The Shortcut Page #3

for a Twizzler?

(inhales sharply)

No, I did not.

I think you just

earned one for honesty.

All right.

Amazing.

Truly amazing!

So I hear you might

go to Columbia, huh?

I'm thinking about it, yeah.

That's awesome.

Me too.

I've decided to dedicate

my life to art history.

- Oh really?

- Really.

I'm gonna be Miss Milan's

personal assistant.

- She's my new idol.

- Mine too.

The lines, the color, the depth,

- it's very vaginal.

- (students snicker)

Class dismissed.

(lockers opening, closing)

Hey.

You Derek?

- Yeah.

- I'm Taylor.

- What's up?

- What's this sh*t

your little crew buddy

Mark's been talking about?

What do you mean?

He's telling people that your brother

found a dead dog on the shortcut.

You know, over by

Hartley Elementary?

- Is that true?

- He did.

Why?

My dog's been missing

for, like, 3 days.

Oh, man, I'm sorry.

Did he tell you

what kind it was?

No.

All right.

That's all I need to know.

Yo, Taylor.

- Um, are you gonna check it out?

- Yeah.

Let me know

when you're going.

There's some guy in there

that really freaked out my brother.

The old man, huh?

Sure, whatever.

What's your cell?

Mom, that was really good.

I can't have another bite.

- I'm done.

- Thank you.

- Mom?

- Here you go. Thank you.

- Is there any coffee left?

- In a minute.

So, Grandma, do you know

anything about a guy

that lives in the woods

behind Tobey's school?

Why do you ask?

Just heard some kids

talking about it.

You guys haven't been

going in those woods, have you?

- No.

- Stay away from there, you understand?

Mom, please don't scare them.

That old man's been around

since I was a kid.

Don't go there ever.

Okay, Grandma, we won't.

Mom, what is she

talking about?

Tobey, why don't you go help Grandma

and then get ready for bed?

(sighs)

Fine.

Night, sweetie.

A long time ago

before I was born,

some kids went missing

from the old high school,

kids your grandma knew.

Talk was they were last seen

taking the shortcut.

Police investigated for months.

They came up empty.

Nobody was ever arrested.

Nobody knows what happened to this day.

But everyone looked

at the Hartleys different after that.

- As in "Hartley Elementary"?

- Mm-hmm.

That family's been around

for generations.

The old man's the last

surviving member.

I just think he's a crazy recluse,

but he's not a murderer.

He just wants

to be left alone.

So do what your grandma says

and stay away from him.

- All right.

- (doorbell rings)

I'll get that.

- You expecting someone?

- Yup, it's for me.

You ready?

I don't blame your brother

for being freaked.

That old bastard scared the hell

out of me when I was a kid too.

- But not anymore though, right?

- Nah, I ain't scared of him.

So what's the plan?

Well, head down the shortcut,

see what we see.

Then we take a look around

the old bastard's place.

Okay, let's go.

All right.

(video game gunfire, shouting)

Hey.

Didn't I tell you to get to bed?

- Tobey.

- (gunfire ceases)

You're not even supposed

to be playing those.

- I'm almost done.

- When I come back,

- you'd better be upstairs.

- (gunfire resumes)

Derek:
You're friends

with Matt Fink, right?

Taylor:

Yeah, he's all right.

Isn't he dating Christy Doyle?

- Yeah, why?

- I-- uh, no reason.

- I got a class with her.

- Shh.

This is it.

Come on.

Okay, wait.

Go. Go.

- Is that Hartley?

- Yeah, that's him, all right.

What do you want to do?

- Let's go.

- All right. All right.

- (footsteps)

- He's coming.

Yeah.

(can clatters)

What the hell was that?

Hey, come here.

(metal clatters)

- What's your dog's name?

- Uh, "Tammy."

"Charlie."

Derek, I swear to God

if he did anything to her,

I'll kill him.

(door closes)

Hmm.

If someone's in here,

you're trespassing.

What's he doing?

- Oh sh*t, man. Run!

- Go!

- Hey!

- Derek:
Run!

Hartley:
Keep runnin'

or I'll slaughter you like dogs!

Go!

Derek:
I'm telling you

he was definitely trying to kill us.

- Damn.

- What is with this guy?

I don't know.

- Yo.

- What's up?

Ah, lovely Lisa.

Is tomorrow cool?

Yeah, that's fine.

Hey, I heard you guys

had a close call last night.

So those dog tags I found,

they were pretty old,

but one of 'em still had

a phone number that worked.

- Beardsley?

- Yeah. Went missing a few years ago.

- Never found him.

- Maybe the old man's

- pulling a Michael Vick.

- Shut up, Mark.

No, seriously.

He's probably making 'em dogfight.

Don't make me tell you this twice.

Stop talking.

Okay.

I think we should

go out there again.

I know he's killing dogs

and we've got to prove it.

Yeah. When?

I got practice now,

but I'll give you a call.

- That boy is aggressive.

- Yeah.

He's just trying to find out

what happened to his dog.

No, he's just an a**hole.

All right.

I got practice too.

- Keep me updated?

- See you.

Can you guys take care of that?

Thank you.

What do you say we do

a little investigation of our own?

Oh, so now you want in

on the action too?

What can I say?

I'm bored.

Derek:

So that's his front entrance.

Yeah. I mean, it's the only place

that makes sense.

- Sure?

- Yeah, I'm sure.

Why don't you just

let Christy read the map then?

(snorts, chuckles)

There he is. Finally we can

get in there, scope it out.

Oh damn.

He's stopping.

Who is sending him mail?

- Oh my God, he is so creepy.

- Yeah.

So much for

the investigation.

- He's backing up to his house.

- Well, there's 10 minutes of my life

I'll never get back.

(laughs)

- Are you-- you're number 25?

- Yeah, thank you.

Keep it scoopy.

All right, man.

I'm listening.

Okay, now let's say

this whole Christy thing

actually works out.

There could definitely be

some runoff benefits

if you convince her to bring

some of her hot friends.

- You could totally hook that up.

- What are you talking about?

Come on, man.

If you're gonna fool around

with Christy Doyle,

I want to bang her friends.

Okay, which one do you like?

- Wendy Rowe.

- Mm. Yes.

Man, it's her freckles.

I just want to grab her face

and... you know?

Need to get her in

on Operation Old Man.

I'll see what I can do.

Hi, uh...

can I help you?

I'll take a dog.

A dog.

Yeah.

With mustard, onions.

Right, of course.

Um, anything else?

No.

That'll be $1.50, please.

Yeah, just $1.50.

(change rattles)

Uh, I'll have that right up for you.

Does he recognize you?

I don't know.

I can't tell.

Just give me the hotdog.

Go.

Here you go.

Keep it scoopy.

My God, that is not

a handsome man.

Christy:

Uh, hello?

Hey, Christy.

What are you doing here?

Uh, trying to get french fries.

Of course.

Do you know that guy?

That's the old man

from the shortcut.

- Are you serious?

- Mm-hmm.

That's him?

We think he killed Taylor's dog.

- Tammy?!

- Yeah.

You wanna help us

spy on him?

Spy?

Why don't you just

call the police?

That's no fun.

Besides we're not 100%

sure that he did it.

Hmm?

All right.

Take my number and just, um--

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes