1998In the reign of Royal Hill, the sun shines in a cloudless sky, on another beautiful morning in the Rhodia River neighborhood. It’s a housing district for working-class families but non-slum, well-presentable, mostly quiet, and decent residents. We have the main square called Praça da Granja, the church, tree-lined and paved streets, houses with minimal fences or walls, buses traveling, and finally, the main avenue. This one is busier, with small and varied shops, and people traveling on the sidewalk. We have a facade of Cascais Bakery, Cor-de-Rosa Stationery Store, and Malthus Snack Bar.Near the snack bar, Monica Silva, 19, light-brown, serious, and responsible, dressed socially in a woolen coat, is walking hurriedly to the local.AT THE MALTHUS SNACK BARMonica enters and takes a look. The cafeteria is in normal activity. It’s a rectangular enclosure, with plastic tables, and a marble counter for cash and orders. Monica smiles, she likes the place. Aurélio Malthus, 42, is the ow

GRANJA SQUARE - DAYCássio is kicking a soccer ball by himself. He trains to juggle, kicks into the goal, and celebrates alone. Without him noticing, behind him, Sandra, 18, his girlfriend, approaches him. She smiles at Cassio for having fun."Good morning, future national champion!"Cassio turns to her, "Sandra!"Cássio interrupts the move, approaches her, and the two kiss briefly. Sandra feels his stench."The worst part of it all is the olfactory result.""Ofal—, what?""Oh, dear, if you are not going to solve the hygiene issue, at least solve your studies. We aren’t going to perpetuate the idea that a soccer player is dumb.""I'm not a donkey, but what is 'perpetuate'?"Sandra holds out a laugh, "It's like, letting that legend that I told you perpetuate. Soccer players should have at least the basic education.""But, we have the basic education. It turns out that soccer is played with the ball and not with books.""Yeah, we have completed high school—"Cassio raises his hands to th

AT THE POLICE STATION - NIGHT Chief Carlos pins the thief on the wall; he wants to know if there is a gang forming in the neighborhood. There's tension and suspense. The thug starts to stutter and doesn’t look straight in the eye. "Y-you are going crazy, man! T-there are no gangs forming here, no. I did it on my own!" "What's your name?" "Uélton!" "Well, Uélton, I think I'm going to let you spend the night here to let you reflect on what you've done. If there's no one behind you, then you're just an inexperienced person. Think, reflect on what you want in your life." Uélton is almost crying, "Okay, "cop", it was my bad..." Carlos looks almost fraternally at Uélton; he could be his little brother. Carlos straightens up and leaves the cell, letting Uélton let out a sigh of relief. At the reception, Carlos walks slowly, going to his desk. It’s a small neighborhood police station, just for cases like these of minor importance. Some policemen are doing other things, answering the p

MONICA’S LIVING ROOM - DAYNow Monica receives Annie. She is chewing on a bag of cookies, while Monica is satisfied with a cup of green tea. There is a cup for Annie on the coffee table. The two friends go on talking and eating —drinking at the same time."I didn't see you yesterday, my friend, after the incident. So, did everything do well?""If you are referring to me arriving at the publisher on time and delivering my manuscript, yes, of course, it worked. Now let's see if it will work out for me to be called by that phone and be informed that they are going to publish. And may they pay me at least R$ 2.00 per book.""Monica, this is very little! They will sell the book for at least R$ 20.00; why only two bucks for you?"Monica smiles smartly, "If I sell a million copies, I will earn TWO MILLION royalties, do you understand?"Annie chokes on the piece of cookie she chewed, "Yeah, I hadn't seen it from this perspective!""That's how you win in life, darling, thinking calmly and in th

MALTHUS SNACK BAR - DAYMonica and Célio are sitting at the table, which has already been served. They eat and talk.Célio begins, "Monica, I understand that you have been brave since we met, but... Now we are in other domains. We left our parents' skirts. So I ask you to be careful when facing certain people.""Oh, are you worried about me, Célio?" Monica reacts with emotion.Célio reacts by shaking his head, "N-no, Monica, what’s is it? Your father will be here shortly after, knocking me down. I respect you, I'm not flirting with you."Monica launches a joke, "Especially because in flirting you are not very good."Célio did not catch, "Anyway, that Ricardo worries me. Mysterious, creepy, alone... He has already got into some trouble and you know that he cannot be trusted. Today you were with Carina and Fábia, but... Imagine, one day you’ll go there alone, at night..."Monica says thankfully, "I appreciate the concern, Célio, but I'm not that careless. I’ll never be alone with him at