A Pair of Aces Read online

  ANGLE SLIGHTLY and we briefly see the driver's face, like a strobe flash. This is BRIAN BLACKWOOD.

  REAR VIEW OF CHEVY

  The taillights zipping away like two eyes falling backwards into the abyss, and we watch them shrink a moment as they burn their way along the highway, and then…They're gone, baby, gone, but, on that–

  SAME EAST TEXAS HIGHWAY

  and we get a–

  WHITE CAR and it's cruising along and the Chevy comes up beside it like a wraith, and–

  INSIDE THE WHITE CAR

  A MAN. He cranks his head to the left and sees the Chevy, and hears a rush of babble and clatter, and his reaction is like a man punched in the gut, and then the Chevy eases toward him, and we have the–

  EXT. VIEW OF CHEVY

  pushing across the line, making the White Car move far right, and–

  INSIDE WHITE CAR the Man desperately turns the wheel and we–

  CUT TO:

  EXT. OF CARS

  The White car is going right very quickly, and now its tires are off the road and the Chevy keeps pushing, and–

  INSIDE WHITE CAR the driver is struggling at the wheel, the car bumping and bouncing him, and now we get–

  WHITE CAR'S EXTERIOR and it's coming right at us, like it's going to leap out of the screen, but then–

  ANOTHER ANGLE and we see it hit a ditch, bounce like a frog, slam into a barb wire fence, gather up the wire like a cat wadding up twine, and finally the car skids and comes to a shaky stop and we–

  CUT TO:

  MAN INSIDE WHITE CAR–CLOSE ON HIS FACE

  He looks like he just shit the entire contents of New Jersey into the seat of his pants, and he turns his face to his driver side window, and–

  A FACE

  It's right there looking in at him, a monster, with a great dark eye.

  WE PULL BACK

  It's a cow.

  INT. WHITE CAR

  Man breathes a sigh of relief, goes limp, and now we're–

  BACK ON THE HIGHWAY and away goes that Chevy, burning up the night, flowing into the shadows, and WAY UP ABOVE WE SEE THE MOON, shining high and bright, and–

  ON DOWN THE ROAD

  we see sticking it's nose out of a little cattle run, the hood of a Highway Patrol Car, and we can just see the patrolman at the wheel, and guess what, dat ole–

  BAD CHEVY

  burns by so fast it's a blur and the wind from it makes the dry October grass rustle and little puffs of pollen burst from plants and fill the air like snow, and–

  INSIDE THE PATROL CAR

  Patrolman Trawler with his speed gun, goes–

  TRAWLER

  Shit a goose.

  INSERT SPEED GUN

  100 Miles An Hour.

  PATROL CAR blows out of the roadside hideaway with a blast of siren and rotating cherries, leaving half his tires in smudge and smoke, and as he goes we shoot–

  INSIDE THE PATROL CAR

  Trawler, on the mike. And while he talks we look through–

  TRAWLER'S WINDSHIELD

  And let me tell you brothers and sisters and all in-betweens, that Chevy be hauling some serious ass, and its lights look like two red dots on a survey map as seen by distant match light inside a windowless room in the middle of the night, and it is moving away as–

  TRAWLER

  Ah, this is niner-four, in pursuit of Black 66 Chevy, going north on 59, no license. Back to you in a minute, Norma.

  CHEVY slows. Backlights blink as brakes go on. And it pulls over to the side and Trawler pulls up behind it.

  TRAWLER EXITS PATROL CAR with ticket book, and CAMERA FOLLOWS as he strolls up to the Chevy in that cautious cop manner, the flashlight out and on, and we've got–

  TRAWLER'S FLASHLIGHT LIT POV

  Through the back glass, three heads, and as he comes along the left side he sees, at the wheel, BRIAN BLACKWOOD, a blond, scrawny kid with greasy hair, and as Trawler comes alongside the car and throws his light across Brian, he sees a dead-faced kid with a square jaw, and that will be STONE.

  Trawler turns the light to the backseat. Left side is a goofy–looking shit of a boy, LOONY Hispanic girl, ANGELA And another boy, not bad-looking, but cursed with that kind of acne that looks like his face caught on fire and someone put it out with a track shoe. This pock-faced kid is JIMMY.

  Jimmy and Angela look like they're about to both give birth to kittens. But the other three are as cool as dead penguins.

  DRIVER'S DOOR opens and Brian starts to step out. Trawler throws the light on him.

  TRAWLER

  Whoa. I didn't tell you to move.

  Standing on the ground leaning on the open door.

  BRIAN

  Sorry officer…Guess I'm in for it, huh?

  TRAWLER AND BRIAN

  TRAWLER

  You didn't see my lights?

  BRIAN

  No sir.

  TRAWLER

  Didn't use your rearview mirror?

