Joe sits at his laptop late at night, typing a new screenplay. At the top of the page he writes:
MICHAEL 2 – A Film for John Travolta
He leans back and laughs to himself.
“Alright,” Joe mutters, “let’s give John Travolta another set of wings.”
On the screen, the script begins.
INT. JOE’S BASEMENT – NIGHT
Joe sits at a cluttered desk with coffee cups, vitamin bottles, and pages of notes. Nelly walks in and looks at the script.
NELLY
What are you writing now, Joe?
JOE
A sequel.
NELLY
To what?
Joe spins the laptop around.
JOE
Michael 2.
Nelly squints.
NELLY
The angel movie?
Joe nods.
JOE
Yeah. The first one starred John Travolta as a goofy angel. But this time it’s different. This time the angel remembers what the war in heaven was really about.
Joe starts pacing like a director explaining a scene.
JOE
The angel Michael comes back to Earth. Not to party, not to flirt… but to remind people how to fight pride.
Nelly raises an eyebrow.
NELLY
And who’s the villain?
Joe taps the keyboard and points to a line in the script.
JOE
Pride itself. The thing that turns angels into devils.
He points to another page.
JOE
In this movie, the angel Michael meets a guy named Joe. Just a regular guy who says he has to swallow his pride every day.
Nelly laughs.
NELLY
You wrote yourself into the movie?
Joe shrugs.
JOE
Of course. Every writer does.
He reads aloud from the script.
JOE (reading)
“JOE: I swallow my pride every day. That’s why I identify with Saint Michael the Archangel, São Miguel. The warrior who stands up to the dragon.”
Nelly sits on the couch.
NELLY
So Travolta plays the angel again?
Joe grins.
JOE
Yeah. But this time he’s not just a funny angel. This time he’s the guy reminding humanity that pride is the oldest trap in the universe.
Joe types the final line of the scene.
JOE (typing)
“MICHAEL spreads his wings and says: The hardest battle isn’t heaven versus hell. It’s a man versus his own pride.”
Joe leans back, satisfied.
JOE
Hollywood won’t see it coming.
Nelly shakes her head and laughs.
NELLY
Joe… you really think Travolta will read this?
Joe closes the laptop.
JOE
If he wants the best sequel of his career… he will.
