NEO-PSYCHEDELIA

Written by Gabrielle de Boucaud & Niko de Boucaud

EXT. DAY - LOS ANGELES STREETS

In a colorful psychedelic animation style set to the song The

River by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, we open to a RED
CADILLAC ELR weaving its way through Los Angeles. It nearly
misses other cars, LA landmarks and important elements of the
story.

The animated car nearly gets sliced in half by a giant katana

sword, spins around a huge drug test cup, does a massive jump
over a giant bong and a bunch of self help books. It
fishtails down the 101 past the giant Santa Monica Ferris
Wheel and the bluffs of Malibu and then crashes through the
Hollywood sign.

The opening credits play during this sequence, morphing in

and out of the elements playing on screen.

In the same animation style we see DANI (early 20s, stoner

girl, dresses like a boy-band member of the nineties - think
Euphoria’s Rue) and her best friend ISHAAN (early 20s, tall
lanky Indian guy with shoulder length hair and goatee/beard,
perpetually dressed business casual).

They jam along to the music and then they speed around a
corner squealing. They weave through traffic, hopping over
other cars, getting skinny like the bus in Harry Potter to go
between cars, driving on the walls of the buildings lining
the streets and generally defying the laws of physics.

The car finally comes to a stop at a red light. We transition

into real life; inside the car with Dani and Ishaan.

INT. DANI’S CAR - DAY

ISHAAN
For real though, I don’t like it
when you drive high, Dani...
dude...

FIRST PERSON OF DANI’S VIEW SHOWING ACCURATE LSD VISUALS OF

THE OTHER CARS AROUND HER AS SHE SPEAKS.

DANI
Yeah but you know I drive better
when I’m high.

ISHAAN
That’s the stupidest thing I’ve
ever heard in my life, but you say
it with such confidence, how do you
do it?
 2.

DANI
I can take us anywhere, Ishaan...
just say the word.

ISHAAN
How about slowly, to a
psychiatrist.

Dani turns toward Ishaan and puts her hand on his shoulder
with an immense weight in her eyes.

DANI
Nah.

Without turning away from Ishaan, Dani floors it forward just

as the light turns green. Ishaan’s eyes go wide as he shoves
Dani’s arm off him, forcing her to look forward. The music
abruptly returns.

ISHAAN
Watch the road!

EXT. DAY - LOS ANGELES STREETS

Overhead view of the car as the animation continues again.

The car nearly hits two other cars, swerving around and
drifting, spinning in a circle and driving backwards. It is
dancing to the music as it goes along, bouncing to the beat
on the biggest hydraulics ever. On the sidewalk, a beautiful
girl walks out of an ice cream shop, wind blowing her hair
around. She is all neon colors and giant eyes.

Title card: Neo-Psychedelia

The animation is quickly interrupted by the abrupt sound of a

car crash. The music cuts off and the animation ends.

INT. DANI’S CAR

Dani’s car is smashed into the back of a bright blue Aston

Martin. The Aston Martin is parked halfway in a driveway,
with its backside sticking out into the street.

Dani grips the wheel, mouth opening and closing like a

goldfish and Ishaan is silently panicking, turning bright
red. He finally finds his voice.

ISHAAN
Oh god, oh god. What the fuck Dani!
Shit!
 3.

DANI
Shut up man, chill!

ISHAAN
Dani I can’t go to jail man, I know
you got nothing to live for, but I
can’t, I just can’t.

Dani takes a deep cleansing breath.

DANI
(calmly)
We aren’t going to jail. Just shut
up so I can talk to the guy.

EXT. WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD

Dani casually gets out of the car as the driver of the other
car tries to shut his trunk which has popped open awkwardly
from the collision.

The man is THE NECKBEARD (white, mid 30s). He is a huge

figure, tall and fat, easily over 300 pounds. His balding is
visible despite the fedora he dons, and has an unkempt
neckbeard.

The Neckbeard opens and tries to shut the trunk of his car,
but it’s dented too much to close. Dani glimpses a number of
bags full of smaller baggies packed tightly with a bright
neon blue (copper sulfate colored) super fine powder.

The Neckbeard pulls his trunk open one more time and slams it
shut so hard that it bounces the car down, and stays. He
stands there for a moment, his hulking frame dwarfing his
expensive car.

Dani gets out of her car. She freezes, suddenly paralyzed

with fear as she takes the man in.

DANI
Sorry...sir. I didn’t see your car.

Dani glances around as the man stares at her with piercing

eyes. We cut to a closeup of Dani’s eyes, her pupils are
extremely dilated, beads of sweat drip down her forehead.

The Neckbeard’s eyes stare back at her, split screen like an

old western movie. The split screen ends.

DANI (CONT’D)
Do you want to exchange
information...or...?
 4.

The Neckbeard stares at her for a beat longer, then nods.

Dani leans back into her car to grab her papers from the
glove box.

INT. DANI’S CAR

ISHAAN
(whispering)
This guy looks like a freak-show.
We should-

DANI
(whispering)
Can you just be cool for a second?

EXT. WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD

Dani emerges from the car and the man hasn’t budged. Dani
walks up gingerly and sets the documents in The Neckbeard’s
hand. He pulls out his phone to take pictures of them. Dani
waits idly by.

When the man finishes taking pictures he looks up at Dani

again. The man brings his phone up and snaps a photo of Dani.
Dani’s eyes dart around, awkward and in shock. The man
fiddles with his phone. Dani opens her mouth, but before she
can say anything the man speaks.

THE NECKBEARD
Psilocybin or LSD?

Dani’s mouth is still open. She’s speechless.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Coke? Meth?

DANI
Uh... sorry?

THE NECKBEARD
It’s a simple question, girl. What
are you on?

Dani adjusts her posture awkwardly, trying to look casual,

and ends with an unnaturally stiff stance, hand on her hip.

The Neckbeard looks her up and down.

 5.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Yeah, that’s it... Clearly you
don’t want the authorities coming
out here and having a word with
you, now do you? So let’s settle
this like gentlemen.

As The Neckbeard speaks, he walks slowly backwards with

Dani’s info in hand and places it on his car’s roof.

DANI
No, uh... I got my insurance...

The Neckbeard opens his car door.

THE NECKBEARD
I’ll make it very simple. You’ll
give me as much as I need to fix my
car. And I won’t have to use this.

He pulls a sheathed KATANA SWORD out of the door panel. He

slowly unsheathes a bit of it to give Dani a peek. Dani takes
a few steps back.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

I’ve studied the blade for longer
than you’ve lived, kid.

DANI
I- uhh- wait. How much- How much do
you need?

THE NECKBEARD
The bumper of this car probably
costs 10 grand to replace, let’s
call it 12 to leave room for
incidentals and... my patience.

DANI
$12,000?? I don’t have that kind of
money! Just take my insurance dude!

The Neckbeard points his sheathed sword at Dani menacingly.

THE NECKBEARD
Nary a time hath not fear and
darkness been left in the wake of
whence I tread.

Dani looks at the man, confused.

DANI
Are you for fucking real dude?
 6.

THE NECKBEARD
You desecrate my property...

The Neckbeard unsheathes his sword all the way.

DANI
Yo chill! I’m not tryin to-

THE NECKBEARD
And unjustly refuse me payment for
such impropriety.

The Neckbeard then slams his door closed.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Your punishment shall be severe!

He takes a step forward. Dani bolts into her car. The

Neckbeard assumes a samurai stance and screams a battle cry
in Japanese.

Dani shifts to reverse and the man is at the window. The

Neckbeard stabs the sword straight through the door and
narrowly misses Dani’s torso. Dani and Ishaan scream as the
tires screech and Dani high-tails it backwards.

The man loses his grip on the sword and it stays lodged in
the door and just in front of Dani’s stomach. Dani floors it
forward past The Neckbeard and his car.

The Neckbeard watches them go, breathing hard. He takes off

his fedora and smooths his strands of hair down and then
replaces it. He then walks back to his car calmly and gets
in. He gingerly pats his ANIME GIRL BODY PILLOW in the
passenger seat.

INT. DANI’S CAR

DANI
Holyshit-holyshit-holyshit-
holyshit!!

Ishaan looks behind them to see if the car is following as he

yells.

ISHAAN
What the hell was that!?!

DANI
Holy fucking shit!
 7.

ISHAAN
What the fuck just happened Dani?!

DANI
I don’t know! He fucking attacked
me!

Ishaan looks at the sword and Dani glances down at it

quickly.

ISHAAN
Hey stop so we can get that out of
the door!

DANI
No! He’s probably right behind us!

ISHAAN
Where are we going?!

DANI
I don’t fucking know!

Ishaan looks back at the road behind them and looks around
shaking his head in distress, eyes wide.

ISHAAN
He got your license man, he’s gonna
find your house, he’s gonna slice
us all up and probably...probably
eat us or some shit!

DANI
Well what do we do?!

ISHAAN
I’m calling the cops!

Ishaan pulls out his phone and starts nervously tapping

around.

DANI
Wait! My license has an old address
on it! I never updated it.

Ishaan stops.

ISHAAN
For real?

DANI
Definitely. It’s Elise’s old house.
The one with the pool.
 8.

ISHAAN
Oh thank god... holy shit.

Dani grimaces, squeezing the wheel so tight that her knuckles

turn white.

DANI
But it’s just gonna be a matter of
time before he tracks me down man.

ISHAAN
Fucking hell Dani! I told you
something bad would happen! What
were you thinking?

DANI
Yo! Stop freaking out!

ISHAAN
Nah that’s it man. I’m done
tripping with you like this.
Tripping balls on weekdays and
driving high and shit. I’m done
with it man.

DANI
Can you stop?

ISHAAN
You did this Dani, you fucked us
up. What the hell are we doing high
as fuck driving around? Shit!

DANI
Getting all hysteric isn’t fucking
helping man!

THE CAMERA PULLS OUT QUICKLY AS THEIR ARGUING FADES OUT,

HIGHER AND HIGHER, SHOWING ALL OF L.A.

FADE TO BLACK

INT. DANI’S ROOM - EVENING

Dani’s room is on the top floor of Aunt Elise’s house. It has

an A frame ceiling, so her walls are slanted. Her room is
messy but she doesn’t have a lot of belongings. Her walls are
bare.
 9.

A few empty plastic water bottles litter her floor and a

dried up bowl of cereal sits on her mostly empty desk next to
some crumpled up parking tickets and a pair of orange
oversized round sunglasses. Her closet has 5 shirts and
assorted tanks hanging up and a bong haphazardly hidden on
the shelf. Next to the bong, barely visible, theres a framed
picture of a young smiling couple in Hawaii. The woman is the
spitting image of Dani.

Dani sleeps in her bed, wrapped in a huge quilt cocoon. She

looks unbothered and content. A huge splash of water hits her
in the face, drenching her. She sputters and yells.

Her aunt, ELISE (45 year old classy French woman, always
looks casually beautiful), holds a big dripping bowl and is
yelling at her. A scream-fest starts muted and in slow
motion. Then speeds up to real time.

ELISE
Are you kidding me?!

DANI
What!? It is!

ELISE
I bought it for you! It is my car.
I just let you use it!

DANI
You bought it for me! For me! It’s
my car.

ELISE
You’re a bum! You smoke cannabis
and take drugs all the time. I
cannot deal with this.

DANI
It’s my car.

ELISE
I have a good mind to throw you out
on the streets! You’re a bum, a
total bum.

DANI
I’m just finding myself, Aunt
Elise. Can you literally just let
me vibe?

ELISE
No! I have had it with your vibes!
 10.

Elise makes a fed up motion with her arms and walks out of
the room. Dani listens for Elise for a few seconds. She lies
back down in her bed on the spot adjacent to the wet area and
mutters under her breath, falling asleep instantly.

A few seconds later, she gets another huge splash of water in

his face and bursts awake.

DANI
Fuck!
(voice cracking)
What the fuck, Elise?!

ELISE
You don’t go back to sleep now. I’m
making a new rule!

DANI
I don’t give a shit!

ELISE
Great! You don’t give a shit,
you’re getting kicked out!

DANI
Great rule, Aunt Elise!

ELISE
I’m gonna drug test you. Every.
Day. If you fail, even for
cannabis, You are kicked out. To
the street, your friend’s house, I
don’t care! You’re 24 years old and
you don’t even have a job or a
degree. You complete bum. Absolute
bum...

DANI
What do you mean you’re gonna drug
test me?

ELISE
Promise me you don’t do any more or
I’ll kick you out right now.

DANI
Where is this coming from?

ELISE
Promise!

Dani lets out a whiny groan in protest. Elise’s eyes bulge.

 11.

DANI
Fine!

Elise turns and walks out of the room again.

DANI (CONT’D)
What do you mean you’re gonna drug
test me? What does that mean?
You’re gonna make me piss in a cup?
Weed stays in your system for
weeks! ... Hey!

INT. AUNT ELISE’S ENTRYWAY

Elise tucks her feet into sandals and puts a book in her
purse. It’s a self-help book about taking control of your
life and something about toxic relationships. Elise yells
from downstairs.

ELISE
Find a job! Find a life! Find
yourself on your own time!

INT. DANI’S ROOM

Dani stares at the ground and hears the door slam as Elise
leaves.

DANI
Maybe if you actually looked at the
car you’d see I almost got killed!
But no! You don't give a shit!

Silence.

DANI (CONT’D)
Bullshit!

She gets up and throws the drenched quilt off her bed onto
the floor. She stands still, looking disoriented. She frowns
and shakes her head at herself. She looks under her bed and
locates the sword.

Dani pulls the sword out and looks at it, dumbfounded. She
studies it, waving it around a bit. She spots herself in the
mirror with it and poses like a warrior.

Her phone buzzes, breaking her out of her daydream. She picks
it up and sees a bunch of missed calls from TRENT. She calls
him back.
 12.

TRENT (O.S.)
Danielle!

DANI
Hey, what’s up man.

TRENT (O.S.)
My man Ishaan’s out here saying
some crazy shit about a trip you
two had and some mother fucker with
a blade??

ISHAAN
Katana.

TRENT
Whatever, you need to get your ass
over here, smoke a bowl and set the
record straight.

INT. TRENT’S HOUSE - EVENING

TRENT and Ishaan sit on Trent’s couch. Trent (20s, a short

fit guy wearing frat boy attire) is on the phone and Ishaan
is scrolling on his phone. He looks up as Trent finishes
talking and rolls his eyes.

DANI (O.S.)
I can't today, I'll talk to you
about it later.

TRENT
Hold on, hold on, Eesh wants to say
something!

Trent holds the phone up to an annoyed Ishaan. Trent nudges

him to talk.

ISHAAN
Just tell him it's a true story.

INT. DANI’S ROOM

Dani sits at her desk chair, fingers running over the

detailed engravings of the sword.

DANI
It's a true story.

TRENT (O.S.)
What's a true story? I can't hear
you over the phone dude.
 13.

DANI
Really guys, I can’t today. I got a
bunch of stuff to sort out and my
Aunt’s got me-

TRENT (O.S.)
Forget all that, you can figure it
out tomorrow. It’s Saturday night.

DANI
Night?

Dani gets up and moves her blinds out of the way with the
sword. She looks out the window to see that it is in fact
evening now. She slept through the whole day.

TRENT (O.S.)
Are you gonna seriously tell me
you’re not interested?

Dani looks at the sword for a few more seconds and doesn’t
answer.

TRENT (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Dani. You wanna come out and smoke
some with your boys.

It isn’t a question. Dani lets out a long sigh.

DANI
Yeah...yeah.

TRENT (O.S.)
My house. ASAP.

The line goes dead.

INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

News reporters cover a DMT drug bust. GREG and LINDA (typical
reporter looks, slick hair and polished TV faces) sit at the
desk in the newsroom in front of all the cameras and bright
lights. Their facial expression is sober and a bit self
righteous. We cut to the view of them on a TV screen.

GREG
Yesterday in Sunnyvale the DEA made
a drug bust involving a synthetic
opiate believed to cause
hallucinogenic effects.
(MORE)
 14.
GREG (CONT’D)
It’s a new drug that’s threatening
communities throughout America and
your neighborhood may have already
been affected.

Insert of people doing heroin: pale hyper-thin people lie

against walls and in streets with needles in their arms as b-
roll.

LINDA
That’s right, Greg. The drug is
called Dimethyltryptamide or DMT
but watch out for its many street
names: gizzup, trips with a Z, or
fairy dust to name a few. And teens
and adults are smoking it, inhaling
it and even injecting it to get
high and forget about their
responsibilities.

GREG
And responsibilities aren't the
only thing they’re forgetting,
Linda. Reports say people have
forgotten their own names, where
they live and even their family
members after using this drug. In
higher doses it is thought to lead
to coma and certain death from
brain hemorrhaging. Larry now
brings you coverage from the scene
of the bust as they bring out the
hazmat suits to deal with these
dangerous chemicals. Larry?

LARRY (bleach blonde, blinding white veneers, typical news

reporter look) stands still with his hand on his earpiece for
a good 5 silent seconds. He stares at the camera with
soulless eyes, overly concerned and nodding as he listens to
the delayed audio.

LARRY
It’s a miracle no one got hurt,
Greg. The fact is these suspects
were dealing with highly flammable
chemicals, dangerous acids and
explosive compounds that endangered
not only themselves, but their
neighbors as well. In footage taken
last night you can see the hazmat
teams disposing of these chemicals
which were mixed into a sort of
deadly “witches’ brew” concoction
to create the drug.
 15.

B-roll of men in hazmat suits holding a couple jars with some

brown mush inside. They put them into evidence bags. A blurry
photo of men walking down a street by a convenience store
pops up in the corner of the screen.

LARRY (CONT’D)
On screen now you can see images of
the two suspected manufacturers,
their instruments and containers
full of the chemicals they needed
to make the Dimethyltryptamine. We
talked to the surrounding neighbors
to see if they could shed some
light on this horrifying situation.

Cut to an interview with a neighbor standing on the sidewalk

of the neighborhood.

NEIGHBOR 1
Yeah doesn’t surprise me at all.
The guy always kept to himself.
Always going in and out with his
friend, I guess that's the other
guy they got, huh.

Cut to an interview with a different neighbor. She is wearing

a full face of makeup and jogging/workout clothes.

NEIGHBOR 2
Drugs ain’t got no place in my
neighborhood! You stay out of my
place and away from my kids with
that shit! We were a clean street
before Travis came in and fucked it
all up for us. Now we got reporters
askin for interviews and shit. Next
thing you know this place is gonna
be filled with biker gangs and uzi
machine gun Call of Duty ass
bullshit!

The cuss words are bleeped out along with the arrested guy’s
name.

INT. TRENT'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Dani, Ishaan, Trent and ELLA (20s short, pale blonde, dresses
like a 2014 tumblr girl) are sitting on a deflated old couch
smoking weed and laughing at the news report recording
playing from Youtube with various paraphernalia on the coffee
table in front of them.
 16.

ELLA
So you hit this car driving up
through some neighborhood...

ISHAAN
Oh yeah. Ok so it was right after a
stop sign and he was pulling out of
a parking spot. He wasn’t even
looking so it wasn’t all our fault,
but that’s not the point. Dani
jumps out of the car to talk to him
and hands him her insurance and
stuff. This guy is... huge. Like
he's tall and he’s got a double
chin like a turkey and he looks
like he hasn’t showered in a
months. He looks crazy. But his car
is nice as fuck. Then he pulls out
this huge ass sword and says
something I couldn’t hear. Dan, do
you remember what he said?

Dani is staring off into space, eyes bloodshot.

DANI
He had some blue shit in his trunk.

ISHAAN
What? Blue shit?

DANI
Yeh.

ISHAAN
What was it?

DANI
Huh?

ISHAAN
Goddamn dude, come back out of
orbit.

DANI
Gimme a break Eesh, this is the
last time I get to smoke... ever.

The others chuckle, frown at each other and at Dani. Dani

doesn’t react.

TRENT
The fuck you talking about?
 17.

DANI
He had blue shit in his trunk,
bricks of it, like coke or
something, all piled up and
shiiiii...

TRENT
No, Dani. What do you mean this is
the last time you get to smoke?

Dani pauses and seems to come back to reality for a moment.

She sits up and takes a drink of water.

DANI
Elise says she’s gonna kick me out
if she catches me on anything. She
says she’s gonna drug test me every
day.

TRENT
What, and you believe that shit?

DANI
She doesn’t front man. She’s been
reading some self-help books and
watching “my child is a
disappointment” shows.

ISHAAN
Well take it as an omen. After what
happened yesterday I don’t wanna do
acid ever again. For like a while.

TRENT
She won’t even let you smoke?
Shit’s legal though.

DANI
Can we stop talking about this?

ELLA
Ok, but why don't you move out and
get your own place? She can’t
control you if you don’t live with
her.

DANI
I have no money, Ella. Plus I gotta
fix my car and maybe pay back that
psycho motherfucker so he doesn’t
hunt me down.
 18.

TRENT
Okay so... what the hell happened
with that?

ISHAAN
It’s like I told you guys. The dude
randomly charged at Dani with an
actual fucking samurai sword. He
stabbed it right through the door
panel, narrowly missed Dani’s guts
and we sped the hell away.

ELLA
Like a medieval sword?

Dani lies back down on the couch, exhaling loudly.

DANI
Katana.

ELLA
I knew it! It was an actual
neckbeard! I’ve only ever heard
about those guys online! That's
crazy!

TRENT
A neck... beard?

ELLA
Yeah... you know the guys who live
in their mom’s basement. They’re
always white guys obsessed with
video games and Japan and anime.
Beards on their necks.

Trent shakes his head.

ELLA (CONT’D)
You know! A Weaboo.

TRENT
Uh huh.

ELLA
You guys know what I’m talking
about.

She turns to Dani and Ishaan. Ishaan shakes his head

slightly, he is incredulous.
 19.

DANI
Yep. I got the sword though. That
motherfucker’s got nothin on me
now.

ELLA
Holy shit. You kept the katana?
Where is it?

ISHAAN
That’s what you’re interested in?!
We straight up got attacked!

Ella shrugs.

TRENT
That’s LA.

ISHAAN
(incredulous)
What!?

ELLA
Can we see the sword though?

Dani doesn't answer and stares off into space. Ishaan sighs.

ISHAAN
Dan. We need to do something about
this, ok? I think we gotta report
it to the police.

DANI
Man, fuck the police.

Dani laughs to herself, high as a kite.

TRENT
Okay Dan.

DANI
(laughing)
What? This whole thing is so
fucked...

ISHAAN
Can you take this seriously for a
second?

Dani blinks.
 20.

DANI
Fine, you want serious? Right now I
gotta figure out what to do about
my Aunt kicking me out. I doubt
that guy will tear down LA looking
for me. Plus he doesn't even have
his sword anymore.

ELLA
(under her breath)
Probably has more swords.

TRENT
Then just move out. You can crash
at one of our houses for a bit and
get a job and a place for yourself.

Ella looks at Dani eagerly.

ELLA
You can stay at my place while my
dad’s at work.

Ishaan rolls his eyes.

ISHAAN
I think it’d be much better to just
take your Aunt on. Why not take a
break, you know? She’ll probably
loosen up if you do what she wants
for a little while. Apply to jobs
and shit. Hey! You could even do
that community college transfer
program I was telling you about.
End up with me at UCLA!

DANI
Hah! Yeah lemme just casually get
into UCLA real quick.

ISHAAN
I mean it, Dan.

DANI
Eesh, don’t take this the wrong
way, but you got your head so far
up education’s ass you're coming
out its mouth.

TRENT
Hey- you do do a lot of drugs Dani.
Might be a good thing.
 21.

ELLA
More than all of us combined.

TRENT
I don’t know about that. All I’m
saying is getting down to a healthy
relationship with them... might be
a good idea.

Dani frowns looking at all of them.

DANI
Damn. I didn’t realize this smoke
sesh was secretly an intervention.

ISHAAN
Well what else do you want from us?

DANI
Nothing! I don’t need your help,
alright? I didn’t ask for it. Just
let me figure it out myself. Holy
shit guys.

A beat. Trent clicks the TV remote.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S DINING ROOM - DAY

Dani walks downstairs in boxers and a sports bra. Aunt Elise

is eating lunch at the table.

ELISE
You’re up early, it’s not even 1:00
yet.

DANI
Ha. Ha.

ELISE
Are you ready for your first test?

DANI
Can I at least eat breakfast first?

ELISE
You thought that I wasn’t serious?

DANI
You know I’m going to test positive
right? It takes weeks for weed to
leave your system. So you’re gonna
kick me out on day one?
 22.

ELISE
You don’t think I did research? I
know all about these tests and the
drugs and how long they take to
disappear. I expect them to
disappear.

Dani sighs frustratedly. Elise holds up a package of drug

test kits.

ELISE (CONT’D)
I got the expensive kind.

DANI
Just give me it. Let’s get this
over with.

Dani holds out her hand to grab the test kits. Elise pulls it
away from her.

ELISE
There are cups on the sink in the
bathroom. Leave it on the sink when
you’re done.

Dani begrudgingly turns and goes toward the bathroom.

INT. AUNT ELISE’S BATHROOM

She enters and closes the door behind her. She finds the cups
and sighs as she takes one out and sits on the toilet.

She finishes filling the cup, places it down on the sink. As

soon as she does this Elise barges into the bathroom.

DANI
What the hell!

ELISE
Get it while it’s hot!

DANI
Jesus, what the hell are you
putting in your coffee?

She puts the test strip in the pee. Dani washes her hands and
leaves. Elise turns while holding the test strip in the cup
still.

ELISE
Hey! I found you a job!
 23.

INT. ELISE’S KITCHEN

Dani looks in the fridge in the kitchen.

DANI
Huh?

Elise comes walking in with the tester in hand. Dani unwraps

a couple cheese sticks and sticks them together to make one
giant cheese stick and bites it.

ELISE
I got you an interview with my
friend, the butcher in North
Hollywood.

DANI
(chewing)
The butcher?

ELISE
Yes. Go meet him today and ask for
an interview, he said he would be
able to train you.

DANI
You want me to be a butcher?

ELISE
Better than a moocher! Hah! Oh but
the Cadillac is in the shop and I
need my car.

She puts the tester strips into a small container and washes
her hands at the kitchen sink.

DANI
What, really?

ELISE
Yes I had it towed this morning. I
can't let you keep using it with
its face crashed in and all that.
Quelle horreur.

DANI
Really not making it easy on me,
huh?

ELISE
C’est la vie, Dani! Je t’aime. See
you tonight.

Elise hugs Dani and heads out the door.

 24.

INT. ISHAAN'S CAR ON THE 110 NORTH - LATER

Dani and Ishaan sit in traffic in silence with a quiet song

on the radio. After a beat, Ishaan speaks.

ISHAAN
Maybe being a butcher will be fun.

DANI
Mhmmm.

ISHAAN
You’ll get to cut... meat?

Another beat.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
I don’t know what a butcher
actually does.

DANI
Ya I got that. I just hope they pay
well.

ISHAAN
Ah well, either way it’ll be a new
adventure man.

DANI
An adventure? What am I Frodo
Baggins?

ISHAAN
I mean we did just get attacked by
a swordsman a day ago.

Dani smiles breaks through her frown.

DANI
You’re not wrong.

ISHAAN
That makes me Gandalf. I’ve already
got the hair and beard for it.

Ishaan pets his goatee.

DANI
Yeah, you are Gandalf. You’ve been
sounding just like him recently
with all your words of wisdom and
shit.
 25.

ISHAAN
Alright, then who’s Gollum?

In near unison:

DANI
Probably Ella.

ISHAAN
Ella.

They laugh at each other.

EXT. FRONT OF BUTCHERY

Dani is inside a dainty office covered in framed pictures of

cuts of meat. She glances around frowning as the butcher sits
down in a chair across from her. His desk is wood, tiny and
scratched. THE BUTCHER (early 50s, balding, stoic Stellan
Skarsgard-type, has a strong Scandinavian accent)

BUTCHER
So you’re Elise’s niece.

He looks her over disapprovingly.

DANI
Yeah, Dani.

BUTCHER
Nice to finally meet you, Danielle.

DANI
Can I ask what the job pays?

BUTCHER
We’ll get to that. Tell me about
yourself.

DANI
Like my skills, or what I like to
do?

The butcher just stares at Dani with his piercing eyes.

DANI (CONT’D)
About myself... I uh... I'm a fast
learner.

BUTCHER
Any achievements?
 26.

DANI
Uh... Well I’m a high school
graduate.

BUTCHER
So is everyone.

DANI
Ok. I’m a good cook.

BUTCHER
We cut meat here.

DANI
Well I’ve lived in L.A. pretty much
my whole life and-

BUTCHER
So what does that make you?

DANI
I- I don’t know. I’m a hard worker?

BUTCHER
Are you asking me?

DANI
Look man-

The Butcher suddenly brandishes a large meat cleaver and

slams it into the table with a loud thud. Dani recoils and
almost falls out of her chair.

DANI (CONT’D)
What the fuck!

BUTCHER
You call me sir! Not man, not dude
or guy. Got it?

DANI
Ok! Holy shit- sir.

BUTCHER
And no cursing in my store!

Dani silently, uncomfortably regains her composure.

BUTCHER (CONT’D)
Do you even want this job,
Danielle??
 27.

DANI
I- yeah I do, but I thought my Aunt
and you had already come to an
agreement or something.

The Butcher lets go of his knife, it stays stuck in the

table. He sits back in his chair and crosses his arms.

BUTCHER
So you thought you could walk right
in and get the job just like that?

Dani flounders.

BUTCHER (CONT’D)
Let me tell you, Danielle. You are
already on thin ice with me. I
don’t like your attitude or your
general...

He motions with his hands at Dani. Dani’s eyes dart around

the room, restraining herself.

BUTCHER (CONT’D)
If I didn’t like your Aunt so much,
we wouldn’t be talking right now.

Dani nods.

BUTCHER (CONT’D)
I mean I really like her. I really,
really like her.

Dani nods, slower this time. The butcher stares off behind
Dani.

BUTCHER (CONT’D)
She’s a ray of sunshine peeking
through the clouds. A beautiful,
powerful woman, with the strength
to burn you, but with a delicate
warmth that can bring you to tears.

DANI
Right.

The butcher continues staring for a few seconds and then pops
out of his trance. He crosses his arms.

BUTCHER
You can start tomorrow at 8:00. AM.
 28.

INT. ISHAAN'S CAR - THAT EVENING

Ishaan and Dani are driving down Sunset Boulevard, eating In-
n-Out in their laps. Rain hits the windshield in sheets. They
are lit up by the blue light of Ishaan’s dash. Ishaan stuffs
a handful of fries down his throat. As he speaks, bits of
potato fling into the air.

ISHAAN
Jeez, what is it with the knives
lately?

DANI
Right??

ISHAAN
I mean, I'd say take whatever job
you can get but-

Dani’s phone begins ringing, interrupting their conversation.

Dani sees it is listed as "DONT FUCKIN ANSWER" She sighs
knowingly and presses accept.

DANI
Hello.

ANTONIO (O.S.)
Are you ready to have your mind
blown?

DANI
Antonio not right now please. I’ll
call you back.

Dani goes to hang up. Finger hovering above the button.

ANTONIO (O.S.)
Yes, right now. Don’t hang up on me
fucker!

Dani groans.

DANI
What?

Dani maneuvers her phone between her shoulder and cheek and
uses her hands to unwrap her burger and take a big bite while
Antonio talks.

ANTONIO (O.S.)
I got some new shit. Not new shit
like, new shit. I mean like new-new
shit!
 29.

DANI
(mouth full)
Get to the point, assdick.

ANTONIO
It’s a new psych. Like, completely
new chemical. I’m telling you this
is absolutely wild. It’s fucking
blue, man.

Dani’s mouth drops open, still full of burger. She looks over
at Ishaan. Ishaan makes a “what?” motion with his arms.

ANTONIO (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Yeah hahaha that’s right girl. Now
you’re listening. Get your ass over
here now!

Dani rolls her eyes.

DANI
Fine.

Dani hangs up.

DANI (CONT’D)
Can we stop by Antonio’s?

ISHAAN
Bitch!!

Dani gives him a look.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Sorry! But I’m not taking you to a
pickup. You’re supposed to be
getting straight!

DANI
Listen, he said he has some new
“blue shit”. He says it's a whole
new psychedelic and he wants to
show me. What if it’s the same shit
that that dude had in his trunk?

ISHAAN
You think he got it from the
neckbeard swordsman?

DANI
I don't know, maybe? But we gotta
go see this. Come on man, don't
tell me you aren't a little bit
curious.
 30.

Ishaan is quiet for a second, chewing.

ISHAAN
I'll only go to make sure you
aren’t tempted.

EXT. ANTONIO'S HOUSE - NIGHT

ANTONIO (24, handsome Latino man, always dressed like a rich

influencer - think wannabe J Balvin) and the others are
walking through Antonio's side yard into the backyard through
a light rain. Antonio’s house is a typical suburban LA style
home.

A sign on the fence gate reads "SMILE, you're on camera." The

smiley has big cartoon boobs for eyes.

They walk through the fence toward an unassuming old wooden

shed in the back with rain water dripping down its roof.

ANTONIO
I swear the one fuckin time it
rains all year, and I decide to put
the stuff in the shed.

INT. ANTONIO’S SHED

They reach the door and Antonio unlocks the padlock. They
shuffle in. They take their hoods off, shivering.

ANTONIO
At least it stays dry in here.

He flicks on the orange light hanging above and it

illuminates a large fancy metal safe on a work table, about
the size of a locker.

Antonio steps close, right in front of it to type in the

code. Ishaan rolls his eyes. Antonio pops it open to reveal a
plethora of drugs, meticulously organized.

He pulls open a little plastic drawer and pulls out a

smallish bag, among dozens of others, of the same blue-
colored powder that Dani saw in The Neckbeard’s trunk.

The brilliant blue color of the powder sparkles like pixie

dust.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
It’s called Neo. Any guesses why?
 31.

The two barely register Antonio’s question.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Other than that it's chemically a
neo-clerodane diterpene... it's
cause it let’s you see the Matrix
yo’s! I’m talking DMT-level visuals
and euphoria but you still stay
grounded in reality. You see the
fuckin code that makes up life
itself bruhs.

DANI
Who’d you get it from?

Antonio is slightly taken aback from the question.

ANTONIO
Uh, my supplier? You know how this
shit works Danielle. I need you to
help me sell it while I handle the
business end.

ISHAAN
How do you use it?

ANTONIO
Aha...

Antonio unzips the bag and daintily takes a tiny bit of it on

his finger.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Most people snort lines of it just
like coke, but you can smoke it too
if you like. Care to try?

ISHAAN
Nah man, I’m taking a fat break.

Ishaan notices Dani eyeing it. He hits her on the shoulder

with the back of his hand. Antonio hits his vape.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
And she is too. No disrespect but
we just had a really bad trip.

ANTONIO
Suit yourself. Shit’s like gold
anyway, what am I doing offering it
to you for free?
 32.

He chuckles to himself and puts it back and re-zips the bag.

Then he holds up a finger and speaks sternly.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Which means, no getting handsy with
the product, you pay full price
until we got a good thing going
alright?

Ishaan looks at Dani, expecting a response.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
So I’mma split this batch up and
I’ll have it ready for pickup
tomorrow ok? Sized into teenths it
goes for 500 each.

DANI
Five hundred dollars?!

ANTONIO
Supply and demand motherfucker.
This stuff’s ultra new on the
scene.

DANI
Hold up, hold up. Why do you want
me to sell it? You know I only sell
to my friends and they don’t have
the money for this high-grade
bougie shit.

ANTONIO
I’ve known you since like 8th
grade, bro! Trust and shit. You
too, Eesh. You want in on this?
It’s not like I know anyone
experienced at selling Neo yet
anyway. I’m offering you the
opportunity of a lifetime. This
shits low-key like crypto. And
don’t even worry about contacts, I
got that handled.

ISHAAN
I don’t deal, Antonio.

A beat. Antonio hits his vape again and nods.

ANTONIO
It was more of a courtesy offer.

DANI
What time tomorrow?
 33.

ANTONIO
I’ll hit you up. Afternoon
sometime.

Ishaan grabs Dani’s shoulders, pulling her towards the door.

ISHAAN
Alright Antonio, I’ll hope to be
able to buy some from you soon
enough. It sounds great. Thanks for
the meeting, I love the new...
shed.

EXT. ANTONIO’S BACKYARD

Ishaan then drags Dani out of the shed, back into the rain.
They turn and whisper angrily at each other (inaudible).

Ishaan points at his car like an angry dad. Dani stubbornly

walks back to Ishaan’s car. They climb silently inside and as
soon as the doors close:

DANI
-the fuck are you doing?

Ishaan starts the car and pulls away.

ISHAAN
The fuck are you doing? You said
you were getting clean, remember
the whole Aunt Elise thing?
Becoming homeless?

DANI
Who said I’d be using? Dealing
doesn’t necessarily include using.

Ishaan gives her a look.

ISHAAN
When have you ever dealt without
using?

DANI
That doesn’t- I’m not- I just need
the money bro. How else am I
supposed to pay for the car repairs
and move out?

ISHAAN
Oh Dan, I just don’t know! You
know, what other option do you
have??
(MORE)
 34.
ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Oh yeah you could take the fucking
job you got handed to you today!

Dani doesn’t respond.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Look, I just don’t want you to end
up on the streets jerkin’ off punks
for a couple rocks. I care about
you, a little bit. A tiny bit. A
miniscule shred of-

DANI
Okay Eesh. You can stop worrying
about me. This is an opportunity
that seems like- I don’t know- god
sent or something. I can’t just
pass it up for some minimum wage
B.S. job at the butchery. I’m gonna
stay clean until I get the money to
move out. And plus, this stuff
won't even show up on a drug
test... right? It shouldn't.

ISHAAN
I don't know but I wouldn't be
surprised! Who even knows if it's
safe or if it's cut with something
else.

Dani considers this.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
And what about that neckbeard
swordsman guy? You said he had
stacks of this stuff. Can you put
the pieces together? He’s clearly
heavily involved if he’s got
literal bricks of this shit. He’s
probably looking for your ass and
you’re gonna be dealing his
product? How do you expect to avoid
him, deal this shit right under his
nose and stay clean for your aunt
all at the same time?

Music begins fading in. Dani’s face looks somewhat determined

but mostly just dumbfounded.

THE CAMERA SLOWLY PULLS IN CLOSE. IT STOPS ON A CLOSEUP OF

DANI’S FACE.
 35.

DANI
I don’t fuckin know.

The following scenes are set to Patience by Tame Impala

INT. BUTCHERY - DAY

Dani shows up inside the butchery. The butcher stares at her

menacingly and points at the clock. 8:06 is shown on the
face. Dani can only half-smile sheepishly.

DANI
Sorry, sir.

INT. ANTONIO'S SHED - DAY

ANTONIO
So typical deal still stands. I’ll
handle the business end, make sure
the money stays clean and funnel it
through my LLC. But this time
you’ll be signed on as an employee
so that you can bank the barrels of
cash you’re gonna make.

Antonio holds out two bags of Neo and Dani takes them, wide-
eyed.

DANI
Still 15% right?

EXT. SHERMAN OAKS GALLERIA - DAY

Dani hands off a bag of Neo to a couple of rich dude-bros.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - DAY

Aunt Elise checks Dani’s drug test. She shakes her head, face
neutral, and shows it to her.

ELISE
Still positive THC and LSD.

INT. ANTONIO'S SHED - NIGHT

Dani hands Antonio a large wad of cash. Antonio takes it.

Dani gets handed back a much smaller wad of cash.

 36.

INT. BUTCHERY - DAY

Dani is slicing some piece of meat when her phone rings. She
fumbles with the knife and wipes the blood off her hands on
her apron. She answers the phone.

INT. BUTCHER’S OFFICE - SAME DAY

Dani is standing behind the butcher’s desk, explaining she

has to leave, looking guilty but frantic. The butcher sits
with his arms crossed, unimpressed.

EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS - DAY

Dani pulls up to a mansion in the now fixed Cadillac. She

gets out and hands off the Neo to a couple of rich people at
the front door. They invite her into their party. She goes
along. Dani dances with a few hot girls.

Dani avoids a joint a goofy guy in a cowboy hat tries to put

in her mouth, limbo-ing under his arm. Dani lounges on a
apple shaped pool floaty, eating a shrimp cocktail. She lifts
up her round orange sunglasses, wide-eyed, as she sees some
models take their tops off and jump into the pool.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S KITCHEN - DAY

Elise checks her test again. She smiles.

ELISE
THC only!

Dani nods contentedly.

INT. ANTONIO'S SHED - DAY

Dani hands Antonio a wad of cash.

ANTONIO
Time you got a promotion!

Antonio hands her 4 bags of Neo.

INT. TRENT'S HOUSE - NIGHT

The four friends are sitting on the couch when Trent gets up
to go get pizza at the door. Dani shows up behind him,
flashing a lot of cash and hands the pizza guy a $50 dollar
bill. Trent looks at her, astonished.
 37.

EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION - NIGHT

Dani talks to a bouncer guy at the front door of a large

Hollywood hills mansion. The bouncer calls the owner on his
headset. The owner comes out of his super crowded house. They
do a drug exchange quickly and the owner invites Dani inside
with a wave of a massive gold Rolex adorned wrist.

The house is massive, even bigger on the inside than the out.
There’s a large indoor swimming pool, 10 ft tall champagne
and chocolate fountains, giant chandeliers and a massive
staircase that is crowded with people.

Music pumps out of everywhere. Everything is gold and marble.

It’s something out of the Hollywood heyday of the roaring
20s.

INT. BACKYARD OF HOLLYWOOD MANSION - NIGHT

Dani walks over to a six foot tall chocolate fountain, in

total awe.

DANI
(to self)
Woah.

She looks at the fountain trying to figure out how it works.

She starts turning the knob on the bottom and looking around
self-consciously.

ZOE (26 dark brown hair and bright eyes, she wears pretty
gold jewelry that accentuates her features) is standing
behind her, watching, with a plate of strawberries.

ZOE
Hey-

Dani whips her head around in surprise and the machine goes
to full power pumping chocolate explosively and spilling onto
the floor.

Dani frantically turns it down to normal.

PRETTY GIRL
(giggling)
Did you want to maybe grab some
fruit? It’s better that way.

DANI
Uh yeah... for sure.
 38.

She chuckles to herself and grabs some fruit from the table.
Zoe then walks up and grabs a metal fondue prong from a stack
by the fountain.

She stabs a strawberry and sticks it into the chocolate flow

to show Dani. She brings the strawberry to her mouth and
bites it, looking at Dani.

DANI (CONT’D)
You’re an expert.

PRETTY GIRL
I’m Zoe.

DANI
Dani.

Dani shakes her hand. Zoe talks again, but Dani doesn’t hear
her.

She catches sight of a massive frame walking through people

about 50 feet away. The Neckbeard. He grips a sake bottle
with his massive paw and looks around intensely. He hasn’t
spotted Dani yet.

DANI (CONT’D)
Sorry uh- I gotta- Yeah.

Dani darts away.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S KITCHEN - DAY

Aunt Elise holds up the drug test to Dani, smiling. It shows

all negative. Dani smiles sheepishly and Aunt Elise hugs her,
practically jumping with excitement.

ELISE
I'm so proud of you, Dani! You
really did get cleaned up!

DANI
I promised.

ELISE
What a turnaround! You're well put
together and lively now.

DANI
Well I don't know about that.

ELISE
Yes! You don't feel like a cloud
has lifted out of your head?
 39.

DANI
I guess.

ELISE
It shows, Dani. You have a weight
taken off of your shoulders.

Dani smiles genuinely.

ELISE (CONT’D)
I must say Danielle, I know that
your parents are watching and they
are just as proud of you as I am.

A light goes out in Dani’s eyes. She awkwardly looks down,

hiding her emotions.

ELISE (CONT’D)
I know these five years have been
hard for both of us and I want you
to know-

DANI
Oh hey! I have the money to pay you
back for the car repairs now.

Dani pulls out a small wad of cash, and counts out $1000 in
100’s. She hands it to Aunt Elise. She takes it slowly and
her smile fades.

DANI (CONT’D)
And I also wanted to see how much
you'd sell me the car for. You
know, since it is your car and all.
I've got some money saved up and I
wanna see if you'll let me buy it
off you for a couple thousand
bucks? What does one of those
Cadillacs go for anyway, $5k?

Elise continues looking at the cash in her hand, cogs

turning. She looks up at Dani with a worried look.

ELISE
You saved up a couple thousand
bucks?

DANI
Yeah?

ELISE
Danielle, where is all this money
coming from?
 40.

DANI
What do you mean? My job. Erno pays
me well. I’ve been doing overtime-

ELISE
I mean, I went to the butchery the
other day and talked to Erno. He
told me you've only been working 3
days a week and barely that much.

DANI
What? That's BS I’ve been-

Elise cuts in.

ELISE
You know what is BS, Dani? This
money. Where did it come from?

Elise holds the money up to Dani’s face. She sputters.

ELISE (CONT’D)
You've been selling drugs haven't
you?

DANI
What? No!

ELISE
You've got thousands of dollars
saved up. You go out every day, I
thought you were going to work, but
you hardly go to your job. You're
just going to sell drugs on the
street!

Dani is speechless. Elise has tears in her eyes.

ELISE (CONT’D)
You lie to me. You lie straight to
my face. You think I am not hurting
too? You think I don’t carry the
pain as well? I want you out. Now.

Dani stares at her wide-eyed.

ELISE (CONT’D)
Now!

She pushes Dani and she stumbles a little bit backwards.

Elise throws the cash at her.
 41.

DANI
Hey! I got clean didn't I? I did
what you wanted!

ELISE
No, Dani. You and your shortcuts. I
wanted you out of that world and
now you're, what, you're making
thousands of dollars in drug money?
This isn't a life!

Elise presses her hand to her mouth, stifling a sob.

ELISE (CONT’D)
You're a criminal!

DANI
It's not like that! I only sell to
rich, high-class people. And I'm
just gonna do it until I have
enough to move out and then I'll
get a different job!

Elise takes a deep breath.

ELISE
Go pack up your things. You will be
out of my house by midnight, not
after. Or I will call the police.

DANI
Please, Aunt Elise. I'll stop right
now, I swear.

ELISE
The answer is no. Go.

Elise turns away and walks up the stairs to her room. She
shuts the door and Dani is left standing at the bottom of the
stairs.

INT. ISHAAN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Ishaan has a neat and humble apartment with some album art of
assorted classic rock artists on the walls and pictures of
Ishaan with his friends on the fridge. Dani carries a duffle
bag and a backpack as Ishaan holds the door open for her to
come in.

ISHAAN
Just set them anywhere for now.
 42.

Dani sets her bags on the floor and Ishaan sits on his couch.
Dani sits down beside him, she stares at the ground,
expressionless.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
I want to set some things straight
right away, alright?

Dani nods slightly.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
This isn't gonna be a long term
thing.

DANI
I know.

ISHAAN
I'm happy to help you out, but we
just don't have much room here. And
my roommate's gonna be pissed.

DANI
I know.

ISHAAN
You'll clean up any mess you make
and you'll be out of the apartment
for the whole day, every day.

Dani nods. Ishaan pauses for a moment.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Look Dan, I don't wanna seem like
you aren't welcome to stay for a
bit. I just need-

DANI
I know. I won't abuse it.

Ishaan turns his head to look straight forward, mirroring

Dani, and after a moment shakes his head in disappointment.
He scoffs.

ISHAAN
I knew this would happen. Like, I
literally told you this shit would
happen. Why do you try to fuck up
your life? Do you think it’s going
to bring your parents back?
(MORE)
 43.
ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Because I guarantee you it’s not,
it’s only going to-

Ishaan breaks off. Realizing he took it too far.

Dani stands completely still, not even breathing.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Dan. Dan, come on. You know what I
mean.

Silence for a little while. Ishaan sighs, his expression

softens as he looks at her dispirited face.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Wanna smoke a bowl?

EXT. ANTONIO'S HOUSE - DAY

A shit-box of a car (think 1990's Geo or Mitsubishi) pulls up

at Antonio’s curb. It squeals and sputters as it parks by the
sidewalk. Dani climbs out.

Dani walks up Antonio's front porch. She looks up, somewhat

surprised when she sees a black security camera in the top
corner of the porch.

Dani hasn't even made it up the steps and Antonio opens the
front door.

ANTONIO
Dani!

They do the bro handshake hug thing.

DANI
Yo! You spying through all these
cameras or something?

ANTONIO
What?

DANI
How'd you know I was here?

Antonio squawks out a laugh.

ANTONIO
No, I thought it was my brother
showing up again from all that damn
squealing.
 44.

Antonio looks over Dani’s shoulder at the car behind him.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
The fuck is that thing?

DANI
My Aunt kicked me out and kept the
car. So I bought this yesterday.

Antonio hits his vape. Dani turns around to look at the car.
She watches it for a few seconds.

DANI (CONT’D)
My mom used to own one.

ANTONIO
(breathing out vape)
Damn, Auntie E kicked you out?

Dani turns back.

DANI
Yeah.

ANTONIO
For what?

DANI
Well. I'm a continuous source of
disappointment to her.

Antonio takes another hit and laugh-coughs, a fat cloud

releasing out his mouth.

ANTONIO
Aren't we all? I always used to
think she had a major stick up her
ass.

A beat.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Anyway, I can't have you showing up
to any deals in that piece of shit.

DANI
Uh, well what do you want me to do?
I can't afford anything else right
now.

Antonio considers for a moment.

 45.

ANTONIO
Tell you what, I just leased a new
car. I was trying to sell my old
one but you can use it for a little
while, I guess.

Antonio walks backwards into his house and leaves Dani at the
door.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Meet you at the garage.

The front door shuts.

Dani frowns. She walks around the side yard to the front of
the garage and it opens up. Slowly revealed are two cars. One
is a shiny new lime green BMW M5 and the other is a red
convertible Mercedes SL 500 from the early 90s.

Antonio eyes the BMW lust-ily.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Pretty sexy, right?

DANI
Fucking hell. How much was it?

ANTONIO
Ah, you know. Goes for 100k or so.
But like I said, I'm leasing it.

He turns to the other car.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
But this baby's gonna be yours for
a little while. Look at those
lines. Straight and angular. She
screams 90's. The massive V8 up in
that long snout revs up so nice.
Every time I get someone here to
sell her, I end up convincing
myself not to.

He points his vape at Dani.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
You take good care of her. And get
rid of that piece of shit parked
out front of my house.

Dani looks like a kid who just got told she’s going to
Disneyland.
 46.

DANI
Thanks man, I will.

ANTONIO
Actually, the fucking thing sounds
like it barely runs. What do you
say we give it a Viking funeral?
Send it out with a bang?

DANI
What do you mean? I'd rather sell
it to get my money back to be
honest.

ANTONIO
Eh, what'd you pay for it? Twenty
bucks?

DANI
Like $800.

ANTONIO
I'll spot you. Let's go blow that
shitbox to kingdom-fuckin-come.

EXT. DESERTED PARKING LOT - DAY

Antonio places a wet rag into the gas tank of the car. He's
in the middle of an empty, abandoned parking lot. Dani stands
about 50 yards away with Antonio's new BMW parked another 100
yards away.

Antonio holds a gas can in his other hand and sets the rag on
fire with a plasma lighter. He starts walking away, hitting
his vape. He gets to Dani and turns to watch.

ANTONIO
I wish it exploded while I was
walking away. I would've looked
really cool.

Dani looks at the car with a melancholy expression.

DANI
Yeah man.

As the flames grow a bit, Dani begins looking around,

checking if anyone sees them.

ANTONIO
Don't worry. This neighborhood is
an abandoned shithole. No one’s
ever around.
(MORE)
 47.
ANTONIO (CONT’D)
As a kid we used to set off little
fireworks right where the old
Vocho's sitting right now. M80s and
things like that. We thought we
were really cool.

He chuckles to himself and puts his arm around Dani’s

shoulder.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
You and I are gonna get richer than
we can even imagine together, girl.
We're sitting on the start of
something huge. Like we bought
Bitcoin before it even launched.
We're the first hyenas to the
feast, yo.

Dani stays silent but gives Antonio a little smirk.

DANI
Hyenas?

They continue watching the car burn in front of them.

EXT. DESERTED PARKING LOT - EVENING

The sky is darker now and the car is practically scorched as

smoke clouds billow high into the sky. Antonio and Dani are
standing apart now, looking a bit impatient. Antonio checks
his phone.

ANTONIO
Really thought it would've blown up
by now.

They hear sirens in the distance. Dani perks up to listen.

DANI
Should we get out of here?

EXT. BEACH IN MALIBU - GOLDEN HOUR

The beach is situated in an area that's hard to reach for the

general public, in front of a bunch of Malibu beach houses.
Dani walks out onto the beach from a driveway.

There's loud music playing down towards the water. A bunch of

hot people lounge around on the beach. She looks at her
phone, sending a text.
 48.

Three girls come walking over quickly, from behind her in the
direction of a mansion made of glass windows and white
painted wood.

She notices one of them is the girl she talked to at the

party with the chocolate fountain, Zoe. Dani pretends not to
recognize her.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
Hey!

DANI
Oh no way! Aren't you that actor?

She looks at her, annoyed.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Aren't you that chick selling the
cotton candy?

DANI
Hey woah woah, keep it low-key.

Dani looks around.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Don't worry, you're on my private
beach.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
So how does someone like you get a
hold of this stuff?

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
You're apparently the only person
selling it on the west side.

DANI
That's not true.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
What is it anyway?

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
I heard it's just coke mixed with
DMT. And they dye it blue.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
Wait or is it coke mixed with acid?
It's more like acid anyway.
 49.

DANI
Honestly, guys, I just sell the
shit. I don't know any better than
you.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
Well then why's it called Neo? And
don't say it's because it turns you
into Keanu Reeves.

Dani shrugs. The actress groans.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1 (CONT’D)

There’s a whole new drug on the
market all the sudden and no one
else is questioning it?

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Because you don't have to question
everything all the time! Just have
fun!

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
You know it's only in L.A. right?
No one's seen it in New York or
anywhere else.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
That's cause this is the center of
the world! Are you done with your
interrogation, officer?

Actress 1 looks annoyed but doesn't reply.

DANI
I'm just a drug mule. Really. But
anyway you guys are all like really
famous actors, damn. This is crazy.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Yeah well, of course you know us
both and this is our friend, Zoe.
She used to act too. Now she writes
books.

Dani finally looks over at the Zoe. Zoe smiles as she

recognizes her.

ZOE
Hey! Haven’t we met before?

Dani looks at her for a second, trying to play it cool.

 50.

DANI
Oh yeah! That house party in the
hills.

ZOE
Yeah, you disappeared kinda
randomly. Were you there selling?

FAMOUS ACTRESS 1
Ok, before you two make out, can we
finish this little exchange real
quick?

Dani takes a second to react, looking between them both.

DANI
No, I wasn't just selling there -
It's fifteen hundred - I was... I
was there to see a friend.

Actress 2 hands Dani a sizable amount of cash, which she

quickly counts. She hands the actress three baggies of Neo.

ZOE
You have friends that go to huge
Hollywood parties?

DANI
Well... I guess we have something
in common.

ZOE
I guess so.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Hey listen, drug mule, Do you wanna
come chill with us for a bit? We're
gonna do some cotton candy around
the bonfire and celebrate the full
pisces blood super moon.

Dani hesitates for a second. She looks at the gathering of

people in the distance. They seem to be struggling to light a
massive pile of firewood. She considers - no more
consequences for partying.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2 (CONT’D)

I guess that's a no?

DANI
Uh, no. Yeah! That sounds awesome.
You guys are my last drop of the
day so...
 51.

The two actresses smile and turn to walk down the beach,
talking back and forth. Once out of earshot, Zoe speaks.

ZOE
Do you actually want to come or are
you just trying to maintain client
relations?

DANI
No, no I want to. I was just-

ZOE
Don’t worry I get it. No pressure.

They follow after the other girls.

DANI
I don’t wanna, like, impose myself.

Zoe laughs a little.

ZOE
Trust me you’re not. Everyone will
be best friends in like 5 minutes
anyway

DANI
Okay...

Dani looks sheepish.

DANI (CONT’D)
To be honest I haven't actually
tried it.

ZOE
Are you serious? You've been
selling it to everyone without even
knowing what it's like? Shouldn’t
dealer’s know their product?

DANI
Yeah, but I guess the best dealers
don’t.

Dani looks embarassed. They walk for a beat.

ZOE
But... now would be a good time to
try it if you ever were going to.
 52.

DANI
Yeah, I mean... yeah. Fuck it.
Let’s celebrate this weird bloody
moon or whatever. We’re not gonna
sacrifice anything right?

EXT. MALIBU BEACH BONFIRE - NIGHT

The sun has set and it’s dark. The bonfire is finally lit and
raging. Everyone sits in a circle around the bonfire while a
beautiful healer woman with hip length braids and bangle
bracelets dances between them with sage burning. She stops
and touches the spot between their eyes and smears a spot of
iridescent makeup that glitters purple and green.

Dani looks around slightly wide eyed.

DANI
What exactly are we doing? Like
what actual activities? I’ve never
done an orgy, I mean I guess I
could be down but I’m not sure if
it’s best to do that the first time
while also-

ZOE
It’s not an orgy. Just relax. It’s
like a meditation combined with
some goal setting and dancing and
general merriment. I promise you’ll
survive.

The healer comes between them and smears the makeup on their
foreheads. She then holds up an abalone shell with a pile of
Neo and a short metal straw to Zoe.

HEALER
The sacrament.

The healer smiles warmly at Zoe and Zoe smiles back.

ZOE
Thanks Heather.

Zoe snorts a bit of the Neo, closes her eyes and raises her
eyebrows and passes the abalone shell to Dani.

Dani hesitates, looking nervously at the healer. The healer

gestures for her to take some.

Dani holds out the metal straw.

 53.

DANI
(nervous)
So eco-friendly. Love it.

Dani takes a deep breath and snorts a little bit up through

the straw.

She sniffs and squeezes her nose and then swallows.

DANI (CONT’D)
Woah. Not how I thought it would
hit.

Heather calmly moves on to the next people in the circle.

Zoe looks at Dani expectantly, eyes already slightly soft

focused.

From DANI’S POV:

Zoe looks especially pretty. She glows in the firelight and

the flames dancing in her eyes. Her pupils are huge and she
looks the slightest bit cartoonishly cute, like she has a
beauty filter on.

The bonfire glows bright and the flames shift into greens and
purples.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Aunt Elise is standing at her kitchen counter with a glass of

wine. She sips her wine and looks at her phone on the
counter. It’s open to a text conversation with DANI. She
typed "Dani," into the box but has yet to send anything or
continue her message.

She shakes her head, clicks the phone screen off, stifles
back tears and sips her wine.

EXT. BONFIRE

Back in Dani’s POV:

Everyone holds hands and dances in a circle around the

bonfire. They’re laughing and not graceful. All the colors
are intense and sounds are slightly distorted. The shadows of
the people dance around, detached from their owners.

Dani watches the spinning world around her, mesmerized.

The peoples heads pop and become stars bursting and bubbling
with color, like the star children from Howl’s moving castle.
 54.

Dani smiles wide throwing her head back, happy to allow the
star children to pull her around in the circle.

INT. DANI’S ROOM

Elise opens the door to Dani’s room and turns on the light.
Only her desk and a few random belongings are left. She
starts organizing them.

She walks up to the closet and reaches up to the top shelf to

pull down a scrunched up sweater but recoils after putting
her hand up there.

ELISE
Ah merde!

She looks at her hand and it has a hairline cut across a few
fingers. Blood starts dripping out.

INT. DANI’S ROOM - MINUTES LATER

Elise has a makeshift bandage on her fingers. She sets a

stool on the ground next to the closet. She reaches in and
delicately moves a few things aside until she sees the sword
handle and tenderly grabs it.

Elise pulls the sword out and steps off the stool. Her whole
body is shaking. She stares at it in her hands with an
appalled expression on her face which quickly turns to
disappointment and sadness. Her eyes begin to fill with
tears.

ELISE
Mon dieu... Oh Marc, what is going
on with her?

EXT. BONFIRE

The star children pull Dani faster and faster until it’s too
fast and she gets flung from the circle into the darkness.

She scrambles to get back to the bonfire but all the sudden
it is impossibly far away.

Large scaly claws drag Dani into the darkness until she can’t
see the bonfire anymore.
 55.

INT. BARBIE DREAM HOUSE

Dani is tiny, in a doll house kitchen with two massive

hideous rats. The childish colors of the house pulsate to the
music, sounding far away.

One rat wears barbie shoes and an apron, flipping nothing on

a pan over the fake kitchen. Another other rat comes in,
dressed in a three piece suit, throws down his barbie
briefcase on the counter and approaches the wife-rat.

Dani scrambles to get out of eyesight but accidentally knocks

over a pink and white stool. She freezes, crouching behind
the island.

HUSBAND-RAT
Do you smell something?

Dani shivers, clutching herself.

Giant rat claws land on the counter top and scaly claws lift
her up and plop her into a massive black pot.

Dani lands on a bed of giant lettuce and onions and carrots.

The rats peer down at her. She stares back up wide eyed,
unbelieving.

HUSBAND-RAT (CONT’D)
Can you believe our luck? We didn’t
even have to try to catch this one.
Just laying around doing nothing.

The husband rat takes a deep whiff. The wife-rat wrings her
rat-wrists.

WIFE-RAT
Yes! And she’s perfectly soft,
after all- she quit competitive
lacrosse long ago now.

HUSBAND-RAT
Yes and the brain! The brain will
be deliciously juicy! No more evil
AP stats to harden it up. Bleh!

Dani starts sobbing.

DANI
No please! I don’t want to die!

The pot moves into a giant oven, the glowing hot coals above
Dani.
 56.

DANI (CONT’D)
No! Mommy! Papa! Please! Don’t
leave me!

EXT. BEACH IN MALIBU - MORNING

Dani wakes up with the sun beating down on her face.

She jolts up. She looks haggard. She is sandy and sweaty and
her hair is a rats nest.

She is back at the beach, the bonfire smokes and the people
from the party the night before lazing around on blankets,
smoking weed and walking by the shore.

Zoe comes trotting over from the direction of the house with
a mug.

ZOE
You’re awake!

DANI
Oh my god.

ZOE
You had a bad trip huh?

Dani moans.

DANI
I guess so.

ZOE
It’s okay. We all have em. Are you
having like, a weird time in your
life right now?

Dani laughs and shrugs. She doesn’t know how to answer.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Sorry. You don’t have to answer
that.

Zoe helps Dani get up.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Just, ya know, psychedelics can
really affect you differently
depending on where you’re at in
your life.
 57.

DANI
Yeah I thought I was a veteran, but
I’ve never experienced anything
like that.

ZOE
What happened?

DANI
Honestly... I’d rather just forget
it.

They walk up into the big mansion.

INT. MALIBU HOUSE

The house looks like if a hippie and a mid century designer

had a baby and that baby decorated the house. Everything is
effortlessly casual yet chic and clearly very expensive.

Zoe leads Dani through the kitchen through a side door and
into the:

INT. SHOWER ROOM

In a teal tiled and wood paneled room about 10 people lounge

about in the nude. They have quiet conversations, sleep or
read. Steam floats through the air. In one corner a semi-
circle of people shower in intense hot water pressure next to
each other. In the center of the room there’s a hot tub with
a few people in it.

Zoe walks off to the right into a small locker room. The
lockers are all wooden and sans locks. She presses one open
and takes out a towel, pulling her purse off of her shoulder
and putting it inside. She starts taking off her pants.

DANI
Do I have to take off my clothes?

ZOE
No.

Dani relaxes.

ZOE (CONT’D)
But if you don’t, everyone will
judge you. You can’t really look at
everyone else naked and not at
least bring something to offer
right?
 58.

Dani tenses up again.

DANI
Yeah, ha I don’t know. I should
head home. I’m not sure if I’m even-

ZOE
No stay! It’s really the best thing
post-trip. Bad or good. Plus you
don’t want them to think you’re a
creep do you?

Zoe shrugs towards the people.

Dani has genuine fear in her eyes as she looks over.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Look, you’ll have a towel.

Zoe pulls out another rolled towel and tosses it to Dani. She
catches it and clutches it to herself.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Just try to relax.

INT. SHOWER ROOM

Dani and Zoe walk out from the locker room area together.
Dani is wrapped tightly in her towel and Zoe calmly in the
nude, towel under her arm. Dani’s eyes stay firmly at the
back wall, avoid eye contact with anyone. Zoe carries a tub
of red vines with her.

ZOE
Come on, the little sauna’s open.

Dani follows Zoe into a small sauna in the corner of the

room.

INT. SAUNA

Zoe pours some water over the coals and they hiss, spitting
steam into the air.

She flips her towel out onto the wooden bench and sits,
leaning her head back and taking a deep breath in.

Dani sits down. She clutches her towel to her body. She takes
a deep breath in.

DANI
Rosemary?
 59.

ZOE
Yeah.

DANI
It’s nice.

They’re quiet for a beat.

DANI (CONT’D)
So what did I miss?

ZOE
Oh ya know, the usual. People
danced and cried and fucked. Some
just lied down and enjoyed it. We
were worried about you for a bit.
After the drugs wore off enough for
me to notice you tweaking on the
sand that is.

Dani cringes. Zoe cracks open the red vines and hands Dani
some. Dani bites them together and Zoe eats them by slowly
peeling them and eating the little strands.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Once I realized you weren’t dead or
seizing I think everyone was just
relieved we didn’t have to call an
ambulance all the way to Malibu.

DANI
I’m sorry. What a lame-ass move.
The fuckin drug dealer.

ZOE
You’re fine, really! I don’t think
literally anyone will remember.

Dani shrugs and smiles shyly at Zoe. Zoe’s face shifts to

concern.

ZOE (CONT’D)
What was all that anyway?

DANI
All what?

ZOE
You know the-

Zoe mimes rolling around and flipping out.

DANI
Oh god.
 60.

Dani laughs.

DANI (CONT’D)
Nothing, just stupid... past trauma
or whatever.

ZOE
I remember a bad trip I had. I
think it was my first.

Dani looks down, absentmindedly staring at Zoe’s naked body.

When Zoe teasingly raises her eyebrows at her. Dani blushes
and looks back at her face too intensely. Zoe laughs.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Anyway, I was about 15 I think. My
friend Julia and I heard about this
cool spot by our high school were
you could do a easy 10 min hike and
get access to this billboard that
faced right over the freeway. For
some reason, we thought it was the
best place to try smoking weed for
the first time.

Dani holds back a smile.

ZOE (CONT’D)
So we had this wimpy little joint
that was definitely some bottom of
the barrel shit that her older
brother had given us, probably out
of pity. We smoked it a bit and I
didn’t feel anything. It was a
bust. We felt super exposed and
weird being up on the billboard
anyway with like a million watt
lights shining on us. It’s probably
for the best we didn’t get high. I
can’t believe teenagers survive
their own stupidity. Anyway, on the
hike back we ran into this guy from
our school. I don’t remember his
name but I do remember he was a
junior and we were freshman so
obviously, you know, hot!

Zoe rolls her eyes at her past self. She grabs another
handful of red vines and gives half to Dani. She peels
another one apart slowly.

ZOE (CONT’D)
So this guy, Kyle or whatever, is
talking to us and we’re stoked.
(MORE)
 61.
ZOE (CONT’D)
He invites us back into his car and
lets us smoke some real weed. We
hotbox the car and we’re definitely
actually high at this point. He
drives us back to his place. We go
around the back into his detached
garage- How kids get away with this
shit while living with their
parents, I have no idea-

Dani gives a knowing look.

ZOE (CONT’D)
So we’re high and I guess Kyle took
this opportunity to drug us with
some acid. It must’ve been in the
beer he gave us. We were so out of
it he could’ve given us anything.

Zoe shakes her head. Solemn at the thought.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I’m sure the prick did some himself
too. Probably thought that he would
be getting lucky with a threesome
or something. Well, pretty soon
after that he started freaking out.
He was telling us “theyre coming”
and shit like “oh they’ve been
waiting forever and they’re finally
going to make their strike”. Crazy
shit. But we were young and high on
multiple substances for the first
time and so I guess we believed
him.

Zoe takes a bite of the red vine and moves it around in her
mouth.

ZOE (CONT’D)
We left the garage and I think
because Kyle was having a bad trip
and we didn’t even know we were on
acid, it sort of triggered bad
trips for us too. I don’t even know
how but I lost them and I just all
the sudden thought I was in war. I
was hearing people following me and
I thought I was hearing gun shots
and I was in a jungle. Shouldn’t
have just watched Tropic Thunder.

Dani smirks.
 62.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Anyway I got clipped by a car while
running away from some shit and got
knocked out. My parents didn’t even
come to the hospital to get me. I
knew it was because the doctors had
told them about all the drugs in my
system. They’re LDS, you know,
Mormon?

Dani nods.

ZOE (CONT’D)
After that, they never looked at me
the same. It was crazy. Like a
switch just flipped. I was their
perfect pure little angel. And then
I wasn’t.

Zoe pauses, playing with a red vine in her hands.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Bad trips suck. After that I didn’t
do drugs for a while. Through the
rest of high school and 2 years of
college I tried to repair my
parents view of me. They abandoned
me completely after I left for
college. They moved to Salt Lake
City and I didn’t even have their
address. They would answer my calls
occasionally but they were evasive
at best. I was spiraling. It got so
bad I almost uh, took my own life.

Zoe pauses again, swallowing and Dani looks unsure of what to

do.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Sorry I don’t know why-

DANI
No, please. Keep going.

ZOE
Uh well. I guess I just constantly
felt this insane regret and lived
in this state of self-flagellation.
But then at the end of sophomore
year of college I joined some
clubs, sort of as a last ditch
effort I think, to see if there was
anything good in life. Dark I know.
(chuckling)
(MORE)
 63.
ZOE (CONT’D)
But anyway, I hated ceramics and
HATED fucking a capella. But
something happened when I found
acting. It was like this massive
beast that had been inside me
tearing me apart was finally
allowed out. And while I was in
that stupid little black box
theater it wouldn’t rip me to
shreds from the inside out.

Zoe blinks.

ZOE (CONT’D)
This is all just a long winded way
of me telling you that I know how
you feel. And that you shouldn’t be
hard on yourself.

Zoe looks at Dani and she looks back. Dani’s grip on hertowel
is a lot looser.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I can tell we’re alike.

DANI
Maybe more than you think.

ZOE
What do you mean?

DANI
My parents abandoned me too.

ZOE
Really?

DANI
Well, not exactly in the same way.
They killed themselves when I was
13. (need to check this age)

Zoe’s mouth drops open.

ZOE
How?!

She regains composure.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I’m sorry. Don’t answer that. I
just- I’m sorry. That shocked me.
 64.

DANI
Yeah, I mean, it is shocking. It
was insane. Completely life
altering dude.

Zoe blows air out of her mouth.

DANI (CONT’D)
They shot each other in our fucking
house. They were on the top floor,
basically an attic that my dad had
converted to an office.

Dani squishes a red vine around in her fingers. Her eyes have
a far away look.

DANI (CONT’D)
I was hanging out with my aunt for
the day. When we came back I
remember following my aunt through
the house looking for them. We had
a massive house at the time so it
took a while. And then I remember
getting to the top floor and just
seeing this big puddle of like...
brown liquid on the wood floor. I
ran over to it before my aunt even
realized what was going on and I
put my hand in it. Then I realized
it was blood and the only reason it
looked brown was because there was
so much of it.

Zoe stares at Dani consumed by the story.

DANI (CONT’D)
I remember hearing someone
screaming. I think it was my own
screams. And like wiping the blood
on my pants trying to get it off. I
know everyone thinks kids are
stupid but they know. I knew. I
guess I just-

Dani clears her throat.

DANI (CONT’D)
So I get it. Shit changes in
literally half a second. It’s been
almost 10 years and I still feel
like I’m getting used to it every
day.
 65.

ZOE
Wow.

DANI
I haven’t really talked about it
much since then. Elise, my aunt,
made me go to a therapist but
honestly I dreaded having to think
about it and relive it. There’s
just something so intense about
real life you know. It doesn’t give
a fuck. It doesn’t follow a plan
like in movies. You just get hit
with shit.

ZOE
Yeah.

DANI
I feel you with the like-

Dani mimes clawing.

DANI (CONT’D)
-Beast trying to escape from the
inside thing. I feel like that
basically every day.

Zoe grabs a little joint hiding in the corner with a lighter.

ZOE
Thank god for drugs right?

DANI
Puff puff pass.

Dani takes a hit of the joint.

DANI (CONT’D)
Ishaan would kill me.

Dani’s eyes bulge.

DANI (CONT’D)
Oh fuck! Do you know what time it
is?

Zoe feels around her and looks around.

ZOE
No. What’s wrong?

DANI
Shit!
 66.

Dani runs out of the sauna totally bare assed. Zoe chases
after her.

ZOE
Don’t run!

She grabs her arm forcing her to slow down. Dani turns and
looks at her.

DANI
Do you know anything about
apartment hunting?

INT. ISHAAN'S APARTMENT - THE NEXT MORNING

Ishaan walks into his apartment.

ISHAAN
Dani! You ready to go?

He sees Dani’s "bed" aka the pull out couch. It’s very tidy
and made. All her things are neatly organized. But no Dani.

He rolls his eyes and pulls out his phone.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Glad I left lecture early.

INT. ISHAAN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Dani comes home to Ishaan sitting on his couch playing video

games. Dani’s hair is mess and her eyes are brighter than
usual.

ISHAAN
Find anything you like?

Dani’s expression falls. She realizes she forgot.

DANI
Dude I'm so sorry, I really forgot
we had decided to do it together.

ISHAAN
It's whatever man.

Dani hesitates, standing by the door and smiles sheepishly.

DANI
I’m really sorry. I made friends
with this girl last night and-
 67.

ISHAAN
That’s awesome Dan. Mario Kart?

DANI
You're not mad?

ISHAAN
Come on. I just wanted to get your
ass looking at some places to rent
so you can get out of here within
the next year. I am stoked for you
making a friend though.

DANI
Okayyy...

Dani sits down. Ishaan presses a couple buttons absent-

mindedly.

ISHAAN
I mean I'm a little mad...

INT. HIGH-END APARTMENT - DAY

Dani, Zoe and Ishaan are all checking out an apartment

together. It looks really nice and REALTOR 3 (40s, woman)
shows them the kitchen cabinets.

REALTOR 3
You’ll notice they all have sliding
closures, so no annoying slamming
noises! They put these in when they
refurbished the place last year...

ZOE
(whispering)
What do you think?

Ishaan turns and whispers a little bit louder.

ISHAAN
(whispering)
There's no way in hell you can
afford this.

REALTOR 3
...and the rent is including
utilities, water and electricity so
that price is pretty close to what
you'll be paying total.

The three turn to look at Realtor 3.

 68.

DANI
What’s your smoking policy?

EXT. SILVERLAKE BAR - NIGHT

Dani, Zoe, Ishaan, Trent and Ella stand in a circle in the

outdoor back area of a moody crowded bar. They pass around a
blunt. Everyone is dressed up in a slightly more elevated
version of their usual style.

TRENT
This margarita is wack. I swear
they pretended to pour the shot. I
was like looking directly at them
and they boldly just absolutely
cucked me.

Ella swishes her drink around.

ELLA
Honestly, same.

Dani nudges Zoe’s shoulder and takes her empty glass, setting
both of them on a little bar table nearby.

DANI
Zoe and I are gonna grab refills.
Anybody else need one?

Ishaan breaks his passionate rant about how realtors on

reality tv are all fake to give a shake of his head. The
others shake their heads as well. Dani grabs Zoe’s hand and
they head off.

INT. SILVERLAKE BAR

The girls enter the room, bobbing to the music. There’s a

large disco ball sending pulsing purple polka dots all over
the room. Dance music blares out the speakers.

Dani pushes her way up to the front of the bar and pulls Zoe
up with her, they smile at each other, a little nervous.

The bartender is busy scrambling to fill orders. They wait

there for a moment. Zoe leans forward and catches the
bartenders eye. He smiles and finishes the two drinks he’s
working on, then heads directly to her.

BARTENDER
Ladies!

He leans in close and Zoe screams their orders in his ear.

 69.

The bartender hands them their drinks, spicy margaritas.

They scream their thanks and head towards the dance floor. On
the way over, someone knocks into Zoe and sends her drink
straight onto her leg and the floor. Zoe looks pissed for a
moment but contains herself.

The sweaty guy in a sparkly disco top apologizes profusely,

drunk and getting too close. Zoe waves him off and he flits
away. Dani rolls her eyes.

DANI
Here have mine!

Zoe frowns and shakes her head.

DANI (CONT’D)
No seriously.

Zoe smiles and accepts, taking a big swig. She tries to give
it back to Dani but she shakes her head. Zoe points at the
dance floor. Dani smiles and nods. Zoe downs the rest of the
drink and they head off.

INT. DANCE FLOOR

Dani and Zoe bob to the music, but then “Wild Thoughts” by
Rihanna comes on. The beat entrances them and they both give
in to the sexual tension, dancing close and looking at each
other lustily.

Dani and Zoe get close, holding each other. Zoe staggers
back, losing rhythm nearly falling backwards and taking Dani
with her.

Dani heaves her back up and Zoe lolls around like a rag doll.

DANI
Zoe! Are you okay?

Zoe is so out of it, intensely drunk. She leans against Dani

and they stagger off the dance floor.

EXT. SILVERLAKE BAR - MOMENTS LATER

Dani brings Zoe back to her friends. She leans against her,
eyes not quite present.

ISHAAN
Damn girl, how many shots did you
guys take?
 70.

Dani looks worried.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Wait. What’s wrong?

DANI
I don’t know! Something’s weird she
wasn’t that drunk at all and then
all the sudden she just fuckin
collapsed.

They veer to one side and Trent catches them.

TRENT
Damn. We should get you guys home.

INT. ISHAAN'S APARTMENT

Dani slams the door open with her foot and she and Ishaan
each have an arm under Zoe. Zoe’s head lolls to the side.
They heave her onto the couch. Zoe is limp and her eyes are
closed/fluttering. Dani feels her forehead.

DANI
Should we take her to the hospital?
This seems-

Zoe throws up straight onto Ishaan’s shirt. He gags, Dani

panics. She heaves Zoe up and towards the bathroom.

INT. ISHAAN’S BATHROOM

Zoe retches into the toilet, then drunkenly wipes her face
with the back of her hand. Her eyes are half closed but she
is conscious now. Dani pets her head.

DANI
How you feeling?

ZOE
Foul.

Ishaan appears shirtless in the doorway.

ISHAAN
I don’t think the spicy marg is
going to come out of that one.

Zoe groans.

DANI
Come on, let’s get you up.
 71.

Dani helps Zoe stand. Zoe staggers weakly to the door.

INT. ISHAAN’S BEDROOM

Ishaan’s bedroom is neat and uncomplicated. He has a desk

with a few engineer style airplane diagrams, a UCLA flag and
photos of family and friends pinned to a cork-board above it.
Zoe is in bed and Dani is wriggling out of her jeans.

ZOE
He’s gonna sleep on the couch so I
can stay with you.

DANI
Ishaan is god.

Dani’s phone vibrates on desk. She grabs it.

DANI (CONT’D)
(loudly)
Bro, Why are you texting me from
the other room?!

ISHAAN
I don’t know, you guys could be
naked!

Dani rolls her eyes.

DANI
He says you have to sleep on your
side so that if you barf in your
sleep you won’t choke on it and
die.

ZOE
Jesus.

Zoe flips to her side.

In 5x speed. They fall asleep and light just starts coming

from the window.

Dani wakes up and it returns to normal speed. She sits up,

dark circles of makeup and glitter under her eyes. She slowly
heaves herself out of bed.

INT. ISHAAN’S LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN

Ishaan scrolls on his phone while eating cereal standing up

at his kitchen counter. Dani enters.
 72.

DANI
Hey man. Do you have anything mild
I can feed her?

ISHAAN
Yeah for sure.

Ishaan pulls out a bag of multigrain bread and then roots

around in the back of the fridge and finds a gatorade.

DANI
Thanks.

Dani pops two slices of the bread into the toaster. She leans
against the counter.

ISHAAN
How’s she doing?

DANI
She’s fine. Could’ve probably been
a lot worse.

ISHAAN
Yeah.

A pause.

DANI
Thank you Eesh, honestly.

ISHAAN
Yeah dude, it’s really no big deal.
That couch is damn near more comfy
than my bed.

DANI
No I mean, like, thank you for
everything. I’d probably be dead
ten times over if it wasn’t for
your ass.

Ishaan holds back a smile.

ISHAAN
More like twenty times over you
dumb fuck.

DANI
Hey! Listen I’m trying to be sweet
here.
 73.

ISHAAN
Yeah yeah. Well, you’re welcome.
You’re like my sister Dan. It’s my
divine obligation to keep your ass
out of trouble.

Dani grins.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Maybe you can fuckin listen to me a
little more now that you admit i’m
always right.

DANI
Nobody said that!

They laugh and there’s another beat.

ISHAAN
It’s sweet to see you with her.

Dani smiles and looks down.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
That shit last night sucked but it
like awoke something in you I
haven’t seen in years.

DANI
Man, shut up.

ISHAAN
No, I’m serious. You had a purpose
and a mission and it was good to
see you, like, take action and take
care of her.

Dani sighs.

DANI
Yeah man I mean I care about her.
That was scary as fuck.

The toast pops, making them both jump. Dani grabs it and
butters it as Ishaan throws his dishes in the sink. He grabs
his bag off the couch.

ISHAAN
Aight, I gotta head to work but
please try to get her out of here
before Leo wakes up. He has a
gaming tournament tonight so he’ll
probably be up by like 2pm.
(MORE)
 74.
ISHAAN (CONT’D)
He already texted me like 10 times
about the barfing noises.

DANI
Okay copy. Thanks again man.

INT. ISHAAN'S BEDROOM

She comes back with a bottle of gatorade and a piece of

toast. She gently shakes Zoe awake.

ZOE
Hey.

DANI
Hey, you want these?

Zoe nods.

INT. LATER

Smoke haze fills the room. Golden sun rays come in cutting
through the curls of smoke. Zoe takes a big hit of a joint
and passes it over to Dani. Dani ashes it into an empty mug
on the bedside table.

She walks over and opens up the window.

She flops back onto the bed. She scoots over and squishes
next to Zoe. They cuddle. Dani takes Zoe’s hand and kisses it
a few times.

ZOE
Thank you.

DANI
Of course. You scared the shit out
of me. How do you feel now?

ZOE
Much better.

Zoe pets Dani’s hair from her forehead over her ear and Dani
closes her eyes.

Zoe lies back down on her side.

 75.

INT. SHIT APARTMENT - DAY

Dani, Ishaan and Zoe are looking at a tiny, dirty apartment.

REALTOR 4 is explaining how to work the stove and struggling
to do so. Dani is looking around with a frown.

ISHAAN
I think this is more in your
wheelhouse.

DANI
It looks nothing like the photos.

ISHAAN
Do you accept cash for rent?

The realtor stops, looks up at Ishaan.

REALTOR 4
What are you a drug dealer?

ISHAAN
No.

The realtor goes back to trying to work the stove.

REALTOR 4
Last guy was. If ya are, and I'm
not saying ya are, but I don't want
any dirty money. I ain't the IRS,
but I also don’t wanna get fucked
by them.

INT. MODEST BUT NICE APARTMENT - DAY

Dani and Zoe stand in the entryway of an outdated and small

but cozy apartment. The LANDLADY (60’s asian, kind and warm
energy) gives Dani and Zoe a tour of the apartment.

LANDLADY
The bedroom is just left and we can
see the kitchen next.

ZOE
What are your rules about smoking?

LANDLADY
Do that on the balcony.

ZOE
Oh wow there's a balcony too?
 76.

Zoe looks at Dani as she says this.

LANDLADY
You read the advertisement didn't
you?

DANI
Yeah, sorry we’ve been touring a
lot of apartments.

LANDLADY
Well, we try to keep a nice place
around here.

ZOE
You're the owner?

LANDLADY
Yes, my family uses it from time to
time but recently- Do I know you,
young lady?

ZOE
No. I don't think so?

LANDLADY
You look familiar. Are you an
actor?

ZOE
That's probably it. I used to be.

LANDLADY
Oh I knew it, you're so pretty you
had to be famous. Which movie were
you in then? I know I saw it.

ZOE
Oh no, they're all just small indie
films.

LANDLADY
No, I remember. It was called
something like... Well I forgot the
name. It's about a girl who left
her bad family and moved away to
New York.

ZOE
Oh my god! "Call Me Anytime."
You've seen that?
 77.

LANDLADY
Yes it was so good! I love little
films, that's why I moved here. Not
for the big Hollywood films. You
were so good!

Zoe blushes.

ZOE
Oh wow, thank you.

LANDLADY
Have you seen it, young lady?

DANI
Uh me? No I haven't.

LANDLADY
You're not a very good friend! Get
her to see it.

ZOE
I will, I will.

LANDLADY
I want to hear more about your
movies. I'll go make tea. Make
yourself at home! Sit down! Sit
down!

The landlady rushes out of the room to the kitchen. Zoe looks
embarrassed. They sit down together on the couch.

AS SOON AS THEY HIT THE COUCH: MATCH CUT OF DANI AND ZOE ON
THE SAME COUCH IN THE SAME POSITION.

INT. DANI’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

There is a Christmas themed towel on the oven handle and some

boxes of cereal on the counter. Some trader joe’s flowers
that are starting to wither sit on the kitchen island with a
Welcome Home balloon sticking out.

Dani is clicking the TV remote around on Netflix while Zoe

looks at her phone.

DANI
Any ideas on what to watch or do
you just wanna watch another Adam
Sandler movie?
 78.

ZOE
Adam Sandler is good.

DANI
Hey, come on. Can you help me find
something?

ZOE
I’m helping.

Dani puts the remote down.

DANI
Can we watch one of your movies?

Zoe doesn't answer.

DANI (CONT’D)
Like I get that you left because of
the Hollywood bullshit and all but
they're just movies. Mrs. Choi
keeps asking if I've seen them and
I keep saying I'm going to soon...
Come on, I wanna see.

Zoe avoids eye contact, scrolling mindlessly through

Instagram.

ZOE
Well, you can watch them on your
own if you wanna.

Dani doesn’t say anything. Zoe clicks her phone off and takes
a deep breath.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I haven't seen any of them since I
quit acting. I'm barely able to
watch them without like, freaking
out.

DANI
Like what? What did they do?
Waterboard you into doing those
movies?

ZOE
Dani! I don't want to talk about it
ok!

Dani looks surprised at her outburst.

DANI
Ok. Sorry.
 79.

Zoe sighs, getting up from the couch. She walks O.S.

Dani watches her go and then follows her.

INT. DANI’S BATHROOM

Dani walks into the bathroom. It has emerald tiling and a

walk in shower and bath. The sink has an ample amount of
counter space. Zoe has a fluffy towel headband on holding her
hair back from her face, she is finishing washing her face as
Dani walks in.

Zoe stands up from the sink and pats her face off on a towel.
She has eight or so different facial products lined up by the
sink with an empty makeup bag beside them. She grabs one and
squeezes a few drops out, massaging gently onto her skin
while staring at herself soberly in the mirror.

ZOE
I didn't leave acting because I
wanted to.

Dani leans against the doorway, listening.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I didn't leave at all, actually. I
was forced out.

Zoe takes a deep breath and pumps some serum out of another
bottle, then rubs it onto her face.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I was a young actress with a lot of
naive ideas of how things worked. I
did a couple of indie films like
"Call Me Anytime" before I caught
the eye of Fouchet Studios and they
brought me into their "family”. I
was so excited! They made
incredible movies and they had so
many huge actors and actresses that
had worked with them forever.

Dani walks into the bathroom and sits down on the edge of the
bathtub/shower.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I was there for a few weeks just
getting to know everyone when
randomly a P.A. came over to me and
told me Raymond Fouchet himself
wanted to meet with me.
(MORE)
 80.
ZOE (CONT’D)
I met with him and he was full of
excitement about my career and
wanted to put me in a new TV series
he said would really boost me up. I
was ecstatic.

Zoe smiles, caught up in the emotions of her memory.

ZOE (CONT’D)
It was a big budget series and it
was obvious the other actors were
jealous, especially the ones who
had been there a long time. But as
I saw Fouchet more and more, he
just got more and more weird and
flirty. I didn't shut him down. I
was too thankful or just oblivious
or something. I thought it was
obvious I wasn't interested. I was
19, he was in his late 50s. But
it’s the classic fucking story.
Hashtag me too, right?

Zoe pauses for a few seconds and she suddenly has tears in
her eyes.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Eventually...

Zoe sighs.

ZOE (CONT’D)
He invited me to his office a few
weeks before production was gonna
begin. Things went so fast. We were
on the couch, he was on top of me.
My clothes were off. He was
touching me. I don't remember how
long it took, I eventually was able
to get out of there.

Dani looks at her shocked. She stands up and reaches out

tentatively to see if she wants a hug and Zoe falls into her,
sobbing. After a moment, she regains control and wipes her
tears, sniffling. They sit down on the edge of the bathtub
together.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I was so fucking stupid. I don’t
know what I expected. Over night my
career was over. My role was turned
over to someone else.
(MORE)
 81.
ZOE (CONT’D)
I was phased out of the company and
Fouchet personally made sure that
every Hollywood producer knew that
I was "hard to work with".

Zoe takes a deep shaky breath.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Basically everyone just thought
fucked up a huge opportunity.

DANI
Zoe... I'm so sorry.

ZOE
It's just fucking bullshit, you
know? I just wanted to make good
movies and act like the best of the
best. I didn't want the Hollywood
politics and whatever! All because
of this one piece of shit, this one
fucking powerful asshole, it's all
gone!

Zoe wipes her tears away again. She pulls away from Dani.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I'm glad I found you, Dan. I felt
so lonely for so long. I barely
left the house. The only reason I
was hanging with my actress friends
was because...

DANI
What?

Zoe takes a few seconds to consider her words.

ZOE
It's because a year ago I decided I
would stand up to Fouchet. No one
else is doing it. I need to.

DANI
...What do you mean stand up to
him?

ZOE
I'm going to get into the Fouchet
Studios yearly party and stand up
to him. I’m gonna tell him to his
face what a piece of shit he is.
(MORE)
 82.
ZOE (CONT’D)
That's mainly why I was hanging out
with my industry friends again and
going to those Hollywood parties.
That's the only reason I was at the
beach that day.

Dani takes a moment and looks away as she finds her words.

DANI
You know, after that night in
Malibu I've felt like the cracks in
my life have been glued back
together. I forgot what it was like
to have real ups and downs. To
really give a damn about what
happens next.

Zoe smiles gently.

ZOE
Dan, you gotta come with me to the
party.

DANI
Ok.

ZOE
I need you there. I need you to
help me do this. I don't want to
chicken out or something. I
absolutely need to confront him.

DANI
Ok.

ZOE
It'd help me so much.

DANI
Ok.

ZOE
I just need to have some kinda
closure on everything. Does that
make me a bad person?

DANI
No. You're a good person that got
fucked over. I think he deserves
much worse.

Zoe turns and gives Dani a bittersweet smile. She turns the
hot water tap on the tub.
 83.

EXT. GRIFFITH PARK - DAY

Dani and Ishaan are lying on two blankets on the grass

somewhere in Griffith Park. A speaker is playing Breathe by
Pink Floyd.

DANI
So this is what you like doing on
acid?

ISHAAN
Yeah Dan. Just to step back from
the day to day and take in the
bigger picture. Look deeply at
things and follow your mind down a
rabbit hole.

He looks over at Dani.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
So to speak.

Dani considers this for a few seconds.

DANI
You ever experience ego-death?

Ishaan looks surprised and starts laughing a bit.

ISHAAN
Damn bro, straight to the tough
questions.

A beat.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Yeah well, yeah. But don't ask if I
can describe it for you. You can't
really force it. I got there on DMT
once.

DANI
DMT fucks me up. How are you
supposed to stay calm on that?

ISHAAN
You can't try to fight it, I'll
tell you that. Just gotta embrace
the fuckin... void.

DANI
Good advice. I'll try that next
time.
 84.

ISHAAN
But actually. You said you get bad
trips when you really try to dig
deep. That's probably cause you're
trying to steer clear of your shit.
Acid and shrooms and stuff... You
can dive in and come out the other
side with a new perspective.

Dani doesn't respond.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
Or... you can stay in your safe
space in your head, where you're
really in control. I don’t blame
ya.

The two lie in silence for a few moments.

DANI
I've been a shitty friend recently,
Eesh... and I'm not saying that
cause I'm high.

ISHAAN
You are saying it cause you're high
though.

DANI
No man I mean-

Dani starts laughing a bit.

DANI (CONT’D)
That's partly true.

They both laugh at each other.

DANI (CONT’D)
But for real.

Dani flips onto her stomach and looks dazed for a second,
readjusting her focus. She fidgets with the grass by the
blanket.

ISHAAN
Don't worry Dan.

DANI
Seriously, I've been fucking up all
over the place and screwing you
over in the process.
 85.

ISHAAN
Hey the dealing idea worked out
didn't it? You surprised the shit
out of me with that.

DANI
Yeah well, I’m going to get a new
job. I've been applying but
nothing’s coming up.

ISHAAN
Yeah well, most people have a
degree, or experience. Also, I just
need to say I've never been more
impressed by you, my dude. You've
got a great girlfriend and a place
to yourself.
(pause)
Have you talked to Elise since that
shit went down?

DANI
Nah. I'm gonna call her when I've
got a new job. But anyway, you know
how you've been saying you want to
try Neo?

ISHAAN
Yeah.

DANI
Well I’d love to be your sugar
daddy but the price just keeps
going up and up. HOWEVER Zoe and I
are going to this fancy party this
weekend and I can definitely,
probably, get you in. There'll be
plenty of it there.

ISHAAN
A industry party? I don't know man.

DANI
Come on, it'd be cool even if you
go sober. Please let me do this for
you, I really owe you this.

Ishaan just continues looking up at the sky.

DANI (CONT’D)
Listen man. I also wanted to tell
you. I uh-
 86.

Dani smiles; embarrassed. She looks away. Ishaan notices and

frowns.

ISHAAN
What?

DANI
Oh god dude. I um-Well, I looked in
to going to SMC.

Ishaan sits up on his elbows.

ISHAAN
No shit Dan! That’s great!

DANI
If you like that then you’re gonna
die at this next part.

Dani picks at a piece of grass, unable to hold back a grin.

DANI (CONT’D)
I’m registered bro. I’m going in
the fall.

Ishaan slaps Dani’s back.

ISHAAN
Hell yeah bitch! I knew you could
turn it around.

Dani rolls her eyes at him.

EXT. ANTONIO'S NEW HOUSE - DAY

Antonio has moved to a nicer house, it’s a ranch style 70s

house in Studio City. Dani parks the Mercedes in Antonio's
driveway and walks over to the front door. Antonio answers
the door.

DANI
Hey dude.

ANTONIO
Hey. Listen I just sold the car, so
after you're done tonight I need
you to bring it back here. I'll
give you a ride home though. You
can take it easy the rest of the
week.
 87.

DANI
You sold it?

ANTONIO
Yeah, on an online auction. It
bumped up for way more than it's
worth so I'm taking the deal. You
got enough money for something nice
at this point right?

DANI
Uh, I guess.

ANTONIO
Dan, it’s still my car.

DANI
It's fine. It's all good.

ANTONIO
You two had a good run but it's
time to say goodbye.

Antonio hits his vape as Dani replies.

DANI
Yeah I'm just going to a big party
this weekend and I need a car.

Antonio blows the vape smoke in Dani’s face.

ANTONIO
Just Uber.

Dani absentmindedly waves away the vape smoke.

DANI
Ay, what do you say you come with
us? It's gonna be a crazy ass
Hollywood party up in the hills. Me
and Eesh are going.

ANTONIO
Damn bro, you're getting yourself
into Hollywood parties? Who's cock
you suckin’?

DANI
My girlfriend's-
(rolls eyes)
She’s an actress so she knows all
the rich douchebags there.
 88.

ANTONIO
Hey don't talk shit on rich
douchebags, you're talking to one.

Antonio laughs loudly at his own joke.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
But hell yeah bro you're fuckin
slayin these hoes!

DANI
So you gonna come?

Antonio considers and hits his vape.

ANTONIO
This weekend?

DANI
Yeah.

ANTONIO
Sorry bro, I'm busy this weekend.
Next time though for real.

DANI
Aight, whatever you say.

ANTONIO
Next time. Don't forget the car.

He hands Dani a designer backpack.

ANTONIO (CONT’D)
Biggest haul yet. I’m sure it’ll
sell fast as a motherfucker with
all your new Hollywood connects
though.

Antonio winks at Dani.

INT. ISHAAN'S CAR ON A STREET NEAR AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dani and Ishaan sit in Ishaan’s car, dressed up in suits.

Ishaans is dark grey and fitted. Dani’s is oversized with a
cropped button up underneath. Her hair is braided back.
They’re tense.
 89.

DANI
We gotta make sure it's in the
exact same spot as how we found it
so I’ll take some pictures as we
walk up.

ISHAAN
We can just take my truck to the
bottom of the street and walk
there.

DANI
Bro, no offense, but they won't
even let us in the neighborhood in
this fuckin’ thing. And, not to
mention, we need a quick way out in
case things go south.

ISHAAN
What are you talking about “go
south”?

DANI
In case Zoe pisses someone off or
something, now come on we gotta go.
Car's gotta be back by like 6am so
time's-a-wasting.

Dani opens the passenger door and gets out as she speaks.

ISHAAN
Woman.

Dani walks nonchalantly towards her Aunt's house. Ishaan

steps out of the truck.

EXT. AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dani clicks the button of her key fob on her keychain and the
Cadillac ELR unlocks.

Dani and Ishaan close the doors gently.

INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT

ISHAAN
You're sure she's asleep?

DANI
Yeah bro, see the light in her
window?
 90.

Ishaan looks over at the house.

ISHAAN
No.

DANI
Exactly. She's asleep. C’est parti.

Ishaan snorts and shakes his head. Dani hits the ignition.
The car starts up and slowly pulls away.

MATCH CUT TO THE CAR PULLING UP AT THE PARTY.

EXT. FOUCHET'S MANSION - NIGHT

Dani and Ishaan pull up to a typical big ass Hollywood hills

mansion and park out front in a sea of sports cars and luxury
SUVs.

Things happen fast. Dani and Ishaan walk up to the front

entrance to the bouncers. Dani calls Zoe on her phone.

ISHAAN
Holy shit man. This is crazy.

DANI
I think we dressed up too much.

Zoe and her friends come out the front door.

FAMOUS ACTRESS 2
Ooh la la you made it!

DANI
In the flesh!

They walk in the front doors past the first bouncer and Zoe
whispers in Dani’s ear.

ZOE
(whispering)
Why did you bring Ishaan?!

DANI
(whispering)
I don’t know. Who cares.

ZOE
(whispering)
I'm serious, make him leave. This
was not part of the plan!
 91.

DANI
(whispering)
No! What’s your problem?

PRODUCER (O.S.)
Oh my god, Zoe Chassagne!

Zoe looks up and her face shifts from to charismatic

confidence in a heartbeat as she says hello to a RANDOM
PRODUCER.

The party is filling up the entrance hall of the house. Music

is bumping.

ZOE
Hey!

PRODUCER
(Jovially)
What the hell are you doing here?

He reaches out and Zoe shakes his exuberantly drunk hand. Zoe
responds to him while glancing at Dani.

Ishaan looks off at the crowd.

ISHAAN
Yo, is that Matt Damon?

FOUCHET’s MANSION - HALLWAY

Zoe pulls Dani into a guest bedroom.

INT. FOUCHET’S MANSION GUEST ROOM

The guest bedroom is lavish and large enough to be a master

bedroom in a regular home.

ZOE
Where did Ishaan go?

DANI
I just told you, I don't know. He
was talking to someone.

ZOE
Fuck. You need to find him and stay
with him.
 92.

DANI
What? Why are you so worried about
Ishaan?

Zoe looks to the side, avoiding eye contact.

DANI (CONT’D)
Really? Are you embarrassed of him?

Zoe frowns.

ZOE
No-

DANI
You know he’s my best friend right?

ZOE
Dani! I love Ishaan okay? It’s not
him. It’s just...

Zoe bites her lip.

ZOE (CONT’D)
This is just a weird situation to
bring him into.

Dani frowns.

DANI
What-

Zoe pulls out a bag of Neo and hands it to her.

ZOE
If you guys do Neo use this please.
Tell Ishaan.

DANI
Um, what? Is this yours?

ZOE
Yeah.

DANI
You had Neo and you never told me?

ZOE
Look, just stop for now ok!

Dani assesses Zoe and her red rimmed eyes. Her energy is
frenetic.
 93.

DANI
Let me just go find Ishaan and
we'll come up with a plan.

Zoe nods. She looks strung out. She tucks her hair back into
place.

DANI (CONT’D)
Come on. You’re gonna stand up to a
huge asshole. You got this.

INT. FOUCHET’S BALLROOM

Dani spots Ishaan in the crowd. He's talking to two beautiful

actresses. Dani navigates through the crowd over to him.

ISHAAN
Dani! Over here brother!

DANI
Yo!

ISHAAN
Dani, I'd like you to meet Sophie
and Anya. They're actresses.

DANI
(distractedly)
Hello. How's it going?

The actresses say “hi” but look pretty uninterested.

DANI (CONT’D)
Can I talk to you for a sec?

Dani grabs Ishaan’s arm to get his attention.

ISHAAN
Hey- come on man. We were just
talking about their trip to
Sayulita.

ACTRESS 4
Slayulita!

DANI
Wow, that's really cool.

Dani leans in to whisper to Ishaan.

DANI (CONT’D)
We gotta go meet Zoe. I got some
Neo for us, come on.
 94.

ISHAAN
I already smoked some with them,
bro.

Dani backs up a bit and looks at Ishaan.

DANI
How does it feel?

ISHAAN
It's like the come up right now,
bro. I'm actually wildin.

DANI
Damn Eesh, that’s sweet.

Dani daps Ishaan up.

DANI (CONT’D)
Listen, something’s up with Zoe.
Will you come help me out?

Ishaan looks back over at the actresses. They're gone.

ISHAAN
Looks like we lost them.

DANI
Damn, sorry.

ISHAAN
Whatever, let's go.

INT. FOUCHET’S MANSION GUEST ROOM

Dani and Ishaan are waiting in the small bedroom impatiently.

Dani is pacing looking at her phone.

DANI
Still not answering. Where the hell
could she have gone?

Ishaan is sitting on the bed, staring into nothingness.

ISHAAN
Yeah man.

DANI
Is it hitting you?

ISHAAN
Yeah man.
 95.

DANI
Know what? Fuck it. I wanna be
there with you and she isn't
showing up.

ISHAAN
Yeah man!

DANI
I'm gonna try it. We can still
support her high, right?

ISHAAN
That's what I came here to do!

Dani gets out the bag of Neo from Zoe. She takes some of it
on her finger and then finds a little bedside table to put it
on.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
You ain't got a pipe.

DANI
Nah I'mma snort it. It's quicker
acting that way.

ISHAAN
No shit.

Dani pulls out her credit card and forms has a line of it on
the bedside table on her phone. She rolls up a hundred dollar
bill and snorts it quickly. She recoils backwards, groaning
and sort of coughing.

ISHAAN (CONT’D)
That's a lot.

DANI
Fuck.

ISHAAN
That was a lot.

DANI
That's standard dosage man. But
damn that was-

Dani notices Ishaan fell over onto the bed.

DANI (CONT’D)
You good broski?
 96.

INT. AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Aunt Elise wakes up on her sofa chair in the living room. She
has a book on her lap and she gets up and it falls. A wine
bottle and a glass are on the little table beside her. She
grabs a glass of water in the kitchen and heads upstairs. She
passes by a window looking to the driveway and looks out. She
sees where the Cadillac should be and stops.

ELISE
You are kidding me.

She gets her phone out.

ELISE (CONT’D)
I’m not playing anymore, Danielle.

She dials 911.

ELISE (CONT’D)
Yes, I’d like to report a car
stolen.

She pauses to listen to the operator.

INT. FOUCHET'S MANSION - NIGHT

Cut to Zoe talking to a well-dressed woman at the top of a

grand staircase. She is Raymond Fouchet's right-hand
woman/assistant/wife, LANEY (40s, face tucked way too tight,
only wears neon colors).

LANEY
Yep, fired him the next day. It’s
so amazing that people can get
like, so far in their careers and
learn absolutely nothing.

Laney drunkenly cracks up.

LANEY (CONT’D)
If he told me he hadn’t ever worked
with rats I never would’ve hired
him!

Zoe laughs nervously. Laney puts her hand on her arm.

LANEY (CONT’D)
It is really good to see you again,
Zoe. There’s no shame in giving
acting another go.
 97.

ZOE
Have you seen him around?

LANEY
Who, Ray?

ZOE
Yeah.

LANEY
I haven't seen him since earlier
today before the party. He’s
around, though. He's got to give
his speech.

Laney gives her a drunken suggestive look.

LANEY (CONT’D)
He’s got something extra special
planned this year.

ZOE
Is that so?

Zoe looks around at the party. People are talking, drinking

and generally making merriment. Laney continues.

LANEY
Naturally he wouldn't listen to a
damn thing I wanted him to rewrite.
He's so stubborn. But I can't help
loving him to death.

ZOE
Have you had any of this new drug
everyone's crazy about?

LANEY
Oh dear. Too much, I'm so over it.
At some point you just have enough
with the light show and you go,
'alright, next thing' you know what
I mean? No, I'll just stick to my
champagne tonight.

She holds up her glass, giggling. Zoe manuevers her nervous

face into one of curiosity.

ZOE
It’s really just a light show?

LANEY
Have you never done it?? It’s a
fantastic light show.
(MORE)
 98.
LANEY (CONT’D)
In the beginning it feels like blow
and you feel so awake for a moment
or two. Then you just have to get
cozy for the ride and watch the
pretty colors take over everything.
Anyway...

ZOE
I see.

LANEY
Oh, girl, you need to try it at
least once.

ZOE
I don't know.

LANEY
Come on. I’ll do it with you.

She starts walking down the steps and beckoning Zoe to go

with her.

ZOE
Do you have some?

LANEY
Just follow me. I'm your “plug”.

Laney does some exuberant air quotes. Zoe follows her down
the stairs.

INT. FOUCHET’S MANSION GUEST ROOM - NIGHT

ISHAAN
You seeing anything yet?

DANI
Nothing. Last time it felt like an
acid come up though.

ISHAAN
Yeah. That’s what it is. This is
crazy Dan. The walls are glowing
and vibrating. Everything is neon.
You look-

Ishaan starts laughing.

DANI
What?
 99.

ISHAAN
You look crazy as hell.

DANI
Alright dude, I’m gonna go look for
Zoe. This is not cool of her. You
stay here, alright? Don’t go
wandering.

ISHAAN
Yeah.

Dani turns to leave the room. As she’s grabbing for the door
handle, the door bursts open and TWO GIRLS walk in. One is
holding the other around the middle.

GIRL 1
Sorry! Sorry!

They walk over to the bed Ishaan is sitting on. One girl
flops down, looking very nauseous and out of it.

GIRL 1 (CONT’D)
She isn’t feeling so good. We just
need to rest in here for a bit.

DANI
Crazy party huh?

GIRL 1
She didn’t even have anything to
drink. Does cotton candy usually
make people sick?

DANI
I don’t think so. Is she-

The nauseous girl runs into the bathroom and starts throwing
up. Her friend runs in after her. She yells from the
bathroom.

GIRL 1 (O.S.)
She’ll be alright, don’t worry!

Ishaan is looking over at the bathroom, a confused look on

his face. Dani looks concerned but suddenly, her pupils
dilate. Purple and turquoise lights shine in her eyes.

She turns to leave again and opens the door. Right as she
does,

We first person POV and music comes in.

Following scenes set to Alien Days by MGMT

 100.

INT. FOUCHET’S MANSION - NIGHT

DANI’S POV:

Everything Dani sees becomes flooded with tessellations and

neon outlines. The room outside twists inward on itself.
Everyone in the room turns to look at Dani. They all look
like 80s style creatures from The Labyrinth.

All kinds of crazy psychedelic shit flows across the screen.

It reforms into the party scene but maintains the DMT-esque
appearance. Everything is happening in slow motion.

People are talking but a general sense of dread on their

faces is evident. Other people seem to be gasping for air or
throwing up. Suddenly everyone turns to look up to the
upstairs landing.

Standing there is a neon version of FOUCHET (60’s, veneers,

hair plugs, the whole nine yards). He addresses the crowd in
distorted audio. Time is also distorted, we start in the
middle of Fouchet’s speech.

FOUCHET
And I hope everyone’s had their
fill of the newest millennial fad:
cocaine died blue!

The crowd laughs psychedelic-ly. A rabbit hole of looping

audio and imagery.

FOUCHET (CONT’D)
I’ve never met a man like him and
we’re all rooting for him at the
Oscars this year aren’t we?

Everyone laughs again and cheers, it’s overwhelming and

ominous like hyenas.

In normal sober reality, Zoe is standing alone among the

applauding crowd. Her face is emotionless.

Back to Dani. Her eyes are wide as saucers and the music
sounds like it’s coming from her head as Fouchet continues
speaking. We cut back to DANI’s POV and the trippy music,
audio and visuals return.

FOUCHET (CONT’D)
If he doesn’t win it must be-

The microphone is stolen from Fouchet’s hand and the backdrop

shifts and changes as The Neckbeard appears on balcony with
Fouchet.
 101.

The Neckbeard is wearing a samurai outfit and a mask. The

scene becomes an animated version of what is happening.
Everything is in over-exaggerated anime cartoon style.

The Neckbeard pulls out a massive katana and thrusts it into

Fouchet. He pulls it out and Fouchet stumbles backward,
clutching his stomach, bright red blood pouring onto the
balcony in a waterfall. Snippets of Fouchet’s speech echo on
as he faces The Neckbeard. He cuts off Fouchet’s head.

Figures of people running and scrambling away from the stage

and the Neckbeard man.

The scene shifts to a lion among gazelles with the lion where
the Neckbeard was standing.

Once the song ends we smash cut out of DANI’s POV.

Dani is nearly stampeded by partygoers. She looks around as

the last of the people scream, push and scramble for the
exit.

All that’s left are the stragglers, people calling 911 and a
large number of people lying on the floor in vomit and blood.
Some are calling out for their friends.

Zoe appears. She runs over, yelling at Dani.

ZOE
Dani what the fuck are you doing?!
We have to get out of here!

Zoe pulls on her arm and she stumbles but doesn’t go with
her.

DANI
Woah.

ZOE
Hey!

Dani does not acknowledge her. Zoe slaps her arm and when she
doesn’t respond, she shakes her.

Dani finally focuses on her with a dazed shake of her head.

ZOE (CONT’D)
DANI!

Dani frowns at Zoe, searching her eyes.

 102.

DANI
What the fuck! What happened?

ZOE
Let’s go!

DANI
Where’s Ishaan?

Dani turns and runs back towards the guest room.

ZOE
DANI!

DANI
Eesh??

Zoe runs after her. She trots around people coughing and
lying on the ground. Some are dead, some are crying next to
their friends. Broken glass and trash is scattered around the
floor, mixing in with the blood and bile.

Dani’s eyes fill with fear. She reaches the room, the door is
already open. Ishaan isn’t there.

DANI (CONT’D)
Eesh! Ishaan!

She tears around the room, looking under the bed and in the
closet. Zoe desperately tries to pull her out of the room.

ZOE
Dani let’s go! The cops are coming!

DANI
Where’s Ishaan??

ZOE
He’s probably at the car! Let’s go!

CLOSEUP ON DANI

INT. DANI’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

MATCH CUT TO HER IN THE BATHROOM IN HER APARTMENT LOOKING IN

THE MIRROR

Dani splashes water on her face and rubs her eyes. She’s
still tripping. Her phone sits face up on the counter,
showing 20 missed calls to “Ishaan.
 103.

DANI
(whispering)
This isn’t real.

Dani steps back from the mirror. Flashes of the gruesome

party appear around her and in the mirror.

DANI (CONT’D)
This isn’t real!

Her eyes flutter, she shuts them and bangs her fists against
her head.

DANI (CONT’D)
Fuck fuck fuck. We should’ve
stayed! Where is he??

Dani walks out to the living room, pulling at her hair, which
has all come loose.

Zoe paces back and forth quickly. She’s on the phone. Her
eyes are full of tears.

ZOE
Dani. I need to tell-

Zoe is interrupted by a knock at the door. Dani turns quickly

and starts walking over.

DANI
Eesh!

Zoe follows close behind her, as if to get to the door first.

ZOE
(whisper yelling)
No! It could be cops.

Dani doesn’t listen and strides to the door. She wrenches it

open.

Looming over her is The Neckbeard. Dani freezes in utter

disbelief, terrified.

Zoe gets between Dani and The Neckbeard.

ZOE (CONT’D)
(whispering)
What the fuck are you doing here?!
How did you find me?!

THE NECKBEARD
I followed your car. Red is not a
very stealthy color.
 104.

The Neckbeard looks behind her at Dani. No recognition.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Who the fuck is this bitch?!

Dani stands silent, eyes wide and dilated. She takes a few
steps back.

ZOE
(whispering)
She’s the dealer! Now get out of
here!

Dani blinks.

THE NECKBEARD
I will. Recent developments require
that I disappear back into the
shadows. But first I had to see
your beautiful face one more time.

ZOE
(whispering)
You fucked the whole plan Gordon!

THE NECKBEARD
He didn’t take the potion. He
forced my hand. Worry not for me.

ZOE
Get out of here assdick!

Dani watches with her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

THE NECKBEARD
I will see you soon, my lo-

Zoe slams the door on him. She doesn’t turn around but she’s
shaking. Dani watches her. Her face is red going red. The
silence hangs heavily between them.

DANI
You’re friends with that psycho?

Zoe slowly turns toward Dani, she shakes her head.

DANI (CONT’D)
Cut the bullshit. He’s the guy with
the sword. I know him.

ZOE
I- There are some things I need to
tell you.
 105.

DANI
Now. Everything.

Zoe’s eyes tear up again. She takes a deep breath.

ZOE
It wasn’t supposed to go like that!

DANI
Zoe!

Zoe swallows, and takes a deep shaky breath.

ZOE
When I said I was going to confront
Fouchet- it was actually a much
bigger thing that’s been in the
works for a long time.

She slowly turns to face Dani.

ZOE (CONT’D)
After I left Hollywood, I was so
depressed and lonely! and I found
people online that shared my story-
At first it was like a support
group, but-but things got out of
hand. We wanted revenge. On anyone.
Eveyone.

Zoe pauses again, searching Dani’s eyes.

ZOE (CONT’D)
That guy, Gordon, is the chemist
who invented Neo.

Dani nods slowly, eyes ablaze.

ZOE (CONT’D)
You have to understand I didn’t
want any of this-

DANI
No no no- Continue. So what he
invented Neo?? And then what??

