“CLIFF DIVERS”

A short screenplay by

Spencer McDonald

Spencer McDonald	CONTINUOUS DRAFT	
stmcdonald@yahoo.com	October 4, 2006	
		
425-879-9706		

FADE IN:
ext. side street - day
Two young teens, MARK SIDELL and MAX TRUMAN, race their bikes down a steep hill. They are neck and neck. 
Without a blink of an eye they zoom through a red light at the bottom of the hill. Cars screech to a halt to avoid plowing over the boys. 
They start to slow and take a dirt corner with the help of their stretched out legs. Dust plums into the air.
EXT. RIVER BANK – DAY
Both skip rocks across river.
MARK
Dude. How fast were we cruzin’? Seemed faster than a Stealth jet.
MAX
Yep. We was flyin’ alright. Saw some pissed off drivers outta the corner a my eye. Did ya see their tires smoke?
MARK
Yea, that was so sweet.
Max skips a rock almost across the river. Mark sees a fish and heaves a rock to try and kill it.
MARK
Almost killed me a fish.
Now he taunts the other fish near by. He whistles for them to gather.
MAX
Dude. You aint gonna catch a fish with a rock. You need somethin’ faster.
MARK
Faster?
MAX
Yea, like my Daddy does. Sometimes when he’s been drinkin’ he uses an M-80. One time he even used dynamite.
Mark
What happened?
MAX
Them fishies floated to the top all dead. There was head, fins, and half blown apart fishes. It was sweet.
MARK
Well, we aint got no dynamite, but…
Reach around behind his back and pulls out a Glock 9mm. Max jumps away from his gun wielding hand.
MARK
We got somethin’ that’s faster enough to kill a fish.
He cocks the gun then points it at shadows of fish in the river. Max walks close to see what will happen. Both boys are searching the water for their target. Mark begins pointing the gun at a fish.
From behind the boys a BLUE NOVA silently comes to a stop. The door creaks open. A good ole boy named GEORGE BARTLETT, about forty, screams at the boys.
GEORGE
Have you two shit for brains…
Mark glances over at Max with a snide smile on his face.
MARK
Watch this.
Spins and points the gun sideways at George.
MARK
You wouldn’t be talkin’ to us would you?
MAX
C’mon Mark… put it away. You’re gonna get us in trouble.
GEORGE
I am talkin’ to you you two dip shits. Not too smart, you two blastin’ throught that intersection. I almost killed you.
MARK
Guess ya should have.
He pulls the trigger three times. George absorbs the first two bullets and crumples to the ground on the third.
Max pulls at his hair.
MAX
Holy shit. You shot him. Are you insane?
MARK
Whoa. That was awesome. Do you think he’s dead?
MAX
I hope not.
EXT. NOVA – DAY
The boys joy ride in George’s car and smoke his cigarettes. They catch air as they tear through intersections at break neck speeds. On occasions the car actually catches some air.
SFX: Hard core Rap music rages inside the car.
int. nova – continued
Flashes of intermittent blue lights flicker in the rear view mirror. The light catches Marks eye.
Max is head banging to the music.
Mark turns the music down.
MARK
We got us some company.
MAX
Company?
MARK
Yea, cops!
Max spins to get a look. Yep, there’s two black and whites in hot pursuit.
Mark
Well, whadda ya think? Think we can out run them cops? 
MAX
This is getting serious. We can’t let them catch us. Whatta we gonna tell them bout that body in the trunk?
MARK
Don’t worry. We aint gonna half ta tell em’.
He slams the gas to the floor and the Nova pulls away from the pursuing cop cars.
The boys cheer at their driving skills.
MARK
Hang on, I’m gonna make a right up there.
Max braces himself. 
EXT. NOVA – CONTINUED
Mark cranks the wheel to the right. He over steers and the car actually spins all the way around. From a complete stop he zoom off down a dirt road.
The police cars keep chasing with their lights spinning.
INT. NOVA – CONTINUED
Mark sweeps the steering wheel back and forth in wide turns to keep the car straight on the dirt road. The cops are gaining.
MARK
Damn it! Them cops are catching us. 
He pulls the gun out of his waist and hands it to Max.
MAX
Whatta ya doin’?
MARK
You’re gonna half ta shoot em’. Roll down the window and start shootin’.
MAX
I don’t know Mark.
MARK
Do it or I’ll shoot you!
Max begins to roll down the window then stops. He glares at the gun in his hand, then at Mark.
mark
I said to kill them cops! Did you hear me?
MAX
I can’t.
Mark grabs at the gun in Max’s hand. Max bats him away and points the gun point blank at Mark’s right ear.
MARK
(calmer)
Alright man, give me the gun. 
Max keeps the gun trained on Mark and nods “no”.
Again, Mark lunges for the gun. This time Max pulls the trigger and blood and brains platter around the driver’s side of the car.
A bump from the police car is felt. Max looks back then forward. Through the brush is nothing but daylight and large drop over a cliff and into the river and rocks below.
max
Oh fuck!
The end is inevitable. Max cocks the gun and blows out his brains just as the car lunges out into the air and down toward a jaggedy demise.
Ext. CLIFF EDGE – DAY
Two police cars are parked with blue lights spinning. Four cops wander over to the edge of the cliff and look down.

FADE OUT: