Devil's Deadline Entries (adult content warning)

[Adam Isaac]

DRAG

FADE UP

EXT. THE CITY - FASHIONABLE SOMA - DAY

Horns honk, people mill.

Toned, tanned calves funnel down into stilettos that stab the sidewalk impatiently. Ragged Doc Martens shuffle alongside.

DELANY tosses her mane of red hair and eyes GREGORY coldly:

DELANY
Sigh. If straight men weren't such a commodity in this town, I woulda done this a long time ago.

GREGORY
Shannon, we've only been dating a couple of months...

DELANY
It just feels like a hella long time.

GREGORY
So... why?

DELANY
Why do you keep asking why? I told you...

Gregory sparks a cigarette.

DELANY
See what I mean?

GREGORY
You tol' me you liked the taste of nicotine kisses.

DELANY
That's from when I thought you were interesting. Now all I see is some crash pad where caffeine, nicotine and alcohol get together to party 24/7. It's like tossin' tongues with a corpse that doesn't know it's dead yet. Ick.

GREGORY
"Nine men in ten are would-be suicides." - Ben Franklin.

DELANY
"Nine men in ten who quote dead men have nothing original of their own to say." - Shannon Delany.

GREGORY
Is that why you're dumping me?

DELANY
Gregory, I want to be with a man, not a vice support system. My body is a temple...

Gregory's eyes wistfully dip down for one last visit.

DELANY
... and I don't need to have it parked next to a crack house.

GREGORY
I don't smoke--

DELANY
Get with the metaphor, Gregory.

The crosswalk light turns green...

DELANY
Oh, bother.

... and she picks up the pace to make the light.

Gregory spares a glance at her ass, then pauses at the curb to snap open his Zippo, re-spark the smoke.

Delany half turns, glaring back at him:

DELANY
There you go again. If you want to shave twenty years off of your life, more power to you...

Over her shoulder, the light turns yellow...

DELANY
But you can damn well do it by yourself.

... then red.

DELANY
That's all I have--

KA-THUMP!
...A fantail of blood slaps Gregory across the face...
...A squeal of brakes...

He blinks...

The top half of Delany remains in the crosswalk, the other half sprawled in the intersection. The top half tries to rise up on its elbows, then gives up and settles back down to the red asphalt.

Halfway down the block, a white Camero idles. A freshly applied crimson racing stripe glistens in the sunlight.

GREGORY
Huh.

The Camero peels away, a cloud of burned rubber roiling in its wake.

Hand shaking, Gregory tries to take a drag. Gets nothing... the cigarette is soaked. Bloody, drooping. He drops it to the pavement...

SPLAT.

... bats another coffin nail out of the deck.

CICI (O.S.)
That's all sorts of f*cked up. Did you know her?

Gregory turns to the voice: a raven-haired Girl Next Door...

... that is, if you lived next door a funeral home. The fishnets are a nice touch, though.

GREGORY
(beat)
Nope.

Distant sirens begin to near.

CICI
Got another smoke?

FADE OUT

[Adam Isaac]

HOCKEY NIGHT (1 of 2)

FADE IN:

INT. COMMUNITY HOCKEY ARENA - DAY

A dozen ten-year-old hockey players file through the gate onto the ice rink. Skates and hockey sticks hit the ice. Red and blue teams form up, positions are taken, and a puck between the two centers awaits the faceoff.

The loud trill of a police whistle signals the start of the scrimmage. Sticks slap at the puck. Play begins.

The whistle drops from the luscious red lips down past the the sweater of an attractive HOCKEY MOM, (30s).

HOCKEY MOM
Kill the bastards, honey!

The RED TEAM CAPTAIN looks over to his Hockey Mom and nods an acknowledgment. He races with his wingers into blue territory. A blue defenceman blocks the way of the red winger with the puck. A pass goes to the Red Team Captain. He shoots.

The other blue defenceman skates into the path of the puck and deflects it into the sideboards. Players scramble to regain the puck.

HOCKEY MOM
Damn!

The Hockey Mom punches at the rink's gate. From behind her, a STRANGER's voice startles her and catches her offguard.

STRANGER (O.S.)
Your son?

HOCKEY MOM
(sees the Stranger)
Uh-- Yes.
(catches her breath)
I'm sorry. I didn't see you there, before.

The Hockey Mom turns back to watch the practice game.

The puck flies past the blue goalie into the net. Cheers erupt from the red team and from a clutch of hockey moms sitting on the first row of benches. The HOCKEY MOM grabs the police whistle and lets it scream in triumph.

HOCKEY MOM
Goal! Way to go, honey!

Sharp glances from the blue team and other hockey moms glare at the Hockey Mom. She turns to look at the Stranger.

HOCKEY MOM
Are you doing anything? I, uh, mean, would you mind acting as the referee, until the coach arrives. He's late, but should be here, any minute, now.

STRANGER
Sure, but I don't have my skates.

HOCKEY MOM
That's okay. Here.
(hands him the whistle)
Just use this.
(to the Players)
Boys, here's your temporary referee.

The Hockey Mom joins the clutch of other hockey moms on the benches. The whistle screams for play to resume.

A red winger grabs a blue defenceman's jersey. The whistle blows.

STRANGER
Holding.

A red defenceman slams a blue winger into the sideboards. The whistle blows.

STRANGER
Boarding.

A blue winger and red winger spar for the puck. The blue winger's stick swings up. The whistle blows.

STRANGER
Cross-checking.

The Red Team Captain blocks a BLUE WINGER and kicks his skates, so that both of them take a tumble. The whistle blows.

STRANGER
Slew footing.

The Red Team Captain get back up onto his skates.

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
What?

STRANGER
Slew footing. I saw that.

The Blue Winger rises up off the ice, throws off his gloves, and starts to skate up behind the Red Team Captain. The BLUE TEAM CAPTAIN skates up and blocks the Blue Winger's swing at the Red Team Captain.

STRANGER
There'll be no fighting, here!

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
You're a real pain...

A green flash of light fills the hockey arena and quickly fades away.

BLUE WINGER
What was that?

STRANGER
I don't have any skates.

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
What of it?

STRANGER
Why am I here?
(laughs to himself)
I don't understand.

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
You're not helping--

STRANGER
(to Red Team Captain)
What is your name?

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
Huh?

STRANGER
Who are you?

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
What's it to you?

STRANGER
You don't have a name.

RED TEAM CAPTAIN
Don't be stupid?

The Stranger points his finger at the Red Team Captain, whose skates fly up and whose body slams down hard upon the ice. The Red Team Captain struggles against invisible forces.

The Stranger steps thru the gate onto the rink. He walks up next to the Red Team Captain. The other hockey players back away from him. He bends down over the Red Team Captain for a close inspection of his face.

STRANGER
No, I don't recall the face, and you don't know your name. Die!

The Red Team Captain's body arches up and falls back limp upon the ice.

The Blue Team Captain grabs a hockey stick, strides toward the stranger, and raises the stick to swing it. The Stranger turns to face him. A green glow from the Stranger's eyes stops the Blue Team Captain's charge like a brick wall.

BLUE TEAM CAPTAIN
(panting)
Your eyes--
(in severe pain)
Oh, God, what's happening to me?

Steam rises from the Blue Team Captain jersey. The Stranger walks over and inspects his face closely.

STRANGER
No, I don't recognize you. Do you have a name?

BLUE TEAM CAPTAIN
Name? What's my name? I, uh...
(puzzled, then angry)
Go to Hell!

STRANGER
You first!

The Blue Team Captain's jersey bursts into flames. Arms and legs flail upon the rink ice, then fall still.

Screams erupt from the benches, and hockey players retreat to the far ends of the rink. The Stranger walks back to the gate, taking care not to slip on the ice.

STRANGER
I don't have ice skates. Not anymore.

A green glow fills the arena, along with a loud buzz.

[Adam Isaac]

HOCKEY NIGHT (2 of 2)

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

One of the lamps on the bedside table fades on-and-off with a green light. The Stranger, in bed and dressed in pajamas, reaches over to turn off the buzzing alarm clock. He switches on the other bedside lamp, and turns off the green lamp.

STRANGER
Never did care much about hockey. Why go there? If my subconscious creates those punks, I can purge them, without mercy, in my lucid dreams.

The Stranger laughs to himself.


FADE OUT:

[Adam Isaac]

MANGIA (1 of 2)

INT. YELLOW KITCHEN - DAY

At the table, in front of a plate of pasta sits a skinny,
peaked boy, GIORGIO. He turns his nose up at the plate. His
MAMA paces back and forth, pulling at her hair.

MAMA
Why you no mangia? My little boy,
he waste away. Then they blame
your Mama! They say she no feed a
her Giorgio. They take a her away!

She has his attention now and she knows it. In for the kill.

MAMA
You no want a them to take a your
Mama away?

Giorgio's alarmed. He shakes his head. Mama pleads.

MAMA
Then mangia, Giorgio, mangia.

Giorgio shakily brings a forkful of pasta to his mouth. He
wrinkles his nose as he places it inside. Mama smiles and
smothers him with kisses.

MAMA
That's a right Giorgio. You a good
a boy. You love a your Mama.

Giorgio swallows. He likes it. He loads another forkful.

GIORGIO (V.O.)
She did this to me. That bitch.


INT. PSYCHIATRIST'S OFFICE - DAY

An older obese Giorgio frowns from the couch. A bored
Freudian-looking PSYCHIATRIST sits nearby.

GIORGIO
Her constant mangia! mangia!
That's why I'm so friggin' fat.
That's why I got all this sh!t --

DING! An egg timer.

PSYCHIATRIST
I'm sorry Giorgio but it seems like
our time is up.

GIORGIO
Carlo said you were good. He said
you could cure me. I don't gotta go
yet!

PSYCHIATRIST
Giorgio. When Carlo referred you to
me and said I could get rid of all
your sh!t, I believe you might
have misunderstood him. I'm a
psychiatrist. Psychiatrists do not
cure constipation.

GIORGIO
How do I get rid of my sh!t
then? Do I need an operation? A
sh!t-o-suction or somethin'?

PSYCHIATRIST
A sh!t-o? No. No. Here --

The Psychiatrist writes in his pad. He tears off a sheet and
hands it to Giorgio.

PSYCHIATRIST
Take this to the pharmacy.

Giorgio looks up from the paper, full of questions.

PSYCHIATRIST
It's a laxative. It will help you
with your problem.

Giorgio smiles.


INT. GIORGIO'S HOME - NIGHT

Giorgio enters holding a pharmacy bag. He sits down in his
recliner and puts his feet up. He puts the bag on the end
table, picks up the remote and turns on the television.

GIORGIO
I'm hungry!

BERNADETTE is elsewhere.

BERNADETTE (O.S.)
You're always hungry!

Then she enters in all her frumpiness.

BERNADETTE
Don't go stuffin' your face 'cause
we're going out tonight.

Giorgio looks confused.
Dinner. My boss. Remember?

GIORGIO
Aww. Jeeze.

BERNADETTE
What's in that bag?

Giorgio holds the precious bag close.

GIORGIO
Medicine -- from the Doctor -- to
help me sh!t.

Giorgio, innocent, and Bernadette, suspicious, lock eyes.
Then the phone rings. Bernadette is torn between answering
the phone or calling Giorgio's bluff. The phone wins.
Bernadette exits.

Once he's sure she is gone, he goes straight for the bag. He
keeps an eye out while he pulls a foil wrapped rectangle from
the bag. He opens a foil corner and winces at the crinkly
noise it makes. Inside a chocolate bar.

He takes a bite, his face anticipates ecstacy then shows
disappointment. He sniffs the bar. Shrugs. Another bite.

Bernadette's voice! He stuffs the bag between his leg and
the chair arm, ready to hide the chocolate bar. But
Bernadette fails to show. He speed-eats most of the rest of
the chocolate. But as he's about the eat the last piece

BERNADETTE (O.S.)
Get dressed!

He shoves the final piece of chocolate in his mouth then he
wipes his mouth on his sleeve. And he's up and exits smiling.

On his chair the pharmacy bag had fallen over. Two boxes
spill out, an unopened imported chocolate bar and an opened
box of EX-LAX.


EXT. VINCENZO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Giorgio and Bernadette look sharp as they rock up to the
front door. Giorgio's moves his hand toward the doorbell.

BERNADETTE
This promotion means a lot to me so
don't embarrass me tonight, okay?

Giorgio nods and forces a smile, then he presses the button.
A tall, imposing man answers. This is VINCENZO.

VINCENZO
You made it.

BERNADETTE
Of course.

GIORGIO
When do we eat?

Bernadette elbows Giorgio in the gut. Giorgio groans and
holds his stomach. Bernadette laughs nervously.

BERNADETTE
We're both starved.

VINCENZO
It's on the barbecue. Almost ready.
Come in. Come in.

Bernadette and Giorgio, who grimaces as he holds his stomach,
enter.

[Adam Isaac]

MANGIA (2 of 2)

INT. VINCENZO'S HOUSE

They follow Vincenzo into the living room. MARY, poses near
the sofa. She holds a tray of drinks.

VINCENZO
This is my wife, Mary. Mary,
Bernadette and her husband Giorgio.

Giorgio doubles over and groans. Bernadette's teeth clench.

VINCENZO
Is he, um, all right?

BERNADETTE
Yes. Yes. He's such a joker. Aren't
you? Aren't you!

GIORGIO
Oooo. I gotta take a sh --
(thinks better of it)
-- toilet. Toilet.

Mary's concerned. Vincenzo's amused. Bernadette's pissed.

MARY
Of course. Upstairs. To the right.

Giorgio runs up the stairs, one hand holds his cheeks.


BATHROOM

Giorgio rushes in. He groans and moans as he fumbles with the
lid of the toilet. As soon as it's upright he drops his pants
and sits. His face twists then

FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMP!

Giorgio catches his breath then his face twists again. This
time it makes more of a liquid sound. Giorgio takes a few
more quick breaths and then breathes a sigh of relief. He
relaxes.

He scans the surprisingly usual bathroom that surrounds him,
a sink, a glass shower stall, a couple of towels, and a
window near the toilet.

He stares out the bottom of the window and watches the smoke
as it rises from the back yard barbecue. He unrolls a large
wad of toilet paper and pats his brow with it. He stands.

Giorgio wipes himself. He throws the wad of toilet paper into
the toilet and pulls up his pants. He puts his finger on the
flusher. He stops. He gently closes the toilet lid and smiles
with satisfaction. Then he flushes.

Giorgio hums to himself as he washes his hands. Between his
humming and the water running, he doesn't hear the water
spill over the edge of the toilet. He doesn't notice that
brown water as it runs along the floor, under the rug, and
hits his foot.

Giorgio turns off the sink but he still hears water running.
He takes a step toward the toilet onto the sodden rug.

SQUISH!

He looks down at his feet. Panic! Giorgio runs to the toilet
and throws open the lid. Brown water, toilet paper and god
know-what-else bubble from the center, over the side. He
jiggles the flusher and waits but it doesn't stop.

He looks around for something, anything. Towels. He snatches
the towels off the rack and throws them on the floor around
the toilet. It still overflows! Jiggle, jiggle.

A cup by the sink. He grabs it and squeamishly plunges it
into the toilet bowl. He lifts it wrinkling his nose at it,
some dirty toilet paper sticks to the side.

He empties it into the sink, brown water, toilet paper and
all, clogging it. But Giorgio doesn't notice that the water
doesn't go down because he's off filling a second cup.


DINING ROOM

Bernadette sits, her face buried in her hands. Mary seems
preoccupied.

MARY
Do you suppose he's alright?

BERNADETTE
I hope he falls in.

An uncomfortable moment of silence.

VINCENZO
I'm going to check the food.

Vincenzo exits.


BATHROOM

Giorgio wants to empty another cup but the sink is full. The
shower. He pulls the shower door but it doesn't budge.
Harder! He almost spills the cup's foul contents.

He puts the cup on the counter and uses both hands. It won't
budge. He bangs the shower door in frustration. All his
might, his face strains with exertion, his feet slide on the
wet floor. He slips and falls backwards. The wall catches him
but his arm knocks the cup flying. Its contents spray around
the room.

One last time, he yanks the door. Then alarm! He grabs his
stomach and moans. He glances at the toilet, full again. He
holds his buttocks together with one hand. The sink? The
shower? The window?


EXT. VINCENZO'S HOUSE

Vincenzo places the last steak from the grill on the platter.
He walks toward the house balancing the platter with skill.
Then one handed, as he reaches toward the sliding glass doors
with his other.

An ass sticks out the second story window above his head,
like a pale moon rising in the night sky.


INT. BATHROOM

Giorgio, backed up to the window, twists his face and groans.
Sputtering sounds follow then Giorgio smiles with relief.


DINING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Giorgio looks down as he fastens his belt.

GIORGIO
I think somethin's wrong with your
toilet. I won't stop runnin'. So's
dinner ready? I sure am hung --

Giorgio looks up. Bernadette's apoplectic. Mary's teary.
Vincenzo enters, covered in brown goo. He holds a platter of
strangely sauced steaks. No one speaks. They all stare at
Giorgio.

GIORGIO
What?

THE END

[Adam Isaac]

WHAT HAPPENED (1 of 2)

INT. RICHARD'S OFFICE - DAY

KNOCK-KNOCK at the door. It opens a bit. JOE KING, 30,
funny guy, pokes his head through.

JOE
You wanna see me, Dick? I'll show
ya.

RICHARD (O.S.)
Yes. No! Just... Just come in.
Close the door.

Police Sergeant RICHARD (DICK) HEAD, 50, sits at his desk.
He is in no mood for humour.

Sitting to the side of the desk is EDNA BAGGE, 55, hair in
a bun, horn-rimmed glasses. Looks like she drinks vinegar.

RICHARD
Joe, this is Edna Bagge from Family
Services.

Joe suppresses a laugh. Extends his hand to Edna.

JOE
Edna.

She shies away from it. Joe shrugs.

RICHARD
Sit down, Joe.

Joe sits in front of Richard's desk. Sees a portable
cassette player on the desk.

JOE
(bugs bunny)
Ehhh, what's up, Dick?

RICHARD
Knock it off, Joe. This is serious.

Richard pushes PLAY on the cassette player.

JOE (V.O.)
That's good, Baby. That's so good.
(short hard blows)
Ohhh, yeah! Nearly there. C'mon-
c'mon. Oooh! Little more. Little
more. Oh, that's so good. Yeah!

From funny guy to furious, Joe slaps the player. It stops.

JOE
Where the hell did you get this?

Richard and Edna jump. Startled.

RICHARD
Where? Ummm...

EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - NIGHT

A van cruises slowly along the street.

INT. VAN (MOVING)- NIGHT

ANDY HIRD, a tubby 40 year old, aims a directional
microphone out the window. He wears headphones. The mike
and the headphones are connected to a recorder.

He hears...

From House #56...

HUSBAND (V.O.)
You can't cook for shìt, Woman.

From House #58...

LITTLE BOY (V.O.)
(bawling)
Mummyyyy!

From House #60...

TEENAGE GIRL (V.O.)
And he took you back to his place?

From House #62...

FEMALE NEWSREADER (V.O.)
Horror smash on the M1 Motorway.

From House #64...

JOE (V.O.)
That's good, Baby. That's so good.
(short hard blows)
Ohhh, yeah! Nearly there. C'mon-
c'mon. Oooh! Little more. Little
more. Oh, that's so good. Yeah!
(short hard blows)
Ooooooooh, yeaaaaaah!

