From The Mouths Of Babes

Happy Thanksgiving, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 24 of THE HEISTERS, career bank robber Kelsey Hazard pays a visit to her 'special needs' child at his assisted care facility.


INT. ASSISTED CARE FACILITY - DAY ROOM - DAY - FLASHBACK
A large, airy room. Very fancy. Lush carpeting.
Plush furniture. The best that money can buy.

Several SEVERELY RETARDED CHILDREN
sit on the floor and listen to a
PLEASANT-FACED NURSE read them a story.

But it’s hard to tell if any of them
are really listening.

Each locked away in their
own private world.

In a faraway corner,
in front of a big picture window,
Kelsey (30) sits with BURKE (10), her son.

He’s also severely retarded,
with that faraway look in his eyes.
Restless.

Together they’re assembling Legos.
Making a big building of some sort.
Kelsey’s doing most of the work, however.

KELSEY
Good job, Burke.
Now why don’t you show me
where that piece would fit.

Burke stares off into space.
Sticks the Lego brick he’s holding
into his mouth.
Starts sucking on it.

KELSEY
Take the Lego out
of your mouth, Burke.
That’s dangerous.
You might swallow it.

He looks at her blankly.
Pops it in his mouth.

KELSEY
BURKE, NO.

Burke starts CHOKING.
Face starts turning RED.

KELSEY
(looks around)
Somebody HELP, he’s CHOKING --

Out of nowhere, a pair of
BURLY ORDERLIES appear.
GRAB Burke.

Try to get the piece out of his throat.
He starts going into CONVULSIONS.
Writhing and rolling around on the floor.

KELSEY
HELP HIM, HELP HIM!

Big Orderly gives him The Heimlich,
CRACKS his chest from behind.

The Lego goes FLYING out of his mouth.
But he’s still WRITHING and SCREAMING.
They pick him up and take him away.

Kelsey watches them go.
In complete shock. Numb.

A KINDLY DOCTOR (60’s)
comes up to her.
Touches her shoulder.

KINDLY DOCTOR
Not to worry, Ms. Hazard.
He’ll be just fine.

KELSEY
Wh-where are they taking him?

KINDLY DOCTOR
To his room.
They’ll give him a sedative.
Not to worry.

KELSEY
Can I go see him?

KINDLY DOCTOR
It’s best if we leave him
alone so he can rest.
Why don’t you come back tomorrow?

PUSH IN ON Kelsey’s face.
Horrified.
Heartbroken.

KELSEY
I have to go -- out of town --