film short - for an actor

FADE IN:

INT. CLEAN, CHEAP AND SKETCHY MOTEL ROOM - AFTERNOON

HERO and GF are sitting on the bed kissing. A small carry on suitcase and duffel bag sit near the door. Her jacket lay neatly on the chair adjacent the bed. The curtains are closed and only a single lamp is on in the room. They break their kiss apart and stare in each other's eyes.

HERO

You are my everything.

GF smiles as he continues to stroke her face. They kiss again, slowly at first but quickly grow up into a hurried frenzy. HERO starts to slide his hand up her shirt but she stops hims and breaks away from him. He tries to pull her back into an embrace but she resists and gets up off the bed. HERO is bewildered as GF walks over to the window and peers out between the drawn curtains. She sighs.

GF

You know we can not.

HERO

We can do whatever we want to do.

GF

It would be wrong and you know it.

GF turns to face him, determined to get her point across. HERO gets up from the bed, walks over to GF and puts his arms around her. As he does she turns her back to him and leans her body against his chest.

HERO

This is already wrong. So can't two wrongs make a right?

They both laugh sadly.

GF

I'm tired of lying.

HERO

So lets stop lying.

GF

Are you that eager to die?

HERO snorts and squeezes her more tightly.

HERO

You think I'm that weak?

GF shakes her head no and turns to face him. She looks up at him, her eyes full of tears. He leans down and kisses the corners of her eyes and she smiles. She leans her head against his chest and wraps her arms around him. He holds her. Abruptly he leans towards the window, grasps the curtains with his hands and flings them open. The bright afternoon sunlight falls over them. GF gasps and turns towards the window and tries to close the curtains, but HERO stops her. He shakes his head at her.

HERO

No more hiding. No more lies.

GF

Don't be foolish. We can not tell the truth, ever.

HERO

No, but we can run away.

GF looks at him curiously, suspicious and intrigued.

HERO

I have been saving money, for years. Hoping to one day buy my mother a proper house (INSERT EITEHR WORDS/ACTION OF WHICHEVER RELIGIOUS BELIEF YOU LIKE - 'rest her soul', etc...) But now, I am free to do with it otherwise and I want to use that money to give us a new life. A life free from crime, from this poverty, from secrets, from his control.

GF

Its not possible. They would find us.

HERO reaches into his jackets inner pocket and pulls out two passports. GF takes them, opens them, looks through them and then looks up at him with surprise.

GF

How?

HERO

I have my many talents my love. Please, come with me. Run away from this terrible life with me.

He reaches again into his jacket's inner pocket, pulls out a small box, takes her hands with his and kneels down on one knee in front of her.

HERO

Be with me forever and I will always make you happy.

He opens up the box to reveal a small but beautiful engagement ring. GF gasps as he takes the ring out of the box, takes her by the hand and slides the ring onto her finger.

HERO

Make me the happiest man in the world and say you'll be my wife?

Tears flow down GF's face as she pulls him to his feet and jumps into his arms.

GF

Yes! Yes! Yes!

HERO spins her around in a twirl before setting her down on the ground.

HERO

We must leave quickly. Before he realizes your trip is a ruse.

GF

You mean my aunt isn't ill?

HERO slyly shook his head from side to side. She smiled and kissed him before grabbing her jacket. HERO opened the door to the hotel room, grabbed her suitcase and as he went to step out the door he suddenly flew backwards into it. He hit GF on the shoulder with his body as flew back and landed roughly on the floor.

GF screamed as she fell to the floor. She looked up to see three large thugs saunter into the room. One held a bat and was swinging it around lightly. One had a shotgun leaning against his shoulder the other armed gunslinger style with a holster bearing two large pistols.

HERO sprawled on the floor on his stomach groaned as he slowly pulled himself to his knees. The thug with the bat swung low and hit HERO in the midsection and sent him rolling over and into the wall. The other two thugs chuckled as GF shrieked at them, begging them to stop.

One of the thugs grabbed GF and roughly pulled her to her feet. She tried to fight against him but he quickly overpowered her and dragged her out of the room. THE thug with the bat kicked HERO in the abdomen and laughed as HERO spat blood and moaned in pain. He leaned down, grabbed HERO by the shirt collar, held his head a few inches off of the ground and repeatedly punched HERO in the face. He let HERO's head fall to the ground and kicked him in the ribs.

BAT THUG

Be lucky you get to live at all. Boss says leave town by nightfall or find yourself in a grave by dawn.

The thugs left the room, taking the suitcase with them, laughing loudly. HERO, curled up in a ball rolled over to his side and passed out.

INT. MOTEL BATHROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

HERO stands hunched over the bathroom sink. The water is running and the sink is wet with splashed water and blood. A blood soaked towel sits next to the sink on the counter. HERO coughs and hacks into the sink, a tooth along with blood falls into the sink and clatters around before falling down the drain.

He puts his hands on either side of the sink and chokes back a sob. He looks up into the mirror above the sink and his face is full of distraught. His body shakes and he struggles to not give in to his grief and angst. His eyes threaten to tear over briefly before an angry glare glistens across them. His breathing becomes strained as he grows angrier by the second. His body begins to tremble again and he lashes out, punching the mirror. It shatters beneath his fist.

THE SUN BEGINS TO SET

HERO looks towards the setting sun. He was no longer sure of anything. HERO wanders towards the window and takes the curtains in his hands. He stares out at the setting sun. His mind running in overdrive. Slowly he closes the curtains. He turns back towards the bed, defeat written all over his face. He walks over towards the desk, takes the his wallet off of it and stuffs it in his back pocket.

His head hung low he slowly shuffles towards the motel room door. With his hand on the door knob he casts one last sad pitiful look back at the room. With a heavy sigh he turns back to face the door.

A SMALL SLIVER OF SUNLIGHT GLISTENS ON THE FLOOR

HERO stops and looks at the floor. He lets go of the door and walks over to where he just saw a glitter of light on the floor. He kneels down and picks up the engagement ring he had just given GF. His hand slowly clenches around. His breathing grows more and more rapid and his face contorts with rage and anger and he lets out a roar.

HERO

No more lies.

And with a sudden burst of new energy he jumps to his feet, a new look of determination on his face and he rushes out the door.

EXT. BOSSES MANSION - AN HOUR LATER

Two thugs stand guard outside the front entrance of the gated mansion. Dogs can be heard growling and barking in the near distance. The house is brightly lit but otherwise quiet. A lone security man stands at the entrance of the gate.

The two thugs are joking about the earlier escapade. The sound of grass rustling catches their attention. The thugs look at each other.

THUG 1

Its too quiet.

The other thug nodded in agreement and pulled the radio off of his belt and held it to his mouth.

THUG 2

Forest ranger to Big Daddy, over.

Thug 2 waited a moment and they both listened to radio static.

THUG 2

Forest ranger to Big Daddy, do you copy?

Again he waited and heard only static. He nodded to THUG 1 and THUG 1 broke off in a trot towards the main gate.

POV THUG 2: As THUG 1 disappears into the darkness he suddenly falls over and down to the ground.

THUG 2 notices, puts the radio to his lips and then falls over to the ground. Out of the shadows HERO emerges.

A GROWL IS HEARD FROM BEHIND

HERO turns around to see a dog emerge from the bush. He pulls a steak out from his bag and tosses it onto the ground. The dog eagerly chows down and HERO lets himself into the house.

INT. MANSION FOYER

HERO enters into the foyer which is empty. He quickly makes his way into the next room.

INT. MANSION ENTERTAINMENT ROOM

A man is standing behind a bar preparing drinks. Two other men are sitting on the couch watching a sports game. Someone scores and they all cheer loudly. In the far back of the room a door is slightly ajar and a light pours out of it.

The man behind the bar finishes his drinks and takes them to the room, leaving the door mostly closed.

HERO peeks into the room, sees the two men and shoots them silently with his silencer. He glances around the room quickly then continues straight towards the door. As HERO reaches the door the man who made the drinks exits. HERO steps back towards the bar and lets the man, unaware of his presence, walk past him. As he steps past HERO, HERO hits him over the head with his gun and catches his body as the man goes unconscious. He lowers the body gently to the ground.

HERO steps up towards the door and peeks in.

POV HERO: BOSS IS SITTING BEHIND HIS DESK DRINKING AND ADDRESSING SOMEONE TO HIS RIGHT. TO

THE RIGHT OF BOSS IS GF, TIED UP, BOUND, GAGGED AND A FACE FULL OF BLOOD AND TEARS.

INT. INNER OFFICE

HERO burst through the door, gun held high and aimed at BOSS. GF sees him and tries to cry out through her gag.

HERO

Let her go.

BOSS laughs.

BOSS

Did you really think I would let a scumbag like you sully my niece?

HERO

I've done no such thing.

BOSS

Poor little boy, did she fill your head with promises of riches?

HERO

We don't need your money.

BOSS

Oh? Think you can be a big time crime lord like me? Think you can provide for her without my help?

HERO

We don't need you or anyone else.

BOSS

Such big talk for a little man.

HERO

Just let her go.

BOSS

Or what, you'll kill me?

HERO shakes his gun towards BOSS and fires a shot. It blasts a small statue that is behind BOSS.

HERO

Try me.

BOSS shakes his head slowly from side to side and 'tsk tsk's'. HERO holds the gun steady.

BOSS

Alright.

BOSS smiles and cocks his head as THUG 3 slams into HERO from the side. The gun goes flying from HERO's hand and they both go flying to the ground. THUG 3 quickly gets to his feet and as HERO does the same THUG 3 punches him in the face. HERO rolls on the ground towards GF. He smiles weakly at her as THUG 4 joins the fight and pulls HERO to his feet.

THUG 4 lifts HERO over his head and throws him towards the desk. HERO lands on the desk and slides across it as BOSS leans back in his chair and sips his drink. HERO rolls off the desk and onto his feet. THUG 3 throws a punch but HERO blocks it and punches him in the gut. They exchange a few punches and THUG 3 is hunched over when THUG 4 comes in to punch HERO and HERO quickly pulls THUG 3 into the line of fire. THUG 3 and HERO both fall to the ground.

HERO pushes THUG 3 off of him and is pulled to his feet by THUG 4 who punches him twice in the face. HERO punches him in the kidneys a few times before THUG 3 grabs his arms and tries to pin them behind his back. The two struggle and HERO pushes against the wall, slamming himself into THUG 3 repeatedly until THUG 3 lets go. HERO ducks to avoid a punches simultaneously from THUG 3 and THUG 4. THUG 3 is knocked unconscious.

THUG 4 rushes towards HERO and the two fall to the ground. They roll about the ground trying to strangle each other. HERO finally lands a blow to THUG 4's head who then falls off of HERO. HERO gets to his feet and kicks THUG 4 in the stomach and he rolls over. THUG 4 tries to get to his feet but HERO kicks him in the head, knocking him out.

HERO turns to face BOSS who now looks a little scared beneath his stony mask of anger. His hands are beneath his desk.

BOSS

I'm sorry its come to this.

SLOW MOTION: HERO glances over towards GF who has a gun in her hands. She tosses it towards him. He grabs the gun midair as BOSS pulls a gun out from under his desk. Both men aim their guns at each other and pull the triggers.

THE SOUND OF GUNSHOTS ECHO LOUDLY

BOSS flies backwards out of his chair, a large spattering of blood appearing on the wall behind his seat. HERO falls to his knees, his hand clutching his left shoulder. GF cries out through her gag.

HERO gets to his feet, stumbles over to GF and falls down to his knees before her. She holds a hand over his shoulder wound as he unties her gag and hands. She rips a piece of fabric off of her skirt and shoves it under his jacket and over his wound. She rips a second piece of fabric and ties the fabric onto the wound.

Together, hand in hand, they stand up and walk away.