EXT.

CRIME CITY STREETS, SNEAKER SHOP - NIGHT

ROWDY, 14, young rough-neck kid from the hood, places a brand-new
pair of SNEAKERS on the concert floor of the parking lot. He
opens the box and puts them on, lacing them with great care.

Police sirens go off in the background, followed by sounds of GUN

SHOTS into the air, people notice but continue on like nothing
happened.

There is a long line into the Sneaker Shop and the patrons
waiting outside don’t seem too please that a kid got the Special
Edition before they did.

Rowdy’s Narration:

It took me months to save up my money for these new HIGH TOPS.

I’m so excited that I couldn’t wait to put them on. I should have
waited until I got home but I got to stay lit’.

Rowdy looks at the PATRONS, the crowd looks back at him with
daggers in their eyes.

ROWDY
I’m heading home now, Bye, u
heaters!

As Rowdy walks a few blocks, the clacking sounds of the sneakers

make a smile on his face. But the further he walks into the hood,
past the broken-down Church, past the homeless man shaking from
the cold, past the beat-up bucket posted on cinder blocks, a
sudden realization hits him hard in the face.

ROWDY
(v.o)
Oh, snap! What did I do? I’m
wearing the doppest, most expensive
sneakers into the HOOD. I just got
so excited I didn’t even realize
what type of danger I just put
myself in. Burh I better take the
long way.

The sneakers just made Rowdy a big target.

INSERT TITLE: Sneaker Head

Rowdy’s Narration:

The HOOD won’t let anyone shine. It won’t, It can’t. It’s not how
it works here. If you got something nice, someone is going to
take it from you. That’s how it works here. Shit I’ve robbed
other people too. I’m not proud of it but that’s how it gotta be.
Tonight, I made a mistake though. I put myself in a bad spot. I
should have been smarter than that. I just got caught up. It’s
nothing new though. People live, people die in the hood. No one
cares. Gun Shots are normal. Murder is normal. Violence is
normal.

EXT. CRIME CITY PARK – NIGHT.

Rowdy walks past a park, where a group of young men are in a

circle. Inside the circle are two younger men fight each other.

Rowdy’s Narration:

Those kids are getting initiated in the gang. You gotta fight
into the gang to become one of them. Every gang does it
differently. Some gangs want you to mug people, rob a liquor
store, while others make you fight against the entire crew but
it’s the same everywhere. During the initiation, there is always
someone else watching, you’re never alone, it’s never 1v1. If you
want to be apart of the gang you gotta be strong, you can’t be a
coward. That’s why I’m in my own gang the WAR TRIBE GANG and I
can’t wait to show them my new kicks. I just gotta get home.

Rowdy continues walking and for a while all the danger seems to
subsides and there is a stillness. The sounds of the inner city
fades away and everything is claim.

ROWDY
(v.o)
Only 3 blocks away. Normally, I
jump over a couple fences, then I
can be safe, but not today. I don’t
care. I got my new sneakers and the
whole world is going to show me
respect.

As Rowdy continues to walk, a group of young hoodlums spot him

across the street. Rowdy speeds up his stride. The Hoodlums, mind
their own business, laughing, having a good time, smoking. One of
the hoodlums scream from across the street.

HOODLUM 1
Ah! Why you running to fast?

Rowdy ignores them, continues to walk. turns back to see if the

gang notice him. They did not. But as Rowdy looks forward to
continue walking he SLAMS face first into a teenager twice his
size.

TEENAGER
(smiling)
Yo! Where you’re going bud.
The Teenager has a blunt in his hand.

TEENAGER
You better watch where you going
man. It’s dangerous out here.

The Teenager looks down at Rowdy’s feet.

TEENAGER
Nice shoes man.

The Teenager pats Rowdy on the shoulder and moves towards the
group of Hoodlum.

Rowdy is shocked and unable to move.

ROWDY
(v.o)
That scared the shit out of me.
Just keep walking Rowdy.

Rowdy keeps walking. He moves up a little quicker. Finally the

group is out of sight.

ROWDY
(v.o)
Dope, only one more block away and
I’m home.

Rowdy continues to walk; past the broken-down homes, closed down

factories, and rail road tracks. There is a faded police siren in
the back ground, followed by sounds of gun shots. Rowdy doesn’t
seem to notice and continues to walk.

Rowdy walks past a BUSH and a YOUNG BOY jumps out. The boy must
be around the same age as Rowdy. Rowdy tries to walk pass the boy
but

YOUNG BOY
Yo Son! Where you think you’re
going?

ROWDY
I’m headed home. You should do the
same.

YOUNG BOY
Sure I’ll do it, once you give me a
dolla.

ROWDY
Naw I’m koo.
Rowdy tries to walk pass the Boy. The Young Boy notice Rowdy’s
sneakers.

YOUNG BOY
Wait, hold up. Are those the
SPECIAL EDITIONS? Damn! Those are
some nice sneakers bruh. Give me
those.

ROWDY
Alright bro you want some of this?

Rowdy was no longer taking it easy. He was ready to throw fist.

YOUNG BOY
You better give me those shoes
before I break yo face bitch.

Young Boy throws the first punch but Rowdy was too quick and
ducked it. Young Boy was throwing wild punches, hoping anything
would land. Fortunately, Rowdy was a season veteran when it came
to fighting. He’s been here before. He’s seen everything, every
haymaker, head butt, street brawl. Nothing surprises him.

Rowdy had his own fighting style - go on defense until the other
guy gets tired and then rain down punches on him while he’s
exhausted. Works every time.

After several more missed haymakers, the Young Boy starts

breathing from the mouth. His punches start to slow and a
realization that he might not win the fight starts to show on his
face. The boy was afraid. This was Rowdy’s time and he knew it.

Bam! Right in the gut, a strong cross to the face, followed by

another strong cross. The Young Boy turns his back to avoid
further damage. Rowdy goes to shove the Young Boy to the ground.

ROWDY
Bruh, you ain’t doing shit. OK?

The Young Boy tries to get up but Rowdy wasn’t going to let it
happen. Durning the commotion, the Young Boy STEPS on Rowdy’s
brand-new Sneakers!

ROWDY
You mother fucker! My kicks!

YOUNG BOY
If I can’t have them no one can.

The Boy laughs cynically. Rowdy had enough. This time he wasn’t
going to just rough up the kid, it was personal. Rowdy was going
to kill him.
Bam! Slag! Dank! Rowdy throws some more furious blows. Suddenly
an OLDER KID, the GANG LEADER, jumped on of the bushes, holding a
gun.

It all made sense now. The Young Boy that was trying to rob Rowdy
was getting initiated into a gang. There’s always 2, one that is
trying to get into the gang and one that is initiating - it’s
never 1v1.

Rowdy has a look of shock.

Bam! A gun shot goes off in Crime City. – followed by police

sirens. Everyone in the neighborhood heard the gun shot but no
one ever does anything.

Rowdy falls to the ground holding his stomach, blood soaking his
sneakers.

The Young Boy and the Gang Leader run off.

On this night Rowdy, 14 years old, son of Landry Washington lays

dying in the street, shot in the gut for a pair of sneakers
barely worn. No one does or says anything but they saw
everything. Rowdy closes his eyes.

FADE TO BLACK

The End.