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BAD TRIP
Screenplay and Story by
Jack Stone
FADE IN:
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - DAY
A 1960's Chrysler Sedan sits submerged on the floor of the
lake.
A heavy-duty towing chain is attached to the front bumper of
the car by a DIVER in a full length wet-suit, booties and
hood.
The diver surfaces and gives the thumbs up sign.
Other WORKERS on land attach the other end of the chain to a
tow truck's trailer hook.
A small town SHERIFF (late 30's, early 40's), with short
cropped hair and a perfectly starched uniform stands by. The
tow truck OPERATOR (30's), chewing tobacco is standing next
to the sheriff and watching the workers.
OPERATOR
You think it belongs to them missing
campers?
SHERIFF
I don't know. Maybe, could be. Have to
call the VIN in to Sacramento and see
what they come up with.
OPERATOR
Well alrighty.
The tow truck driver steps into his truck and begins to
slowly pull the car from the lake.
EXT. ROUTE 66 - DAY
A long and empty stretch of highway continues into eternity
and seemingly leading to nowhere. The distant arid desert
bubbles and boils from the intense heat.
A roadside sign reads, Historical Route 66.
The throaty sound of a vehicle's exhaust pipes grows louder,
approaching from the distance.
The Sisters of Mercy song, Alice fills the air.
A white, 1963 Cadillac Crown Sovereign Landaulet Hearse,
comes into view and zooms down Route 66. The license plate
reads, UR NEXT.
INT. CADILLAC CROWN SOVEREIGN - DAY
The Sister of Mercy song, Alice continues to play from inside
the Hearse.
BOBBY (early 20's), a jock with an angry disposition, lies in
the backseat area of the Cadillac where a coffin would
usually be.
BOBBY
(shouting over the music and
complaining)
We've been on the road for over two and a
half hours and we still don't have any
idea where we're going.
TOMMY (early 20's), a nervous, know it all type sits crouched
next to Bobby. He looks at his watch.
TOMMY
One hour and forty-eight minutes to be
exact.
BOBBY
Whatever, Einstein.
In the drivers seat sits, JIMMY (early 20's), a dark haired
and handsome young man.
JIMMY
You just got to trust me. This is gonna
to be a day you'll never forget.
INT. TRUCK STOP - DAY
The sheriff drives his cruiser up to the front of the truck
stop and parks it.
The Hearse drives past the truck stop along the highway and
the sheriff takes notice.
The sheriff steps out of his cruiser and enters the truck
stop's diner. He removes his hat and smacks off a couple of
dust specks.
He pulls out a handkerchief from his top pocket, spits in it
and wipes the dust from his perfectly shiny black cowboy
boots.
He places the handkerchief back in his top pocket.
The sheriff takes a seat at the counter.
A WAITRESS (early 30's), wearing thick horn-rimmed glasses
with large breasts and a strong Tennessean accent approaches
the sheriff.
WAITRESS
Howdy Carl. What'll it be?
SHERIFF
You know, the same old same old.
The sheriff watches as she sets napkins and silver in front
of him.
SHERIFF (CONT'D)
So, when did you get back in the line-up?
WAITRESS
Today's my first day back. You want to
see my scar?
She unbuttons the bottom of her blouse and raises her blouse,
showing the sheriff a nasty fresh scar that extends across
the full length of her belly.
WAITRESS (CONT'D)
One hundred and seventy three stitches.
Alot of them are still inside. The
doctor says they'll eventually dissolve
on their own.
SHERIFF
Jesus, that must have hurt a hell of a
lot.
WAITRESS
Um hmm. I'll say. I was laid up for
more than three weeks. There wasn't
nothin' the doctor gave could help the
pain. You know the only thing that
worked? Motrin.
(she laughs)
Can you believe it. Motrin of all
things.
The waitress begins to pour him a cup of coffee.
WAITRESS (CONT'D)
Find anything out about them missin'
campers?
SHERIFF
Nothing yet.
WAITRESS
The TV says they called off search and
rescue.
SHERIFF
Yep.
WAITRESS
Their families must be worried sick.
SHERIFF
Not to worry, they'll show up sooner or
later, probably Joshua Tree or some other
state park.
WAITRESS
They've been missing for days. You
suspect any foul play?
SHERIFF
Stranger things have been known to
happen.
WAITRESS
Well, I'll go get your order ready.
The waitress walks off.
INT. CADILLAC CROWN SOVEREIGN - DAY
The UK Subs song, Teargas Bomb plays loudly.
Bobby lies in the back of the Hearse. He's agitated from the
music, which he doesn't like.
He gets a sinister look on his face.
LEMMY (early 20's), a punk rocker with died black hair, is
sitting in the seat directly in front of Bobby.
Lemmy is holding a ghetto blaster and jamming to the tune.
Bobby puts his foot on the back of head Lemmy's head.
LEMMY
(smacking at Bobby's foot)
Get your foot off my head.
Bobby removes his foot.
BOBBY
I'm just stretching my legs.
LEMMY
Just keep it off of me.
BOBBY
Why don't you try riding in the back for
a while?
When Lemmy's not looking, Bobby puts his foot in Lemmy's ear.
This time Lemmy smacks Bobby's leg hard.
LEMMY
(angry)
Cut it out, asshole.
BOBBY
Shut up, you whining baby.
Lemmy ignores him.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Turn that shit off man. Nobody wants to
hear it.
LEMMY
Fuck you jerk.
BOBBY
(rapidly sitting up)
No, fuck you.
Bobby reaches over the seat trying to grab the boombox.
The two almost come to blows when Jimmy intervenes.
JIMMY
Can you kids keep it down back there? If
you don't I'm gonna have to pull over.
He turns to the passenger seat and smiles at, JENNIFER (early
20's), a buxom blond bombshell with a bit of a bitchy streak
to her.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
(to Jennifer)
Honey, we can't take these kids with us
anywhere.
BOBBY
Jimmy, could you please tell this guy to
turn that thing off?
(to Lemmy)
Maybe there's some real music on one of
the radio stations.
JIMMY
(to Lemmy)
Give your batteries a rest Lemmy. Let's
see what's on the radio.
Lemmy turns his boom box off.
LEMMY
(to Bobby)
Satisfied?
Jimmy dials through the few radio stations that broadcast out
in the desert.
BOBBY
(to Jimmy)
Why'd you have to bring this guy along
anyway?
Sitting next to Lemmy is CRYSTAL (early 20's), a quirky and
trendy brunette. She jumps in defending Lemmy.
CRYSTAL
Why'd we bring you along? You don't have
any money. And all you've done is
complain ever since we left.
BOBBY
Who's talking to you?
LEMMY
Shut up man, just shut up and leave her
alone.
BOBBY
You shut up.
JIMMY
Chill out you guys.
(mocking Rodney King)
Can't we all diss did alooo.
Jimmy continues dialing through the radio stations on his car
radio.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
What do you want to hear Bobby?
BOBBY
Anything, as long as it's not punk.
LEMMY
How about some country? You want to hear
some country?
BOBBY
Sounds good to me.
LEMMY
Two words that don't go together, country
and music.
Bobby feigns laughing.
Jimmy decides on a song by the group Canned Heat, Goin' Up
The Country that's already in progress on one of the radio
stations.
The Hearse makes a left on a seeming endless dirt road and
resumes on it's course, destination unknown.
EXT. DESERT ROAD - LATER SAME DAY
The Hearse continues on it's path down the endless dirt road.
INT. CADILLAC CROWN SOVEREIGN - DAY
BOBBY
I'm getting hungry.
CRYSTAL
What else is new?
JENNIFER
(to Jimmy)
I need to go to the bathroom.
Looking down at his fuel gauge, Jimmy notices that it is
pretty close to empty.
JIMMY
I need to fuel up anyway. I tell you
what, as soon as I find a gas station,
I'll stop.
The hearse continues on.
LEMMY
Look at this place. Can you imagine
living out here?
EXT. CADILLAC CROWN SOVEREIGN - DAY
The Hearse drives past a pile of dead cattle bones.
MONTAGE:
The Hearse passes endless abandoned gas stations, abandoned
buildings, a coiled rattle snake next to a desert cactus and
a Western ghost town.
EXT. DESERT ROAD - CONTINUOUS
The Hearse comes upon a small deserted abandoned community.
They drive past block after block of almost identical boarded
up houses.
Living trees appear to be lifeless. Living, yet there are no
leaves growing from any of the branches.
The place has a strange uneasy feeling about it.
TOMMY
Man, would you look at that?
CRYSTAL
Really weird.
Every street they drive past has an orange and white
barricade, which blocks any vehicle from entering the street.
The car continues on, driving past block after block of
deserted houses.
JIMMY
What do you make of it?
JENNIFER
It's a ghost town.
TOMMY
No, it's not like the town we passed
earlier. These houses are too new to be
a ghost town.
BOBBY
How do you know?
TOMMY
It's just my assumption. Besides, look
at the architect. The town was probably
deserted in the late 40's, early 50's.
JENNIFER
Why would a town this big be built in the
middle of the desert and then abandoned?
TOMMY
Your guess is as good as mine.
CRYSTAL
I've never seen anything like it.
BOBBY
I've never been so hungry in my life.
Lemmy looks at Bobby like, shut up.
EXT. GAS STATION - LATER SAME DAY
The Hearse pulls into the desolate and broken down gas
station that looks like it's a throw back from the depression
era 1930's.
The group jumps out of the vehicle stiff and sore. They
begin to stretch their arms and legs.
CRYSTAL
(to Tommy)
How long have we been on the road?
TOMMY
Four and a half hours.
JENNIFER
(looking at Jimmy)
Four and a half hours? Jimmy, when are
we gonna get there? Where ever it is
you're taking us.
JIMMY
It won't be too much longer. Just hang
in there.
The Gas Station's ATTENDANT (60's), a thin and frail man that
doesn't quite fit into his mechanics jumpsuit and has a lined
and weathered face, exits the station.
ATTENDANT
What can I get you kids?
JIMMY
Could you fill it up please?
ATTENDANT
Certainly.
JIMMY
You got any high test?
ATTENDANT
I got what I got. Take it or leave it.
JIMMY
We'll take it.
The attendant starts to pump the gas.
ATTENDANT
You need me to check your oil?
JIMMY
No, it's OK.
BOBBY
(to the attendant)
You got any food?
ATTENDANT
Got some snacks and cold drinks inside.
BOBBY
(to Jimmy)
Jimmy, lend me a twenty.
Jimmy reaches into his wallet and pulls out a twenty.
JIMMY
You already owe me forty.
BOBBY
Yeah, well now I owe you sixty.
Jimmy hands the twenty to Bobby.
Bobby heads into the station to load up on refreshments.
JENNIFER
(to the attendant)
Excuse me sir, do you have a bathroom?
ATTENDANT
ÔRound back. Can't miss it.
JENNIFER
(to Crystal)
You coming?
CRYSTAL
Sure.
The girls head for the bathroom.
ATTENDANT
So, where you kids from?
JIMMY
Los Angeles.
ATTENDANT
Been there. Where you headin'?
JIMMY
Actually, it's kind of a secret.
ATTENDANT
A secret is it?
(he laughs)
There ain't nothin' between here and
hell, nothin' at all. Except maybe some
buzzards.
He looks up in the sky and a small group of buzzards fly
overhead.
ATTENDANT (CONT'D)
Rattlesnakes and God only knows how many
dead bodies there are buried there. One
things for certain. The desert, she'll
never give up her little secret.
Tommy walks over to the attendant.
TOMMY
Mister, that place we just passed, back
there. Know anything about it?
ATTENDANT
What place are you talkin' about?
TOMMY
That town. The one that's completely
abandoned. You got to know the one that
I'm about it?
ATTENDANT
(avoiding the question)
I don't know nothin'. And you shouldn't
go around pokin' your nose in other
peoples affairs. You might not like the
answer you get.
He finishes pumping the gas, places the gas cap on the car
and sticks the handle back into the pump.
ATTENDANT (CONT'D)
That'll be twenty two dollars for the
gas.
Jimmy pays the attendant.
The attendant notices the sheriff's cruiser as it makes it's
way toward the gas station.
ATTENDANT (CONT'D)
If you knew what was good for you, you'd
turn around and head back to where you
belong.
JIMMY
Why's that mister?
ATTENDANT
If I was you kid, I wouldn't ask anymore
questions.
The attendant enters the station and begins to tally up the
bill for the snacks and drinks the other's have gotten.
The sheriff's cruiser pulls up next to the Hearse.
The sheriff roles down his window.
SHERIFF
(to Jimmy)
How ya'll doin'?
JIMMY
We're doing fine.
SHERIFF
That's real good. You know, you passed
me along the highway a ways back. I
couldn't help but notice that your left
brake light is out.
JIMMY
Sometimes I have problems with my
electrical system blowing bulbs. I'll
get it fixed just as soon as I can.
SHERIFF
Good deal. You drive safely and have
yourself a fine day.
JIMMY
You too sheriff. And thanks.
SHERIFF
Don't mention it.
The sheriff tips his hat, roles up his window and continues
on his way.
BOBBY
(arms filled with beers and
snacks)
What they guy want?
JIMMY
Nothin', just wanted to tell me that one
of my brake lights isn't working.
BOBBY
Check it out. I think I covered the four
food groups. Dairy, dead animal, stuff
that grows on trees and what was the last
one?
TOMMY
Grains.
BOBBY
Yeah, chips.
They jump into the Hearse.
Bobby has to close the door on Lemmy and lock it.
LEMMY
Open the door Bobby.
Bobby laughs.
Crystal reaches over the unlocks the door.
Lemmy jumps in.
The car heads down the road in the opposite direction that
the sheriff's cruiser went.
The gas station attendant exit the station and watches as the
Hearse moves down the road.
EXT. DIRT ROAD - CONTINUOUS
The Hearse is a tiny speck as it kicks up a cloud of dust and
continues down the lengthy dirt road.
The sun shines brightly above as the flock of buzzards flying
overhead grow in number.
INT. CADILLAC CROWN SOVEREIGN - CONTINUOUS
The arid and almost lifeless desert scenery suddenly becomes
secondary as the group notices the Colorado River come into
full view.
The rusty color mountainous cliffs tower on either side of
the river.
The scenery is breathtaking and the place is teaming with
wildlife and green scenic expanses.
Jimmy pulls over and turns off the car.
JIMMY
OK, we're here.
CRYSTAL
Wow, this is a really beautiful place.
Everybody piles out of the car.
EXT. COLORADO RIVER - CONTINUOUS
The group gathers together on the hood of the Hearse and take
in all the beauty.
JIMMY
Welcome to my nightmare.
JENNIFER
(to Jimmy)
No wonder you wanted to keep it a secret.
This is incredibly amazing.
JIMMY
(to everybody)
Any regrets?
LEMMY
No complaints dude.
TOMMY
(pointing to the high cliff
walls)
Check out those striated patterns in the
cliff's bedrock. It probably took two
hundred million years for them to form.
Truly spectacular.
BOBBY
That's what I love about you Tommy. You
see the beauty in everything. Everything
but the girl.
TOMMY
Funny.
BOBBY
Funny, like what? Like I'm a clown?
Like I'm here to amuse you?
Everyone sits for a moment and just watches the water move
along the river.
Ducks fly by and lizards scurry about.
JIMMY
Let's go get a closer look shall we?
They all jump back into the car.
Jimmy starts the car and heads toward the river.
EXT. DESERT ROAD - CONTINUOUS
The Hearse continues toward the river.
They come upon an old abandoned resort called Echo Lodge.
They pull into the place.
The place is just as deserted as the old town they passed
just a few miles back. There are several abandoned trailers
and mobile homes parked along the edge of the river.
Jimmy drives past several of the creepy and abandoned
waterfront trailers.
There's also an old water slide that is dismantled and left
dilapidating in the intense desert heat.
CRYSTAL
There isn't a soul in sight.
LEMMY
This place looks like they dropped a
hydrogen bomb on it. Like it killed all
the people and didn't do any damage to
the buildings.
Bobby is munching on some generic crackers.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
Where is everybody?
BOBBY
(to Lemmy)
They knew you were coming.
Lemmy gives him a look, but pretty much ignores him.
JENNIFER
Maybe a spaceship came and took everyone
away. You know how you're always hearing
about spaceships being spotted out here
in the desert.
TOMMY
That's only in New Mexico.
JENNIFER
Oh.
The Hearse continues on and stops close to the river. The
water slowly moves from North to South.
LEMMY
I think it's time for old sparky?
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a joint. He lights
it and passes it to Jimmy.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
(to Jimmy)
Dude!
JIMMY
(taking the joint)
Thanks.
Jimmy hits the weed and passes it to Jennifer.
Jennifer hits it and then passes it to Crystal, who hits it
and passes it back to Lemmy, who hits it again and turns to
Bobby.
Lemmy goes to hand it to Bobby and just as Bobby reaches for
the joint, Lemmy pulls it back and passes it to Tommy.
BOBBY
Cute.
Tommy hits it and goes to pass it to Bobby, but Lemmy stops
him and takes the joint. He hits it again while staring
straight at Bobby.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
What? You're not going to let me have a
hit?
Lemmy blows a lung full of smoke into Bobby's face.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Fuck you.
JIMMY
C'mon, Lemmy let him have a hit.
LEMMY
No way.
JIMMY
(in a reprimanding tone)
Lemmy!
LEMMY
OK.
Bobby reaches for the joint.
Lemmy hits it again and again and reluctantly hands Bobby the
almost useless tiny roach.
CRYSTAL
Look at that water. It's so clear.
JIMMY
Let's go for a swim.
LEMMY
Right on.
They all pile out of the car. Lemmy slams the door on Bobby
this time.
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - LATER SAME DAY
The group is swimming in the water and splashing about.
BOBBY
Hey! Up here.
Everybody looks up and sees Bobby standing on a high rocky
ledge. He leaps from the ledge and lands in the water below.
The group swims about.
Bobby looks up and sees Lemmy sitting on the high ledge.
Lemmy sits high on the rocky ledge watching the kids play far
below.
Bobby shouts up at Lemmy.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Are you going to jump?
Lemmy doesn't answer him.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
What are you scared?
LEMMY
I'll show you who's scared.
Lemmy leaps from the rocky ledge and lands in the water
below.
DISSOLVE TO:
The group continuing to frolic in the water. They're having
a great time.
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - A LITTLE LATER
Jimmy is sunning himself on the beach.
Jennifer exits the water and sits next to him. She begins to
dry herself off with a towel.
JENNIFER
Ooh, it's chilly once you get out of the
water.
JIMMY
You'll dry off fast.
JENNIFER
Jimmy, every time I turn around I catch
Bobby staring at my breasts. I mean it's
so obvious. Would you tell him to like
cool it?
JIMMY
Yeah, I'll tell him.
JENNIFER
It gives me the creeps.
JIMMY
You don't mind if I stare at Ôem.
JENNIFER
That's different.
JIMMY
What you're saying is, if you like a guy,
it's alright if he stares at you. It's
alright if he drools all over you.
JENNIFER
Yeah. That's what I'm saying.
JIMMY
But, if you're not attracted to the guy,
it gives you the creeps?
JENNIFER
Yeah.
JIMMY
(he laughs)
OK!
JENNIFER
Don't laugh at me. I really hate it when
you laugh at me. It makes me feel small.
JIMMY
OK! I won't laugh at you.
A few awkward moments.
JENNIFER
Tell me, how'd you find this place
anyway?
JIMMY
My folks took me here a long time ago.
It's one of the few fond memories that I
have of them. Since my dad committed
suicide, I kept thinking about this place
more and more. I wanted to come back and
see if I felt the same.
Jennifer sits silently watching Jimmy look out onto the
water.
JENNIFER
You know it wasn't your fault.
JIMMY
Yeah, well.
Suddenly, Bobby shouts from above, high on the rocky cliff.
BOBBY
Woooo.
He pulls out his penis and takes a leak down into the river
below.
Lemmy dives underwater to get out of the way of the path of
Bobby's free falling piss.
Everybody laughs except Jennifer and Crystal.
JENNIFER
(shouting to Bobby)
Bobby, you're such a pig.
(to Jimmy)
I don't know what you see in him as a
friend. He's always leaching off of you,
it's embarrassing. I don't know why you
put up with it?
Bobby finishes pissing and leaps into the water.
JIMMY
What can I say, we go way back to when we
were just little grommets. You think I
had it bad? Poor Bobby, his parents kept
a lock on the refrigerator door. My mom
used to let him stay for dinner almost
every night. He'd stuff food in his face
like someone was going to steal it from
him, he'd even hide it in his pocket and
take it home to eat later. I'm not
kidding. His parents were real jerks.
People like that shouldn't even be
allowed to have kids. You know, they
beat the shit out of him all the time.
Even though our home was three houses
away, I could hear his mother whipping
him with a belt. I used to lie in my bed
at night and hear him crying, begging
them to stop hurting him. And nobody
ever stepped in and stopped it. You've
seen those scars on his back? I remember
the day he got them. He told me that
somebody had robbed his house and they
attacked his mom. He told me they beat
him when he tried to protect his mother.
Here he was protecting the one who had
done the deed. Unreal. I'm surprised he
didn't turn out a complete lunatic. I'm
amazed he's not in jail or dead.
A man approaches from the distance. He's riding in an old
electric golfcart.
He's the GROUNDKEEPER (50's), an overweight and bearded man
who, for some reason remains at Echo Lodge. He's sunburned
and wearing plenty of zinc oxide on his nose.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Look like we got company.
JENNIFER
What do you think he wants?
JIMMY
I don't know, I guess we're about to find
out.
Jimmy watches as the groundkeeper approaches.
GROUNDKEEPER
You know that you're trespassing on
private property?
JIMMY
No, we didn't know that. The place
looked abandoned.
GROUNDKEEPER
(to Jimmy)
How'd you kids get in here anyway?
JIMMY
Just drove on in.
GROUNDKEEPER
Well, you can just drive right on out.
JENNIFER
Well, you don't have to be so rude.
GROUNDKEEPER
You don't belong here. Now, get goin'.
JIMMY
We're sorry we didn't mean to cause any
trouble. We'll be on our way.
GROUNDKEEPER
You see to it that you do.
JENNIFER
(to the groundskeeper)
Boy, you really know how to make a person
feel right at home mister.
Without another word said, the groundkeeper goes back to his
golfcart and rides off.
Jimmy stands.
JIMMY
(shouting to the group)
Alright everybody. Out of the water.
The boat will be leaving in a few
minutes.
Everybody exits the water and begins to towel off.
JENNIFER
Boy, he really knows how to make you feel
right at home doesn't he?
TOMMY
(approaching Jimmy)
What'd that guy want?
JIMMY
He wants us to leave. He said we're
trespassing. We'd better go. We don't
need any trouble.
BOBBY
(getting hot headed)
Man, everywhere you go, there's always
somebody pushing at you, trying to tell
you what to do, where to go...
JIMMY
(interrupting Bobby)
Bobby, that ain't gonna do us any good.
Keep your cool.
Bobby glares at where the groundskeeper rode off.
Jennifer notices the scars on Bobby's back as he continues to
dry off.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Besides, I got another surprise for
everyone.
JENNIFER
(to Jimmy)
I like surprises.
EXT. ECHO LODGE - A LITTLE LATER
The Hearse pulls out of the Echo Lodge resort.
The groundkeeper watches as the vehicle turns onto the
highway and exits.
EXT. PARKER DAM - A LITTLE LATER
The Hearse rounds the corner of a bend and Parker Dam comes
into full view.
CRYSTAL
Look a dam!
LEMMY
Now, that's cool. Pull over, let's get
out and have a better look.
JIMMY
Well, I'll be damned if I do and damned
it you don't.
The Hearse pulls over.
EXT. PARKER DAM - CONTINUOUS
The group sit together packed tightly. They're passing
another joint around.
Bobby has one of those stupid looking wool caps on his head.
Everybody is looking down.
The camera pulls back and reveals that Lemmy is sitting
dangerously close to the edge of one of the walls of the dam,
which is high above the water.
Far below is a large pool of water.
EXT. PARKER DAM - CONTINUOUS
CRYSTAL
Could you imagine how scary it would be
if you fell in?
LEMMY
It wouldn't be scary. You just have to
make it a mind over matter kinda thing.
BOBBY
Yeah, like when you hit the water your
mind will be the matter that will be
splattered all over the place.
LEMMY
I'm not afraid to jump.
BOBBY
I'll bet you a hundred bucks you won't do
it!
CRYSTAL
(to Bobby)
Yeah right! Who's money you betting?
LEMMY
You good for that hundred Bobby?
BOBBY
(to Lemmy)
I can get it.
(to Jimmy)
Jimmy cover me for the hundred. I want
to see this guy put his money where his
mouth is. He ain't gonna jump.
JIMMY
Nobody's jumping, not while I'm around.
BOBBY
(to Lemmy)
It'll be a cold day in hell when you got
enough balls to jump.
Far below there is a huge pool of water where the water is
being pumped in from the other side of the dam.
Lemmy stands and starts to walk on the wall of the dam ledge.
CRYSTAL
Lemmy, don't do that. What if you fall?
LEMMY
What if?
BOBBY
Maybe, I'll push him in.
LEMMY
Try it?
CRYSTAL
Lemmy, really! Please get down. You're
scaring me.
TOMMY
(to Lemmy)
You don't have anything to prove to us.
JIMMY
C'mon, Lemmy. Get down OK?
Lemmy spins about and feigns falling toward the water below.
JENNIFER
Lemmy, you're freaking me out. I got
chills just not. Please get down.
BOBBY
Get down, or I'll throw you down.
LEMMY
You and who else?
BOBBY
I don't need anybody else to kick your
ass. Just me, myself and I.
JENNIFER
(to Lemmy and Bobby)
Why can't you guys cool it just for once?
(to Lemmy)
Please, come down from there.
Lemmy walks on the ledge over to where Bobby is standing by
the wall.
He stops directly in front of Bobby. Behind Lemmy is a long
fall into the Colorado River below.
LEMMY
Maybe, I'll piss on your head.
BOBBY
Try it.
LEMMY
You know something Bobby? You think
you're such a tough guy. You think
everybody's afraid of you. I'm not
afraid of you. You know what your
problem is? You want to know why you
can't score with a chick? Why, every
time you walk by, everyone laughs behind
your back? Because you're a loser.
JIMMY
OK, Lemmy that's enough.
LEMMY
(to Jimmy)
No! No, Jimmy. It's not enough. You're
always jumping in to protect this guy and
I'm sick of it.
(to Bobby)
You think you know everything and that
you're smarter than everybody else. How
many times have you failed school?
Bobby doesn't answer.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
I'm waiting for an answer.
BOBBY
Shut up. I don't have to tell you
anything.
Bobby is more ashamed than angry.
LEMMY
How many times Bobby? That's alright, I
already know the answer. Twice. You
failed school twice.
BOBBY
(shouting)
It wasn't my fault. My parent's never
took me to school.
LEMMY
Yeah, always an excuse right Bobby. How
about your big grandeur fantasy of
playing pro football. How many times
have we heard that one?
JIMMY
OK, you're going too far now.
LEMMY
Bobby Jordan, a big tough guy always on
his way to the big time. Well, mister
tough guy jock, how come you couldn't
make the grade? How come you got cut
from the football team?
BOBBY
It's not that I couldn't play ball and
you know it.
LEMMY
That's not a good enough answer big shot?
C'mon, tell me?
BOBBY
Fuck you, I don't have to tell you
anything.
JIMMY
Lemmy, stop it. What's come over you?
CRYSTAL
Please, just come down from the wall.
LEMMY
Not until Mister Robert Jordan, the
Michael Jordan of football explains to me
why he was cut from the team?
LEMMY (CONT'D)
That's alright. I already know the
answer.
Just as Lemmy is about to say the words, Bobby blurts out the
answer.
BOBBY
(humiliated)
My grades alright? You happy? I got
kicked off the football team because of
my lousy grades.
JENNIFER
Lemmy, you're such a jerk.
Bobby shouts like a devil and grabs at Lemmy's legs to pull
him from the wall and to pound on him.
It takes Jimmy, Tommy, Jennifer and Crystal to hold Bobby
back.
LEMMY
That's right. You're grades got you
kicked off the team. Point one? You
don't really know that much about
anything. Point two. You especially
don't know anything about me. Not at
all.
Bobby tries to get at Lemmy. Lemmy pulls off Bobby's wool
cap.
Jimmy and Tommy hold onto Bobby for dear life.
Lemmy acts like he's going to toss it in the river below.
BOBBY
(to Jimmy)
Let me go.
(to Lemmy)
You do it and you're dead.
LEMMY
You want a piece of me Bobby? You want a
piece of me? Then follow me.
Lemmy tosses Bobby's cap in his face. Lemmy looks down at
the water below,
CRYSTAL
Lemmy, don't do it.
Lemmy mocks the words that Bobby said to him earlier at the
rocky ledge where they had been diving from.
LEMMY
(to Bobby)
What's the matter? You scared?
Suddenly, Lemmy does a back flip off of the dam and into the
water far below.
Jimmy grabs at Lemmy. He's too late.
Everybody runs to the edge screaming. They watch while Lemmy
free-falls, descending into the water below.
BOBBY
That crazy son of a bitch.
Bobby watches as Lemmy hits the water.
CRYSTAL
Oh, my God. He's going to drown.
A few tense moments go by.
EXT. COLORADO RIVER - CONTINUOUS
No sign of Lemmy.
Then, Lemmy breaks through the surface of the water and
filled with an adrenaline rush, he shouts aloud.
LEMMY
Woooooooooo. Hooooooo.
From far above Crystal lets him have it.
CRYSTAL
You big idiot. You stupid jerk.
Lemmy flips about in the water, grinning from ear to ear.
EXT. PARKER DAM - CONTINUOUS
Bobby looks down from the dam wall into the river.
BOBBY
He really is crazy.
JIMMY
I'm gonna get the car, you guys go and
fish him out.
The group run from the dam and scale down the edge of the
cliff, while Jimmy goes for the car.
EXT. PARKER DAM CLIFFSIDE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy swims toward the riverbanks edge.
There is an old riverboat that is tied to a piling.
The group steps onto the riverboat and watch as Lemmy swims
toward the shore.
CRYSTAL
(to Lemmy)
You really gave me a good scare you know?
Lemmy laughs as he swims closer to the riverboat.
Lemmy reaches the riverboat and Bobby extends his hand to
help pull Lemmy out of the water.
Lemmy looks at Bobby's hand and decides to accept it.
Bobby pulls him out of the water.
LEMMY
(to Bobby)
You owe me a hundred bucks.
BOBBY
We never shook on it.
The car pulls up and Jimmy honks the horn, which has a unique
sound to it. (Awooooga!)
The group climb the rocks and head toward the car.
The group reaches the car. Crystal hands Lemmy a towel. He
dries off while everybody just stares at him in amazement.
TOMMY
That was the most amazing thing I ever
saw.
Lemmy reaches into his backpack and pulls out a plastic bag.
LEMMY
If you really want to see something
amazing? Try these.
JENNIFER
What is it?
LEMMY
Shrooms.
TOMMY
Mushrooms? As in psilocybin mushrooms?
LEMMY
Magic mushrooms!
Tommy takes the bag and looks at the content.
BOBBY
No way!
LEMMY
Yes, way.
Bobby snatches the bag from Tommy.
BOBBY
Now you're talkin'.
LEMMY
Remember that abandoned town we came
across awhile back?
JIMMY
What about it?
LEMMY
Let's break into one of the houses and
hang out for the night and trip our
brains out. What do you say?
BOBBY
You got my vote.
Bobby slaps Lemmy a high five.
LEMMY
OK, that's a start.
TOMMY
I don't know. I never tried mushrooms
before.
LEMMY
That's why you should. You'll really dig
it.
TOMMY
(to Jimmy)
What do you think?
JIMMY
We're on vacation aren't we? What do we
got to lose?
JENNIFER
I'm in, if Jimmy's in.
LEMMY
Now you're talking.
Lemmy looks at Crystal.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
Crystal?
CRYSTAL
Sure, why not.
Everybody looks at Tommy.
LEMMY
Tommy?
TOMMY
Maybe, it's not such a good idea?
LEMMY
This is a democratic society that we live
in. Majority rules and I got five votes
that say yes. But I got confidence
you'll do the right thing and make it
unanimous. Now it's your turn to cast
your ballot. Make that vote count Tommy.
What do you say?
TOMMY
I guess it's OK. After all, it's already
starting to get late and we're several
hours away from anywhere right? What
could it hurt? OK! Let's do it.
LEMMY
Yes.
JIMMY
Well, if we're gonna go. Let's go go go!
They all hoot and holler and jump in the car. This time
Bobby holds the door open for Lemmy.
The Hearse takes off.
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - SUNSET
The sun rapidly descends behind the mountains that tower in
the distance.
EXT. ROADSIDE - A LITTLE LATER
The Hearse continues toward the abandoned town.
They pass a group of burros that are walking along side of
the road.
JIMMY
Do you see what I see?
JENNIFER
They're not horses. What are they?
LEMMY
Looks, like donkeys to me.
Jimmy pulls over. They watch as the burros slowly pass.
TOMMY
No, they're not donkeys. They're burros.
BOBBY
What the hell are burros?
TOMMY
A cross between a donkey and a mare.
Actually descendants of Nubian and Somali
wild asses of northern Africa. They were
domesticated and shipped here to be used
as beasts of burden.
BOBBY
You just made that up.
TOMMY
No, they're definitely burros.
BOBBY
You think you know everything don't you?
TOMMY
No, I know I don't know everything. I
just happen to know that they're burros.
CRYSTAL
What are they doing out here in the
middle of nowhere?
TOMMY
I'll bet they were brought here when the
dam was being built. Some of them
probably got loose or were set free when
the project was completed.
JENNIFER
Think of it! They managed to endure for
all these years.
CRYSTAL
Can you imagine surviving out here in the
desert heat? It must be grueling!
LEMMY
No more grueling than it is to live in
the city.
JIMMY
Now, it makes sense. I'll bet the town
was built to house the workers when they
were building the dam.
They all agree.
TOMMY
But, what if it isn't? What if it's some
kind of toxic sight that was evacuated?
What if they were doing some atomic
testing that went wrong and now the place
is radio active?
JENNIFER
(to Tommy)
You of all people should know that atomic
testing took place in New Mexico, not
Arizona.
TOMMY
There are lot's of things the government
doesn't tell us. I still think it could
be dangerous. I think we're making a big
mistake.
LEMMY
I guess we'll find out soon enough.
They continue to watch as the wild burros walk down the road.
EXT. DIRT ROAD - NIGHT
The Hearse begins to pass several of the streets that are
abandoned.
The abandoned houses look eerie especially at night. The
living trees that appear to be dead look more ominous now
than they did during the day.
Jimmy drives the Hearse around one of the barricades and down
a street that is filled with abandoned houses.
LEMMY
Really weird.
BOBBY
What do you make of it?
TOMMY
This place gives me the creeps.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - NIGHT
The Hearse is parked a few houses away from the one they
choose to experiment with on mushrooms.
They exit the vehicle and look about at everything.
LEMMY
(pointing to one of the houses)
That's the one.
Lemmy moves toward the boarded up houses. The group follow.
They try the front door. It's locked.
Lemmy tries the boarded up front window. It won't budge.
TOMMY
How are we going to get in?
LEMMY
Leave it to me.
Lemmy walks toward the side of the house.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy tries to pry off one of the boards on the side of the
house.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy goes to the back of the house and finds a loose board
on one of the windows. It's too hard to yank it off by
himself.
LEMMY
(shouting to group)
Hey, I need a hand.
Jimmy and Bobby go to the back of the house.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
(to Jimmy and Bobby)
Give me a hand with this board.
They struggle a bit, but manage to pry the board off the
window.
Lemmy lifts open one of the stuck windows and slides in.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
(t Jimmy and Bobby)
I'll meet you around front.
He disappears into the house.
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy stumbles through the bedroom and makes his way into the
living room.
The place is creepy, filled with dust and cobwebs.
He finds the front door.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The group stands at the front door waiting for Lemmy to open
it.
Suddenly, they hear Lemmy as if he's in some kind of a life
or death struggle. He screams aloud for help.
LEMMY (V.O.)
Help. Somebody help me.
The group is frantic.
Jimmy and Bobby bang on the door.
JIMMY
Lemmy!
BOBBY
Open the door.
JIMMY
C'mon, man. Open the door.
Lemmy continues to scream from inside the abandoned home.
Bobby slams his shoulder into the door until he finally
manages to separate the doorframe from the lock. The door
opens.
The group stand in silence as the full moonlight extends into
the front room.
CRYSTAL
Lemmy?
Lemmy lies on the floor in a twisted mass. It appears that
he's dead.
JENNIFER
Lemmy?
JIMMY
Jesus, what'll we do?
TOMMY
Let's get out of here.
Just as Tommy turns to run, Lemmy sits up and laughs.
CRYSTAL
(to Lemmy)
That wasn't funny. You scared the shit
out of me.
LEMMY
So, are you going to stand there or are
you coming in?
TOMMY
(to Lemmy)
That was a good one. You got me.
They enter the house.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The abandoned house has some sparse old furnishing.
CRYSTAL
This place is a mess.
BOBBY
So what? You movin' in?
JIMMY
Let's look around and see what we can
find.
They search throughout the house.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy and Jennifer peek into the bedroom where Lemmy had
climbed into the window.
JIMMY
This room may come in handy.
JENNIFER
(smacking Jimmy)
Ha ha. Very funny.
JIMMY
Well, it could?
JENNIFER
In your dreams.
Jimmy pulls Jennifer into the room.
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
JENNIFER
Jimmy, what if catch us?
JIMMY
What if?
He starts to kiss her.
INT. KITCHEN/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Crystal opens a kitchen cabinet and finds a box of candles.
CRYSTAL
Look at this?
LEMMY
What is it?
CRYSTAL
Candles, a whole bunch.
LEMMY
Cool.
Crystal picks up the box of candles and heads back to the
main room with Lemmy in tow.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
No one's in sight.
CRYSTAL
Where is everyone?
Suddenly, Bobby jumps out from behind a door.
BOBBY
Yaaaaaa!
Crystal jumps in fright and drops the box of candles.
CRYSTAL
Cute Bobby. Real cute.
Tommy steps from behind the same door laughing.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
You too? What? Did Bobby put you up to
this?
Jimmy and Jennifer enter the room.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
(to Jennifer)
Look what I found. Candles.
JENNIFER
Let's light them all.
CRYSTAL
Yeah.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - A LITTLE LATER
The room is brightly lit by the many candles that Crystal
found.
The group has settled around an old sofa, chair and coffee
table. Tommy and Bobby sit on the floor.
Lemmy pulls out his plastic bag filled with mushrooms.
Everybody is silent as Lemmy reaches into the bag and passes
everybody their fair share.
LEMMY
OK. I think that since most of you
haven't tried these before, there's a few
things I need to clue you in on.
Tripping is not like the heavy, heavy
propaganda that the schools try to use to
freak you out. Their not real horror
show, or some kind of a ghoulish camp
fire urban legend story that'll creep you
out either. But let me warn you, you can
have a bad trip.
For example, this guy called the Howard
Stern show once from prison. He was on
death row. He took some LSD, freaked out
and actually cut his girlfriends head
off.
BOBBY
No way!
LEMMY
Way dude.
The girls get real squeamish. Jennifer looks at Jimmy.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
Swear to God, I'm not making it up. When
he came to, he was cradling his
girlfriends headless corps in his arms.
Not a good day.
JENNIFER
Jimmy!
JIMMY
What, I didn't do anything?
JENNIFER
That's disgusting.
LEMMY
If you ask me the guy was already a few
cards shy of a full deck. But things
have been known to happen. So heed my
warning, shrooms are not exactly
predictable. So be warned. Therefore, I
would really be pleased if all of us kept
together at all times.
Everybody stares at their mushrooms.
TOMMY
So... What do we do now?
LEMMY
(smiling)
Just say yes.
Lemmy eats his mushrooms and jugs a beer.
LEMMY (CONT'D)
(grimacing)
They don't taste so good, but once you
get past that, they're not so bad.
They each take turns eating their mushrooms.
JENNIFER
Oh, they taste terrible.
CRYSTAL
Now what?
LEMMY
Just sit back, wait and enjoy the show.
EXT. HIGH SECURITY ASYLUM - NIGHT
A high-security mental asylum stands, towering above the
Colorado River cliffs.
INT. HIGH SECURITY ASYLUM - CONTINUOUS
A metal window screen is slashed with a straight edged razor
and the window is pried open.
A lone figure crawls out the window.
The ESCAPEE (mid 40'S), a strange looking man with large
hands and a terrible limp in his right leg, makes his way
across the hospital grounds.
EXT. HIGH SECURITY ASYLUM - NIGHT
The escapee cuts a metal fence and slides through it.
He limps away from the hospital and disappears into the
darkness of the night.
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - NIGHT
The escapee stands high above the Colorado River on the
cliffs edge looking down .
He begins his descent toward the river.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - A LITTLE LATER
The candles are burning brightly.
Crystal is staring straight into one of the candles flame.
The mushrooms effect is kicking in.
On Lemmy's ghetto blaster the Doors song, Roadhouse Blues
plays.
Crystal takes a drag on a joint and begins to sing along to
the lyrics as a cloud of smoke pours from her lips.
CRYSTAL
...Roll, roll, roll, gonna thrill my
soul. I'm gonna eat your conch a
choocha, oh, conch conch. I'm gonna, eat
your cudder. Eat your bop a loola. Eat
your, chomp your choocha. Gonna eat some
conch. Yeah, right.
She takes another hit and passes it to Tommy.
Tommy is sitting on the floor next to Crystal. He's
obviously pleasantly polluted and slightly giggling to
himself.
Tommy takes a hit and shotguns the joint into Bobby's mouth.
Tommy passes the joint to Jimmy who is lying on the old couch
with Jennifer in his arms. He puts the joint to her lips and
she hits it. He hits it and passes it to Lemmy.
INT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - NIGHT
The sheriff is sitting along side of a highway when he gets
the call that a serial killer has just escaped from the state
mental hospital.
RADIO (V.O.)
Karl? Karl, you there?
The Sheriff picks up his radio.
SHERIFF
Yeah, I'm here. Where else would I be?
RADIO (V.O.)
We got us a problem. A big problem.
SHERIFF
Spit it out Bobby Joe. I ain't got all
night.
RADIO (V.O.)
Well, here it is... Does the name
Maynard Ferguson ring a bell?
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - NIGHT
Note: A sepia tone filmic look.
Twenty years earlier.
Police lights flash on the exterior of one of the desert
homes. Note: One of the abandoned homes.
A limping teenage boy is led from his families home in
handcuffs by two POLICE OFFICERS.
The boys parents stand on the doorsteps of the home, they
watch helpless as the boy is led away.
Note: The boy's father is the gas station attendant from the
earlier gas station scene.
The limping boy is placed in the backseat of a police
cruiser, the door is shut, the officers get in the cruiser
and the boy is led away.
Another teenage boy peeks out from behind an old tree, a
living tree that appears to be dead. He watches as the
limping boy is led away.
The boy in the cruiser catches a glimpse of the boy hiding
behind the tree. The boy ducks behind the tree as the boy in
the police cruiser continues to look at the tree as the
cruiser continues on.
INT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - NIGHT
The dispatcher has got the sheriff's attention now.
SHERIFF
Well, go on now that you got my
attention.
RADIO (V.O.)
Ferguson escaped from the state facility.
SHERIFF
How the hell did that happen?
RADIO (V.O.)
Don't know that. Just know that he did.
SHERIFF
Jesus Christ.
RADIO (V.O.)
Just thought you'd like to know.
SHERIFF
Thanks Bobby Joe. We'll talk later.
RADIO (V.O.)
That's a big ten four buddy. I'm out.
SHERIFF
Rodger dodger.
The sheriff replaces his radio and contemplates.
EXT. LAKE HAVASU - NIGHT
The escapee limps along a dirt roadway.
He reaches a small clearing on a hilltop.
In the distance is the abandoned neighborhood.
The escapee continues on.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - NIGHT
Crystal is dancing slowly to the Moody Blues song, Don't You
Feel Small.
Jimmy stands and takes Jennifer by the hand. They each pick
up a candle and head for the adjacent bedroom.
LEMMY
Where you guys going?
JIMMY
Gonna find us some privacy.
LEMMY
I thought we all agreed to keep together?
JIMMY
No dude, you thought we would all just
stay together and I guess you thought
wrong. We'll just be in there. If
anyone decides to cut your head off you
be sure to let me know first. I'll see
what I can do.
Lemmy kinda laughs and kinda shrugs it off.
Jimmy and Jennifer leave the room. They close the door
behind them.
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy notices that Lemmy has left the bedroom window open.
He closes it.
Jimmy and Jennifer make their way to an old bed. Their
candles light the room up nicely. They place the candles on
either side of the bed, which light up the room nicely.
Jennifer lies down and breaths deeply.
JENNIFER
Wow!
JIMMY
Are you loving me?
JENNIFER
Nervously.
She smiles. He kisses her face.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Look at the ceiling moving. Do you see?
Do you?
Jimmy lies down and faces the ceiling.
JIMMY
Oh, yeah.
The ceiling is crawling like a massive army of glowing white
ants.
The candle light flickers, cascading waves of shadowy images
on the wall.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy stands and starts to walk outside.
TOMMY
Where are you going dude?
LEMMY
Where do you think?
TOMMY
Oh!
Lemmy opens the door, which appears to open again and again.
The night's skyline resembles an atmosphere far removed from
that of earth. It appears to be a skyline from some far away
distant galaxy. The skyline is purple. The ground is
shimmering bright green and orange and then back to almost
normal appearance.
Lemmy steps outside.
BOBBY
(to Tommy)
Wow!
TOMMY
Wow!
BOBBY
What are you thinking about?
TOMMY
Nothing, everything. I don't know. What
about you?
BOBBY
Shhhhh. Don't talk.
Bobby appears to be concentrating on everything and nothing
at the same time.
Crystal moves to the front door and looks out. She sees
Lemmy, but her interest has turned toward the sky.
She looks back at Lemmy.
CRYSTAL
(softly)
What are you doing out here?
She slowly steps out the front door and into the yard.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Lemmy is sitting beneath one of the tall trees that appears
to be dead.
Crystal seems to be wandering, looking at everything.
She looks up at the branches of the tree and the branches
begin to show a mosaic and strobing effect. She stands
silently watching. Everything seems to blend together,
blurring and leaving multi-colored trails.
Crystal walks over to where Lemmy is sitting. She hugs the
tree.
CRYSTAL
You were right. I can't believe it.
This is the most amazing thing I've ever
done. Everything is so... Every breath
I take feels so good.
It's like I'm aware of everything. Like
I can do anything I want. Wow!
Crystal sits down next to Lemmy.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
When I close my eyes. It's like they're
open wide.
She closes her eyes.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
And when I open them.
She opens her eyes.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
It's like my eyes have always been closed
and I finally see all the hidden things.
Like, God has been here with me all along
and I didn't even know it.
She looks up at the tree and watches it performs it's magic
once again.
Crystal lays her head on Lemmy's shoulder.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
How do you feel right now?
No answer.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
What are you thinking about? Tell me
what you see?
No response.
A long slow moving shadow that comes from the back of the
house covers her body.
She turns and sees nothing.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Did you see that?
Crystal begins to play with Lemmy's hair and finally realizes
that he appears dead. Her eyes open wide, she gets a closer
look.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Stop playing around. OK?
He's not playing around. He's definitely dead.
Crystal pokes at him and he slightly slides to his side.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Lemmy, stop it.
She pushes him again. Again he slides slightly to his side.
Crystal stands and realizes he's dead.
She screams. The shadow reappears.
She whips her head around and her eyes open wide.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Huh!!!
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jennifer is making a pattern with her hands in the air. Her
fingers leave a trail of multiple fingers behind
JIMMY
What was that?
JENNIFER
What was what?
JIMMY
It sounded like somebody screamed. Like
Crystal was screaming.
JENNIFER
You better go check up on the others and
make sure everything is OK.
JENNIFER (CONT'D)
Yeah, I will.
She continues playing with her hands. Jimmy stands ever so
slowly.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Crystal is staring at Tommy and Bobby at the front door.
Bobby and Tommy exit the house and see the terrified Crystal.
TOMMY
What happened?
CRYSTAL
There's something wrong with Lemmy.
BOBBY
He's just fooling around again. He's
just trying to scare you.
They approach Lemmy and just watch him a moment.
Bobby kicks at Lemmy.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
C'mon, stop it. You're scaring Crystal.
Lemmy doesn't move.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
C'mon, man. Get up!
Nothing.
Tommy bends down and gets a closer look. He looks up at
Bobby.
TOMMY
Oh, my God. He's dead.
BOBBY
That's not possible.
Bobby bends down and grabs Lemmy's face slapping it a few
times and shaking his head.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
C'mon, Lemmy. Snap out of it.
Nothing.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Maybe he did too many mushrooms. Maybe
he's OD'd.
Jimmy comes to the doorway.
JIMMY
What's going on?
BOBBY
Lemmy's OD'd.
JIMMY
What?
CRYSTAL
We can't just stand here. We got to do
something!
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jennifer lies in the bed.
The window is open.
A shadowy figure stands above her.
He pulls out a straight edge razor.
Jennifer looks up.
JENNIFER
Jimmy?
The straight edge razor is opened.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The group continues trying to revive Lemmy.
TOMMY
We got to get him to a hospital quick.
JIMMY
We're hours from anywhere.
TOMMY
That's why we've got to hurry. Let's go.
BOBBY
Tommy's right. We gotta move fast.
JIMMY
Bobby, help me get him up.
Jimmy and Bobby try to pick him up. He's too heavy, like so
much dead weight.
Jimmy reaches into his pocket and pulls out the car keys and
hands them to Tommy.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
(to Tommy)
Tommy, go get my car.
Tommy takes the keys and runs for the car.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
I got to get Jennifer. I'll be right
back.
He runs toward the house.
BOBBY
I'm going with you.
