. That’s why I’m here. My hand will make you strong, JCJ. Remember Psalm 89:21—’My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.'”
JCJ
(shaking his head, his voice heavy with doubt)
“But even with your hand, even with your strength… the burden is too great. The sin of the world is a weight no one man should bear. I’ve tried to carry it, to take it all on, but it’s crushing me.”
NELLY FURTADO
(leaning forward, her tone firm yet compassionate)
“You were never meant to carry it alone. Look at Psalm 89 again. It doesn’t just speak of strength—it speaks of covenant, of faithfulness. ‘I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.’ It’s not about you doing this by yourself. It’s about the promise, the shared purpose, the we.“
JCJ
(after a pause, his voice quieter)
“Nelly, I hear you. But I’m full of doubt—not just about the weight I carry, but about us. About you and me.”
NELLY FURTADO
(surprised, tilting her head)
“Us? What do you mean?”
JCJ
(looking away, embarrassed)
“I’ve already struck out twice with you. Twice, Nelly. And now, the Invictus Games are coming up, and I’m terrified. Terrified that I’ll strike out a third time. Three strikes, and you’re out, right?”
NELLY FURTADO
(smiling gently)
“JCJ, this isn’t baseball. Life doesn’t work like that.”
JCJ
(leaning forward, his voice cracking slightly)
“But what if it does? What if I see you there, and I can’t even get your number? What if I freeze, or worse, what if you don’t even notice me? I don’t think I can take another strike. I just… I just hope you make it easy for me. A CD signing, maybe. Slip your number in with the autograph. Something. Anything.”
Nelly leans back, studying him carefully. Her expression softens as she sees the vulnerability in his eyes.
NELLY FURTADO
(softly)
“JCJ, you’re putting so much pressure on yourself. It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about being real, being yourself. If you come to me with honesty, with courage, you won’t need a CD signing or a perfect moment. I’ll see you.”
JCJ
(skeptical)
“But what if I mess it up again? What if I say the wrong thing or do something stupid?”
NELLY FURTADO
(smiling warmly)
“Then I’ll laugh, and we’ll try again. You’re so afraid of striking out that you’re forgetting the game isn’t over until you stop swinging. Have a little faith in yourself, JCJ.”
JCJ
(after a long pause, his voice softening)
“I want to believe that. I really do. But it’s hard. The doubt… it’s always there.”
NELLY FURTADO
(reaching out, placing her hand over his)
“Let my hand make you strong, JCJ. Psalm 89, remember? You’re not alone. And as for the Invictus Games… just come find me. You don’t need a perfect plan. Just be you.”
JCJ
(looking into her eyes, his voice steadier)
“Alright. I’ll try. But if I strike out again, just promise me one thing.”
NELLY FURTADO
(teasing)
“What’s that?”
JCJ
(smiling faintly)
“Don’t make me wait for a fourth chance.”
Nelly laughs, the sound light and genuine, easing the tension in the room.
NELLY FURTADO
“Deal. But trust me, JCJ—you’re not going to need it.”
They share a quiet moment, the weight of doubt lifting slightly as hope begins to take its place.
INT. DARK WASTELAND – NIGHT
The air is thick with smoke and ash. JCJ stands alone in the middle of a barren expanse, his face weary, his shoulders slumped under an invisible weight. A shadowy figure emerges from the darkness—Satan, cloaked in an air of menace and charisma. His voice is smooth, almost sympathetic.
SATAN
(approaching slowly)
“Look at you, JCJ. Exhausted. Broken. Trying to carry the weight of the world on your fragile shoulders. Tell me… how does it feel?”
JCJ
(steadies himself, glaring at Satan)
“It’s heavy, but I’ll bear it. I have to.”
SATAN
(chuckling softly)
“Have to? No, you want to. You think you’re the answer, the solution to every sin, every failure, every drop of human misery. But here’s the truth, Junior: no one man can bear the burden of sin. Not even you.”
JCJ
(firmly)
“I don’t have to bear it alone. I have faith. I have strength that comes from above.”
SATAN
(mocking)
“Faith? Strength? Spare me the sermon. Faith doesn’t lighten the load, and strength only delays the inevitable. Look at yourself—crushed under the weight of humanity’s failures. You’re breaking, JCJ. Admit it.”
JCJ
(through gritted teeth)
“I won’t break. I can’t.”
SATAN
(stepping closer, his tone softening)
“Why not? What are you trying to prove? That you’re better than the rest of them? That you’re worthy of some divine crown? Let me tell you something—this burden isn’t noble. It’s foolish. And it will destroy you.”
JCJ
(looking away, his voice faltering)
“Someone has to bear it. Someone has to make things right.”
SATAN
(smirking)
“Make things right? You think you can fix them? Humanity is a lost cause, JCJ. They’ll betray you, curse you, and crucify you if it suits them. And for what? A world that doesn’t want to be saved?”