Andy stops the van. Licks his lips. Rubs his crotch.

JOE (V.O.)
(between pants)
Thank you, Baby. I love you.
You're the best.

LITTLE GIRL (V.O.)
I love you too, Daddy.

Andy stops rubbing. Mouths, 'What the fùck?'.

A phone rings.

JOE (V.O.)
Hop off, Sweetheart. I better get
this.

LITTLE GIRL (V.O.)
Daddy, your thing's all yukky.

Andy mouths, 'Thing?'

JOE (V.O.)
Don't touch it, Baby... Here,
wipe your hands.

The phone rings again.

JOE (V.O.)
And remember, don't tell Mummy.
This is our little secret.

Andy's eyes narrow to slits.

LITTLE GIRL (V.O.)
Okay, Daddy. I won't.

JOE (V.O.)
Hello. Joe King.

Andy presses STOP on the recorder. Removes the headphones.

ANDY
You sick piece of shìt! You're
gone, Pal... You. Are. Gone.

[Adam Isaac]

WHAT HAPPENED (2 of 2)

INT. RICHARD'S OFFICE - DAY

Joe is on his feet. Backing towards the door. He's fuming.

JOE
I'm gone! You people make me sick!
You're pathetic! Ya know that?
Pathetic! I'm outta here! I'm
going home!

EDNA (O.S.)
No, you're not.

Edna approaches Joe with a folded piece of paper.

EDNA (CONT'D)
This is a court order prohibiting
you from going within five hundred
meters of your daughter.

JOE
Aw, that's bullshìt! You can stick
that up your arse, Lady! You got
no idea what happened. No idea.
I'm outta here.

Joe opens the door. Storms out.

RICHARD
Well, what did...

The door SLAMS.

RICHARD (CONT'D)
(grimaces)
... happen?

BLACK SCREEN.

SUPER: Yeah. What did happen?

EXT. HOUSE #56 - NIGHT

HUSBAND (O.S.)
You can't cook for shìt, Woman.

INT. HOUSE #56 - KITCHEN

A souffle collapses. A WIFE, 40, holds her hands to her
cheeks.

WIFE
Ohhh! What happened?

EXT. HOUSE #58 - NIGHT

LITTLE BOY (O.S.)
(bawling)
Mummyyyy!

INT. HOUSE #58 - LIVING ROOM

Little BOY runs crying to his less-than-sympathetic MUM.

LITTLE BOY'S MUM
Awww! What happened?

EXT. HOUSE #60 - NIGHT

TEENAGE GIRL (O.S.)
And he took you back to his place?

INT. HOUSE #60 - BEDROOM

Excited Teenage GIRL on the phone.

TEENAGE GIRL
Oooh! What happened?

EXT. HOUSE #62 - NIGHT

FEMALE NEWSREADER (V.O.)
Horror Smash on the M1 Motorway.

INT. HOUSE #62 - ON TV

Behind the NEWSREADER, 30, a screen shows a speedboat lodged
in the windshield of a truck. The crumpled front end of a
motorcycle protrudes from the bottom of the boat.

FEMALE NEWSREADER
Investigators are still trying to
determine exactly...

The Newsreader turns to look at the screen. Tilts her
head this way and that.

FEMALE NEWSREADER (CONT'D)
What the fùck happened?

EXT. HOUSE #64 - NIGHT

JOE (O.S.)
That's good, Baby. That's so good.
(short hard blows)
Ohhh, yeah! Nearly there.

INT. HOUSE #64 - JOE'S RUMPUS ROOM

Joe lies on an exercise bench. Lifts weights. Sweats
profusely. Strains with the weights.

JOE (CONT'D)
C'mon-c'mon. Oooh! Little more.
Little more. Oh, that's so good.
Yeah!

Joe's daughter ALLISON, 4, sits on his legs. Sprays water
on his face from a spray bottle.

Joe lifts the weights onto the supports.

JOE (CONT'D)
Ohhhhhhhhhh, yeaaaaaah!

He flops with exhaustion. Pants heavily.

JOE (CONT'D)
(between pants)
Thank you, Baby. I love you. You're
the best.

ALLISON
I love you too, Daddy.

Joe's phone rings.

JOE
Hop off, Sweetheart. I have to get
this.

Allison climbs down. Joe gets up.

Allison wipes her hand in the sweat on the exercise bench.

ALLISON
Daddy, your thing's all yukky.

JOE
Don't touch it, Baby.

Joe takes a towel from his gym bag.

A small gift-wrapped box falls out with the towel.

He tosses the towel to Allison.

JOE
Here, wipe your hands.

The phone rings again.

Joe picks up the gift. Shows it to her.

JOE
And remember, don't tell Mummy.
This is our little secret.

ALLISON
Okay, Daddy. I won't.

Joe answers the phone.

JOE
Hello. Joe King... Hi, Honey.
Finished already? ... Huh? Sacked?
Why? What happened? ... Oh. Okay,
see ya soon. Bye. Love ya.

He hangs up. Sighs.

JOE
Mummy lost her job. She said a
naughty word on TV.
(looks at gift)
Maybe we should give her this now.
Make her feel better. Huh?

ALLISON
Okayyyy.

Joe takes the towel and spray bottle from Allison. Puts
them in his gym bag. Picks Allison up. Turns out the
light. Walks out. Closes the door...

TO BLACK.

[Adam Isaac]

LIQUOR LOVER and LEVER (1 of 2)

EPISODE ONE - CRAZY BABY TIME


INT. BAR - DAY

An empty shot glass...

Begins to fill...

From a bottle of Jack.

In the background...

Silhouetted in an open doorway...

A blurred figure...

Walks into focus.

VOICEOVER
You remember this man?

A handsome man...

Tailored immaculately...

Approaches the glass.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
He is KYLE LEVER. Forty-five year old
disgraced former senator and divorced
father of two.

Kyle raises the glass...

Drinks it down...

And lowers it gently to the table.

The glass refills.

Kyle reaches for it.

A hand with emerald green nail polish seizes his hand...

And pulls him closer.

He tilts his head...

To kiss...

A blaze of flaming red hair.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
And this is his lover. His LIQUOR LOVER.

Lover is twenty, tall, and stunning...

And those eyes. They must be contact lenses. No-one's eyes are THAT green.

Her lips are full.

Her smile, delicious.

Her faded blue jeans and emerald green tank-top speak of a casual freedom.

Kyle raises the glass to his lips.

Lover raises the bottle to hers.

She teases the rim with her tongue.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
(hushed)
God, I wish that I was that bottle.

They drink.

After the drink...

They kiss.

After the kiss...

He releases her...

Turns for the door...

And becomes a blur.


EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

A lizard...

Skitters across the scorching blacktop.

Lucky to survive the rolling rubber of a big rig...

That thunders towards...

A speck in the distance...

That is...

A charcoal Chevy Camaro SS.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
Together...


INT. CAMARO - DAY

Kyle glances down at...

The speedo reads 85.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
They make Bonnie and Clyde... Butch
and Sundance...

A siren wails.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
Jake and Elwood... Thelma and
Louise...

Kyle glances up at...

The rear view mirror shows...

A police cruiser...

Red and blues flashing...

Closing in fast.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
And Mother Theresa...

The cruiser pulls alongside.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
All look like saints.

Kyle looks across and sees...

Lover is driving the cruiser.

She raises the bottle...

Drinks...

Shakes her head...

And laughs.

Kyle laughs with her.

KYLE
Crazy, Baby!

An air horn BLASTS.

VOICEOVER
So fasten you seat belts, Folks.

The cruiser pulls off the road.

Dust rises.

Cacti disintegrate.

VOICEOVER (CONT'D)
It's Car-raa-zy Baby Time...

The big rig crosses between them.

VOICEOVER(CONT'D)
As Liquor Lover and Lever come
car-rashing into a town near you.

The cruiser pulls back onto the road.

Closer...

And closer...

On Lover's face.

Into her eye...

Into her pupil...

And into...

[Adam Isaac]

LIQUOR LOVER and LEVER (2 of 2)

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The top of a man's head, tilted slightly, shows above an easy chair, partly obscuring a TV.

A Western is on. A horseback gunfight.

BANG! BANG! BANG! ..... WHACK!

A hand slaps the top of the man's head.

WOMAN (O.S.)
Wake up. It's time.

He looks a bit like Kyle. Except, he's not that handsome. A little chubby around the cheeks, a few days facial hair and bleary eyes.

His name is BOB. He's about thirty-five. He's a slob. He wears shorts and a singlet.

An open bottle of Jack rests between his legs.

BOB
Are you crazy?

WOMAN (O.S.)
Baby time.

She looks a bit like Lover. Except, she's about thirty. She does have red hair but it's a mess. Her eyes are green but not THAT green.

Her name is LORELLE and...

She's very, very, very pregnant...

LORELLE
Hospital. Now!

Bob caps the bottle.

Struggles to his feet.

BOB
Aw-right! Aw-right! Jeezus!


INT. HOSPITAL RECEPTION - NIGHT

A RECEPTIONIST looks up and sees...

Lorelle waddles in.

Bob trudges along behind, carrying an overnight bag.

Receptionist snaps her fingers and signals for...

An ORDERLY brings a wheelchair.


INT. WAITING ROOM - NIGHT

An expectant DAD paces.

Bob is slumped in a chair.

His eyelids grow heavy.

He nods off.


EXT. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY - DAY

Sirens howl.

The Camaro weaves through slower traffic...

A dozen police cruisers in hot pursuit.


INT. CAMARO - DAY

Kyle is the passenger.

Lover drives.

One hand on the wheel.

The other on the bottle.

She raises it to her lips.

Takes a long swig.

They come up behind cars, side by side.

No way through.

Lover pulls the wheel hard.


EXT. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY - DAY

The Camaro leaves the highway.

Up a grassy embankment...

Down again in front of the other cars...