Bobby runs toward the house.
CRYSTAL
Don't leave me here.
She runs toward the house, following behind.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
They stand in the front room calling for Jennifer.
JIMMY
(to Jennifer)
Jennifer something happened to Lemmy. We
got to get going now.
No answer.
CRYSTAL
What if Lemmy didn't die? What if he was
killed?
JIMMY
That's nonsense. Lemmy's going to be
alright.
(to Jennifer)
Jennifer, honey we got to go. Now!
No answer.
CRYSTAL
Something's wrong I can feel it.
JIMMY
(agitated)
Stop it Crystal, you're only making
matters worse.
The door slowly opens.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Jennifer?
The blood stained straight edged razor is tossed out of the
bedroom.
It slides across the floor and comes to a rest at Jimmy's
feet.
The three looked scared and confused. There legs are already
trembling.
BOBBY
Jimmy, let's get the fuck out of here.
JIMMY
I can't just leave Jennifer in there.
BOBBY
Don't go in there Jimmy. There's
somebody in there.
There is a slight thump sound. Note: It's the window closing.
Jimmy slowly walks toward the room.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
(panicking)
Let's get the fuck out of here.
Crystal screams. She begins to cry aloud.
CRYSTAL
Jimmy, I'm scared.
Jimmy continues toward the room.
He reaches the door.
He looks around the corner and sees Jennifer as if she too is
sleeping. The dusty white bed covers have been pulled up to
cover her entire body except for her face.
The candles have been blown out and the window has been
closed. Yet the room is well lit.
Jimmy is too consumed staring at Jennifer to notice the
reflection of flames that are coming from outside of the
house.
Jimmy walks to the bed and begins to slowly pull down the
covers that cover Jennifer's body.
JIMMY
Oh, my God.
Stunned and wide-eyed, Jimmy doesn't realize that he is still
clutching the white sheet that was covering Jennifer's body.
He walks backwards until he is flush against the wall.
Finally, Jimmy hears something. The sound of a well fueled
fire is burning. He notices the flames reflecting off of the
house next door.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Oh, my God. Tommy!
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy runs out of the bedroom. Bobby grabs him, this
startles Jimmy and he shutters.
BOBBY
What wrong?
JIMMY
Let me go.
BOBBY
What's wrong?
JIMMY
She's dead.
BOBBY
(in total denial)
No. It can't be. This isn't happening.
CRYSTAL
(screaming)
I knew it. I knew it.
JIMMY
(grabbing Bobby)
Listen to me. We got to get out of here.
We got to get to Tommy.
Jimmy drags Bobby out of the house. Crystal follows closely
behind.
EXT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy runs up to where the car had been parked.
He stops and stares in disbelief.
Bobby and Crystal run to his side. They too are speechless.
Tommy is sitting in the drivers seat of the Hearse. It's
engulfed in flames. Tommy's body is charred black as coal.
Bobby starts to freak out.
BOBBY
(screaming)
What's going on? Somebody tell me what
the hell is happening here?
JIMMY
Someone wants to kill us.
BOBBY
Who? Why? What the hell have we done?
He spins in circles looking about him for the villain to
approach.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
What do you want?
CRYSTAL
What are we going to do now? How are we
going to get out of here? The car...
JIMMY
I don't know.
Jimmy's brain is going a million miles an hour.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
The gas station! It's our only chance.
CRYSTAL
That's a long way off. We'll never make
it.
JIMMY
It's not as far as you think. Maybe a
couple of miles.
Jimmy grabs Bobby.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
We can use the phone and call for help.
C'mon, Bobby hang in there. I need you
now and you need me more than ever.
CRYSTAL
We'll never make it. Whoever is doing
this will never let us get away.
JIMMY
(grabbing Crystal)
Look, do you want to stay here and become
the next victim? Do you?
BOBBY
(crying)
I'm scared.
Crystal is crying again.
CRYSTAL
I'm really scared Jimmy.
JIMMY
Look. I'm scared too. But, I'm not
going to give up without a fight. Our
only hope is to get to that gas station.
Now, lets go.
Jimmy starts to run. He runs past Lemmy's dead body.
Crystal and Bobby follow.
Tommy's body continues to burn in the car.
EXT. ABANDONED TOWN - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal race through the neighborhood of
endless boarded up houses.
EXT. ROADSIDE - CONTINUOUS
The three close in on the gas station.
Panicky and out of breath they stop to rest.
BOBBY
Look, the lights on. The old guy must
still be in.
JIMMY
Let's hope he's a little more hospitable
than he was earlier.
He starts toward the station and then stops.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Don't say anything. Let's just use the
phone and call for help.
The continue on toward the gas station.
EXT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS
They reach the pay phone and the wire has been cut. It's
dangling on the receiver.
BOBBY
This can't be happening.
Jimmy runs into the station.
JIMMY
Hey, mister? You hear?
No answer.
Crystal and Bobby make it into the gas station as well.
Jimmy is staring down behind the counter.
His head drops.
BOBBY
What is it?
JIMMY
Don't look.
But Bobby and Crystal have to look.
They find the attendant's hands tied together over his head
with duct tape, his feet are bound together and his face is
covered with the remaining role of tape. He's been smothered
to death.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Jesus Christ, what a way to go.
CRYSTAL
Look!
A pair of headlights approach the gas station from the
distance. They blur and the movement blend together.
Jimmy grabs at the light switch and turns them off.
BOBBY
Why'd you do that?
JIMMY
What if it's him?
BOBBY
What if it's not? We can flag Ôem down
for help. We can get the hell out of
here.
Bobby runs out of the gas station.
Slowly moving toward the gas station is the sheriff's
cruiser.
He's got his spotlight on and the drugs effect makes it look
like some kind of beacon.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
(calling back to Jimmy)
It's the sheriff.
CRYSTAL
Thank God!
Bobby starts to run into the street to flag the sheriff down.
Jimmy runs after him.
JIMMY
Bobby, what are you doing? Are you out
of your mind?
BOBBY
Yes. Right now I'd say I'm a bit out of
my mind.
JIMMY
That's right. You're out of your mind.
Think, Bobby. If that cop finds us here,
we're as good as dead. He'll think we
killed that guy and our friends. We're
stoned. That's all they'll need to hang
us.
BOBBY
What do you want to do?
JIMMY
C'mon.
Jimmy runs into the brush. Bobby and Crystal follow.
They duck down behind some brush and watch as the sheriff's
cruiser approaches the station.
The sheriff shines his light onto the gas station. He slowly
continues on.
Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal take cover, as the sheriff shines
his light over the place where the three are hiding.
The sheriff car stops.
They sit wide-eyed and silent.
The sheriff continues on.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
We got to get to the river. We got to
get back to that place Echo Lodge. I'm
sure that old guys got to have a phone we
can use.
They run off again.
EXT. OLD CEMETARY - A LITTLE LATER
The three come across a small cemetary.
Bobby stops.
BOBBY
Oh, my God. Look!
Bobby does not want to pass through the cemetary.
JIMMY
It's not the dead we have to fear. It's
some sick fuck that's trying to kill us.
Let's go.
CRYSTAL
No. I can't.
JIMMY
You can and you will.
Jimmy has to pull Crystal and Bobby along.
They race through the cemetary.
Two pairs of feet stick out from behind one of the
headstones, they belong to the missing campers, this goes
unnoticed by Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal..
Two very decomposed bodies are hidden behind the headstone.
They continue to run on.
EXT. ECHO LODGE - A LITTLE LATER
Jimmy, Crystal and Bobby expect someone to leap out at them
at any moment as they make their way past dozens of abandoned
trailers.
BOBBY
How are we supposed to find where this
guy lives? If he lives here at all?
JIMMY
Just stay with me. And keep your eyes
open.
They move to where the groundskeeper's golfcart sits, not far
off.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
That's it!
BOBBY
Wait. What if it's the groundskeeper?
CRYSTAL
Yeah, what if he's waiting for us to come
to him?
JIMMY
If he wanted to kill us, then why would
he kill the gas station attendant who's
been around here for years? It doesn't
make sense.
CRYSTAL
None of this makes any sense.
JIMMY
I don't think it's him.
BOBBY
How can you be sure?
JIMMY
Right now there's nothing I'm sure of.
Jimmy continues on. Bobby and Crystal follow.
EXT. GROUNDSKEEPER'S TRAILER - CONTINUOUS
The only light coming from the trailer is that of a
television set.
They slowly make their way up onto the porch.
Jimmy peers into the window.
There is no sign of the groundskeeper. Only the small black
and white television set, which is on gives any indication
that he must be near by.
Jimmy knocks on the door.
No answer.
He knocks harder and the door slides open. Jimmy sticks his
head in the door.
JIMMY
Hello, is anyone hear? Hello, excuse me
we're sorry to bother you, but we have an
emergency. Hello? Is anyone here?
BOBBY
Just get to the phone and call for help.
They enter the trailer.
INT. TRAILER - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy finds the phone and picks it up.
No dial tone.
JIMMY
It's dead.
Bobby slides into one of the chairs and covers his face with
his hands.
BOBBY
This can't be happening.
CRYSTAL
Now what?
JIMMY
I don't know.
Suddenly, the television broadcasts a special news bulletin.
TV (V.O.)
We interrupt this broadcast to bring you
a special news bulletin.
A NEWSCASTER begins to give a report.
NEWSCASTER
Earlier this evening, at approximately
eight p.m., Maynard Ferguson, a little
known serial killer has escaped from
Avion State Mental Hospital, which is
East of Wilmington. All highway drivers
are warned not pick up hitchhikers and to
immediately report anybody that seems
suspicious. Ferguson has vowed not to be
taken alive.
JIMMY
Wait! Listen to this.
Jimmy turns up the TV. A black and white picture of a
teenager is flashed on the screen.
NEWSCASTER
Ferguson has been held for more than
twenty years at Avion's high-security
prison facility since his arrest and
conviction for multiple first degree
murders. Ferguson's has a tatoo of a
white rose on his forearm and a shattered
right ankle, which he had obtained from
an accident as a youth. If you see this
person...
The TV flashes an old picture of the escapee.
NEWSCASTER (CONT'D)
... contact the appropriate authorities
immediately. Do not attempt to apprehend
or approach. Ferguson is considered,
armed and extremely dangerous. We now
return you to the program that was
already in progress.
