LAST DITCH EFFORT

by Albert Barrera

Short Film
Email: [email protected]

A woman, victimized by her abusive husband and his buddy, takes matters into her own hands and feeds them to wild rats.

FADE IN:
EXT. LONELY KENTUCKY BACK ROAD -- NIGHT
AN OLD PICKUP TRUCK bounces along the winding dirt road.
COUNTRY MUSIC can be HEARD coming from the truck's radio.
INT. OLD PICKUP TRUCK -- NIGHT
FRANK COLBY, an unshaven 30 year old country boy is behind
the wheel.
He's holding a LONG NECK BUDLIGHT in one hand while he fights
with the steering wheel with the other. He's SINGING along
with the song.
BILLY, a slightly overweight 40 year old and one of Frank's
best friends, sits half drunk in the passenger side.
He lifts his bottle of beer over his mouth and devours what
little remains.
He tosses the empty beer bottle out the window, reaches
between his feet and pulls another from a paper sack.
BILLY
(toasting)
Here's to pickup trucks and...
(burp)
Hot chicks!
FRANK
Amen to that!
Both men touch their beer bottles together and drink up.
EXT. LOG CABIN IN WOODS -- NIGHT
Establishing shot.
INT. LOG CABIN IN WOODS - KITCHEN -- NIGHT
JANET COLBY, late 20s, Frank's soon-to-be ex-wife, DANCING
to the SAME COUNTRY SONG Frank and Billy are listening to in
the pickup truck.
She's in an unusually happy mood as she pops open a champagne
bottle and pours herself a drink. She SIPS. Makes a face.
Terrible.
O.S., the PHONE RINGS. She places the glass down on the
kitchen table by
HER NEWLY COMPLETED NOVEL MANUSCRIPT. The TITLE PAGE READS:
LAST DITCH EFFORT.
Janet answers the phone.
2.
JANET
Hello?
(beat)
Hey, baby. You coming over? It's a
special occasion.
(beat)
I finished it.
(beat)
Yep. All 450 pages of it. She uses
rats to kill her attackers in the
end. You're gonna love it. I've got
champagne to celebrate.
LIGHTS from the approaching pickup truck penetrate the kitchen
window. Janet leans over and glances out the window.
The look on her face is that of SHEAR TERROR as she realizes
who's dropping in for a visit.
JANET (CONT'D)
Shit.
(into phone, nervous)
He's here.
(beat)
Yes. Please hurry.
She hangs up the phone. Darts out of the kitchen and into
the living room.
INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
There are at least five different LATCHES on the front door.
She locks them all.
INT. OLD PICKUP TRUCK -- NIGHT
Frank stops the truck several yards from the cabin. Shuts
the truck off. Shuts the lights off. Both men sit quietly
for a moment.
A LARGE RAT SCURRIES from the front porch to the surrounding
woods.
FRANK
(spotting the rat)
Ugly son's of bitches. Damn things
are all over the place.
BILLY
They're only ugly with all that hair
and stuff. But when they're skinned,
man, they might as well be rabbit.
You can't hardly tell the difference.
Billy reaches down between his boots and grabs a bottle cap
off the floor.
3.
BILLY (CONT'D)
Heads, I go first. You call it.
Frank stares at the bottle cap.
FRANK
What's heads?
BILLY
(demonstrating)
Cap lands upside down, that's tails.
It lands right side up, that's heads.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
UTTER SILENCE.
LIGHTS ARE OFF.
PAN around from the front door to the love seat, where Janet
is sitting holding a DOUBLE BARREL SHOTGUN in her TREMBLING
HANDS.
INT. OLD PICKUP TRUCK -- NIGHT
Billy tosses the bottle cap too high. It STRIKES the cab's
ceiling and bounces all over the place.
FRANK
Billy, you're an idiot, you know
that?
BILLY
Only when I'm drunk.
FRANK
I'll go first. I am her husband.
BILLY
Ex-husband.
FRANK
Not yet, Billy.
(gets off truck)
Not fucking yet.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
Janet, bathed in sweat, shaking, nervous, sits quietly as,
O.S., the doors of the pickup truck SLAM SHUT.
Then, SILENCE. Something's wrong. Where are they? She tries
to listen for them on the front porch but not a sound can be
heard.
Yet she continues to wait. She's not going anywhere. O.S., A
WINDOW BREAKS in another room. Janet jumps to her feet.
4.
JANET
(slowly walks down
hall)
Get the hell out of my house, Frank!
