Short screenplay for the October 2018 Halloween contest.


The Draw

FADE IN:

EXT. ENDLESS DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY

A pickup truck zooms along the highway.

                       CLARENCE (V.O.)
           Are we there yet?


INT. EDDIE'S PICKUP TRUCK (MOVING) - DAY

EDDIE at the wheel, CLARENCE riding shotgun, both early
20s, brothers.

                       EDDIE
           I swear to God I will beat you
           with a tire iron if you ask me
           that again.

                       CLARENCE
           You never give me an answer!

                       EDDIE
           Use your goddamn eyes and look!
           Do you see anything? No you don't,
           you goddamn cretin.

                       CLARENCE
           Have you ever wondered about the
           origin of the word "cretin"?

                       EDDIE
           No I have fvcking not.

                       CLARENCE
           Well that's weird 'cause you use
           it a lot.

Eddie sucks in deep breaths, trying not to blow a gasket.

                       CLARENCE
           Hey!

Clarence points ahead, there's weary sign at the side of
the road, DESPAIR POP. 44. They zoom past it.

                       CLARENCE
           Maybe they've got a McDonalds.

                       EDDIE
           Is there a single fvcking moment
           in the day when you're not hungry?

A turn-off comes up.  Eddie sighs.  He slows and takes the
turn-off. Clarence beams.


EXT. THE TOWNSHIP OF DESPAIR - DAY

A motley collection of run-down old buildings centered
around a "main street".  A saloon faces the hotel.


INT. EDDIE'S PICKUP TRUCK (STOPPED) - DAY

                      EDDIE
          Looks like we went through a time
          warp.

                      CLARENCE
          I don't see a McDonalds.

                      EDDIE
          Let's try the saloon, maybe they
          serve food.


EXT. DESPAIR MAIN STREET - DAY

Eddie and Clarence climb out of the truck. Eddie locks it
with his remote, BEEP BOOP. They head for the saloon.


INT. SALOON - DAY

Dark and dusty, there's no one here, just empty tables.

Looking outside, we see Eddie and Clarence approach.


TRANSITION INTO SALOON

Eddie and Clarence enter and as if by magic, the saloon
has transformed, PIANO MUSIC plays, CUSTOMERS stand at the
bar and sit at tables, making hubbub conversations we'll
never hear.

Eddie and Clarence make their way to the bar counter, where
MOLLY, mature but charming, greets them with a big smile.

                      MOLLY
          Gentlemen, what can I get you?

                      EDDIE
          My bro and me sure would appreciate
          a couple of cool beers, ma'am.

                      MOLLY
          I'm Molly, that's what you'll call
          me. Two beers, coming right up.

Molly wipes glasses and pulls two beers.

                      EDDIE
          Happy to meet you, Molly. I'm
          Eddie and this is Clarence. Sure
          is a nice place you have here.

Eddie notices a drunk on a stool in a corner, nodding off
as he hugs an empty whiskey bottle, this is BUD.

Molly sets two golden, frothy beers on the counter.
Clarence lifts his glass and sniffs, then throws it back
in one. He wipes his lips and nods appreciatively.

                      CLARENCE
          Yep that'll do. Gonna need another
          of those.

Molly smiles, takes his glass, fills it up again.

                      EDDIE
          Molly, would your fine establishment
          also offer food?

                      MOLLY
          Always got a pot of hot stew on
          the stove.

Eddie and Clarence glance at each other.  Why not?

                      EDDIE
          Hot stew sounds great.

                      MOLLY
          Take a seat, I'll bring it right
          over.

Eddie and Clarence find an empty table and sit.  The other
customers stare curiously at these strangers.

                      CLARENCE
          You ever wondered what a goldfish
          feels like?

                      EDDIE
          Maybe they don't get many visitors.

The piano music changes as KITTY steps up onto a tiny stage,
a pretty girl wearing a nice dress, she smiles shyly.

                      CLARENCE
          Are they doing American Idol
          auditions? I don't see any cameras.

Kitty sings a song of her dear Mama and the lone prairie.

                      CLARENCE
          Shoot me through the head.

                         EDDIE
          Shut uuuuup.

Molly sets two plates of stew down on their table, plus
spoons and a plate of crusty bread.

                      EDDIE
          Thank you, Molly.

Eddie and Clarence eat, Eddie's gaze remains on Kitty.

When Kitty finishes her song she gives a little bow. The
customers applaud and Eddie does too, with enthusiasm.

The bar doors swing open and THE MAJOR steps inside, a
tall, sinister-looking Western B-movie black hat villain.

The piano music stops. Every eye in the house is on The
Major. His cold gaze sweeps the saloon.

                      MOLLY
          I don't want any trouble.

                      THE MAJOR
          You hush your mouth now, Molly.

Eddie sees The Major is wearing two gunbelts, each with an
old fashioned Colt six-gun in its leather holster.

                      THE MAJOR
          Any of you boys want to play a
          real man's game?

No one says a word.   The Major sneers with contempt.

                      THE MAJOR
          That's what I thought. Bunch of
          yellow cowards, every one of ya.

                      CLARENCE
          Who the fvck is this guy?

                      EDDIE
          For once in your life, shut up.

Bud, the drunk in the corner, suddenly wakes up and realizes
his bottle is empty. He staggers to the bar counter. The
Major's hawk gaze fixes on him.

                      BUD
          Molly, can I--

Bud sees Molly's fearful look.   He spins round as--

The Major, moving faster than any man should be able to
move, unfastens one of his gunbelts and buckles it around
Bud's waist. Bud tugs at the buckle but it just won't
open. He looks up at The Major, scared witless.

