MOONLIGHTERS
 
 
 
written by
 
 
Jessie Ni
& Clarence Boyce
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Phone: (301)-305-3535
E-mail: jessie.r.ni@outlook.com
 FADE IN:

1 INT./EXT. ALEX'S CAR IN PARKING LOT - NIGHT 1

8:59 PM.
The dashboard clock hits nine, and the ALARM on Alex's phone
goes off.
ALEX (21), a work-worn but remarkable senior in college, lies
in the back seat of her car, propped up with pillows and
blankets, staring at the ceiling.

OUTSIDE THE CAR

She quickly brushes her teeth, and then takes a rinse out of
a used water bottle.
She reaches into the GLOVE COMPARTMENT to take out a
sandwich. She leans on the side of her car while eating,
contemplating the parking lot.

INSIDE THE CAR

She pops open the trunk and opens a secret compartment
underneath. Next to the spare tire lies wedged a yellow
envelope. She takes it.
She pops in the front seat, checks her mirrors, hesitates--
pulls out.

2 EXT. ROADS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK 2

CREDITS ROLL
While Alex drives on the salt-crusted, weather-cracked,
narrow, winding roads into the unknown. Gradually, the worn,
urban landscape home to her car gives way to rural lands.

3 EXT. THE FACILITY 3

Her car chews up the gravel as it gradually rolls to a stop.

Its lights go out. Only a single light shines on the side of

the plain, windowless, single-story structure.
BEHIND THE BUILDING

A shadow lurks behind a dumpster, thrown onto the gravel by a

strong, focused light from behind.
 2.

Alex approaches cautiously.

THREE RAPS ON HER CAR HOOD sound from behind.

She sharply turns around.

AT HER CAR
A figure of a man with an imposing hat looms.

She walks over to the opposite side of the man, and pulls out
THE ENVELOPE. The man peeks out a mysterious bubble-wrapped
package.

She slides the envelope across the hood. The figure picks it
up and takes out its contents. He counts it twice, just to
make sure.

Satisfied, he pulls out a plain brown suitcase.

INSIDE THE SUITCASE

Neatly rubber-banded packs of various denomination bills lie

on the bottom.
In a pocket on the top, A PHOTO of a couple, guy and girl,
pokes out. You can't make out the faces. The HEAD OF THE
GUY is missing.
He puts a band around Alex's money and gently places it in
the bottom.
He closes the suitcase.

With the package in hand, he turns around, fiddles inside it

to pull out a pack of cigarettes, and takes a cigarette out.
He lights up and puffs a breath.
The light of the cigarette pulses as he draws another breath.

He turns back to Alex and tosses over the package, landing it

square in her arms.

4 INT. IRISH PUB/BAR AREA - MOMENTS LATER 4

A hand grabs an almost empty double of Jameson. Above, WILL
(25), a young, sensitive-looking man, contemplates the glass.
He looks equal parts depressed and frustrated.

Looking down, he silently faces OFFICER D'AGNESE, a middle-

aged plainclothes police officer.
 3.

WILL
So it's over.

He looks at the officer.

WILL (CONT'D)
All these years for nothing.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
We checked all the leads you gave
us. Did the one at the milk plant
pan out for you?

WILL
Waste of time.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
Fisher? Rodgers?

WILL
They didn't do it. I've gone over
all of it at least a dozen times.

He sighs.

WILL (CONT'D)
This world is rotten.

The officer looks furtively around.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
... There might be one last hope.

The officer leans in. Will perks up slightly.

OFFICER D'AGNESE (CONT'D)
We found a girl's body lying next
to an embankment near the hardware
store. Favorite spot for the
traffickers.

WILL
Those cheap Virginia cigarettes.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
(beat)
Lead to dead bodies. It's a shame.
It's not news yet, but she was done
in similarly to-
 4.

5 INT. RESTAURANT - FOUR YEARS AGO 5

RACHEL STUSSY (21), a pretty, college-aged girl, sits across

from Will, eating a burrito. She looks up at him and smiles.

6 INT. IRISH PUB/BAR AREA 6

WILL
Rachel.
(beat)
It's been four years.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
Believe me, I haven't forgotten. I
followed this guy from Arizona too,
remember?

Will twirls the ice cubes in his drink.

OFFICER D'AGNESE (CONT'D)
Listen, we cleaned up the scene,
but I had my doubts-

Will gets up to leave.

WILL
I'll go tomorrow.

OFFICER D'AGNESE
I didn't tell you any of this.

WILL
Yep.

7 EXT. IRISH PUB 7

Will stumbles out onto the street and leans against the wall.
Besides him, the city has pasted a notice:
 
NO SMOKING, VAPING, OR
SALE OR USE OF NICOTINE SUBSTANCES
Persuant to N.Y.S. PBH 13-E/F

He looks around shiftily before pulling into a side alley.

IN THE ALLEY

Will cautiously pulls out the last of a used cigarette and

lights it, covering the light with his jacket. He takes in
as much as the cigarette allows.

We pan away and fade to

 5.

8 EXT. ALEX'S ALLEY - SAME TIME 8

TRACKING Alex as she walks along the pock-marked, windowless

wall. It is darker than the night sky.
Suddenly, she stops and puts down her backpack. She checks
the contents. All is safe.
A figure approaches. She watches. It halts.
THE FIGURE
Hey, you got any of those nails?
ALEX
(hesitates)
Do I know you?

THE FIGURE
My... associates told me there
would be some here.

Alex hesitates for a tad longer.

ALEX
Who told you?
THE FIGURE
The fucking smoke fairy. Look, I
just want a little throat fire. A
pack of Slimes, if you have them.
ALEX
That'll be thirty.
THE FIGURE
(flustered)
Thirty bucks! What? That's
highway robbery!
(beat)
Let's do twenty.
ALEX
Thirty.

THE FIGURE
C'mon... twenty.
ALEX
Good luck then.
She starts to walk away.
THE FIGURE
Fine! Screw it.
 6.

The figure gives in and hands over a wad of crumpled bills.

THE FIGURE (CONT'D)
All this for some damn stogs.
ALEX
(motioning)
On the windowsill, please.

9 EXT. OUTSIDE OF WILL'S FLAT - SAME TIME 9

Will stumbles into the apartment building. It is notably
modern for the town, yet by principle outdated. Large
windows show him entering the elevator.

10 INT. WILL'S FLAT - MOMENTS LATER 10

Messy. Various alcohol bottles and kitchen wares litter the

space. Countertop stains show age.

11 INT. WILL'S ROOM 11

Will lies in bed, looking at the ceiling. On the ceiling, a

projection of a clock reads 1:34 AM. His eyelids droop shut.

12 EXT. THE ALLEY FROM EARLIER 12

Alex sorts the bills in her hand. The figure reaches out to
the windowsill to grab the box of cigarettes Alex has just
lay down.

Suddenly, a flashlight sweeps across the two, and then back.

It fixates on them.
The two startle before dashing off in separate directions.

SERIES OF SHOTS - CHASE ACROSS ALLEYWAYS

- In another alley, Alex rounds the corner.
- Alex's feet pound the pavement.

- Another set of feet pound the pavement - same direction.

- Alex pants.

- Alex rounds the corner and hugs the wall. She holds her
breath, straining to keep still.
The footsteps fade away.
 7.

13 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - NIGHT 13

Alex stops to catch her breath, looking down at her feet. As
she looks up, she takes in her surroundings.
Her gaze shifts, and slowly taking herself off the wall, she
checks what she found.
It's a large cork bulletin board, clearly out of place on the
brick wall. A faded label suggests the city council placed
it here many years ago. It's dirty, stained, and broken in
places from years of weather.
In the corner, a plastic pack of notecards sit taped to the
board. These, too, are worn.

Alex slowly walks up to the bulletin board and gives it a

good look, wonder in her eyes.
She furtively looks back at the alley. Clear. She pulls out
a pen.

14 INT. WILL'S ROOM - MORNING 14

The gentle rays of sunshine dance across Will's room.

We see much of Will's memorabilia: a desert rock, a vial of

sand, postcards from the Southwest, and a trinket from
Flagstaff, AZ.
The rays of light dance on Will's face. They stir him awake.
He's hung over.
It is 8:14 AM.
He feels the alcohol in his aching bones. He grudgingly
packs his bags and puts on his coat.

15 EXT. HEALTH CENTER - DAY 15

Will enters the glassy, sleek building.

16 INT. WILL'S OFFICE 16

As Will enters his office, he reveals a modestly-sized room,
furnished to be as unintimidating and comforting as possible.
A wide window, unfrenzied glass desk, sofa, and plush pillows
adorn the room.
 8.

On the desk, a framed picture stands next to various office

supplies and papers.

A man follows meekly behind Will, keeping distance.

The sun shines brilliantly.
WILL
Sam, come in and make yourself
comfortable. You can sit anywhere
you'd like.
Will sits in a chair away from the desk. SAM (25), relaxed
yet slightly tense, briefly hesitates before choosing the
sofa.
Will takes out a file.
WILL (CONT'D)
Now, let's see...
(looking up)
Did you have any concerns about the
questionnaire?

SAM
Nope.
WILL
Great. There's a few things I have
to go over before we start. All
your interactions with us,
including the content of our
sessions and your medical records,
are strictly confidential. You may
request-

SAM
I know.
Awkward pause. Will shifts his posture.

WILL
(strongly)
There are exceptions. A court
order may require us to release
information. I am also required to
report information if I suspect or
see evidence of child abuse, or
evidence or clear danger of harm to
yourself and/or others.

Sam's face displays a tiny bit of anxiety. Will leans in and

softens.
 9.

WILL (CONT'D)
I may not be the best therapist out
there, but I want to thank you for
giving me a try. Especially for
your first time. I'll try my best
to help you get better.

17 INT. LECTURE HALL - MORNING 17

Alex sits in a medium-sized lecture hall, listening
attentively and taking notes.

18 EXT. UNIVERSITY GROUNDS - NOON 18

Well-maintained and intricate buildings suggest wealth.

People thrive in the streets, keeping in their own groups.
Alex keeps to herself, walking amongst the crowd, but not
with it.

She exits off to the side.

19 EXT. HEALTH CENTER - AFTERNOON 19

Will walks out the door with a file in his hand. He opens it
to check the contents, before putting it away. He forgets to
zip his bag.
He checks the sky. It's getting cloudy again.

20 EXT. CITY STREETS 20

We track Will as he walks along the thoroughfare. The town
is typical of what you would find in Upstate New York.
Cracked, salty roads suggest a harsh winter. Infrastructure
and buildings call back to an earlier decade.

Suddenly, a harsh gust blows papers out of the wedged folder

in Will's bag. He chases after them.
They blow into an alley. He lunges for them. In and out of
the brick buildings, it's a cat and mouse chase.

Finally, he pounces on the last page, and stuffs them back

into the file, which goes into the bag- this time, zipped up
properly.
He raises his head. We see
 10.

21 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - AFTERNOON 21

Again. This time, there's a little note on it.

He gets up on his feet slowly, peering at the bulletin board

quizzically.
He approaches the bulletin board suspiciously. He examines
all four corners of it, before alighting on the note.

22 EXT. FOREST NEAR THE PARKING LOT - SAME TIME 22

Alex treks down the wooded slope, where there is no trail.

We track her as she surprisingly reaches

23 EXT. ALEX'S PARKING LOT 23

And as she walks towards her car.

Reaching inside, she pulls out a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Taking a water bottle from her pack, she washes up.

24 INT. ALEX'S CAR 24

She makes up her makeshift bed and props herself up on the
pillows.
She stares at the ceiling for a while.

Her eyelids droop asleep.

It's 1:15 PM.

25 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - SAME TIME 25

 
Sometimes I wish I had more friends.
The note on the bulletin board reads. Will considers it for
a moment.
Curious of the source, he looks around for a probable
suspect. Finding none, he takes out a pen.

26 INT. WILL'S ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON 26

The sunset glows across Will's face as he sits on his bed,
writing in a journal.
 11.

It's his diary, a small, plain blue spiral notebook, turned

to somewhere in the middle. He has a pen in his hand.
He writes the date, and then begins a sentence:
 
Today I felt
He ponders for a minute, and then writes:
 
strange
After another brief pause, he continues to write, sun shining
in his face.
He looks at his watch, and then outside in confirmation.
He sighs before closing his book and getting his car keys.

27 OMITTED 27

28 INT. WILL'S CAR - EVENING 28

As Will's car speeds along, the lights of businesses and
other cars reflect on the auto glass over Will's face.

29 EXT. PARKING LOT NEAR HARDWARE STORE 29

Will's car rolls to a halt. The engine cuts. He gets out.

In the distance, the highway rumbles. The hardware store, a
block of a building, appears inert.
We track him as he sees the embankment in the distance.

30 EXT. EMBANKMENT NEAR HARDWARE STORE 30

A short but fairly long embankment borders a forest next to a

river. Only by moonlight can we see hints of nature.
Will walks on the path on the top of the embankment.
In the distance, further yet, the lights of the highway
twinkle.
He reaches the path into the forest. He looks down to the
side. It's too dark to see.

He turns on his flashlight as he descends the embankment.

 12.

Next to the embankment but before the forest, a small field

of grass still lies flattened by the body and police from
days ago.
Will's flashlight sweeps around the scene, finding nothing.

He expectantly advances further down the path.

His flashlight sweeps the tall grasses along the forest.
He notices a bright white speck under one of the leaves.
He approaches it. It's a sparkling white, completely unused
cigarette. A careless mistake.
He picks up THE CIGARETTE.

MATCH CUT:

31 INT. WILL'S ROOM 31

Will, at his table, examines the curious piece. He turns it
over.
Near the tip of the cigarette, in small, precise blue ink,
are THE LETTERS: "G. K."

He peers at them with great interest before inserting the

cigarette into a small plastic slip.

32 INT. ALEX'S CAR - EVENING 32

The alarm hits nine again.

33 EXT. ALEX'S CAR 33

Alex's lugs her packages of cigarette packs along as she
heads to the alleyways.

34 EXT. ALEX'S ALLEY 34

Alex stands in the same position as before. She's about to
set down her packages, but she suddenly changes her mind.

She sets off down the alley.

35 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD 35

Alex rounds the corner of the alley.
 13.

She glances at the bulletin board. There's TWO NOTES now.

Shocked, she runs up to the board and to the new note.

The two notes read, side by side:

 
Sometimes I wish I had more Sometimes I do too. But
friends. everyone will just disappoint
you anyways.
She shakes her head at the pessimism, and then takes her pen
out to write a new note.

36 INT. ALEX'S CAR - LATER 36

In the trunk, Alex reaches into the secret compartment to
deposit her unsold cigarettes for that evening.
She counts her money, before putting that in an envelope and
into the compartment as well.
She gets into the back of her car and opens her backpack,
procuring notebooks, a folder, and a laptop.

She fiddles with her phone for a bit before setting it off to
the side.
She makes herself comfortable, pulls out her assignment from
her folder, and gets to work.

37 EXT. ALEX'S PARKING LOT 37

Alex's car runs, lights on, isolated in an otherwise silent

parking lot. The moon dimly silvers the sea of cars.

38 EXT. HEALTH CENTER - MORNING 38

Cars cross a busy intersection. Students make their way to
class, crossing the street en masse.
Alex, on her way to class, crosses with them.

As she heads off into the distance, we see Will right behind
her, on his way to work.

39 INT. WILL'S OFFICE 39

The light outside is a bit subdued from last time, but it is
the same old office from before.
 14.

Will sits in his therapist chair. Across from him, Sam tries
to sit up straight, but has trouble maintaining his posture.
Will speaks firmly but calmly.
WILL
How are you doing today?
SAM
I'm ok.
WILL
Anything interesting come up
recently?
SAM
Not really.
WILL
I'm glad you came in today. We
have a lot to talk about. You feel
alright to talk?

SAM
Sure.
WILL
We'll take it nice and slow.
He takes out a pen.
WILL (CONT'D)
What problems have you been facing
and how did you get there?
Sam sits up.
SAM
Umm... I don't feel like I've done
much with my life. I feel like
I've wasted it.
(beat)
Every morning I get up, I don't
know what I'm going to do for the
day... Half the day to me is
just... blank- no, more than half.
I don't remember. All I feel is
guilt for the past. I want to move
on, but I ca- I just can't move on.
WILL
Hey, just by coming here you're
taking your first steps. That's
progress.
(MORE)
 15.
WILL (CONT'D)
Let's take it from the beginning.
When did you start feeling like
this?
SAM
Well... it must've been back where
I used to live, in Arizona-

WILL
Really? I used to live there, too.
Which part?
SAM
Kingman.
Beat.
WILL
Oh.

SAM
Yeah.
WILL
Well, it beats L.A. traffic.
They share a small chuckle. A small, natural smile peeks out
from Sam's face.

WILL (CONT'D)
I'm from Flagstaff. So, Kingman,
what happened there?
SAM
I grew up really poor. There was
nothing there except... scorpions
and sand.
(beat)
But I was happy there. I didn't
know any better.

WILL
Where did the trouble start?
SAM
I was a good student... I won a
scholarship to go study in
Flagstaff. But...
He goes silent.

WILL
What happened?
 16.

A lump is stuck in Sam's throat.

WILL (CONT'D)
We don't have to continue now if
you don't want to.

He slowly closes his file.

SAM
I found the love of my life. We
were going really well for months.
School, friends, a love life... I
was blessed. I loved her and she
loved me.
He sighs.

SAM (CONT'D)
Every morning I would wake up to a
message from her. That just
knowing I was with her made her
smile. She was just the sweetest
thing.
He heaves.

SAM (CONT'D)
One day, she stopped talking to me.
I still can't figure out why. I
tried to reach her but she would
never pick up. A few days later I
learned from a friend that she was
with another man.
WILL
That's horrible.

SAM
I don't remember what he looks like
anymore.
He frowns.
SAM (CONT'D)
I couldn't stop thinking about her
for months. She was in every happy
couple I saw. Every one.

He leans forwards and pauses.

SAM (CONT'D)
Then one day...
He frowns.
 17.

SAM (CONT'D)
I don't remember. I can't remember
anything.

40 EXT. HEALTH CENTER - AFTERNOON 40

Will has his files open in one hand, not even looking at
them. He closes them shut.
He heaves a sigh before heading off home.

41 EXT. CITY STREETS 41

Will walks his usual way home, but this time, at the place
where the wind blew his papers away, he stops.
He glances at his watch before heading to the alley.

42 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - AFTERNOON 42

Will sees the bulletin board. This time, there are three
notes tacked on.
His eyes open with surprise.
He walks briskly over to the bulletin board. He picks off
the last note, which reads:
 
You're so pessimistic.
He chuckles.

Replacing the note on the board, he pulls out a pen, and

writes:
 
Pessimism is for cowards, I'm a realist. Everyone needs

43 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - NEXT EVENING 43

ALEX (O.S.)
A dose of realism in their life.

She holds WILL'S NOTE in her hand.

ALEX (CONT'D)
Why does this guy have to be so
annoying? Ugh, well...
She pulls out a pen and writes:
 18.

I guess. Sometimes I like to think about happier things. I

don't like to think
INTERCUT with bulletin board, the next afternoon.
WILL (O.S.)
That I'm in school yet I'm too poor
to live anywhere except out of my
car.
He holds ALEX'S NOTE in his hand.

He's clearly affected by it.

WILL (CONT'D)
I'm sorry, I didn't know.
INTERCUT with bulletin board, the next evening.
ALEX (O.S.)
I'm sorry you have to deal with
that. Everybody deserves a good
home.
WILL'S NOTE lies on the board. She leans next to it and
looks straight ahead.
Smiling, she turns around to write another note.
INTERCUT with bulletin board, the next afternoon.
We track Will as he walks towards the bulletin board.

ALEX (V.O.)
No, it's fine! I just have to rant
sometimes. You sound like a nice
person, maybe just a little tired
of bullshit.
He reads her note, and then writes his own.
WILL (V.O.)
You're damn right. Just yesterday
I got a ticket for parking in the
right lot with the right permit.

44 EXT. ALEX'S PARKING LOT - NOON 44

Alex stands next to her car, surrounded by the mass of cars
in the lot.
 19.

ALEX (V.O.)
Yeah... parking...
(beat)
I mean more like listening to
people rant about stuff you don't
care about at all.

45 INT. WILL'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON 45

Will sits at his desk, working on some files.
WILL (V.O.)
How did you know what I do for a
living?
(beat)
OK, I'm kidding, I don't actually
not care. I listen to people and I
give them advice.

46 INT. LECTURE HALL - MORNING 46

Alex sits in her usual seat, except this time, instead of
taking notes, she can't help but daydream.
ALEX (V.O.)
Sounds like a hard job. Reminds me
of one time when mom asked me to
help her rewrite her resume. She
would be like, sweetheart, does
this bullet point look good to you?
WILL (V.O.)
Yeah.
ALEX (V.O.)
Except she never meant the content
under the bullet point. She meant
the bullet point itself.

WILL (V.O.)
Well then...
ALEX (V.O.)
And I'm always like, mom, no one
really cares if you put an extra
space after the bullet so it looks
better.

WILL (V.O.)
Yeah, sure...
 20.

ALEX (V.O.)
And then she'll get all pissy that
I'm not taking her seriously, and
that I never have- but, oh my god,
can she just stop?

47 INT. WILL'S ROOM - EVENING 47

Will's in bed, looking straight up.
WILL
Yeah.

48 INT. ALEX'S CAR - EVENING 48

Alex is on her laptop.

ALEX (V.O.)
I'm sorry, I must be boring you
again... My rants are a weird mix
between actual distress and me
trying to be entertaining, but I
never seem to get it right.

WILL (V.O.)
No, no! It seems like you and your
mother are very different. Come to
think of it, your family seems...
interesting to say the least.
ALEX (V.O.)
You should see the people I hang
out with.
WILL (V.O.)
So you do have friends after all.

49 INT. STUDENT UNION 49

Alex talks with her friends. She smiles but doesn't seem
totally into it.
ALEX (V.O.)
Oh, no... They're not the same. I
mean, we hang out, but we never
really have any... deeper
conversations, you know?
Pause.
 21.

WILL (V.O.)
Yeah. Finding people we can truly
connect with is tough. But this
reminds me, one time...

50 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - EVENING 50

Alex writes on the bulletin board furiously.
ALEX (V.O.)
Like, I don't get it, why is the
price of one room 950 dollars?
It's like they want you to live on
the street...

51 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - AFTERNOON 51

Will writes on the bulletin board at his own pace.

WILL (V.O.)
Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the
same things over and over again...
like Groundhog's Day minus the
whimsy and Bill Murray.
INTERCUT with board, the next evening, slightly earlier.
ALEX (V.O.)
You should get a hobby. But who
can find the time? I blink and
I've already missed five important
things...
INTERCUT with board, the next afternoon, slightly later.
WILL (V.O.)
I'm chasing things I can never find
an answer to. I've been doing this
for years...
INTERCUT with the next evening, slightly earlier.
ALEX (V.O.)
I can't find one positive thing
about this town...
INTERCUT with the next afternoon, slightly later.
WILL (V.O.)
Looks like you haven't really seen
it. There's...
 22.

INTERCUT.
ALEX (V.O.)
If I had just ten minutes to just
be present. You know, a moment
without fear or worry. Seems like
I'm here but never really here...
INTERCUT.
WILL (V.O.)
It feels like there's some kind of
dark cloud hanging over this
place...

52 EXT. THE BULLETIN BOARD - SUNSET 52

It's impressive: the bulletin board is by now full of notes.
Alex finds the penultimate note in the corner and reads it.
She puts a note in the last remaining space, and then begins
to write:
 
Sometimes I wish
She pauses. Someone's there.
She looks to her right.
They meet.

53 EXT. TOWN DELI - NIGHT 53

They sit outside on the curb, looking at the occasional
street traffic, munching on food in silence.
ALEX
I never asked you, what's your
name?
WILL
Will.
ALEX
Mine's Alex.
WILL
That's a nice name.
Pause.
 23.

ALEX
You know, I never realized how
beautiful this town is.
WILL
Yeah, it's OK.
ALEX
You have a really high standard
don't you?
WILL
It can't compare to home.

ALEX
Ah, yeah.
He finishes his food and gets up.
WILL
Come, I'll show you a place that's
pretty alright.
She gets up.

54 EXT. BOOKSTORE PARKING LOT - NIGHT 54

Floodlamps light a mostly empty parking lot. Store lights
are still on, but very few people go in and out.
Will's car stops. He and Alex get out.
They turn towards the highway. He points to something in the
distance.
Out of the pitch black, a constellation of lights trickles
down from the sky. It's other-worldly.
ALEX
Woah.
WILL
Yeah.
They continue to watch as the waterfall of lights gets
constantly replenished.

55 INT./EXT. ALEX'S CAR - LATER 55

Alex lies prostrate in her car, studying on her laptop and
with her notebooks.
 24.

Suddenly, an email pops up in her inbox.

It's from mom. She reads it, gradually becoming more
alarmed.
Her mom ran a bit short and needs some cash to cover her
medical expenses. She's asking for 500 bucks.
She rushes outside her car to the secret compartment in the
trunk, where she takes out her stash of cash.

She counts it twice, slowing down at the end of the second

try as she realizes it's not nearly enough. Crestfallen, she
slips the money back in the envelope.

56 EXT. ROADS OF UPSTATE NEW YORK - NEXT EVENING 56

The headlights of Alex's car sweep across the road.

57 EXT. THE FACILITY 57

Alex's car rolls into the usual spot. The engine cuts.

58 INT./EXT. ALEX'S CAR 58

Inside, Alex waits.
In the distance, on the edge of the area lit by the
headlights, a shadow appears. She cuts the headlights and
gets out.
Outside, the moon dimly lights the hood of the car. She
prepares to make the usual transaction.
The figure pulls out the suitcase. She gets out her envelope
of cash.
INSIDE THE SUITCASE
The vague PHOTO of a couple sticks out from the upper pocket.
They exchange goods.
ALEX
How come you never talk?
The figure regards her for a second, but turns away to count
the money.
She looks up to the figure, who continues to count.
 25.

Her foot stirs up some gravel. The figure stops counting for
a brief second, but continues again.
She makes her way more carefully this time to the suitcase.
There, she picks off a few bills. Her gaze drifts to the
photo. She picks it up.

Intrigued but confused, she returns it to the pocket.

She returns to her car, just in time for the figure to turn
around. After a brief moment, she drives off.
The figure puts her money in the suitcase and closes it. He
walks off, but suddenly stops, as if something weren't right.
He peeks open the suitcase.
Obsessively, he counts the stacks. Something isn't right.
He counts again. It's not the right amount.
The figure open the suitcase wide and scrambles around in it.
It's a mess. He stops as his gaze lands on the photo.
The photo is askew. The figure returns it to its original
orientation. His breathing becomes labored as he looks
towards the direction of Alex's exit.
The suitcase slides out of his hands and hits the ground.

59 OMITTED 59

60 INT. WILL'S ROOM - EVENING 60

Will's on his laptop, searching for something.
He frowns. He looks closer.
He pulls out a slip of paper and writes the following:
 
G.K. Ag Supplies
6210 Frontage Rd
Ruville, NY 14848

61 EXT. THE FACILITY - DAY 61

Everything is quiet and empty.

In the distance, a car gradually approaches.

 26.

Will's car arrives in the spot Alex usually takes. He shuts

off the car and gets out.
He trudges on the ground in the back of the facility, looking
for clues.

He takes out the plastic slip containing the cigarette. It

reads on the tip: "G.K." He puts it away.
He surveys the place. It seems impossible to find anything.
After a glance in a certain direction, he does a double take.
There's something on the ground.
He walks over to it and crouches down.
It's an empty cigarette box. He picks it up and turns it
over.
He sees the letters "G.K." He's astonished.
He puts the box away in his bag.

62 EXT. THE OUTLOOK - NIGHT 62

From a nice viewing point on the side of an old bridge, the

lights of the town below speckle the ground.
Alex and Will stand behind the railing, watching.
ALEX
It's so weird, when I'm down there,
it seems like everything's so dead.
Not like there's nothing down
there... I mean, there's plenty of
people.
She leans on the railing.
ALEX (CONT'D)
But with everyone running around...
sometimes I stop someone I know and
say hi, they say hi back, but...
that's it. You ever realize how
shallow those moments are?

WILL
Everyone's in their own little
world.
ALEX
But up here, with all the lights,
everything seems so...
 27.

WILL
Alive.