Across the highway...

Up the other side...

And launches into the air.

KYLE (V.O.)
Crazy, Baby!

NURSE (V.O.)
Excuse me, Sir.


INT. WAITING ROOM - NIGHT

A NURSE nudges Bob's shoulder.

NURSE
Sir.

Bob wakes.

BOB
Huh?

NURSE
Congratulations. It's a girl.

BOB
Crazy, Baby!

FADE TO BLACK:

SUPER: INSERT COMMERCIAL HERE.

[Adam Isaac]

VICE SQUAD

FADE IN:

EXT. GHETTO STREET - NIGHT

Music blares, families argue, a baby cries, dishes shatter,
a frightened woman screams, a dog barks, some poor bastard
whimpers as he dies with a needle in his arm.

The full Moon casts ink-black shadows across this shítty
suburban landscape. A burly shape lurks in one of those
shadows. DETECTIVE MARTY FINK, face like cracked stone,
lips that don't know how to smile. Fink's dead fish eyes
stare at a 2nd-floor apartment window across the street.
The light in the window goes off. Fink watches. Ten
seconds later the apartment entrance opens and ALIZE steps
out, a skinny junkie ho wearing a shiny boob tube and a
cheap leather skirt so short it's technically a
handkerchief. Alize clicks down the street in her oversize
high heels.

Further up the street, a pimpmobile turns on its lights
and peels out. It catches up with Alize in seconds and
slows to cruise alongside her, matching her pace. Alize
takes deep breaths, she doesn't want to face this. She
stops, and the pimpmobile stops too. She bends down to
talk to the DRIVER, a large shadow wearing a wide-brimmed
hat.

DRIVER
Bitch, you been trying to dodge
me?

ALIZE
I had the flu. Been in my bed all
day. On my own.

DRIVER
Give me any of that crap, I will
stick the barrel of my gun between
your skinny legs and pull the
trigger. You owe me.

ALIZE
Just gimme a couple hours. Tonight
for sure.

DRIVER
Crackhead ho, you spend my money
on dope?

ALIZE
I had to get my act together, you
know?

DRIVER
Ah, shít. Now I'm gonna have to
kill you.

The Driver opens his door, his bulk eases out from behind
the wheel. Alize steps back, scared. She fumbles in her
purse.

ALIZE
I got it, I got some money here.

A knife glints. Alize shudders in fear. The Driver presses
her up against the wall. No escape.

DRIVER
Want you to scream, scream loud as
you can. Gotta set my other bitches
an example.

Fink crosses the street, moving fast, coming up from behind.
Alize sees Fink, her eyes widen. The Driver spins round,
pulls out a silver howitzer. Fink swings a baseball bat
with all he's got, the wet impact is horrific, the Driver
is blasted onto the pimpmobile's hood. He lies there for
a moment, arms spread wide, unseeing eyes staring up at
the Moon, the side of his head crushed and leaking. Then
he slides down off the hood, tumbles onto the street like
a giant sack of jello, leaving a gleaming black smear.

Fink tosses the bat away. He grabs Alize by the arm and
hussles her down the street, into a...


EXT. DARK ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

...where Fink's car sits waiting, pointing the other way.
Fink opens the passenger door, pushes Alize inside, slams
the door shut. Fink climbs into the driver's seat, starts
the engine, zooms away.


INT. FINK'S CAR MOVING THROUGH GHETTO STREETS - NIGHT

Alize stares at Fink. As he drives, Fink peels off latex
gloves and slips them into his inside coat pocket.

ALIZE
What am I supposed to say when the
cops ask questions?

FINK
They might not do that.

ALIZE
Suddenly you own the entire police
force?

Fink back-hands Alize across the mouth. The blow stuns
her but doesn't seem to bother her. She wipes blood from
her lip, smiles.

ALIZE
Where'd you get the bat?

FINK
Hector's crackhouse.

Takes Alize a couple seconds to figure things out...

ALIZE
You think the cops will blame it
on Hector?

FINK
Why not? Him and your pimp hate
each other. Known fact.

ALIZE
You pick up anything else while
you were there?

FINK
Look under your seat.

Alize bends and reaches under her seat, pulls out a
carryall, unzips it. Filled with thousands of little
plastic packets containing white powder.

FINK
It's all for you, baby.

Alize is overcome with emotion, she looks out the window,
eyes brimming with tears.

ALIZE
You really do love me, don't you?

FINK
As much as a vice cop can ever
love a ho, yeah.


EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

Fink's car zooms into the night, becomes one with the dazzling
neon blaze of the city.

FADE OUT:

[Adam Isaac]

SLEEPY BEAR


INT. SUPERMARKET -- NIGHT

Sterile, painful light, muzak, dribble of
voices.

On YURI, 23, his back to us as he looks over shelves of bottled champagne.

MAN (V.O)
Sometimes I pay for it. It's not
often and not usually with someone
his type, but he told me he had a
room at the Travelodge and I
had to see it.

Yuri turns. A slavic, handsome face,
and what turns into a shy, killer smile.


MAN, rumpled, tired from a day full of life, returns Yuri's smile, nods towards

the rows of champagne in bright labels.

Yuri reaches for the fattest.


EXT. TRAVELODGE MOTEL -- NIGHT

Yuri cradles a paper bag with the Champagne.
The man follows behind towards a room.

MAN (V.O)
I asked him how much.
He said the bottle of champagne
would be enough.

The man looks up to a large, lite sign
on the building overhead. In large letters,
"Travelodge"

MAN (V.O)
There used to be a bear,
a sleepy bear, ages ago
when I first came here.

Yuri extracts a key from his jeans and fumbles
with the door lock.

The man fixated on the sign, remembers...

FLASHBACK TO

The man now himself as a SMALL BOY looking up.

The sign now is adorned with a large sleepy
bear figure in PJs and hat and holds a lamp.

The boy is distracted from his fascination with the bear by his FAMILY off to the side pulling luggage from an old sedan.


FLASHBACK ENDS

INT. MOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

The man follows Yuri into a room of
various shades of gray and puke green.

MAN (V.O)
The room smells of cigarettes,
beer and dirty towels. They say
smell is linked to memory but
I don't connect anything yet, just
what I've always remembered.

Yuri opens the bottle of champagne, pours
some into a plastic glass and hands it to the man.

The man takes a sip. He's not a drinker, it
shows in his winch and he puts the glass
down next to a discarded sock over a phonebook.

Yuri drowns his glass and pours another, spilling
some on a tropical bedspread.

MAN (V.O)
This one's a drunk. Must be his
Russian blood. It's the landscape,
I read somewhere, cold, harsh,
defenseless against attack.

Yuri puts his glass down, slips his shirt
over his head, drops his pants to the floor,
sits on the edge of the bed.

He suddenly looks so young.

The man looks at himself in a wall to wall mirror.

He runs a finger along his neck where a slight
red line runs across the adam's apple.

MAN (V.O)
Maybe it's the skin that
links memory for me.

FLASHBACK TO

INT. MOTEL ELEVATOR -- DAY

The small boy walks into the motel's
elevator.

A MAN IN BASEBALL CAP suddenly grabs
him, brings a pocket knife gingerly
against his pale throat.

On the elevator's buttons, just 1 and 2,

holding on that,

A motorized hum --- slow, haunting.

MAN (V.O)
I don't remember anything
but the elevator. Did he let
me go then, take me into a room?

a DING!

FLASHBACK ENDS

INT. MOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT

Yuri flips on his stomach, slips off his briefs.

MAN (V.O)
I ask him to position himself
like I've seen the Russian models
on the internet. Could the man
have moved me like that?
Nothing comes back to me.
Yuri here just wants to finish off
the champagne and be dead to
the world.

The man takes a twenty from his wallet and
hands it to Yuri.

MAN (V.O)
He'll need another bottle to
do that. I don't need anything,
I tell him. It's been fine.

The man lets himself out of the room.

OUTSIDE HALLWAY

The man stands by the door.

MAN (V.O)
I can see the elevator from
here. I'm tempted to go inside,
see if it brings back anything,
but the manager is peering out
his office window at me with
a scowl. Just another john, he
is thinking, they only cause
trouble.

FLASHBACK/PRESENT

An old sedan pulls out of the parking lot.

The small boy is turned around in the back
seat staring up through the glass.

The man follows the boy's eyes.

The sleepy bear all lite up above like a
friendly beacon.

The boy looks down, meeting the man's eyes
as the sedan drives away.

There's a smile on the boy's face, tender


MAN (V.O)
Motels are byways between
people's realities, and thus can be
dangerous.

On the man's face, his eyes suddenly
older, lined.

There's a tear and a smile, bittersweet.


MAN (V.O)
But we have our sleepy bear,
don't we?




FADE TO BLACK

[Adam Isaac]

LAZY BOY (1 of 3)

EXT. GHETTO – NIGHT

Rundown buildings line the street. Garbage cans lie on their sides.


A hive of activity is centered around one building in particular.

A couple of cop car are parked outside. Yellow police tape cordons off the property. Curious residents are gathered around.


A television news crew arrives on the scene. The FEMALE REPORTER jumps out of the van and rushes over to the nearest COP.


COP
Jesus Christ, this must be a record, even for you.


FEMALE REPORTER
Don’t act like you weren’t expecting us. The people deserve to get the breaking news. So, what’s it this time, officer?


COP
You’re about to find out.


The building door opens. FLASHBULBS go off.


EXT. GHETTO - DAY


Earlier that day. No cops. No news crews. Just another normal day.


LAZY BOY (O.S.)
Momma! Momma!


INT.GHETTO BUILDING LIVING ROOM - DAY


The room is a mess. Beer bottles and empty pizza boxes lie scattered around the room. A TV BLARES out some hip-hop music.


Watching the TV is LAZY BOY. He’s an African-American kid in his twenties. He wears a wife-beater and a pair of baggy jeans. Gold chains hang around his neck.

He sits comfortably in a La-Z-Boy chair. He looks at home in it.


LAZY BOY
Momma! Where the **** you at?!


An older woman, in her fifties, shuffles into the room from the adjoining kitchen. The woman wears a flowery dress and an apron over it. This is Lazy Boy’s MOMMA.


MOMMA
Boy, I won’t have you talkin’ that kinda language in my home. I ain’t raised you to speak them horrible words. What would the Lord say?


LAZY BOY
Ah, screw the Lord, momma, and get me a beer.


Momma sighs. She turns and shuffles back into the kitchen. The sound of glasses CLINKING together is heard.


LAZY BOY
Hurry, momma! I’m dying here!


Momma shuffles back into the lounge, beer bottle in hand. She hands it to Lazy who doesn’t take his eyes off the TV.


MOMMA
You know, you’re not glued to that chair.

Lazy turns to her.


LAZY BOY
What’chu just standin’ there for?


MOMMA
Well, a “thank you” would be nice. Maybe you running around after me every once in a while. You ever thought of that?


LAZY BOY
Say what? Get yo ass back in that kitchen and make me a sandwich, fool.


Momma’s eyes begin to well up. She fights back the tears.


MOMMA
I ain’t nobody’s fool! I’m your momma!


LAZY BOY
That’s right. Momma’s supposed to look after their children. So take yo ass back into the kitchen and make me some DAMN FOOD!


Momma lets a tear roll down her cheek. She wipes it away before shuffling back into the kitchen.


Lazy cracks open the bottle and takes a swig from it.


LAZY BOY
Damn fool.

[Adam Isaac]

LAZY BOY (2 of 3)

INT.GHETTOBUILDING LIVING ROOM - LATER


Lazy, still sitting in his chair, eats his dinner from a plate. His eyes are fixed on the TV. Music continues to BLARE.


Momma sits at a small table, alone, eating her dinner. She can barely hear herself think.


MOMMA
Boy, you wanna turn that down?


Instead, Lazy turns the volume UP.


Momma shakes her head.


Lazy finishes eating. He holds his plate up.


LAZY BOY
I’m done!


Momma doesn’t move. She stares at her son with a look that could kill.


Lazy turns to Momma. He eyeballs her. His look is one shade from insanity.


LAZY BOY
Don’t make me come over there and put my foot through yo ass.


MOMMA
Oh, you’re actually gonna get outta that chair, boy? I can’t wait to see that.


LAZY BOY
I said I’m done!


MOMMA
I know. I ain’t deaf. Oh, and I forgot to tell you, the local church group is coming tomorrow to take that chair.

LAZY BOY
Say what?


MOMMA
It’s going to some needy family. So, you better make the most of it.


LAZY BOY
I’m gonna beat their asses too. Ain’t nobody taking away my chair. Damn right. Now, take my damn plate!


Momma doesn’t move.


LAZY BOY
Okay...


Lazy throws the plate across the room. It SMASHES against the wall, breaking into hundreds of tiny pieces.


Momma looks at the smashed plate and then back at Lazy.


MOMMA
I guess your lazy ass ain’t gonna clean that mess up?


No response. Lazy cracks open a beer bottle and takes a swig from it.


INT.GHETTOBUILDING LIVING ROOM - NIGHT


Music continues to BLARE from the TV.


Lazy is fast asleep in his chair. He SNORES loudly. Pizza crumbs sit on his chest.


INT. GHETTO BUILDING BEDROOM - NIGHT


A darkened room. Momma, in her nightie, rustles through a cupboard.


MOMMA
I ain’t raised the boy to be lazy, Lord. Ah-ah. Gonna show him what this laziness is gonna end like.


INT.GHETTOBUILDING LIVING ROOM - NIGHT


Momma walks over to Lazy. She stands over him.


WHACK!


She smacks Lazy in the head with the butt of a shotgun.


Lazy jumps awake. He rubs his eyes, adjusting to the light.


LAZY BOY
What the --

[Adam Isaac]

LAZY BOY (3 of 3)

Momma cocks the shotgun.

Lazy looks up and sees Momma standing over him, the shotgun aimed squarely at him.

LAZY BOY
Fool! You gonna hurt yo’self with that thing!

MOMMA
I’m gonna give you to the count of three to move your lazy, gangsta-wannabe ass off that chair. One...

LAZY BOY
Momma...

MOMMA
Two...

Lazy’s eyes go wide. Fear creeps into his face for the first time.

LAZY BOY
Don’t...

RING! RING!

Lazy and Momma look towards the RINGING telephone.

LAZY BOY
You gonna get that?

MOMMA
Well, it ain’t gonna be your lazy ass that gets it, is it?

Momma picks up the phone.

MOMMA
Hello... What, now?... Okay, I’ll be right there.

Momma sets the telephone down.

Momma rests the shotgun against a table. She grabs the TV remote control and turns the TV off.

LAZY BOY
What the hell you doin’, fool!

Momma puts the remote control on the table.

MOMMA
You wanna put it back on, you know what to do. Fool.

Momma grabs her coat and walks out of the room.

Lazy eyes the remote control. He reaches for it, can’t quite get it. Reaches for it again, not knowing that the chair is beginning to topple over.

LAZY BOY
Come here...

CRASH!

The chair collapses to one side. Lazy crashes against and through the table.

BANG!

The shotgun goes off under Lazy. A lightbulb goes out. He groans.

EXT. GHETTO - NIGHT

Momma walks down the street. She watches on as two cops carry Lazy out of the building, a bandage wrapped around his body. The cops are carrying him out in his La-Z-Boy chair.

Momma shakes her head.

MOMMA
Fool...

Lazy spots Momma in the crowd. He jumps up in the chair.

LAZY BOY
Momma! You crazy fool!

MOMMA
I might be crazy but I ain’t lazy!

The Female Reporter rushes over to Momma.

FEMALE REPORTER
Excuse me, is he your son?

MOMMA
Yeah. A no-good lazy bastard. Look where it got him. All shot up and ****.

The Female Reporter watches Lazy get put into the back of a waiting ambulance. He’s still in his chair.

FEMALE REPORTER
A lazy boy... in a La-Z-Boy chair...

The Female Reporter cracks a smile.

Momma walks off towards the nearest cop.

FADE OUT.

[Adam Isaac]

CLOWNING AROUND (1 of 3)

FADE IN:



INT. SHABBY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

The door opens into the room and in walks SHELLEY HARRIS,
30's, dressed in tight mini skirt and halter top. Her eyes
are covered by the hands of MONSIEUR JEAN, 30's, handsome in
his stage makeup and Ringmaster's outfit.

Jean shuts the door with his foot, keeping Shelley's eyes
covered.

JEAN
Now remember, Shelley - that's your
name, right? No peeking!

SHELLEY
Yes, and I won't!

JEAN
Alright. Now keep your eyes closed!

SHELLEY
I wi-ill! Christ!!

Jean removes his hands and walks around in front of Shelley.

JEAN
Ta- DA!

Shelley opens her eyes ~ she smirks ~ clearly disappointed by
the drab and uninspiring room.

SHELLEY
Gosh, Gene.

JEAN
Jhon! It is Jhon.

Shelley gets testy.

SHELLEY
Okay, JOHN...what's with the anti
Hilton?

Jean dismisses her with a wave and walks to a small
refrigerator.

JEAN
Ah! A place to rest between shows.
Nothing more.

Shelley sits on the edge of an unmade bed.

SHELLEY
More like a lot of nothing.

Jean takes out a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka. He waves it in
the air.

JEAN
But I have Vodka!

Shelley brightens up.

SHELLEY
But we can make do, I suppose!

Jean sets the Vodka down on a small table and pours shots
into two glasses. Shelley likes what she sees.

SHELLEY
A little more there, Johnny Boy.

Jean brings the glasses bedside, sits next to Shelley and
hands her a glass. He raises his in a toast.

JEAN
To us!

Before the words are out of his mouth Shelley has gulped hers
down and licks her lips. Such a lady!

SHELLEY
A little more, Shawn? Gets me in
the mood, ya know!

Jean sips his ~ savoring the warmth of the liquid. He
reaches for the bottle, pours another for Shelley.

Shelley reaches over and tips the bottle neck down more til
her glass is full. She plays with the bottle neck ~
circling the tip of it with her finger. She bends over and
licks the last drop from it.

She looks at Jean. Winks.

Jean gets up. He finishes his drink and walks over to a
dressing table.

SHELLEY
Whatsa matter? Don't like your
women aggressive?

Jean flips a switch and a bank of lights on both sides of the
mirror light up. He sits with his back towards Shelley.

Shelley looks around.

SHELLEY
Jeez. No T.V.?

JEAN
No. I like entertainment live.

Jean picks up a jar of cold cream, plunges a makeup sponge
into it, and starts removing the heavy grease from his face.

Shelley shrugs, pours herself another.

SHELLEY
Suit yerself.

Jean turns around.

JEAN
Why did you come to the Circus
tonight?

SHELLEY
Well, I --

[Adam Isaac]

CLOWNING AROUND (2 of 3)

SHELLEY
Well, I --

JEAN
You must like the liveliness, the
immediacy. Being able to smell the
sweat of the animal tamers, their
fear of the wild beasts. The
possibility of a trapeze artist in
free fall. Maybe you're stripped
of you inhibitions by the musk of
the strongman.

SHELLEY
Inhibitions? Hell.

JEAN
Perhaps you wanted to experience
the unfamiliarity of a strange
world?

Shelley giggles.

SHELLEY
I'm planning on it. Duh!

Shelley pours yet another drink. She's feeling good now.

JEAN
Actually, you cut a pretty nice
figure in the outfit of yours.
Nice butt. Hee hee! You were
pretty good with that whip, too.
You don't got one here, do ya?

Jean turns back to his mirror and continues to remove makeup.

