Apt Pupil Page #20

---

JOEY:

Hey there.

Todd looks up. He seems pleasant, but there is little warmth in

his voice.

TODD:

Hey.

Pause. They look at each other. Joey wants to talk. Todd

slips the chain lock into a pocket on his backpack. Joey

jingles his car keys anxiously.

JOEY:

I... ah, I heard about Stanford. I heard a

couple of weeks ago actually. ...Congrats.

TODD:

Thanks.

JOEY:

I got into school to. Long Beach. It's no

Stanford, but...

Joey shrugs. It's an awkward moment. He walks closer.

TODD:

No, no... that's good, Joe.

JOEY:

Well, ...I just wanted to say hi. Here let

me get that.

Joey reaches for Todd's backpack. He lifts it. The heaviness

puzzles him. Todd takes it from him.

JOEY (CONT'D)

What do you have in there?

Todd stares at him stone-faced. Joey doesn't like Todd's

expression. Todd takes the bag from him and puts it on.

TODD:

You busy now?

JOEY:

Uhh...

TODD:

Come with me. Hop on.

JOEY:

Hop on? I have a car now, Todd.

TODD:

You can't drive where we're going.

EXT. DIRT PATH - DAY

Joey sits on the handle bars as Todd pedals over the rugged

terrain. Joy looks scared, but appears to be enjoying the ride

and the chance to be with his old friend.

The next shot shows Todd's bike laying on the ground. The

wheels still turn slowly. The camera moves to reveal Todd and

Joey standing on a rocky ledge. Orange Country sprawls out

before them.

Under the cross-hairs of a telescopic sight, a truck, from the

freeway below, zooms out of frame. The image vanishes. We see

Joey looking through the scope which he holds in one hand.

JOEY:

This is so cool.

TODD:

Point it over here. That's the middle

school. You can see right into our old class

room.

JOEY:

Oh yeah... But I still don't see what you

need the rest of it for. Doesn't your Dad

notice?

The hunting rifle, disassembled, sticks out of Todd's backpack

on the ground.

TODD:

He hasn't yet.

JOEY:

Yet?... Jesus, Todd.

He is trying to joke, but the seriousness is clearly in his

voice.

TODD:

And over here, that's your dad's office. And

there's the old drive-in.

Joey isn't looking through the scope anymore. He holds it out

to Todd, watching him.

JOEY:

Here. Take it.

Todd grabs the scope. But Joey doesn't let go. He finally

locks Todd in a stare that he has been avoiding for months. He

wants to say something. Todd takes the scope. He sees that

Joey is serious. He takes a few steps toward the edge, toward

the gun. He looks out.

TODD:

It's such a rush, you know?... To be up here.

Don't you feel it? So high above them they

never know we're here. It's like an ant

farm. We're the gods on Mt. Olympus, Joey.

They can't see us, they can't hear us, but

every so often we can make them feel us.

Just so they never forget. Look...

He looks through the scope at the freeway. He picks out passing

cars.

TODD (CONT'D)

There goes a future track star. There goes a

judge. A mom and her two kids. A policeman.

That one's a school teacher, that one's a

drug dealer... You see, Joey, it doesn't

matter. It doesn't matter how smart you are

...or how many grades you skip. There's

always someone who can take it all away. The

right person snaps their fingers... and it's

done.

Joey takes a few steps backward. Todd doesn't notice.

JOEY:

Todd, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna... walk home.

Todd turns his head toward Joey, but it is as though no one is

there. He looks away again.

JOEY (CONT'D)

Todd...

Pause. Todd looks again. But this time Joey is really gone. A

slight chuckle escapes Todd's mouth.

EXT. DUSSANDER'S STREET - EVENING

TITLE:
JUNE 1985

Dussander plods down the sidewalk with his sacks of groceries.

He is a little more winded, moves a little slower than

previously.

Suddenly Archie emerges from behind a group of trees. He moves

quickly up to Dussander, catching him off guard.

ARCHIE:

I can do that. I can help you carry those.

Dussander jumps back. Archie stops.

ARCHIE (CONT'D)

You don't gotta be afraid. I can carry those.

Dussander does not move. But slowly his face changes and we

realize that he remembers Archie from the bus stop.

DUSSANDER:

I don't need any help. ...Excuse me.

He starts off again. Archie follows.

ARCHIE:

Hey, I ain't a bad guy. You don't gotta

worry. I'm a veteran. I just want--

DUSSANDER:

(snapping at him)

What? What do you want? Why do you bother me?

Archie is taken aback by the sudden viciousness.

ARCHIE:

(plaintively)

You got a nice face.

DUSSANDER:

No I don't.

ARCHIE:

Look, we're practically neighbors. I stay

right over there most nights.

(pointing across the street)

I see you walking down the street. I come up

to help. It's called being neighborly.

They are nearing Dussander's yard.

DUSSANDER:

Piss off.

Fed up with his belligerence, Archie strips the bags from

Dussander's hands with ease. Dussander knows he is outmatched.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes