Red Herring

By
William Ward

(c) 2015 William Ward

3887 Gloucester Drive

Tucker, GA 30084
404-664-6910
wsw229@gmail.com

FADE IN:
EXT.

ONE ROAD TOWN/ESTABLISHING - DAY

Aged and dusty shanty town. Whitewash peeling, wooden

buildings keeling. A lonely road slinks along, indifferent.
EXT.

TRAVELLING CAR - DAY

A black luxury sedan winds violently through the town,

stopping bluntly at a curb fronting a yawning building.
The vanity plate reads THE MARK.
EXT.

FRONT OF BUILDING - DAY

The door of the car pops open spryly.

FRISCOE FIASCO (29) springs from the vehicle and rushes
hurriedly to the other side.
Ripping the door open, his form is eclipsed by the much more
imposing MARK ARCADIAN (32).
Marks head prickles in dozens of spikes of red and black.
Always smiling, Mark looks around proudly and approaches the
door of the building, he OPENS the door.
EXT.

EMPTY LOT - DAY

Weeds grow as if being forced.

repugnant as possible.

They rebel by appearing as

JOHN RED HERRING (19) lies in the center of the lot among
his three FRIENDS.
Reds liberty spikes splay defiantly from a newspaper
blanket draped over him.
He rouses when Mark SLAMS the door from across the street.
Red SNAPS upright, looks in the direction of the sound.
SWISH PAN TO:

2.
EXT.

FRONT OF BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

Red watches as Mark exits the building, snatches JENNY (17),

waiting for her ride, by her face, slings her into the car.
The car roars and screeches, tearsing off in an instant.
SWISH PAN TO:
EXT.

EMPTY LOT - CONTINUOUS

Fuming, Red FLINGS himself upward and strides with

unparalleled intensity toward a baseball bat leaning against
the wall of the lot.
Without breaking stride, he SNATCHES the bat and heads
toward the building.
EXT.

FRONT OF BUILDING - DAY

Red HURLS himself at the pane-glass windows of the building

and brings the bat down, SHATTERING everything within
range.
He rushes around the interior of the building, BLASTING
APART everything he can get his bat on.
Raging, he DECIMATES computers, desks, windows,
everying. PEOPLE flee the building, but without much
grandeur.
His bat BREAKS in half, but he keeps swinging until he holds
just the grip, which he HURLS through a final computer
screen.
SWISH PAN TO:
EXT.

EMPTY LOT - CONTINUOUS

GEORGE GRITTLE JAMESON (22) rises from slumber.

Bald by choice, his head gleans knowingly in the sunlight.
He hears something, looks across the street in time to see
Red trying to throw a very large desk out of the building.
GRITTLE
Jesus, Red.
Grittle whistles quickly. SLIBO (17) darts upright
immediately, looks around.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

JATTLE (19) rolls over in his sleep.

Grittle sighs, barks.
GRITTLE
JATTLE! THIS IS
IMPORTANT! JATTLE!
Finally, Jattle rises, stretches.
Slibo has a jet black side by side Mohawk.
Jattle, electrifying blue hair swept to one side covering
his left eye.
Grittle gestures toward the building.
SLIBO
Woah, cool!
Jattle slaps him on the back of the head.
JATTLE
Nah Slibo, thats Marks.
Slibo immediately rises.
Oh shit!

SLIBO
We gotta stop him!

Grittle chuckles to himself as they all get up and run

toward the building.
Reds hands are bloodied and shaking, but he just lights a
cigarette and puts a hand up to his brow as they arrive.
Before Grittle can open his mouth...
RED
Lets go find your car, Grit.
The four turn and walk up the street, dust flies everywhere
like static.
Slibo dances around wildly.
SLIBO
We dont even remember where the
car is! Thats what I call a
party!
Jattle casts one of his spidery hands in Slibos direction,
his other rests on his forehead.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

JATTLE
Shut up man, hungover.
Grittle spits.
GRITTLE
Whatever lets just find this
thing.
Red looks back, looks up at the sky.
EXT.

BETWEEN BUILDINGS - DUSK

The quartet stop at a space between two leaning ramshackle

buildings.
Flayed out on the concrete, Jenny lays unconscious, bloodied
and bruised.
She has a slender face, black wavy hair, and simple clothes.
Red moves toward her, cautious.
Grittle tries to interveneGRITTLE
Red, thats one of Marks
girls! Dont mess with her, Mark
will kill you if he finds out!
Red turns around abruptly but appears amused.
RED
Grittle my dear, I just smashed up
his office, Im pretty sure hes
already coming for me. For us.
Red turns away from his friend and continues toward Jenny.
He pats her lightly on the face and she rouses, but as she
does, her face twists in her horror, she looks around.
RED
Relax, hes gone.
stay around here?

Where do you

JENNY
I dont really live anywhere, where
do you live?
Red smiles.

5.
EXT.

GRITTLES CAR/ESTABLISHING - DUSK

Worn and torn hotrod. Perhaps flame decals.

song raging from stereo.

Random punk

INT. GRITTLES CAR - DUSK

Grittle sits driver side, Red shotgun, the other two in
back, staring out their respective windows.
Jenny sleeps soundly in the center seat, her head held
back.
Red wears aviator sunglasses and smokes a long cigarette
with no filter.
Cigarette hangs precariously from his lip, clearly for
appearance purposes only.
Grittle has his elbow on the dash, resting his head in his
hand.
GRITTLE
God Red, you had to smash it
up. Couldnt have waited for me at
all, huh?
RED
Relax Grit, I know what Im doing.
GRITTLE
And then you went and helped his
girl man!
Slibo leans up from the back seat.
SLIBO
(Whispering)
Whatever shes hot!
JATTLE
Get back here dumb shit.
Jattle puts his hand on Slibos shoulder and pulls him
backward.
Red laughs and looks around, expectant.
RED
She is quite the looker Slibo.
Grittle looks down, and then out his window.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.
GRITTLE
I wish you would take things
seriously sometimes.

Red chuckles, takes another drag.

EXT.

WASTELAND JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN/ESTABLISHING - DUSK

A dark plain stretches into infinity.

The miniscule town squats in the hopeless suck.
Grittles little hotrod barely even registers.
EXT.

WASTELAND - DUSK

Marks car glides into view from the side of the town,
floating to a gentle stop in front of Grittles car.
Mark exits unassisted, a wide smile stretched across his
face.
His head prickles in spikes of red and black, now.
INT.

GRITTLES CAR - DUSK

Red makes for the door handle but Grittle puts his hand on
Reds shoulder to stop him.
GRITTLE
Red, Ive got 450 horses man, we
can get out of here.
Red smiles mischievously.
RED
Right, like thats worked before.
He opens the door.
EXT.

WASTELAND - DUSK

Red exits the car and walks aimlessly toward Mark,

pretending he still hasnt noticed him.
MARK
You smash up my building?
Red walks around in circles, humming a pleasant tune to
himself.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

MARK
YOU SMASH UP MY BUILDING?
Red looks up, surprised.
RED
Oh, you mean that dump on the West
Side? Ya, I dont know man, drugs.
Marks smile grows wider until he resembles a
jack-o-lantern.
MARK
I like you. People dont challenge
me too often you know.
RED
What can I say, Im a dipshit!
MARK
I usually just kill people who
bother me, but you...I think we can
deal with in a different way.
Red feigns interest and leans in as if trying to hear
better.
RED
Pray do tell?
Mark looks at the car, sees Jattle LICKING A KNIFE madly.
Slibo leans in too, displaying his one finger salute.
Grittle looks back and PUNCHES both of them in lightning
succession. They sit back.
Grittle glares at Mark.
MARK
We used to do this turf battle
way back called a scrap, you heard
of it?
Red shrugs.
RED
Ya sure, Im up for a scrap.
Noon.

MARK
Tomorrow.

The empty lot.

Red clicks his tongue and points, turns back to the car.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

Marks smile vanishes for the first time, he turns to leave.

Red ambles toward the car, looks off at the setting sun.
Marks vehicle starts, performs an impressive turn-about and
rockets off around the buildings again.
INT.

GRITTLES CAR - DUSK

Red enters and plops down.

The rest of the gang leans in waiting for him to say
something, but Red just stares out the window.
GRITTLE
What did he say Red?
RED
He wants a scrap.
Grittle sits back and the other two do the same, Grittles
look of confusion only becomes worse as he ponders.
GRITTLE
Whats a scrap?
Red cackles.
RED
Fuck if I know.
He lights another cig.
EXT.

EMPTY LOT - NOON

The lot hangs in tension, casting no shadow, the weeds

suspiciously shuffle about in the slight breeze.
Marks gang of thirty masses around the corner, oozing into
the lot.
Someone in the crowd blasts a Vandals song.
Mark leads the crowd: Beaming, striding
gait.

with an elongated

Frisco shuffles nervously in place, itching to destroy.

He appears crispy, yet his hollow eyes and massive singular
Mohawk give him a ghoulish air.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.
FRISCO
Where the fuck are they? Im ready
to hit something man...Ive gotta
hit something.
MARK
Relax Frisco, Im gonna let you
take them by yourself.

Frisco casts his eyes toward Mark and shuffles more rapidly,
developing a sort of a rhythm to his insane gyrating.
FRISCO
Im gonna rip em up Mark, Im
gonna rip em up...
Reds gang appears from the opposite direction.
Slibo looks around nervously, Grittle stares solemnly at the
ground.
Jattles face carries little expression, he holds a small
walkman turned up all the way.
Jenny strides next to Red, she holds a piece of glass,
concealed.
The man himself has his hands locked in his pockets,
sunglasses smashed against his face, cigarette hanging
limply in mouth.
Reds gang crosses the lot as Mark steps out to the center,
Red joins him.
Red brings his upper lip down hard, spiking his cigarette
upward defiantly as he faces Mark, whose smile burns
brightly.
The mass of people on Marks side stand idly about, a
menagerie of spikes and whisps.
Reds crew stands ready, if nervous.
MARK
So lets get started.
Mark turns around and notices that Red hasnt moved.
he faces Red again.

Amused

MARK
You have no idea what a scrap is do
you?
Red just smiles.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.
MARK
OK, so heres the deal. You and I
wait up in the windows of these two
buildings and watch the fight.

Red nods with much grandeur.

MARK
Now, whoevers gang loses, has to
fight the other leader
blindfolded. Got it?
Red nods again quite mockingly.
RED
Loser leaves town?
Mark grins.
MARK
Yes.
RED
For good?
MARK
...yes.
RED
Because if someone loses...and they
try to come back...
MARK
I wouldnt worry so much about the
outcome, Red.
Red chuckles.
RED
I just never want to see you again
after today.
MARK
...well, you probably wont.
RED
One way or another, huh?
He looks past Mark.
Frisco WRINGS his hands, shifts in place.
Mark turns for his building.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

11.

MARK
Go upstairs, Red.
Red turns, smiles.
RED
Okay, Dad.
Grittle approaches and walks with him.
GRITTLE
Prick! Hes too scared to fight
you one on one so hes gonna
blindfold you!
RED
Ya, well whatever, its his turf,
he makes the rules.
GRITTLE
Just dont do anything stupid, Red.
Red looks at him.
RED
Keep our boys safe, Grit.
Grit stops.
GRITTLE
I-I will.
Red looks at Jenny.

She stares at Frisco, unmoving.

RED
I like her.
Grittle looks back.
GRITTLE
Yeah shes got nice hairRED
Get back there Grit, Jattles got a
plan.
Red vanishes into the building, Grit turns back and joins
the gang.
Jattle stares into Friscos eyes. The twisted freak
scratches his entire body, takes some mock lunges.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

12.

JATTLE
We gotta get that guy if we want to
do anything.
Slibo looks at Jattle, stunned.
SLIBO
Fuckin Fiasco?! How do you expect
us to take him out?!
GRITTLE
Just go for him. If all three of
us go for him at once, we can take
em.
Jenny barksJENNY
Four of us.
She stares at Frisco, her eyes burn.
The boys all look at each other.
Grittle gulps.
GRITTLE
Right, four of us.
Mark walks toward his building but before he enters, looks
over his shoulder.
MARK
Frisco, go.
Grittle steps forward, in front of the others.
GRITTLE
Shit, hes fast!
Grit, no!
Too late.

JATTLE
Stay back!

Frisco has already tackled Grittle full force.

Grittle raises an arm, Frisco pins it back with one hand and
STRIKES with a closed fist, full force with his other.
Grittles whole body goes limp.
Friscos eyes go wild, he raises his fist again.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

13.
SLIBO
Motherfucker!
JATTLE
SLIBE, STOP!

Slibo tackles Frisco off Grittle, but Frisco just

somersaults backward, lands on his back heel and lunges
again, catching Slibo in a viscous cross.
Slibo drops.
Frisco turns, Jattle has stepped out to face him.
Jenny moves next to him.
JENNY
If you hold him, I canJATTLE
Just stay back, hes too much.
Jenny looks down.
JENNY
...okay.
Frisco scrapes his feet in the dirt, licks his whole arm for
some fucking reason.
FRISCO
Youre the strong one, arentcha?
JATTLE
Come on.
Frisco approaches Jattle.
They circle in the dust like samurai waiting for an opening.
Jattle steps, his ankle buckles.
Friscos eyes bulge, he ROARS and charges.
They exchange fists back and forth, Jattle lands several
ear-splitting strikes, but Frisco lands a bizarre spinning
kick that sends Jattle flying.
Frisco smirks.
FRISCO
This is boringHis eyes pop out of his head.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

14.

He turns, raises his shoulder.

A shard of glass STICKS RIGHT THROUGH HIS ARM.
He gestures at it and screams,looks up.
Jenny stands before him.
Red CLINCHES his fist, trying to stop himself.
FRISCO
You...bitchShe PUNCHES him, he DROPS backward, but recovers his
balance, EXPLODES, grinning madly.
Jenny tries to move, but she cant, Frisco BURIES a knee
into her gut, BACKHANDS her with a terrible SMACK.
Jenny hits the ground, not moving.
FRISCO
Should have known your place, youJust then, Red storms out of his building, striding with
reckless abandon.
RED
Lets go you weird fuck!
Frisco turns toward Marks building.
FRISCO
Boss?
MARK (O.S.)
Yes, hes breaking the rules
Frisco, but you can take him.
Frisco doesnt even turn back around and does a hand stand,
spinning on his hands trying to catch Red with his spindling
legs.
Red dodges and kicks Frisco in the stomach.
FRISCO
Blagh!
Frisco dives backward and gets up.
FRISCO
This could be fun!

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

15.

Red charges and dodges Friscos punch, hitting him with a

strike straight to the heart. Frisco falls backward,
clutching his chest.
RED
Maybe not for you.
Frisco looks up at Mark.
Mark gestures, slicing a hand through the air.
Frisco smiles and falls over.
Red pants and stands ready, expecting Frisco to charge
again.
Suddenly, he hears CLAPPING.
He looks up and sees Mark approaching.
MARK
Well done, Herring. But, you broke
the rules so now you gotta fight me
blinded.
Mark beckons and TIMID MAN runs up and puts a blindfold
around Reds eyes.
Timid Man flies back to the safety of the lines.
Grittle and Jattle have slung Slibo and Jenny over their
shoulders and limp toward the wall to rest.
RED
...Grit?
Grittle turns back.
GRITTLE
Were alright, Red.

Go get em.

Mark rolls up his sleeves, cracks his knuckles.

MARK
I forgot to tell you Red, No ones
ever actually won a scrap
blindfolded...except me. I killed
your father, and I couldnt even
see him. Oh and one more
thing...Im coming now.
Mark walks forward quietly, Red makes an attempt to get
ready, but isnt quite facing the right direction.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

16.

Mark punches him right in the gut, his spikes smoldering in

the sun.
Red stumbles backward, tries to strike wildly in the
direction of Mark.
Mark smiles and slides around behind Red, punching him with
all his might in the back of Reds head.
Red drops hard.
Mark moves back to his lines.
MARK
What a waste of my fuckin time.
Mark makes it about halfway back to his lines but stops upon
a realization and turns wickedly.
MARK
(CONTD)
Say Red? You know that bitch you
helped out yesterday? You
shouldnta done that, shes gotta
pay for letting you help her.
Mark turns back around and walks, but hes stopped at the
sound of scratching along the pavement.
Red PULLS himself to his feet.
RED
Im not done yet.
Mark turns around, grins menacingly and RUNS toward Red.
Red hangs his head as Mark CHARGES.
Just as Mark reaches him, he takes a rapid step sideways and
PUNCHES Marks in the jaw.
Astounded, Mark tumbles to the pavement.
He gets up quickly, his jaw hangs loose.
He rears back and PUNCHES Red in the kidney.
Red doesnt even respond, just elbows Mark in the face.
Marks nose BREAKS with a terrible CRACK and blood SPURTS.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

17.
MARK
NO!

NO!

Red stands over him, pulls his leg up so that his boot rests
over Marks head.
No please!
surrender!

MARK
Mercy!

Mercy, I

Red lowers his boot slowly.

He pulls the blindfold off, looks at Marks gang.
They leave quietly, some give him a silent nod.
On the ground, Mark stirs.
MARK
What are you doing?
and help me up!

Get back here

The crowd doesnt even acknowledge his presence and

continues their exodus out of the lot.
Finally, Frisco approaches.
FRISCO
Hey Boss, need a hand?
He extends an arm.
Mark slaps it out of the way.
MARK
How dare you! Failure!
we have work to do.

Come on,

FRISCO
Y-yes Boss.
Frisco looks down, scurries after Mark, who has nearly
vanished into an alley.
Red turns around, Grittle stands there, wearing a small
smile.
Jenny and Jattle tend to Slibo, who leans against the back
wall, still dazed.
Jenny looks back at him, smiles.
Jattle looks his way and makes the anarchy sign with his
hands, his tongue splayed out.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

18.

GRITTLE
What now?
Bloodied and exhausted, Red looks up into the hot sun.
RED
Lets just...stay here.
second.

For a

Grittle smirks, wipes an eye.

Okay Red.

GRITTLE
Okay.

Red closes his eyes and basks in the warmth.

BLACK.