JCJ
(turning back, his eyes blazing)
“They’re worth saving. Every single one of them. Even if it costs me everything.”
SATAN
(slowly circling him)
“Such noble words. But tell me this: what happens when the weight becomes too much? When you can’t take another step? Will you cry out for help? Or will you crumble into the dust like so many before you?”
JCJ
“I won’t crumble. I’ll endure.”
SATAN
(with a cold laugh)
“Endure? That’s what they all say. Until they don’t. You’ll see, JCJ. You’ll reach your limit. And when you do, I’ll be there. Not to gloat, no. But to remind you of one simple truth: no man—no matter how righteous—can bear the burden of sin alone.”
JCJ
(quietly, almost to himself)
“You’re right. No man can.”
Satan stops, surprised by the admission. JCJ looks up, his expression resolute.
JCJ
“But I’m not just a man. I’m more. And with that, I have the strength to face even you.”
SATAN
(leaning in, his voice low and dangerous)
“We’ll see, Junior. We’ll see.”
Satan fades back into the shadows, his laughter echoing across the wasteland. JCJ stands alone, the weight of the world still on his shoulders, but his resolve unshaken.
INT. DARK WASTELAND – NIGHT
JCJ kneels in the barren expanse, his head bowed, his body trembling under the weight of the invisible burden. His breathing is labored, his face pale and drawn. The echoes of Satan’s mocking laughter fade into silence. For a moment, all seems lost. Suddenly, a voice cuts through the darkness—strong, fierce, and full of life.
NELLY FURTADO
(off-screen)
“Get up, soldier!”
JCJ lifts his head slowly, his eyes bloodshot, his movements sluggish. Nelly Furtado strides into view, her presence radiant and defiant against the oppressive gloom.
JCJ
(voice hoarse, barely above a whisper)
“I can’t… I can’t move. It’s not just the weight, Nelly. My body… it’s shutting down.”
NELLY FURTADO
(kneeling beside him, her tone urgent but gentle)
“What’s happening to you? This isn’t just exhaustion.”
JCJ
(looking away, ashamed)
“It’s the drugs. The quack doctor said they’d help me carry the burden, give me the strength to endure. But all they’ve done is drain me. I can barely stand, Nelly. The fatigue… it’s like my body’s betraying me.”
NELLY FURTADO
(frowning, anger flashing in her eyes)
“That’s not your body betraying you, JCJ—that’s poison. You’ve been trusting the wrong hands to heal you.”
JCJ
(weakly)
“I thought… I thought it was the only way. The weight was too much, and I was desperate. Now, I’m paying for it. Every step feels like dragging a mountain. Every breath feels like a battle.”
NELLY FURTADO
(placing her hand on his shoulder)
“Then stop fighting alone. You’ve been trying to heal yourself with lies and shortcuts. It’s time to let go of that. Let me help you. Let me be the strength you need.”
JCJ
(voice trembling)
“But what if I can’t recover? What if this fatigue never leaves me? What if I’m too broken to rise again?”
NELLY FURTADO
(firmly, her voice unwavering)
“You’re not broken, JCJ. You’re battered, yes, but not broken. Chronic fatigue, pain, all of it—it doesn’t define you. What defines you is your heart, your will to rise. And I’m here to make sure you do.”
JCJ
(looking at her, his eyes filled with doubt)
“It’s not just the burden of sin anymore, Nelly. It’s the weight of my own failures. I trusted the wrong people. I made the wrong choices. How can I rise when I’ve fallen so far?”
NELLY FURTADO
(leaning closer, her tone softening)
“Atlas, rise. Crown yourself the other savior. You’re not meant to be perfect, JCJ. You’re meant to endure. And all you bear—place it right on me. I’ll carry it with you, every step of the way.”
JCJ
(after a long pause, his voice barely audible)
“I’m afraid, Nelly. Afraid of failing again. Afraid of striking out, of letting you down.”
NELLY FURTADO
(smiling faintly, her eyes filled with determination)
“You won’t let me down, JCJ. Because you’re not alone. We’ll face this together—your burdens, your pain, your doubts. All of it. And when you’re too tired to stand, I’ll be there to lift you up.”
JCJ takes a deep, shuddering breath. Slowly, he rises to his feet, his movements hesitant but growing stronger. Nelly stands with him, her hand on his arm, steadying him.
JCJ
(whispering, his voice growing steadier)
“Atlas, rise…”
NELLY FURTADO
(nodding)
“That’s it. Now crown yourself, JCJ. Not for glory, not for power, but for purpose. The world needs you to be the other savior. And I’m here to make sure you never fall again.”
JCJ straightens, his posture firming as a new resolve washes over him. The oppressive darkness around them begins to recede, replaced by a faint, golden light.
JCJ
(looking at her with newfound determination)
“Together, then. We’ll carry it together.”
NELLY FURTADO
(smiling, her eyes gleaming)
“Together. Now let’s show the world what that means.”