You're making Smith and Wesson
nervous! You don't want to make them
nervous, Frank!
She reaches her bedroom. Enters.
INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT
PIECES OF GLASS on the floor below the window. She nears her
closet, putting the barrel of her shotgun up against the
closet door.
JANET
Get out of there.
SOMEONE GRABS HER FROM BEHIND. TAKES THE SHOTGUN FROM HER.
It's Frank. He places his hand over her mouth as he holds
her tight against himself.
FRANK
If you're really good tonight and
put your hips into it I just might
sign those divorce papers.
JANET
(teary-eyed)
Screw you!
FRANK
Come on, Janet. Please don't tell me
this is gonna be a repeat of last
time. You're only making things harder
for yourself and that sorry ass,
poor excuse for a man, boyfriend of
yours.
JANET
Jason is twice the man you'll ever
be! You're no better than those rats
we got around this place.
FRANK
Oh, Jason's his name. Janet and Jason.
J and J! Has a ring to it don't you
think?
BILLY (O.S.)
(from living room)
You almost done in there, Frank?
JANET
You son of a bitch!
5.
FRANK
Hey, he's my buddy. He hasn't had a
woman since he was in the 8th grade.
It's the least I could do for the
poor bastard.
He shoves her down onto the bed. Begins to unbutton his pants.
INT. KITCHEN -- NIGHT
Billy POURS the contents of Janet's champagne glass into his
mouth as if he hadn't had a drink in days.
He, too, makes a face. He spots the manuscript and picks it
up.
BILLY
(trying to read)
Last Di...Last
(beat)
Last Dits...Dit
Like a child who easily loses interest, this hard head trashes
the manuscript onto the floor. Papers fly everywhere.
BILLY (CONT'D)
(re: Janet)
Hey, Frank! Leave some for me, will
ya?
A BRIEF FLASH OF LIGHT penetrates the kitchen window. Billy
hurries to the window and glances outside.
BILLY (CONT'D)
Oh, shit, Frank! We got ourselves
some company!
EXT. CABIN -- NIGHT
A BEAT UP STATION WAGON SKIDS to a halt, nearly SLAMMING
into Frank's pickup truck.
JASON, late 20s, handsome, jumps out of the car and hurries
to the front door. It's locked.
JASON
(banging on door)
Frank! If you hurt her, I swear I'll
kill you! Open the door!
INT. CABIN - JANET'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
Frank darts out the bedroom wearing only his pants. He lifts
the shotgun off the floor on his way out.
Janet is laying on the bed, CRYING. Her clothes have been
torn from her body. There are bruises on her face.
6.
EXT. CABIN - FRONT PORCH -- NIGHT
Jason takes his shirt off. Wraps it around his fist. Breaks
the window and climbs in.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
Jason, one leg still out the window, finds himself staring
into the double barrel shotgun.
FRANK
(to Billy)
You know, Billy, ain't nothing I
hate more than a thief breaking into
my home so he can rape my wife.
JASON
Where's Janet?
BILLY
(overly excited)
Shoot him, Frank! Shoot him in the
head!
JASON
Where is she!
FRANK
She wants to leave me because of
you.
JASON
You never could take care of her the
way she deserved to be taken care
of.
FRANK
And you can? Tell me something. How
will you take care of her now that
you're gone?
JASON
I ain't going nowhere.
FRANK
Oh, yes you are.
INT. JANET'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
Janet SHRIEKS as, O.S., the SHOTGUN BLAST REVERBERATES
throughout the house.
JANET
(screaming)
No!
FADE OUT:
7.
FADE IN:
EXT. DOCK -- EARLY MORNING
Janet is standing on the dock looking out at the thick fog
that blankets the lake. She's been crying for days. O.S., a
CAR approaches.
Janet turns and sees
SHERIFF ANDREW COLBY, late 30s, as he exits his car. A SCRAWNY
MAN. Not at all someone you'd expect in his line of work. He
approaches Janet on the dock.
JANET
Please tell me he's locked away for
good.
SHERIFF COLBY
(sighing)
I'm afraid you don't want to hear
what I have to say, Janet.
Janet waits for an answer.
SHERIFF COLBY (CONT'D)
(obviously
uncomfortable)
My brother claims he shot your
boyfriend in self-defense.
JANET
That son of bitch! You know him,
Andy! You know how he is! He rapes
me every chance he gets and he gets
his buddies to join in and there
isn't a goddamn thing you've been
able to do!
