Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Trent and Miles

     Trent: Mid forties, Caucasian, male. Soft spoken. Has been in law enforcement for over twenty years and a detective for ten of those years. Is very thorough and methodical in his investigations as well as his life. Has seen a lot and carries it with him. Has always been a bit cynical but is driven by his genuine compassion for people. Is utterly uncompromising in his convictions.


     Simon Miles: Mid-thirties, male. Was declared insane after killing his parents when he was a teenager, but he may have been faking. Has since been found to be sane. He is intelligent, patient, meticulous, and calculating.



Miles, a suspected murderer about whom not much is known, is hiding at a isolated barn in the woods. When he is discovered by detectives Trent and Ben, he is surprised by their presence but seems preoccupied and maybe even slightly afraid of something else. Ben and Trent are here on a an unlikely lead but after days of fruitless searching, it's the only lead they 

           EXT. OLD BARN - TRENT’S CAR - NIGHT 

          Ben follows Trent as he walks to the corner of the barn.         
          Trent peeks around the corner before stepping around it. He      
          scans the woods with the flashlight. Ben checks behind them.     
                                                                           
          Trent steps around the corner.                              
                                                                           
          BAM!                                                             
                                                                           
          A BULLET RIPS PAST him into the dirt.                            
                                                                           
          Trent leaps back. He and Ben draw their weapons.                 
                                                                           
          Miles is on the roof.                                            
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Miles? Simon Miles?                                                                                          
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    Who are you?                                           
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    I’m Detective Baker. I’d like to                       
                    talk to you for a minute if you put                    
                    your gun down.                                         
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    I really doubt you’re here just to                     
                    talk.                                                  
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    And why do you think we’re here?                       
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    You tell me.                                           
                                                                           
          Trent deliberates.                                               
                                                                           
                              TRENT (WHISPERS TO BEN)                      
                    Find a way onto the roof.                              
                                                                           
          Ben nods and silently retreats. Shuts off his light.             
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Simon Miles. You had to know it                        
                    would catch up to you some day.                        
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    "It"? What is "it"?                                    
                                                                           
          Ben creeps silently along the wall. There is no apparent way     
          up on the front of the barn.                                     
                                                                           
          TRENT                                                            
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    It seems a wake of death follows                       
                    after you. Every place you moved,                      
                    it was only a small matter of time                     
                    before someone you interacted with                     
                    met an untimely end.                                   
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    Everyone dies. Everyone’s met                          
                    someone who has died or will die                       
                    but that’s not evidence that they                      
                    killed them.                                           
          
          BEN                                                              
                                                                           
          He stalks down the side. Still no way up that he can see.        
                                                                         
                              TRENT                                        
                    Denver, LA, San Francisco, Seattle,                    
                    Phoenix, and now here. Twelve dead,                    
                    fourteen with the couple from two                      
                    days ago. All dead under the                           
                    influence of the same hallucinogen                     
                    and all interacted with you.                           
                                                                           
          Beat.                                                            
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    Who put that together?                                 
                                                                           
          BEN                                                              
                                                                           
          He reaches the corner and stops. Cautiously peers around the     
          corner. No way onto the roof.                                    
                                                                           
          TRENT                                                            
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    "The best laid plans."                                 
                                                                           
          Beat.                                                            
                                                                           
                              MILES                                        
                    Every thing you mentioned is purely                    
                    coincidental and not even                              
                    circumstantial. So either you’re                       
                    here in official capacity for some                     
                    other reason or you’re here                            
                    unofficially chasing a very weak                       
                    and outrageous theory. What exactly                    
                    is it you are intending to do?                         
                                                                           
          Ben rejoins Trent. Ben shakes his head and Trent nods.           
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    The agency that I work for has been                    
                    keeping its eye on you and has                         
                    authorized me to handle situations                     
                    like this at my discretion. This                       
                    leaves you two options. You toss                       
                    your gun then bring yourself down                      
                    so I can arrest you, or me and my                      
                    partner cut you down in cross fire                     
                    while defending ourselves from an                      
                    armed suspect.                                         
                                                                           
          Silence.                                                                                                       
                                                                           
                              TRENT (WHISPERS TO BEN)                      
                    Go back around. Get into position                      
                    so you have a shot but make sure he                    
                    doesn’t see you.                                       
                                                                           
          Ben nods.                                                        
                                                                           
          A THUD from around the corner. Trent sneaks a quick peek. A      
          handgun lies on the ground. He motions for Ben to stay put.      
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Good choice Simon.                                     
                                                                           
                                                
                                                                     
                                                                           
        
Trent 

Scene 2

Detective Trent Baker and his partner of two years Detective Ben Taylor (he's mid-20's) are staking out the house of a suspected murder.


           INT. TRENT’S CAR - NIGHT                                              
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    I think I like stake outs.                             
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Wait till you’ve done more of them.                                                                     
                              
                              BEN 
                    How do you get through them?     

                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    I usually bring along a book or                        
                    two.                                                   
                              BEN                                          
                    What do you like to read?                              
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Glove box.                                             
                                                                           
          Ben opens it and pulls out a book.                               
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    "True Paranormal Encounters". Huh.                     
                    I didn’t think you were the type.                      
                                                                           
          Trent grabs it and chucks it in the back.                        
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    Okay.                                                  
                                                                           
          He looks back at Miles’ file. Grimaces.                          
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    Simon Miles. Man, how does a kid                       
                    get like that? I mean, you don’t                       
                    just decide one day that you’re                        
                    going to cut up your parents with a                    
                    kitchen knife, you know? And then                      
                    he claims he was possessed? What                       
                    had to happen to him?                                  
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    It wasn’t something that just                          
                    happened, it was a lot of things.                      
                    Years of dysfunction and abuse,                        
                    problems that never got addressed                      
                    that built up until he just                            
                    snapped. If you know something is                      
                    wrong and you continue doing it,                       
                    you don’t get to decide where it                       
                    ends.                                                  
                                                                           
          Ben is a little surprised.                                       
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    You sure you don’t believe he was                      
                    possessed?                                             
                                                                           
          Trent gives him look.                                                                                                   
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    We all have a sense of right and                       
                    wrong. But people have an                              
                    astounding capacity for                                
                    justification and self-deception.                      
                    They repress their God-given                           
                    conscience and we get a world like                     
                    we have today. People convince                         
                    themselves they can sin without                        
                    consequence or that there is no                        
                    sin. Or they don’t care one way or                     
                    the other and end up butchering                        
                    their parents with a kitchen knife.                    
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    That’s very philosophical of you. I                    
                    thought I was the religious one.                       
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    I’m not stupid enough to not                           
                    believe in a God. People just don’t                    
                    want to believe in one because that                    
                    might mean they can’t do what they                     
                    want. In the case of Miles, I                          
                    believe he’d had it with his                           
                    parents and decided to kill them                       
                    and then claimed to be possessed so                    
                    he would get off on an insanity                        
                    plea.                                                  
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    You’re telling me a kid who does                       
                    something like that doesn’t have a                     
                    serious mental problem?                                
                                                                           
          Trent is quiet for a moment.                                     
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    When I was a rookie back in Idaho,                     
                    there was a guy I knew named                           
                    Terique. Really nice guy, had a                        
                    wife, Sherry, and two kids. Didn’t                     
                    know him all that well, just seen                      
                    him a few times when I was hanging                     
                    out at the bar with the guys. One                      
                    day we get this call for a domestic                    
                    disturbance. I was surprised when                      
                    Terique answered the door. Whatever                    
                    it was, it was over by the time we                     
                    got there. He answered the door.                       
                    Said he didn’t know why the                            
                    neighbours called us. The kids had                     
                    just been playing around and                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                    knocked over a vase. He invited us                     
                    over for a barbecue a couple days                      
                    later. He said it was an apology                       
                    for the waste of our time. Looking                     
                    back, things were a little                             
                    different with them that day but I                     
                    didn’t notice at the time. (beat)                      
                    The next week we got another call.                     
                    As I pulled onto their block, I                        
                    passed Sherry almost running on the                    
                    sidewalk, crying. Terique said it                      
                    wasn’t anything and closed the                         
                    door. I caught up with Sherry and                      
                    she said they just had a fight and                     
                    I shouldn’t worry. (beat) A couple                     
                    days later another call came in.                       
                    Someone else took the call but I                       
                    found out that they got there right                    
                    after the call was made and Sherry                     
                    answered door. Her nose was                            
                    bleeding and her face was starting                     
                    to swell. They hauled him down to                      
                    the station for 24 hours and fined                     
                    him. I showed up at his house that                     
                    night and... let him know what                         
                    would happen if he touched her                         
                    again. (beat) Three days later we                      
                    got a report of gunshots at his                        
                    house. Me and three other cars                         
                    showed up at the same time but I                       
                    kicked the door in. Sherry was in                      
                    the kitchen. She had been knocked                      
                    out of her chair by the shotgun                        
                    blast that had blown her head                          
                    apart. The kids... The kids were in                    
                    the corner. The boy shielded his                       
                    sister but it was pointless. The                       
                    first shot killed him and knocked                      
                    him on top of her. Terique finished                    
                    her off point blank. Just as we                        
                    started looking for him he walks in                    
                    the back door covered in blood and                     
                    brain matter and acting like                           
                    nothing happened. (beat) I put a                       
                    bullet through his eye.                                
                                                                           
                              BEN                                          
                    He came at you with the shotgun?                       
                                                                           
          Beat.                                                                                                            
                                                                           
                              TRENT                                        
                    Yes.

Ben looks over at him. From Trent's tone it's apparent that no, Terique did not. 
Jeremy and Spence


     Spencer: 16 (older and able to pass for 16 is okay), Caucasian, male. Has a snarky sense of humor. Is best friends with Jeremy and although he can be domineering and manipulative, he does genuinely care for him.


     Jeremy: 16 (older and able to pass for 16 is okay), male, athletic. He's an honest, loyal friend. Has a mild resentment of his very conservative Christian upbringing. Is integrous but doesn't like confrontation and has trouble standing up for himself. Has been best friends with Spencer for about two years. They met when his family starting attending Spence’s church.

Scene 1

Best friends Spence and Jeremy are about to head out on an overnight camping trip. Jeremy's parents, who are currently away, have forbidden him to go unless the boys are accompanied by Ben, Spence's older brother. Jeremy sees Spence bike up to his house, alone, even though he promised Ben would come. 


           EXT. JEREMY’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS                                 
          Spence skids to a stop.                                          
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    Where’s Ben?                                           
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    The turd bailed on me at the last                      
                    second. Seriously, this morning he                     
                    just walks out and says he’s doing                     
                    something else. I swear the only                       
                    reason he exists is to piss on my                      
                    life.                                                  
                                                                           
          Jeremy just looks at him in disbelief.                           
                                                                           
          Spence knows he doesn’t buy it.                                  
                                                                           
          Jeremy turns.                                                    
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    You freaking infant! We’ve been                        
                    planning to do this for weeks and                      
                    you’re just going to walk out                          
                    because your parents pull something                    
                    at the last minute? Come on! As far                    
                    as they know Ben is going with us                      
                    and that’s all they’re going to                        
                    know unless you tell them. Act like                    
                    a man for once and just do                             
                    something you want to do!                              
                                                                           
          Jeremy steps inside and closes the door.                         
                                                                           


Scene 2
 







While on their camping trip, Spence and Jeremy return to their camp after running into Ben, who apparently came to check up on them.
 Spence and Ben got into an argument after which Spence stormed away.



           EXT. CAMPSITE - DAY                                                                 
          Spence storms into camp with Jeremy trailing behind. Spence      
          furiously paces as Jeremy awkwardly stands by. Spence throws     
          a log and yells.                                                 
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Who does he think he is? I can’t                       
                    even take one little camping trip                      
                    without him screwing it up! Like                       
                    I’m an infant who’s too stupid not                     
                    to kill itself if it isn’t watched                     
                    every second.                                          
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    Yeah, it sucks being treated like                      
                    kids all the time.                                     
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Yeah! No kidding! Man, my parents                      
                    telling me what movies I can and                       
                    can’t watch, what games I can’t                        
                    play, who I can hang out with, and                     
                    not only that, but they have the                       
                    nerve to tell me how I should live                     
                    the rest of my life even when I’m                      
                    not living at home! And Ben’s got                      
                    this mission to control my life and                    
                    make sure I’m not doing anything he                    
                    doesn’t like. There’s only so much                     
                    a guy can take, you know?                              
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    I know. My parents hardly let me                       
                    hang out with anyone, even from                        
                    youth group. Like any kid who                          
                    wasn’t raised by their standards is                    
                    going to be a bad influence or gay                     
                    or something.                                          
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    They think someone in youth group                      
                    is gay?                                                
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    My dad does.                                           
                                                                           
          Spence laughs.                                                   
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    No way! Who?                                           
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    Russ.                                                  
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Why, just because he kind of has a                     
                    lisp?                                                  
                                                                           
          Jeremy nods.                                                     
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    I knew your were parents bad,                          
                    but...!                                                
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    Honestly, they don’t even really                       
                    like me hanging out with you that                      
                    much.                                                                                                     
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Seriously?                                             
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    Yeah.                                                  
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Well screw them! (beat) That’s what                    
                    pisses me off! They think we’re                        
                    incapable of making any decisions                      
                    on our own so they try to control                      
                    everything we do and force us to be                    
                    who they think we should be. Damn                      
                    it! It’s insulting!                                    
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    At dinner last night, in front                         
                    of everyone, my dad gives me like                      
                    this twenty minute prepared speech                     
                    about how to be safe camping and                       
                    how I shouldn’t let any bad habits                     
                    you may have rub off and I should                      
                    try to steer our conversations                         
                    toward God. He even gave me a list                     
                    of Bible verses to bring up for                        
                    discussion since we wouldn’t be at                     
                    church. Like I’m going to hell if                      
                    I’m not thinking and talking about                     
                    the Bible 24/7. And this is all                        
                    right before he drops the news                         
                    about Ben needing to come along.                       
                                                                           
                              SPENCE                                       
                    Who needs it, man? I’d move out                        
                    right now but they wouldn’t let me.                    
                    And I’m pretty sure I can’t get                        
                    emancipated, I checked. So I figure                    
                    I’ll just take advantage of the                        
                    free rent and food and when I’m                        
                    eighteen I’m gone without so much                      
                    as a goodbye.                                          
                                                                           
                              JEREMY                                       
                    I hear that.