ACT 5, SCENE 1, INT: APARTMENT – NIGHT
ROMEO is strapped to a chair with a lot of duct tape. His arms are tied up behind the chair. His legs are taped to the chair legs. His mouth is covered with duct tape that goes around his head. His forehead is bruised and bleeding. His gaze is weak as he floats in and out of consciousness.
MELISSA slaps him across the cheek gently.
MELISSA:
Stay with me, Romeo. We ain’t done yet.
MELISSA walks over to a kitchen counter top where a half-drunk 40, Romeo’s wallet, a towel, plastic bag, a razor, butcher knife, and hammer sit.
CU: HER GLOVED HAND hovering teasingly over her instruments, until she can wrap her hand around the bottle.
She chugs the rest of the beer and burps. Then she takes the bottle and places it gingerly into the plastic bag.
MELISSA:
Can’t leave any evidence, can I?
ROMEO roars to full alertness and struggles against his bonds.
MELISSA:
Now you want to talk? This better be good.
ROMEO is seething in anger. Her death in his eyes.
She moves to remove the tape around his mouth and stops.
MELISSA:
Nah! I like them weak and stupid.
ROMEO roars against his tape, a muffled scream for help.
MELISSA:
Helpless, right? You’re not sure what’s gonna happen next or where help will come from. You’re alone.
MELISSA goes back to the counter and grabs something.
MELISSA:
I bet you a million dollars that’s how Sarah felt when you first hit her; when you and your boys started to pimp her out. She deserved better than what she got. She wanted better, but you keep hurting us and you can’t keep getting away with it!
She attacks him.
FULL FRAME: FOCUS behind her as she stands over him aggressively raking something across his face. ROMEO’S muffled screams go unanswered as he jumps in his chair futilely, feet trembling, hands clenched in pain.
FOCUS on the floor, when MELISSA steps back and throws a bloody razor to the floor.
She breathes heavily and wipes her brow with her wrist. The gloves are bloody.
ROMEO’S cheeks and forehead are bleeding profusely, and he is crying.
MELISSA:
I don’t feel sorry for you. I can’t. Not now. Not ever.
MELISSA grabs the butcher knife. ROMEO starts to freak out and pleads for his life. MELISSA sits on him to keep him still. She slides the knife across his face softly.
MELISSA:
I’m not like you. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for Justice, and it’s coming down on us like a knife…
MELISSA looks at the blade and stands up.
MELISSA:
None of us are gonna be left untouched.
MELISSA puts down the knife and grabs the towel to wipe the blood off her hand. She tossed the knife and towel into the plastic bag.
ROMEO is relived. She leans over to ROMEO.
MELISSA:
Sarah’s dead, isn’t she?
ROMEO doesn’t know how to answer.
MELISSA:
The truth will set you free.
ROMEO nods his head limply.
MELISSA:
Did you do it?
ROMEO shakes his head vigorously.
MELISSA:
I really needed her, but I’m too close now to stop. I got to keep on moving.
MELISSA dumps out the contents of the plastic bag and wraps it around ROMEO face. She pulls and tightens. ROMEO struggles futilely.
HARD CUT TO ACT 5, SCENE 2 EXT BRICKS – FRONT STEPS – NIGHT
MELISSA walks out the apartment calmly. She walks over to a dumpster and full plastic bag into it. It lands with a THUD.
As MELISSA walks away, she pauses in front of the skeleton of the exploded BRICK building.
A LARGE SIGN IN FRONT READS: ASTRO CITY REDEVELOPMENT
MELISSA:
It’s beginning.
MELISSA looks on scared.
ACT 5, SCENE 3 EXT: THE HEIGHTS – BUS STOP – CONT’DS
LEIGH and JAMAL are sitting on a park bench. They are looking up at the stars. JAMAL’S arm is around LEIGH. She slowly rests her head on his shoulders.
JAMAL:
This is nice.
LEIGH:
Maybe it was fate I ran into you.
JAMAL:
Maybe.
LEIGH:
Oh, I didn’t tell you about the angel I saw.
JAMAL:
For real?
LEIGH:
Long story. You coming back to the Bricks with me?
JAMAL:
Maybe.
LEIGH:
You scared?
JAMAL:
I really don’t know what to be more scared of. Loco or your mom?
LEIGH grows silent and stares at her phone.
LEIGH:
Where is she?
JAMAL:
You should try calling her again.
LEIGH:
What’s that gonna do? She’s not showing up.
JAMAL:
How do you know that?
LEIGH:
Because I know her. She makes promises she never keeps. I don’t even know why I expected any different from her.
JAMAL:
It’s alright. We’ll take the bus.
LEIGH:
I feel so dumb.
JAMAL holds her tighter as she cries.
LEIGH:
I hope she stays out of my life this time.
HARD CUT TO ACT 5, SCENE 4 EXT ROAD – NIGHT
TITLE CARD: FEW HOURS EARLIER
A black tinted car zips down the road with no headlights on.
ACT 5, SCENE 5 INT: CAR – CONT’D
MATEO is driving and MARIA is in the passenger seat.
MATEO:
So you’re really going to do this?
MARIA:
As long as the pigs stop those punks, I don’t care. I’ll snitch all the way to the police station if I have to.
MATEO:
You know what I’m talking about.
MARIA and MATEO stare at each other, until the car starts beeping.
MATEO:
See! It’s not gonna stop until you put on your seatbelt.
MARIA:
Oh my god, you need help! Professionally. Like get meds.
MATEO:
I’m not getting a ticket because you refuse to be safe.
MARIA:
I don’t even think that’s how it works.
MATEO:
Put on your seatbelt.
MARIA:
No.
MATEO spots an incoming car.
INTERCUT WITH ACT 5, SCENE 6 EXT: ROADWAY – CONT’D
TINTED CAR with no headlights coming in the other direction.
MATEO flashes his cars high beams.
MARIA slaps his shoulder.
MATEO:
Their headlight’s out.
MARIA:
Why would you do that?
MATEO:
Out of courtesy.
MARIA:
We’re in the hood.
MATEO:
You mean the woods.
DEATH CAR passes by them.
MATEO:
Now who’s being paranoid?
MARIA:
Still you.
MATEO:
Leigh’s calling.
MARIA:
Pick it up.
MATEO:
But I’m driving.
MARIA:
Diablo! Give me the damn phone then.
MARIA goes to pick up the call, until DEATH CAR flips on the highbeams and rear ends the car. The CAR fish tails it off the road and into a tree.
WHITE SCREEN slowly fades into color.
ACT 5, SCENE 7 EXT: ROADWAY – OFF ROADS – CONT’D
CAMERA cranes away from MATEO’S bloody head resting lifelessly on a deployed airbag.
THE CAR’S is totaled and crushed.
Half her body through the windshield, MARIA gasps for airs. She is cut and bloody.
OS CAR DOORS OPEN. DING. DING. DING. And close.
OS FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING
MARIA’S eyes widen in fear and anger.
MARIA:
You assholes. F–
HARD CUT TO ACT 5, SCENE 8 INT: AC BUS – CONT’D
BUS doors snap shut with a bang as LEIGH and JAMAL walk back to take their seats.
JAMAL and LEIGH hold hands as the bus droves off.
ACT 5, SCENE 9 EXT: THE HEIGHTS – BUS STOP
As bus pulls away, the HEIGHTS grow silent and the lights of several stores begin to turn off.
END OF ACT 5