She storms right passed him on her way to her house.
SHERIFF COLBY
He has a witness, Janet.
Janet stops, turns to face the sheriff.
JANET
Who? Billy? Billy will say anything
Frank tells him, Andy. Hell, you'll
do anything he tells you!
SHERIFF COLBY
That's not true.
For a brief moment, neither of them says a word.
8.
JANET
So that's it? Your brother walks.
SHERIFF COLBY
He and Billy say Jason came over the
house pissed off about something.
When you wouldn't let him in the
house, he broke in through the window.
Frank tried to stop him and Jason
came at him with a broken glass that's
when he shot him.
JANET
(crying)
Jason was coming over to stop them.
(sob)
They were raping me, Andy. As they
do almost every weekend.
She's too overcome with emotion to continue the conversation.
She turns and heads into the house. The sheriff lowers his
head in disappointment.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
INT. POOL HALL -- EVENING
The pool hall is a small, smoke-filled place where people,
only men, come to unwind and drink a few.
Frank and Billy are playing pool while others look on. Frank
positions his stick over the table, concentrates, strikes
the white ball, which in turn, strikes the 8 ball into the
side pocket. A tricky move but he manages to pull it off.
Frank grabs the wad of cash on the table's edge and shoves
it into his pant pocket.
FRANK
Quit while you're ahead, Billy.
Payday's a long way off.
Everyone LAUGHS. Billy pulls out more cash from his pocket
and lays it on the table.
BILLY
It ain't over. It ain't over. Come
on. Lay your money right here, Frank.
The entire pool hall suddenly becomes quieter than a cemetery
at midnight. Everyone's gaze is towards the hall's entrance.
Frank and Billy turn to see who's just walked in.
Janet, the only woman in the place, casually makes her way
through the multitude of drunk and smoke-impregnated men.
9.
She reaches Frank's pool table.
FRANK
(without taking eyes
off Janet)
Hey, Charlie. When was the last time
a woman came into this place?
CHARLIE, 40s, owner and bartender of the pool hall, replies.
CHARLIE
Not since 1981.
FRANK
(staring at Janet)
What happened to her?
CHARLIE
Got her ass raped on that pool table
you're playing on.
At this point, Janet is teary-eyed and trembling with fear
and anger.
FRANK
(to Janet)
It was terrible that day.
JANET
I know. You were her attacker.
FRANK
This is no place for a woman. Get
your ass back home and do whatever
it is you women do.
JANET
Your brother and this whole damn
town maybe afraid of you, Frank, but
I'm not.
FRANK
How brave of you. Now get out of
here.
JANET
You are not gonna hurt me ever again.
You hear me?
FRANK
(laughs)
You made a big mistake coming in
here, Janet. Big mistake.
He lays his pool stick on the table and grabs hold of her.
10.
JANET
Let me go!
People start CHEERING.
FRANK
This is just a little lesson in
respect. Last time you ever come in
this place and embarrass me in front
of my friend, you hear me?
He shoves her against the pool table, TEARING her dress.
SHERIFF COLBY (O.S.)
That's enough, Frank!
Frank releases Janet. The sheriff approaches him.
SHERIFF COLBY (CONT'D)
(to Janet)
You all right?
Janet nods. Leaves.
FRANK
Just having a little fun, little
brother.
SHERIFF COLBY
Why don't you just sign those divorce
papers and move on, Frank? Leave
that girl alone.
FRANK
'Til death does us part, Andy. What
God joined in heaven, man cannot
tear apart down here on earth. Ain't
nothing you or anyone else in this
goddamn town can do about it.
(turns to Billy)
Let's go, Billy.
Frank and Billy head for the exit.
SHERIFF COLBY
I don't want no more trouble, Frank!
Leave her alone!
EXT. CEMETARY -- MORNING
Janet is kneeling before a headstone. CRYING. She lays a
rose down upon the grave. Runs her fingers across the
inscription of her dead boyfriend's name on the stone.
11.
JANET
I miss you, Jason, like you wouldn't
believe.
(sob)
I miss your scent. I miss your smile
and the way you ran your fingers
through my hair as we sat on the
porch looking up at the moon at
nights.
She stands. Wipes the tears from her eyes.
JANET (CONT'D)
They will pay for what they did,
Jason. They will pay for what they
did to you and for what they've been
doing to me.
O.S., the SOUND OF A VEHICLE APPROACHES. Janet turns. Sees
Franks old pickup truck as it slowly passes by. She and Frank
stare at each other. Frank throws her a kiss.