JEAN
There's a box in the nightstand.
For you.

SHELLEY
Really? Jeez-o Johnny.

Shelley scrambles for the nightstand, tears open the drawer,
and removes a small brightly colored box.

JEAN
Go ahead. Open it.

Shelley greedily tears off the wrapping paper and open the
box. She reaches in and removes a CHINESE FINGER TRAP.

(The finger trap is a simple puzzle that traps the victim's
fingers (often the index fingers) in both ends of a small,
woven bamboo cylinder. The initial reaction of the victim is
to pull the fingers outward, but this only tightens the trap
more.)

Shelley holds it up and looks at it.

SHELLEY
(hic)
You have got to be kidding.
Whoopee.

All we see now is Jean's back as he continues his work at the
dressing table.

JEAN (O.C.)
Not at all dear. It's fun! Like
the circus! It a Chinese Finger
Trap!

Shelley smirks at Jean's back. She flips him off.

SHELLEY
Trap this, Jhh--oonn.

JEAN
I notice you weren't too amused by
the clowns tonight, Shelley.

SHELLEY
Yuck.. They bore me. Stupid
running around and falling and
stuff. Childish.

Shelley sticks one end of the Trap on her index finger, waves
it around.

JEAN
Of course they're childish. That's
what they are. Chldren of the
world. If only we could stay
children forever. Childhood is
fun. Magical.

SHELLEY
Well, you can have it. I'll take a
game of 'Hide the Salami' over
'Hide and Seek'. Hey! Are you
gonna get your ass over here and
pay some attention to me or what?

Shelley tries to remove the trap from her finger. It's
stuck!

JEAN
I'll just be a minute. Patience is
a virtue, my dear.

Shelley downs her glass once more. Now she's getting
unsteady.

SHELLEY
Yeah well, I ain't much on virtues.
Jeez! How do you get this ******
off?

JEAN
Put your other finger into it.

[Adam Isaac]

CLOWNING AROUND (3 of 3)

SHELLEY
Whatever.

Shelley puts her other finger into the trap.

THE ROOM GOES DARK.

SHELLEY
Hey!

Shelley can barely make out the silhouette of Jean, still at
his table.
She reaches out into the darkness and knocks over the vodka
bottle. It CRASHES to the floor - her glass tumbles down
too.

SHELLEY
****! Turn on the ****ing lights,
dude!

Still turned away, a SINGLE SPOTLIGHT flashes on and
illuminates the top of Jean's head.

A CLICK is heard and CIRCUS MUSIC starts playing.

JEAN
I'm ready to play, Shelley!

Jean TURNS AROUND - his face a CLOWNISH DEATH MASK -deep
sunken eyed, painted on teeth, a bulbous nose. A brightly
colored oversized coat completes the costuming.

JEAN
IT'S SHOWTIME!

Jean stands up. Shelley SCREAMS.

She jumps off of the bed, runs away from him, and fumbles
with the door ~ her fingers still stuck together ~ it's
LOCKED! She bangs on it.

JEAN
No one can hear you , Shelley.
They're all busy themselves! LOOK!

Jean reaches into his coat and produces a BOUQUET of FLOWERS.
They INSTANTLY WILT and fall to the floor.

JEAN
Ah, so sad. Beauty is so fleeting.
Like yours will soon be. You've a
pretty face Shelley, but your heart
is black, isn't it?

Shelley turns towards Jean.

JEAN
NO! You stay away. You ****ING
FREAK!

Shelley sees the bathroom door.

JEAN
Freak? You carry on all made up
like a clown twenty-four-seven.
I only do it a few hours. And you
call me a freak?

JEAN
What do you want from me?

JEAN
Why, I want you to have fun. Be a
child again. I want to see you
smile.

Shelley SEES a shard of glass from the broken bottle. She
reaches down and grabs it, holding it awkwardly with her
fingers still locked together.

SHELLEY
I'll cut you. I swear.

JEAN
Oh, Shelley, There's no need for
that. Really!

Jean moves towards her. Shelley SWINGS her hands across
Jean's face. Blood spurts from his cheek.

Jean stumbles back. He holds his hand to stop the flow.

Shelley runs towards the only other possible escape - the
bathroom door.

She open the doors. She SCREAMS in horror.

INSIDE THE BATHROOM

Five DEAD WOMEN, all dressed like Shelley, sit propped up on
the floor in a pile of blood.

All have their fingers caught in the Chinese Finger Trap.

All have a PAINTED SMILE on their faces.

Shelley turns back. Jean's face is INCHES from hers. He
smiles a ghastly smile.

JEAN
See? Fun! Forever!

THE LIGHTS GO OFF AGAIN.

DISSOLVE TO:

Jean sits at his dresser table, applying white pancake makeup
over his clown face. He finishes with a flourish. He
admires himself.
He looks over at Shelley, a lifeless crumpled mess against
the foot of the bed. Her fingers still trapped - now
forever.

He picks up a tube of lipstick and walks over to her. He gets
on his knees and holds up her lifeless head.

JEAN
Now, let's put that pretty smile
back on your face, Sweetie!

FADE OUT.



THE END

[Adam Isaac]

RAW VOLTAGE (1 of 3)

EXT. FARM - DAY

White house. Red barn. Green fields for miles. Sparkling dew covers
every inch of every surface.

A SCREAM shatters the tranquility.

INT. HOUSE - SMALL BEDROOM - DAY

OLIVIA SOTHERBY (16) beautiful and budding, sits up in bed.

OLIVIA (V.O)
Roosters aren't the only thing
that'll wake you on a farm.

INT. HOUSE - STAIRWELL - DAY

The SCREAMING continues as she runs down the steps in her pajamas,
taking two at a time, hits the landing and bursts through
the front door --

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

She sprints past the open barn, where a STILL-SCREAMING PIG hangs
by its rear legs as blood sprays from its slit throat
splashing everywhere except the bucket beneath it.

Olivia's FATHER (late 40's) stands to the side wiping off
his blade.

FATHER
Olivia! Get back in the house!

She doesn't stop.

OLIVIA (V.O)
A pig sounds just like a person
when it screams. A blind man couldn't
tell the difference. I bet you
anything.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Olivia holds her slippers and runs barefoot through the forest,
trying to escape the sound still ringing in her ears.

She breaks the forest edge into a --

EXT. GRASSLAND - DAY

A sea of windswept grass cordoned off by a thin wire fence.

Olivia approaches, her hand reaching, little fingers curling into
a grip around the wire --

OLIVIA (V.O)
Strange to think how this whole
thing started...

INT/EXT SERIES OF SHOTS - NIGHT/DAY

Olivia, progressively older, in various states of undress in various
locations with various lovers in the throes of passion.

OLIVIA (V.O)
I've had my share of men over the
years. Even the occasional girl or
two. None of them compared.

INT. SERIES OF SHOTS - NIGHT/DAY

Olivia, in her late twenties and early thirties, in various states
of undress in various locations willfully subjecting herself
to varied forms of self-electrocution with a variety of
objects and power sources.

OLIVIA (V.O)
Raw voltage. It's the only thing
that gets me off. I'd be happily
addicted were it not for the small
problem of diminishing returns. Eventually
I realized that the volts I was
subjecting myself to were at a
level no one should be able to
endure. I searched the internet and
found out --

INT. OLIVIA'S HOUSE - OFFICE - NIGHT

Olivia stares into the blue glow of the computer monitor.

OLIVIA (V.O)
They kill cows with less.

She continues to click away.

OLIVIA (V.O)
There are others like me but they
aren't committed. They describe
their little 12 volt escapades with
a gluttony of adjectives. As if they'd
just f*cked Zeus himself during a
raging storm of his own creation.
The fact is they're amateurs. The
motto of the so-called
"electro-stim" community seems to
be one of "safety first" but
whoever got off on safety? No one.
Not even Baptists.

INT. OLIVIA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A group of Asian men file in and out of Olivia's front door with
boxes of supplies as she watches from the sideline sipping a
cup of tea.

OLIVIA (V.O)
The internet failed me for a
community but it yielded up so much
more. For the price of a Lexus, you
too, could procure yourself a pair
of slithering oddities fresh
plucked from the Amazon river.

The Asians assemble a large aquarium in the middle of the living
room. Finally, from a rubber bio-container they release two midnight-black
ELECTRIC EELS into the water.

Olivia hands one of the Asians a wad of cash. They leave.

LATER

Olivia straddles a well built, obviously gay, GIGOLO in the sloshing
brown water of the tank.

[Adam Isaac]

RAW VOLTAGE (2 of 3)

OLIVIA (V.O)
It's amazing what your average
street-walking, male prostitute
will do for increasingly large sums
of cash. I rent a different car each
time to pick them up so no equates
me with the disappearances.

The Gigolo looks down at the sloshing water and at the black serpentine
ghosts moving beneath it.

GIGOLO
Are you sure they don't bite?

OLIVIA (V.O)
Oh my god, did you go soft? I
thought you were a professional.
Come on, F*CK ME! F*CK ME! F*CK ME!

She slams her hips into him. It doesn't take more than a few thrusts
before A FLASH OF BLUE ELECTRICITY OUTLINES THEIR NAKED
BODIES as the fuse trips and the house goes dark.

OLIVIA (V.O)
For a while it was perfect.

EXT. OLIVIA'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - NIGHT

Olivia digs a grave. A dozen other fresh mounds surround her in
the pale moonlight.

She stabs the shovel into the ground and pushes the Gigolo's corpse
into the hole.

She takes up the shovel but stops, considers, then stabs it back
into the ground.

OLIVIA (V.O)
All that digging, I was in the best
shape of my life. But for some
reason after the thirteenth, I was
angry. I didn't realize why until
I'd already dug his hole -- I
hadn't gotten off. Diminishing
returns. What's a girl to do?

Light bulb moment. She grins.