Pause.
ALEX
You seem a little uptight.
She pulls out a cigarette box.
ALEX (CONT'D)
Want a smoke?
He looks at the box and sees the letters: "G.K."
WILL
Can I... see that for a second.
He grabs the box. She's a bit startled by his action.
ALEX
Don't take everything. They're
expensive, you know.

WILL
Where did you get this?
ALEX
Why are you...? Wait a minute, you
can't be a cop.
WILL
No, no, I'm not. I just... need to
know. It's important.
She snatches the box back from him.
ALEX
I have to go.
She starts off.
WILL
Wait, stop.

ALEX
I can't be seen like this.
She's out of view. Will sighs in exasperation. He leaves.
In the foreground, reveal that THE FIGURE is watching.
 28.

63 INT. WILL'S OFFICE - DAY 63

Will sits in his usual chair. Sam sits across from him.
WILL
Sam, I want to talk today about
moving on. I think you and I
recognize how hard it is to move on
from the past...
On his desk, the framed picture comes into focus. It's a
photo of Will and his girlfriend.
WILL (CONT'D)
But that's different from
forgetting. Because some things
happen to you and they become a
part of you. There is only before
and after.
SAM
Exactly. There's before and after
her and nothing else.
Will considers his next sentence.
WILL
I-
He swallows.
WILL (CONT'D)
I lost someone dear to me once.
He takes the picture off his desk and shows it to Sam, whose
eyes lock on the picture. They look up to Will and lock on
him. His face tenses slightly.
WILL (CONT'D)
(slowly)
It happened almost four years ago.
I met her when she was at a low
point in her life. She was unhappy
with her previous boyfriend and
couldn't stand his obsessions-
SAM
(coldly)
I have to go now. Have some stuff
to think about.
He gets up and hurries out the door.
 29.

WILL
Hey, wait-
He starts after him, but has some realization. He ponders.

64 INT. WILL'S ROOM - EVENING 64

Will works at his desk furiously. He has out the labeled
cigarette, the address slip, and some pictures of the
facility and the embankment. His notes are open. Besides
him, he has the picture of him and his girlfriend.
He twirls the cigarette in his fingers, thinking deeply. He
crossreferences his notes and pictures, before his eyes
alight on the picture.
He has a realization.

WILL
Oh, shit.
He searches for the number of Officer D'Agnese's contact in
his notes, which he dials into the phone.
OFFICER D'AGNESE
(over phone, filtered)
This is Officer D'Agnese speaking.
Will? Is that you?
Suddenly, a new message pops up in Will's email inbox. It
reads:
 
i know you know i know
go to g.k. Tonight 2.00 a. m.
you will be smart to not bring anyone
 
the truth can be lost in the blink of an eye.

OFFICER D'AGNESE (CONT'D)
Hello? Will? Hello?
Will's hand slips from his ear. He hangs up.
He packs up his belongings in a hurry.

65 EXT. ALEX'S PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER 65

Alex walks back to her car. It's dead quiet.
 30.

66 INT. ALEX'S CAR 66

Alex pops open the door, and then takes a seat.
Suddenly, a shadowed hand covers Alex's mouth.
She lets out a muffled scream and struggles.
A gun presses against her head. She stops.
The gun motions for her to turn facing forwards. She does.
With the gun still pointed at her head, the figure lets her
mouth go. She breathes heavily.
ALEX
What do you want?
A black glove hands her a handwritten note. It reads:
 
your friend is a liability.
he will expose you and our business.
do not deny that you know this.
She sighs, tightens her mouth, and looks down in
acknowledgement.
The glove hands her another note:
 
you will liquidate him
this evening at 2.00 a.m.
at the usual location
everything is arranged.
do not be late.
The figure places a gun in her lap. She gasps.

ALEX (CONT'D)
No. No, you can't do this to me.
Yo- you monster, I won't do it.
The figure flips over the card. There are only two lines
 
it would be a shame if you had to lose everything dear to you
 
We are watching.
The figure opens the car door and silently leaves.
Alex clutches her head as she trembles from the stress.
 31.

67 EXT. THE FACILITY - LATER 67

The moon shines brightly. All is quiet, but something is
strange. The door to the facility is askew.
Suddenly, Alex's car rolls into her usual spot.
She gets out, holding a brown paper bag. She clutches it as
if she didn't really want it.
She looks around. Nobody's here.
She notices the door. Hesitantly, she walks towards it.

She peeks in the darkness before going in.

68 INT. THE FACILITY/MAIN HALL 68

It's an old storeroom for storing seeds. Boxes and
agricultural equipment litter the floor. Dust fills the air.
Dim emergency lights filter through the dust.
She takes the gun out of the bag, holding it like a fish.
She places it in her palm and turns it in the light. It
gleams subtlely.
She takes the gun into her hands and walks cautiously down
the hall with it pointed down.
Around the corner behind her, a figure takes out a gun and
quietly creeps around to follow her.

