INTRODUCTION
This screenplay was written as an experiment in the art. It is inspired by various short stories and tells the simple tale of two characters in a moment of transition. What I find fascinating about reading screenplays is how, once you extract all the usual fluff of prose and sentence structure, you are left with a sharp and distilled look at character and action. In the reading, the reader is required to fill in many atmospheric and emotional beats.
A Screenplay by JD FitzRoy
EXT. ENTRANCE TO CLUB ‘THE BARN’. NIGHT
A blue neon-soaked front entrance fills the quiet town street with a sticky artificial glow. The entrance is clean, smart and presentable. Like moonlight to a moth, young people are drawn to the light.
Two smartly dressed bouncers stand, like monoliths either side of the doors watching with eagle eyes as young people approach.
ED (45) the older, more experienced of the two, nods toward STANZ (23), directing his attention toward a group of four young lads approaching, dressed in jeans, t-shirts and trainers.
STANZ
No, fellas! You’re not coming in.
BOY 1
What the fuu…?
ED
Aaa! None of that. Rules are rules. Two at a time.
BOY 2
But!
STANZ
You only have one butt, now take it somewhere else.
ED
Put some effort in, look at ya!
BOY 1
Come-on, let’s go to The Purge, they’ll take our cash!
Rebellious, the lads turn and walk away. Boy 1 turns back to display his middle finger. Stanz begins to move forward but Ed holds him back, smiles with simple ease.
ED
They’re just young.
Stanz gives his mentor a sideways glance.
ED (CONT’D)
Oh, look what we have here.
A taxi cab stops and two young women ROXI (21) and EMILY (22), approach the club, skimpy skirts and tops appear two sizes too small. They shimmy their skirts down and giggle as they wobble on high heels, gather themselves and approach the door arm in arm.
ED
Isn’t that Roxi?
STANZ
I don’t know.
Ed flashes Stanz a raised eyebrow over smiling eyes.
ED
Hey, welcome ladies, good choice.
EMILY
Thanks, fellas. Busy night?
Roxi’s eyes flick toward Stanz with a sly smile.
STANZ
Not yet. But the night’s young.
ED
Celebrating?
EMILY
Roxi’s leaving me.
ROXI
Oi!
STANZ
You’re celebrating that?
Roxi punches her friend’s upper arm, then turns to Stanz.
ROXI
You’re looking smart.
Stanz stands proud, straightens his collar.
STANZ
You like the suit?
ED
Okay, okay, come on you two, in you go ladies, have a good night.
EMILY and ROXI
We will.
Emily grabs Roxi’s arm, together they pass the bouncers and enter the night club.
Ed studies Stanz whose eyes are fixed on the door, beaming like the sun. Ed starts laughing as if he can read the younger man like a book.
STANZ
What?
ED
I’m sayin’ nothing.
INT. ‘THE BARN’ CLUB — LOUNGE AREA. NIGHT
A velvety dark space swathed in rich blacks punctuated by sharp spotlights, drifting smoke on waves of pounding sounds. To one side, a bar surrounded by young men and women like birds at a watering hole, on the other, a selection of quieter lounge booths.
Stanz spots Roxi in a lounge booth and approaches. Roxi and Emily are seated close, giggling over two bottles of ‘Smearnoff Ice’, each with a straw. They are clearly tipsy.
STANZ
Hey.
ROXI
Oh! Hey.
EMILY
Hey.
STANZ
Good night?
EMILY and ROXI
You bet!
With timing almost perfect, they look at each other and giggle.
ROXI
The position suits you.
Roxi glows and Emily rolls her eyes.
STANZ
Thanks. Haven’t seen you in ages.
ROXI
Well, Emily and I decided to knuckle down, y’know.
Stanz nods, smiling warmly. Emily reads the situation, makes an excuse to leave. She leans toward Stanz as she passes.
EMILY
Don’t get any funny ideas, you.
Stanz holds up his hands in surrender.
EXIT Emily. Stanz slides from the seat back into the sofa opposite Roxi.
STANZ
Did you do well?
Roxi’s eyes light up with passion.
ROXI
Yep! Got a First. And a job with Greenpeace!
STANZ
Wow! Good for you. Is that where you’re off?
ROXI
Yeah, going to Gothenburg for a bit.
Stanz’s shows a hint of puzzlement. Roxi seems to identify it almost immediately.
ROXI (CONT’D)
It’s in Sweden.
STANZ
You look good. Put some real effort in.
ROXI
Always the charmer.
STANZ
Guilty. So, when you off?
ROXI
Monday.
STANZ
That soon, huh?
ROXI
Yeah, can’t wait.
STANZ
Don’t like this town?
ROXI
No, it’s not that.
Stanz raises an eyebrow suspiciously.
ROXI (CONT’D)
Well, okay, a little. Maybe you should get out.
STANZ
Really? What more’s out there that I can’t find here?
ROXI
The whole wooorrrld! There’s people who need help, there’s things to see, food to taste! . . .
Stanz bursts into laughter.
STANZ
You’re an idealist.
ROXI
Guilty. Never wanted to get away?
STANZ
No. Not really.
Uncomfortable silence.
STANZ (CONT’D)
You’ve changed. Grown up… well, erm. Matured.
Now Roxi bursts into laughter. Stanz blushes but recovers his composure quickly. Smiles once more.
ROXI
You too. We’re not kids any more.
STANZ
No.
INT. ‘THE BARN’ CLUB — AT THE BAR. NIGHT
Stanz rushes to a sudden disturbance, muscles his way through the growing throng. A fight has broken out close to the bar at the other end of the club. Two young men are squaring up with people trying to move away, some caught in the shock of the moment. MAN 1 (25) brandishes a bottle, the bottom broken providing him with a lethal weapon. MAN 2 (27) is trying to maintain his distance. Both men are smartly dressed but clearly overcome with a drunken rage that seeps through the cloths as if they are shedding a skin to become something else, something ugly.
STANZ
WHAT’S GOING ON!?
MAN 1
FUCK-HEAD!
MAN 2
WANKER!
MAN 1
I’M GONNA KILL…!
Man 1, slashes with the broken bottle, his eyes glinting with a lust for murder. He rushes forward but Stanz manages to jump right between them, slamming him back. Man 1 collides against the bar.
Stanz uses all his strength to subdue the man and get the bottle out of his hand but it’s a real struggle.
Moving out in waves, screams and a great deal of panic as other patrons try to move away.
Meanwhile, Man 2 is not giving up. He is trying to use the moment to launch his own attack on Man 1. Now with attacks from the front and behind, Stanz is finding it difficult to subdue. Punches are thrown, some strike Stanz, others collide with Man 1 and Man 2.
Ed, rushing from the front entrance, muscles through the throng to save his friend but is slowed by the chaos. Man 1 slashes with the bottle and Stanz is not fast enough to deflect or get it out of his hand. It slices through his jacket’s sleeve, into his upper arm. Stanz winces in pain but grits his teeth.
Finally, Ed rushes in and together, they get the bottle away from Man 1’s hand and subdue both men. Lifting them up from behind, frog-marching them through the crowd and out of the club.
EXT. ENTRANCE TO CLUB ‘THE BARN’. NIGHT
As the first light of a new day bleeds into the velvet night, Emily and Roxi exit onto the street. Stanz is standing to one side, collar undone, sleeve rolled up, a bandage around his upper arm. He is taking long drags on a cigarette, one leg up against the wall, nonchalant yet clearly shaken. Roxi notices him, turns to Emily who shows concern.
EMILY
I’ll get a cab.
ROXI
Thanks.
Roxi leaves Emily, approaches Stanz. Noticing her, he straightens up ever so slightly.
ROXI
That was, mad!
STANZ
I hope it didn’t spoil your night.
She appears shaken but smiles against it.
ROXI
No.
STANZ
The police are sorting it out.
Roxi’s eyes drop to his damaged arm and ripped suit.
ROXI
What about… that?
STANZ
Just part of the job, I guess.
ROXI
One of these days, it might be much worse. Doesn’t that concern you?
STANZ
Not really. What about you? You’re off to fight the big war.
She looks inward to contemplate his words.
ROXI
Just gotta face it one way or another.
STANZ
Yes.
Beat.
ROXI
You wanna stay and protect others. I admire that.
With boyish charm as if emerging through the artifice of his position, Stanz smiles and Roxi reacts to it with her own smile.
STANZ
Oh, the day’s of throwing stones in the river are truly gone.
Beat.
Roxi settles on the wall next to Stanz, a little exhausted, she rests her head on his good arm.
ROXI
Life’s so strange. I can’t get over it. I feel unglued from this place. Like I was never really here.
STANZ
Maybe you’ll find a home somewhere else.
ROXI
Maybe.
Silence for a beat. Stanz takes a final drag from his cigarette, flicks it. It flies away like a shooting star.
STANZ
I’m sorry about your night. All you got was a reminder of why you wanna leave!
She smiles, shivered slightly.
STANZ
Here.
Stanz removes his ripped jacket, slips it over her shoulders. They settle back against the wall.
ROXI
I can’t work you out, Stanz. You don’t seem to fit here somehow.
STANZ
Oh?
ROXI
No. I get it. You’re trying to fit in. You’re just not sure.
STANZ
Isn’t that normal? I have a good job. The boss respects me.
ROXI
But for how long?
Beat. Stanz seems a little confused by Roxi’s question.
STANZ
You have a, well, clarity that’s lost here. I think you’ll do great things out there, in the real world.
ROXI
Haha, the real world. It’s all just one big war.
STANZ
Perhaps.
Beat.
ROXI
I’m not that far away. But I suppose it might as well be on another planet to you.
STANZ
What can I say, I’m comfortable.
Silence. They study each other, as if unwilling or unable to come to any kind of resolution for the moment. From her small handbag, Roxi pulls a pen and napkin. It has a print of an owl stamped into one corner, its talons clamped over the word ‘The Barn’. She jots down something.
ROXI
Look. This’ll be my number in Sweden. Stay in touch.
Roxi hands him the napkin and Stanz takes it.
STANZ
Thanks.
He tries to sound nonchalant but her lopsided smile reveals that she can read him clearly.
ROXI
Maybe you can get away some time.
STANZ
Maybe I can.
With a sudden smile, Roxi reaches up and pecks him on the cheek. He blushes slightly and her smile broadens a little more. Emily rushes over. Roxi returns his jacket and, arm in arm, Roxi and Emily depart toward a waiting taxi cab.
The cab pulls way, and after a long moment frozen to the spot, Stanz reaches up to touch his cheek. Then he looks down at the napkin.
He opens ‘The Barn’ logo. Inside, he finds her number next to a heart and the words;
INSERT.
‘Don’t give up the fight. X’
Stanz looks up, the first light of a new day fills the air with a cool blue chill as the dawn chorus begins. The illumination lights a smile on his face.
He turns to enter ‘The Barn’.
© JD FitzRoy 2019
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