Scene 1
[opening credits. music [ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER – JIMI HENDRIX] playing in background [try to make it last for entire song]. open to street scene small-town America, early morning. still dark out. early summer. everything's stopped, quiet. small town atmosphere almost. separate houses with small spaces between them – maybe not even noticeable – nice feeling, fitted puzzle pieces. few cars out in front of the houses. one [one of those old station wagons with the fake wood paneling on the side - has automatic windows tho, and they do so humour me] with trunk & doors open in front of 2-story house with lights on. ANNA outside loading bags into car – big gym bag type of thing, smaller bag and guitar – throws backpack onto front right seat [passenger's side]. standing in the doorway are her parents in bathrobes and pajamas. as she's closing door NICK jogs up, waving, duffel bag slung over one shoulder carrying 2nd bag in other hand. put bags in car, close everything up, get in and drive away. parents wave on doorstep then go inside and turn out lights. cut to: more into suburbs/rural area now – car stops in front of small white/grey house w/ garage, wooden fenced in yard, Australian shepherd type dog in driveway next to tired looking MAX. guitar case, gym bag on ground. backpack over one shoulder holding huge mug of coffee in both hands. waiting. ANNA and NICK get out of front of car and help MAX put bags in car – pats dog and waves at house. car starts off again. sun starts to rise – at this point credit "directed by..." should be up. title credit pops up. ]
Scene 2
[ext. car driving down Ohio interstate afternoon – pass sign saying "WELCOME TO OHIO", then one right after it saying "REST STOP 1 MILE FOOD – GAS". int. car. ANNA driving. NICK in front seat musing over map, MAX asleep in back using bag as pillow. ext. ANNA's POV – pulling into rest stop with gas station, diner and convenience store attached. music ENDS. all get out and stretch, NICK wanders inside, ANNA wanders over to map plastered onto wall. MAX swirls around contents of coffee mug, frowns at it, pours it on the ground, follows NICK into convenience store. ANNA goes in, passes MAX on the phone]
MAX [talking on phone]: Yeah...yeah, I know that. We'll be back in plenty of time for me to get to Virginia before school starts...No... Mom, everything's fine stop worrying...Nick and Anna are fine and you just saw me this morning... [nods to ANNA as she goes by]
[ANNA meets NICK at counter, buys map and few other things. MAX joins them. cut to: ext. car pulling out of rest stop. cut to: int. ½ hour later. ANNA driving, MAX in front with her, NICK in back reading copy of "WEEKLY WORLD NEWS."]
NICK [still looking at magazine]</i>: Hey, guys, we could go to Milwaukee. <i>[MAX looks back at him]
ANNA [NICK's POV. looking at him in rearview mirror]: What's in Milwaukee?
NICK: Well...apparently... [reading] "Contrary to popular belief, Jesus is still alive...and living among everyday society unnoticed! He's managed to pull this off by moving from the Holy Land to Milwaukee, WI and opening up his very own juice bar and casino. 'Many people are surprised to see me here,' the one-time Messiah told WWN. 'A lot of people don't even recognize me. Some do, though, and ask me to sign autographs and take pictures. It's almost like being a movie star sometimes.'"
MAX: Let me see that. [reads to self, hands paper back to NICK] You don't really believe that stuff do you?
NICK: It's amusing.
MAX [shrugs]: It’s your money...
ANNA [breaking in]: Hey, guys. Come on, help me out here. Which road to I take next, Max?
MAX [looking at map]: Um, next exit after this one. 42, I think.
[short silence. NICK looks out back window at passing countryside. small hills, interspersed trees. he looks back at pair in the front.]
NICK: So, what've you guys got planned for the fall?
[side shot of ANNA. Jimi Hendrix's "CASTLES MAD OF SAND" starts playing softly.]
ANNA: Don't know. I'm still waiting to hear from that music institute. My aunt said though if I do get in, I can stay with her during the term.
[move back to see MAX as well]
MAX: What do your parents think?
ANNA [bites her lip]: I haven't told them yet exactly. Aunt Jackie said she'd talk to them while we're gone. [grimaces] Dad still thinks I should go to WVU and study medicine.
[switch to NICK]
NICK: That's the track my parents are still on too...
[move back to see MAX and NICK]
MAX [to NICK]: Are you going to?
NICK [laughs]: No!
[switch to MAX and ANNA]
ANNA: So what are you planning, Maxie?
MAX [unenthusiastic]: I got into Virginia State, might try something in business but I don't know...
ANNA [glances over at him, matter-of-factly]: I thought you hated business..?
MAX: It's not that bad...I guess.
ANNA: You said last year you wanted to be a painter. What happened to that?
[see NICK from MAX's POV]
NICK [jumping in]: Yeah...I remember that. You got all excited about art and painting and all that...what <i>did</i> happen?
[see MAX]
MAX [shrugs]: Nothing. I still like it...It's just, well, it's impractical. You can't make a living painting. <i>[sighs, without conviction]</i> So it's better now to get started doing something useful.
[see both MAX and NICK]
NICK [a little aggressive; more frustrated/irritated]: And whose words are those?
MAX [defensive]: Mine. Whose do you think?
NICK: I dunno. It's hard to tell these days, y'know.
MAX: What would you know? [knows NICK’s right but doesn’t want to admit it]
NICK: Hey. I was just saying, okay? Just seems like these days you just do whatever your parents tell you too.
[see ANNA, side]
ANNA: Leave him alone, Nick, okay? If he wants to go off and be miserable doing something he hates, that's his business, okay?
MAX [turns to window, muttering sarcastically]: Gee, thanks, Anna. Really love your support.
[short silence. ANNA and NICK exchange glances in rearview mirror. MAX concentrates on road.]
ANNA [attempt to brighten mood again]: So, what are you doing, Nick?
NICK [looks up, cautiously]: I wasn't really...[coughs] I wasn't really planning on going back to school.
[MAX looks up slowly, paying attention now]
ANNA: What are you going to do instead?
NICK [shrugs]: Wander around. Work at McDonald's? Hell if I know.
[pause]
MAX: Why aren't you going back?
NICK: Couldn't think of a reason to. There's nothing I really want to study. I can't see much difference in working at Wendy's or on Wall St. so I figured why bother?
MAX: Told your parents?
NICK [hesitant]: Yeah...
ANNA: What'd they say?
[close up NICK]
NICK [sighs]: Dad thinks I'm wasting my life, throwing away all these great opportunities I have in front of me, things he never got, all that stuff. Mom's still hoping I'll sit around for a few years, change my mind and get my act together again.
ANNA: Think that'll ever happen?
NICK [shrugs]: Maybe. Never know. I figured I'm just going to take things as they come now.
ANNA: Good way to live.
MAX: If you could ever stop planning for the future...
NICK: Yeah..
[silence. fade out.]
Scene 3
[int. cheap, stereotypical American greasy-spoon diner complete with fluorescent lights, wrap-around counter, light pink/off-white linoleum and Formica design, middle-aged waitress named Pam with 14 pencils [not really] in her hair chewing gum, and 3-4 grungy looking truck drivers in flannel shirts and battered hunting caps. couple hours later, early evening. Billie Holiday's "THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME" playing in background. ANNA, NICK, and MAX sit in a booth in otherwise empty diner waiting for their meals, coffee in front of them. ANNA's gazing out the window, NICK fidgets with salt/pepper/sugar containers, MAX doodles on the paper placemats. WAITRESS leans against counter looking bored, chewing gum very loudly and flipping through a magazine. A loud, mixed group of 4 [1 girl, 3 guys] young-ish people, looking very much like they've been on the road for awhile, dressed sort of Bohemian-like burst in, singing last verses of "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da". WAITRESS looks up briefly, returns to her magazine as the group settles down [sitting ANDREA, LUKE nearest other group, GAVIN and EDDIE across from them] in booth adjacent to ANNA & co. WAITRESS comes, takes order and leaves again. Bohemian group starts talking loudly. ANNA, NICK, MAX try to ignore them. one of Bohemians – ANDREA - turns around abruptly starts talking to ANNA. ANDREA sits with her back against wall, arms around knees.]
[both ANDREA and ANNA in frame]
ANDREA [cheerfully]: Hi. How're you guys doing?
ANNA: Fine, thank you.
ANDREA: What’s your name? I’m Andrea.
ANNA: Anna.
ANDREA And your friends?
ANNA: Um. That’s Max, and that’s Nick. [indicates who’s who]
ANDREA: Cool. [pats LUKE’s shoulder] This is Luke, the best damn drummer on both coasts. [LUKE grins. ANDREA looks briefly at other two] Those’re Gavin and Eddie, but they never really have anything interesting to say. [pause] Where're you headed?
ANNA: California.
ANDREA: We just came from there. Pretty neat place. [the others in her group become interested as well] So, why're you going to California?
[cut to NICK]
NICK: Kicks.
[see EDDIE, then back to NICK when he speaks and then ANDREA when she speaks.]
EDDIE: Dat's cool.
NICK: Yeah. Sure. [pause] Where're you going?
ANDREA [shrugs, very laid-back]: East at the moment.
EDDIE: Yeah, we been west already.
[both LUKE and ANDREA in frame]
LUKE: Some weird shit out there too.
MAX [perking up slightly, maybe a little worried]: Like what?
[switch to GAVIN]
GAVIN [nonchalant, tries to brush it off]: Oh, nothing much. Luke just got a little freaked by some guy...
[pull back to see all four at their table]
LUKE [alarmed]: A little freaked? Man, that guy was fucking scary. And it wasn't just me...
GAVIN: It was just a minor little incident, Luke.
LUKE: Yeah, that's what you say now.
[close up ANDREA]
ANDREA [conspiratorially to ANNA & co.]: We had a slight...problem on the way up. [pull back as she looks at her friends, still having their own discussion, before continuing, zoom in again] Some psycho guy took over the rotary club building in this creepy little town. He had two rifles and half the DAR in there. Already shot his wife and daughter beforehand, apparently because his wife couldn't prove she actually was a descendant of some guy from the Revolution. Really wacked out if you ask me. [zoom out as she looks at her friends again who've simmered down a little. zoom in again] It was pretty scary, though. [almost wistfully] And we were supposed to play for the annual DAR charity ball, too.
[rapid-fire]
MAX: Did they get them out?
NICK: You're in a band?
[see ANDREA and ANNA]
ANDREA: Nope. Guy killed every last one o' dem blue-haired old ladies. But yeah, we're a band.
ANNA: Whoa.
[WAITRESS brings dinner to ANNA, MAX, & NICK. short pause as ANDREA and LUKE watch them. EDDIE and GAVIN go deep into their own conversation.]
[see LUKE and ANDREA beside each other, then ANNA in booth right behind them, and the NICK and MAX sitting beside each other in frame]
ANNA: So why're you headed east?
ANDREA: The urge to move? I don't know. We just go when it feels right...
LUKE: And Gavin's got to stop off and see his folks.
ANDREA: That too.
LUKE Where're you guys from?
[WAITRESS brings meals to others. ANDREA places the plate on her knees – salad or something like that – LUKE just picks at basket of fries beside him, conversation continues while this is going on]
NICK: Um, Elkins, sort of...
ANNA [jumps in]: Thereabouts anyway. D'you know it?
LUKE: Yeah. It's in West Virginia, right? [to GAVIN] You're from West Virginia, right, Gavin?
ANDREA [quietly to ANNA]: He's our lead guitarist. He thinks he knows everything but... [shakes her head slowly to make her point]
[shot of GAVIN and EDDIE]
GAVIN [not looking up]: Yeah. Wheeling.
[back to group as for rest of conversation]
LUKE: Oh. Different place...
NICK: Are you all from West Virginia, or...?
LUKE: Um, we're kind of just all from...
[cut to EDDIE]
EDDIE: Everywhere.
[close up ANDREA]
ANDREA: Yeah, we all met in college.
[switch to GAVIN and EDDIE]
GAVIN: Decided it was crap.
EDDIE: And left.
[back to shot with LUKE and ANDREA in front]
LUKE: Same with you?
NICK: Something like that.
ANNA: Just finished highschool.
MAX: Some of us are still going to college.
ANDREA: Good for you.
LUKE [joking]: Yeah and if you ever change your mind we'll probably still be running around the country pretending to be musicians in thirty years so shouldn't be too hard to find us.
[pull back to see most of group. everyone kind of smiles and laughs a little.]
GAVIN [condescending]: Maybe you’ll just be pretending but some of us actually know what we’re doing. [LUKE laughs it off.]
[long pause. focus on ANNA, MAX and NICK. ANNA looks out the window.]
ANNA [to NICK and MAX]: We should probably go soon.
[NICK looks out window and nods]
MAX: Want me to pay?
[others nod, hand him money, he goes up to the counter. NICK and ANNA get up, put on their coats, etc.]
ANNA: Nice meeting you guys.
[close up ANDREA]
ANDREA: Oh, you're going?
NICK: Yeah, we better. Use as much light as we can.
[switch to EDDIE]
EDDIE: Know the feeling.
[MAX returns]
MAX: You guys ready?
ANNA and NICK: Yeah. [to bandgroup]
ANNA: We'll see you.
MAX: Yeah.
NICK: Bye.
OTHER FOUR: Bye guys.
[as they're leaving]
GAVIN: Have fun in California!
LUKE: Be wary of rotary clubs and the DAR!
ANDREA: And don't pick up any hitchhikers, guys!
[see ANNA, MAX, & NICK waving and smiling. leaving the diner. fadeout.]
Scene 4
[int. car. late at night. radio playing softly. ANNA asleep in back. NICK driving, tapping rhythm to Grateful Dead's "TRUCKIN'". on steeringwheel. only see MAX and NICK for first part.]
NICK: That was really strange back there.
MAX: Yeah...
NICK: Makes you wonder what motivates some people. Y'know...like what was going through that guy's head as he shot all those people?
MAX: Yeah. People are strange...
[starts raining]
NICK [whispered]: Oh...shit...
MAX: Might clear up in a little bit.
NICK [distracted]: Yeah maybe.
[see a dark figure standing along the highway in the rain.]
NICK: Jesus, wouldn't you hate to be out in this?
MAX: Oh, yeah. Poor guy. Wonder what he's doing out here.
NICK: Think we should stop and see?
MAX[pause, then hesitant]: Maybe not...we aren't supposed to pick up hitchhikers...
NICK: We wouldn't have to pick up him, just see if he needs help or something.
MAX: I don't know...
NICK [slowing down the car]: Come on. It'll be fine.
[cut to ANNA in back sitting up]
ANNA [groggily]: Why are we stopping...?
[car pulls up along hitchhiker. music softens. MAX looks back at her, says nothing. NICK ignores her, rolls down MAX's window [automatic windows]. HITCHHIKER moves towards the car and peers in, water dripping off his face. HITCHHIKER – wearing hooded jacket, backpack.]
NICK [leans across MAX]: You OK?
MAX: Nick...
ANNA [quietly, concerned]: What are you doing?
[close up HITCHHIKER]
HITCHHIKER: Um, yeah. Kinda wet though. Think you could give me a lift?
[switch to NICK]
NICK: Where are you going?
MAX and ANNA [urgently]: Nick!
HITCHHIKER: West. Where are you going?
NICK: California. 'Bout as far west as you can get.
[switch from MAX, NICK and ANNA as each speaks]
MAX: Excuse us a minute. [rolls up his window] What the hell do you think you're doing?
NICK: What? He looks harmless enough.
ANNA: That doesn't mean you can just pull over and pick up anyone you damn well please without asking us.
NICK: Alright, alright. Is it alright with you if we give this kid a ride?
MAX: No. I don't think so. We don't know anything about him, and just because he looks alright...
ANNA: I don't know.. He's probably harmless...
NICK: And it's wet and cold out there. How'd you like to be stuck standing on the side of the road like that. Eh, Maxie?
MAX: Still don't think it's a good idea.
NICK: His car probably broke down or something like that and all we have to do is cart him down to the nearest town, drop him off at the bus depot and everything'll be peachy again. We'll have our good deed done and be on our way again. And besides, just look at him. He’s this puny, scrawny, tiny little person. You really think that with the three of us he’d be able to hurt any of us?
[short contemplative silence. ANNA scoots over to right side of car and rolls the window down again.]
ANNA [to HITCHHIKER]: Where'd you say you were going again?
HITCHHIKER: Nevada. My aunt lives there.
[ANNA looks back at MAX and NICK. MAX shakes his head and looks away. NICK motions her to go ahead]
ANNA [opening the door and moving back]: Here, come on. We can at least take you to the next town.
HITCHHIKER [getting in car and shutting door]: Hey, great. Thanks. I really appreciate this. [takes hood down and puts bag at his feet. he's got really bright unnaturally blue eyes. ANNA reacts, but says nothing. car starts off again. focus only on ANNA and HITCHHIKER [DARIEN]. music starts rising again.]
ANNA: So, what's your name?
HITCHHIKER: Uh, Darien.
ANNA: Cool. I'm Anna, this is Max, and that's Nick. [points to each as she says their names]
[DARIEN acknowledges them]
DARIEN: Why're you guys going to California?
ANNA: Our last great adventure before college, I guess.
DARIEN: Oh.
[music should be somewhat loud now. MAX watches them in rearview mirror. pause. radio starts skipping, intermingled with bits from other stations and static. NICK glances at it, tells MAX to do something with it. MAX plays with dial, trying to find another station. radio dissolves into static.]
NICK: Dammit.
MAX: It worked fine just a few minutes ago...
NICK [to ANNA]: What's your dad going to say if we get back and the radio's shot?
ANNA: Well it's not exactly a new car, Nick. And it's probably just screwing up because of the storm. It'll probably be fine tomorrow...
MAX: Yeah.
Scene 5
[ext. mid-afternoon next day. MAX and ANNA standing in line to use a snack machine. enter mid-conversation.]
ANNA: If you still want to paint I think you should do it.
MAX: Yeah, but my parents...
ANNA: What about them?
MAX: They've already got everything set on me going into business and then coming back and working with Dad.
ANNA: So? They want you to be happy, right?
MAX: Yeah...
ANNA: So tell them this'll make you happier and go do it.
[MAX gives a half-hearted shrug. pause]
MAX: You’ve known Nick a long time, right?
ANNA: Yeah, I guess so.
MAX: Don’t you think he’s a little too pushy sometimes?
ANNA: What d’you mean?
MAX: Well like in the car a little while back when we wee talking about schools, and with the hitchhiker thing.
[ANNA puts money into machine and pushes button as she saying this.]
ANNA [shrugs]: He’s just trying to be helpful, Max. Nick feels like he has to go out and save the world from itself. [MAX sighs and breaks away slightly]
MAX: I guess..
ANNA: And he did have a point with the school thing. Lately you’ve started sounding a lot like your parents, and frankly, Max, it’s not much of an improvement. [MAX looks away] But you go do whatever you want...It’s your life...
[machine jams. ANNA hits it a few times. NICK approaches them.]
NICK: Ready?
ANNA: Machine took my money.
NICK: Here. [pushes her away a little] Did you try banging on it? [bangs on machine]
ANNA [somewhat sarcastically]: Gee, no, Nick. I never would have thought of that if you hadn't showed up. Aren't you just so glad Nick came to save us from the evil vending machine, Max?
MAX: Don't know what we'd do without him..
NICK [glares at her]: Funny, Ann.
[DARIEN wanders over]
DARIEN: What's up?
MAX: Machine won't work.
DARIEN: Did you hit it?
NICK: Yes.
ANNA: Several times.
DARIEN: Maybe one more won't hurt... [hits the machine hard. immediately bag of chips falls down, then several more, then all of it rains down on the little slot and then coins start spilling out the return slot. ANNA, MAX and NICK all step back, looking at each other. DARIEN stoops down and picks up a bag of Fritos and hands it to ANNA.]
DARIEN: Here you go. Is that what you wanted?
[focus only ANNA]
ANNA [taking chips]: Um...yeah...thanks...
[DARIEN walks off towards car. NICK shrugs and follows. MAX and ANNA just kind of look at each other, slightly bewildered. cut to:]
Scene 6
[int. car. night. quiet. radio playing in background. smaller country road. lightly tense. MAX driving, ANNA in front with him talking quietly to each other. focus closely on only MAX and ANNA. other two asleep in back]
MAX: That was really weird, Anna.
ANNA: I know.
MAX: I don't think this was a very good idea.
ANNA: It's too late for that now. What're we going to do?
MAX: Kick him out?
ANNA: Who says that was his fault?
MAX: Something's not right here, Anna.
ANNA: You think I don't know that? [pause] But it's not necessarily Darien...
MAX [looks at her]: Anna...
[ANNA's about to speak and then a couple of soft thumps against the car and splatty sounds – like a balloon filled to bursting with whip cream and then stepped on. sound increases and car starts skidding over the road. ANNA and MAX immediately jump to attention. NICK and DARIEN lean forward from the back to see what's going on. MAX tries to get car under control]
NICK: What the hell is that?
[MAX’s POV - see a bunch of small frog-like critters jumping around in the headlights and up against the car]
ANNA [peering at the road]: It looks like...
MAX [stunned]: It's a bunch of frogs...
NICK: Frogs?
MAX: Yeah. They're all over the road.
NICK: Oh, god.
ANNA: Where are they all coming from?
MAX: Maybe there's a stream around here somewhere....
NICK: Can't you...not run over them?
MAX [exasperated]: Nick... okay. It's dark. [trying to stay calm but losing it] We're on a teeny tiny shitty little road between a huge mountain and a big gaping gulf and there are frogs [accentuate each word] all over the freaking road. Do you want to try to not hit them?
NICK: Alright, sorry. I was just thinking...
MAX: Can you just shut up for about ten seconds while I try not to skid over the side of the hill?
ANNA [soft, reassuringly]: Max... It's OK. We'll be fine. Just go slow and ignore the frogs.
NICK [to himself, in amazement]: Jesus...where'd they all come from...
ANNA: Nick...sit still a few minutes, okay? The frogs are...are making the road slippery.
[NICK nods and settles back with DARIEN, who seems, almost, to be enjoying this. a few seconds pass and then the frogs go away as quickly as they came. MAX finds a place to pull over and they all get out to inspect the car. All over the front are little mutilated frog bodies.]
NICK: Jesus...
ANNA: God...
MAX: Should we scrape them off or...what?
ANNA: We can't really just leave them there....
DARIEN: Could be a new type of hood ornament.
[others don't seem to notice him]
NICK: Don't you have one of those snow-scraper things in the trunk? I thought I saw one when we were packing the other day...
ANNA: Um...yeah. I think so. [goes to trunk, gets scraper and comes back. NICK takes it from her and starts scraping the frog gunk off the car.] We're definitely going to have to wash this car before Dad sees it again.
[MAX starts laughing softly]
What?
[close up on MAX]
MAX: Nothing.. Just...We just massacred probably an entire generation of frogs and you're worried about what your dad's going to say. [another burst of laughter] Poor frogs...we've committed froggy genocide...
[close up ANNA]
ANNA: Max...
[back to MAX]
MAX: No. I'm fine. I just thought that was kind of funny... [wanders across the road to stare down the ravine, still quietly sniggering to himself.]
[DARIEN moves off a little, watching NICK work, while ANNA moves closer and kneels by NICK. close up of NICK.]
NICK [whispered to ANNA, not looking at her though]: If this keeps up...
[switch to ANNA, concerned]
ANNA: What?
[to NICK again]
NICK: Max. I mean. Is he going to be alright? This was just a little thing...
[ANNA looks to MAX. ANNA's POV. MAX still w/ back to them, seemingly more in control of himself now]
ANNA [looking back to NICK]: Max is fine. He's just a little freaked right now. Give him a break. He's been a little edgy ever since we picked up... [trails off and looks at DARIEN's who has wandered off down the road and is looking at the frogs left there. music starts getting louder.]
NICK [stops working]: Why?
ANNA: I don't know. Something about him's not right, though, Nick. You've got to feel that too. I think it's just putting everyone on edge, Max a little more than us.
NICK [looks at DARIEN who's watching them now]: So what do you want to do? [ANNA shakes her head] We could drop him off in the next town, say we changed our minds and decided to go somewhere else. Maybe something happened at home...
[ANNA nods, looks unsettled, stands up and goes over to MAX. talk a few minutes. MAX looks at DARIEN. cut to:]
Scene 7
[ext. small town. downtown. late afternoon. ANNA, MAX and NICK standing in parking lot of grocery store. both MAX and NICK are smoking. MAX and ANNA leaning against the car. NICK standing a little away from them, staring off into space. MAX and ANNA talking quietly among themselves. ANNA's eating a sandwich or something. stray dog wanders in [young, kind of thin], very friendly, greets them all enthusiastically. focus on all three at first]
ANNA: Who's going to tell him?
NICK: What do you mean?
ANNA: Didn't we agree to tell Darien we couldn't take him any further?
NICK: Oh. [pause] I was thinking about that... It seems kind of silly now.
MAX: Why?
NICK [shrugs]: Alright, we were all kind of freaked the other night, right? It's silly to put the blame on Darien just because we don't know him that well.
MAX: It's not because –
NICK: I mean, it's not like he could've used some weird ritual to summon up those frogs. That's like something out of a fantasy novel. So why leave him here?
ANNA: Nick...
NICK: No. It doesn't make any sense. He's not doing anything really. You're just letting Max's little phobias get to you, Anna.
MAX [stunned]: Little phobias? What the...?
NICK: [cutting him off]: No. Wait. You know yourself at home the peepers go all over the place in the spring.
MAX: Those were not peepers.
NICK: So maybe they just have bigger frogs here than at home. [trying to convince himself of this as well] Just calm down, Max, and everything’ll be OK.
MAX [fed up]: Since when has this just been all me, huh? From the start neither one of us wanted to pick up any hitchhikers. We even agreed to that before we started out at all. Then all of a sudden Mr. Know-It-All decides it'd be a brilliant idea to pick up this guy [gestures behind him] even though everyone else in the car was against it. Then we all agree to tell Darien to get out at the next town. Hell, Nick, it was your idea in the first place, and now that we're here you just go and change your mind? And then try to trivialize it by blaming me?
NICK: Hey, alright. Don't attack me. I was just saying...
MAX: You're always "just saying".
ANNA: Guys...
NICK: What do you mean by that?
MAX: I mean you can say whatever the hell you want and get away with it by just backing off and saying "Okay, I was just saying..." and everyone else's is just s'posed to nod and say "Alright," and everything'll be fine again.
ANNA: Alright! Enough. This isn't getting us anywhere. Max, maybe you are being just a little paranoid about all this... [MAX starts to defend himself but she cuts him off, she continues looking at MAX while she speaks.] But. Nick shouldn't go around deciding things for all of us. [glances at NICK] Okay? [they both nod] Okay. Now. What are we going to do?
MAX: I say we get rid of Darien.
NICK: That's ridiculous—
ANNA [warning]: Nick.
NICK: I just think we could try it for a little longer. We've just had a rocky start, everyone's a little freaked and on edge and that's it. It's just nerves.
MAX: Bullshit.
[ANNA sighs]
ANNA: So what's your opinion, Max?
MAX: Alright, I admit, we're all a little edgy but I don't think that's any reason to take Darien further than we already have. I think we should leave Darien here and just keep going on our own. And not pick up any more hitchhikers. [looks pointedly at NICK who shakes his head, obviously not agreeing, but saying nothing.]
NICK: So what do you say, Anna?
ANNA: I don't know what to do. I don't think we should have picked Darien up in the first place...
NICK: You were the one who told him it was OK.
ANNA: What was I supposed to do? Just say, "Oh, sorry, we just wanted to see how miserable you were," and speed off after you pulled over?
NICK: You could have. You didn't have to invite him into the car at any rate.
ANNA [throwing her hands up in frustration]: Christ.
MAX: Come on, guys, what are we going to do. We need to decide this fast.
ANNA[hand on her forehead, back to NICK, looking at MAX sideways]: We could give it another shot...
[MAX obviously not too happy with this. pause for 2 beats. DARIEN enters, all smiles. dog visibly recoils, starts growling low]
DARIEN: Hey, guys. Ready to get going again?
[dog starts growling louder. ANNA glances at it first, then MAX and NICK. growl turns to vicious barking directed at DARIEN. He backs up a little, wary.]
DARIEN: Um. What's...
NICK: Why's it doing that? It was fine a minute ago...
[dog crouches low and advances slowly growing more pronounced]
DARIEN [anxious]: What the hell's wrong with that thing?
[dog lunges at DARIEN who takes a step back and throws out his arm in front of him like a traffic warden. dog falls short and off to the side and backs away cowering and whimpering. ANNA, MAX, and NICK all stunned]
DARIEN [somewhat disgusted]: Well that was fun...
NICK: That was really strange.
MAX [softly]: I told you... [ANNA and NICK look at him]
DARIEN [impatient]: Can we get out of here?
ANNA [dully]: We still have to pick up a few things...
MAX [quietly throughout this]: It's late enough we could probably stay here... The next town's too far away for us to have any chance of reaching it before tomorrow.
NICK: Where would we stay?
MAX: We passed a motel on the way in..
[fade out]
Scene 8
[ext. night. motel with some cheezy name like "The Rustic Inn" or something like that. car parked in front of a row of rooms in shadow. ANNA and MAX leave from one room, both in shadow, and walk across parking lot to brightly-lit convenience store. sharp contrast between parking lot and store.] cut to:]
Scene 9
[int. convenience store. bright lights very white. can see dark outside as ANNA and MAX enter [ANNA first]. Beatles' "HARD DAYS' NIGHT" playing over store speakers. MAX wanders off in search of something [snack food maybe?] ANNA goes to newspaper rack. door opens & jingles and a scruffy, scraggly looking man walks in. in the borderlands between drunk and sober. wild shock of grey hair sticking out all over the place, muddy jeans and Keds, and a faded flannel shirt. immediately walks over to ANNA.]
MAN: Heya, missy.
ANNA [cautious]: Hello.
MAN: How are we doing tonight?
ANNA: Fine I suppose.
MAN: Good, good. Whatcher name? Mine's Johnny.
ANNA: Um, hello, Johnny.
JOHNNY: Right, right. You from out of town. [ANNA nods, starts looking for MAX. JOHNNY nods to himself] I can always tell, I can. You travellin' alone?
ANNA: No.
JOHNNY: Who's with ya?
ANNA: Just a couple of my friends.
JOHNNY: Oh yeah. That guy by the door. I saw him when I's comin' in.
ANNA: Really.
JOHNNY: Yep. [pause] I got some advice for you and yer friends. You be careful o' picking folks up around here. Now, now, don't you look at me like that. Ol' Johnny knows what he's talkin' about. Yeah. See. There's some [draw out syllables] weird shit goin' on around here. You may not think it, but foreigners never do. So you be careful, right.
ANNA [kind of brushing him off]: Yeah, alright. We will.
JOHNNY [more insistently, grabbing her arm]: Yer not understandin’ what I mean. It's not—[interrupted by MAX coming over to see what's going on]
MAX: Anna...?
ANNA [pulling away slightly]: Max! This is um, Johnny...
MAX: Um..
JOHNNY [urgently]: You kids don't understand. You have to listen. Around here... things...things happen. No reason, no purpose. They just happen. People say it's coincidence. I know better. I've learnt a thing or two in my time. It's Dalanus.
MAX: Who?
JOHNNY: Dalanus. Chaos. He roams ‘round here...here...[sweeping arm gesture] everywhere, but here more ‘an anywhere else. He waits, travellin’ as normal folks would until a suitable person comes along for him to latch onto and then...
[NICK enters store, looking irritated. heads straight for MAX and ANNA.]
NICK: What's taking so long? You were just s'posed to get a couple of sodas. It's been nearly half an hour since you left.
ANNA: Oh...Nick...sorry. It didn't seem that long.
NICK: Yeah. Well. Doesn't matter I guess. Darien [JOHNNY should react to name] ordered some –
JOHNNY [clutching ANNA's arm fervently]: Yer travellin’ with this Darien? [ANNA nods] D’you know him well? [ANNA looks questioningly at NICK and MAX] No. [with loads of conviction, very insistent] You gotta get away from him real quick. You don't understand all he can do. Yer not careful, you allow him to get into yer group too much you can never get away from him and’ll forever and ever be trapped servin’ the chaos god.
[reactions: MAX – not entirely convinced/unconvinced. ANNA – kind of concerned, not sure whether to believe him or not. NICK – doesn’t really care, just wants to get ANNA and MAX and get out of the store.]
NICK [pulling ANNA and MAX away]: Yeah. Sure. We have to go now.
[cut to:]
Scene 10
[ext. night. few minutes later. walking back across the parking lot. NICK in lead. ANNA and MAX trailing after.]
MAX: Do you think he has any sort of credibility?
NICK: Are you crazy? That guy was insane, standing there spouting off nonsense about a chaos god and some Dalanus person. How could you even think there was an ounce of sanity in what he had to say?
MAX [irritated - using JOHNNY as a symbol for himself]: Why just brush him off like that? Maybe he was telling the truth. Is it so hard to believe that there actually is someone going around causing these "random incidents" to happen?
NICK [stopping to face MAX]: Truthfully? Yes. It is hard to believe. It's fucking insane. There is no supernatural being running around causing accidents and coincidences.
ANNA: Maybe that's not what he meant exactly..
NICK: Oh, god, not you too...
MAX: What do you think he really meant then?
ANNA: Well.. we picked up Darien not too far from here... and he seemed to at least be familiar with Darien. Maybe he just got mixed up a little...
NICK: A little? Just a little?
ANNA: Well, I mean, maybe he knows Darien, and Darien's dangerous or something and that was just his way of warning us...
NICK: Anna...please...
ANNA: Hey. I was just thinking OK? One of us should at least. You have to admit there's something not quite right about Darien. I'm not saying he's this Dalanus person, I'm just saying we should be careful around him.
[she looks at both for their agreement, they nod and start walking back to motel. as they get nearer to car we can see something's not right about it. it's just one big black mass, light's not coming through windows. ANNA, MAX and NICK all look at each other, perplexed. get a little nearer, the car seems to be swaying a little side to side. group slows down and starts edging around the car, not getting too close. groups POV. car gets more and more in focus we can see a bunch of squirming things covering it in this huge writhing mass – spiders, lizards, other dangerous/unpleasant creatures covering the car completely. see group now. stopped dead in their tracks, in shock. ANNA with her hand over her mouth. all shocked, not sure what to do. none of them really what to approach car.]
ANNA: Oh my god.
MAX: I've never...
NICK: Where...
MAX: What should we do?
ANNA: What can we do?
NICK: We can't just leave them there, can we?
ANNA: Do you know how to get them off?
NICK: No...but...
MAX: Do you think they'd be gone by morning?
ANNA: Maybe...
NICK: How'd they all get on there in the first place?
MAX: That's just really weird.
NICK: Must be the theme of this trip.
[fade out]
Scene 11
[ext. daytime. ANNA rummaging around in back of car looking very tired. MAX wanders out looking much the same with a bag slung over his back and a cup of coffee and a lit cigarette both in one hand. no sign of the critters from the night before. drops the bag at the back of the car and finishes his cigarette, looking very irritated with the world [the sun in particular] indeed. ANNA stops looking and just stands there, hands on hips staring mindlessly at the trunk. NICK comes out, same as other two. gets cigarette off MAX. seemingly out of nowhere JOHNNY approaches them, much in the same state as the night before.]
JOHNNY: Mornin' folks.
[all make low grumbling sounds, don't even really look at him]
Rough night I see.
MAX: Weird night more like it.
JOHNNY: Pretty much the same more or less.
[ANNA turns and sits on the car bumper, sort of half-in, half-out, like you can do with station wagons when the back is open, with her hands in her jeans pockets]
NICK [irritated]: You seem to have had a pretty good night.
JOHNNY [shrugs and sighs, kind of pleased]: Well, what can I say? Nothin’ too eventful happens on t’other side of town. Somethin’ happened here, though.
ANNA: You could say that. [JOHNNY looks at her inquiringly] Bugs attacked our car last night.
JOHNNY [inspecting the car at a distance for bugs]: They ain’t there now.
ANNA: No. They were gone when we woke up this morning.
JOHNNY: D'ya know where to? [ANNA looks at him a moment, then shakes her head.] Hm. Very puzzling, indeedy. So yer off soon, yeah?
NICK: Tomorrow.
JOHNNY: Right then. Last word of advice to such adventurous young travellers. [pause. they all look at him, nodding their consent briefly. tone of voice changes completely] Chaos is not an unnatural event, never as far away as people think. It's always two steps ahead and right under your nose. Remember that. [voice goes back to normal] And while yer at it, get rid of that Darien fella. Jus’ go ‘head an’ kill all dem birds... [gets distracted and wanders off again in much the same direction he came from, waving as two people call out to him.]
NICK [muttered, to himself]: Right.
[cut to:]
Scene 12
[ext. outside motel. small grassy picnic area with tables and benches. mid-afternoon MAX, ANNA, and NICK all look a little better. ANNA sitting on tabletop playing her guitar, humming along to herself. NICK beside her looking at map. MAX sitting in grass drawing. DARIEN standing off by himself under a tree.]
NICK: I think I figured out the best road to take from here.
ANNA [not entirely listening]: Hm?
NICK: If we don’t meet up with the main road immediately, and take this little side road here instead - [indicates road on map, ANNA leans over guitar to see] - I think it’ll be a little faster.
ANNA [nods]: Cool.
[MAX gets up and wanders over to them]
MAX: Do we know what we’re doing yet?
NICK: Yep. Just figured it out.
MAX: Great. [to ANNA] When’d your mom say they were sending the money?
ANNA: Some time this afternoon. I figured on checking the Western Union place around three or so.
MAX: OK. I want to get out of here as soon as we can.
NICK: Yeah, I think we all do.
MAX [nods]: I’m going in for a soda, you guys want anything?
ANNA: Bring your guitar out.
[MAX nods, leaves drawing stuff on table and leaves. pause for a beat. blue beat up VW van rolls into the parking lot. out jumps ANDREA, followed by LUKE. ANDREA waves at NICK and ANNA and the two walk towards them. ANNA waves back.]
ANDREA: Hey, guys, how’s your great western trek going?
ANNA: Pretty good so far.
NICK: A few hang-ups but nothing too big.
ANDREA: That’s great. [notices MAX is missing] Where’s your third?
NICK: Inside.
[EDDIE starts walking over]
ANNA: Oh, and we also gained a fourth. This is - [turns around to get DARIEN’s attention but sees that he’s suddenly gone] Well he was there a minute ago. Maybe he went in with Max...
NICK: I thought you guys were going to other direction?
LUKE: We were. Until we got to Gavin’s house.
ANDREA: We never actually made it inside.
LUKE: Yeah, we ended up just kind of standing outside staring at the house until we decided it was a bad idea and left.
ANDREA: So we turned around and started heading back and here we are.
[EDDIE sees MAX’s drawing, picks it up, looks at it.]
EDDIE: Hey that's pretty good.
ANNA: Oh. That’s Max’s.
ANDREA: Neat. He’s a pretty good little artist.
LUKE: We could have him design our first album cover when we finally get our big break and become rich and famous.
[MAX starts back across the parking lot with a guitar strapped to his back and a soda]
ANDREA [to ANNA]: So you both play guitars?
ANNA: Yeah.
ANDREA: That’s cool. You could start your own mini band right here.
LUKE: Or just join ours. Always room for more guitarists.
ANNA: We’d even have our very own resident groupie. [does something to show she means NICK]
NICK: Oh, I feel so honoured.
MAX [puts his guitar down on the table]: Hey, what’s up?
NICK: Well, apparently you and Anna are now on your way to becoming famous musicians with your amazing dynamic guitar duo.
MAX: Wow, really?
ANNA: Darien didn’t go with you, did he?
MAX [opening the soda can]: No, I didn’t see him. Why?
ANNA: That’s weird.
NICK: I wonder where he went.
GAVIN [in background by van, shouting]: Andrea! Luke! Eddie! You guys wanna come give me a hand with this stuff?
ANDREA [to GAVIN]: Yeah! Just a sec![to ANNA et al] Maybe we’ll run into you again. See ya.
ANNA, NICK, MAX: Yeah, see ya.
LUKE: Later guys.
[LUKE, ANDREA, EDDIE leave]
MAX: Oh, Western Union called and they got the money from Anna’s mom so maybe we could just go back and pack everything up in the car, then maybe drive down and pick up the money then maybe just kind of leave without Darien. Y’know, kill all the birds...?
[cut to:]
Scene 13
[int. car. few minutes later. ANNA driving again. NICK and DARIEN in back. discussing plans for which roads to take. MAX deeply engrossed in map.]
MAX: No. That road'll only take us back in the direction we came from. If we turn at Maple Street up here and then turn right at the bridge it'll take us to the main road again.
ANNA: You're sure?
MAX [looking up from the map]: Yeah. [sees JOHNNY walking on sidewalk out the window] There's that weird guy we were talking to before. What was his name?
ANNA [thinking]: Um...Johnny I think.
NICK: God that guy was really whacked out.
ANNA: He wasn't that bad really.
DARIEN: When was this?
NICK: Last night at the store across the way...and then again this morning. He was speaking pure gibberish.
MAX [to ANNA]: Just love how he discredits everything with so much finality, don't you?
ANNA: Please don't start today, Max. You guys are always arguing. Just give it a rest, okay?
MAX: Yeah, sure.
DARIEN [to NICK]: What was he saying?
NICK: Oh. He just get going on about chaos and hitchhikers and some guy name Demetrius...or Dionysus... or something like that.
MAX [softly]: Dalanus.
DARIEN: Sounds really whacked out.
NICK: Yeah that's what I thought.
ANNA: What the hell...?
[ANNA's POV. all the streetlamps and traffic lights along the road they're taking start flickering on and off and in bizarre patterns. car slows down. flickering builds up until they reach an intersection [JOHNNY should be standing on the street corner, staring up at the lights amazed]. ANNA drives cautiously through the intersection. JOHNNY gets kick started into action and kind of zombie like, still staring up in bewilderment at the lights, doesn't see the car coming at them. ANNA sees him too late as car just about hits him. all the lights in the area explode with a blinding flash of light so we're not sue exactly what happened. cut to:]
Scene 14
[ext. same scene. 5 minutes later. NICK, MAX, and ANNA all standing by car around JOHNNY's body on the ground – can't see it too well, blood involved though. all have expressions of shock/horror/disbelief. DARIEN stands a little off to the side, surveying the damage around the area – glass everywhere, fallen live wires, couple cars crashed into each other. distant sound of sirens approaching. close up DARIEN. a small mischievous smile spreads over his face as he sees the wreckage. cut to:]
Scene 15
[int. car. night. much later. whole mood very tense and uneasy, unnaturally silent. NICK driving. ANNA sitting in the back, all curled up into herself, very upset. staring out the window. DARIEN navigating. MAX in back with her, upset and worried about ANNA, not sure how to treat her. NICK up front looking very tense. DARIEN's only one relaxed, seemingly unbothered by previous incident, isn't really paying attention to what's going on around him. NICK glances back at MAX and ANNA in rearview mirror occasionally.]
MAX [whispered]: Anna... [she moves her head slightly to look at him] I...It wasn't your fault you know...[pause 2 beats. she continues to look at him impassively. he tries to think of something to say to make her feel better.] You couldn't have done anything. [pause] Even the doctor said it was probably a heart attack. [ANNA closes her eyes tightly. MAX winces – said the wrong thing. tries to find something else to say to her, gives up. hugs her instead. switch focus to front of car. NICK's POV. driving on highway again. pretty much deserted – early hours of the morning. car lights dim briefly then come back.]
NICK [can hear tension in his voice]: Anyone need to stop soon?
MAX [hesitantly, in effort to get things back to normal]: That might be a good idea. We haven't eaten since...[meets NICK's gaze in mirror. NICK nods.]
NICK: Did you get through to your parents before?
MAX: No...probably better that way. They thought this trip was a mistake to begin with. [pause] What'd your parents say?
NICK [sighs]: They were convinced I had something to do with it. Then when they finally believed I didn't they wanted to know how Anna's parents were dealing with it. Y'know. Typical stuff. [pause 2-3 beats] Think you'll ever tell your parents?
MAX [kind of bitter laugh]: No way. As far as I'm concerned the sooner it's forgotten – this incident in particular – the better. [looks down at ANNA, who's fallen asleep on him] It'd probably be better for Anna if she could do that too...
NICK: She asleep?
MAX: Yeah...finally.
NICK: That's good. [pause] This really upset her.
MAX: Understandably. She was driving... I'd be upset too.
NICK: Well, yeah. I just meant...
MAX: Yeah, I know. I wish there was something I could do too. Just one of those things...[looks at ANNA again] Think she'll ever get over it?
NICK: Anna? Sure. She'll be fine soon enough. Just all of this on top of everything else... Yeah. Anna's a tough girl.
MAX: And if nothing else goes wrong..
NICK: Well we can figure at this point, just about everything that could go wrong on this trip has, so we should be fine.
MAX: Yeah. Famous last words.
Scene 16
[int. car. daytime. ext. from driver [MAX] POV. coming into a semi-small town. pass a sign that says "Welcome to Harpersville, Kansas. Population 5,000. – Harpersville Lions Club –" Enter town. Everything seems quiet at first. everyone but MAX asleep in car. all of a sudden blaring out of nowhere "MR. SANDMAN" [the old version]. everyone in car jumps a little.]
NICK [groggy]: Where are we?
ANNA [still kind of numb]: What's that...?
[MAX shakes his head. get closer to downtown Harpersville see a middle-aged balding man in rabbit slippers and pajama pants with a fedora on doing a dance routine to the music with a shower curtain and a mop]
MAX: Okay...
NICK: Is he really...?
MAX: Yeah...
NICK [puts his head in his hands, frustrated]: Why can't things just be normal for a change?
[car proceeds further into town, which is just a mass of insane people running around doing bizarre things. MAX stops the car abruptly and they sit there for a few minutes watching everyone, at this point too numbed by what they've already seen to be amazed, more amused than anything. there's a mousy, librarian-type woman standing on top of a truck throwing plates with "McCarthy for President" scrawled across them in black magic marker at people. members of the city council are lined up in front of city hall in suits doing the Can-Can. two people are running endlessly around the block swinging off of trees and lampposts. person sitting in the middle of the street with an umbrella and drinking a glass of wine and looking at everyone with great disdain, particularly the car right in front of him.]
NICK [close to losing it himself]: Everyone...everyone in the world has just gone insane except for us. We're the only rational people left in this country.
[MAX just starts laughing softly to himself, then gradually getting more and more hysterical. NICK looks at him, stunned.]
NICK: What're you laughing at?
MAX: It just figures, y'know. The one place we stop and...this. [gestures out the window at everyone]
[suddenly someone runs up to the car and starts banging on it, shouting unintelligible things at them and trying to get into the car. MAX just sighs and starts the car again – at this point he doesn't really care anymore. close up on NICK staring out the window at this person banging on the car. car lurches forward, knocking the person away. and starts making its way out of town. cut to:]
Scene 17
[ext. gas station. mid-afternoon. they've just arrived, everyone's getting out of the car and stretching. NICK pumps the gas. DARIEN wanders off to store inside. ANNA goes off to bathrooms. MAX lingers awhile, obviously wanting to say something but not sure how to say it.]
MAX: Nick?
NICK: Yeah?
MAX: Have you noticed, um, any sort of theme to our trip?
NICK: What d'you mean?
MAX: Like specifically since Darien's joined us?
NICK: All the strange things that've been happening?
MAX [impatiently like it's the most obvious thing in the world]: Yeah...
NICK: It is kind of a coincidence isn't it?
MAX [laughs]: "Kind of..."
NICK: Come on, Max. Don't lose it on me. There's enough weird shit going on around here as it is.
MAX [suddenly remembers band at the diner]: Y'know. They really had it right when they said that.
NICK: Who?
MAX: Back there. At the diner. That band we met. That's exactly what they said to us. "There's some weird shit out west."
NICK: Boy were they right.
MAX: Yeah... [pause] So you don't think there's anything strange at all about Darien?
NICK: Well, yeah, there is, but what are we going to do?
MAX: Make him leave?
NICK: What for?
MAX [noise of anger/frustration]: Argh! Don't you get it at all? [NICK just kind of stares at him. MAX shakes his head and turns and walks away, stunned. sees ANNA and catches up with her.]
MAX: Alright. Please please tell me you notice something wrong with Darien and want him to go away to?
ANNA [sighs, tired and general worn-out from everything]: Please, Max. We're almost there and then we'll never have to see Darien ever ever again. Ever. [smiles to herself] Won't that be nice?
MAX [kind of pathetically]: I think he should go now.
ANNA: I know. I wish there was a way...
MAX [jumping on this]: There is! We can just go get in the car and leave him here and not look back. Anna! Please.
ANNA [sighs, quiet for a few minutes]: I'm just really really tired at this point, Max, and frankly, I don't think we really could tell Darien to go away. And in all actuality I just don't care anymore either.
[MAX stands there defeated, ANNA walks into store. NICK comes in almost right after her. claps MAX on the back lightly.]
NICK: It'll all be OK eventually... We just have to get through a few more states...
Scene 18
[int. car. next day. evening. right before sunset. driving down deserted highway in desert area [UT, probably]. mood's not so tense anymore. more tired than anything, beginnings of optimism flickering. the "almost made it" mentality. NICK's driving, MAX navigating. ANNA kind of drifting off in the back. DARIEN oblivious as ever. radio playing Simon & Garfunkle's "FEELIN' GROOVY"]
NICK: So what're we going to do when we get to San Francisco?
ANNA: Sleep. [the three of them kind of laugh half-heartedly]
MAX: I really hate cars now.
ANNA: Perfectly reasonable.
NICK: Y'know. After this, college is looking a little better.
MAX: Ha. See. You're mother's wish has come true after all.
NICK: She probably arranged this whole thing just to "teach me a lesson."
MAX: Wouldn't that be great.
NICK: Yeah, really. [to ANNA, as if it just occurred to him] You called your parents when we stopped before, didn't you? [she nods] Did they say whether or not they'd heard from that music college yet?
ANNA: Oh...yeah. I can't believe I forgot that...I guess with everything...
MAX: You got in?
ANNA: Yeah.
NICK: Was there ever any doubt? [ANNA smiles] And just where is this phantom college then?
ANNA: Seattle.
NICK [not very happy w/ this]: Seattle? All the way over here in Seattle? [mock outrage] Oh, Anna, how could you?
ANNA: How could I what?
NICK: She's leaving us, Max.
MAX: I know. And she doesn't even care.
ANNA: Hey. It was your guys' choice to stay east. You could move out west if you really wanted.
[short pause]
MAX: So when does your first term start?
ANNA: Um. October. I'll probably go up in September to get everything settled in.
NICK: How'd your parents take it?
ANNA: Surprisingly well. They were really supportive of me going...
NICK: Wow. That's amazing.
ANNA: Well they are now that I'm pretty much guaranteed a slot there. My parents don't like any iffy sort of things.
NICK: Still going to be an accountant, Max?
MAX: I dunno. You still planning on being a bum?
NICK: Are you kidding? After this? Frankly I'll be glad to get to California and stay out of a car for a long time.
[popping, minor exploding noises and smoke start coming from under the hood. car jerks a bit, lurches forward. NICK manages to steer it off the road, where it finally just coasts to a stop.]
Great.
MAX: You've really got great timing with these things don't you?
ANNA: So now what are we going to do?
NICK: Maybe it's not that bad. [gets out of the car and gets the hood up [probably hot]. MAX and ANNA get out of the car, followed by DARIEN. both front doors and the back door on the right are left open.]
MAX: So?
NICK [shakes his head slowly]: Not a clue. I don't know a thing about cars.
MAX: Great...
ANNA: Ah, the moments when you wish you had a cell phone.
NICK: So what should we do?
MAX: We passed a gas station back there...
ANNA: Yeah but how far?
[sun starts setting, everything should be cast in kind of faint reddish/yellow/orange light. by end of scene sun should be almost completely set.]
MAX [shrugs]: Who knows?
NICK: Do you think we could make it before dark?
MAX: Probably not.
ANNA: So...what? Should we wait here, or try or what?
NICK: What are the chances a car would just happen by?
ANNA: On this road? Probably not very likely. Especially at this time of day.
[NICK sighs and heads back around to the driver's side and stands inside the door [which is still open] w/ hands on hips and head bent down. ANNA and MAX come around and stand behind him. DARIEN's leaning against closed back door, an amused grin plastered over his face. others aren't really paying much attention to him, too wrapped up in the car problem.]
ANNA: So I guess we're going to be spending the night right here.
MAX: Great.
NICK: Christ. Why is everything so screwed up this trip? Whatever happened to the natural order of things?
DARIEN: Order is not a natural event, never as far away as people think. It's always two steps ahead and right under your nose.
[All turn to look at him, realizing what he really is [chaos god person]. close-up NICK's face, looking shocked, resigned, and whatever else someone would feel if they just realized they were trapped spending the rest of their lives and possibly longer running around with an insane god of chaos [as if there is any other kind] – face can be bathed in last few rays of orange-ish light. cut to black screen. end credits/music. the end.]
©1999 m. hughes