INT. OLIVIA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Olivia leans against the wall with the phone to her ear.

OLIVIA
Graves. That's right. As in holes
where dead people have been buried.
There's thirteen of them in my back
yard. Tell your coppers not to trip over
the worms. They're as big as snakes
around here.

EXT. OLIVIA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Olivia steps down her porch as the squad cars pull up.

EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY

Olivia is ushered through a swarm of reporters.

OLIVIA (V.O)
Momentum gathers. I help sell
newspapers and TV advertising. I
put the town on the map.

EXT. COURTROOM - DAY

Olivia sits poised and regal in a suit beside a disheveled YOUNG
LAWYER furiously rooting through his papers.

OLIVIA (V.O)
I hired the worst lawyer I could
find. Another silver spoon daddy's
boy still wet behind the ears from
law school. He was perfect.

LAWYER
Just a minute your honor. I know I
have it here somewhere --

LATER

The JUDGE reads the verdict with a flair of venomous theatricality,
spit flying from his mouth like a bulldog.

OLIVIA (V.O)
I get the result I wanted.

INT. JAIL CORRIDOR - NIGHT

A GUARD works double duty, shaving off Olivia's hair.

INT. JAIL - OLIVIA'S CELL - NIGHT

She sits on the edge of her bed. Hand down her pants. Masturbating.

OLIVIA (V.O)
I deny the right to appeal.

INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT

Olivia can only grin as a number of hands strap her down to the
electric chair. She remains feminine despite her shaved head
and beautiful despite the grim proceedings.

Water streams down her face from the sponge hidden inside
the conductive "crown" currently being placed atop her head.

[Adam Isaac]

RAW VOLTAGE (3 of 3)

OLIVIA (V.O)
Capital punishment via the electric
chair remains an option in only
four remaining states. My parents
never could make heads or tails of
my wanting to move to Alabama after
college. I told 'em it was for the
weather. The priest rattles on like
a bored history teacher while the
warden mumbles something about last
words for the aggrieved. I feel a momentary
pang of remorse over all the death
I've caused. That's the thing about addiction,
it hurts the people around you more
than it does yourself. I can't think
how best to put that in words so I
say the only thing that comes to
mind:

OLIVIA
I hope that one day, the taxpayers
will find it in their hearts to
forgive me for the utility bill I'm
about to rack up.

WARDEN
Wouldn't worry about that ma'am.
"Old Rusty" here will fry you
quicker than a sparrow egg.

Olivia grins. He has no idea.

EXT. WETUMPKA CITY, ALABAMA - NIGHT

A small city known mostly for the neighboring Coosa River
and -- The Tutwiler women's prison.

THE SOUND OF 2,000 VOLTS CRACKLING THROUGH SOFT FLESH AND A WOMAN
SCREAMING, FROM PAIN, PLEASURE OR SOME TWISTED COMBINATION
OF BOTH -- IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL.

OLIVIA (V.O)
After my ninth orgasm in as many
seconds I hear myself screaming
from somewhere far away and I can't
help but remember the pigs my father
used to butcher at sunrise.

The SCREAMING continues until --

The power grid blows and every light in the city goes dark.

INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER - NIGHT

Flashlights flick on to reveal Olivia's dying face. She leans
forward in her harness, staring at the floor as blood drips
from her mouth and smoke rises to the ceiling.

OLIVIA (V.O)
Strange to think --

FLASHBACK: EXT. GRASSLAND - DAY

Olivia at sixteen again as her little fingers curl around
the wire fence. It shocks her.

She stumbles back, chest heaving with suddenly heavy breath, cheeks
flushed pink to match her full lips parted in an unfamiliar
gasp of pleasure.

OLIVIA (V.O)
-- How this whole thing started
with an old wire fence.

After a moment of nursing her hand she reaches out to touch it
again.

[Adam Isaac]

THE DEEPEST CUT (1 of 2)
Xtreme content

FADE IN:

INT. ENTRANCE HALLWAY - NIGHT

Damp walls, peeling wallpaper and a filthy carpet. Even rats wouldn't live in a dump like this.

The shadows of a MAN and WOMAN fall on the old style stained-glass door window. The man knocks on the glass again and again.

BURGUNDY (O.S.)
All right, all right, I'm coming, don't break it.

BURGUNDY shuffles to the door, it's hard to place her age, her face is young yet weary, wisps of grey hair stick out from under her wool hat.

Burgundy unlocks and opens the door. She stares at the Man, thin and dangerous, and the woman, Ann, young and scared. And very pregnant, her belly's huge. The Man looks up and down the dark alleyway, wary.

MAN
Is he here?

BURGUNDY
Yeah, he's here. You didn't say she's with calf for fúck's sake.

The Man gives Burgundy a fat envelope with money bills sticking out.

MAN
Just get rid of it, all right?

He gives Ann a hard push. Burgundy catches her, and opens her mouth to give the Man abuse, but he's gone. Ann sobs. Burgundy puts her arm around Ann's shoulders.

BURGUNDY
Don't worry, girl. It's you and me now. I'll look after you.


INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Burgundy leads Ann inside. Ann's eyes widen in horror. A big table in the middle of the room is covered with a clean white sheet, with pillows at one end. A stirrup frame is clamped to the other end. A trolley holds a gleaming steel tray with surgical instruments. Another trolley supports oxygen and anesthetic bottles whose tubes run to a breathing mask. The equipment wouldn't look out of place in a modern hospital, but in this scabby dirty back-street dive it looks alien.

Burgundy offers Ann a hospital smock.

BURGUNDY
Change into this. Just dump your things over there. I'll tell the doctor you're here. Everything's going to be fine. He's a real doctor. He's done this hundreds of times. All his patients have got through it okay. All right?

Ann nods uncertainly.


INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT

Burgundy enters and sees SMITH hunched over the table, a glass in his hand. Burgundy snatches up the whiskey bottle -- it's half-empty.

BURGUNDY
You'd better not be drunk. You'd better not be.

SMITH
Just enough to give me courage. What's she like?

BURGUNDY
Scared, like the rest of them. Look, you're doing her a favor. Her family wants to marry her to a decent man who'll give her a good life.

Smith nods, wanting to believe it. Burgundy smiles.

BURGUNDY
Come on, then. Put on your best reassuring act. Pat her hand and tell her she won't feel a thing.

SMITH
All right.

Smith gets up and passes Burgundy on his way out. Burgundy licks her lips in anticipation and follows him out.


INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Close on Ann lying asleep on the table, mask over her mouth, white sheets rising off her chest to give the impression Smith has access to her lower regions. Air pressure HISSES. A droplet of blood flies up and stains the white sheets.


INT. HALLWAY LOOKING INTO LIVING ROOM - DAY

Burgundy stands with her arms folded, leaning back against the wall, watching the proceedings.


INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT

Smith stumbles in. His surgical smock is soaked with bright red blood. He rips his gloves off, throws them into the dirty sink. He has to hold onto the sink to stop himself from collapsing.

SMITH
That's the last one. No more. The last one, do you hear me? Christ.

He falls into a chair, pours himself a glass of whiskey, throws it back.


INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Burgundy peeks around the door. Ann is still asleep, under sedation, her lower half covered with clean sheets.

Burgundy's gaze is drawn to a metal bowl, covered by a towel. You really don't want to know what's in there. But Burgundy does. Her eyes gleam with excitement.


INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT

Smith knocks back another whiskey. Takes a moment to calm down. He looks at the door. Funny, where's Burgundy? He cranes his neck, looking out into the hallway.


INT. HALLWAY LOOKING INTO LIVING ROOM - DAY

Smith sucks in deep breaths, steeling himself to go in again.

[Adam Isaac]

THE DEEPEST CUT (2 of 2)

INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Smith forces himself to enter. Ann's asleep on the table, peaceful. Burgundy is over by the window, her back to Smith. From she way she's hunched over, with her arms raised to chest height, she's holding something.

Smith sees the metal bowl is uncovered. It contains blood but nothing else.

SMITH
Oh, God.

His words snap Burgundy's head round.

Smith stares in horror. He staggers backwards, catches hold of the table to stop himself falling.

Burgundy chucks whatever she's holding back into the metal bowl, tipping the bowl over and sending everything crashing to the floor, mercifully out of sight.

She snatches up the towel and wipes bright red blood from her mouth and chin.

Smith points at her accusingly, like some witch hunter from a bygone age.

SMITH
You, you fiend! You vile fiend!

Smith lunges for the door but Burgundy slams him against the door frame. Smith twists this way and that to get away from her, she disgusts him, but Burgundy holds him.

BURGUNDY
Listen to me. LISTEN TO ME.

Smith stops stuggling.

BURGUNDY
Listen to me. I've been saving. We don't have to stay here. We can move anywhere you'd like. Buy you a medical diploma, set you up in a nice little practice.

Smith shakes his head, he just wants to get away.

BURGUNDY
Look at me. LOOK AT ME.

Burgundy pulls off her wool hat. Every bit of grey is gone from her black hair. Her face is young, line-free. Smith stares in disbelief.

BURGUNDY
A youth treatment clinic. They'll be falling over each other to see the miracle doctor. He takes years off your face, guaranteed. You'll make millions. We could be rich beyond your dreams.

Burgundy reaches down inside her blouse, pulls out a blood-red crystal on a silver chain. Smith stares at the crystal. A spark of light glows within.

BURGUNDY
Just a little bit of gypsy magic. And your clever hands. That's all it takes. All we need is a dozen girls a month. They'll be easy enough to find. Spoiled rich little bitches who don't want daddy to know they've been knocked up.

Smith takes it all in.

BURGUNDY
What do you say, huh?

SMITH
How long have you been doing this?

BURGUNDY
A while. You're not the first. But you are the best.
(indicates Ann)
Look, if you didn't do this, they'd just go and find someone else. Someone less gifted than you, who might kill them. There's no reason to feel guilty.