69 EXT. THE FACILITY - SAME TIME 69

It's quiet.
Again, out of nowhere, a car rushes to park. It's Will's.
He gets out and slams the door. He sees Alex's car.
WILL
No...
He looks behind the facility. Nobody.
Returning to the front, he notices the door askew. He runs
towards it.
He looks outwards one last time before entering the depths.
 32.

70 INT. THE FACILITY/MAIN HALL 70

Cautiously, Will walks down the same path that the two did
earlier.
The emergency light casts an eerie gloom about the scene.

71 INT. THE FACILITY/SEED ROOM 71

Alex steps into a new room.

Here, even more boxes and equipment litter the scene.
Columns of seed drawers poke out from the distance. The dust
is terrible: visibility is almost zero.
A shadow passes across.
She breathes sharply and turns.
Seeing nothing, she continues to explore the dust.

72 INT. THE FACILITY/MAIN HALL 72

Will hears footsteps emanating from the seed room. He
flattens himself against the wall.
He edges towards the seed room.

73 INT. THE FACILITY/SEED ROOM 73

Will keeps low, following the noise.
Alex slows down to a halt, exhausted. She squats on the
floor, unable to continue, head down.
THE FIGURE'S P.O.V. - ALEX
Squats on the floor. The figure gets closer, before
squatting and hiding behind a box.
BACK TO SCENE
Alex hears footsteps. She jerks up and shakily swings her
gun around.
Will gets closer.
Alex peers out into the distance.
Will approaches Alex. They're unable to see each other
through the thick dust.
 33.

Below Alex, a rope lies dangerously close to Alex's foot.

She takes a step. The rope catches. It drags something
across the floor.
Will startles at the noise.
WILL
Alex!
Alex startles, hands shaking as she points the gun in the
direction of Will's voice.
THE FIGURE'S P.O.V. - ALEX
Shakes uncontrollably as she can't decide to pull the
trigger. She looks around indecisively.
The figure approaches Alex, brandishing a gun.
WILL (CONT'D)
Alex! He's here!
The figure pounces on her. She swings around and shoots.
BACK TO SCENE
The shot rings out across the room.

The body thuds.

Will runs towards the noise.
She drops the gun as a wave of queasiness washes over her.
He reaches Alex and holds her in his hands.
WILL (CONT'D)
You- you're alright.
She breathes heavily. Will jumps down, leans over the body,
and unhoods the figure.
It's Sam, who looks up with a grin on his face. As he fades
away, the grin remains.
WILL (CONT'D)
He shouldn't have died.
He looks up.

WILL (CONT'D)
He should've stood before a court
of law.
(MORE)
 34.
WILL (CONT'D)
He should've spent decades and
decades rotting in jail wishing for
death. But now...
He takes the gun with a napkin and gets up.

He goes for an embrace, but reconsiders. He takes her hand.

WILL (CONT'D)
We have to go.
ALEX
(weakly)
Yeah.

74 INT. WILL'S CAR - LATER 74

He speeds along the highway. They drive in silence, with
Alex in the passenger seat.
She grows exasperated.
ALEX
Stop the car.

WILL
We can't stay here.
ALEX
Just- just stop it. Now.
He obliges. The car rolls to a stop next to

75 EXT. THE OUTLOOK - NIGHT 75

They hurry out of the car. The night lights shine brightly
in the distance.
ALEX
You have to tell me what just
happened.
WILL
What do you mean? He tried to kill
you, you killed him, now you have
to get out of town.
ALEX
You knew him.
WILL
So what?
 35.

ALEX
You- you could've prevented this.

He hesitates. He knows she's right.

ALEX (CONT'D)
And now he's dead and I pulled the
trigger.
She points towards the lights. He doesn't look that way.
ALEX (CONT'D)
You see that out there? That's my
school, my education, my town. You
know what hurts most about all of
this? You- god damn you, you
showed me how nice this place is.
Despondent, Will turns back towards the car.
WILL
It isn't much.

He moves slowly towards the drivers side. Alex turns towards

the lights in the background.
ALEX
Not much? When we sat outside that
deli, looking at the cars go by?
That place with the lights falling
from the sky? Here? Here, of all
places?
She falls silent, looking at the lights.
He enters the driver's seat silently.
Inside the car, he looks at her through the passenger window.
ALEX (CONT'D)
You're right. I can't go back.
Inside the car, Will looks to the other side.
He sees the Arizonan desert, majestic and golden in the
fading sunset.
He looks down.
WILL
I have to go home.
He starts the car. Alex notices. She runs for the door.
 36.

He starts off. She latches on the door handle. She can't

outrun the car. It's moving too fast now.
ALEX
Wait! I can't stay here!
BACK OF THE CAR'S P.O.V. - ALEX
Chases after the car.
As she slowly falls behind, a circle of flames gradually
encircles her, until it totally engulfs the frame.
 
THE END