CAR TROUBLE

Written by

Tom Batt
FADE IN.

INT. CAR DEALERSHIP - DAY

A line of expensive cars. At the end of the row, LINCOLN

PHELPS (30s) admires the last car.

The SALESMAN approaches.

SALESMAN
Can I help you, sir?

Lincoln glances over, smiling, before returning his gaze

toward the car.

LINCOLN
Actually, you can. I’ve just been
promoted to an executive position
at my company and I think it’s
about time I drive an executive
car.

SALESMAN
Well, then look no further than
this beauty. Comfort and
sophistication throughout. It can
go from 0-60 in 4 seconds with a
top speed of 155 mph. One of the
most advanced computers that
tailors the car to you, based on
how you drive. All the mod cons,
air-conditioning, power steering,
phone connectivity, digital radio,
etcetera. Trust me, this is the car
you need. You want to take it for a
test drive?

Lincoln turns to the salesman.

LINCOLN
You know what? I think I’ve seen
and heard all I need. I’ll take it.

The salesman pauses at the ease of this sale. He breaks out

into a grin.

SALESMAN
Fantastic. I’ll get the paperwork
sorted. You will not regret buying
this car.

Lincoln turns back toward the car to give it one final look.
 2.

LINCOLN
I doubt I will.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - DAY

A large suburban house with front lawn and garage. A car

transporter pulls up outside.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, FRONT HALLWAY - DAY

The doorbell rings. Lincoln opens the door to find a DELIVERY

MAN standing before him holding a clipboard.

DELIVERY MAN
Mr Phelps?

LINCOLN
That’s me.

DELIVERY MAN
I have a car delivery for you.

Lincoln looks past the delivery man at his new car sat on the
back of the transporter. He smiles.

The delivery man extends the clipboard toward him.

DELIVERY MAN
If you could just sign and I’ll get
the car unloaded.

Lincoln takes the clipboard and scribbles his signature.

LINCOLN
She’s a beauty, isn’t she?

The delivery man turns to look at the car before turning

back. He feigns interest.

DELIVERY MAN
Yeah, you’re a real lucky man.

He takes the clipboard back.

CUT TO.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - DAY

Lincoln’s new car is parked on the driveway. He waves at the

car transporter as it disappears down the road. He turns to
his new car and looks at the keys in his hand.
 3.

INT. LINCOLN’S CAR - DAY

MONTAGE.

- The car door slams shut.

- Lincoln pushes a button to start the engine.

- Lincoln connects his phone to the car computer and starts

playing upbeat rock music.

- Lincoln shifts into gear.

- Lincoln revs the engine. He laughs to himself.

- Lincoln releases the hand-brake and speeds off the driveway

and down the road.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Lincoln rushes through the residential streets until he

reaches the outskirts of town.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

With his music blaring loudly he makes his way down winding
country roads. Shifting gears, and steering sharply. His
driving is erratic, but controlled.

INT. LINCOLN’S CAR - DAY

As the speed increases toward 50 mph a message flashes on the

dashboard computer screen.

‘EXCEEDING SPEED LIMIT. REDUCE SPEED NOW.’

Lincoln glances at the screen and smiles. He presses ‘IGNORE’

on the screen and the message disappears.

INT. LINCOLN’S CAR - DAY

With the daylight fading, Lincoln is making his way through a

dark road, the headlights leading the way.

He turns a sharp corner only to see a woman standing before

him.

She turns to him, a shocked look upon her face. His eyes
widen as his mouth drops open.
 4.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

He slams his foot on the break and tries to steer, but it’s
too late. She hits the front of the car rolling hard onto the
bonnet.

As the car screeches to a stop, she is thrown forward off the

bonnet and onto the road scraping along the tarmac.

INT. LINCOLN’S CAR - DAY

Lincoln is frozen in shock. He looks through the windshield

at the lifeless body before him. Blood smeared across the
road.

He looks around to see if anybody else is about. Silence

falls around him, save for the murmur of the engine. The
dashboard computer displays an alert ‘ACCIDENT DETECTED,
CALLING EMERGENCY SERVICES’.

Lincoln panics and hits the ‘CANCEL’ button. He puts the car
in reverse and turns the car around. He speeds off back the
way he came.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Lincoln pulls the car up onto his driveway and shuts the
engine off. He climbs out of the car and hastily makes his
way inside the house.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, KITCHEN - NIGHT

Lincoln enters, heading straight for a cupboard. He opens it

taking out a glass, then he opens a second cupboard removing
a bottle of whiskey.

He pours two fingers into the glass and downs it. He pours
another two fingers and paces around the room carrying the
glass.

LINCOLN
It’s okay. No one saw. No one knows
it was you. Someone will find her
and it’ll all be okay.

He downs the second glass.

 5.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, BATHROOM - NIGHT

Lincoln stands in the shower. As the water cascades down his

body he smiles feeling a sense of relief. As though the water
is washing away the guilt.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Lincoln comes down the stairs drying his hair with a towel.
He chucks the towel to one side and grabs the television
remote.

He drops down into the armchair and relaxes.

His mobile beeps a message alert. He picks it up casually to

glance at the screen.

The message on the lock screen is from an ‘UNKNOWN’ number

and simply reads:

‘I SAW WHAT YOU DID.’

Lincoln sits up in the chair staring hard at the phone

screen. His breathing becomes heavier. He unlocks the phone
and hits ‘REPLY’.

He types in ‘WHO IS THIS?’. He presses send.

He waits impatiently, unable to sit back in the chair. A new

message comes back to him:

‘I SAW WHAT YOU DID. YOU NEED TO TURN YOURSELF IN OR I’M

CALLING THE POLICE.’

Lincoln stands up. He paces the room staring at the phone. He

pushes ‘REPLY’ and types back ‘WHO IS THIS?’ Once more. The
message sends.

He begins biting his nails as he anxiously waits. A new

message appears:

‘I’M OUTSIDE.’

Lincoln looks up at the window. He carefully moves closer,

his eyes attempting to scan the darkness. Nothing, but a
street lamp to help him.

There is nobody there. No figures, no shadows. Silence.

Lincoln smirks to himself. He replies:

‘I DON’T SEE ANYONE. YOU’RE LYING.’

 6.

He sends. As he turns to walk away from the window, his phone

beeps a message alert. He looks at the screen. The reply
reads:

‘LOOK AGAIN!’

He stops and makes his way back over to the window. As he

looks out, his car headlights flash at him. He freezes.

LINCOLN
What the...?

Lincoln heads for the front door.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Lincoln steps outside and cautiously approaches the car.

LINCOLN (TO HIMSELF)

If someone’s broken into my car,
they’re a dead man.

As he reaches the car he peers into the drivers side window,

but there is nobody inside.

LINCOLN
What the hell?

Lincoln looks around the street again, hoping to spot

someone. Nothing.

LINCOLN
If this is someone’s idea of a
prank, it’s not funny. Come out now
and I’ll let you live.

His phone beeps. He glances at the message.

‘I WAS THERE. TURN YOURSELF IN OR I CALL THE POLICE.’

He shakes his head.

LINCOLN
You know what? Fuck you.

Lincoln begins typing a reply.

‘FINE, CALL THEM. GO FUCK YOURSELF.’

He waits a few seconds for a reply, but nothing comes back.

LINCOLN
Damn straight.
 7.

He laughs to himself and heads back inside the house.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Lincoln sits in the armchair watching television. Blue lights

begin flashing from outside, lighting up the room.

Lincoln sits up and looks out the window. A police squad car
is parked outside his house. Two officers approaching the
front door, a male and a female.

Lincoln jumps up from his seat and heads for the front door.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Lincoln opens the door and steps outside as the two officers
are approaching.

LINCOLN
Can I help you, officers?

FEMALE OFFICER
We had an emergency call from this
location. Was that you?

Lincoln shakes his head.

LINCOLN
No, I didn’t call you.

