Leaving Las Vegas Page #3

The dog gets interested in something on the sidewalk and she

bends down to pull at its collar.

BEN:

(voice-over)

I wonder what kind of panties

she�s wearing. Sh*t, that�s

too specific, but... on the

other hand, you can never be

too specific... but then, the

infinitesimal must be, by

definition, as infinite as

the infinite.

Suddenly the girl stops. Ben catches up with her and cannot

resist looking into her face.

BEN:

(voice-over)

God, she�s so young.

The girl sees Ben and smiles an innocent smile,

GIRL:

Hi!

BEN:

Hi...

CUT TO:

15 EXT. BEN�S HOUSE IN SANT MONICA - DAY

Ben walks up to his house still carrying the paper bag. A

young boy of about thirteen years of age is fixing a beat-up

bike. Ben greets him.

BEN:

Hey, Brad... how�s it going?

BRAD:

Hey Ben. There were a couple

of guys looking for you.

BEN:

What did they look like?

BRAD:

Suits. I didn�t tell them

anything. You know anything

about gears?

Ben takes a look. The gear mechanism is all bent out of

shape. He bends down to have a look. It is clear from the way

he deals with this mechanical problem that he�s good with his

hands. He doesn�t try to force anything but he moves the

chain and gear mechanism to get to the problem.

BEN:

How�d this happen?

BRAD:

I was going real fast down on

the beach and something

slipped and everything got

jammed up.

BEN:

The news is not good, kid.

This bit here... see

there... it�s broken. You need

a new one.

BRAD:

(upset)

How much, do you think?

BEN:

I don�t know. I�ll find out

though.

Ben gets up, picks up his bottles and heads for his house. He

looks back and Brad is sitting still by the bike, looking

totally dejected. This really seems to upset Ben.

CUT TO:

16 INT. BEN�S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

Ben is naked and the shower can be heard in the background.

The house is austere, only the minimum of furnishing. He

pours a large tumbler of vodka and takes a gulp, then tops up

the glass. He turns on the stereo, selects a record - Miles

Davis, Kind of Blue - and puts it on the turntable. He turns

on the cassette recorder and inserts a new blank tape. He

puts the machine into the record mode. He kneels down next to

the deck and with complete precision puts the needle on the

second track without any problem. The music starts and

continues through the next sequence.

17 INT. SHOVER - DAY

Ben is in the shower with the glass in his hand.

18 INT. BATHROOM - DAY

Ben shaving with the glass in his hand. He does the area

around his mouth first so that he can drink while he does the

rest.

19 INT. LIVING SPACE - DAY

Showered and shaved and wearing a smart dark suit, Ben looks

handsome and normal. He selects another record and again sets

up the cassette machine to record. He turns the stereo up

full and dances by himself while watching MTV silent. He

tries a turn which is a bit ambitious and loses hi balance.

In slow motion we see him fall. Ben lies still on the floor.

He smiles to himself and decides top stay there for a

while...

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

20 INT. SERA�S BEDROOM. LAS VEGAS - DAY

Sera wakes up in bed next to Yuri. (The camera is high above

the bed looking down.) She is completely drenched in sweat. A

thin shaft o light comes from the crack in the drapes and

falls across their bodies. Other than that, the room is in

darkness. To get out of bed she would have to climb over him.

She lies still. Yuri speaks without opening his eyes...

YURI:

I missed you, Sera. You have

been lonely?

Sera blinks and turns her head towards him.

SERA:

I�m older now, Yuri.

He puts his hand between her legs, over the sheets and grasps

her there.

YURI:

You have been lonely?

SERA:

(tensing a little)

I�ve been all right.

YURI:

I will keep you safe. We are

both older.

He climbs on to her and mounts her. Familiarity.

YURI:

You have been lonely?

SERA:

(flat voice)

I am lonely, Yuri.

He begins thrusting into her.

YURI:

Yes... so am I.

Camera move slowly into a tight portrait of Sear.

SERA:

(voice-over)

I had a new dress... we were

at the fair, Daddy bought me

an ice-cream and I spilt it

on my dress...

CUT TO:

21 INT. DOCTOR�S OFFICE - DAY

Sera is sitting on a sofa talking to an unseen person.

(Although it is no entirely clear when this is taking place,

the sense of it is that we are in present, i.e. all the

events in the film are in the past tense.)

SERA:

... Mom was with Helen, and

Dad looked around first to

see if she was watching and

then he scraped it all off

and threw it on the grass and

then he kissed me and hugged

me and told me it was all

right...

22 INT. SERA�S KITCHEN. LATER THAT DAY

Yuri is tucking into a hearty breakfast. Sear plays with her

food.

YURI:

(planning his day)

This is such a small

apartment, Sera. I cannot

stay here. We will find a big

apartment. You know how much

money I can bring you. I

belong in...

(laughs)

... wealth and luxury.

He suddenly looks up from his food and smiles at her.

YURI:

Why did you run away from me

in Los Angeles?

Sera says nothing.

YURI:

Because you are sly. Mmm? You

knew all along that there was

more money in Las Vegas.

Didn�t you?

Sera nervously plays with her food.

YURI:

You have nothing to fear from

me. You know why? Because we

belong together, Sera. Don�t

we?

Sear forces a smile.

SERA:

(quietly)

Yes.

QUICK CUT TO:

FLASHBACK:

23 INT. ROOM - NIGHT

Grainy black-and-white image. Sera on a bed, pinned down by

Yuri, who has a knife.

CUT BACK TO:

24 INT. SERA�S HOUSE - DAY

YURI:

I�m pleased with you,

Sera... how you have moved up

in the world. I showed you a

glamorous world when I took

you off the streets...

(shaking his head)

and how you repay me.

SERA:

Where have you been staying?

YURI:

With an old friend.

He drops his fork.

YURI:

But that is none of your

affair. You will call this

morning and book me into a

hotel suite where I will make

new contacts for us.

The mood has changed and Sera does her best to move out of

these dangerous waters.

SERA:

You�ll need some money, then.

Yuri nods. Sera rises goes to a kitchen drawers and finds

money.

YURI:

(becoming angry)

It is, after all, Sera, my

money.

SERA:

(calmly)

Yes, of course. How much do

you need?

YURI:

(shaking his head)

All of it. I need to buy many

things... all of it!

Yuri is very angry and as Sera hands him the money, he hits

her, hard, knocking her back into the refrigerator. His ring

cuts her cheek.

YURI:

(shouting)

Don�t look at me like that.

And then his anger goes and he becomes quite tender with her.

He takes her face in his hands to look at the cut.

YURI:

It�s not so bad. It is

nothing.

(whispers)

I need money, Sera. I need it

fast. You must go on the

street tonight. For me.

He sits down with shaking hands. He suddenly seems more

vulnerable than she is. He goes to the window and looks out,

left and then right, as if he expects to see something.

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