JANET (CONT'D)
I have to rid them of this town,
Jason. I have to do everything and
anything to finally end my pain and
suffering.
Frank smiles. Waves as he leaves the cemetery.
JANET (CONT'D)
One last ditch effort, Jason. If I
don't do it, no one will.
INT. CABIN - KITCHEN -- LATE AFTERNOON
Janet pops open a bottle of beer. Takes a drink. Places the
bottle on the kitchen counter next to a SMALL BOX labeled:
RAT POISON.
Janet dips a tablespoon into the box, lifting a hefty amount
of the white powder and dropping it into the open beer bottle.
She drops at least five more tablespoons of the lethal stuff
into the beer before closing the bottle and SHAKING it
vigorously.
She closes the box and stores it away in a cabinet. She then
carries the poisoned beer into the living room, where she
nervously places it down on the center table. She's TREMBLING.
JANET
(quietly)
Forgive me, Father, for what I am
about to do.
12.
INT. POOL HALL -- EVENING
Frank, the Sheriff and Billy are playing a game of pool. As
usual, the smoke-filled place is alive with LAUGHTER and
CONVERSATION.
It's Billy's turn at the 8 ball. It's not a complicated shot
but, then again, this is Billy. A drop of sweat hangs from
his nose as he concentrates.
FRANK
One hundred dollars, Billy. Make
this shot and you're that much richer.
Billy's pool stick is shaking all over the place. Drops of
sweat are SPLASHING against the table's smooth, green surface.
O.S., LOUD LAUGHTER AND TALKING seem to be amplified a
thousand times. He straightens. Looks around.
BILLY
(to everyone)
Shut up! Shut the hell up!
Suddenly, the entire place goes dead. ABSOLUTE SILENCE. Billy
watches them for a second before assuming his position again
on the pool table.
O.S., a PHONE RINGS. Everyone turns to face the BARTENDER,
who quickly answers it.
ON BILLY, closing his eyes for a moment. He pulls the stick
back, takes aim, STRIKES the white ball, which in turn,
STRIKES the 8 ball, which in turn, misses the destined pocket.
The hall breaks out in CONVERSATION and LAUGHTER once more.
Billy SLAMS the pool stick against the table in frustration.
Frank approaches him. Places a hand on his shoulder.
FRANK
It's okay, man. Settle down. The
night is young.
BARTENDER (O.S.)
Billy, phone call!
Frank turns to face the bartender. Billy, phone call? No
one's ever called asking for Billy before. Billy heads over
to the bar to answer the call. He's as confused as Frank.
BILLY
(into phone)
Hello?
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- EVENING
Janet is on the phone.
13.
JANET
Hey, Billy. Is Frank near you?
INT. POOL HALL -- EVENING
Billy turns to face Frank, who's standing by the pool table,
watching him suspiciously.
BILLY
He's standing by the pool table. You
wanna talk with him?
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- EVENING
JANET
No. I want to talk with you. You
busy?
BILLY
(filtered)
Okay. I just lost a hundred dollars.
JANET
I'm sorry about that. I was just
wondering if you wanted to come over
tonight. You know, just you and me,
alone. No Frank. No crying. No
yelling. No kicking.
(beat)
I'll take your mind off of those a
hundred dollars.
INT. POOL HALL -- EVENING
Billy turns away from Frank and faces the bartender. Frank
starts walking towards Billy.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- EVENING
JANET
This invitation is for tonight only,
Billy. All the sex and beer you can
handle. I'll be waiting.
She hangs up. Leans back in her couch. Closes her eyes.
INT. POOL HALL -- EVENING
Frank takes the phone from Billy.
FRANK
(into phone)
Hello? Hello? Who is this?
BILLY
She hung up.
14.
Realizing he just identified who was on the phone, Billy
quickly looks down at his beer.
FRANK
What did you talk about, Billy? What
does that bitch want with you?
BILLY
It wasn't Janet, Frank. Was my mom
from North Carolina. She's coming
over.
FRANK
If you're lying to me, Billy. I'll...
BILLY
It's the truth. I wouldn't lie to
you, Frank.
FRANK
You know what happened the last time
you lied to me. I won't be so
forgiving this time. Keep that in
mind, Billy.
Frank walks back to the pool table. Billy slips out the front
door. Sheriff Colby spots Billy as he sneaks out.
SHERIFF COLBY
(to Frank)
Where's Billy off to in such a hurry?
Frank spins around.
FRANK
Up to no good.
EXT. CABIN -- NIGHT
Billy pulls up to the cabin in his OLD STATION WAGON. He
exits the car and eagerly walks up the stairs of the front
porch.
SCATTERED THROUGHOUT the front porch are dozens of DEAD LARGE
RATS. Billy REACTS. He KNOCKS on the door. Janet opens the
door. Lets him in.
INT. CABIN - LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
Billy wraps his large arms around Janet and pulls her tight
against his body.
BILLY
So what you got planned for us
tonight, darling?
Janet avoids his bad breath.
15.
JANET
I've got a surprise for you, Billy.
You like surprises?
BILLY
Only if it involves you in some sexy
lingerie.
JANET
I've got something better.
She takes the poisoned beer from the center table and hands
it to Billy.
JANET (CONT'D)
Let's begin with a drink.
Billy CHUGS the entire contents of the bottle. After he's
done he tosses the bottle to the floor where it SHATTERS
into a dozen pieces.
BILLY
Okay, got the beer out of the way.
(tries to kiss her)
I want some of you, now.
Janet leans her face away from Billy's PUCKERED lips. She's
trying to get away. O.S., A LOUD CRASHING SOUND. Billy
releases Janet as he turns to face the front door.
Frank pushes aside the SPLINTERED DOOR and walks in. He's
pissed.
FRANK
Billy, Billy, Billy. I called your
mother up and, funny, she didn't
mention anything about coming up
here to visit your lying pork ass.
BILLY
(stepping back)
Don't be angry with me, Frank. Please,
I-I-I...
FRANK
I-I-I don't give a shit what you do
when I'm not around, Billy. What I
can't stand is someone lying to me.
And you lied to me.
(looks at Janet)
Both of you are in for a real treat
tonight.
Billy COUGHS. And COUGHS. And COUGHS some more. He's holding
his neck.
Janet slowly backs away.
16.
FRANK (CONT'D)
What's the matter with you, Billy?
Frank glances at the broken beer bottle on the floor. Quickly
glances up at Janet, then at Billy.
FRANK (CONT'D)
Oh, shit, Billy. Please tell me you
didn't drink anything that bitch
offered you.
BILLY
(barely audible)
I can't breathe, Frank! What's
happening to me?
(falls to knees)
Help me, please!
Janet runs out the back door. Frank leaps over a FOAMING
Billy, who's body has begun to SPASM, and follows Janet to
the outside.
EXT. CABIN -- NIGHT
Frank exits the cabin.
HIS POV
as a SHOVEL SMACKS him in the face. BLACKOUT.
FADE IN:
EXT. WOODS - CLEARING -- DAWN
LOW ANGLE - GROUND LEVEL
FUZZY VIEW of a FIGURE walking away.
REVERSE ANGLE
Frank, as he regains consciousness, opens his bruised eyes.
He MOANS with pain.
GRADUALLY ZOOM OUT to reveal Frank is buried vertically up
to his neck. He REACTS as he realizes his predicament.
He turns his head and sees Billy's ANT-COVERED, BLOATED HEAD
sticking out of the ground. His tongue hangs from his FOAMCOVERED
mouth.
FRANK
(teary-eyed)
Janet!
(beat)
Janet, where are you!?
17.
SOMETHING SMALL, BLACK and FURRY exits the brush and
approaches Frank. It's a RAT. At first there's only one but
soon there are others. A lot of them. All of them hungry.
Frank SCREAMS at the top of his lungs as the RATS surround
his head.
EXT. CABIN -- DAY
SUPER: THREE DAYS LATER
Sheriff Colby's car is parked outside. In the surrounding
woods, LOCAL AUTHORITIES and CITIZENS are conducting a search
for Frank, Billy and Janet.
EXT. BUS STOP IN TOWN -- DAY
Janet, wearing a hat and dark sunglasses, boards the passenger
bus. As others board, CAMERA PANS to one particular window
where Janet takes a seat. She stares out the window at the
town and the life she's leaving behind.
JANET (V.O.)
There's a publisher in New York
interested in my novel "Last Ditch
Effort". It's the true story of a
woman, victimized by her abusive
husband and his friends, who kills
her attackers and feeds them to the
rats.
(beat)
In the end, the woman falls in love
with her book publisher and they
live happily ever after.
The bus moves OUT OF FRAME.
FADE OUT
THE END.

Download Script