Something To Look Forward To

Something To Look Forward To By Henry J. Baugh

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Light in our eyes, out of the stark black - and, white walls and floors. A porcelain sink - a small gob of blood and saliva drips into it. And, we’re in INT. BATHROOM Obvious, in hindsight. A bleary-eyed face looks at us, in the mirror, a small line of blood still dribbling down his chin. He blows, and something flies out of his mouth, clattering on the mirror, and into the sink. He grabs the towel immediately next to the sink, wiping his face. Turns on the faucet, washing the mix of bodily fluids away, down the drain. This is JONATHAN. He stands up a little straighter, and gives himself a look over. There’s a line of what kind of look like stitches that runs over his left shoulder, and another near his stomach. He runs his hand over the set on his abdomen. Enough of this nonsense. He slides on the loose T-shirt lying next to the sink JONATHAN (v.o.) I’m an optimist. INT. KITCHEN Into a glass, tea pours. Ice cubes. Jonathan takes a gulp, and grimaces from the twinge of the nerves JONATHAN (v.o.) This will heal up pretty soon. It’s night outside. He walks out of the kitchen, and flops down on the couch, turning on the television. ON THE TELEVISION It’s a news report - masses of people, in the downtown streets. And, there’s a line of men in uniform, coming from the opposite side - never stopping, only slowing to fire something in the air every so often, or into the crowd. There’s some narration, but it doesn’t matter. It fades in and out of focus. It soon seems to devolve into a weird sort of montage of images: (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

- fists, thrust in the air - several large white control-vans rolling by - batons thrust against skulls - one car takes off, like a bat of hell. Faster and faster, and faster and faster, and CUT TO EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - DAY Jonathan presses the ’release’ button, and pushes open the gate door - behind him, we can see, there’s a small camera mounted on the top of the gate’s left supporting pillar. And, directly opposite, another one on the right. He walks slowly, cautiously - head held low, decked out in a it’s-really-too-small blue hoodie. CUT TO Jonathan pushes through a small wall of reeds and brush, into what seems to be a makeshift walkway, made of old crates and we’re in EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY Across the parking lot, there’s another one of those conspicuous white vans - just sitting there, idly. We can see, in the driver’s seat, there’s what looks like a policeman, eyes hidden behind a pair of thick glasses. Jonathan hops up onto the sidewalk, and toward the door of the "In ’N Out -" INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY He makes his way to the counter, and leans in toward the cashier. JONATHAN How long has he been out there? CASHIER I don’t know. He was there when I got here this morning.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

Jonathan "mmm’s" in reply, and turns to look at something O.S. CUT TO EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY Jonathan stops outside the door, and gives the van a look. The driver seems to acknowledge it, waving him away. EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - DAY Jonathan stops outside the gate, at the code input - starts to punch it in. He looks up. The white van is making its way toward him, slowly. The gate starts to slide open, and he practically jumps over the iron guide, heading behind the fence and again keeping his head lowered. The van slows - there’s a noise. Jonathan looks up. The Driver is tapping his finger on the window, looking at him. And, he just keeps doing it. INT. LIVING ROOM Jonathan doesn’t stop - he pulls the drink he bought out of the sack, leaving it on the floor, and heads toward the back door, onto EXT. THE PORCH - letting loose a breath of air long held in. Taking a swig of drink. CUT TO It’s the news again. Over a hastily filmed video that looks like it was shot out of the back of a moving truck, we hear the anchor trying to quickly get his words out - at intervals of every fifteen-or-so feet, there are what look like policemen stationed. There’s even a riot officer or two, there.

(CONTINUED)

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4.