Jimmy turns off the TV.
BOBBY
Maybe, this nut is the one who's killed
our friends?
CRYSTAL
What are we going to do now?
JIMMY
We got to find a way to get out of here.
BOBBY
But how?
Jimmy thinks for a moment.
JIMMY
The dam! The riverboat. The river runs
south for miles. We can just go with the
flow until we reach the next town.
BOBBY
Do you think it will really work?
JIMMY
We got no other choice.
EXT. PARKER DAM - A LITTLE LATER
Jimmy, Crystal and Bobby race across almost the length of the
dam.
CRYSTAL
Wait! I need to rest.
She stops and tries to catch her breath.
BOBBY
C'mon, Crystal. If that crazy nut case
catches up with us, you'll have plenty of
time to rest. For eternity! Now let's
go.
CRYSTAL
I can't go on. Just give me a moment to
catch my breath. Please!
Jimmy's eyes open wide.
JIMMY
Bobby, look over there.
Jimmy points to the other side of the dam.
BOBBY
Oh, my God. Do you think he sees us?
On the other side of the dam, rapidly approaching them is the
escapee Maynard Ferguson.
Holding his bad right leg he limps along the way at a rapid
pace.
CRYSTAL
(screams)
It's him. It's him.
Jimmy grabs her mouth and tries to shut her up.
JIMMY
If he didn't see us, he does now. Let's
move it!
Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal run for their lives as the escapee
quickly scurries along.
EXT. PARKER DAM/CLIFFSIDE - CONTINUOUS
The three stumble down the cliff and make their way to the
boat.
The escapee makes his way across the dam.
Bobby begins to pull up the boat anchor.
CRYSTAL
Hurry, Bobby. Please, hurry!
Bobby continues to pull up the chain. Suddenly, there
appears to be something in the water.
The groundskeeper is tied to the bottom of the boat anchor.
BOBBY
Jesus!
Bobby drops the anchor in horror and stumbles backward. He
falls into the water.
Bobby pushes the groundskeeper's body off of him.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
(panicking)
No.
Jimmy quickly helps him out of the water.
The escapee begins to stumble down the cliff.
Jimmy nervously and quickly unhooks the rope.
The groundskeeper floats away.
CRYSTAL
(squealing)
Jimmy, hurry.
Bobby picks up an oar.
BOBBY
C'mon, you crazy bastard.
Crystal can't stop screaming.
Jimmy pushes the boat from the piling.
The escapee is now upon them. He steps into the water and
moves toward the riverboat.
Bobby whacks him with the paddle, and again.
The boat moves out of the shallow water and into the flow,
moving downstream.
The escapee continues along the water until he's in about
knee deep. He continues to keep pace with the riverboat.
ESCAPEE
Come here! I want to talk to you.
Bobby continues to wave the oar over his head like a baseball
bat.
BOBBY
You sick fuck.
The riverboat moves down the river slowly.
The water gets too deep for the escapee. He exits the water
and follows down river along the riverbank.
CRYSTAL
He's following us.
JIMMY
Jesus. Now what?
The three stand silently on the riverboat as it slowly moves
further along down the river.
BOBBY
(quietly)
We're not going to get away. I can feel
it.
The escapee continues to follow along the riverbank.
EXT. COLORADO RIVER - A LITTLE LATER
The full moon blurs high above the river.
BOBBY
Can you see him?
JIMMY
No. It's been a while.
CRYSTAL
What now?
JIMMY
We get the hell as far away from that
place as we can.
CRYSTAL
And then what?
JIMMY
We just wait.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. COLORADO RIVER - A LITTLE LATER
Bobby won't let go of the oar.
CRYSTAL
You know, I realize something now.
Something I never really faced before.
BOBBY
What's that?
CRYSTAL
How small we really are. The human race
covers this entire planet. But, we're
not that important are we? I mean, life
is actually pretty cheap isn't it? We
don't mean a damn thing, not when you
look at the big picture.
BOBBY
(shouting)
Look!
Straight ahead of them a sharp rock protrudes out of the
water.
There's nothing they can do except brace themselves.
The boat runs into the rock. A whole is ripped in the hull
of the boat.
The boat begins to swiftly sink.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
We're sinking.
CRYSTAL
Oh, my God.
JIMMY
Don't panic.
The boat disappears into the water.
Jimmy tries to find Crystal and Bobby.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Bobby?
BOBBY
I'm right here.
Bobby swims over to Jimmy.
CRYSTAL
(shouting)
Jimmy? Where are you?
JIMMY
It's OK. I see you.
Jimmy swims to Crystal and holds on to her.
Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal swim toward the shore.
EXT. SHORELINE - A LITTLE LATER
The shoreline is covered with high reed grass.
Jimmy, Bobby and Crystal reach the grass and move toward the
shore.
Surrounded by the high reed grass, Crystal stops Jimmy.
JIMMY
What is it?
She's crying on his shoulder.
CRYSTAL
I'm scared. I know he's out there. I
can feel it. Let's just stay here.
BOBBY
We can't stay here.
JIMMY
Don't worry Crystal. I won't let
anything happen to you.
Then a strange humming sound fills the air.
An eerie light splits the mountain side. The sound grows
louder and the light seems to sway about, lighting up the
whole sky.
Two bright headlights appear. A semi-truck whizzes down a
highway, high above the river floor where Jimmy, Bobby and
Crystal are standing.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Do you see that? It's a highway. We can
flag down someone for help. Do you see
it Crystal? We're home free.
BOBBY
Let's go.
They slowly exit the reed grass.
EXT. DESERT - A LITTLE LATER
Many stars fill the sky. A shooting star shoots across the
sky.
Jimmy, Bobby, and Crystal walk through the desert sluggishly.
Cars continue to pass along the highway high above their
position.
CRYSTAL
Please, let me rest a while.
BOBBY
We got to keep moving.
CRYSTAL
I can't.
Jimmy notices a small cave not far off.
JIMMY
Look at that. It's a cave.
BOBBY
So, it's a cave?
JIMMY
Why don't we rest there for the night.
Wait till morning and then go for help.
CRYSTAL
Yes, it's got to be a safe place for us
to hide until daylight.
They move toward the cave.
Crystal takes a seat. Jimmy sits next to her. She lies her
head in his lap.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Bobby, I want to thank you.
BOBBY
Thank me? For what?
CRYSTAL
I don't think I could have made it this
far if it wasn't for you.
BOBBY
What do you mean?
CRYSTAL
Every time I wanted to give up, you were
there, pulling me along. Thanks.
BOBBY
Thanks?
CRYSTAL
Yeah, thanks.
Bobby sits down.
BOBBY
Well, I'll tell you this. If I could go
back and do it all over. I'd apologize
to Lemmy. I mean, he was a pretty cool
guy and I was always picking on him. I
really was jealous of him. He always got
the cool chick, right? Look, he had you
didn't he? I never felt so terrible in
my whole life as when I saw him lying
there dead. I felt helpless almost like
it was my fault. I knew there was nothing
I could do. I just wished I could tell
him I'm sorry. I just hope he knows how
I feel now.
CRYSTAL
He knows.
BOBBY
(teary eyed)
Do you think he forgives me?
CRYSTAL
Yeah, Bobby. He forgives you.
BOBBY
(laughing)
What a nut he was.
How about that leap off of the dam. That
was really something else. I'll never
forget that as long as I live. Never.
JIMMY
Yeah, that was pretty amazing.
Jimmy starts to cry for the first time.
CRYSTAL
What wrong?
JIMMY
It's been such a crazy night, I haven't
had time to think about Jennifer. Poor
Jennifer.
BOBBY
Can I ask what happened to her?
JIMMY
(sadly)
She was carved up everywhere. Everywhere
except her face.
(angry)
What a sick, vicious bastard.
BOBBY
How about Tommy? He was really something
else. A total genius and complete
goofball all rapped up in one.
Bobby realizes that Crystal is almost sleeping in Jimmy's
lap.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
(to Jimmy)
Look, why don't you guys get some rest.
JIMMY
What about you?
BOBBY
I couldn't sleeping. I'll keep a look
out. Get some rest, it'll be morning
before you know it.
JIMMY
You sure?
BOBBY
Yeah.
JIMMY
OK, Bobby.
Bobby walks to the opening of the cave and sits down.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Bobby, good night.
He looks out over the valley and the river below.
DISSOLVE TO:
Bobby is sitting at the front of the cave.
Crystal opens her eyes and sees a shadowy figure moving about
outside of the cave.
She silently opens her eyes and looks again.
The shadowy figure stops moving, it appears to be looking
straight at her. She jostles Jimmy.
CRYSTAL
Jimmy?
Jimmy is sleeping.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Bobby?
(louder)
Bobby?
The shadowy figure disappears into the brush.
Crystal screams.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
It's him. He's here.
Jimmy is startled awake.
JIMMY
What's wrong?
CRYSTAL
It's him. He's out there.
Jimmy jumps up.
JIMMY
Bobby?
Jimmy moves to Bobby.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
Bobby?
Bobby is dead.
He's sitting frozen in place where Jimmy had said good night
to him earlier.
Jimmy gets a closer look. Bobby is bleeding from both his
wrists. They've been slashed.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
My God.
CRYSTAL
What? What is it?
JIMMY
Bobby's dead.
CRYSTAL
No. No. Jimmy, what'll we do? He's out
there. He's out there somewhere.
JIMMY
There's only one thing we can do. We got
to get to the highway as fast as we can.
EXT. DESERT - A LITTLE LATER
Jimmy and Crystal race across the desert and up the steep
embankment that leads to the highway.
The cars that race by on the highway are getting closer.
EXT. HIGHWAY - A LITTLE LATER
Jimmy and Crystal make their way up the steep cliff.
Above them a truck passes by.
JIMMY
We're almost there.
Crystal slips a bit down the steep embankment.
Jimmy grabs at her wrist. He pulls her up and she manages to
clamor to the highway.
Crystal reaches down to offer Jimmy her assistance.
Just as Jimmy is about to reach to the edge of the highway,
Crystal sees something that she doesn't want to see.
CRYSTAL
Jimmy, don't move.
