Love Hurts:Scene Eight

Painting by Tom Lea

Love Hurts: Scene Eight

Cinemagenic Eight

Fear

1(close up) owen slams the gearshift into Park.
2(medium shot) impala stopped in front of the old school,
dust settling.
3(close up) tasha: Where? Where are we?
4(three shot) over tasha’s shoulder.
5lester opens the passenger door.
6(sound cue) Indian snake rattle.
7(medium shot) lester steps out of the car, stretches,
and leans back in.
8(close up) tasha, shocked, confused.
9(close up) owen, smiling, staring at the graffiti in the headlights.
10(extreme close up) red spray painted words: Love Hurts.
11(insert shot) badger growling, backing into its den.
12(sound cue) jazz piano riff.
13(medium shot) POV backseat, lester leering.
14(close up) lester: at your destination, honeyface.
15(two shot) both men staring at her, smiling.
16(close up) tasha’s face, mute with fear.
17(sound cue) owl screeching blending into a woman
screaming.
18(insert shot) red-green lizard snapping up a horsefly
with it long blue tongue.
19(overhead crane shot) red impala still traveling down
the dusty desert road.
20(medium close up) lester turning around in the front seat.
21(two shot) over tasha’s shoulder:
22lester: how you doin’?
23(close up) tasha, puzzled.
24lester (VO): you hungry?
25(two shot) over lester’s shoulder,
26tasha: what?
27lester (VO): you want sumptin-eat?
28(medium shot) lester holds out a half-eaten
candy bar.
29(close up) lester’s face, smiling, expectant.
30tasha (VO): uh, no, no--but thanks for offering.
31(sound cue) jazz piano.
32(close up) lester, smile fades.
33(sound cue) lester forces a small laugh.
34lester: shit fire, lady, you could be a little friendlier.
35(close up) tasha, eyes narrowing, brow furrowed.
36lester: so...are you married?
37(medium shot) owen popping the tab on a plastic
water bottle, and taking a pull on it.
38(insert shot) child’s backpack lying beside the road;
hanna montana logo beneath the dust.
39(medium wide shot) red impala streams past it.
40(close up) tasha: no--my husband’s dead.
41(close up) lester: oh--that’s a fucking shame.
42(close up) owen staring into the rear view mirror at tasha.
43(close up) heather, drooling a little on her mother’s lap.
44(gimble shot) over the hood, two men in the front seat.
45(sound cue) thunk of something hitting the grill.
46(medium shot) brown feathers flying up into the air.
47(close up) sparrow imbedded in impala grill, its
head lying over to the side.
48(extreme close up) bird’s dead eye.
49owen (VO): fucking snakes with wings.
50(sound cue) native american flute.
51(insert shot) two baby birds chirping wildly in a nest.
52(insert shot) wildcat staring up at the nest.
53(close up) wildcat’s yellow eyes, calm and lethal.
54(close up) tasha: pursing her lips.
55(close up) lester: who you with now?
56(close up) tasha, becoming angry.
57(medium shot) impala traveling.
58(sound cue) glass pack mufflers high pitch bellow.
59tasha (VO): I live with a truck driver.
60(medium set up) owen looking quickly over his shoulder
at the woman.
61owen: a shack job--pretend marriage; that’s cool.
62(close up) tasha: he’s an asshole.
63(close up) owen, small smile.
64(close up) tasha: I’m leaving him.
65(sound cue) lester giggling.
66(sound cue) castanets.
67(insert shot) a mud daubing wasp stinging a butterfly
to death.

Glenn Buttkus

October 2011

Listed as #24 over on Magpie Tales 87

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