FAME, INFAMY

Written by

Max Astrophel

Copyright (c) 2018

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 FADE IN:

EXT. CALEB’S GRANDPARENTS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

It’s rural North Idaho, weather too ugly to have a season.

We’re looking over a porch in a rickety house. There’s an

unmaintained porch swing dating to somewhere around 1978, a
thing of beauty in its ugliness.

SUPERIMPOSE: September 11th 2019, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

INT. CALEB'S GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE - NIGHT

The inside is as gloriously affected as the out, all retro

couches and Boomer paraphernalia. We CLOSE ON two
malcontents trapped somewhere between adolescence and
adulthood, strangers who've known each other for years --

CALEB PARKER (21) is a goddamn edgelord, trying real hard to

project how he thinks he's too smart/cool/weird for this
world. His success is debatable. When he speaks, he has an
inexplicable, definitely affected British accent.

MACKENZIE ADAMS (21) is an anemic shock of a manic pixie

nightmare girl, who moves like she's drunk or dying and has
a mad hunger in her eyes you usually only see in homeless
people. Might be one.

They're both COVERED IN BLOOD.

They exchange a look somewhere between 'horrified surprise'

and 'actually, I could get used to this'.

MACKENZIE
Happy birthday, Caleb!

He grimaces. There's a distant dreaminess to her words, like

she's hearing someone else say them.

CALEB
I mean, it's an interesting gift and
all, but...

We pan out to reveal THE BLOODIED BODIES OF HIS

GRANDPARENTS.

BOB and MIREN PARKER (both 70s) are looking pretty

mutilated. A photo on the mantelpiece shows them as an
ordinary, loving couple. All the worse that they're barely
in one piece now.
 2.

MACKENZIE
Didn't you hate them?
CALEB
Well, yes --

Mackenzie laughs like a hyena.

MACKENZIE
Hey, I didn't show you the car,
didn't I?

She darts out the house, takes a look back in --

MACKENZIE (cont'd)
Remember to get the guns!

And so she goes, her broken run looking more like

interpretative dance than anything. Caleb eyes the well-
stocked gun cabinet.

EXT. CALEB'S GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Mackenzie keeps her dead-eyed grin set as Caleb trudges

past. He's got a Desert Eagle .50 and a Chiappa Rhino 60DS,
holstered like someone who knows what to do with a gun.

He takes the last out, slips it into Mackenzie's skirt --

CALEB
It's yours.

She blinks, pats the area, and smiles.

MACKENZIE
Hey, there it is --

She points ahead of herself at a 'CAR', scare quotes

intentional. This thing isn't road-legal. Hell, taking it
out on the road would get you the gas chamber in all fifty
states and nobody even uses that method these days.

Caleb stops dead in his tracks.

MACKENZIE (cont'd)
(blind to reason)
You like it?

CALEB
Uh --
 3.

MACKENZIE
I drove it all the way here!
CALEB
From Chicago?

She pauses.

MACKENZIE
I forgot about Chicago.

CALEB
You forgot your hometown. Nice.
MACKENZIE
I got it in...
(pauses to think)
Billings? Near Billings.

CALEB
You drove five hundred miles in...
that.

She swings a door open. Thing looks like it's going to fall
off its hinges.

MACKENZIE
Yeah!

INT./EXT. 'CAR' - NIGHT

Mackenzie flings herself into it a little too hard, hits her

head on the doorframe --

CALEB
You okay?

She looks up at him entering more normally. Nods, but there

are tears welling in her eyes.

CALEB (cont'd)
...I probably should've put the Rhino
somewhere safer --

He takes it out her skirt, opens the glove box --

CALEB (cont'd)
I, er, kinda forgot you'd gotten
worse.

MACKENZIE
I'm not much worse.
 4.

He gives her a Look. Glances back at the dash panel --

CALEB
Jesus, is that a tape deck?

She giggles.

CALEB (cont'd)
How old is this thing?

MACKENZIE
I got it for fifty bucks.

Caleb sighs, turns the ignition. It sputters hatred at him.