                      THE MAJOR
          You ain't much, but you'll do.

Bud looks to Molly but she shakes her head, she can't help.

                      THE MAJOR
          I'll see you outside. Don't make
          me come back in and fetch you.

The Major turns and walks to the doors, spurs jingling.

                      CLARENCE
          Hey, a$$hole, why don't you leave
          the little guy alone?

The Major freezes. And then his head slowly turns around.
He stares at Clarence and Eddie. Clarence stands up,
ignoring Eddie's urgent warning gestures.

                      CLARENCE
          Yeah, I called you an a$$hole.

                         THE MAJOR
          Interesting.

                      CLARENCE
          You're really not.

The Major blurs as he strips the gunbelt off Bud, then
moves to Clarence and buckles it around his waist instead.

Clarence blinks and realizes what's happened, he tugs at
the gunbelt but it won't budge, what the hell?

                      THE MAJOR
          I'll see you outside. Don't make
          me come back in and fetch you.

The Major exits.  The doors swing behind him.

Eddie gets up and tries to unbuckle the gunbelt.  No joy.

Molly and Kitty join them.

                      CLARENCE
          Who the hell is that guy?

                      MOLLY
          The Major came back from the war
          all twisted inside.

                      EDDIE
          We could sneak out the back, try
          to get to the truck.

                      MOLLY
          That won't work, he'll find you.

                      EDDIE
          Where's the sheriff?

                      MOLLY
          In Boot Hill. The Major shot him.

Eddie and Clarence exchange looks, holy crap!

                      THE MAJOR (O.S.)
          I'll give you one more minute!

Clarence heads for the door but Eddie stops him.

                      EDDIE
          Whoa, this is suicide.

                      KITTY
          He'll kill you if you go out there.

                      EDDIE
          Listen to her, she's talking sense.

                      CLARENCE
          Not got much choice. If I don't,
          he might hurt someone else.

                      EDDIE
          You remember we played cowboys and
          indians when we were kids? We'd
          practice quick draws.

                      CLARENCE
          Yeah but you always won. I kept
          dropping my gun. You called me
          Fumbles McStupid.

                      EDDIE
          To encourage you to do better.
          Try it now. Go on.

Clarence draws the six-gun with incredible ineptness.

                      EDDIE
          At least you didn't drop it.

                      CLARENCE
          He's gonna kill me, isn't he?

Eddie looks at Molly and Kitty.  They both nod, yes.

                      EDDIE
          He's done this before, hasn't he?

                      MOLLY
          More often than you'll ever know.

Eddie racks his brains, trying to think.


EXT. DESPAIR MAIN STREET - DAY

The Major stands waiting.  Eddie's truck sits close by.

Eddie and Clarence exit the saloon. Molly and Kitty follow
them outside but remain on the boardwalk, watching.

                      EDDIE
          Okay, we're doing this.  But there's
          gotta be rules.

                      THE MAJOR
          Rules, in a shoot-out?

                      EDDIE
          You have an unfair advantage. My
          brother here, he hardly knows one
          end of a gun from the other. I'm
          guessing you do.

                      THE MAJOR
          Not my problem.

                      EDDIE
          Is this how an officer behaves,
          Major? What happened to honor?

The Major gives this some thought.

                      THE MAJOR
          Let's hear your rules.

                      EDDIE
          Well, you can't just shoot any
          time you feel like it. There's
          gotta be a signal so you draw at
          the same time. Like gentlemen.

                      THE MAJOR
          I suppose you'll give the signal?

                      EDDIE
          Uh-uh, not me. For all you know
          we could have arranged something
          funny between us. I propose a
          neutral party gives the signal.
              (to Kitty)
          Miss, do you have a handkerchief?

Kitty produces a silk handkerchief and waves it.

                      EDDIE
          When the lady drops her hankie,
          that's when you both draw.

                      THE MAJOR
          I like it.  Let's do it.

                      CLARENCE
           Do I got a say in this?

                      EDDIE
           Not really. Just take your time
           and shoot. Oh, and don't miss.

Eddie nods to Kitty, who raises her hankie. Everyone looks
from The Major to Clarence to The Major. High tension.
The Major grins, he knows how this will end.

Kitty lets go! Eddie's truck goes BEEP BOOP, The Major
spins round, gun in hand, shocked by the noise.

BLAM.

The Major looks down at the bloody hole in his chest.  He
slowly pitches back like a falling tree, dead.

Clarence stares at his smoking gun.  He did that?

Eddie and Molly and Kitty whoop, they all hug Clarence and
jump up and down with excitement. Piano music starts up.

                       MOLLY
           You did it, I don't know how, but
           you did it.

Eddie shows Clarence his remote.  Clarence gets it.

Kitty plants a smacker on Eddie's lips.

                        KITTY
           Thank you.  Thank you.

Kitty and Molly back away, then turn and enter the saloon
together. The doors swing shut behind them. The piano
music stops, the saloon goes dark again.

Eddie has a moment of realization, they're gone. He and
Clarence stand alone in the street. The Major is gone
too. Clarence no longer has the gun or wears the gunbelt.

                       EDDIE
           Time we were leaving.

                       CLARENCE
           What about the stew?

Eddie climbs into his truck, Clarence rides shotgun. The
truck swings around and leaves Despair in a cloud of dust.

                       CLARENCE (V.O.)
           You never give me an answer!

FADE OUT

                                                        Oct 2018