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THE GIG

by Lucy Horner
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1 EXT - DULL STREET - DAY

Mary Cook is walking home, evidently on edge. She’s jumping at

every sound to be heard and constantly looking over her
shoulder.

INT - MARY’S HOME - DAY

She arrives home and her eyes scan the area cautiously before
closing the door behind her. After taking off her coat and
kicking off her shoes, she walks into the kitchen. As she
flicks the kettle on, her phone chimes with a text. Mary jumps
at the sudden noise and reaches into her back pocket for it.

UNKOWN (TEXT MESSAGE)

Are we still on for tonight?

Breathing a sigh of relief, but still emitting signs of

uneasiness, Mary begins to type out a reply.

MARY (TEXT MESSAGE)

Yes.

The kettle flicks off as Mary sends the text message. She
jumps again, despite the sound only being small and almost
unnoticeable. She places her phone down on the side before
reaching into the cabinet above her head and taking out a mug.
She sets the mug down on the counter, drops a teabag into it
and pours the hot water from the kettle in before adding some
milk and sugar. With her cup of tea in one hand and her phone
in the other, she makes her way over to the island in the
middle of the spacious kitchen and takes a seat. She opens the
laptop that is already on the counter and opens up her
homework, set by the disciplinary college that she attends.
The laptop screen which can be seen via an over the shoulder
shot is a page with bold letters that say “DISCIPLINARY
COLLEGE FOR RE-EDUCATION OF THOSE WHO EXCERSISE FREE ARTISTIC
EXPRESSION.” While she’s typing away on her laptop, she
receives another text. It startles her once again as she picks
up her phone to read it

UNKOWN (TEXT MESSAGE)

When and where?

Setting down her mug, she replies.

MARY (TEXT MESSAGE)

The abandoned warehouse at the end of Torrance
Street. 9 pm. Be discreet.
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Mary lets out an anxious sigh as she puts her phone down,
running a stressed hand through her hair. She finishes her cup
of tea before getting up and going over to the sink where she
washes up her mug. As she’s setting it down on the draining
board, a car can be heard passing outside. Gingerly, Mary
walks over to the window and nervously peers outside before
drawing the blinds/curtains.

She glances at the clock to learn that it’s almost 8 pm. She
exits the kitchen and makes her way upstairs to her bedroom.
She walks over to her window and in the same cautious, nervous
manner she has been carrying all evening, she closes the
blinds/curtains before walking over to her wardrobe and
opening it. She picks out a nice outfit and soon, she’s
dressed in it. However, she slips a long, dull-coloured coat
on and zips it up, hiding any trace of what she’s wearing
underneath. She then walks over to her bed and pulls out a
guitar case. Carefully, she opens it to reveal the beautiful
instrument. Picking it up with care, she stares at the guitar
with a longing expression, a sigh slipping past her lips. She
then puts the guitar in a plain-looking duffel bag and exits
her bedroom.

She goes downstairs and when she gets to the front door, she
takes a deep breath, fear evident on her face before leaving
the house.

2 EXT - ABANDONED WAREHOUSE BACK DOOR - NIGHT

Mary arrives at the abandoned warehouse in which her gig will

be held. She takes a deep breath to compose herself before
knocking on the fire escape door. A few seconds pass before
the door is opened an inch.

UNIDENTIFIED VOICE
Who are you?

MARY
Mary Cook. I’m here to play.