Dirt Page #10

DON:

It’s okay...

Several FIGURES now; Holt, the Sad Cat Man, and other

strangely powerful ANIMISTIC TOTEMIC FIGURES (think

Miyazaki). They stand around in a circle, as if in some

bizarre druidic meeting. SOUND of HORSES GALLOPING.

The Figures talk in a strange, almost-identifiable language,

ancient and low. They seem to be conferring over Don’s very

soul.

DON (CONT’D)

It’s okay, buddy. It’s okay,

Tristan. That’s my buddy.

Holt kicks him again.

59.

HOLT:

F***ing nutball.

Holt stands over Don, ready to kick him again, then sees that

he’s completely out of it. A brief moment of regret, then he

turns and walks away.

The Totem Figures begin to gather in an ever-tightening

circle around Don, laying their hands on him. From one of

the figures, GIANT WINGS EMERGE.

END DON POV:

Just Holt now, walking across the parking lot, leaving Don

curled up on the ground.

INT. CHUCKY CHEESE -- DAY

Wild, filled with SCREAMING KIDS, PRINCE TYREESE and his

brood front and center. His wife, CHELLE, policing kids and

pizza slices.

Prince and three of the kids are skeet bowling, laughing

their asses off, cutting loose, the kids hyped up on sugar

and games.

A MOTORCYCLE MESSENGER, helmet on, visor up, walks in and

approaches Tyreese. Hands him an ENVELOPE before he has time

to react.

Chelle, with the younger kids, notices her husband receiving

the envelope.

Tyreese opens the envelope. Looks. Drops it. Quickly picksit up. We see a corner of one of the now-familiar photos.

He quickly seals the enveloppe as Chelle calls over to him.

CHELLE:

What’s that?

Tyreese, his cocky demeanor gone, just shakes his head,

chokes out:

TYREESE:

Paperwork.

INT. JULIA’S HOUSE -- EARLY EVENING

MUSIC:
Elliott Smith, “Waltz #2 (XO)”

Holt lays in the massive bed with its turbo thread count

sheets, knuckles raw and bruised. He smokes a joint.

Julia enters. Boxer shorts and a wife beater. Her long hairdown.

60.

Holt takes another hit, can’t really look at her.

Julia doesn’t say anything. Just takes the joint and hits

deeply off it.

They sit up next to each other in bed. Smoking the joint.

Finally:

JULIA:

This from Surfer Sean?

HOLT:

Yeah.

JULIA:

You know I can’t smoke this stuff.

HOLT:

Why?

JULIA:

It makes me too horny.

She straddles him on the bed. Takes the joint and puts it

out. They start kissing. More and more intensely,

violently. She moves on top of him...

Holt pushes Julia off of him and moves her to her stomach.

Now he is grinding on top of her. He pulls her boxer shorts

off and is inside her almost instantly.

JULIA (CONT’D)

Yes...yes...ohmygodyes...

From behind her, Holt sees her long hair...

He takes her hair deliberately and wraps it in a knot around

his hand. Snaps her head back. Just like Johnny Cole.

HOLT:

You like that?

Julia GASPS, with pleasure or pain or recognition.

JULIA:

Yes...

EXT. DON’S APARTMENT -- NIGHT

Don approaches his apartment. His face is bruised and he

limps. Don opens his door.

61.

INT. DON’S APARTMENT -- NIGHT

In the living room, on the floor, the dead body of Tristan

the cat. A small pool of vomit haloing around his head.

Don walks in and looks at Tristan. His normally affectless

demeanor drops away. He falls to his knees.

DON:

No.

He sobs, picking up Tristan and cradling him in his arms.

He rocks him and rocks him.

KNOCKING:

At the door. Insistent.

KNOCKING:

Louder and louder.

And under it, WHISPERING VOICES, building in volume.

KNOCKING WHISPERING

KNOCKING:

KNOCKING WHISPERING

KNOCKING:

WHISPERING KNOCKINGKNOCKINGKNOCKING.....

EXT. DON’S APARTMENT

CLOSE ON-

A HAIRY PAW/HAND KNOCKING.

INT. DON’S APARTMENT

Don cradling Tristan, the WHISPERS louder and LOUDER......

SMASH CUT TO:

BLACK.......................

.....................SILENCE

INT. HOLT’S CARERA -- NIGHT

Holt drives, Julia in the passenger seat. Some unspoken

thing vibrating in the car between them.

Holt’s cell RINGS.

62.

HOLT:

Hello?

Oh, hey Mr. Pollack...Sydney,

sorry...

Yeah...yeah...really?

That’s great news...

No...I haven’t booked anything

else...

Are you kidding? Of course I do.

I can’t believe Angelina signed on

to do the part...

Okay, I’ll be there. Thank you...

(beat)

Yeah, I heard about what happened

to Kira...

(beat)

What? When?

(beat)

Yeah. She was a really good

person...

(beat)

Right...at the memorial.

Holt keeps driving. Doesn’t say anything. He pushes the

car, redlining the RPMs before shifting up. Julia just looksat him, waiting.

HOLT (CONT’D)

Kira’s dead. She had a brain

bleed.

JULIA:

Oh, God...

He double-clutches and blows into third. Now they’re easily

doing 95 through Hollywood traffic.

JULIA (CONT’D)

Holt, slow down.

HOLT:

And the movie’s back on. I still

have the part.

Holt cranks up the STEREO. “I Want to Die” by Brian

Jonestown Massacre. Holt smiles bitterly and floors it. The

whole car shakes, maxing out.

JULIA:

Holt, what are you doing?!

The engine SCREAMS. The car pulls around a line of cars,

ripping past all of them...Julia is crying.

ON HOLT:

63.

A grim smile. FASTER.

JULIA (CONT’D)

Holt, please, please, I’m sorry...

oh God, oh God, oh God,

ohgodohgodohgod...

A JACKED-UP TRUCK

Doesn’t see the low-slung Porsche and goes to make a left

turn...

JULIA:

Looks astonished as the big four-wheeler completely blocks

their path...

HOLT:

Sighs with some perverse form of relief...

THE PORSCHE:

Grinds under the truck, sending up a bright, beautiful shower

of sparks through the L.A. night.

The Porsche is smashed free of the truck and rolls once,

twice, lands on its roof.

Long, ticking beat of SILENCE on the tableau, then:

STARTING RIGHT-SIDE UP

Or so it appears, Julia, eyes wide, surprised, gorgeous,

blood pooling in each ear, and dripping up.

NOW ROTATING:

From upside down to right-side up, Julia and Holt hang in

their seatbelts. It is only when we arrive at both of them

upside down that we reveal Holt, unharmed, awake, staring at

Julia. She has been frozen in what appears to be death, but

suddenly she COUGHS, breathes deep, vomits.

She looks at Holt in terror.

JULIA (CONT’D)

Sorry...

HOLT:

It’s okay. It’s okay...

The car is smoking and ticking... Poof! A tiny fire ignites

near the back of the car...Holt wrenches himself free and out

through the window of the car...

64.

OUTSIDE THE PORSCHE

A crowd is gathering, but no emergency vehicles on scene...

Holt runs around and tries to open the door to get Julia out.

The flames are rising on the Porsche...

Holt looks around, panicked...he sees--

A CROWD OF ONLOOKERS

Several holding up cell phone cameras, one with a video

camera.

Holt takes a rock and SMASHES the window. He takes off his

shirt and lines the door frame with it, then proceeds to pry

Julia loose from the car and drag her out. The FIRE creeps

into the gas tank and IGNITES for real as now-shirtless Holt

carries Julia away from the wreckage...

Julia is bleeding badly, sheet-white from shock.

SIRENS WAIL.

INT. DON’S APARTMENT -- LATE NIGHT

Don sits holding Tristan, the only light coming from his

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