The Monster Squad Page #4

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JEREMY:

That's an admission, Grant.

GRANT:

It certainly is, Jeremy. (to

D'Juan) I don't think he realizes

that he's on notice.

JEREMY:

Your brother's a f***ing disgrace

to this town.

21.

The only person who doesn't seem to

realize that you're not wanted in

this school is you… which means

we've got a problem, Houston.

JEREMY(cont'd)

Chud's abrupt snort-laugh cuts Jeremy off in mid-threat. The

Flanches and their cronies shift their glances to he and

Liam.

GRANT:

The hell you laughing at,

bitchcakes?

Chud drops his eyes to his food. Liam doesn't blink.

LIAM:

Leave him alone, Grant.

.

JEREMY:

Or what, Cross?

Jeremy pushes past his brother, leaning down over the table.

JEREMY:

C'mon, daddy's boy. Stand up for

the retard. Say something.

Liam doesn't break the eye contact, but remains silent.

Jeremy picks up the apple that's on his lunch tray, and

brings it to his mouth for a bite; he's STOPPED in mid-motion

by the sudden clamping of another hand. It's Deacon's. Deacon

grins, crookedly.

DEACON:

Drop it.

Jeremy does. The apple hits the tabletop. Rolls. The other

boys step forward as Jeremy wrenches his arm loose from

Deacon's grip.

DEACON:

Now, the way I see it… we can do

one of two things, here.

22.

We can act like responsible young

men and step away, pride intact.

(Pause) Or I can tell you two that

the next time I drill your mom, I'm

gonna tap so deep that she'll pop

out triplets… and see where we go

from there.

DEACON(cont'd)

Jeremy and Grant exchange a brief look. Grant shakes his

head.

GRANT:

Maybe that cut it in sixth grade,

Means. But there's nothing scary

about a sorry-ass piece of sh*t

like you in the daylight.

A moment of tense silence; Deacon's face is expressionless.

Without warning, he suddenly lunges in and BARKS LIKE A RABID

DOG at the Flanches, causing them both to jerk back.

DEACON:

Better check under your bed

tonight.

Grant shakes his head, tugging on Jeremy's arm.

GRANT:

Leave the mongoloids to their

misery. C'mon.

Grant, Jeremy and the boys take off; D'Juan is left looking

at Deacon.

D'JUAN

I didn't ask for it, I didn't want

it.

He leaves. Liam's next. He hefts his bookbag and stomps to

the nearest exit, pushing through and slamming it behind him.

23.

DEACON:

(to Chud)

Meeting adjourned?

CUT TO:

EXT. STORAGE LOT - DAY

The sudden racket of a corrugated steel door being dragged

upward, bathing a small storage space in daylight. Rueger

stands in the doorway, looking as ragged as ever: before him

is a single, coffin-shaped crate draped in a tarp. He glances

around before stepping inward and kneeling next to the crate,

peeling back one of the canvas flaps: the stencils on the

wood read "CASTAIC NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM."

.

Rueger slips his hand to his mouth, feeling at his gums. It

withdraws with a single TOOTH pinched between his thumb and

forefinger. He examines it, numbly.

CUT TO:

EXT. SEATONVILLE HIGHSCHOOL - DAY

The tolling of the school day's final bell, as students

scatter across the front lawn. Liam is among them, his steps

dull. He doesn't realize that he's passed CHUD, sitting atop

the stairs. As Liam passes, Chud hops up, falling into step

behind him… much to Liam's obvious chagrin.

CHUD:

Hey… sorry about that sh*t with

Jeremy and Grant… I don't like to

say that I hate anybody, but I

really, really hate those guys…

Liam keeps walking. Chud dogs along.

24.

CHUD:

… but anyway, I was thinking, it's

Friday… maybe we could go the P-I

P… gorge ourselves on some comics,

get some pizza, head back to your

pl-

Liam stops. Chud bumps into him.

LIAM:

Stop. Okay? Just stop. "We"… there

is no "we," Chud. What happens in

there… (gesturing to the school)…

doesn't mean ANYTHING out here,

alright? We have nothing in common.

We're not friends, we're not in

this together.

Liam starts walking again. Chud doesn't follow.

LIAM:

Go home.

CHUD:

You think you're the only one who

feels like they live to be crapped

on, Liam?

Chud starts to follow him again, upset.

CHUD:

We have something in common. We're

both social skidmarks. And I just

thought that maybe… JUST maybe… I

could watch forget about that fact

and watch some stupid-ass old

movies with someone who isn't a

complete and total a**hole.

Chud pushes past him, on the sidewalk.

25.

CHUD:

But that's too much to ask, right?

Chud steps off the curb. Liam's face contorts in sudden

shock; he lunges out and grabs him by the backpack strap,

wrenching him back onto the sidewalk as a BATTERED OLD VAN

roars past, nearly mowing Chud down. A beat of stunned

silence as the boys stare at each other. Then:

.

CHUD:

I hate this goddamned town. I hate

this school, I hate the college, I

wish I had a suitcase nuke so I

could blow it all up, eat the

ashes, and then sh*t them out into

the waters of the bay.

Liam can't help but to crack a grin.

CHUD:

It's not funny.

LIAM:

I'm sorry, it's… you're right. You

want to come over, come over. 233

Sunny Sign Place.

Chud's face brightens at the invitation.

CHUD:

Screw it, let's go. My mom's not

going to lose it if I miss one

dinner…

LIAM:

You sure?

The boys start walking, again.

26.

CHUD:

No. I'd better call. I can stop and

use the phone out in front of the

Chug-N'-Lug…

The boys' voices fade as the camera drifts upward, gradually

moving over the sleepy details of the town to reveal the hit-

and-run driver in his RAMSHACKLE VAN, still speeding along.

It's Rueger, white knuckles wrapped around the steering

wheel.

The van chugs past a sign reading "NORTHWESTERN CAMPUS

DRIVE," "OLD TOWN SEATONVILLE" and "CHERRYMOUNT TERRACE,"

driving on.

CUT TO:

EXT. SUNNY SIGN PLACE

A quaint neighborhood, lined by stripped elm trees and fallen

autumn leaves. Chud and Liam walk down the center of the

street, talking.

INT. THE CROSS HOME - DUSK

A modest, cozy place: second-hand furniture, hardwood floors.

A young girl sits cross-legged on the couch, reading a copy

of "FANGORIA" with a broad grin as the television prattles

on:
a news report, taking place alongside a stretch of

forested highway.

REPORTER (VO)

… police say that it was here that

the alleged accident occurred,

involving a truck on its way to

Castaic County… missing is the

cargo. Mummified remains from the

recently-closed Seatonville

Heritage Center, bound for their

new home…

27.

Chud and Liam's voices grow louder, along with the sound of

feet on the front porch. The front door opens, as they amble

in.

CHUD:

So I say the only way a ship can

show up from halfway around the

world without ANYBODY knowing is…

and excuse me if I'm being honest

here… terrorists. Mr. Auciello says

I'm disrupting the class, and so…

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