The camera moves, revealing the anchor speaking straight into it, smiling widely. He points back in their general direction CUT TO INT. DART BUS (MOVING) Jonathan sits at the back, his hand held up to block out the surrounding noise. EXT. DOWNTOWN GARLAND - DAY As the bus putters off, Jonathan heads across the street, toward the Wal-Mart parking lot. Someone’s crossing over to join him, mid-stride. He’s a gawky looking fellow, in khaki shorts. They don’t notice each other at first. Jonathan does a double-take when he realizes how close he really is, this GUY. GUY Say, man. You smoke? JONATHAN What? No. GUY Oh. That’s cool. The guy still hasn’t let up. GUY ...You drink? JONATHAN No. No, I don’t drink. GUY Man, ’cause you know, I could go for one, right about now. Shit. Shit. He rubs the back of his head. GUY Man, I got to get out. Jonathan turns around.

(CONTINUED)

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5. JONATHAN What?

The guy shrugs it off. GUY Oh, nothing. I was just yakkin’ off by myself, you know. Jonathan stops. GUY Say, man. You know I didn’t catch your name, right? JONATHAN It’s Arthur. The guy turns his head over to the other side. GUY A-say it again, would you? Got this ear, you know. Jonathan leans in a little. JONATHAN It’s Arthur Harris. The guy holds his hand out. GUY Ah, well. I’m Gary Odd. Jonathan shakes it, still a little apprehensive of this guy, this Gary Odd. Gary looks off over to the side - there’s two riot policemen, walking semi-leisurely down the sidewalk. GUY Now, why the hell are they sending them down here, anyhow? He turns back to face Jonathan. GUY What d’you think? Jonathan shrugs. GUY If I were a smart man - but I’m not, don’t get me wrong - I’d get me up in my car, and get out somewheres. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6. (beat) ’Cause, I mean - it’s gonna start getting all to hell down here, pretty soon.

Jonathan nods. Gary snaps off, onto a different tangent. GUY I mean, how old are you, anyhow? JONATHAN Nineteen. GUY Ah. You go to college, right? JONATHAN Yeah - well, I mean I did, until they started the raids, and all of that. GUY You live on campus? JONATHAN Oh, no. I’ve got an apartment off down by the lake. GUY Lakeside, ah. They shuffle about, the both of them, still talking INT. WAL-MART - DAY Jonathan, alone, stands off in the "10 Items or Less" lane, in his basket a loaf or two of bread, a liter of Coke, etc. BANG! From outside - it was one shot, but it was loud. Heads turn. BANG! BANG! Leaving his things on the platform, Jonathan heads over to the exit foyer, where a small crowd of similarly minded people are also making their way. Outside, in the parking lot, the two riot policemen - and there’s an extra two, now - are alternating between shooting into the sky and standing prostrate by their van. No real harm done. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

FADE TO BLACK Over the bare middle of John Powell’s "Fun Food Storm," there’s a small boxed-in montage set in the middle of the screen - More of those vans. - Two people, carted off in front of a small crowd by two of the policemen - Eggs, rocks - various objects being pelted at the windows, and we’re inside the van - Shots fired into the air, toward the crowd And, it just declines onward, from there. Faster and faster, until the piece reaches its levelling off point, about a minute or so in. CUT TO the open trunk of a car, filled with bags - duffel bags, backpacks, trashbags. It shuts, and we’re in EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - DAY - the parking lot, as Jonathan loads up his beat up old automobile. It’s no wonder he took the bus, with this thing. He’s talking on the phone to someone - fast, hasty - as, in the background, we can see a similarly small car filled to the absolute brim with stuff taking off. People are outside, crowded around and talking. CUT TO INT. CAR (MOVING) ...as we leave the front gate, and Jonathan gives a glance back inside. Starts to turn left - in the distance, outside, there’s another of those white vans and some little congestion on the sidewalk, and in the streets. CUT TO FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR

(CONTINUED)

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8.

...as we approach the overpass, and there’s not another car on it, unusually. At the rise, the freeway stretches into the distance. We’re coming down onto the incline, and merging gradually onto the freeway by way of the side street. But, instead we keep on the side street. INT. CAR (MOVING) ...as we cross over to the other side of the road, under the highway overpass. Jonathan does a double take - there must be at least thirteen or fourteen people crouched underneath the pass, on the slope. CUT TO EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY Now, there’s no more buildings. On either side, only makeshift wire mesh fence and weeds. And a long, stretching road. There’s Jonathan’s car, now. CUT TO EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - SUNDOWN A different portion of road, now - this one overlooking a pasture, with cows dotted here and there. INT. CAR (MOVING) Jonathan takes a glance at the empty landscape, and casually starts to slow the car down. Puts it to a stop. He cracks his neck, and puts his seat in reclined position pulling a small pillow out from the back seat. CUT TO THE CAR, FROM THE OUTSIDE CUT TO (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.