  BRIAN

  No sir, guess I didn't.

  TRAWLER AND BRIAN

  TRAWLER

  Let me see your license, son.

  Brian takes his wallet out of his back pocket, fishes out the license, drops it to the ground.

  TRAWLER

  Pick that up, please.

  Brian bends down, and as he does…

  STONE opens the passenger door, almost in a blur, and in his hand is a sawed-off shotgun, and he brings it over the roof, and he's quick, but–

  TRAWLER is quicker and he's already pulled his gun, Hickock-fast, but Brian comes up from his bent over position, license in his fist, and slugs Trawler in the balls.

  Trawler grunts and stumbles, lowers his gun, tries to recover as Brian darts away, but when he looks up–

  TRAWLER'S POV

  shows us Stone has the shotgun leveled, the hammers back, and the openings on the barrels look like the mouths of subway tunnels.

  There is a SLAP OF TRIGGERS and A FLASH, and then we go SLOW MO, and the pellets are coming for Trawler, like the vengeful flies of Beelzebub, and we–

  CUT TO:

  ANOTHER ANGLE ON TRAWLER

  The shot hits Trawler's head and spins pieces of it off into the blackness, and down Trawler goes, and we go–

  CLOSE IN ON TRAWLER'S FACE

  What's left of it. It ain't pretty. Looks like a watermelon that's bit hit with a sledge hammer.

  WE HEAR CAR DOORS SLAM and we have a LOW ANGLE SHOT over Trawler's body as the Chevy speeds away and it's red tail lights fall backwards and away like heat seeking missiles, and the red dots go OUT OF FOCUS and gradually become green dots, that swell into view and we–

  MATCH CUT TO:

  BEAUTIFUL GREEN EYES

  PULL BACK on a face to match those beautiful green eyes. A fine face with long black hair and full lips, and as we PULL BACK MORE the face comes forward, and we find ourselves inside a car–

  ANOTHER ANGLE as the woman, BECKY JONES, sits up right on the front seat of a car, and in the shot we can see the driver, a man, MONTY JONES. Nice looking guy, but a little stiff, academic, thinks he's a martyr, and when he speaks–

  MONTY

  It's okay, Becky. You're all right.

  –he sounds condescending. This guy could grunt over a shit in a condescending way.

  BECKY

  No, Monty. I'm not all right. If I was all right, we wouldn't be going through this. I'm not all right. Should I write that down for you. I'm not FUCKING ALL RIGHT!

  CUT TO:

  EXT: THE CAR, A VW–NIGHT

  It's chugging along. Lost in darkness. And as Monty starts to speak we hear some of what he says before we see him, but as he starts, we–

  CUT BACK TO:

  INT. VW

  MONTY

  Doctor said it'd be just the thing. Dean says he and Eva love it up here, figured we would too.

  Not a house in three miles. Relaxing, you know? Pines all around, got the lake out front. Plenty of privacy, just the kind of place
to sit back, take it easy…

  Monty glances at her.

  MONTY

  You okay?

  BECKY

  (Astonished at this idiot)

  Are you in this car with me? Do you possibly recall what happened to me? You don't know what that's like. The doctor doesn't know what's it's like. No one knows what it's like and I don't want to see a fucking lake!

  MONTY

  I didn't mean anything by it, Beck.

  BECKY

  Could you just be quiet for a while?

  Monty nods, reaches out to take her hand. When he touches her she recoils.

  BECKY

  Sorry. Just not up to being touched.

  MONTY

  (pretends it's all right)

  Sure, no problem, babe.

  Becky turns her sad face to the passenger glass and we–

  DISSOLVE TO:

  EXT. VW-SHORT MOMENT LATER

  Car swings up a dark, pine-shadowed road; its lights strike a moderate-sized vacation log cabin sheltered among thick pines. There is an overhanging front porch. Out back, glistening in the moonlight, a lake.

  A SHOT OF THE NIGHT SKY AND THE MOON

  Dark clouds are rolling toward the moon. There is a hint of thunder in the background. A small flash of lightning.

  INT. CABIN

  Door opens and gives us a slice of moonlight, and framed in the doorway are Monty and Becky, Becky with an overnight case, and Monty with a suitcase. You can hear a bit of wind behind them.

  Monty flicks on the lights. He and Becky walk in. Monty sets down the suitcase. The cabin looks comfortable, woodsy design. A kitchen is at the rear of the small living room. Against one wall, sheets of paneling, a few boards lying about.

  MONTY

  Nice, huh? What do you think?

  Becky stays behind as Monty walks a few steps, peers into the small kitchen area. Monty stops at the far end of the room, where tools are scattered, more sheets of paneling, etc. As he comes back toward Becky–

  MONTY (CONT'D)

  Have to ignore the mess. Dean works on the place summers, so it lacks some being finished.

  Becky is still standing just inside the front door, sort of watching Monty, mostly just blank, thinking.

  MONTY

  Dean says the fishing's good on the lake. I'm not too hot at that kind of thing, but I'll sure as hell give it a try. You'll have to promise not to laugh if I don't bring back dinner every night.

  As we go in CLOSE ON BECKY and she says–

  BECKY

  (Not mean, just sincere)

  Frankly, Monty. I don't give a shit.

  –and we go even CLOSER ON BECKY'S FACE, and have a–

  FLASHBACK SEQUENCE INSIDE A RESTAURANT –DAY

  Becky and her friend, EVA BEAUMONT, at a table. Not many people around. Quiet place. There's a big glass window and through it we can see a busy Galveston, Texas street. Eva is in her mid-thirties, attractive, more hyper and outgoing than Becky. She reaches over and taps Becky's hand.

  EVA

  No phone. Unless you take your cell. Dean flat loves the place. It's so outdoorsy, so manly and all.

  (imitates a man's deep voice)

  The fresh air, hon, the trees, the pristine lake. God, you ever hear John Wayne say pristine?

  BECKY

  Guess not.

  Eva looks at Becky, notices Becky is somewhere else.

  EVA

  You are going to make it, love. Honestly you are. I know the dreams are perfectly horrid, but they will go away. Time heals all wounds, dear. It does.

  BECKY

  You think?

  EVA

  Just go up there and rest. Let Monty commune with nature. Take a couple of good books, some allergy pills. The place is ass deep in pollen.

  BECKY

  (looking away)

  I see him, Eva. I see Clyde Edson, hanging there. Doesn't matter if I'm asleep anymore. He's there. It's not just a dream, he's there. I saw him hang himself? How could I have seen that?

  FAVOR EVA

  as she leans in toward Becky, very concerned.

  EVA

  You mustn't say that. You are all right, love. You are. You think you saw him hang himself–

  BECKY

  I did see him. And I saw those awful pictures on his body. On the wall in the cell. I could draw that cell for you.

  Eva reaches across the table, takes Becky's hand. Becky seems uncomfortable with this. She is not fond of touch right now.

  EVA

  The mind plays odd tricks. You heard about him hanging himself, and you remember it that way, though it's just not possible, Becky.

  BECKY

  I'm glad you're sure, Eva.

  EVA

  You're going to be fine. You'll be okay. You'll be–

  FLASHBACK ENDS

  The word that would have come out of Eva's mouth, comes out of Monty's.

  MONTY

  –okay, really.

  BECKY

  What?

  MONTY

  I said. Are you okay? You still with me?

  She looks at him, studies his face.

  BECKY

  I'm with you. Still not okay. All right? Got it?

  MONTY

  Sure.

  He tries to put his arm around her. She wilts, shies away. He sags. This is the same old reaction he's used to.

  BECKY

  It's not you, Monty…really, it's not. You know that. I don't mean to act so mean. It's just…hard right now.

  Monty trying to look strong, but wanting her to know he's hurt as well.

  MONTY

  I'll, uh…you go in and lie down a minute. Looks like it's going to rain, so I'll hustle the rest of the stuff out of the car.

  Becky tries to say something, but can't. Monty walks out the front door. Becky looks around a moment, walks into the bedroom. Lightning flashes outside, lighting up the bedroom, thunder rolls in the distance.

  She goes in the bathroom, splashes water in her face, comes back, sits on the bed, kicks off her shoes. Clearly, the storm is intensifying. Becky rolls her eyes.

  BECKY

  Thanks a lot, Eva.

  A TERRIFIC BOLT OF LIGHTNING strikes somewhere outside, brightening the room. We hear a tremendous CRACK! and Becky goes rigid, and we–

  QUICK CUT TO:

  A TREE OUTSIDE

  It's receiving a lightning bolt and the shot causes it to split.

  CUT TO:

  MONTY AT THE VW

  He looks up from unloading suitcases from the VW's trunk, sees the tree not far away, smoking, parts of it lying on the ground.

  MONTY

  Sheee-it!

  He glances at the cabin, sees Becky's shadow in the window. Rain begins to pepper his face, wind howls.

  BECKY IN THE BEDROOM

  steps out of her skirt, spreads it flat across the dresser, begins pulling the blouse over her head, just as lightning strikes again, rattling the house. In that instant, the blouse nearly off, her eyes glance over the edge of the material and she sees a moving shadow on the wall, the top-hatted figure and she hears a sound, a kind of growling, as if an animal is trying to talk. She turns for a good look. Gone. Looks at the bed–

  –and it's not the same bed. It's the rape bed in Becky's apartment. The bed spins and Becky spins with it, and she's no longer standing, but on her back. We see all this in vague, distended images, as if through the bottom of a Coke bottle.