GHOST DANCE

Story by
Stark Howell

Screenplay by
Stark Howell
and
Chris Iverson

Stark Howell
23201 Sherwood Place
Valencia, CA 91354
661-877-2819
FADE IN:

EXT. EUCALYPTUS GROVE - PRE-DAWN

Title: August 5th, 1967.

A shadowy figure emerges from within the thick foliage and

carefully makes his way through the trees.

Soon joined by two others, the three move quietly and

gracefully through the brush. They blend in with their
surroundings.

Close on AJ (18) listening, his eyes scanning the woods. He

wears camouflaged six pocket army pants and an olive drab tee
shirt. He motions for the others to follow and heads down
into a cluster of eucalyptus trees.

He stops next to a tree, lowers to his knees and begins to

push the ground cover away as STEVE HANLEY (18), and RICKY
MILLER (19) join him. They also wear camouflage.

They soon unearth what they had come for. Three camouflaged
surfboards.

The three take their surfboards and head down a trail and out
of sight.

CUT TO:

EXT. TRAIL - MOMENTS LATER

The three boys, now wearing swim trunks, quietly emerge from
the trail and onto the beach where they stop and gaze out at
the flawless waves of The Point. They share smiles and run
for the water. Not a word was said between them.

As the light of a new day makes its way above the distant
hills to the east, the three surfers ride one perfect wave
after another, drawing clean lines with grace and ease.

FADE OUT.

EXT. COAST HIGHWAY - DAY

A ‘64 VW bus has pulled over to the shoulder that overlooks

the ocean. The three boys sit inside.
 2.

AJ (V.O.)
Can we go now?

CUT TO:

INT. VW BUS - CONTINUOUS

STEVE
Hold on. Here comes a set.

Steve hangs out of the passenger side window as he checks out

the surf.

AJ
We just surfed the best waves on
the coast and you’re not satisfied?

STEVE
Oh, look at that!

AJ shakes his head. A semi appears in the distance through

the back window.

RICKY
Look.

Ricky points to two surfers entering the water.

STEVE
(pointing toward three
more)
Check it out.

RICKY
AJ’s right. We have our own
private surf spot. What more could
we ask for?

The semi in the back window rumbles closer, crossing the

center line as it drifts from side to side.

Ricky pops open a can of Brew 102 and holds it up for a

toast.

RICKY (CONT’D)
Here’s to the One-O-Two Brigade on
another successful mission.

STEVE
Underground.

RICKY
Unseen.
 3.

AJ/STEVE/RICKY
Uncaught.

Ricky raises the can to his mouth as the semi fills the back
window. Just before impact we...

CUT TO BLACK:

The horrific sound of the truck colliding with the Volkswagen

is heard over a black screen. The sound slowly fades away.

FADE IN:

EXT. CEMETERY - GRAVESIDE - MORNING

AJ’s casket rests over an open grave atop a burial vault.

The crowd of family and friends gather around the seated
family as they prepare to lay AJ to rest. A spray of red
roses sits centered on the hardwood casket.

Young Chris sits between his mother and father as the

clergyman prays at the graveside. Sitting next to Chris’
father is his new (and younger) wife. All heads are bowed
except Chris’. Camera pushes in as he stares straight ahead,
tears running down his cheeks.

The prayer ends and Chris’ mom and dad stand and step towards
the casket. Chris remains seated, silent in his grief.

His mother makes a small bouquet from the roses in the spray.

His father kisses the head of the casket. Mom can’t hold it
together any longer and breaks down sobbing into the awkward
arms of her ex-husband.

Chris watches his parents and the others slowly leave the
graveside. His dad is joined by his new wife, leaving his
mom to be comforted by a friend.

Chris rises and slowly approaches his brother’s casket. He

reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out a used
bar of surf wax and sets it on top of the casket. Tears roll
down his cheeks.

FADE OUT.

Title: Two years later.

FADE IN:
 4.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - PRE DAWN

Title: Cardiff, California. 1969.

A 1964 Ford Falcon station wagon sits parked at the curb. A

surfboard sticks out of the back window and a teenage boy
sits in the driver’s seat.

Another teenage boy emerges from the house across the street,
carrying a surfboard and towel.

He crosses the street and slides his surfboard into the back
of the wagon and gets in the car.

CUT TO:

EXT. BEACH PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER

Empty parking lot. We see approaching headlights as the Ford

Wagon enters the parking lot and pulls into a space.

The engine and headlights are turned off and the two boys
exit the car and walk over to a fence that overlooks the
ocean.

Chris (now 15) and his best friend TERRY HARRISON (16) stand
up against the fence, checking out the surf. The waves are
small and not very good.

TERRY
Not much of a swell.

A mediocre wave at best, breaks and then mushes out.

TERRY (CONT’D)
It just hasn’t been the same around
here without you.

CHRIS
(reflective)
Seems like forever. What I missed
most was the ocean.

TERRY
(kidding around)
What about me?

They share a look that reflects their friendship.

CHRIS
You did tell Matt six o’clock
didn’t you?
 5.

TERRY
You know Matt.

They continue to look at the marginal surf. Terry is

unenthusiastic but Chris seems anxious to get in the water.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Yesterday was better.

Another mediocre wave breaks.

Chris looks for Matt again but he’s a no show. He turns his
attention back to the waves.

CHRIS
Terry, it’s been six months! I’m
going surfing!

Chris hustles back to the car. A beat, then Terry runs past
Chris, smiling.

TERRY
Then...what are we waiting for?

They both run to the back of the wagon for their surfboards.

Begin music. Grand Funk Railroad’s, “Into The Sun”.

CUT TO:

EXT. OCEAN SURF - MORNING

Music continues. Various shots of the boys riding waves.

The waves aren’t great but the boys are making the most of it
and having a great time.

After riding one last wave together, Chris and Terry exit the
water and make their way across the smooth sand toward the
parking lot.

CUT TO:

BEACH PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

Terry shakes his head to the left and right, doing his best
to drain the water from his ears.

They reach Terry’s wagon and Terry reaches under the wheel
well, producing a key that was hidden there.
 6.

TERRY
I can’t believe you’ve been gone
six months.

Terry and Chris slide their boards into the back of the
Falcon.

CHRIS
I can’t believe your dad gave you
the wagon.

TERRY
He said he’d rather me drive it
than let the salesman low-ball him
on a trade-in.

Terry turns to Chris.

TERRY (CONT’D)
(sincere)
You doin’ okay?

CHRIS
(unconvincing)
Yeah, I’m alright.

It’s clear that he isn’t.

Terry grabs his towel and moves to the empty parking space
next to his car to change out of his wet swimsuit.

TERRY
Hey, you wanna go to the movies
tonight? Easy Rider’s playin’ at
the Vista.

CHRIS
That movie’s rated “R”. We can’t
get in.

Terry does the “slip & drop”, changing into dry pants from
underneath a towel wrapped around his waist.

TERRY
It’s called the back door.
Stankavitch works there now. He’ll
let us in.

CHRIS
(disinterested)
Nah, I don’t feel like going to the
movies.
 7.

TERRY
Come on, Chris. I’ll even pick you
up.

CHRIS
Terry, you live across the street.

At that moment, a ‘67 Mustang with two surfboards pulls into

the parking space where Terry is standing. Without honking
or any warning, the car swerves into the space, causing Terry
to jump out of the way, almost losing his towel in the
process. The Who’s, “My Generation” blasts from the radio.

The music stops when the car is turned off and TWO OLDER
SURFERS in their mid 20’s exit the car without acknowledging
Chris and Terry, or the near miss. They walk over to the
fence to check out the surf.

TERRY
I wonder what happened to Matt? I
know I told him six o’clock.

CHRIS
Six months hasn’t changed Matt any.

The two older surfers return to their car and take their
boards off of the surf racks attached to the roof.

Terry sees MATT PORTER pedaling up to them on his Schwinn

Varsity 10 speed with Sting-Ray handlebars. His bike has
been rigged with a surfboard rack that sticks out to the side
and cradles his surfboard.

MATT
Chris! Welcome back! How was
Chicago?

CHRIS
It was alright.

MATT
How was it living with your dad?

CHRIS
You were supposed to meet us here
at six.

MATT
(looking at the surf)
It doesn’t look like I missed much.
(to Chris)
(MORE)
 8.
MATT (CONT'D)
Hey, even surf like that probably
looks good after six months in
Chicago, huh? That must have been
murder.

CHRIS
(confrontational)
You could have at least-

TERRY
(interrupting)
Hey, this thing is cool!

Matt dismounts his bike and stands next to it, still holding
on to the handlebars.

MATT
They’re calling it the shortboard
revolution, right? Boards are
getting shorter and shorter so I
figure everybody’s gonna want one.
I’ll make millions!

As Matt finishes his statement, he lets go of the handlebars

and the weight of his surfboard in the rack causes the board
and bike to fall over, hitting the Mustang next to Terry’s
wagon.

The car’s owner, EDDIE hears the crash and comes over to
inspect the damage. His buddy follows.

EDDIE
Hey, you little squid! Look what
you did to my car!

MATT
Oh, man, I’m sorry about that.

EDDIE
You’re sorry? That’s it? Look at
that! That’s a deep scratch!

Terry, ever the peace maker steps in.

TERRY
Look, he said he was sorry.

EDDIE
Shut up!

Terry stands down and Matt approaches the damage.

MATT
Maybe I can buff it out.
 9.

EDDIE
Don’t touch it!

Matt backs up.

EDDIE (CONT’D)
You’re gonna pay for this.

MATT
Sure, sure.

Eddie looks at Matt’s bike and picks it up.

EDDIE
I’ll take this.

MATT
What?

EDDIE
Hey, look. It comes with a
surfboard!

OLDER SURFER #2
I get the surfboard.

MATT
Hey, wait a second!

EDDIE
(admiring the custom
handlebars)
Dig these handlebars!

Chris steps up to Eddie.

CHRIS
You can’t take his bike.

Eddie stops, lowers the bike and turns to Chris.

EDDIE
(menacing)
You gonna stop me?

Chris doesn’t answer. Eddie is much bigger and stronger than

Chris and it would be foolish for Chris to tangle with him.

EDDIE (CONT’D)
Come on.
(deadly serious)
Stop me.
 10.

Chris is scared and not sure how to respond. Matt and Terry
stand frozen.

Eddie fakes a punch, causing Chris to flinch.

OLDER SURFER #2
Leave him alone, Eddie. That’s
AJ’s little brother.

EDDIE
(to his buddy)
Oh yeah?
(to Chris)
Well, there’s not much your brother
can do to me now, is there?

Chris’ fear turns to rage and he swings and lands a wild

right hook, squarely on the jaw of Eddie. Chris then jumps
on him, which is a mistake, and quickly finds himself pinned
down. Chris continues to throw wild punches, none of which
find their target.

Eddie turns Chris over and is now on top of him. Eddie

begins to pummel Chris but is quickly pulled off by his
buddy.

OLDER SURFER #2
Eddie! Be cool, man! Be cool!

Eddie’s buddy restrains him.

EDDIE
(struggling to free
himself)
You messed with the wrong guy!

OLDER SURFER #2
Hey, Eddie. Let it go, man. Come
on. Let’s just go surfing.

Eddie is lead away from the situation and the two older
surfers pick up their boards and head toward the beach.

Chris, still on the ground, slowly gets to his feet. Blood

runs from his nose and his cut lip. Terry and Matt attempt
to help him up.

CHRIS
Leave me alone!

A frustrated Chris pulls away from his friends and storms

off.
 11.

TERRY
Chris, wait!

CHRIS
(walking away)
Just leave me alone!

MATT
(calling after him)
Hey, Chris! Come back!

Chris keeps walking away.

MATT (CONT’D)
(calling out louder)
Look. I’m sorry I was late.

TERRY
Just let him go.

Terry painfully watches his best friend as Chris turns the

corner and disappears from view.

CUT TO:

EXT. CHRIS’ STREET - LATER

Terry’s Wagon is parked in front of his house, across the

street from Chris’ house. Terry’s surfboard is still
sticking out of the back of his car.

Chris is walking down the sidewalk, approaching his house.

As he cuts across his lawn, he sees his surfboard and rolled
up towel laying there near the porch. He picks up the board
and towel and goes inside.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chris passes AJ’s door on the way to his room and sees his
mom sitting on the bed.

CUT TO:

INT. AJ’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Chris’ MOM is sitting on the edge of the bed. She has been
crying. At her feet is a partially packed box and she holds
several photographs in her hand.
 12.

Chris enters the room.

CHRIS
Mom?

Chris’ mom is startled and composes herself.

MOM
(startled)
Oh, Chris.

CHRIS
(upset)
what are you doing? This is AJ’s
stuff!

MOM
I didn’t want to do this while you
were gone but now that you’re back,
I thought-

CHRIS
You can’t get rid of his stuff!