ZOE
I was- well- we decided to take
revenge on Fouchet Studios by
creating a new drug that every
Hollywood asshole would love and
get addicted to. And it worked! As
you know.
 106.

Zoe wrings her wrists and looks back at the door as if she
wants to run out of it.

ZOE (CONT’D)
What you dont know is-
That last batch you sold was all
poisoned. The last batch every
dealer sold this week was all
poisoned.

Zoe takes another deep, struggling breath.

ZOE (CONT’D)
We knew that a huge amount would be
brought to the party... DANI I’m so
sorry.

Dani stares through her and reaches for the door. Zoe stands
in her way.

ZOE (CONT’D)
I’m so, so sorry none of this
should have happened like this.
Everything got fucked up. I’m sorry
Dani! Please! You have to listen to
me.

Dani yanks opens the door.

ZOE (CONT’D)
If you go to the cops you’re only
turning yourself in!

Dani stops.

ZOE (CONT’D)
Everything was planned out years in
advance and no matter what you do,
it won’t make any difference. This
is much bigger than you.

Dani stays frozen.

ZOE (CONT’D)
The one thing I didn’t expect...
was that I would fall so hard for
the fall guy.

Dani laughs at Zoe’s cheesy line.

DANI
Right. The fall guy.
 107.

ZOE
But I can just as easily flip it
around onto Gordon, DANI. You don’t
have to go to jail if you just
listen to me. Don’t do anything
stupid. Be with me. Everything will
be alright.

DANI
I always forget, you’re a fucking
actress.

She shakes her head and leaves, slamming the door behind her.

ZOE
DANI!

INT. AUNT ELISE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Aunt Elise is sipping coffee in her couch chair with her

phone on the table next to her. The phone rings. She
scrambles to pick it up.

ELISE
Hello?

DETECTIVE
Hello Mrs. Germain, this is
Detective Michael Bateman with the
LAPD.

Aunt Elise stands up.

ELISE
Detective.

DETECTIVE
Yes, ma’am. I have a couple
questions to ask you.

ELISE
Did you find the car? Dani?

The detective pauses before he speaks.

DETECTIVE
Mrs. Germain, I don’t think your
nephew stole your car at all. The
car you described to us is believed
to have been spotted fleeing the
scene of a significant crime in the
hills. We need all the information
you can possibly give us.
 108.

ELISE
(shakily)
Crime? (

INT. ANTONIO’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Antonio is lying in the bathtub listening to CARIBBEAN BLUE

by ENYA. He’s sipping champagne and waving his hands along to
the music when suddenly there’s frantic knocking at his front
door. He almost drops his glass.

EXT. ANTONIO’S FRONT DOOR

Dani is outside knocking frantically, sweaty makeup circles

under her eyes and hair a frizzy mess. Antonio opens the door
wearing a bathrobe and holding a GUN.

ANTONIO
What the fu-

DANI
You knew about this didn’t you?

Dani walks into the house assertively and Antonio backpedals.

DANI (CONT’D)
You were a part of this?!

ANTONIO
(laughing)
Woah bro! What’d you take this
time?

DANI
Ishaan’s dead.

Antonio slowly puts his gun down on the table in his living
room and then walks back to Dani.

ANTONIO
What?

DANI
Yeah. I just went by his house. He
hasn’t been answering his phone.
He’s not at home, no one’s seen
him. I’ve looked everywhere.

ANTONIO
Dan, you went partying with him
tonight.
 109.

DANI
Yeah and he died with all the
others!

ANTONIO
Bro. You’re gonna have to start
making a lot more sense right now.
Who died?

DANI
Ishaan! Everyone at the party got
poisoned by my girlfriend, from the
fucking Neo!

Antonio frowns, putting his finger over his lips and walks
over to his front door and closes it.

ANTONIO
What?!

DANI
Everyone was fucking poisoned, man!
Ishaan’s dead!

INT. ANTONIO’S KITCHEN

Antonio walks over to his cabinet and grabs himself a drink.

Dani stands unflinching, looking haggard and crazy-eyed.

ANTONIO
Start over. Ishaan is missing. You
want anything?

DANI
Ishaan took Neo at the party! He’s
fucking dead!

ANTONIO
And you sure you didn’t have any
Neo at this party?

Antonio pours himself another glass of champagne.

DANI
I-No! Fuck Antonio listen to me!

ANTONIO
Take it down a notch. You brought
this mess into MY house remember?

Dani seethes, and after a beat she is able to slow her

breathing and talk slower and quieter
 110.

DANI
Yes, I had some Neo at the party.
My girlfriend gave me some she knew
wasn’t poisoned. But everyone-
fucking-else got the poisoned sh-

ANTONIO
Ok, no shit. Why’s your girlfriend
the mastermind in this story?

DANI
She’s-

Dani stops as she notices her phone vibrating.

DANI (CONT’D)
She’s calling again. You can hear
for yourself.

Antonio grabs his vape off the kitchen table and takes a huge
hit, letting the smoke out with an exasperated sigh.

Dani hits the answer button and puts it on speaker and

shushes Antonio.

DANI (CONT’D)
What?

ZOE
Dani, where are you?!

DANI
Do you even understand what you
did? Ishaan is gone. You killed
him.

ZOE
That wasn’t my fault! I told you
not to let him into the party. I
told you not to do the Neo.

DANI
But you couldn’t tell me you
fucking poisoned it.

Zoe is panicking.

ZOE
Please Dani. It wasn’t supposed to
happen like that. I need you,
please why can’t you just be with
me? Where are you? Why’d you run
away?
(MORE)
 111.
ZOE (CONT’D)
Why can’t you just listen to my
side of this. Just come back to me,
I need your hel-

DANI
Fuck. You.

Dani ends the call. She looks at Antonio.

ANTONIO
Is this some kinda social
experiment?

Before Dani can respond, the front door swings open and The
Neckbeard is standing in the doorway in his trench coat. Dani
freezes and Antonio runs across the room for his gun,
dropping his drink.

The Neckbeard draws his katana and rushes at Antonio. Antonio

barely manages to turn to shoot before he has his arm cut
off.

The Neckbeard stabs him in the abdomen and Antonio crumples

to the floor with a grunt. Dani screams.

The Neckbeard grabs the gun and trains it on Dani, blocking

her exit.

INT. ANTONIO’S GARAGE - SOME TIME LATER

Dani is tied to a chair. She is bleeding and bruised, half

dead. The Neckbeard stands over her.

THE NECKBEARD
You’ve caused some serious problems
for us.

He turns away from Dani.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Well, well, well, my friend. I must
say, I find it quite perplexing
that you would continue to lend
your support to that den of deceit
called Hollywood. Ah, those
despicable, pointy-tongued lizards
that hold the reins, orchestrating
the grand circus. But fear not, for
what we have undertaken is nothing
short of a noble pursuit for the
betterment of all.

Dani rolls her eyes and grunts mustering her strength.

 112.

DANI
She’s just gonna put the blame on
you, asshole.

The Neckbeard turns back to Dani. A murderous glint in his

eye. Dani stares defiantly up at him.

DANI (CONT’D)
That’s what she said. She can
easily throw you under the bus,
just as easily as me.

The Neckbeard considers this for a moment. Antonio moans in

the corner, still barely alive. The Neckbeard whips his head
over to Antonio.

THE NECKBEARD
Shut the fuck up over there!

He turns back to Dani, slaps her and kneels down to her

level. Danis lip bleeds and she grinds her teeth.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Of course she told you that! It's
all a charade. She was pulling your
strings, manipulating you like a
marionette. You see, deep down in
her twisted heart, she loves me
more than anyone in this entire
wretched world. Do you honestly
believe she would dare jeopardize
her life's grand masterpiece for a
pitiful drug addict like yourself?
Ha! Such delusions only serve to
amuse me.

Dani spits a bloody glob of spit right in The Neckbeard’s

face. He slaps Dani so hard the chair almost falls over. The
Neckbeard wipes his face off.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Clearly you remain vengeful and
lucid. No matter. I suppose I’ll
just take the last thing you have
left: Your mind. It’s not like it
matters, we have dozens of other
worthless drug dealers we can pin
this on. I’ve got a few backups of
my own.

The Neckbeard then opens up his trench coat and reveals a

myriad of drugs and drug apparatuses. He grabs a syringe
filled with bright blue liquid Neo.
 113.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

So now you see that whatever use
you thought you retained has been
extinguished. In fact, it never
burned half as brightly as you
thought. There truly was nothing
important about you. The only thing
keeping you alive is how copiously
I revel in your pain.

Dani bucks and thrashes in the chair. The Neckbeard grabs her
by the neck and Dani freezes. The Neckbeard injects the
liquid Neo into Dani’s arm.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

I wonder how many doses this is.

He pulls the needle out.

THE NECKBEARD (CONT’D)

Hm, doesn’t matter.

Dani starts shaking. Suddenly, there is a loud knock at the

door. The Neckbeard whips around. He grabs his sword from the
table along with the gun and listens.

Another knock comes, harder.

COP (O.S.)
L.A.P.D. open this door!

The Neckbeard walks over to the front door and stands beside
it.

COP (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Open up now or we will force our
way in!

The Neckbeard stands ready, katana in his hands and gun in

his pocket. Dani watches from his chair, barely conscious.
Her eyes are beginning to flutter and her mouth is slack.

The audio goes completely mute as music fades in.

Scene set to When You Die by MGMT:

The camera flies into Dani’s wide pupil and the scene is
showered in colors and special effects once again. Everything
moves in slow motion and flips to fast motion at different
actions. The fight scene is just a setting for Dani’s trippy
visuals.

In this style: The door flies open from the cop’s battering
ram.
 114.

The Neckbeard slices right through the first cop that enters.
He stabs the second cop through the chest and kicks him away.
He pulls his gun and shoots multiple times. The Neckbeard
takes a bullet in the chest but keeps fighting. He is shot in
the chest twice more and then the head. As his body falls
backwards The Neckbeard morphs into Dani (right as the lyrics
say “you die” at about 1:30 into the song), tied to the chair
and falling into the void.

She falls past her memories and scenes that have passed, but
also strange beings and kaleidoscopic shapes. Aunt Elise, his
friends, the butcher’s face, the red Cadillac, Ishaan, the
bonfire, Zoe, etc. Her body is left behind and her spirit
emerges as these visuals coalesce into one final shape/image.

MUSIC ENDS

FADE TO BLACK

INT. NEWSROOM - DAY

FADE IN

Closeup on one reporter. Serious and solemn, in the middle of

a report.

REPORTER 1
… death toll at Raymond Fouchet's
Hollywood mansion is now at 103 and
this number is rising as more
reports come in and bodies are
found. Police are identifying the
deceased and notifying their
families as we speak. Of those that
were lost, many were beloved actors
and actresses, producers, directors
and filmmakers alike. All victims
were people enjoying a glamorous
night out and tragically killed in
a mass murder.

CAMERA PULLS OUT OF TV

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

CU on hospital room TV, slowly pulling out as the report

continues.

REPORTER 1 (CONT’D)
With respect to the families of the
deceased TVC 5 L.A.
(MORE)
 115.
REPORTER 1 (CONT’D)
will be waiting to release the
victims names until the information
we have is confirmed officially. Of
course Twitter is ablaze with
speculation, thoughts and
grievances as users guess the
identities of celebrities that had
posted from the party and have now
gone completely dark. Information
is sparse right now as press is
being kept far from the crime
scene. However, we have been able
to confirm that this was in fact a
poisoning.

The reporter keeps speaking as we see:

The hospital bed, where DANI lies unconscious with a bandaged

face. She breathes lightly. An IV is plugged in to her arm.
She looks even paler and messier than before. She has dried
crusted blood running down her nose and into her shirt.

Aunt Elise sits on a chair beside DANI, watching the TV

intently. DANI shifts in bed and Elise grabs for the remote
to turn the TV off.

REPORTER 1 (O.S.) (CONT’D)

The method by which the poison was
administered is not yet known,
however sources indicate that all
surviving victims had taken various
amounts of an elusive new drug
called by the street name "Neo"
which we've reported on before here
at TVC 5 L.A. We can speculate that
the drug was mixed with the poison.
It is hard to imagine it would go
on to lead to this horrifying loss
of life in the Hollywood hills.
Again, the identity of the
perpetrators is not yet known, but
what is certain is that this was
something akin to a mass
assassination the likes of which is
completely unprecedented.

The TV shuts off. Aunt Elise comes over to Dani’s side as she
comes to. Her eyes open.

ELISE
Dani.
 116.

She smiles at Dani and she tries to smile back. Elise starts
crying, she hugs Dani, maneuvering gently around all his
bandaging. Elise wipes her tears and shifts from a face of
relief to a face of the dutiful disciplinarian.

ELISE (CONT’D)
I told you selling drugs is
dangerous.

INT. LAWYER’S OFFICE - DAY

Average lawyer’s office. The LAWYER sits at her office and

Elise and Dani sit across from her. Elise is holding her
purse in her lap and looks worried. Dani’s face is mostly
healed.

LAWYER 1
Ms. Chassagne is trying to strike a
deal with the FBI in exchange for
full immunity. As you predicted,
she’s putting you at the very
center of her story, now that
Gordon is dead.

Dani and Elise look at each other.

LAWYER 1 (CONT’D)
I’ll tell you right now, before all
the evidence came in the odds were
really stacked against you. You do
not look good in the audio
recordings she has.

Aunt Elise nervously adjusts her gold bracelet.

LAWYER 1 (CONT’D)
But now, with the security camera
footage and audio from your friend
Antonio’s house, everything’s
changed.

ELISE
Security camera footage?

LAWYER 1
Yes, Mr. Lomeli had a whole array
of cameras set up around his house.
Dani’s phone call with Ms.
Chassagne is damning her deal with
the FBI. You made an excellent
decision going to Mr. Lomeli’s
house that night. Despite how it
ended for him.
 117.

Aunt Elise looks at Dani with surprise. Dani’s expression is

melancholy.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY

Dani sits at the witness stand in the courtroom at Zoe’s

trial. The opposing LAWYER 2 stands in front of her.

LAWYER 2
And what did you know before the
night of the party about what would
happen at said party?

DANI
What would happen? Can you clarify?

The lawyer sucks his teeth.

LAWYER 2
What the plan was, what events
would occur.

Dani looks over at Zoe. She stares forward, numbly.

DANI
All she told me was that she was
standing up to Raymond Fouchet, her
old boss.

LAWYER 2
And did she say why she wanted to
stand up to Mr. Fouchet?

Dani still stares at Zoe. Zoe swallows.

DANI
She told me she was sexually
assaulted by him. And that he
ruined her career out of spite for
denying him. I thought she wanted
to show him she was better than
what he did to her.
 118.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY, SOME TIME LATER

JUDGE
Zoe Alice Chassagne, for 115 counts
of capital murder, 57 counts of
assault with intent to murder and 1
count of felony murder, the jury
finds you guilty and the court
sentences you to serve 115
consecutive counts of life in
prison without the possibility of
parole.

Slow motion as Zoe stands up, expressionless, and the police

take her away (sync this to 2:00 in ‘Wish You Were Here’).
Zoe walks past Dani and doesn’t bother looking at her.

EXT. GRIFFITH PARK

Dani picks up some garbage with other community service

people in orange vests.

EXT. BASKETBALL COURT

Dani cleans up after a local kids basketball game has just

finished, picking up jerseys and bringing them back to the
rec center. She looks numb and exhausted.

INT. BUTCHERY

Dani hands a customer a slab of wrapped meat.

EXT. ISHAAN’S FUNERAL - DAY

As the song reaches the 3:20 mark:

Dani stands next to Aunt Elise, Trent and Ella.

EXT. ISHAAN’S FUNERAL - LATER

Dani and Ishaan’s parents are the only ones left. His mom is
crying and his dads eyes are swollen. Dani stands there
helplessly looking at them.

Ishaan’s dad gives a painfully disappointed shake of the head

as they slowly walk off.

END MUSIC
 119.

EXT. DANI’S APARTMENT

Dani walks out of the lobby through the front door wearing
massive black sunglasses. A moment later she is bombarded by
paparazzi. They all yell questions at her about Zoe’s trial,
the party and various celebrities who died. She says nothing
to them and pushes through.

She climbs into Trent’s car, who honks and revs his engine to
disperse the crowd. They speed off together, away from the
paparazzi.

EXT. UCLA CAMPUS

Dani gets out of the car and shuts the door behind her. She
shoulders her backpack on and starts to walk off. Trent rolls
down the window.

TRENT
Have so much fun at school kid!
Daddy packed you a lunch!

Dani flips him off but smiles despite herself. She puts her
big sunglasses back on and walks onto campus, joining the
crowd of dozens of other students.

THE END

CREDITS set to The Suburbs by Arcade Fire