FEMALE OFFICER
Somebody did. Do you live here,
sir?

LINCOLN
Yeah.

FEMALE OFFICER
Well, the call was traced to this
location.

LINCOLN
Look, whoever called you, I don’t
know what they said, but I haven’t
killed anyone.

Lincoln smiles.

FEMALE OFFICER
I don’t remember mentioning anyone
having been killed.
(MORE)
 8.

FEMALE OFFICER (CONT'D)

I just said it was an emergency
call. Why would you say that?

Lincoln stops smiling.

LINCOLN
I don’t know. Just a figure of
speech? It was a joke.

Lincoln laughs nervously.

FEMALE OFFICER
Do you mind if we take a look
inside the house?

LINCOLN
Why?

FEMALE OFFICER
Just protocol. You got a problem
with that? If so we can come back
with a search warrant, but it’s
going to make us awful suspicious.

LINCOLN
No, it’s fine. Go ahead.

Lincoln steps aside allowing the officers to enter the house.

INT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE, FRONT HALLWAY - NIGHT

Lincoln closes the front door. The female officer turns to

her partner.

FEMALE OFFICER
Check upstairs first.

The Male officer makes his way upstairs. She turns to Lincoln
and removes a notepad and pen from her pocket.

FEMALE OFFICER
Can I take your name, sir?

LINCOLN
Lincoln Phelps.

She writes it down.

FEMALE OFFICER
Do you have I.D.?

LINCOLN
Yeah, sure.
 9.

Lincoln picks up his wallet from a small table by the front

door and removes his driving licence. He hands it to the
officer. She takes a long look glancing up at Lincoln to
check it matches. She makes another note then hands back the
I.D.

FEMALE OFFICER
How long have you lived here?

LINCOLN
Actually, I just moved in a month
ago?

FEMALE OFFICER
I see. It’s a rather nice house.
Must be expensive. You’re obviously
doing well for yourself.

Lincoln smiles.

LINCOLN
I was recently promoted at my
company. I’m an executive.

FEMALE OFFICER
Really? Impressive. And what line
of work is that?

LINCOLN
Computers, software solutions. That
kind of thing. You wouldn’t
understand.

FEMALE OFFICER
Oh, wouldn’t I?

LINCOLN
Most people don’t.

FEMALE OFFICER
Well, I’m not most people and I
don’t appreciate the insinuation
that I’m not intelligent enough to
understand your high tech computer
company.

LINCOLN
I didn’t mean to offend.

FEMALE OFFICER
And yet you did.
 10.

LINCOLN
Maybe I could explain it to you
sometime, over dinner?

FEMALE OFFICER
Watch it.

The male officer returns down the stairs.

MALE OFFICER
Nothing upstairs.

FEMALE OFFICER
Check the rest of the house. I’ll
continue to keep Mr Phelps company.

She smiles at Lincoln. He looks away anxiously.

EXT. LINCOLN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

The two officers step outside. The male officer heads

straight for the squad car. The female officer turns to
Lincoln who stands by the door.

FEMALE OFFICER
Sorry to have disturbed you Mr
Phelps. I’m sure you understand we
have to investigate every call we
receive.

LINCOLN
It’s no problem.

FEMALE OFFICER
We’ll mark this one down as a crank
call. Enjoy the rest of your night.

LINCOLN
You too.

The male officer stands waiting by the car. The female

officer makes her way across the lawn. The alarm of Lincoln’s
car startles her, she turns toward it.

Lincoln grabs his car keys and switches off the alarm.

LINCOLN
Sorry.

She relaxes. The alarm goes off again. She turns to him
confused. He steps out on the front lawn and switches it off
a second time.
 11.

LINCOLN
I don’t know why it...

She admires the car.

FEMALE OFFICER
That’s a very nice car, Mr Phelps.
You certainly know how to live.

LINCOLN
I just bought it. I guess there’s a
problem with the alarm.

FEMALE OFFICER
You might want to get that checked
out.

LINCOLN
Yeah.

She moves closer toward the car looking it up and down.

FEMALE OFFICER
It’s definitely a beautiful piece
of machinery. I’m assuming it has
all the mod cons?

LINCOLN
Of course.

Lincoln glances over at the front of the car, blood stains

smeared across it. His eyes widen as she moves closer toward
it.

FEMALE OFFICER
I wouldn’t mind getting one of
these for myself.

Lincoln panics as she gets ever nearer to spotting the

grizzly mess. Just as she is about to reach it...

MALE OFFICER
Hey! We got to go.

She turns to her partner and nods before turning back toward
Lincoln.

FEMALE OFFICER
Have a good night, sir.

Lincoln nods and watches as she heads over to the squad car
and climbs in with her partner. They switch on the siren and
speed off. Lincoln exhales with relief.
 12.

Lincoln’s phone beeps. He removes it from his pocket and

checks the message.

‘YOU WERE LUCKY THAT TIME, BUT IT WON’T LAST LONG. I’LL GET
SOMEONE’S ATTENTION EVENTUALLY’

Lincoln looks up at the car and approaches it.

LINCOLN
It’s you. You’re doing this?

Another message.

‘WELL DONE, KILLER. YOU FIGURED IT OUT. NOW TURN YOURSELF IN

BEFORE THIS GETS UGLY.’

The man looks over at the car and laughs.

LINCOLN
Go fuck yourself. What are you
going to do? You’re just a car.

The car alarm goes off again. The headlights flash in the
darkness. Lights begin to go on in neighbour’s windows.

Lincoln takes out the key and switches it off again.

LINCOLN
Stop doing that!

Lincoln glances over at the garage.

LINCOLN
Maybe I should get you out of sight
and clean you up before we have
anymore visitors.

Lincoln takes the garage door fob on his key chain and
presses the button to open it. The garage door slowly opens.

He grabs the driver’s side door handle and attempts to open

the door, but it’s locked. He yanks again at the handle, but
it’s not going to open.

LINCOLN
Fine, you want to be like that? I
can play dirty.

Lincoln picks up a large rock from the garden and smashes the
side window.

LINCOLN
See? How do you like that?
 13.

Lincoln climbs into the car and shuffles himself round so

he’s sat in the seat. He pushes the start button on the dash,
but the car refuses to start.

LINCOLN
Come on. Start.

He pushes it several times, but nothing.

LINCOLN
Fine.

Lincoln clambers back through the window tumbling out onto

the concrete bashing his shoulder.

LINCOLN
Ah, fuck! You’re going to pay for
this.

He gets to his feet and leans into through the window. He

releases the hand-brake.

He then makes his way round to the back of the car.

LINCOLN
All I have to do is clean the blood
off and you have no evidence.
Stupid machine. You can’t outsmart
a human.

Lincoln pushes on the back of the car with all his strength.
The car slowly rolls forward into the garage until it’s
completely inside.

He makes his way to the front of the car pushing the garage
door button on the way, but it jams.

He stops in his tracks and turns to look at the garage door

stuck in the horizontal position. He pushes the button again.
The door jolts, but remains fixed.

LINCOLN
What the...? Is every machine
against me today?

Lincoln makes his way over to the entrance. He stands behind

the car and reaches up to grab the door. He jilts it up and
down to try and loosen it.

The car slowly rolls back, pushing against his legs and
knocking him back onto the ground. He cracks his head on the
driveway.
 14.

He holds his head in pain as the car continues to roll toward

him. The rear wheel pins his foot, he lets out a yelp.

As the car rolls up his leg crushing every bone, he screams

in agony trying to pull himself free.

The wheel makes it’s way along his stomach, he coughs up

blood. The last sound he hears are his ribs cracking. His
head drops back for the wheel to makes it’s last turn over
his skull.

A loud squelch as blood oozes down the driveway.

INT. LINCOLN’S CAR - NIGHT

Up on the dashboard the computer screen switches on. A

message pops up.

‘ACCIDENT DETECTED. CALLING EMERGENCY SERVICES’

FADE OUT.