She notices his cut lip and ripped clothes.

MOM
Chris! Have you been fighting?

Chris’ mom stands up to examine her son’s wounds. He turns

his face away from her.

CHRIS
You have no right to get rid of
AJ’s stuff!

MOM
It’s been two years, Chris.

CHRIS
I don’t care! It’s AJ’s!

She looks at Chris and she knows that he’s hurting and that
he misses his brother.

MOM
Honey, sometimes things happen in
life that we can’t explain. I know
it doesn’t seem fair.

Chris starts to tear up but holds it in.

 13.

MOM (CONT’D)
I never understood why they had to
drive all the way up there to go
surfing anyway. We have a beach
right here.

CHRIS
It wasn’t AJ’s fault.

MOM
Well, maybe if they went surfing
closer to home, three boys would
still be alive.

The room goes silent. Chris’ mom looks at her watch.

MOM (CONT’D)
(resigned)
I have to go to work.

She gives Chris a hug. Chris barely responds.

MOM (CONT’D)
I’ll be home by dinner.

She exits, leaving Chris alone in AJ’s room.

He eyes scan the room and land on the box that his mom was
sitting over when he entered.

Chris kneels down at the box and examines its contents. It’s
filled with photos, maps, magazines and other keepsakes of
AJ’s.

Chris lifts out a 1964 Surfer Magazine and looks at the

cover. He sets it aside and then picks up a stack of black
and white photographs. They are photos of AJ and his friends
at various locations, all centered around the ocean and
surfing.

Chris puts the photos back in the box and notices a reel of
Super 8 film. He picks it up and reads the label. It reads:
‘64-’65.

CUT TO:

INT. CHRIS’ ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Close on a sombrero hanging on the wall with the word

“Mexico” stitched across the brim. Chris takes down the
sombrero, leaving the wall bare.

Close on a Super 8 movie projector as it is turned on.

 14.

Close on the wall as the movie footage is projected on it.

We see uncut images of AJ and his friends goofing around at
the beach.

Another section shows AJ and two others spray painting a

surfboard with a camouflage pattern.

The last piece of footage shows AJ mugging to the camera. It

ends in a close-up of AJ acting goofy just before the film
abruptly runs out, leaving the wall white again.

Close on Chris with tears streaming down his cheeks. The

projector continues to shine white light on the wall as Chris
sits motionless in the dark room. He then curls up in a
fetal position on the floor, the sound of celluloid
rhythmically slapping against the projector.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. BEACH PARKING LOT - NEXT DAY

Chris, Terry and Matt stand at the fence, checking out the
surf. The waves are lousy and small. Chris’ face shows
signs of the beating he took the day before.

MATT
I wish I’d surfed yesterday.

The guys continue to watch the dismal surf.

TERRY
(to Chris)
About yesterday. I was gonna...

CHRIS
It wasn’t your fight.

TERRY
(feeling bad)
Yeah, but I should have...

CHRIS
Forget it. That guy was a jerk.

They stand in silence, watching the dismal surf.

MATT
(referring to the surf)
This is sad.
 15.

TERRY
You guys wanna walk down to the
creek?

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER

Music begins. “Stoned Cold Picnic” by the Fifth Dimension.

The guys cross the railroad tracks as they walk away from the
beach parking lot. A car with surfboards crosses in the
foreground. A hippy couple sit at the freeway on-ramp,
hitchhiking.

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDE STREET - MOMENTS LATER

Music continues. The guys walk past modest post World War II
houses that populate their quiet coastal town. Matt “cans”
Terry’s shoe, flattening the heel. Terry turns and chases
Matt but his canned shoe falls off. Terry hops a few feet on
one foot and then gives up.

CUT TO:

EXT. GRASS FIELD - MOMENTS LATER

The guys cut across the field and disappear into the weeds.

CUT TO:

EXT. CREEK - MOMENTS LATER

They sit at the edge of the shallow creek. Matt picks up a

rock and tries to hit an exposed rock in the middle of the
creek.

MATT
(pointing to a rock)
Third rock in.

He throws, missing the rock.

MATT (CONT’D)
Oh, so close!

Chris picks up a rock.

 16.

CHRIS
Watch and learn.

Chris throws his rock and also misses.

Matt and Chris throw more rocks but they all miss their
target.

MATT
Hey, now that Terry’s got wheels,
we should try surfing some other
spots.

Terry picks up a rock and throws it. It’s a direct hit.

TERRY
Yes! Pure skill!

CHRIS
Pure luck, you mean.

MATT
I heard these guys the other day,
talking about a surf spot. They
called it the Point.

TERRY
The Point?. Oh, man. The best
wave on the coast and no crowds.

MATT
Bitchin. Let’s go!

TERRY
Forget about it. It’s on private
property. Some kind of ranch, with
no public access.

Terry cautiously looks over to Chris, knowing that what he is

about to say could be difficult for him.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Guys have been sneaking in there
for years but they all eventually
get caught by Floyd.

MATT
Floyd?

TERRY
(serious tone)
He’s the Ranch guard. There’s
other guards but it’s Floyd you
gotta worry about.
(MORE)
 17.
TERRY (CONT'D)
He’s a mean sucker. They say he
carries a shotgun full of rock salt
and shoots surfers with it. He’ll
take your surfboard too. Legend
has it he’s got an old barn where
he puts all the surfboards that he
confiscates. They say there’s a
hundred surfboards sittin’ up there
in that barn.

MATT
Whoa.

TERRY
Yep, everybody eventually
experiences the wrath of Floyd.

Chris finally breaks his silence and without looking at

either Terry or Matt.

CHRIS
Not everybody.

Terry and Matt look over at Chris, Terry then turns back to
Matt.

TERRY
The One-O-Two Brigade. There were
three of them; Chris’s brother AJ,
Steve Hanley, and Ricky Miller.

MATT
(hesitantly)
Weren’t they-

TERRY
They were coming back from The
Point the day they were killed.

MATT
Why were they called the One-O-Two
Brigade?

TERRY
You know the beer, Brew 102?

MATT
Yeah?

TERRY
Every time they snuck in, they’d
leave a full can of Brew 102
behind. A little gift for Floyd.
(MORE)
 18.
TERRY (CONT'D)
They hid their surfboards up
there. They’d ride bikes in before
dawn. Once they reached the Point,
they’d hide the bikes, grab their
boards and surf the Point before
Floyd even finished his breakfast.

MATT
And they never got caught?

TERRY
Never. They had a motto too;
Underground, Unseen, Uncaught.

Terry finishes his story and we see Chris with a “thousand

yard stare” as he struggles with the loneliness of losing his
brother whom he idolized.

Terry notices Chris’ mood and changes the subject by pushing

Matt into the shallow creek and running off.

A soaking wet Matt springs out of the water and chases after
Terry, splashing Chris in the process. Chris shields himself
from the water, smiles and shakes his head at the crazy
antics of his two best friends. His mouth forms a smile but
his eyes can’t hide the emptiness that’s in his heart.

CUT TO:

INT. CHRIS’ DEN - NIGHT

Close on a black and white TV screen. A commercial ends,

followed by another one.

It’s a 1969 Ford Mustang commercial complete with groovy

singers dressed in mini-skirts and blazers, performing a Ford
jingle.

The commercial continues as Chris as Chris gets up and leaves

the room.

Close on the TV as the commercial continues.

Chris returns with a bag of cookies as the commercial ends

and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-in begins. Chris’ mom calls out
to him from the other room.

MOM (O.S.)
Chris, honey? Have you finished
your chores?

Focused on the TV, Chris doesn’t answer.

 19.

MOM (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Chris!

CHRIS
(calling back but still
looking at the TV)
Yeah, Mom. They’re finished.

MOM (O.S.)
How ‘bout the waste baskets?

Chris drops his head. He forgot the waste baskets.

MOM (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Chris!

CHRIS
Okay! Okay! I’m doin’ it!

Chris grabs a handful of cookies then exits in the direction

of AJ’s room.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Chris plods down the hallway with a waste basket in his hand
and a cookie hanging from his mouth. He stops at AJ’s door,
looks inside, then enters the room.

INT. AJ’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Chris sets down the waste basket and walks over to a cork
bulletin board that hangs on the wall.

In the middle of the bulletin board is a hand drawn logo

resembling a military division patch. It’s a shield shape
and inside the shield are two crossed surfboards. On top of
the surfboards is a hand drawn “102”. Underneath the
surfboards are the letters, “U. U. U.”

Surrounding the logo, fixed with thumb tacks are several

black & white photographs. Several of the photos depict the
perfect waves of the Ranch. The others are personal
snapshots taken by the 102 Brigade.

Chris pulls off one picture and looks closely at it. It’s a
photo of a camouflaged surfboard and bike leaning up against
a tree, somewhere deep in the ranch interior. There is a
“102” logo, about eight inches in size, carved into the side
of the tree.
 20.

He pulls off another photo. This photo shows AJ posing next

to the “102” carving on the tree.

Chris notices another photo and takes it off of the bulletin

board for a closer look. It shows AJ pulling his surfboard
out from under the leaves and brush. A bolt of lightning
goes off in Chris’ head and his eyes widen. He quickly
scoops up the other photos and races out of the room.

CUT TO:

EXT. CHRIS’ STREET

Chris runs across the street to Terry’s house where Terry and
Matt are working on Terry’s Ford. Matt turns a wrench and
Terry holds a flashlight.

MATT
Hold the light still, will ya?

TERRY
I’m trying!

MATT
Well, try harder.

CHRIS
Hey, guys!

TERRY
Hey, Squid.

CHRIS
(catching his breath)
It’s still there!

TERRY
What are you talking about?

CHRIS
AJ’s surfboard! Those boards are
still hidden up there at The Point!

They still don’t get it.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
The 102 Brigade! After AJ died, I
never thought about those boards
still being up there!

TERRY
Chris, it’s been two years. How do
you know they’re still there?
 21.

CHRIS
(decisive)
I’m getting AJ’s board back.

TERRY
What?!

CHRIS
I’m gonna go get it!

MATT
Are you crazy?! I think six months
in Chicago has frozen your brain!
What about Floyd?

CHRIS
(determined)
What about him? I’m not leaving
AJ’s board up there.

TERRY
How do you know Floyd hasn’t found
it already?

CHRIS
It’s still there. I know it.

TERRY
Look, even if it is there, we have
no idea where it’s hidden.

Chris holds up the photo showing the “102” logo carved on the
tree.

CHRIS
We do now.

Hold on Chris and the photo as Crosby, Stills & Nash’s

“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” begins.

CUT TO:

INT. CHRIS’ ROOM - NIGHT

Music continues. Close on a 1969 Mad Magazine cover

featuring “The Odd Squad”. Matt lays on Chris’ bed, reading.
Terry is thumbing through record albums as Chris looks at a
map of California.

CHRIS
AJ told me that they would ride
their bikes down a horse trail
until it crossed a road.
(MORE)
 22.
CHRIS (CONT'D)
And that road leads down to the
Point. The tree has to be
somewhere around there.

TERRY
I don’t know. This whole idea
sounds crazy.

CHRIS
(pointing to the map)
The Point is right here. I figure
if we leave our house by eleven, we
should get up there by three or
three-thirty.

MATT
(lowering the magazine)
Three or three-thirty? Why so
early?

CHRIS
It gets light by six. I just
worked it backwards. I’d rather be
early than late.

MATT
(skeptical)
And you think we can really find it
from those photos?

Terry picks up one of the photographs and Matt goes back to

reading his Mad Magazine.

TERRY
Hey, if the place has waves like
this, then I’m in.
(turning to Chris)
On one condition; we take our
surfboards. I’m not risking my
neck for nothing.

CHRIS
(defensive)
It’s not nothing.

TERRY
Sorry. That’s not what I meant.
I’m in.

Matt holds the Mad Magazine out for the guys to see.
 23.

MATT
(chuckling)
Hey guys, check it out! The Odd
Squad!

CHRIS
Will you put that down!

Chris grabs the magazine out of Matt’s hand.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Are you in or not?

MATT
Hey, don’t rip that. I haven’t
read Spy vs. Spy yet.

Matt can see that Chris is not joking.

MATT (CONT’D)
(resigned)
All right. I’m in too.

CHRIS
We’ll do it just like the 102
Brigade. We’ll use bikes and
camouflage.

Terry looks at the photo of the board and bike leaning

against the tree.

TERRY
(referring to the photo)
But we don’t have bikes like this.

MATT
Lemme see that picture.

Terry hands the photograph to Matt, who examines it.

MATT (CONT’D)
(inspired)
I got an idea! I’ll take care of
the bikes.

CHRIS
Okay, listen, if we’re gonna surf
the Point, then we have got to be
out of the water by eight o’clock.
According to AJ, that’s when Floyd
goes on patrol. Well, at least
that was his schedule two years
ago.
 24.

TERRY
Boy, I hope Floyd hasn’t become a
workaholic since then.

Chris and Terry share a look.

MATT
So, when do we go?

CHRIS
When can you have the bikes ready?

MATT
Gimme a week. They’ll be ready.

The guys look at each other and nod. Matt breaks the
silence.

MATT (CONT’D)
Now can I have my Mad Magazine
back, please?

CUT TO:

EXT. ARMY SURPLUS STORE - DAY

Establishing shot as Steppenwolf’s, “Magic Carpet Ride”

begins.

CUT TO:

INT. ARMY SURPLUS STORE - CONTINUOUS

The guys are looking around the store for something in

particular.

Chris is searching the shelves. Matt comes around the corner

of an aisle wearing a gas mask and an Australian Army hat.
(Just like Christopher George in “The Rat Patrol”.) He taps
Chris on the shoulder. Chris turns around and Matt is
staring at him with the mask and hat on. Chris is not
amused. He takes the hat off of Matt’s head and sets it on
the shelf next to him.

Terry looks down the end of the aisles and then spots what
he’s looking for and calls the others over. As they join
him, he holds up two cans of spray paint. Olive-drab in one
hand and dark olive-drab in the other.

They all smile, then empty the shelf of all its cans.

CUT TO:
 25.

EXT. ARMY SURPLUS STORE - CONTINUOUS

The trio exit the store carrying paper bags full of spray
paint. Matt is wearing the Australian army hat.

As they bop down the sidewalk, Terry swipes Matt’s new hat
off of his head and puts it on his own. Matt grabs his hat
back as Terry laughs. They turn the corner with a bounce in
their step.

CUT TO:

EXT. MATT’S BACKYARD - DAY

Close on a 1953 Schwinn Black Phantom. The guys stand around

this goofy looking bicycle.

MATT
Here it is! The 1953 Schwinn Black
Phantom. It’s a classic! Check
out these tires!

TERRY
There is no way I’m riding that
dorky thing!

CHRIS
I’m with Terry on this one.

MATT
Don’t worry, I’m gonna make some
modifications to it.

TERRY
You better make a lot of
modifications.

CHRIS
Wait. We need three bikes.

Without answering, Matt steps over to his garage and raises

the garage door revealing a big pile of dirty, greasy bike
parts.

MATT
(confidently)
Give me a few days. They’ll be
ready. And I’ll equip each bike
with a surfboard rack to carry our
boards.

CHRIS
I’m not taking mine.
 26.

TERRY
Why not?

CHRIS
I’m riding AJ’s.

TERRY
But what if it’s not there?

CHRIS
It’s there. I know it.

TERRY
You still have to bring it back.
You can’t carry it riding your
bike.

MATT
Don’t worry, I got an idea for that
too.
(confidently)
Gimme three days.

Matt picks up a bike part and it falls apart in his hands.

MATT (CONT’D)
(reconsidering)
Four days.

CUT TO:

EXT. TERRY’S BACKYARD - DAY

Several shots of the boys painting their surfboards.

Terry sprays the last coat of green paint on a surfboard,

completing its camouflage make over.

Close on a hand putting the finishing touches on a hand drawn

“102” logo, just like AJ’s. Just underneath the logo is the
name, “Terry”.

We pull back to reveal two very stealth looking, fully

camouflaged surfboards.

CUT TO:
 27.

EXT. MATT’S GARAGE - NIGHT

With a transistor radio for company, Matt works diligently on

the bikes with the assistance of a hanging shop light. He
wipes the sweat and grease off of his forehead.

CUT TO:

INT. CHRIS’ ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Having finished their part of the preparations, Chris and

Terry both read Mad Magazines.

CUT TO:

EXT. MATT’S BACKYARD - DAY

The guys stand over their newly designed camouflaged mountain

bikes, complete with canteens and Army issue back packs.

Chris then takes one of the camoed surfboards and places it

in the custom board rack mounted to the side of the bike.
These bikes are state-of-the-art for 1969.

CUT TO:

EXT. TERRY’S DRIVEWAY - LATE AFTERNOON

Chris and Terry pack the last of their gear into the Falcon.

TERRY
Well, I think we got it all.

MATT
Everything but the food.

TERRY
We’re packing our own food, right?

CHRIS
Yeah. And we’ll all meet back here
at eleven, sharp.

Matt climbs on his ten-speed.

MATT
Eleven. Got it.
 28.

Terry heads for his front door, Chris walks across the street
to his house, and Matt pedals down the street into the
setting sun.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. TERRY’S DRIVEWAY - NIGHT

Camera hasn’t moved as it is now night and the street lights

illuminate the scene. Chris and Terry sit in the front seat
of the wagon.

Chris looks at his watch.

CHRIS
I knew we should’ve picked him up
at his house!

They sit quietly waiting for Matt. Terry turns to Chris.

TERRY
Are you sure you don’t wanna take
your surfboard?

CHRIS
I’m not real sure of anything right
now.

TERRY
What do you mean? We got it all
figured out.

CHRIS
(uneasy)
Yeah. I know.

Terry can see that Chris is troubled.

TERRY
Are you afraid of Floyd?

CHRIS
I know this sounds crazy but I’m
kind of afraid of finding it.

TERRY
AJ’s board?

CHRIS
(ponderous)
It’s like his spirit is still up
there with that surfboard. The
three of them...like ghosts.
 29.

Terry is a little spooked now as they look at each other.

TERRY
Underground? Unseen? To Floyd,
they were ghosts.

Chris and Terry sit in silence. A beat, then...THUD, Matt

slams his hands up against the door of the car, causing Chris
and Terry to jump. They turn to see Matt with his mouth
pressed against the window and blowing, causing his cheeks to
puff out and all of his teeth to show. He wears his
Australian army hat. Matt ignores the fact that he’s late.
Typical.

Chris gets out of the car.

CHRIS
Jeez, Matt.

MATT
<laughing hysterically>

CHRIS
Can’t you show up on time just
once.

MATT
(still laughing)
Oh man! You screamed like a couple
of girls.

CHRIS
I swear, Matt, if you mess this
up...

Terry rises up from the other side of the car.

TERRY
(interrupting)
All right, all right. Just get in
the car and let’s get going.

Matt, still giggling, tosses his back pack into the back seat
and climbs in. An irritated Chris returns to the front.

MATT
(rubbing his cheek)
I think I hurt myself.

CHRIS
Good.

Terry’s back at the wheel as Matt playfully grabs Chris by

the back of his neck. His way of reconnecting with Chris.
 30.

Chris calms down and just shakes his head. This satisfies
Matt. Terry starts the engine, then looks over at Chris and
Matt.

TERRY
Rock and Roll.

Begin music. The Rolling Stone’s, “Honky Tonk Woman”. The

Ford wagon slowly backs out of the driveway and rolls down
the quiet neighborhood street and around the corner.

CUT TO:

EXT. PCH - NIGHT

Music continues. The Ford wagon, loaded down with surfboards

and bikes, turns onto PCH.

Another angle. Camera holds on the Vista Theatre. “Easy

Rider” is displayed on the marquee. The Ford wagon is
approaching in the distance. It rolls past the theatre and
out of frame. The marquee lights go dark for the night.

CUT TO:

INT. FORD - CONTINUOUS

The song is now heard coming from Terry’s 8 track as the guys
groove to the music.

CHRIS
Stop!

Terry slams on the breaks and the wagon screeches to a stop

in front of a liquor store.

TERRY
What?

CHRIS
Beer!

MATT
Now you’re talkin’!

CHRIS
No, we need a can of Brew One-O-
Two. For Floyd. We’re gonna leave
it behind, just like AJ did.
 31.

TERRY
What, we’re just gonna walk in
there and buy beer?

The guys look at each other. They’ve never looked so young

as they do now.

CHRIS
We gotta try.

CUT TO:

INT. LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT

The guys enter the small store. They meander throughout the
store, picking up a few items.

The CLERK looks up from his magazine, then continues reading.

Close on the counter as several items are set before the

clerk. The clerk rings up the items. A stick of gum, a bag
of Pork Rinds, a bottled six-pack of Squirt soft drink, and
one can of Brew 102.

When the clerk gets to the beer can, he stops ringing up and
looks straight at the guys.

Terry steps up and speaks in a ridiculously low voice.

TERRY
The brew’s for me.

TWO SURFERS in their late 20’s enter the liquor store. They
notice the Ford packed up with surfboards as they enter.

CLERK
You got some ID there, Skippy?

TERRY
Oh, uh, I just got back from Nam.
I must have left it in my duffle
bag.

Even Chris and Matt are shocked by Terry’s story.

Of course the clerk’s not buying it but he plays along.

CLERK
Oh yeah? Where’d you see action?

The two older surfers overhear and are amused by the guys’
brazen attempt.
 32.

TERRY
Oh, I was...up in...Ho Chi Minh.

The older surfers struggle to keep from laughing.

The clerk lifts the can of beer off of the counter and
separates it from the rest of the items.

CLERK
Sorry boys. That’ll be $1.73.

Chris pays the clerk and they exit the liquor store.

The two older surfers set down a six pack of Hamms on the
counter as they watch the guys leave the store.

CLERK (CONT’D)
Will that be all?

The one surfer looks back at the guys standing outside of the
liquor store. They are discussing what they are going to do
next. The surfer turns back to the clerk.

SURFER
No.
(smiling)
I’d like one can of Brew 102
please.

The clerk sets the can of 102 back on the counter and shoots
the older surfers a look.

CUT TO:

INT. FORD - MOMENTS LATER

Honky Tonk Woman continues on the 8 track.

MATT
Wow. Those guys were cool!

Chris holds the beer in his hand, smiling.

CHRIS
(turning to Terry)
Ho Chi Minh?

The Ford rolls down the coast highway to the sounds of the
Rolling Stones.

CUT TO:
 33.

INT. FORD - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

Terry and Matt do their best Mick Jagger impressions as they

belt out the chorus. Chris can only shake his head and wince
at their lack of singing talent.

TERRY/MATT
(singing)
She’s a hooooon-ky tonk woman!
Gimme, gimme, gimme, the honky tonk
blues!

INT. FORD - NIGHT - LATER

The initial adrenaline rush has worn off. The guys sit
silently. The car radio plays another song at low volume.
Chris breaks the silence.

CHRIS
Oh, man!

MATT
Whoa!

Terry smiles. Chris and Matt quickly roll down their windows
as they gasp for air.

MATT (CONT’D)
Oh, man! That stinks!

TERRY
(laughing)
I couldn’t help it. It must have
been that third burrito I had for
dinner.

Chris and Matt hang their heads out of the windows, gasping
for fresh air.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Come on. It wasn’t that bad.

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY 1 - CONTINUOUS

The Ford continues up the coast with Chris and Matt’s heads
still hanging out the windows.

CUT TO:
 34.

INT. FORD - LATER

Matt, still in the back seat is enjoying a midnight snack.

He offers the bag across the front seat.

MATT
(matter of fact)
Pork Rinds?

TERRY
Are you kidding me?!

CHRIS
That-is-gross!

MATT
What? They’re good. Try one!

Matt pulls a pork rind out of the bag and waves it in front
of Terry’s face. Terry swats it out of Matt’s hand, sending
it flying.

TERRY
Get that stinky thing outta here!

MATT
Hey!

Matt immediately reaches into the bag and continues munching.

With a bottle opener, he then opens up a bottle of Squirt and
offers one to the guys.

MATT (CONT’D)
You guys wanna Squirt?

CHRIS/TERRY
Sure./Pop it open!

Matt opens two more bottles and hands one to each of them and
they drink.

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY SHOULDER - MOMENTS LATER

The Ford has pulled over to the side of the Highway and the
guys are standing on the shoulder with their backs to us as
they take a leak. The only sound heard is the three steady
streams of urine.
 35.

TERRY (V.O.)
Now I know why they call it Squirt.

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY 1 - LATER

The Ford continues up the coast. The farther they drive, the
more remote their surroundings, until there is nothing but
rolling hills and highway.

TERRY
Did you guys hear about Danny
Bardell?

MATT
What about him?

TERRY
My mom told me he was killed last
week in Vietnam. He’d only been
over there for a month.

Chris stares out the window.

MATT
I heard that Cindy Bishop’s brother
just got drafted.

TERRY
That could be us in two years.

Sobering silence.

MATT
Hey, Chris. What was it like in
Chicago?

CHRIS
(reflecting for a moment)
Lonely.

Terry looks over at Chris who stares sadly out the window.
Feeling for his friend.

CUT TO:

INT. FORD - CONTINUOUS

It’s about midnight and all is quiet except the AM radio

playing softly from Terry’s dashboard.
 36.

Matt is asleep in the back seat as Chris looks out the

window, quiet in his thoughts.

The song on the radio ends as the over enthusiastic DJ gives

the weather.

RADIO DJ
(super hyper DJ speak)
Heeey, it’s currently sixty-five
degrees outside. Tomorrow we’re
looking at a high of eighty-two
fabulous degrees here on the
Fabulous five-forty! And now
continuing our music marathon
weekend for all you late nighters
out there! Here’s one from a few
years back! Oh, baby!

The Association’s “Along Comes Mary” begins. Terry responds

and turns it up as he looks over to Chris. Chris smiles
back.

TERRY
Yeah!

Push in on Chris as he listens to the music, remembering.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. AJ’S VW BUS - NIGHT

Flashback. 1966. “Along Comes Mary” is playing on the AM

radio inside AJ’s 1964 Volkswagen bus. A 12 year old Chris
rides shotgun. AJ responds to the music.

AJ
Yeah!

AJ moves to the rhythm of the music as he taps on the

steering wheel in time with the beat.

AJ (CONT’D)
Today’s the day, Chris. No more of
the same old beach break at home.
This is Rincon! The “Queen of the
Coast”!

Chris smiles at AJ but it’s obvious that he is unsure of

himself. AJ notices this.

AJ (CONT’D)
Hey, don’t sweat it. You’ll do
great.
(MORE)
 37.
AJ (CONT’D)
Do you think I’d bring you up here
if I didn’t think you were ready?

The song continues and so does AJ’s steering wheel

percussion.

CHRIS
Hey, AJ?

AJ
Yeah?

CHRIS
Thanks for taking me.

Chris and AJ share a smile.

CUT TO:

EXT. RINCON PARKING LOT - DAWN

The sky begins to lighten as AJ’s bus pulls into the parking
lot. There are a few cars already there and a few surfers
are pulling their surfboards off of their cars and heading
down to the beach.

CUT TO:

EXT. RINCON TRAIL - MOMENTS LATER

AJ and Chris walk down the trail together. They carry their
surfboards under their arms. It’s 1966 and their surfboards
are big and heavy. AJ strides smoothly and effortlessly as
Chris struggles.

Chris looks up to his big brother for reassurance. AJ roughs

up Chris’ hair as if to say, “You’re gonna do great!”.

AJ sees his little brother struggling to carry the heavy

surfboard and reaches over and takes it and carries it for
him. Chris rubs his bicep as AJ smiles.

CUT TO:

EXT. RINCON - CONTINUOUS

They reach the water and begin to paddle out together. Chris
suddenly finds himself in a different world than what he is
used to at home.
 38.

All of the surfers are older and intimidating looking to this

twelve year old. Chris falls slightly behind AJ who strokes
toward the approaching waves.

AJ
(calling back to Chris)
Just keep paddling and follow me!

Chris continues to follow. AJ turns and catches an

approaching wave. He rides right past Chris.

AJ (CONT’D)
<Hoot!> Yeah! Rincon, baby!

Chris watches from behind as his older brother skillfully and

gracefully, rides a shoulder high wave all the way into the
cove.

Chris is all by himself now as he sits on his board, trying

to act casual. He’s not sure where he needs to be to catch
these waves.

He looks around at the different surfers, their muscles

flexing as they paddle by. This is in sharp contrast to
Chris’ skinny, prepubescent body.

He has to paddle out of the way of another surfer headed his

way on a wave. He’s out of his element and he knows it.

AJ paddles back from his wave and sits up next to Chris.

AJ (CONT’D)
So, what do you think?

CHRIS
(unconvincing)
Neat!

AJ understands. He lays back down on his board and begins to

paddle.

AJ
Follow me.

Chris follows AJ as they paddle over to a different spot. AJ

stops and sits on his board. Chris does the same.

AJ (CONT’D)
See, what I do once I find a good
spot is I line myself up with two
objects on the beach. As long as
they’re lined up, I’m right where I
need to be.
 39.

AJ sees a wave coming.

AJ (CONT’D)
Okay, Chris. This is yours! Start
paddling!

Chris’ eyes fill with excitement and panic at the same time.
He turns his board and starts to paddle for shore as the wave
approaches.

AJ (CONT’D)
(calling after him)
Keep paddling!

AJ watches as Chris catches the wave and struggles to his

feet. He makes the turn and is now gliding down the line on
a clean shoulder high, Rincon beauty.

AJ watches and raises his hands to the heavens.

AJ (CONT’D)
<Hoot!>

Chris paddles back out and sits on his board next to AJ. No
big deal. They sit looking at each other for a couple of
seconds, then AJ lets out another hoot and dives on Chris,
pulling the both of them off of their surfboards and into the
water.

AJ (CONT’D)
<Big hoot!>

AJ’s hoot fades as we...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. FORD - PRESENT

End flashback. Chris smiles as he remembers his brother. As

the “Association” song ends, so does Chris’ smile.

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY 1 - CONTINUOUS

The Ford wagon continues up Highway 1.

CUT TO:
 40.

INT. FORD - LATER

Chris has joined Matt in dreamland and the only one awake is
Terry behind the wheel. Music still plays on the radio.

Noticing something up ahead, Terry reaches over and turns the

music down.

TERRY
Hey. Chris, Matt. Wake up.

Terry points to a road sign approaching in the distance.

TERRY (V.O.) (CONT’D)

We’re here.

They have arrived at the turn-off to The Point.

CUT TO:

EXT. TURN-OFF - CONTINUOUS

Terry’s Ford turns off of the highway and onto a narrow,

unlit winding road.

CUT TO:

INT. FORD - CONTINUOUS

The car continues down the dark road as the three boys sit in
silence. Chris points out the window at something ahead.

CHRIS
There it is.

CUT TO:

EXT. - ROAD - CONTINUOUS

Terry turns off of the road and onto a patch of dirt.

CHRIS
That’s the road that leads up to
the trail.

The guys look at each other.

MATT
What time is it, anyway?

Chris looks at his watch.

 41.

CHRIS
Two fifty-seven. Let’s get going.

They start unloading the car. As Terry unties the bikes from
the roof rack, Chris and Matt unload their gear.

Chris is looking for something but not finding it. Terry

notices.

TERRY
What’s wrong?

CHRIS
The bag with all of our army stuff,
I can’t find it.

Terry joins the search.

TERRY
It’s gotta be here.

MATT
Was is a green bag?

Terry and Matt continue searching the car.

TERRY
Yeah?

MATT
I saw a bag like that on your front
porch.

TERRY

On the porch?

CHRIS

Why didn’t you say something?

MATT
I don’t know, I figured you didn’t
need it.

TERRY
That’s great! Thanks, Matt!

MATT
Hey, what did I do? How was I
supposed to know you needed it?
 42.

TERRY
Well, you could have asked! Now
what are we suppose to do?

CHRIS
Get the bikes! We’re going anyway!

TERRY
(referring to his clothes)
Like this?

CHRIS
We’re not going home.

They share a look.

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDE ROAD - NIGHT

The three boys, still dressed in their regular clothes, pedal

their bikes down the paved road. Matt and Terry have their
surfboards strapped to their bike racks. Matt is wearing his
Australia hat. Chris pulls an empty surfboard rack reserved
for AJ’s board.

Matt veers off of the road and tests his bike in the dirt.

MATT
Check this out! It goes anywhere!
I’d love to go down a mountain on
this!

CHRIS
Will you quit goofing around!

Matt rejoins them and they continue down the road in the
dark.

They stop as they reach the fork in the road.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(pointing to the road on
the right)
This way.

This road is an uphill climb and the guys must dismount their
bikes and walk them up.

As they reach the top of the hill, they can see the ocean
glistening in the moonlight and the coastal hills receding in
the distance. This is a majestic sight but also has a
foreboding feel to it.
 43.

The guys stand in awe.

TERRY
(captivated)
Wow.

CHRIS
C’mon.

The boys mount their bikes and coast down the road toward the
trail.

The road takes them under a tall train trestle. About a

hundred feet past the trestle, Chris stops looks around.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Hold up. This is where the trail
starts.

They look around but don’t see any trail. The sides of the
road are lined with barbed wire fencing. Everything is
overgrown with thick bushes and trees. A no trespassing sign
is attached to the fence.

TERRY
I don’t see any trail. I don’t
think this is the spot.

CHRIS
This is it. A hundred feet this
side of the trestle.

Chris gets off of his bike and looks around. One thing is
for sure. There is no trail.

TERRY
How can you remember something AJ
told you two years ago?

Chris turns to Terry and looks him squarely in the eye.

CHRIS
I remember it like it was
yesterday. Everything.

Terry looks to the left and the right, then back at Chris.

TERRY
That trail may have been here a
couple of years ago, but it’s not
here now.
 44.

MATT
Well, that’s that. You know, I
knew this was a crazy idea. Why I
let you talk me into-

CHRIS
(cutting him off)
Shut up, Matt! We’re not quitting!

TERRY
Well then what are we supposed to
do?

CHRIS
We stick to the plan.

TERRY
The plan? There is no plan without
that trail. How are we supposed to
get there?

Chris slowly turns his head and looks over his shoulder at
the train trestle that looms ominously in the background.

Music begins. The Sweet’s, “The Juicer”.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - MOMENTS LATER

Music continues.

The guys are now walking along the railroad tracks in the pre-
dawn night. The tracks run along the cliffs that line the
ocean. They wear their back packs and canteens, stripped
from their bikes which they had to leave behind. Terry and
Matt carry their surfboards.

MATT
What if someone finds the bikes?
Those bikes are one of a kind!

CHRIS
No one’s gonna find them.

TERRY
I don’t know if this is a good
idea, Chris. We don’t exactly
blend in. And besides, if we’re not
following the trail, how are we
gonna know where we’re going?
 45.

CHRIS
The tracks run along the coastline
which means they run right by the
Point. The boards can’t be far
from there.

MATT
That’s your plan?

Chris stops. So do the others.

CHRIS
Look, if you guys wanna go back,
then go!

Chris turns on his heels and continues down the tracks.

TERRY
(calling after him)
Chris!

Chris keeps walking.

Terry and Matt look at each other and then reluctantly follow
after Chris.

They catch up with Chris and the three of them head down the
tracks and into the night.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

As they walk the tracks, they begin to relax a bit. Matt is

walking in uneven steps, trying to find a rhythm to his gate.

MATT
Who decided how far apart railroad
ties should be anyway?

CHRIS
Just keep walking.
(looking at his watch)
It’ll be light in two hours

TERRY
I thought you said Floyd doesn’t
start patrolling until eight.

CHRIS
Do you want to take that chance?
 46.

They suddenly stop. They look ahead down the tracks and see
a shaft of light shining across the rails and onto the edge
of the cliff.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
That must be the guard shack.

MATT
The guard shack?

CHRIS
The main gate must be on the other
side of that berm.

They share a look.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Let’s just keep walking.

MATT
Oh, man.

They continue toward the light as Chris thinks about what to

do.

Chris stops and turns to the others. They all take a knee.

CHRIS
Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do.
That light will only hit us for
thirty yards or so. We’ll go one
at a time and stay low...and quiet.

MATT
What if someone sees us. If
they’re looking out at the tracks,
they’ll see us for sure.

CHRIS
Let’s just hope nobody’s looking.

Chris turns and heads down the tracks. He stops just before
the light shaft, crouches down then quickly runs through the
shaft of light to the other side.

Terry and Matt nervously watch.

Chris, on the other side if the light shaft, listens for

signs that he has been spotted. When he feels comfortable
that he wasn’t, he motions for the next person.

Terry goes, followed by Matt.

 47.

All three of them have made it without incident and breathe a

sigh of relief.

TERRY
We are now officially trespassing.

CHRIS
(focused)
Let’s go.

They continue down the rails.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

The guys plod along in the moonlight.

MATT
Hey, do you guys remember when we
went camping with Terry’s family
and loosened the tent poles on
Terry’s sister and her friend’s
tent?

TERRY
Remember it. I got grounded for
two weeks after that!

CHRIS
(laughing)
Your sister thought it was a bear.

MATT
(laughing)
It woke up the whole campground.

They all laugh.

Terry looks out toward the ocean and sees the running lights
of a boat about a mile off shore.

MATT (CONT’D)
Look. There’s a boat out there.

The others look.

MATT (CONT’D)
Remember in sixth grade, when you
guys said you were going to save up
and buy a sailboat and sail around
the world?
 48.

CHRIS
It was a stupid sixth grade idea.

TERRY
No it wasn’t. It was a good idea.
(to Matt)
We spent hours down at the marina,
watching the big sailboats come and
go. We were going to sail to
Puerto Vallarta, surfing every
break along the way. We bought a
Spanish dictionary and everything.

Chris stares ahead as he listens to Terry, remembering...

TERRY (O.S.) (CONT’D)

It wasn’t a stupid idea.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. - CHRIS’ LIVING ROOM - DAY

Flashback. Close on the same sombrero we saw earlier in

Chris’s room. The one with the word, “Mexico” stitched on
it.

We reveal a young Chris as he holds the sombrero just given

to him by AJ. Chris is flanked by mom and dad. A very tan
AJ has just returned from a surf trip down in Mexico.

YOUNG CHRIS
Thanks, AJ!

AJ takes the sombrero from Chris and puts it on Chris’s head.

It’s way too big but Chris doesn’t care. He loves it.

MOM
Well, I’m just glad you’re back
safely. We have beaches right
here. Why do you have to go all
the way down there? I was worried
sick the whole time.

AJ
Aw, Mom.

MOM
I can’t help it. Poor people are a
desperate people. You could’ve
been robbed.
 49.

AJ
Mom, it’s not like that. The
Mexican people are the most gentle
and giving people I’ve ever met.
They have almost nothing, but what
they do have, they freely give.

DAD
Hell, when I was AJ’s age I was
parachuting into France.

Chris takes off the sombrero and looks at it, smiling.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - PRESENT

End flashback. The guys continue walking in a broken single

line with Chris leading the way.

Chris freezes. Terry and Matt stop next to him. In the hazy
darkness, the boys see a figure slowly walking toward them on
the tracks. They speak in low tones.

MATT
What is that?

They stand motionless as the figure slowly draws nearer.

TERRY
I think it’s a person.

MATT
Floyd?

TERRY
What do we do?

MATT
Let’s run for it.

CHRIS
No. Wait.

A man emerges out of the shadow of the cut-away along the

tracks and they are relieved to see that it is not Floyd with
his shotgun, but rather a hobo walking with a slow,
deliberate gate.

He wears a large worn out jacket, a wool cap that he has

pulled down to cover his ears, and carries a small back pack
slung over his shoulder.
 50.

As he passes the three boys, he catches each boy’s eyes with

his own tired eyes. No words are exchanged. No smile is
shared.

The three boys stand silently as they watch the lonely man
disappear into the next bank of shadows that hide the tracks
behind them.

They all look at each other in a moment of shared disbelief.

Terry breaks the silence.

TERRY
Well, that’s something you don’t
see every day.

CHRIS
Let’s keep moving.

They continue their walk along the train tracks in the pre-
dawn light, headed toward the fabled Point.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

The guys continue on. To give his right arm a rest, Matt
switches arms and carries his surfboard on his left side.

Terry stops, noticing a pointed light beam in the distance.

The light is shielded by the hills that line the coast but
the beam can be seen making its way around them.

TERRY
Do you see that?

CHRIS
I think it’s a train.

They watch as the eerie light snakes its way southward.

MATT
Shouldn’t we get off of the tracks?

TERRY
It’s gotta be a couple of miles
away. I think we should keep
walking.

MATT
What if it’s not a couple of miles
away?
 51.

TERRY
Don’t be such a baby. We’d hear it
if it were closer.

MATT
Who you callin’ a baby!?

CHRIS
(interrupting)
I agree with Terry. Let’s keep
walking.

The guys forge ahead.

MATT
Oh man, I’m too young to die.

They walk in silence, not taking their eyes off of the light
beam. It doesn’t seem to be getting any closer but it does
appear to be moving.

MATT (CONT’D)
It’s kinda spooky.

They continue walking in silence.

CHRIS
Is it getting any closer?

They walk.

MATT
Maybe it’s a lighthouse.

TERRY
No. It’s definitely a-

Just then, the train rumbles its way around a curve, heading
straight for them.

CHRIS/TERRY/MATT
Traaaain!

They all jump off of the tracks and crouch down against the
side of a small berm next to the tracks.

The train rumbles past them and the noise is deafening.

After twenty seconds, the last car passes and continues

around the next bend.

The guys rise up. Matt’s Australian army hat is no longer on

his head.
 52.

MATT
My hat!

Matt looks around and then looks over the cliff.

MATT (CONT’D)
Oh, man! That’s it! No more
railroad tracks! I’m walking down
here!

Matt stays off of the tracks and begins walking over the
rocks and weeds that flank both sides of the rails.

Chris and Terry climb back up and onto the tracks and resume
northward.

TERRY
Do you think the engineer saw us?
If he did see us, he could call the
guard shack.

CHRIS
Let’s just keep moving.

As they continue on their journey, Matt is falling behind the

pace as he struggles to make his way through the brush and
rocks next to the tracks.

Matt soon realizes that he’s working twice as hard and

rejoins Chris and Terry on the tracks.

MATT
How did I get talked into this?

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

The guys reach a split in the tracks and now there are two
sets of tracks running side by side.

Chris walks by himself, a little ahead of Terry and Matt.

Waves can be heard breaking below the cliffs but it is still
too dark to see them.

MATT
Hey, Terry. How come you and Chris
don’t talk about buying a sailboat
anymore?
 53.

TERRY
(not wanting to talk about
it)
Oh, I don’t know.

MATT
But I thought you guys-

TERRY
Look, things change.
(disappointment in his voice)
Plans change.

They walk in silence as Terry reflects on Matt’s question.

They look forward and notice that Chris has stopped walking.
They catch up with him and the three of them stare ahead,
trying to make out something in the dark.

Up ahead, barely visible is a large dark object. They start

walking slowly towards it.

MATT
What do you think it is?

They continue to approach. As they get closer, the ominous

looking object becomes clear and they can see that it’s a
string of four or five boxcars on the tracks that run
parallel to theirs.

TERRY
It’s a train.

MATT
Is it moving?

TERRY
I don’t think so.

It’s a creepy sight, sitting there in the dark like some kind
of dinosaur.

As they approach the cars, they can hear some kind of noise.
It sounds like it’s coming from one of the boxcars.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Stop. Do you guys hear that?

They stand frozen, listening. They hear the sound again.

MATT
You think it’s another hobo?

Again, the sound comes from the boxcars.

 54.

TERRY
Maybe it’s a cow.

Terry then shoves Matt toward the boxcars, startling him.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Go check it out!

Matt reacts.

MATT
Hey, you go check it out!

Terry laughs.

CHRIS
Shhh!

They listen again. The sound continues.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
We have to keep moving.

TERRY
We’ll be right behind you.

They slowly and cautiously walk toward the boxcars, Chris

leading the way. As they approach the shadowy boxcars, Matt
crosses the tracks and continues his walk on the other side.
One by one, they pass the boxcars. The sound continues.

As they nervously pass the last car, Chris and Terry breathe
a sigh of relief to see that the noise was just a hanging
chain swinging in the wind and banging the side of the car.

Before they can continue on their way, Terry holds up his

hand.

TERRY (CONT’D)
(hushed tone)
Wait! Be quiet! I hear something
else!

MATT
What is it?

They stand frozen, listening.

CHRIS
Will you stop kidding around?

MATT
Yeah let’s go. It’s not funny.
 55.

TERRY
Quiet!

Matt has rejoined Terry and Chris and the three of them stand
there in silence.

TERRY (CONT’D)
(hushed tone)
There! Did you hear that?

MATT
(whispering)
I heard it.

All is quiet. Then suddenly, a wild boar emerges from behind

the boxcar and charges straight for them.

CHRIS/TERRY/MATT
Aaaaahhhhh!

They take off running in the opposite direction, pursued by

the boar. Matt drops his surfboard in the process. They run
in the darkness until the boar loses interest and stops.

Chris and Terry finally stop running and drop to the ground,
exhausted and laughing wildly.

Matt keeps running into the distance and this causes Chris
and Terry to laugh even harder. They look at each other with
a look that reflects that they haven’t laughed together like
this in a long time.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

The boys continue to walk. They are now showing signs of

fatigue. There is more space between them and they are not
as unified as when they started.

MATT
(examining his surfboard)
I can’t believe this. Thanks to
that...creature, I got a big ding
in my board!

TERRY
I think it was a jackal!

CHRIS
A jackal? Do you even know what a
jackal looks like?
 56.

MATT
Did anybody bring duct tape?

TERRY
Well, if you’re so smart, what do
you think it was?

CHRIS
I’m pretty sure it was a wild boar.
AJ told me there were wild boar up
here.

TERRY
Oh, really? You could’ve shared
that with us before now! I don’t
know what’s worse; getting caught
by Floyd or getting eaten by wild
animals.

The boys continue down the tracks.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

They are really dragging now. Their pace has slowed and
their heads are down. Chris is in the lead, followed by
Terry, and Matt brings up the rear.

MATT
I’m starting to get blisters. How
much farther do you think it is?

TERRY
It can’t be too much farther.
We’ve been walking for hours.

MATT
Seems like days.

Close on Chris as we...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. AJ’S ROOM - DAY

Flashback. Ten year old Chris stands next to AJ’s camouflaged

surfboard. He runs his hand over the surface to where a hand
drawn “102” logo has been inked on the deck. Drawn
underneath the numbers are the initials; “A.J.”
 57.

Chris is startled when AJ enters his room after taking a

shower. He towels off his hair as he enters and sees Chris.
Chris backs away from the board.

AJ
It’s okay. You can look at it.

Chris turns back to the board and runs his hand over the
surface.

YOUNG CHRIS
Why is it painted like this?

AJ
I’m taking it to a place up north.
It’s called The Point. Me, Steve,
and Ricky are gonna surf there. We
figured out a way to do it
without...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - PRESENT DAY

End flashback. Chris stops as he sees something ahead.

Terry joins him.

They both stare ahead as Matt catches up to them. Matt is

looking down at the railroad tracks and is unaware that they
have stopped. He bumps into them.

MATT
Hey, what did you stop for?

Matt looks up and finds the answer to his question. They

stand at the entrance to a steep train trestle spanning a
canyon about a quarter mile wide.

Matt takes a hesitant peek into the dark abyss.

MATT (CONT’D)
Man, that’s a long way down.

CHRIS
Of course it’s a long way down,
Matt. That’s why they built the
trestle here and not back there.

MATT
Well I’m not crossing it.
 58.

TERRY
We can’t go around it. The cliff’s
too steep.

MATT
Forget it! I know what’s gonna
happen. In every movie, it’s the
same thing. As soon as we get to
the middle of the trestle, a train
is gonna come out of nowhere!

TERRY
Oh, stop being a wuss!

MATT
Who’s a wuss?!

TERRY
You’re a wuss!

MATT
No, you’re a wuss!

CHRIS
Shut up! Both of you!

MATT
Hey, I’m not getting killed for
some old surfboard. If you ask me,
I think this plan isn’t working out
too well. The best thing about the
plan was the bikes and we’re not
even using them.

CHRIS
Do you ever stop whining? You’ve
complained about everything! Why
are you even here anyway? I don’t
need your help! I don’t need
anybody’s help.

TERRY
(interrupting)
Hey, hey, guys! Cool it! We gotta
stick together!
(to Matt)
Matt. Your cool with the plan,
right?

MATT
I’m not a wuss.
 59.

TERRY
All right, you’re not a wuss.
(beat)
You are kind of a whiner though.

MATT
Who’s a whiner?!

TERRY
You’re a-

CHRIS
(interrupting)
Look, the longer we stand here, the
greater the chance of another train
coming. Now let’s go!

Chris starts out onto the trestle. Terry looks at Matt and
then follows Chris. Matt reluctantly brings up the rear.

They are walking faster than usual as they make their way
across the trestle.

They make it safely to the other side and stop in an

anticlimactic moment.

Matt breaks the silence.

MATT
So much for movies.

Chris and Terry shake their heads and continue on. Matt
follows and they leave the trestle behind.

Terry walks over to the edge of the cliff and points.

TERRY
Look!

About a half mile ahead is the Point, in all its fabled

glory. Chris and Matt join Terry.

They watch the shadows of waves wrap around the outside of

the Point, breaking perfectly across the inside of the bay.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Unbelievable!

MATT
Wow.

They stand captivated. Chris looks at his watch and then the
sky.
 60.

CHRIS
Up ahead somewhere is the road that
leads down to the Point. The
boards can’t be too far from there.

They continue on.

TERRY
(to Matt)
Did you see those waves?!

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD CROSSING - LATER

The boys reach the road that crosses the tracks.

TERRY
Hey, we made it!

CHRIS
(looking around)
They would’ve hidden their boards
somewhere around here.

TERRY
I gotta check out the waves.

Terry runs down the road that leads to the beach. Matt
follows.

MATT
Wait for me!

Chris studies the area around him. He takes off in the other
direction, down the road a bit, looking for anything that
resembles AJ’s photographs.

Terry comes running back up the road, stopping short of

Chris. He motions for Chris.

TERRY
(quietly hollering)
Chris, you gotta see this!

CHRIS
(quietly hollering back)
Will you guys get back here and
stick to the plan!

Matt runs back, rejoining Terry.

 61.

MATT
Did you see those waves?!

CHRIS
(quietly hollering)
Come on. Let’s go!

Terry and Matt return. They are like two little kids on
Christmas morning.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Guys, guys, focus!

Chris looks around.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Quick, hide your boards in those
bushes and we’ll look up this way.

Terry and Matt hide their surfboards. Their camouflage makes

them undetectable. They rejoin Chris and the three of them
head down the road.

They carefully jog down the road, very aware that they are
deep in the ranch interior. Chris studies the landscape. He
focuses on a grouping of trees.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Look at those trees over there.

Chris points to a cluster of trees in the distance.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
That’s gotta be the spot.

The guys share a look. They’re close and they know it.

The three boys make their way down the road until they reach
the trees, then they enter the brush.

The growth is thick and they have a hard time making their
way through it. They reach a small area well hidden by the
surrounding brush and trees. Damp leaves litter the ground.

Chris looks at the trees surrounding them.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
This has to be the place. Start
looking around for the carving on
one of the trees.

The guys disperse in three different directions, looking for

the 102 carved on a tree.
 62.

MATT
Ow!

Matt scratches himself on a branch.

They keep looking. One tree after another, but with no luck.

Terry looks up at the sky to the east.

TERRY
It’s starting to get light.

MATT
If we don’t find these boards soon,
then I say we go surf the Point and
get out of here before Floyd starts
work and catches us.

CHRIS
It’s gotta be here somewhere. Keep
looking.

They continue looking but they are not finding anything.

Terry turns to Chris, frustrated.

TERRY
Look, Chris. Maybe this isn’t the
spot.

CHRIS
This is the spot! I know it!

TERRY
Even if the boards were here, Floyd
probably found them already.
They’re probably sitting in his
barn right now with a hundred other
boards.

Matt continues to look for the carving but not with much
enthusiasm.

MATT
I’m not so sure there even is a
Floyd. He sounds made up. Maybe
your brother made him up to keep
other surfers from coming up here.

TERRY
It should’ve kept us from coming up
here!
 63.

MATT
Those boards could be anywhere.

CHRIS
Shut up! Both of you! Just shut
up and look!

TERRY
Chris! I’m sorry about your
brother and everything but this,
this is crazy! We’ve stayed up all
night, walked four miles on
railroad tracks, almost got eaten
by a wild boar, and now we’re
sitting in some bushes in the
middle of nowhere!

CHRIS
(yelling under his breath)
We’ve got to stick to the plan!

TERRY
The plan?! You mean like buying a
sailboat? What happened to that
plan? You don’t even talk about it
anymore!

Chris doesn’t respond.

TERRY (CONT’D)
It’s just a surfboard!

Chris continues looking frantically for the board but Terry

and Matt have stopped.

CHRIS
It’s not just a surfboard!

They watch as Chris desperately and hopelessly looks around

for the carving.

It’s no use. The carving is not there and Chris begins to

sob uncontrollably.

Matt moves over and puts his arm around Chris as he continues
crying. This is a key bonding moment for Chris and Matt.

TERRY
(remorseful)
I’m sorry, Chris. I’m sorry for
what I said. I’m sorry about your
brother.
 64.

Chris stops crying and wipes his tears. Matt gives him an
understanding look.

MATT
I’m sorry too.

The three boys sit in silence. This is a sad situation.

TERRY
(softly)
I know it’s not the same but you
can ride my board. You can still
surf the Point like AJ did.

Chris sniffs and wipes his runny nose as he stares down at

the ground, totally defeated.

Matt sits down on a nearby fallen tree.

MATT
Me and Terry will share my board.

Chris looks up at Matt and something catches his eye. He

slowly tilts his head sideways as he stares at the object
next to Matt.

CHRIS
Guys.

There before them on the trunk of the fallen tree, is the

carved out logo of the 102 Brigade. Chris approaches it and
slowly runs his fingers over the carving. They have found
the spot.

The three boys share a look, then quickly, dropping to their

hands and knees, begin searching the ground for the hidden
surfboards.

Chris suddenly stops as his hand feels something beneath the

ground cover.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I found something!

Matt and Terry turn toward Chris as he slowly pulls out from
the undergrowth, a dirty but fully camouflaged surfboard.

He wipes two years of dirt and leaves off of it, turning it

over to reveal a hand written “102” logo. Underneath the
logo is the name, “Steve-O”.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
It’s not his.
 65.

Chris pushes the board to the side and frantically digs

around, looking for another board.

His hand finds another board and pulls it out of the brush.
Again, he turns it over and wipes off the logo. This one
says “Rick”.

With more determination than ever, Chris digs around until

his hand hits something. He freezes. Terry and Matt freeze.
This time Chris knows what he has. He carefully pulls the
board out as if unearthing a priceless artifact. He turns
the board over and wipes it off.

There underneath the dirt and grime is the logo. And

underneath it is the name “AJ”, just as he remembered it. A
tear runs down his cheek as he looks at the name. Terry and
Matt kneel alongside Chris. Matt puts his hand on Chris’
shoulder as they look at the board, no one saying a word.

Terry notices something else hidden in the brush.

TERRY
There’s something else.

Terry reaches down and lifts out a small canvas bag, opens
it, and examines its contents. He pulls out the first item.

TERRY (CONT’D)
It’s a snake bite kit.

The guys look at each other.

MATT
Snakes?!

They look around, nervously. They hadn't thought about

snakes until now.

Terry takes out the next item. It’s a government issue, two
color camouflage face paint stick. He reads the writing on
the side of the stick.

TERRY
(reading the label)
Face camouflage. Light green and
loam. Loam?!

Terry takes the caps off of the ends and looks at the colors.

MATT
It looks like light green and
lighter green.
(matter of fact)
Loam.
 66.

Terry then pulls out a flashlight and turns it on to find it

dead. He puts it back and sees something else.

TERRY
Check this out.

Terry holds up a canister with a grenade type pull ring

sticking out of the top.

MATT
It’s a smoke grenade! The Army
uses them to signal helicopters for
landings.

TERRY
How did they get a smoke grenade?

MATT
Why would they want one?

CHRIS
I don’t know but we found AJ’s
board. Now let’s do what we came
here to do.

TERRY
What about the other surfboards?

CHRIS
We bury them back up.

They take the other two boards and begin to burry them back
up.

TERRY
Wait a second.

Terry takes the face paint stick out of the canvas bag and
writes on the surfboard, R.I.P. just below the logo.

He turns to Chris.

TERRY (CONT’D)
What was the date?

CHRIS
August 5th, 1967.

Terry writes 8-5-67 just below the R.I.P. He does it for the
second board as well.

They take the boards and the canvas bag and bury them back
from where they came.
 67.

As they cover the ground with the last handfuls of damp

leaves, they pause, thinking about the accident.

TERRY
I wonder if they died right away.

They sit in silence, reflecting for a moment. Chris looks at

AJ’s board, then turns to the guys.

CHRIS
Let’s go surfing.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE POINT - MOMENTS LATER

The three boys run for the water as the first glimpse of dawn
breaks through the night sky. Chris with AJ’s board and
Terry and Matt with their own.

They hit the water and paddle out toward the waves at the
Point.

The guys catch one perfect wave after another.

After riding another flawless wave, Chris paddles his

brother’s board back out to the line-up. He sits on it,
looking down at his brother’s name written on the deck.

Chris looks at his watch.

CHRIS
We better get out of the water
before Floyd shows up.

TERRY
Get out? How can we possibly leave
this?

CHRIS
Terry, we have to stick to the
plan.

TERRY
What if there is no Floyd? What if
AJ did make him up to keep people
from coming up here?

CHRIS
We can’t take that chance.

MATT
I’m with Chris on this one.
 68.

Terry turns and watches another perfect, empty wave break

across the top of the point. He turns back to Chris, shaking
his head.

TERRY
(sarcastic)
The sacrifices I make for our
friendship.

The three turn and all paddle for the same wave. They catch
it and share the last wave together.

CUT TO:

EXT. BUSHES - MOMENTS LATER

Well hidden within the trees that line the beach, the guys
towel off and put their clothes back on.

Terry looks out at the Point as he eats a sandwich.

TERRY
Look at that! All those waves
going unridden.

Chris pulls his shirt over his head and Matt is scarfing down
a sandwich.

MATT
(mouth full of food)
Oh, man! I never thought peanut
butter and jelly could taste so
good!

Terry takes a bite out of his sandwich and makes a face.

TERRY
I’ll trade you for my baloney.

Chris finishes closing up his backpack.

CHRIS
Come on guys, we gotta hurry.
We’ll stay as close to the tracks
as we can. They’ll lead us
straight out of here. If we hear
anybody coming, we’ll take cover.

They guys head up the trail that leads to the road.

CUT TO:
 69.

EXT. TRAIL - MOMENTS LATER

The guys walk down the trail. Terry and Matt carry their
boards and Chris carries AJ’s.

CHRIS
Oh, man! Wait a second!

Chris sets AJ’s board down and takes off his backpack. He
searches for something inside.

TERRY
What is it?

Chris pulls out the Brew 102 beer can that he had packed in
his bag.

CHRIS
(with a smile)
I almost forgot our present for
Floyd.

Terry and Matt smile as Chris runs back down to the beach
with the beer can.

TERRY
Underground, unseen, uncaught.

Chris returns and the three continue down the trail a short
way until they come to the road. They stop before reaching
it.

CHRIS
We’ll go up the road until we get
to the other side of the tracks.
Ready?

TERRY/MATT
Ready.

All three exit the bushes and run onto the road but
immediately stop in their tracks.

Parked sideways, in the middle of the road is a Ford pick up.

Standing in front of the pick-up is a weather-worn man in his

late fifties. He has a shotgun pointed straight at the boys.
There is no doubt that this is FLOYD.

FLOYD
What are you boys doin’ on my land?

They are frozen with fear.

 70.

Floyd spits his chewing tobacco on the ground.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Put the surfboards in the truck.

Terry and Matt comply but Chris hasn’t moved. Terry senses a
problem.

TERRY
(calmly and softly)
Chris? Put the board in the man’s
truck.

Chris says nothing. He just stares at Floyd.

MATT
Chris! Do it!

This is bad. Floyd has probably never had a surfer challenge

him before and he is surprised by Chris’ nerve.

FLOYD
(firm)
I said...put the board in the
truck.

Chris looks Floyd squarely in the eye.

CHRIS
(defiantly)
You’re not taking this board.

Floyd stares back at Chris for a second and then slowly walks
up to him as Terry and Matt back away slightly.

Floyd backhands Chris across the cheek, sending him to the

pavement. Then Floyd plants his big boot on Chris’ chest,
pinning him to the ground.

FLOYD
(to Matt)
You! Get this board and put it in
the truck.

In shock, Matt doesn’t move.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Now!

Matt snaps out of it and does what he’s told.

 71.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Now you boys are gonna do what
every other surfer before you has
done. Start walkin’ the same way
you came in. And don’t come back
here...EVER!

Floyd releases his boot from Chris’ chest and returns to his
truck.

Chris is still on the ground, stunned.

Suddenly Chris jumps up to retrieve AJ’s board from the back

of the truck, only to be stopped by Matt and Terry. Floyd
doesn’t even turn around.

CHRIS
Noooo!

MATT
Forget it, Chris! It’s not worth
getting shot over!

Chris tries to break free. Tears well up in his eyes.

Floyd starts up his truck and points the shotgun barrel

across the cab directly at the boys and shakes it forward, as
if to say, “Get moving”.

Floyd drives away with the boys’ surfboards in the back of

his truck.

The three boys are left standing in the road.

CUT TO:

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - MOMENTS LATER

The three boys walk slowly down the railroad tracks, totally
defeated. No one says a word.

Finally, Matt breaks the silence.

MATT
(sadly)
Well, we did get to surf perfect
waves all by ourselves.

Chris continues looking down at the tracks.

TERRY
At least we know that Floyd is
real.
 72.

Still nothing from Chris. Matt looks around.

MATT
This place looks a lot different in
the day time.

Just then, Chris stops.

CHRIS
The barn!

TERRY
What?

CHRIS
He’s taking the boards to the barn!

TERRY
Wait a second.

CHRIS
I’m going back!

TERRY
No you’re not! That Floyd guy is
nuts!

CHRIS
I’m not leaving here without AJ’s
board.

TERRY
What if Floyd catches us?!

Matt steps up next to Chris with a look of determination on

his face.

MATT
What if he doesn’t?

Surprised, Chris looks at Matt.

MATT (CONT’D)
Floyd’s a dick.

Chris and Matt share a smile, then both look at Terry.

Terry hesitates, then...

TERRY
Well, what are we waiting for?
 73.

The three turn and head back down the tracks toward the
Point.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH ROAD - LATER

The morning sun is hot now as the boys, now off of the
railroad tracks, search for Floyd’s barn. They cautiously
walk on the road, constantly looking around for signs of
Floyd or anyone else.

Matt drinks from his canteen and Terry swipes a bug that
buzzes around his head.

TERRY
I’m beginning to think there is no
barn.

CHRIS
Look, everything so far has been
just the way AJ said it was.
There’s a barn. We just gotta find
it.

MATT
Stop!

They all freeze. Hearing a car, they hurry off of the road
and into the bushes.

They huddle under the cover of a bush, waiting.

MATT (CONT’D)
Floyd?

They wait as the sounds of an approaching vehicle get louder.

The vehicle emerges from around the bend but it is not Floyd.
It’s another pick-up, with its truck bed full of hay bales.

The guys crouch low as the truck passes them and disappears
around another corner. They listen for any other sounds,
then climb back onto the road and continue walking.

MATT (CONT’D)
I wish we had the bikes right now.

TERRY
(to Chris)
How’s your eye?
 74.

CHRIS
It’s fine.

They continue walking down the winding road.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH ROAD - LATER

The guys continue to walk the road. They are showing signs
of fatigue.

MATT
I wish I had a big bag of Pork
Rinds right now.

TERRY
Maybe that’s why that wild boar
chased us. He probably new you
were eating his relatives.

Worried, Matt looks around for any wild boar that might be in
the area. They continue on.

TERRY (CONT’D)
How far down this road do we go
before we turn back?

CHRIS
We’re not turning back.

TERRY
I just don’t think we’re gonna-

CHRIS
Stop!

They stop. Up ahead is a dirt side road.

They approach the road and see tire tracks.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
C’mon.

They come to the end of the road and it opens up into a

clearing. In this clearing sits a one story, ranch style
house.

There are no vehicles and it appears that no one is home.

Still within the cover of the bushes, the boys circle around
to the back of the house, looking for anything that might
tell them who lives there.
 75.

There is no sign of Floyd or his truck. Maybe this is not

his house. As they come around to the other side of the
house, they stop in their tracks.

About thirty yards away is a barn. The doors to the barn are
closed and an old tractor sits alone in the mid-day sun.

The boys take off their backpacks.

MATT
Do you think it’s Floyd’s?

CHRIS
There’s only one way to find out.

Chris starts toward the barn. Terry stops him.

TERRY
What are you gonna do?

CHRIS
I’m gonna see if I can find a way
inside.

Chris darts off toward the barn. He circles the barn,

looking for a window to peak through. He finds no window but
comes across a side door with a small window.

The window is covered with dirt and Chris wipes it off,

trying to see inside. He peers through the window but it’s
too dark inside the barn to see anything.

The door has a padlock hanging from it. Chris grabs the lock
and sees that it has been left open. He smiles and slowly
opens the door and enters the barn.

Back at the house, Terry and Matt wait.

MATT
What do you think he’s doin?

TERRY
I don’t know, but this whole thing
is crazy.

MATT
Do you have any food left?

TERRY
I sill have a-

MATT
(cutting him off)
Look!
 76.

Chris emerges from the side of the barn and runs back to the
guys.

CHRIS
(excited)
You have got to see this! You
won’t believe it! Come on!

Chris takes off again for the barn. Terry and Matt follow.

CUT TO:

INT. BARN - CONTINUOUS

The side door of the bard slowly opens, sending a shaft of

light streaming in. The three boys enter the barn and are
amazed by what they see.

The barn is filled with stacks and stacks of surfboards.

MATT
(awestruck)
Whoa!

TERRY
(equally awestruck)
There’s gotta be a hundred boards
in here!

They start to examine all of the different surfboards.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Check out this Yater!

MATT
Look at this Dave Sweet.

Matt picks up a board.

MATT (CONT’D)
Oh, man. I feel bad for the guy
that lost this board. It looks
brand new.

TERRY
Why do you think he keeps them all?
Why doesn’t he just destroy them?

MATT
It’s like they’re his trophies.

CHRIS
Our boards aren’t here.
 77.

Just then, they hear the sound of an approaching truck.

Startled, they rush to the door, closing it just enough to
leave a little crack.

They peer out and see Floyd’s truck driving up.

The truck stops outside of the house’s front porch. They can
see their surfboards sticking out of the truck bed.

Floyd exits the truck and walks into the house. The screen
door bounces off of the door frame and a Hank Williams song
can be heard as Floyd turns on his stereo.

They can see Floyd through the windows of the house as he

hangs his hat on a wooden hat rack in the near corner.

He walks to the kitchen and opens the refrigerator and grabs

a bottle of beer.

TERRY
Now what are we going to do?

CHRIS
I’m not leaving here without AJ’s
surfboard.

The guys hear a call come in from Floyd’s radio. They can’t
make out what it is but Floyd turns off the stereo, grabs his
hat and exits the house.

He climbs into his truck and heads off the way he came, the
surfboards still in the back of the truck.

TERRY
(sarcastic)
Great.

MATT
Now what?

CHRIS
We wait ‘til he comes back. But
not in here.

They exit the barn, closing the door securely behind them,
and run back into the bushes where they left their backpacks.

They find a secluded spot under the cover of some trees and
bushes. They drop their backpacks and make themselves
comfortable.

TERRY
Okay, Floyd comes back. Then what?
 78.

CHRIS
We’ll wait until it gets dark, then
we’ll grab the boards. If we can
get back to the car before Floyd
knows we took them, then we’ll be
okay.

MATT
What if Floyd comes after us?

CHRIS
As long as we don’t get caught on
Ranch property, there’s nothing
Floyd or anybody else can do about
it.

TERRY
I hope you’re right.

The boys lay back on the ground, exhausted from staying up

all night. There’s nothing to do but wait.

All is quiet. Each boy to his own thoughts.

CHRIS
Hey Matt?

MATT
Yeah?

CHRIS
There’s something I need to tell
you.

MATT
What?

There’s a long pause.

CHRIS
I didn’t stay with my dad in
Chicago.

Matt looks at him, silent for a moment, confused.

MATT
Then where were you for six months?

Terry and Chris share a look, then Chris turns back to Matt.

CHRIS
After AJ died...well, I...well I
was having a hard time with it.
Why him?
(MORE)
 79.
CHRIS (CONT'D)
It had been a year and a half since
the accident and I felt...I can’t
really explain it.

Terry listens to Chris and feels for him.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I felt so lost and alone without
AJ. I would cry every day.
Sometimes I didn’t even know why I
was crying.

Long pause.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
One night when my mom was at work,
I was lying on my bed crying...and
I decided I wanted to be dead too.
I swallowed a whole bottle of my
mom’s sleeping pills.

This is heavy for Matt as he listens.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Terry found me on my bed and tried
to wake me. I don’t remember much
after that.

TERRY
I thought he was sick but then I
saw the empty medicine bottle and I
freaked out. I called 9-1-1 and an
ambulance came and they took him to
the hospital.

Chris takes over the story.

CHRIS
They pumped my stomach, then they
called my mom. They kept me in the
hospital over night and the next
day some Psychiatrist came and
talked to me. Then they took me to
a different hospital in Camarillo
for observation. I was there six
months.

MATT
Camarillo? That’s the looney bin!

Chris shoots him a look.

MATT (CONT’D)
Sorry.
 80.

CHRIS
My mom told everybody that I went
to live with my dad in Chicago.

There is silence.

MATT
Wow. Wow!

Matt gives Chris a look of acceptance and understanding.

MATT (CONT’D)
Don’t worry, we’ll get that board
back.

They lie back and stare up at the trees gently swaying in the
light breeze.

MATT (CONT’D)
Chris?

Beat.

CHRIS
Yeah?

Beat.

MATT
Nothin’.

The boys are exhausted and quickly fall asleep.

FADE TO BLACK.

CUT TO:

EXT. BUSHES - DAY - LATER

The boys are abruptly awakened by the cocking of a shotgun

and the sound of Floyd.

FLOYD
Rise and shine.

The boys react in shock. Floyd has his shotgun aimed at the
three of them.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
My guys at the main gate said they
never saw anyone walk out so I had
a hunch I’d find you boys close by.
 81.

They remain silent, too scared to say anything.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
I noticed somethin’ else. The
“102” on your surfboards. Boys, it
looks like your luck has finally
run out.

Floyd kicks the bottom of Chris’ shoe.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Get up! All of you!

The guys grab their gear and get up.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Move!

Floyd motions toward the barn and the guys file out.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Over there.

They comply.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Stop right there.
(to Matt)
You. Go get the surfboards out of
my truck.

As Matt walks over to Floyd’s truck to get the boards, Floyd

holds Chris and Terry at gunpoint.

Floyd unlocks the padlock that hangs from the large front
doors of the barn, still keeping a careful eye on Chris and
Terry.

As Floyd swings the barn doors open, Matt carries up the

first board, AJ’s.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
(to Matt)
Put it inside, and get the others.

Matt puts the surfboard in the barn and does what Floyd says.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
(to Chris and Terry)
You two get inside.

Chris and Terry enter the barn with Floyd right behind them.

CUT TO:
 82.

INT. BARN - CONTINUOUS

Floyd orders them against the wall.

FLOYD
(motioning)
Over there.

Chris and Terry do as they’re told.

Matt enters the barn carrying his and Terry’s board.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Put those with the other one.

Matt does.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
I’ve been lookin’ for you boys a
long time. I put it together when
I saw the one-o-two written on your
surfboards.

Floyd steps over to his work bench and finds a spool of rope.
He tosses the rope to Matt.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
(to Chris and Terry)
You two, sit on the floor, back to
back.
(to Matt)
Tie ‘um up.

They all do as they’re told.

Floyd examines their camouflaged surfboards.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Who do you think you are, the Green
Berets?

Matt has finished tying the ropes. Floyd checks the

restraints and turns his attention towards Matt.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Back there on the tracks this
morning, what did I tell you?

Matt doesn’t speak.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
Are you deaf, son? I asked you a
question. I expect an answer.
What...did...I...tell...you?
 83.

MATT
(resigned to his fear)
You told us to leave.

FLOYD
That’s right. And you didn’t
listen to me, did you?

Floyd places his shotgun on the workbench.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
I’m gonna have to teach you a
lesson, boy.

Floyd approaches Matt.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
One you can take back to all your
friends.

Floyd now stands in front of Matt. Matt tries hard not to

show his fear.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
This Ranch, the Point, they’re off
limits.

Just like before, he backhands Matt across the face, sending

him to the ground.

Matt rubs his jaw.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
And before you think about runnin’
to the police, you better think
about your freedom. You,re all
lookin’ at trespassin’, breakin’
and enterin’, and assault with a
deadly weapon.

TERRY
Assault with a deadly weapon? We
never touched you!

Floyd smiles, then unsheathes a Bowie knife that hangs from

his belt. He holds up the knife, then brings it down to his
arm, slowly slicing across the top of his forearm. Not too
deep but deep enough to draw blood and leave a scar.

FLOYD
You did now.
 84.

Floyd puts the knife away and steps toward Matt. He grabs
him by his shirt and pulls him up, only to backhand him
again.

Matt is knocked to the floor for a second time. Chris and

Terry can only watch as their friend takes a beating.

Floyd once again picks up Matt and backhands him, sending him
falling backward into a small stack of surfboards. The
impact causes one of the boards to tumble down.

Floyd picks up Matt by the arm and drags him over to the
others. Matt is barely conscious. Floyd ties him up also.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
You know, I never thought your
little beer can calling card was
very funny.

Floyd walks over to a cabinet. He opens the door and the

guys are surprised by what they see.

On the shelf sit two dozen or so Brew 102 beer cans. They
are arranged in two neat rows. Floyd picks up one of the
cans.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
It’s some kind of game to you.

TERRY
But we aren’t-

FLOYD
Shut your damn mouth!

Floyd throws the can at Terry.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
This is my land!!

Floyd swipes the neat row of 102 cans off of the shelf,
sending them flying across the floor. His rage is building.
He grabs an axe that hangs from the wall.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
I will not be mocked and I will not
- tolerate - trespassers!

In a violent act of aggression, Floyd turns and smashes

Terry’s surfboard with the axe. Floyd is in a full on rage
now as he picks up Matt’s board.
 85.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
I wondered what ever happened to
you boys. No cans for a couple of
years now. But today...today makes
up for the wait.

He splits Matt’s board in half with one blow of his axe.

Floyd picks up AJ’s board and leans it against the wall,

preparing it for destruction. He then reaches for his axe.

As his back is turned, Matt leaps up and rushes toward Floyd.

With his hands still tied, he hits Floyd with the full impact
of his body and sends him flying into a tall stack of
surfboards, causing the boards to cascade down on top of him.

An old longboard hits Floyd squarely on the head, knocking

him out cold.

A stunned Matt stares at Floyd for a second and then runs

over to Chris and Terry.

MATT
Hurry, untie me!

Terry unties Matt and expects the same in return but Matt
stands, walks over and picks up the axe.

TERRY
Matt! What are you doing?

With hatred in his eyes, Matt stands over Floyd and then
raises the axe.

TERRY/MATT
Matt! Don’t!/Don’t do it Matt!

Matt decides that Floyd’s not worth it drops the axe. Chris
and Terry breath a sigh of relief.

Matt then unties Chris and Terry.

CHRIS
Let’s get outta here before-

FLOYD
<groans>

The boys look at each other.

TERRY
Run!

CUT TO:
 86.

EXT. BARN - CONTINUOUS

Terry and Matt run out of the barn.

Matt sees Floyd’s truck and runs over to it, jumping into the
cab.

TERRY
What are you doing!

MATT
Get in!

Matt then dives beneath the dash, attempting to hot-wire the

ignition and Terry runs around and jumps in the truck.

TERRY
This is not good!

Chris runs out of the barn, carrying AJ’s board under his
arm. He quickly sets the board down, then turns and padlocks
the doors shut, locking Floyd in.

Matt is still working on the wires as Chris puts AJ’s board

in the truck bed and climbs in.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Do you know what you’re doing!

All three are startled by the sound of Floyd’s axe as it

smashes through the front door of the barn.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Hurry up, Matt!

MATT
I’m workin’ on it!

The axe head again crashes through the door as Floyd

frantically chops his way out of the barn.

TERRY
Matt!

Matt continues with the wires.

The barn doors finally bust open and Floyd staggers out of
the barn, still holding the axe. He sees the boys in his
truck.

The engine turns over. Matt rises up with a smile.

 87.

MATT
(proudly)
Hey!

CHRIS
Go, go, go!

Matt snaps back into reality, drops it in reverse and skids

backward, away from Floyd who is heading straight for them.

Matt whips the truck around as Chris looks out the back
window. AJ’s board slides from one side of the bed to the
other.

Matt shifts the truck into drive as Floyd reaches the

tailgate.

TERRY
Floor it!

Matt floors it and pulls away in a cloud of dust. Floyd

grabs the tailgate but can’t hold on.

Floyd runs for his house.

The truck swerves down the dirt road and onto the main road.

TERRY (CONT’D)
(with raised voice)
I didn’t know you knew how to
drive.

MATT
(with raised voice)
I don’t.

The truck recklessly screams around the tight curves. The

guys hang on for dear life.

CHRIS
Where are you going?!

MATT
I don’t know, and I don’t care as
long as it’s away from Floyd!

CHRIS/TERRY
Look out!!

Matt drives too fast into a sharp curve and the truck skids
off of the road and into a ditch. He tries to reverse his
way out of it but the wheels only spin.
 88.

CHRIS
Let’s get out of here!

They dismount the truck. Chris grabs AJ’s board and the
three of them take off into the trees.

They struggle as they make their way through the thick brush.
Chris is slowed down by AJ’s heavy surfboard. Terry grabs
the tail end of board.

TERRY
Here, you take the front!

CUT TO:

EXT. FLOYD’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Floyd is out front, holding his shotgun as another Ranch

Guard in a truck skids up next to him.

Floyd jumps into the truck and the two speed off after the
boys.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH - CONTINUOUS

The guys run through the brush in a hurry. Terry is still

helping Chris carry the heavy longboard.

TERRY
Where are we going?

CHRIS
I don’t know, just keep moving!

Chris and Terry work there way through the trees and bushes.
They reach a spot where they can look back and see the
abandoned truck in the ditch. It’s about a quarter mile
back.

The other truck races up to Floyd’s and stops. The boys

watch as Floyd gets out and looks in his truck. He then
points in a direction and tells something to the driver and
the truck speeds away.

Floyd follows their trail.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Keep moving!
 89.

They continue their escape, making their way through the

thick brush.

Chris turns around to discover that Matt is no longer with

them.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Where’s Matt?

TERRY
I don’t know!
(calling out)
Matt?!

CHRIS
We’ve gotta keep moving!

Chris and Terry continue making their way through the brush.

Suddenly, Terry goes down, dropping half of the board.

TERRY
Aaahhh!

Chris stops and sees Terry on the ground, holding his ankle.

CHRIS
Terry!

TERRY
Aahh! I think my ankle’s broken!

Chris helps Terry to his feet, supporting him.

CHRIS
Here! Hold on to me! Can you put
any weight on it?

Terry tries to stand on it but it won’t hold his weight.

TERRY
Aahh! I don’t believe this!

Chris looks back in Floyd’s direction and then at the

helpless Terry.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Take the board and go! I’ll deal
with Floyd.

CHRIS
Are you nuts?! I’m not leaving
without you!
 90.

TERRY
You can’t carry the board and me!

Chris looks at the board. Terry grabs Chris by the shirt.

TERRY (CONT’D)
(forcefully)
I’m not letting you leave this
board. Not after all we’ve been
through to get it.

Chris must make a choice. He reaches for the board and takes
a long look at it as if to say good-bye to AJ.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Take it! Go, now!

Chris looks up from the board and squarely into Terry’s eyes.

CHRIS
(with conviction)
It’s just a surfboard.

Terry realizes that Chris has turned a corner and gives him
an understanding nod.

Chris drops the board and helps Terry to his feet and the two
head off, leaving AJ’s surfboard lying on the ground.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH - FLOYD’S POSITION - CONTINUOUS

Floyd continues to pursue, relentlessly working his way

through the brush.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH - BOYS’ POSITION - CONTINUOUS

Chris and Terry struggle through the thick bushes finally

clearing the trees only to realize that they are backed up
against the Pacific Ocean.

CHRIS
Oh man, this is bad!

TERRY
Should we swim for it?

CHRIS
We’d never make it!
 91.

TERRY
Then let’s keep running!

CHRIS
With your ankle?

Chris and Terry look at each other, both realizing that it’s
over. There’s nothing left to do but wait for Floyd. Terry
turns to Chris.

TERRY
I’m sorry about you brother’s
board.

They stand in silent defeat. Suddenly, Matt comes running

out of the tree line carrying AJ’s board under his arm.

MATT
Hey, look what I found back there!

TERRY
(exuberant)
Matt!

MATT
(smiling)
It’s a pretty cool board. I guess
nobody wanted it.

Chris and Matt share a smile.

Suddenly, a shotgun blast is heard and the guys react.

They look up and at the edge of the cliff is Floyd with his
shotgun. He is about seventy-five yards to the north of the
guys and just out of range.

MATT (CONT’D)
We gotta do something!

CHRIS
Terry’s hurt!

They look up on the cliff to the south and see the other
Ranch Guard’s truck pull up to the edge. The Guard opens his
door and pokes his head above the roof line. He then gets
back in and the truck backs up, out of view.

MATT
Maybe we could use AJ’s board and
paddle away.
 92.

TERRY
There’s no way that one board would
float all of us.

Terry looks back up toward the cliff, then back to Chris.

TERRY (CONT’D)
Chris. Take the board and go!

CHRIS
No way! I’m not leaving without
you guys.

TERRY
You’ve got to! We’ll figure
something out.

CHRIS
Forget it! We all go down
together.

MATT
What about the other two hidden
boards?!

CHRIS
There’s no time!

MATT
Yes there is! Terry, get on AJ’s
board and start paddling. We’ll be
right behind you!

TERRY
I think we should-

CHRIS
Terry, you’re a sitting duck here!
We’ll be right behind you!

They get Terry on the surfboard and push him seaward.

Chris and Matt run for the trees and disappear.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH - FLOYD’S POSITION - CONTINUOUS

Floyd makes his way down the side of a ravine. He trips and
falls, dropping his shotgun. He recovers and continues the
pursuit.

CUT TO:
 93.

EXT. RANCH - GROVE OF TREES - CONTINUOUS

Chris and Matt return to where the other boards are hidden
and begin digging them out.

CUT TO:

EXT. OCEAN - CONTINUOUS

Terry paddles away from shore, looking back at the treeline

for signs of Chris and Matt.

CUT TO:

EXT. RANCH - GROVE OF TREES - CONTINUOUS

Chris pulls out the canvas bag and sets it to the side as he
and Matt quickly pull out the other two surfboards from the
dirt.

They turn to race back to the beach and are startled to see
Floyd with his shotgun aimed at them.

FLOYD
Not today.

Floyd looks at the hole where the boards were buried.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
So this is how you did it. Well,
you boys have buried your last
surfboard. Now you’re goin’ to
jail.

Chris looks down and notices the canvas bag next to him and
his eyes widen.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
There were three of you. What
happened to the other one?

They don’t answer.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
It doesn’t matter. He won’t get
far. Now drop the surfboards.

They comply. As Chris sets his board down, it shields the

bag from Floyd’s view. Chris reaches into the bag, grabs the
smoke grenade and rises up, holding it behind his back.
 94.

FLOYD (CONT’D)
This land is private for a reason.
We don’t need a bunch of surfers
comin’ up here and trashin’ the
place.

MATT
But we’re not trashing it. We
were...

FLOYD
(cutting him off)
Shut up! You won’t be the first
surfers to spend the night in a
jail cell. Only your stay might be
a little longer.

Floyd then opens his shotgun to reload. Chris takes this

opportunity to pull the pin from the canister.

CHRIS
(to Matt)
Run!

Chris tosses the smoke grenade to the ground and yellow smoke
fills the area, blocking Floyd’s view of the boys.

They grab the surfboards and run back toward the beach. A
shotgun blast is heard.

CUT TO:

EXT. OCEAN - CONTINUOUS

Terry’s POV. Yellow smoke billows up through the trees. He

then looks to the south and sees the other guard truck
pulling on to the beach about a half mile away. Several
seconds go by, then Chris and Matt emerge with the surfboards
tucked under their arms.

They reach the water’s edge and jump onto their surfboards
and paddle out frantically.

CUT TO:

EXT. TREELINE - FLOYD’S POSITION - CONTINUOUS

Floyd clears the treeline, running onto the beach and sees
Chris and Matt join Terry about a hundred yards out. The
other truck pulls to a stop next to Floyd.
 95.

Floyd runs to the water’s edge and raises his shotgun and
takes aim on the fleeing surfers as they paddle away. He
realizes that the guys are out of range.

He lowers the shotgun. He has been licked and he knows it.

He turns to walk back to the truck but stops in his tracks.

His eyes fill with rage at what he sees. There on the sand,
sits the empty Brew 102 can that Chris had left behind
earlier that morning.

Floyd’s eyes bulge and he raises his shotgun and blasts the
beer can to smithereens. The shotgun blast echoes into the
next scene.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE RANCH MAIN GATE - DAY

Title: 35 years later.

Aerial shot. An SUV pulls up to the main gate of the Ranch.

Music starts. The Association’s, “Six Man Band” begins.

Having been granted access, the SUV continues traveling down
a tight, two lane road.

OLDER CHRIS (V.O.)

We did make it to safety that
summer day back in 1969, but it was
a long time before we returned to
the Point. I will always miss AJ.
His camouflaged surfboard hangs in
my office to this day.

Aerial shot follows the SUV as it snakes its way along the
winding road.

OLDER CHRIS (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Oh, and Floyd?...Floyd died in 1978
from a massive heart attack while
patrolling for trespassers. The
surfboards found in his barn were
donated to a Surf Museum.

Continue aerial shot. The SUV turns into a driveway leading

to a house overlooking the Point.

OLDER CHRIS (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Terry became a Firefighter and
recently retired after a thirty
year career. And Matt?..
 96.

The SUV stops in the driveway and the three men pile out and
enter the garage.

DISSOLVE TO:

Aerial shot continues and pulls back as the three men, now in
wetsuits, carry surfboards down the side of the hill that
leads to the Point.

OLDER CHRIS (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Matt’s patented Ranch bikes were
considered to be the first custom
off-road bicycles. Years later he
was honored in the Mountain Bike
Hall of Fame.

Camera continues to pull back as the three men continue down

the side of the hill toward the beach.

OLDER CHRIS (V.O.) (CONT’D)

Matt went on to become one of the
most successful mountain bike
manufacturers in the U.S. He sold
his company last year for twenty-
four million dollars. And on the
advice of his two closest friends,
he bought some beach property. He
now owns fifty acres...right on The
Point.

Camera continues to pull back to an extreme long shot. We

see Matt’s house overlooking the point and the three men
entering the water and paddling out to the waves.

OLDER CHRIS (CONT’D)

Oh, Terry and I? We did buy that
sailboat after all. We sailed it
once to Catalina Island, and then
sold it for half of what we paid
for it.

Music starts:

Camera continues pulling back slowly as the guys make their

way to the line-up.

FADE TO BLACK.