SKID MARKS
Short Film
Email: [email protected]
By David Johnson
1. INT. DESKTOP. DAY 1
A briefcase lies open on the top of a desk; it is neatly filled to the top with one hundred dollar bills.
V/O, LISA
Two groups of people; One chance; One day; A whole lot of money; One opposition...each other.
The brief case slams shut, followed by the door of the room.
2. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET DAY. 2
LISA 22, dressed in a bridesmaids dress, JAMES 22,dressed in a tuxedo, THOMAS 19, dressed in a tuxedo, stand around looking at a dead cat in the gutter, blank expressions on each face. LISA looks up to the camera.
V/O, LISA
My name’s Lisa! A very large sum of money was being secretly delivered to the blind children’s orphanage from an unnamed source today. Our plan was to create a distraction and then jump in the car, take the money, and disappear. It was going to be the day we got rich...but we never seemed to get around to doing that.
THOMAS lights a joint and a distant smile appears on his face. He squats down to examine the cat.
THOMAS
I wonder if there’s any skid marks left on it?
V/O, LISA
That’s Thomas! Totally drug fucked, but the maddest driver you’ll ever meet. He lives somewhere in the area, but spends all his time here, at James’s place.
JAMES nudges the cat with his foot, checking to see if it is dead
V/O, LISA
That’s James; he’s the brains behind the whole operation and my boyfriend. He can pick any lock and planned the whole deal. Put simply, James and his ex-girlfriend had planned to steal the money her father was secretly donating to the orphanage. Things turned sour, they broke up, but James still planned to get the money. Problem is...so did his ex-girlfriend, Kat.
JAMES squats down and pats the dead cat, LISA looks upset, THOMAS starts eating a mars bar he pulled out of his pocket.
JAMES
I can’t believe she would run over my cat!
…/Cont.
Continued
LISA
She wants the money too; she’s just trying to distract us so we miss the opportunity. You can’t let her get to you.
JAMES
Well it’s working.
JAMES stands up and starts walking to the car, a red Commodore. LISA and THOMAS turn and watch him
JAMES
Come on, we’ve got work to do, lets get to it, I feel stupid enough dressed up like this as it is.
LISA
What about the cat?
THOMAS
Well...I can’t see any skid marks on it.
LISA turns to THOMAS, rolling her eyes.
LISA
You idiot, I was talking to James!
JAMES
Just leave her, we have to get moving or we’ll miss our chance. Besides, I don’t think she’s going anywhere.
LISA and THOMAS walk over to the car as JAMES is unlocking the doors.
3. EXT. BESIDE CAR/ON STREET DAY. 3
KAT, blonde 21, JULIA, blonde 21, RACHAEL, blonde 20, stand beside KAT’s new V-DUB Beetle, the number plates “KAT” can be seen. The girls all are wearing tight mini skirts, high boots and fake fur coats. They are happily chatting about something, with their hands waving around near their shoulders, and their faces overly excited.
V/O, LISA
There they are, the three bimbo’s, or as I like to call them, the three walking credit cards. Kat’s the one in the middle, and that’s Julia on her left, Rachael on her right. Dumb as they are, they too want the money.
KAT points and the three girls start walking to a nearby coffee shop.
V/O, LISA
A while ago James had managed to convince Kat that the
…/Cont.
Continued
money should be hers and her father shouldn’t be just
giving it away. About a month ago, Kat had rung James and
a very stoned Thomas had answered the phone, telling Kat that James was still going to get the money. Kat, dumb as she is, told Thomas that she was going to get the money too, and so both sides then knew about the other.
The girls enter the coffee shop.
4. INT. COFFEESHOP DAY. 4
It is very dull inside; the only light is streaming through the front window. JULIA, RACHAEL and KAT are sitting by the window at a small rectangular coffee table. KAT sits with her back to the window, illuminated by the glare from the window; JULIA and RACHAEL are sitting opposite her. The girls are still chatting.
JULIA
You don’t know love Rachael, you only know like!
RACHAEL
No way! I know what love is. I love my Gucci bag
JULIA
No, you like your Gucci bag, just like I like mine, but I love my DKNY bag. See, you don’t have a DKNY bag so you can’t know what love is, only like...
KAT
You guys! We just did like, a terrible thing!
JULIA and RACHAEL look blankly at KAT, then look at each other, still confused.
KAT
Hello, we just ran over a cat!
JULIA
But it wasn’t as if it was a nice cat anyway...
RACHAEL touches JULIA on the shoulder.
RACHAEL
Yeah, like totally, it wasn’t even a pure bred and it was a shorthair.
JULIA starts patting the fur on the cuff of her coat.
JULIA
Yeah, what is that? Who would buy anything less than a fluffy wuffy kitty cat?
…/Cont.
Continued
RACHAEL
Oh so cute, I love them!
JULIA
I know, my mother always says...
KAT rolls her eyes at the comments.
KAT
Well glad to see it didn’t affect you in anyway, I think I’m scarred for life.
JULIA
Wasn’t the plan for it to distract them?
KAT
Yeah, well it was still a pretty bad thing to do.
JULIA
Do we have time for like, another double skim, decaf, ninety nine percent fat free mocchacino?
KAT
Yeah, we have like half an hour till it’s time.
JULIA turns around looking for a waiter.
RACHAEL
Do you reckon we’ll get the money before that “thing” that used to be your boyfriend?
KAT
Positive! He loved that cat...I hope it rips him apart!
How dare my Dad try and give away my money, I’ll show him!
5. INT. CAR DAY. 5
JAMES, LISA and THOMAS are sitting in the car, JAMES driving, LISA in the front passenger seat, and THOMAS sitting in the middle of the backseat.
V/O, LISA
There we all are, going to do the job! Just to fill you in, our plan was to position ourselves so that we are driving in front of the money car. We slam on the brakes, they run into us, we complain about being late for the wedding, when they’re arguing with us, we surprise them!
LISA reaches down and feels the heel of her stiletto shoes;
…/Cont.
Continued
JAMES is playing with something in his left pocket.
One kick from my steel tipped stilettos, and one punch from James with his knuckle-duster should do the trick, then we’ll grab the money and shoot through.
THOMAS
Hey man, I don’t get why I couldn’t just drive the whole thing
JAMES
Well when we crash they will see me get out of the driver’s seat. When me and Lisa are out of the car then you climb through to the front. They won’t be expecting anyone to be in the driver’s seat because I was the driver. It will help with the quick get away.
THOMAS nods his head with satisfaction
THOMAS
Oh.
THOMAS stares with glassy eyes out the front windscreen, LISA looks at JAMES and gives him a closed smile, trying to ease the worry that shows on his face.
V/O, LISA
But like I said, this was the plan that was supposed to happen.
6. EXT. FRONT OF COFFEE SHOP/CITY STREET DAY. 6
KAT, JULIA and RACHAEL, walk out the front door of the coffee shop. RACHAEL taps KAT on the shoulder as they start walking down the street.
RACHAEL
Can you just run through the plan one more time for me?
JULIA
Yeah for me too!
KAT looks worried.
KAT
Ok, one more time! When they stop at the traffic lights you guys walk beside their car, which is, like, a black Cadillac, and act like you were trying to cross the road.
KAT looks at Rachael
…/Cont.
Continued
KAT
You then pretend that they have rolled onto your foot. You scream, and then Julia, you start screaming at the other guy, telling him to get out and help. While they are out of the car helping you guys, I reach in, grab the case of money, and go before they know what’s hit them.
RACHAEL
And what about us?
KAT
You two just say you’ll be fine, something like, “we don’t need a man to help us”, and then walk away, but Rachael don’t forget to limp.
JULIA
What if there are more than two people in the car?
KAT
I know there won’t be, I know the two people he will use as well, two dopey, ugly things.
RACHAEL
But what if they like, recognise you?
KAT
Hello, that’s why I am wearing new clothes today, and I did my hair differently...
The three of them stop, look around, then realize that they have passed their car. They start walking back.
V/O, LISA
Those three really are a dumb bunch of dickheads!
7. INT. CAR DAY. 7
LISA is still looking at JAMES. THOMAS is fiddling around with a joint in his fingers.
V/O, LISA
This is where things change! The plan doesn’t go the way it was supposed to, and well...you’ll see!
We see the digital clock on the car dashboard; it reads 1:43pm.
JAMES
The money is supposed to be delivered in fifteen minutes, so we have about five minutes till we intercept them.
8. EXT. CITY STREET DAY. 8
KAT, RACHAEL and JULIA are about five meters away from KAT’s V-DUB car.
KAT
Come on we’ve got to hurry, I’ll move the car to hide it from them, in case they know it or something!
KAT opens the car door; JULIA and RACHAEL look at each other.
9. INT. CAR DAY. 9
LISA turns to JAMES
LISA
What type of car are we looking for again?
JAMES
Well Kat said they take a black Cadillac to do any jobs, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.
THOMAS
That’d be a mad car to drive, old and beautiful. I...
A black Cadillac can be seen in the foreground, through the front windscreen.
JAMES
Look there it is!
JAMES accelerates then drives in front of the Cadillac.
10. EXT. CITY STREET DAY. 10
KAT has one foot inside the car; JULIA grabs her shoulder.
JULIA
Kat, wait! Can you go through it all again one more time?
KAT looks baffled, but steps away from the car. RACHAEL and JULIA step closer to KAT, who has her back to the road.
KAT
What are you guys doing, we have to hurry!
JULIA and RACHAEL look at KAT, then they look up the street to their left at the approaching cars; a red Commodore being followed closely by a black Cadillac.
KAT
Shit there’s the car!
Traffic lights turn amber in the background.
…/Cont.
Continued
KAT
I better duck down.
JULIA
Sorry Kat.
KAT
Sorry for wha...
RACHAEL
Yeah, gunna miss ya babe, but well, your link to the money is just too obvious...and you are way to dumb!
KAT
Huh?
JULIA and RACHAEL both grab KAT by the upper arms, hidden by a four-wheel drive, they throw her onto the road, right in front of the red Commodore.
11. INT. CAR DAY. 11
LISA screams and JAMES slams on the brakes. KAT’s body bashes into the front of the car. The cars front tyres go over the body like a speed hump and then it pulls to a stop.
12. EXT. CITY STREET DAY. 12
JULIA and RACHAEL look at the scene; the Commodore, KAT’s body, and the Cadillac stopped behind them. People are rushing around everywhere. JULIA looks at Rachael.
JULIA
(BITCHY TONE) Oops, she must have slipped.
13. EXT. CITY STREET DAY. 13
JAMES gets out of the Commodore and runs around to where KAT is lying on the ground. At the same time, THOMAS gets out and lights his joint and casually strolls up to where JAMES is. LISA gets out after the boys but heads in the opposite direction. Two men get out of the Cadillac in the background and head towards the body. JAMES starts sobbing
JAMES
Oh my God!
JAMES starts shaking KAT who is clearly dead. THOMAS takes in long drawn breaths from the joint. The scene is frozen for a moment. THOMAS bends down and looks at the body, his eyes are very glassy.
THOMAS
I wonder if there are any skid marks on this body?
14. INT. CAR DAY. 14
From the inside of the black Cadillac we can see the briefcase on the floor of the front passenger side. LISA leans in through the open passenger window, grabs the briefcase and then through the windows we can see her walking away from both the car and the crash.
15. EXT. CITY STREET DAY. 15
JULIA and RACHAEL start taking out their hair, and they take off their fake fur coats.
JULIA
I wondered if the car crushed her cerebellum. Looks like her right clavicle has been completely shattered.
RACHAEL
It appears she also might have a punctured to her right lung; see the way her rib cage appears to have been dissected through the fourth sector.
JULIA
Oh yeah I see it.
JULIA takes RACHAEL’s fake fur coat and pushes them into a near-by bin.
JULIA
Look’s like we won’t be needing these anymore!
RACHAEL
Where did LISA say we should meet her?
JULIA
At the pub on the corner of William Street at six!
A piece of paper is sticking out of one of KAT’s pockets. JAMES pulls it out. Sirens can be heard getting louder.
V/O, LISA
Oh yeah, that’s Kat’s suicide note, such a sad story don’t you think? She couldn’t have her Daddy’s money so she killed herself...at least that’s what people will think.
JAMES cries, extremely distraught.
16. INT. PUB NIGHT. 16
JULIA and RACHAEL walk up to LISA, who is sitting on a barstool, wearing a very elegant red dress. She stands out.
…/Cont.
Continued
V/O, LISA
Well, all I said at the beginning was that we, being me James and Thomas, never got around to stealing the money, I never said I didn’t get it with somebody else.
LISA turns, smiling, to greet JULIA and RACHAEL.
LISA
Good work girls, did you leave the note?
JULIA
Sure did, did you get the cash?
LISA pulls a briefcase up from the floor and sits it on her lap. RACHAEL turns to JULIA and smiles, then she turns back to LISA, whose face is showing great satisfaction.
RACHAEL
This is perfect!
LISA
Well not quite girls.
JULIA
What do you mean?
RACHAEL
Yeah?
LISA
Well you two just committed a murder, the most ruthless of crimes; you would probably get life in prison for something like that. Don’t you think?
JULIA and RACHAEL look at each other with worry and confusion on their faces
JULIA
You are in this as much as us!
LISA
Actually no, not really! I didn’t deceptively pretend I was dumb for six months, I didn’t betray my best friend, oh hang on, yes I did, but well, lets face it...I didn’t kill anyone.
JULIA
What are you up to? You’re having us on aren’t you? This is a joke, right? (FAKE LAUGHING)
…/Cont.
Continued
LISA
Sorry sweetie, but well, I guess I could keep my mouth shut about the horrible crime you committed, if you let me keep all the money! Oh hang on, it doesn’t really look like you have a choice does it?
LISA produces a huge fake smile. Picks up the case, stands up and starts to walk away. JULIA and RACHAEL turn and look at her, completely bewildered. LISA walks out the front door of the Pub.
17. EXT. CITY STREET NIGHT. 17
LISA exits the pub and walks up the street swinging the briefcase under the light from the street lamps.
V/O, LISA
Well, I never saw James or Thomas again, but last I heard was that James was getting psychiatric help because of the accident, and Thomas can’t remember a thing. Like I said, we didn’t get around to stealing the money...but well, I did! (CHUCKLING) Why share when you can have it all?
Screen fades to black
18. EXT. CITY STREET NIGHT. 18
THOMAS’s face fills the screen.
THOMAS
Nope, she doesn’t have any skid marks either!
THOMAS and JAMES are standing over LISA’s body, which is lying in front of the red Commodore. The headlights of the car light them up. JAMES bends over the body and opens up LISA’s hand which is still gripped around the briefcase; JAMES picks up the case. JAMES and THOMAS get back in the car, THOMAS driving, revs the car, it squeals leaving perfect skid marks on the road before driving over the top of LISA again.
The End
Download Script