As he exchanges the guns for a Smiths cassette --

CALEB
Where are we even going?

MACKENZIE
Hm?

CALEB
I mean, do you have any goals here or
are we just going to run around
shooting people until the cops get
us?

MACKENZIE
I always wanted to see Los Angeles.

CALEB
Think more short-term, Mackenzie.

She shrugs.

MACKENZIE
I dunno, you're the one who lives
here. Wait, didn't you move to
Spokane recently?

CALEB
I was in Spokane three years ago,
and --

MACKENZIE
See? Recently.

Mackenzie looks inexplicably smug. Caleb's managed to get

the car going; it's bitching the whole way.

They're at least heading downhill, so it picks up a bit of

speed.
 5.

CALEB
I mean, we could go there and see
Jordan.
MACKENZIE
The crazy guy you're friends with?

CALEB
I think I'm the crazy guy he's
friends with, actually.

He adjusts the mirrors.

CALEB (cont'd)
Right, it's a half-hour drive, so
he'll be getting off work around when
we get there --

MACKENZIE
What's with the accent?

CALEB
(caught off-guard)
Huh?

She giggles.

MACKENZIE
You weren't British last time we
talked.

CALEB
And you didn't always have
Huntington's. Shit happens. Listen,
we'll just go see Jordan, we'll hide
out at his, and we'll try not to get
shot.

CUT TO:

EXT. GAINES HOUSEHOLD - NIGHT

It's the slightest early morning, with the night shift

workers just getting out. The 'car' pulls up to a suburban
home just as a marginally nicer one does.

JORDAN GAINES (21) glances out the window. He's a bunch of

misfit vibes in the shape of a human being.

He recognizes the face as he opens the door --

 6.

JORDAN
Caleb?
Caleb just laughs to himself.

CALEB
I can explain --

He drops off when he realizes he totally can't.

Jordan shrugs.

JORDAN
What's with the blood?
CALEB
I can't explain.

Mackenzie giggles.

CALEB (cont'd)
Can we come inside?

Jordan's surprisingly upbeat about the whole thing. The

loneliness radiating off him probably has something to do
with it.

JORDAN
Sure, man. Is that Mackenzie?

CALEB
Yeah.

Jordan turns a little disbelievingly to the house.

JORDAN
Been a while.

INT. GAINES HOUSEHOLD - CONTINUOUS

It's a nice house, really. Live/laugh/love decor, framed

photo of the black-middle-class Gaineses in domestic
tranquility on the mantle. Jordan flicks the lightswitch.

The place is passingly familiar to Caleb. He glances

around --

CALEB
Hasn't changed.

Jordan smiles a little, not entirely happily.

 7.

JORDAN
So. Dude, how the hell is Mackenzie
still alive, and why are you covered
in blood?

CALEB
Can I start on the first question?

Jordan shrugs, picking up a soda can from the table. Caleb

starts answering, but just laughs --

CALEB (cont'd)
You know, I'm as surprised as you
are.
Mackenzie staggers in.

MACKENZIE
Hey!~ So, um, the blood --

She giggles to herself again, losing whatever conversational

track she was on.

CALEB
We're in a bit of a tough
situation --

MACKENZIE
'A bit'? You're really going for the
fake Brit thing here --

She glances back to Jordan.

MACKENZIE (cont'd)
Was he British when he lived with
you? I'm pretty sure he wasn't
British.

Jordan just shakes his head.

CALEB
Anyway, we might have to stay here a
while. Forever.

JORDAN
I feel like last time you did that --

He cuts off when he realizes Caleb's desperate.

CALEB
Jordan. Please?

Jordan just focuses on the soda can. Caleb takes note.

 8.

CALEB (cont'd)
Are you still doing that thing where
you don't drink water?
JORDAN
(deadpan)
Water makes you autistic.

Beat.

CALEB
We're already autistic!

JORDAN
You wanna be more autistic?

Mackenzie, who's taken up residence on the nice white

leather couch (now collecting bloodstains), looks up at the
conversation.

CALEB
Dude, I really seriously cannot
comprehend the thought process where
you concluded water makes you
autistic --

JORDAN
And I don't know the one where you're
in my house at 5am covered in blood,
man.

Caleb grimaces.

CALEB
Yeah. Okay. So. Maybe you should sit
down.

Jordan raises an eyebrow, but does.

Caleb takes a deep breath. Holds it for a moment.

CALEB (cont'd)
We killed my grandparents.

Beat.

JORDAN
What the fuck?

He's shocked, yes. But almost...impressed?

CALEB
So we kind of have to --
 9.

JORDAN
You finally got rid of those
assholes?
Caleb perks up.

CALEB
Yeah! We did.
(a little quieter)
I did.

Mackenzie rises from semi-consciousness.

MACKENZIE
He says we can't stay there now,
though.

JORDAN
...well, yeah. Obviously.
(glances over to
Caleb)
So you're free?

Caleb just smiles.

CALEB
Guess I am.

CUT TO:

INT. JORDAN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Jordan's room is spartan and hostile, with trash bags taped

over the windows and streaks of Sharpie on the overhead
lights. Caleb recognizes it, but not well.

Jordan glances towards him apologetically --

JORDAN
Sorry it's worse.

Caleb just shrugs.

Mackenzie, totally unfamiliar with it, just looks around.

MACKENZIE
Do we live here now?

CALEB
(quickly)
No.
(MORE)
 10.

CALEB (cont'd)
(beat)
We just need to, you know, get the
blood off and stuff --
MACKENZIE
Do we haaaaave to? It looks cool. You
know, aesthetic.

Caleb's taken aback, laughs a little.

CALEB
What the hell are you planning to do,
take edgy selfies or something?
Mackenzie looks like this was exactly her plan. Caleb sighs.

CALEB (cont'd)
I mean, it does look cool, but --

FOOTSTEPS. Jordan freezes.

The three of them exchange glances.

LEXI
(o.s.)
Jordan?

Silence.

LEXI (cont'd)
(o.s.)
Jordan, it's five in the morning. I
know you just got off work --

Jordan breathes in sharply. Caleb quickly throws a blanket

over himself and Mackenzie.

She swings the door open.

LEXI (cont'd)
-- but some of us have actual
responsibilities, okay?

LEXI GAINES (17) regards her brother with detached disdain.

She's not going to break fifty likes on her selfies if she
can't get her beauty sleep. Next to her, it's ever more
visible how dysfunctional our main trio are.

JORDAN
Sorry, Lexi.

It's a little mumbled, not entirely sincere. She just sighs.

Fixes her eyes on Caleb.
 11.

LEXI
Hey, isn't that the guy who --
BANG!

GORE splatters on the walls and ceiling --

Mackenzie CACKLES, unfocused.

Caleb and Jordan take a moment to realize what's going on --

Mackenzie's sitting there with the Rhino in her hands,

pushed a little closer to her chest from the recoil. Lexi is
splayed on the floor, bearing a gruesome HEAD WOUND but
STILL BREATHING --

CALEB
What the fuck?!

Mackenzie giggles. Caleb grabs the gun from her hands --

CALEB (cont'd)
WHAT THE FUCK?!

Mackenzie looks at him, almost confused. Jordan's paralyzed,

breathing in and out, in and out. Caleb tries to hush his
voice a little, not attract any more attention --

CALEB (cont'd)
Mackenzie, do you have any idea what
the fuck you just did?

MACKENZIE
(blankly)
She was being annoying.

Caleb looks back at Jordan. Neither of them can believe this

shit.

Almost a little desperate --

CALEB
Mackenzie...

It's no use. She clearly has no idea what she just did.

Caleb breathes in sharply, looks to Jordan again. Jordan

looks back. Deadpan --

JORDAN
It's no big loss.
 12.

They both crack up laughing, but Caleb stops himself. Looks

back over to Mackenzie --
CALEB
Yeah, but you realize we're already
on the hook for murder, right? We
really can't have something like
this.

He pauses. Gets up, starts making his way out the room,
trying not to step in the gore. Keeps an eye on the body --
still breathing, not well.

CALEB (cont'd)
Jordan?

Jordan follows. They leave the room. OFF-SCREEN, we hear

them discussing what to do --

CALEB (cont'd)
(o.s.)
I mean, she's still alive, isn't she?

JORDAN
(o.s.)
Technically...

Mackenzie looks over at the body, smiles.

CALEB
(o.s.)
And it kinda sounds like your mom and
dad's still asleep.

Off-screen, Jordan laughs.

JORDAN
(o.s.)
Yeah, I got no idea how.

Mackenzie gingerly gets up, walks as neatly as she can over

to Lexi, gun still in hand. Lexi may be breathing, but
there's nobody in there.

JORDAN (cont'd)
(o.s.)
I mean, honestly, you could've had a
worse victim.

Mackenzie makes her way over, crouches next to Lexi, runs

her hands through her hair. Pulls them back, covered in
things you'd rather not think about.
 13.

She takes a hold of the body, now drawing its last few
breaths --
CALEB
(o.s.)
Man, I get it, but that's a weird way
to talk about your own sister, you
know?

JORDAN
(o.s.)
You lived here.

Mackenzie takes her phone out her pocket --

CALEB
(o.s.)
I know, but...

-- and TAKES A SELFIE cradling the body, a broad smile on

her face.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

We hear the FAKE CAMERA SHUTTER from the phone. It goes off
another couple times.

Caleb and Jordan are standing in a dimly lit hallway,

speaking in hushed tones, when --

CALEB
What was that?

JORDAN
Was she taking selfies?

They laugh a little uncomfortably.

CALEB
Seriously, dude, I'm so sorry --

A slight smile plays at Jordan's lips.

JORDAN
Don't apologise.

And so, Caleb stops.

He gingerly opens the door --

 14.

INT. JORDAN'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Mackenzie beams over at Caleb, cradling Lexi's body as she

goes.

She places her phone down. The best of the selfies is

already uploaded to Instagram.

He sees exactly what she's done --

CALEB
Mackenzie.

Jordan pokes his head in. Looks at the scene, laughs in

disbelief.

JORDAN
Classic Mackenzie, huh?

CALEB
Yeah, I can't wait to fucking go to
prison forever.

Jordan pauses.

JORDAN
We could try hide out in Seattle --

CALEB
How the hell are we going to hide out
anywhere? She's posting it on fucking
Instagram!

Mackenzie, twitching a bit at the corners of her shoulder,

took a moment to respond.

MACKENZIE
Actually, people think it's cool.

CALEB
What?

With a self-satisfied look, she HOLDS UP THE PHONE.

The comments are filling in, and they're shocked, but they
aren't necessarily condemning anything. Some of them are
even celebratory, aestheticizing. A few seem to assume it's
an art photoshoot of some kind.

CALEB (cont'd)
Mackenzie, they think it's fake --
 15.

MACKENZIE
They think it's cool!
He sighs.

CALEB
Can you just delete the post?
(touches the blood on
himself)
I don't want the cops coming in when
I'm in the shower.

MACKENZIE
Shower quick, okay?
CALEB
What?

MACKENZIE
A guy in Seattle asked me to do a
collab.

CUT TO:

INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

The SHOWER BLASTS, then TURNS OFF.

Caleb, wrapped in a towel, catches his reflection in the

fractured mirror. His rubs his mismatched eyes, one brown
and one green, and looks back away.

Through the door --

JORDAN
(o.s.)
Oh, by the way, happy 21st, dude.

Caleb sighs.

CALEB
Thanks.

There's a THUMPING sound out the door. Awkward, scissored

walking.

An ALARM CLOCK goes off. Caleb looks at his phone -- it's

5:45.

CALEB (cont'd)
Jesus, Jordan, how early does your
mom get up?
 16.

The alarm stops. Caleb freezes.

JORDAN
(o.s.)
We've got thirty minutes, she hits
the snooze button --

CALEB
(curious)
We?

