Carnival Page #3

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His stare, fixed on the sinful glow of distant CITY LIGHTS:

EXT. BABYLON - NIGHT

A mini Vegas - what it lacks in size, it makes up for in

bustling energy. Casinos, hotels, and strip joints PULSE with

a kaleidoscope of NEON LIGHTS.

SHIV (V.O.)

But Babylon is a cesspool of crime

and sin.

Top class HOOKERS on display. GANGBANGERS work their corners,

selling dope like candy.

SHIV (V.O.)

Nasty enough to keep me searching

for three lifetimes.

PRE-LAP:
the sound of KNOCKING on a door -

EXT. ZODIAC’S TRAILER - NIGHT

Zodiac opens her door, not very pleased to find:

SHIV:

I need your eyes.

ZODIAC:

Can’t see the lottery numbers or

cheat in any game of chance.

Believe me, I tried.

SHIV:

My sister’s missing.

ZODIAC:

Go see Tigra.

SHIV:

She’s busy getting laid.

ZODIAC:

Bet your sister is too.

She steps back inside and CLOSES the door in his face.

15.

Yet he stands there. Stoic. Unflinching.

He’s not going anywhere.

No, sir.

ZODIAC (O.S.)

I can feel you standing outside.

He doesn’t move.

The door opens, she comes out again.

ZODIAC:

So what’s the plan? Keep standing

there until I help you?

SHIV:

Correct.

Off Zodiac, considering giving in to his demands...

CUT TO:

EXT. THE CARNIVAL - ROAD - NIGHT

Shiv watches as Zodiac feels various sets of tire tracks on

the dirt with her hands.

She moves from one to another. Until she finds the one she

was looking for.

ZODIAC:

Found them.

Her eyes roll back into her head.

ZODIAC:

She left with Mirage earlier

today... but they never made it to

Babylon.

SHIV:

What happened?

ZODIAC:

It’s blurry. I need to get closer.

EXT. DIRT ROAD - NIGHT

Twin headlights SHINE through the MIST.

16.

A CARNIE TRUCK cruises a lonely road cutting through a

sprawling desertscape.

INT. CARNIE TRUCK

Shiv drives. Zodiac rides shotgun, staring out the window,

looking bored.

He shoots quick glances at her, as if she was a puzzle he’s

trying to figure out.

She catches him staring.

ZODIAC:

What?

SHIV:

Just wondering.

ZODIAC:

What?

SHIV:

Same thing everyone else is

wondering. What are you hiding?

ZODIAC:

Hiding?

SHIV:

You joined us two years ago. Yet

nobody knows a thing about you.

ZODIAC:

Good.

EXT. DIRT ROAD - LATER

The truck has pulled over. Shiv and Zodiac silhouetted

against the headlights as she feels the road with her hands.

ZODIAC:

I see... a tree.

EXT. DESERT - NIGHT

The shadow of a DEAD TREE outlined against a massive silver

moon. Its gnarled limbs seem to be twisting in pain.

Shiv approaches the tree, overflown by VULTURES. Pulls his

hood back as he notices...

17.

Two BODIES dangle from one of its branches, hanging from

their ankles. They sway in the desert wind to the tune of

creaking rope. The bodies SPIN to reveal their faces:

Mirage and Ayleen.

Eyes glassy like dolls. Bullet holes in their heads.

Shiv drops to his knees and PUKES as...

SHIV (V.O.)

Two bullets. Two corpses. Pro work.

He didn’t bother to hide the

bodies. Hanged them on display like

Christmas ornaments. Someone hired

him to send a message.

He spots two thorny BLACK ROSES lying on the ground under the

corpses.

SHIV (V.O.)

And he left his employer’s card:

The Black Rose.

He picks one of the flowers as it MORPHS into:

A BLACK ROSE TATTOO

On a woman’s neck.

SHIV (V.O.)

They control everything.

We are inside a...

BROTHEL:

High-class HOOKERS marked like cattle with the rose tat.

SHIV (V.O.)

Girls...

UNDERGROUND CASINO

A cigar-chomping GAMBLER makes his bet, chips painted with a

black rose.

SHIV (V.O.)

...illegal gambling...

18.

DARKENED WAREHOUSE

A DEALER stuffs HEROIN BRICKS into a bag, all of them labeled

with the black rose logo.

SHIV (V.O.)

...dope...

POLICE STATION HOLDING CELLS

A police OFFICER opens a cell door, letting out two THUGS

wearing Black Rose tats on their arms.

SHIV (V.O.)

...cops... judges...

BABYLON’S CITY HALL

A weathered building - “City Hall” chiseled on its front.

Vandalized with a GRAFFITI depicting a thorny BLACK ROSE.

SHIV (V.O.)

...politicians...

DESERT MOUNTAIN RETREAT

A BLACK ROSE BOUQUET inside a vase, sitting on a table by a

U.S. MAP.

SHIV (V.O.)

And it’s not just Babylon.

Through a window of this lavish home study, we see the sun

drop - the flowers’ shadows stretch - reaching the map -

spreading blackness over the Western half of the U.S. as...

SHIV (V.O.)

The Black Rose is a cancer

spreading across the country...

A suited OLD MAN - his back to us - tends to the roses with a

pair of ROSE CLIPPERS.

SHIV (V.O.)

Nobody knows the name of the guy in

charge.

A Black Rose engraved on his GOLD TIE CLIP.

19.

SHIV (V.O.)

They call him “The Thorn” and he’s

untouchable like a king.

The flower design of the tie clip MORPHS into -

DESERT - NIGHT

-- the ROSE in Shiv’s hand. He SQUEEZES it hard, thorns dig

into his flesh and draw out BLOOD as...

SHIV (V.O.)

Hell will freeze over before

someone does time for this hit.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE CARNIVAL - NIGHT

Lights out. Townies have left.

EXT. TRAILER AREA

Onlooking ROUSTABOUTS and PERFORMERS split to let Shiv pass,

carrying AYLEEN’S BODY in his arms.

Zodiac watches too. Maybe there’s a hint of sadness in her

face. Maybe.

CUT TO:

A SHOVEL:

Digs into the dirt.

EXT. THE CARNIVAL - OUTSKIRTS - NIGHT

Ayleen’s body rests on the ground as Shiv DIGS a grave.

Odd:
he already dug two other graves.

Zodiac approaches, wondering...

ZODIAC:

Why three graves?

SHIV:

One for her. One for the shooter.

One for whoever hired the hit.

20.

She smiles an emasculating smile as...

ZODIAC:

Might wanna dig a fourth grave for

yourself while you’re at it.

SHIV:

That a prediction?

ZODIAC:

That’s common sense.

SHIV:

I need your eyes, not your common

sense.

ZODIAC:

I’d rather stab my eyes out than

use them to go against the Black

Rose.

Shiv keeps digging. HARDER.

ZODIAC:

If you go out to play with the big

boys, you’re gonna get yourself

killed.

And HARDER.

EXT. MIDWAY - NIGHT

From the back of a WHITE VAN, ROUSTABOUTS unload boxes filled

with STUFFED ANIMALS. Prizes for the game stands.

Tigra oversees them. Smoking. Always smoking.

Shiv approaches.

SHIV:

What was he up to?

TIGRA:

Who?

SHIV:

The Illusionist.

TIGRA:

Who cares?

SHIV:

I care. He was the target.

21.

TIGRA:

Says who?

SHIV:

My sister didn’t have any dealings

with the Black Rose.

TIGRA:

Now neither does he. Whatever it

was, it’s settled.

He turns and walks away with a purpose.

She watches him go, not liking it one bit.

INT. BACKSTAGE TENT - LATER

Shiv fixes KNIFE SHEATHS around his arms.

His torso.

His legs.

He’s now carrying at least twenty blades.

And that’s how Tigra finds him when she walks in.

TIGRA:

You said you weren’t throwing

tonight.

SHIV:

Correct.

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