Homegrown Page #3

WILL:

Why don’t you at least meet with an

attorney, Father? It couldn’t hurt.

CHARLIE:

I’ve read enough to represent

myself better than the vast

majority of attorneys. You could

even do better than most.

Will nods, confident in Charlie. Charlie leans in, serious:

CHARLIE:

It is of utmost importance we do

not draw attention to ourselves.

Conceal your intellect and physical

abilities. Avoid photographs.

Anonymity is one of our most

powerful assets.

14.

EXT. CAHILL HOME - DAY

Quaint, one-story home. Will, carrying a small duffle, walks

with his new foster mother, MRS. CAHILL (60).

MR. CAHILL (63) rocks slowly in a rocking chair on the porch.

MRS. CAHILL

This is my husband, John.

No response. Mr. Cahill continues to gaze into the street.

Mrs. Cahill leads Will in. Will glances back at Mr. Cahill.

INT. CAHILL HOME - DAY - CONTINUOUS

A den/dining/kitchen combo. Will marvels at the interior.

Modest decor - but a posh lounge compared to the cabin.

MRS. CAHILL

Not exactly Lifestyles of the Rich

and Famous, but it treats us well.

Will studies each painting and photo -- stares at a photo of

the Cahills - much younger - with a uniformed SOLDIER.

MRS. CAHILL

(re:
the soldier)

Our son...

Her eyes turn sad for a moment. A medieval-style CRUCIFIX

hangs on the wall. Will eyes it with disdain for a long beat

-then follows Mrs. Cahill into the...

INT. GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER

Decades of accumulated stuff. She points to an old BICYCLE:

MRS. CAHILL

You’re welcome to use it. I took it

for a tune up. We’re about five

blocks from the school. Or I can

drive you - if you prefer.

WILL:

I’ll walk.

MRS. CAHILL

Up to you. I’d like to see the bike

get some use.

15.

INT. WILL’S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Mrs. Cahill shows Will his room. Basic. But he’s blown away.

MRS. CAHILL

Towels are in the restroom closet.

I’ll leave you to get settled.

EXT. PRISON YARD - DAY

INMATES stand in racially segregated clumps.

Charlie stands alone. A massive, tattoo-covered skinhead,

JACOB (35), approaches.

JACOB:

Whaddya say there?

Jacob towers above Charlie. Charlie assesses Jacob, calm.

JACOB:

Talking to you, boy.

Charlie eyes Jacob, unblinking, unintimidated. More SKINHEADS

trickle up. The BLACK PRISONERS observe from across the yard.

JACOB:

You have two options: Keep giving

me the mime act and make this

stretch a living hell.... Or make

some friends today. Join up with my

crew. Help us run this place.

CHARLIE:

I prefer to serve my time alone.

JACOB:

Did it sound like you had a choice?

Charlie attempts to step away, but he’s surrounded.

JACOB:

Enough talk. Let’s welcome him.

A Skinhead, BJ (30), rushes at Charlie --swings. Charlie

ducks -- lands an uppercut. BJ falls, knocked out cold.

The next CRONY steps up. Charlie sweeps his leg -- lands a

punch to the face before he hits the ground.

A SKINHEAD PUNK pulls a SHANK from his waistband. Jacob

notices -- shakes his head -- wants to see what Charlie can

do in a fair scrap. Punk tucks the shank away.

16.

A third SKINHEAD punches from the side. Charlie dodges it --

grabs the wrist --punches the elbow hard, breaking the arm.

PRISON GUARD:

(O.S.)

Hey! Break it up.

A GUARD rushes over. The Skinheads back off. Charlie

maintains his fighting stance, on high alert.

BJ starts convulsing on the ground. The Guard rolls his eyes.

PRISON GUARD:

Somebody go get BJ his meds...

One of the Skinheads sprints away.

PRISON GUARD:

(re:
the fight)

Your handy work, Jacob?

JACOB:

No way, boss. Not me. New guy here

is a real firecracker. Better keep

a close eye on him.

PRISON GUARD:

Right.

JACOB:

I’m a product of my environment.

Just seem to end up in compromising

situations sometimes.

The Skinhead runs back with a pill and water cup -- feeds BJ

the medicine. His breathing slowly returns to normal.

PRISON GUARD:

Alright. Everybody cool off.

The crowd disperses. The Skinheads stare Charlie down.

JACOB:

We’ll see you later then. Pleasure

to make your acquaintance.

INTERCUT - INT. PRISON CELL / INT. WILL’S ROOM - NIGHT

Charlie and Will each sit cross-legged, meditating.

ON CHARLIE:
Clanking of cell doors; footsteps of guards; and

prisoner chatter echo, but Charlie’s focus is unbreakable.

17.

ON WILL:
An occasional passing car and the faint whirring of

electronics disrupt the silence, but he’s completely at ease.

EXT. CAHILL HOME - ESTABLISHING - PRE-DAWN

The neighborhood sleeps. The sun barely hints at rising.

INT. WILL’S ROOM - SAME

The clock reads 5:41. Will instinctively wakes -- rolls onto

the floor -- starts doing push-ups.

INT. PRISON HALLS - SAME

Dark. Eerily quiet.

INT. PRISON CELL - SAME

Charlie - seemingly the only person awake in the entire

prison - does push-ups.

INTERCUT WILL AND CHARLIE: They go through their workout

routine - as if in unison - but in their new environments.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL - COUNSELOR’S OFFICE - DAY

Will - in his threadbare outdoor attire - sits opposite a

hefty COUNSELOR. She looks puzzled.

COUNSELOR:

Now - have you ever been in school?

(Will shakes his head)

Because your placement tests were

actually darn good. I’d recommend a

full track of advanced courses.

Will grimaces:
he revealed too much intellect on the tests.

WILL:

I’ll pursue the average curriculum.

COUNSELOR:

You’ll be bored. Some of the AP

instructors are doing very exciting-

WILL:

No.

18.

COUNSELOR:

At very least, try AP U.S. History -

I think you’ll connect with Mr.

Ganthon. And let me know ASAP if

you want to switch into the other

advanced courses.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - LATER THAT DAY

Congestion between classes. STUDENTS covertly check their

SMARTPHONES at their lockers, presumably banned from use

inside the school.

Will walks with a stack of books -- passes a group of POPULAR

GIRLS. They take a break from texting to gawk.

GIRL 1

Where’d they find that creature?

GIRL 2

My mom said his dad’s a total

psycho. Raised him in the woods.

GIRL 1

Twisted. Where’s he staying?

GIRL 2

Foster care... with the Cahills.

GIRL 3

It’s like, the kid has been through

enough, then you stick him with a

batty old couple.

Will overhears their jeers but walks straight ahead.

GIRL 3

Tragic.

GIRL 1

Please, Em. You’d probably blow him.

GIRL 3

(playing along)

He is kind of cute...

The Girls giggle.

Down the hall, a group of BOYS stare at Will. The apparent

leader is ADAM (17): handsome, athletic, cruel.

ADAM:

Freak show. Look at those clothes.

19.

BOY 2

Imagine growing up in the woods,

man. I bet his dad was bangin’ him.

BOY 3

His dad got 14 months, bro. He’s

stuck here with us.

BOY 2

Home-schooled his whole life.

BOY 3

Home-everythinged...

BOY 2

Home-schooled is just a fancy way

of saying molested. Sick sh*t, man.

Adam - much taller than Will - intentionally bumps into Will,

knocking his books to the floor. The Boys snicker.

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