JORDAN
(o.s.)
I'm not staying here, aren't I?
For the first time in a while, Caleb smiles.

CUT TO:

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - MORNING

The sun is starting to beam through the horizon. Caleb and

Mackenzie look a little more human now, Caleb leaning
restlessly against the window on the shotgun side as Jordan
keeps a hand on the wheel.

CALEB
I can still smoke in here, right?

Jordan nods. Caleb lights up a Galouise and turns his gaze

to the back seat.

Mackenzie's in repose, restrained by the linen-wrapped body

on her lap.

CALEB (cont'd)
(to Mackenzie)
You want one?

MACKENZIE
You know you're crossing waaaaay too
many cultures here, right? You get
the accent or the French cigarettes,
not both.
(beat)
Yes.

He sighs and passes her one. She gets out a lighter, but her
hands don't cooperate.

CALEB
...you want me to light it for you?
 17.

She doesn't respond. He takes it, lights it, and puts it

back in her hands.
She looks up at him. Doesn't say anything, but she's
thankful.

CALEB (cont'd)
(to Jordan)
I'm really sorry about all this --

JORDAN
Dude, I told you, you're basically
doing me a favor.
(beat)
Want to do something for your
birthday?

Caleb cackles.

CALEB
What, celebrate a killing spree?

At right that moment, Mackenzie's phone starts ringing.

CUT TO:

INT. CHRIS'S HOUSE - DAY

On the other side of the state, the ringing fades away.

SUPERIMPOSE: Seattle, Washington

The phone where the call dies is in the hands of CHRIS OLSON
(23), stoner fauxtographer, draped over an overpriced torn-
up couch. Through gritted teeth --

CHRIS
Why isn't she picking up?

OLIVER 'OLLIE' ATWOOD (23) is half-asleep on the floor. His

British accent is authentic, but nothing else about him is.

OLLIE
What the hell are you doing?

CHRIS
Calling the girl I showed you.

OLLIE
...What?
(rubs eyes)
It's like 6am, Chris.
 18.

Chris shrugs and calls again. Mackenzie PICKS UP.

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

It takes a strange amount of effort for Mackenzie to bring

the phone up to her ear.

MACKENZIE
Hi~

Caleb snaps his head back.

CALEB
Mackenzie, what the fuck are you
doing?

She just smiles and waves.

INT. CHRIS'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

When Mackenzie picks up the call, Chris smiles knowingly

down at Ollie. Ollie just sighs.

CHRIS
Hey, is this Mackenzie?

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

MACKENZIE
Yeah, it is. Are you the photographer
guy?

INT. CHRIS'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

CHRIS
Christopher Olson, but you can call
me Chris. I thought your photoshoot
was just -- breathtaking. You're in
Spokane?

Ollie rolls his eyes.

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

Mackenzie giggles. Caleb grimaces.

 19.

MACKENZIE
We're actually on the road right
now --
Caleb whips his head back.

CALEB
Why the hell are you telling people
our location?

MACKENZIE
Caleb, he wants to meet up with us!

CALEB
Tell him to fuck off!

INT. CHRIS'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

Chris pauses.

CHRIS
Is everything okay on your end?

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

MACKENZIE
Yeah, it's fine, we're just --

CALEB
We're just going to fucking prison if
you keep this up!

MACKENZIE
(confused)
Seattle isn't prison.

Jordan looks up from the road.

JORDAN
Are you sure about that?

INT. CHRIS'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

Chris is getting a pained look of concern on his face. Ollie

is back on the floor, trying to pass out again, but he's got
one ear fixed on the conversation.
 20.

CHRIS
I was just wondering if you were
interested in coming to Seattle and
shooting sometime --

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS [SPLIT SCREEN]

MACKENZIE
Well coincidentally we're actually on
our way to Seattle right now so I'll
see you in four hours --

And she hangs up way too fast.

END SPLIT SCREEN

INT./EXT. JORDAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS

Caleb glares into her.

CALEB
Thanks.

Mackenzie plays innocent.

CUT TO:

EXT. SEATTLE - DAY

We're pulling into SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.