...black, for a couple of moments. JONATHAN (v.o.) You get down to Arkansas alright? There’s a murmer of response, as if from the other end of a phone line. JONATHAN (v.o.) I’m - listen - I’m going to try to be down there by the end of this week, alright? CUT TO EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - MORNING Jonathan, standing by his car, looking down the road and talking on the phone. JONATHAN I have to come in a - in a kind of roundabout way. I’m pretty certain they’ve got something set up on the highway, or something. (beat) Alright. Alright. Listen mom, I love you too - alright - and if I’m not there by then, tell Richard when he gets there that he needs to call me. (beat) Alright. I’ve gotta go. Alright. Bye. He hangs up. That road just keeps going. INT. CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT There’s only a portion of the road lit in front of the car, now. Wait - what was that, out of the corner of the eye, just there? Jonathan gives a quick glance over to the side, out the window - it’s people, traveling in groups over the wheat grasses, and nearer, on the sides of the road.

(CONTINUED)

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10.

One of them, nearer the back of the frame, nudges someone else, and then another. All at once, they’re walking in pace by the side of the car. Jonathan’s eyes dart back and forth between the road ahead and the window, trying to keep an eye on these guys without looking too nervous. He still isn’t going too fast. The door’s being pulled open! Jonathan gives a small start grabs the door handle and pulls back, suddenly - slamming the fingers in the door jam. There’s a scream and a shout from the outside, and the guy pulls his hand back The car starts to speed up -Someone’s struggling to get in, on the passenger side! They’ve got their ass on the seat - whoever it is puts his hands up, feigning pass. Jonathan brings the car to a stop, on a dime. He’s thrown forward a fair bit, but you should see the other guy - he’s lying half-in and half-out, head resting on the dash. Jonathan looks behind, out the back window - there’s five or six now running up close. He turns back to the guy lying in the passenger side, and undoes his belt - pushes him out as quick as he can by the shoulders, and closes the door. Starts moving again - the six guys have stopped to check out their buddy, still lying on the ground. THWACK! Something’s hit the windshield! The car goes astray, for a minute - he regains control, quickly enough. Presses onward, faster than before. Leaving the rabble behind. At first, all he can do is breath in loud, short bursts but, then the laughter starts to come. First, it sounds a little uneasy, but then it starts to really flow. CUT TO EXT. LAKE WHITNEY - DEKATIE BRIDGE - DAY The lake stretches out long on either side, and it’s still a ways yet until we’ve reached the other end. But, the car starts to slow.

11. INT. CAR (MOVING) - DAY JONATHAN God damn it all to hell - It’s going at a snail’s pace, right now. Stops. Stillness. Jonathan doesn’t perceptably move, for a minute. But, we can hear him breathing. Then, he pulls out his phone again. CUT TO It’s been a while - the sun’s lower in the sky. There’s lines of worry across Jonathan’s face. It looks hot, really. He’s looking down at his phone, holding it in his lap. Pressing numbers. He sets the phone up on the dashboard, and lets it ring. And ring. And ring. And ring. CUT TO EXT. LAKE WHITNEY - DEKATIE BRIDGE - DAY Jonathan’s outside the car, starting to walk forward, unsure. He looks back at the other end of the bridge - then at the one ahead of him. The phone’s clutched in his hand, still ringing. He stops, stalk still. He really isn’t at all sure about this. CUT TO Ah, there he goes. Set against the water, he keeps walking long strides, face set. We can still hear him breathing. CUT TO Jonathan, approaching in the distance. As he gets closer, we can see now that he’s wearing a backpack - it looks a little heavy. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

12.

FADE TO BLACK.