SMITH
And what about you? Do you feel guilty?

BURGUNDY
I didn't ask her to come here. I didn't ask any of them to come.

SMITH
But you knew what you were going to do before you even invited her in.

BURGUNDY
What's that got to do with anything?

SMITH
You're telling me you don't know? You don't know how wrong this is?

Burgundy lets Smith go. She gives a big sigh.

BURGUNDY
I thought you were different. But you're just like the others. Guilt. Conscience. What next? Going to the police and confessing? Telling them about me?

Burgundy draws a scalpel across Smith's throat. His surprise turns to horror but it's too late to do anything. Smith's eyes glaze, he slowly sinks to the floor, dead.

Burgundy looks down at him with regret.

BURGUNDY
I just hope the next one is as good as you.

She walks to the table, looks down at Ann, sleeping peacefully. Burgundy turns the anesthetic flow knob up full. The HISSING becomes louder. Ann spasms but doesn't wake up. Burgundy kisses her fingertips and touches her fingertips to Ann's forehead.

BURGUNDY
Sorry, love.

Burgundy exits the living room, stepping over Smith. Moments later we hear the outside door close.

Just the HISS remains as we...

FADE OUT:

[Adam Isaac]

REMEMBERED (1 of 3)

FADE IN:


INT. OFFICE - DAY


A medium sized private office. Two large internal windows let CHIP GRIFFEN observe the communal area housing dozens ofSUBORDINATES. He's in his fifties, depressed persona. His desk is bare of personal items except for a photograph of
his grandson. Rubs a finger along the boy's face.


His eyes switch between the clock on the wall and the office across the work floor. The door to the opposite office opens.


The department head, MR. JONES, mid forties, exits and moves toward Chip.


Chip readies himself for the news, isn't optimistic. Thedoor opens, Mr. Jones enters.


MR. JONES
... Chip, just want you to know it
was a close call. Head office's
decision. Okay buddy, I tried.


Chip nods. Frosty atmosphere. Mr. Jones turns, opens the door. He stops, turns back...


MR. JONES
Why don't you take the rest of the
day off. Go see Mike or something.


Mr. Jones can't find Chip's eyes, leaves the office.
Chip's head falls into his hands. He opens a drawer, takes out a document and SLAMS it shut. His computer receives an EMAIL.


UNKNOWN MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Yes! Woo-hoo!


Chip stares at the left-hand wall, shakes his head and opens the email.


EMAIL SUBJECT: MADAME SCARLETT'S FINAL FANTASY


His door SLAMS against the wall. An over-excited colleague in his early thirties, CLAY GOLD, enters. Marches over to Chip, extends his arm. After a brief pause, Chip forces a smile and shakes his hand.


CLAY GOLD
No hard feelings, huh Chip. Every
captain needs a trusty lieutenant to
whip the troops into shape!


EXT. STREET - EVENING


A drizzle. But by Chip's expression and oversized raincoat you would think it's about to lash from the heavens. Cuts a lonely figure as he moves along the sidewalk, distracted by the smiling faces all around him.


He takes a sharp right into an


ALLEY


And moves halfway down, stops by a metal door and KNOCKS it several times. The door viewer slides back, eyes study Chip.


The LOCKS are undone and the door is opened. A burly BOUNCER waves him in.


BOUNCER
Hey, Chip.


Chip nods, moves on in.


CHIP
Gonna get a real down pour.


Bouncer steps outside, stares up at the sky.


INT. BROTHEL - EVENING
Chip moves to the bar, sets his briefcase on a stool and takes off his coat.


CINDY (O.S.)
Not over the stool, Chip.


He turns, hands his coat to the brothel's madame, CINDY. Late twenties, sexy, savvy, dressed in a pinstripe suit. She takes the coat off him, moves over to the closet, opens the door and hangs it up.


CINDY
Room five.


ROOM FIVE


A HOOKER in her late thirties peels off one of her tights, stares up as Chip enters. He closes the door, a genuine smile on his face.


CHIP
... how was Amsterdam?


HOOKER
The last thing on my to do list,
ticked off! Come here, baby.


He moves over to her, they kiss on the lips.

[Adam Isaac]

REMEMBERED (2 of 3)

INT. CHIP'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Chip closes over the front door. The house is completely dark, chillingly silent. He turns on the main light - this is an impressive family dwelling, homely. Moves over to the table and presses the answering machine.
AUTOMATED VOICE
No new messages.
KITCHEN
The microwave BEEPS. He retrieves his ready meal, picks up a bottle of beer and moves into the
LIVING ROOM
Sets the food and beer down, moves over to the TV and turns it on. He sinks into his recliner, picks up his dinner and tucks in. While he watches a comedy show, there is no smile on his face, no emotion whatsoever.
KITCHEN
He leaves the empty packaging by the sink, puts the empty beer bottle into the trash can. Moves to the fridge, gets another beer and moves back into the
LIVING ROOM
Chip opens a cigar box, takes out a Cuban and retakes his seat. Lights the cigar, puffs away. After checking his watch he picks up the phone, dials a number.
CHIP
Hi, Stacey.
STACEY (V.O.)
I told you not to call this late,
he's been in bed for an hour.
Chip exhales a huge cloud of smoke, hears his grandson's SINGING in the background.
CHIP
Know something Stacey, not even your
mother is half the bitter, twisted
bitch you turned out to be.
Chip hangs up the phone. Reaches over, picks up his laptop and logs on. Opens his email account, selects the invitation to Madame Scarlett's final fantasy.
He types in his acceptance, sends the email, closes over the laptop, sinks
into the chair and blows smoke rings.
INT. SEX SHOP - DAY
Chip enters. The owner, ALEX 'DOUBLE PLAY' TOCCI, affixes new stock to the wall behind the counter. She's in her midthirties, strikingly good looking. She smiles, gets off the steps, moves to Chip and throws her arms around him.
DOUBLE PLAY
Come to get your Sunday best?
CHIP
I want something that's gonna make
me feel a million dollars, put me
center of attention.
She smiles, moves to the door, switches the open sign to closed and locks it.
DOUBLE PLAY
Just in from Germany, real leather.
She smiles, takes his hand and moves into the
BACK ROOM
This is where the hottest gimps in town shop. Just the dirtiest sexual paraphernalia you can imagine. She backsteps into the room, rubs all the outfits as if they're made of precious stones.
DOUBLE PLAY
All got ass zips. Removable velcro
nipple sections. Have so many tongues
comin' your way it be like Pamela
Anderson standing on a beach, can of
whipped cream in hand and her bikini
keepin' her feet warm... is that
something that would excite you?
Chip moves along the outfits, feels the material. He stops, likes this one. Reaches out, takes the outfit off its hanger and examines it from every angle.
CHIP
Got this one in red?
COUNTER
Double Play passes over the branded bag and Chip's change.
DOUBLE PLAY
Get everything in order?
CHIP
Just have to see the boy.

[Adam Isaac]

REMEMBERED (3 of 3)

EXT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY
Chip's car pulls up outside the gate. He watches the house,builds up the courage to approach. The ENGINE cuts. He gets out.
INT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY
STACEY moves to the door. KNOCKS. MORE KNOCKS. She opens the door, startled to be facing Chip.
STACEY
I thought we agreed --
CHIP
I know, Stacey. Want to see him
before I go away.
STACEY
Go away, where to?
Chip walks in.
CHIP
As if you really give a ****.
She doesn't, just closes over the door.
BACK GARDEN
The five-year-old kid from the photo, MIKE, runs around like the Tasmanian Devil. He kicks a ball on the ground, looses his balance and falls over.
CHIP (O.S.)
Mike, Mikey!
Mike gets to his feet and runs into his grandpa's arms. Chip lifts him up, squeezes tightly with a loving hug.
MIKE
I won the race in school, Grandpa!
Chip sets him on the ground, ruffles his hair.
CHIP
That's my boy!
Chip sits down, plants Mike on his knee.
CHIP
... I won't make your party, Mikey.
I need to go to a place where I can
start fresh. And be happy.
And I need you to look after mommy
and Grandma for me. Can you do that?
Mike nods. Chip smiles, kisses him on the cheek. Chip takes off his watch, affixes it to Mike's wrist. Hugs him tight.
INT. CHIP'S HOUSE - NIGHT
CLASSICAL MUSIC fills the room. Chip sits behind his desk, writes out a letter. Constantly stares at the photo of Mike. Writes more. Stops, ponders, opens the drawer and stares at a photo of his ex-wife. He closes over the drawer, writes
some more.
He folds the letter, places it into an envelope. Sits back in his seat, eyes drawn to various objects from his past that are positioned around the room. His eyes finally fall onto the bag from the sex shop.
INT. UPMARKET APARTMENT - NIGHT
Dozens of PEOPLE mingle around the living room, dressed in all sorts of S&M gear, underwear and costumes. Chip, in full gimp gear, sits in between an angelic Double Play and devilish Hooker. They sip champagne. Laugh and smile.
MADAME SCARLETT enters with a troupe of GIMPS. Each carries a tray with dozens of capsules. It immediately interrupts
all the conversation in the room.
Everyone is entranced as she moves to the refreshments table and signals for the trays to be set down. She steps forward, observes all in the room. Regal stance. Face full of power and admiration.
MADAME SCARLETT
When we come to the last moment of
this lifetime and look back across
it, the only thing that matters is...
what is the quality of our love?
She turns around, picks up one of the tablets and swallows it. Her Gimps repeat the process. It's too much for half a dozen of the Guests. They leave the room. Like children in a canteen line they queue, wait for their last supper.
They start the orgy. Double Play places a pill in her mouth, swallows it. Chip's next in line. He picks the pill up, studies it and swallows it. They join the orgy. Seven different tongues satisfy Chip. A genuine smile on his face.
After a few minutes the pills kick in, the Guests die one by one.
FADE OUT: