Hourglass

By
Sunil Sharma

Sunil1711@hotmail.com

SCENE 1 - INT. JUNKYARD. AFTERNOON

Bright and silent, the junkyard is filled with old and rusty
cars around, unusable. Scrap metals and car parts all piled
up in section with tyres burning all over the place.
Although it is bright, heavy black smoke from the burning
has filled up the air.
Suddenly, there is this rush of noises filling the
environment,sound of someone running, followed by car
screeching, A tall man,JAMES, in his late 20s, scruffy
beard,in his torn shirt and pant is seen running between the
junk, bleeding and bruised, car follows him. He runs over
one of the old cars, getting a cut on his forearm during the
process, he stumbles his way through.
James runs towards s massive building, what seems to be a
garage, he runs straight for the huge metal door right at
the center of it. Realizing its closed, he turns around. As
he watches the car that was following him come closer and
getting bigger, the headlights almost blinding him, he knows
his time has come.
A woman, dressed all in black, dark mascara, high heels, in
early 30s walks out of the driver seat while on the
passenger side a man walks out,mid 40s all dressed in black
too, carrying what seems to be shotgun, only with a muzzle
of a RPG. Aiming at JAMES, the guy walks and grabs JAMES by
collar and turns him around and tears whatever is remaining
of his shirt. There is a Tattoo on his back, a tribal
pattern, some kind of an illusion to create a depth to the
pattern.
UNKNOWN MAN
Its Him.
He kicks JAMES from behind. A sinister laugh is followed.
Grabs JAMES by his hair and pulls him towards the car.
handcuffing him, he proceeds to roughly chuck JAMES in the
backseat of the car. Both the man and the woman sit in the
car and drive off.
SCENE 2 - INT. GARAGE. AFTERNOON.
JAMES is tied to chair backwards with the Tattoo on his back
clearly showing. There is only one light source coming from
the the top bulb, although it is dimmer than the usual bulb.
A bucket of water is chucked on JAMES face from the other
side. Bruises around his face, swollen eyes, almost crying,
JAMES struggles to open his eyes and see around. he is tied
up. He sees a figure familiar to him. The light above him
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

creates a silhoutte, he recognises him as the same man as

before. Jamess vision gets a bit clearer, he shakes his
body and tries to yell out of Taped mouth, only mumbles.
Unknown woman from the car park walks into the garage,
UNKNOWN WOMAN
Where is he?
Grabs a chair and sits in front of JAMESs back. James
trying to see where the sound is coming from keeps looking
behind his shoulder, although he knows whose voice he is
hearing.
Suddenly a loud noise is heard from behind. The man gets up
in a flash and picks his shotgun from the side, aims near
the huge rusty metal door, the man is quick ith his
movement, its second nature to him. Walking in slowly
towards the door, still aiming right at the door, as if
someone is standing behind it, he stops only a couple of
steps away from the door and stays still for 5 seconds and
then turns around to look at the woman, the woman nods in
confirmation, the man walks on the side and looks through a
hole in the door. He sees no one, just smoke and burning
tires. He turns and shakes his head towards the woman, the
woman turns to talk to JAMES, but just before she speaks she
realizes, JAMES has passed out. She lets a sigh of
frustration.
We see the huge metal door from outside this time and there
is a graffiti, on the door, its the same pattern as seen on
JAMESs back.
SCENE 3 - INT. GARAGE. LATE AFTERNOON.
Splash! another bucket of water is splashed on JAMES.He is
again startled, the water hurts the bruises on his face, as
he struggles to find his vision again, he realizes he is now
facing the right way with his hand behind the chair rather
than the other way around.
James shirt, completely ripped to shreds, now sits around
his hips, his body subtly shivers from the ice cold water
dripping off his beaten body, he has goose bumps on his arms
and a slight blue tinge to his lips. no more tape on his
mouth.
The woman keeps the bucket on the side and pulls a chair and
sits very close to JAMES this time.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

UNKNOWN WOMAN
We wont be wasting another bucket
of water on you next time.
giving a glimpse of a body lying next to her
UNKNOWN WOMAN
Your friend didnt last long, so
please, please stay with me here.
the lying body, has the same tattoo that is on JAMESs back,
only darker with the blood that has dried over time. Just
behind the body, the man is sitting on a table, eating what
looks like to be a massive mutton chop, James takes in his
own spit, mouth is dry and it hurts, needles and pins around
his tonsils, he tries to gather back his vision and
attention.
UNKNOWN WOMAN
Oh yea, we got food here too, When
was the last time you had a good
meal? five, six years ago?
JAMES doesnt speak, only shifts his gaze from the man to
the woman.
UNKNOWN WOMAN
so, i will ask you again, and
please, please answer me, i dont
like killing people when they are
hungry. Where is HE?
JAMES silent, looks down, as if thinking about something,
taking his time, he looks up and smiles at the woman.
JAMES
Do you really think, he stays in
one place. You dumb bitch.
looking at the faces of the woman and the man, JAMES gives a
chuckle, the chuckles grows into a laughter, slowly building
up.
JAMES
you will never find him.
The Man upset at JAMES arrogance, impatient and frustrated,
he leaves his mutton chop and grabs his shotgun and starts
walking towards JAMES.
JAMES looks at the body lying on the floor, the Tattoo
getting darker and darker.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

JAMES can now feel his Tattoo moving, circles going in

opposite directions, he knows now is the time, he pushes
himself back on the chair, and stands on his feet, chair
still attached to his back.
The man quickly takes aim with his shotgun, and shoots, a
massive circle of Blue ray is released through the muzzle of
the gun. He misses. The wall behind James is hit. The shelf
on the wall is shattered into mere pieces. Everything on the
shelf now broken, mechanical parts, engine oils, old
newspapers and boxers, all just pile of ash and junk.
The recoil of the gun is strong but the man is used to it,
he pulls the reload and goes for it again. Meanwhile the
woman grabs her gun too.
JAMES running for his life, crashes himself into the wall,
breaking the chair, a showcase of his strength. Now free to
move, he knows he has a good shot at surviving.
JAMES now running quicker than ever, surprises the woman
with his flexibility when shot at. Making ground on woman,
he leaps with great intent, holding one of the broken legs
of the chair, he swings his arm, and knocks the woman on the
face, blood pouring from her face, she can hardly register
what has happened. She falls on the floor unconscious.
The man now furious, goes gun blazing at running JAMES, but
JAMES is now possessed, he is not human. He gets the man
with ease and knocks the gun out his hand.
JAMES throws a good left hook and hits him, the man is
strong he comes back with a stronger punch, quicker too.
JAMES can feel the heat of the punch on his jaw, yet he cant
retreat now. He tries a few more quick punches, quicker than
the punches is the man, he dodges them with ease.
JAMES is at his best, much better than he ever was, manages
to hit him on the upper lip. The man is pushed back.
Annoyed, he wants to end this nonsense battle. He takes off
his jacket, now getting some more room to work with, he
starts throwing solid punches at JAMES. JAMES dodges them,
but knows he does not have long before one hits him.
As if fighting his older sibling, JAMES is just scraping
away with the dodges, hardly able to register a punch
himself.
Struggling to keep up with the Mans pace and strength,
JAMES starts getting hit, more often and more cleanly, until
a solid uppercut gets him on the floor. JAMES is on the back
foot again. The man has done this too many times. JAMES
throwing punches but without any meat on it, just to buy
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

time, the man ducks under one and hits him straight in the
ribs. The man knows he has hit the spot, he grabs James by
shoulder and hits him in the same spot over and over again
until JAMES hits the wall and falls straight on his back.
JAMES leaning on the floor, suddenly realizes, he might have
just bought enough time, the spinning tattoo, is sinking in
and in, almost disappearing from his back. The man doesnt
know this.
He walks towards his gun and picks up, aims at JAMES
THE MAN
Times up son
JAMES
Exactly
JAMES makes a run, still getting shot at and being missed,
things just flying behind him, he ducks, and slides and runs
towards the body of his colleague, he jumps, head first
trying to reach as far as he can, extends his hand, the last
circle of the tattoo spinning away, almost done, he lands
with his hands grabbing the leg of the dead body and POOF!
No more Tattoo, no more JAMES.
SCENE 4 - INT. APARTMENT. LATE AFTERNOON
Old construction site, an apartment in the 13th floor,
broken walls, bricks and cement all over the place. We see
JAMES lying on a pile of cement, covered in it. The dead
body next to him. He picks the body up, having no strength,
ribs broken, jaw hurting, he really struggles to lift the
body and walk.
He somehow manages to get up and walk around the half built
walls, getting to one of the inner rooms, its dark, he walks
past through it.
An Old man is sitting on his knees with a blanket in front
of him. A quill at his side with some ink.
JAMES looks at the man and without a word, keeps the body on
to his right, lays it down perfectly. Tears coming from his
eyes, he stays there, eyes closed just kneeling next to the
body.
James gets up and proceeds to sleep on the blanket, chest
down. The Old man also without any gesture or word, picks up
the quill, dips it in the ink, closes his eyes and starts
painting on JAMESs back. There is no sign of the previous
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

tattoo, not even a hint of ink on his back. AS the old man
moves his quill, the ink has somewhat delayed reaction,
starts creating the pattern again.
Once the painting is completed, JAMES gets up, blood shot
eyes, walks with anger. He goes down the sets of stairs.
11th floor, is marked up with a no entry sign on the
pillars. He walks through it. There are three sets of
cabinet, all locked down. He walks behind the cabinet, there
are some pots, most of them with dead plants. James picks up
one of the pots and finds a sets of keys underneath it.
He opens up the cabinet, there are pictures of him and his
colleague, just smiling with some kids around them. Kids all
of them holding what seems to be fruits, nuts and veggies.
His tears are now dry as he picks up a few semi automatic
guns, a pistol and a knife. He shuts the cabinet door with
as ease as possible and stands still
EXT. TUNNEL. MORNING
(Black and White)(flashback)
JAMES, in the same singlet as before is seen with his gun
is running inside a tunnel with his colleague, RESHAD, a
young bolke, darker skin, early 30s, not completely
athletic built but slim. Dressed in a black tshirt and Blue
tight jeans, RESHAD is in front of JAMES and is trying to
look for an opening. The tunnel is dark, dirty and stinking,
filled with very little amount of water.
As they run through the echo of their footsteps fill the
surrounding until they come to a halt and hide right behind
a left turn crossing. A second or two pause and they are hit
with a bang. Same sound as the shotgun of The man from the
garage.
They run as they are being hunted, they shoot a few blasters
themselves, while running away.
taking a few more turns, they hurry thier way to their next
turns. A quick swift right turn and BANG. RESHAD his hit.
JAMES fires from the direction where the shot came from, he
fires three more, buys himself time.
RESHAD now on the floor, struggling to breathe looks at
JAMES and shakes his head. JAMES shoots a few more. The
sound of the gunshots overpowers the surrounding until JAMES
is out of ammo.
He looks at RESHAD, JAMES is still being shot at, ducks and
kneels down next to RESHAD.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

RESHAD hands him his gun, and nods his head. While he nods,
he spits out blood of his mouth.
Gun Shots still in the background, RESHAD takes a pistol,
from his side pocket and aims with his left hand, the only
working hand right now and Shoots aimlessly at the other
guys.
JAMES waits for a second and then runs away.
INT. APARTMENT. LATE AFTERNOON
Standing right in front of the cabinet,He turns and walks
further down the sets of stairs. Homeless people, families,
orphan kids all in the buliding. He looks at the kids, same
kids from the cabinet photo, only skinnier and tired.
He now runs towards the exit of the building, walks out to
see a setting sun and a naked bobber (Bike) is sitting
outside right in front of him. The bike has a backpack
attached to it, the fuel tank has a painting of the Pattern.
Custom built with exhaust on both sides, he sits on top of
it and rides.
SCENE 5 - EXT. LONELY TOWN. EVENING
He stops his Bobber, parks it around a bunch of old rusty
cars, Tires are burning around, balck smoke everywhere.
He picks up his shotgun, and aims.
The huge metal doors, with the Graffiti of the Tattoo. He
pulls the reload lever and
CUT TO BLACK
Bang!