Love Hurts: Scene Seven

image borrowed from bing

Love Hurts: Scene Seven

Cinemagenic Seven

Terror

1(medium shot) desert sun low
on the blanched horizon.
2(wide shot) frisky pair of coyotes running,
darting between the gray-green sagebrush.
3(sound cue) animals panting.
4(close up) reddish coyote’s head,
tongue lolling.
5(sound cue) drum roll.
6(medium shot in slow motion) two coyotes running,
muscles rippling, tails in the wind,
running flat out.
7(sound cue) twin glass packs riffing.
8(medium shot) camera rises up over
the sagebrush tops to reveal the red impala
roaring along.
9(camera zooms in) we see the three figures inside,
through the dust.
10(three shot over the hood, into windshield)
the two men staring silently; woman behind them.
11(sound cue) harmonica slide.
12(close up) tasha: you guys from around here?
13(two shot) lester turning in his seat
to face the woman.
14(two shot) over tasha’s shoulder--lester:
Shit no, we’re just traveling through.
15tasha: where are you from?
16(close up) lester: you name it,
we fucking been there.
17(close up) owen spits out a toothpick.
18(two shot) lester: man, there was one time
in Vegas--fuck me...
19(medium close up) tasha, forcing a smile.
20lester (VO): we were damned lucky to get out
of there with our asses intact.
21tasha, smile fades.
22(sound cue) Johnny Cash singing,
”killed a man in Memphis,
just to watch him die.”
23(two shot) over lester’s shoulder: you know,
lady, you were just goddamn lucky
that we came along when we did.
24(close up) lester’s stare turning hard,
25(sound cue) heather moans softly
in her fitful sleep.
26(sound cue) saxophone low notes.
27(wide shot) impala moving toward the camera;
flicks it’s lights on.
28(insert shot) late afternoon sun beginning
to take on a red-orange tint
29lester (VO): you little ladies could have been
in a world of hurt, ten kinds of bad.
30(medium shot) owen removing his sunglasses.
31lester (VO): with a sweet kid like you got there,
you gotta be extra careful.
32(insert close up) bob’s face, angry brows:
33bob: who gives a rat’s ass what you think.
Did I ask you to think? Zip it
or I’ll do it for you!
34(insert shot) dark shadows lengthening
from a tall cactus.
35lester (VO): christ, anything can happen
out here--believe me we know.
36(sound cue) jazz bass thunking.
37(close up) owen’s glancing into
the rear view mirror.
38(close up) tasha in the mirror,
then image shifting down
to the slumbering child.
39(medium close up) tasha looking up
and seeing that owen
was staring at heather.
40(reflection in the mirror) owen’s eyes moving
back up to her face, then boldly, coldly,
holding her gaze.
41(sound cue) a rabbit’s death squeal
probably within the talons of a hawk.
42(medium close up) lester: are you sure
this is the right road?
43(medium wide shot) POV from the front seat,
impala turns swiftly onto a side road.
44(insert shot) family of quail squawking,
scurrying to get out of the way of the vehicle.
45(sound cue) acoustic guitar chord.
46(medium shot) from inside the car,
short bumpy ride moving
toward an abandoned school house.
47(close up) impala grill and headlights
as the car stops.
48(sound cue) tires sliding, brakes thunking.
49(medium shot) the side of the school,
the headlights illuminating
some kid’s spray paint graffiti.
50(close up) on the graffiti, two words:
51in red paint: Love Hurts.
52owen (VO): we’re here!

Glenn Buttkus

September 2011

Listed as #27 over on Magpie Tales 86

Would you like to hear the author read this poem to you?
Part One


Part Two