JIMMY
What?
Jimmy looks at what Crystal is looking at and sees a
rattlesnake nest, which is within arms length.
Jimmy slowly reaches up with his left hand to grab the edge
of the road. Just as he is pulling himself to safety, the
rattler strikes out.
Jimmy gets bit on the right hand, which leaves two small
bloody holes in his hand.
Jimmy pulls himself up on the highway.
JIMMY (CONT'D)
He got me.
Jimmy grabs his hand and moves along the highway.
A car approaches.
Crystal tries in vain to flag it down.
It doesn't stop.
A truck approaches.
Crystal tries to flag it down.
It too doesn't slow for them.
CRYSTAL
Dam them.
Jimmy and Crystal continue to walk along the highway.
Jimmy starts to slow down, he holds his right hand.
Crystal tries to pull him along. She can't.
Jimmy falls to his knees and then lies down along side of the
highway.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
C'mon, Jimmy. We've got to move on.
She looks out over the vast wasteland.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
He's out there. Somewhere! Goddamn it
Jimmy get up. We can't quit now.
JIMMY
OK.
He sits up.
Jimmy starts to laugh.
CRYSTAL
I don't see what's so funny?
Jimmy continues to laugh.
He points down the highway.
Frightened Crystal turns to look.
She sees nothing.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
What? What is it.
Jimmy continues to laugh.
He's pointing at a sign, which is right next to them.
The sign reads, Burro Crossing.
JIMMY
(laughing and crying)
Look. They were burros. Tommy was
right. He was always right. He was
right about everything. We should've
listened to him. We should have never
come here.
Jimmy falls back down.
Headlights shine on Crystal and Jimmy.
Crystal looks up.
CRYSTAL
Jimmy!
Jimmy turns and sees it too.
The sheriff's cruiser is pulling over to the side of the road
where they are positioned.
Crystal runs toward the car.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Help us. Please, help.
The sheriff roles down his window.
SHERIFF
What's wrong little lady?
CRYSTAL
My friend has been bit by a rattlesnake.
He needs help.
The sheriff takes out the handkerchief from his pocket and
wipes the tears from Crystal's eyes.
SHERIFF
Don't worry I'll take care of it.
The sheriff jumps out of the car and runs to Jimmy's aid.
SHERIFF (CONT'D)
Easy boy. We'll get you some help.
The sheriff helps Jimmy to his feet and to his car.
CRYSTAL
(frantic to the sheriff)
There's a killer after us. Our friends
are dead. They're all dead.
SHERIFF
Whoah. Slow down. What's that?
CRYSTAL
Our friends they're dead.
SHERIFF
What are you talking about?
CRYSTAL
We were partying at an abandoned house.
We know it was wrong, but then our
friends have all been killed by an
escaped serial killer.
SHERIFF
Do you think you can show me this
abandoned house?
CRYSTAL
I think so.
SHERIFF
Get in.
He helps Crystal into the backseat where he had placed Jimmy.
The sheriff enters the car and races off.
INT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy is getting bad. Crystal shows some concern.
The car moves along the dirt road.
DISSOLVE TO:
The abandoned neighborhood comes into full view.
CRYSTAL
There it is!
SHERIFF
Are you sure this is it?
CRYSTAL
Yes.
The sheriff's cruiser drives around one of the barricades and
drives down the streets.
The drive past several houses.
Jimmy is almost unconscious.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Sir, we got to get my friend to a
hospital.
SHERIFF
He'll get real sick for a while, but
he'll be OK. Only time can wear off the
poison. So, which one of these houses is
it?
CRYSTAL
I don't know. They all look the same.
The cruiser continues on.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Wait! I think it's that one.
The sheriff stops his car.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Yes, it's that one for sure.
SHERIFF
Are you certain?
CRYSTAL
Yes.
The sheriff pulls over and stops his car.
He jumps out of the vehicle and draws his gun. He opens the
car door.
SHERIFF
Show me.
CRYSTAL
I'm scared.
SHERIFF
You're with me. No one can hurt you now.
Crystal turns to Jimmy.
CRYSTAL
Jimmy, we'll be right back. OK!
No response. She kisses his forehead.
Crystal and the sheriff move toward the place where the car
was parked.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
It's gone. The car was right there. It
was right there.
The sheriff shines his flashlight.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Believe me, it was right there on fire.
Tommy was burned to death right there!
SHERIFF
OK, I believe you, but I remember your
friend telling me he had electrical
problems with his car. Maybe it caught
on fire. But, maybe you're mistaken
about where you left it?
CRYSTAL
I'm sure it was right there. What's
going on?
SHERIFF
Show me where the other bodies are.
Crystal takes him to the tree.
Lemmy's body is gone.
CRYSTAL
My boyfriend Lemmy was right there. He's
gone too.
SHERIFF
Is this the house?
CRYSTAL
Yes.
The sheriff moves toward the house.
Crystal freezes.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Don't leave me alone.
She runs to the sheriff.
They enter the home.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The sheriff slowly moves about the front room. The candles,
the beer bottles, all are gone.
CRYSTAL
(pointing to the bedroom)
Jennifer's in there.
SHERIFF
Show me.
Crystal won't go into the room.
SHERIFF (CONT'D)
It's OK. I'm right here with you.
INT. BEDROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Crystal slowly goes into the room.
The sheriff cocks his trigger and follows behind her.
Nothing.
Crystal turns and sees the sheriff's gun cocked. She becomes
frightened. The sheriff doesn't seem to notice.
SHERIFF
There's nothing here.
CRYSTAL
Something's wrong. Really wrong.
SHERIFF
Maybe so, but right now there's nothing
more we can do, we got to get your friend
some help. Let's go.
The sheriff exits the bedroom. Crystal runs after him.
INT. FRONT ROOM/ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The sheriff is already outside.
Crystal is exiting and notices the front lock on the door.
It's damaged from when they had first entered.
CRYSTAL
Look!
The sheriff comes to the door.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
See, this is the right house. We broke
the door when we entered.
The sheriff shines his flashlight on the door lock that is
broken.
The sheriff pulls her away from the door and toward the car.
SHERIFF
C'mon.
Crystal can't take her eyes off of the broken door as the
sheriff pulls her along.
EXT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - A LITTLE LATER
The cruiser continues down a long dirt road.
EXT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
Jimmy is moaning from the snakebite pain.
SHERIFF
Hang in there buddy. You're gonna be OK.
The cruiser continues down the road.
Suddenly, the escapee jumps in front of the cruiser.
The sheriff slams on his brakes. The car comes to a stop
just short of plowing into the escapee.
CRYSTAL
It's him!
EXT. DIRT ROAD - CONTINUOUS
The escapee looks into the car for what seems like an
eternity.
INT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
The escapee races into the brush.
The sheriff reaches for his rifle and simultaneously throws
open his door.
The sheriff races after the escapee.
CRYSTAL
(shouting)
Don't leave us like this.
The sound of the sheriff's shoes crunching on the dirt road
dissipates as he too disappears into the brush.
The only sound that can be heard from inside the police
cruiser is the sound of the driver side opened door.
The door chimes continuously. On and on.
Bugs fly around the front headlights.
The headlights point to oblivion down the endless dirt road.
JIMMY
(sluggish)
What's happening?
CRYSTAL
I don't know.
Jimmy closes his eyes. Crystal sits waiting and waiting.
She tries the car door and it's locked. She can't open it.
She pushes on it harder and harder. It's no use, it won't
budge.
She watches through the protective screen, waiting to see
what will happen next.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
(shouting)
Where are you?
More silence.
The sound of crickets becomes apparent.
Then there is the sound of footsteps approaching the car.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Jimmy!
The sound grows closer.
Crystals eyes are wide open.
She sees the sheriff approaching the vehicle with the shotgun
at the escapee's back.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
Oh, my God. Jimmy look!
Jimmy slightly looks up.
Just as the escapee and the sheriff make their way to the
front of the cruiser and directly in front of the headlights,
the escapee makes his move, turning swiftly and grabbing for
the shotgun.
The sheriff and the escapee wrestle for the gun.
They fall to the ground out of view.
The sound of struggling continues.
The vehicle is bumped a few times during the struggle for the
gun.
JIMMY
What's happening?
CRYSTAL
I don't no. I don't no.
The struggle continues out of sight.
Then the sound of a single shot goes off that coincides with
a flash and a painful squeal.
There's a moment of silence. Then the sound of gravel moving
about.
The vehicle bounces from the weight of someone pulling
themselves up.
Then a pair of hands reach up onto the hood.
The escapee comes into view.
Crystal screams.
CRYSTAL (CONT'D)
No. No. Get away. Get away.
He pulls himself up and looks into the car.
The escapee speaks faintly.
ESCAPEE
I tried to tell you. I tried!
The escapee's fingers slide down the hood of the car and too
his right
The escapee's body slides to his right and falls to the
ground, revealing a shotgun blast in his back.
A moment of silence. The sound of gravel again.
The sound of crickets grow slightly louder.
The sheriff stands, he has the still smoking shotgun in his
hand.
He picks up his hat and places it on his head and fixes the
hats position.
He slowly walks to the car and pulls out his handkerchief and
spits in it. He polishes his cowboy boots. And then gets
in.
The sheriff places the shotgun in it's holder. He turns
around and looks at Crystal, the ceiling light is casting an
eerie shadow over his face.
The car door is still chiming repeatedly.
SHERIFF
(to Crystal)
I told you I'd take care of you. Didn't
I?
The sheriff turns to Jimmy.
SHERIFF (CONT'D)
I guess you ain't gonna have to worry
about that brake light after all.
Jimmy just closes his eyes too weak to respond.
The sheriff turns around and fixes his rear view mirror so he
can see the fear in Crystal's eyes.
He shuts the door and the chiming stops. The overhead light
goes out.
CRYSTAL
(slowly and softly realizing
her peril)
No. No.
(screaming)
Noooooooooo.
The sheriff starts the car.
Crystal continues to scream aloud.
The cruiser surges forward slowly, deliberately running over
the body of the escapee. First the front tires and then the
back.
EXT. SHERIFF'S CRUISER - CONTINUOUS
The car continues down the road.
The sound of the crickets grow louder and louder and louder.
FADE OUT.
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