TICKING BOMB: THE WINDOW

Written by

S. Breckenridge Hood

Based on 3rd Page Prompts: Palm Tree. Frown. Running

INT. AUTOMOBILE - DAY - STALKER POV

We see through the eyes of a stalker out the car window: a tall, handsome and athletic young man, GENGI (23), exits an apartment building, wheeling a bike and carrying a back pack.

CLOSER ON GENGI

He pulls his ringing phone, sees the name on the screen and decides not to answer. As he pockets the phone...

REVERSE ANGLE

Sitting in the drivers seat, a cute but anxious young woman, SCARLET (25), watches Gengi with her phone pressed to her ear.

OUTGOING MESSAGE(over phone)

Gengi here. Leave a message.

Just as Scarlet opens her mouth to leave a message, her eyes widen and she ducks down below the steering wheel.

SCARLET...shit.

She fumbles with her phone, ending the call as...

OUT THE WINDOW

Oblivious, Gengi whizzes past the parked car on his bike

INT. AUTOMOBILE - DAY - MOVING

Scarlet moves very slowly down the boulevard. A few cars ahead of her, Gengi cuts through traffic on his bicycle.

A sudden HONK from the car behind her startles her and rattles her nerves. She turns down a side street.

INT. AUTOMOBILE - DAY - SCARLETS POV

Peering out the parked car, Scarlet can see Gengi through the wide picture windows of a hotel banquet room. He and a group of female caters set out trays of food.

Once again his phone rings. Once again he looks at who is calling, but decides not to answer.

SCARLET(Leaving a message)

Hey Gengi, its Scar. (MORE)

Just calling, you know...I dont want to make things weird...

Scarlets phone looses power, and THE SCREEN GOES DARK. She glares at the device as if it were part of a vast conspiracy against her. She plugs it in to her lighter socket.

ON GENGI - SCARLETS POV

Gengi flirts with two cute, female caterers. The girls laugh, touch his arm, and play with their hair.

EXT. STYLISH CANYON HOME - DUSK

Scarlet sneaks along a hedge at the top of a steep hillside. Below her she can see a large house with distinctive design.

She can also see the edge of a garage where GENGIS BIKE is parked. Large palm trees and shrubbery block her view of the windows. She steps down the hillside...

A light goes on a dining room window, but its obscured by foliage. She scrambles down further to get a better view.

But, in the dim light, she loses her footing...

...and TUMBLES down the hill, rolling over mud and roots, cracking past branches, and tearing through vines and leaves.

ON SCARLET

Finally crashing against a stone wall just below the window.

Stunned, she looks herself over - shirt muddy, skirt torn, knees skinned, and arms stuck with thorns...

...but nothing broken. Shes more humiliated than hurt. She burst into quiet, chest-heaving sobs.

SCARLETWhat is wrong with me...what is wrong with me...what is wrong...

And then her PHONE BUZZES.

She searches for it. Finds it. She looks down at the screen. Its Gengi.

She looks over at the dining room WINDOW, and sure enough hes there sitting at the table, phone at his ear...

...and looking the other direction. He has no idea she is there, bloodied and bruised, only six feet away.

2.

SCARLET (CONT'D)

The phone continues to ring. She gathers herself. Answers.

SCARLET (CONTD)...Hey Gengi.

GENGI (OVER PHONE)Hey Scar. Howre you doing?

SCARLETGREAT!

(more quietly)Great. Im...really good. How...how are you?

Gengi turns to the window. He stares straight out at her.

For a moment shes mortified to the point of paralysis.

INSIDE THE HOUSE - ON GENGI

REVEAL that it has gotten so dark outside that all Gengi can see is his own reflection. Hes smiling at himself.

GENGIIm good. I saw that you called.

ON SCARLET

She watches Gengi brush back his hair, straighten his shirt and look away. Scarlet is relieved but still rattled.

She takes a deep breath. Her voice is collected and casual.

SCARLETOh I just didnt want you to worry...I mean. Im dont want to break up you and Deb. I dont expect anything to change between us. It was just, you know, a thing that happened. Whatever. Im totally cool with it.

CLOSE ON Scarlets face as she stares at Gengi. Hes radiant and inscrutable. He smiles in the uncomfortable silence.

GENGI (OVER PHONE)You sure thats what you want?

She stands. She moves to the edge of the window.

She puts her hand on the glass, as if to touch his face. She opens her mouth, struggles, but cant find any words. Her hands shake, her lips quiver, but she cant speak...

3.