The Scarlet Letter

Happy Thursday, 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 19 of FULL BODY, The International Spa owner Yuri Vlaovic meets Finish albino Beryl Johannessen at a sauna, where he confronts him about having an affair with his wife Mavra ...


INT. BATHHOUSE - SAUNA - NIGHT
Yuri sits with BERYL JOHANNESSEN (30’s),
Finnish albino.
Ghostly white.

Sweating like shit
in the clouds of steam.

YURI
Is good for circulation.

BERYL
Yeah -- but don’t you think
it’s up kinda high?

YURI
(pulls out coke snifter)
I like it high.
Speaking of high,
care for bump?

BERYL
Aren’t we supposed to
be sweating that out?

He smiles.
Takes it.

Does a hit.
And another.

Hands it back to Yuri.
Tucks it back into the folds
of his towel.

BERYL
You’re not doing any?

YURI
Doc said I be careful,
have to watch heart.
Have done daily ration.
(beat, dramatic effect)
I thank you for coming
on such short leash.

BERYL
Yeah, sure.
What’s up?

YURI
My wife.
My dear, departed wife.
I miss her so.
Is not same without her.

BERYL
It was a tragedy --
I’m so sorry, Yuri.
What’s it been --
a year now?

His eyes go glassy.
Try to focus.
Yuri watches.

YURI
Funny thing is,
turns out she’s ALIVE.
And my sources tell me you
HELPED HER fucking TRICK ME.

BERYL
(stares)
I -- I --
(looks down)
I -- can't -- move.

YURI
Is animal tranquilizer.
For rhinos, elephants, big game.
Fucking American kids
call it ‘Special K.’
Some kind of
fucked-up party drug.
Who the fuck would take
something that make you
unable to MOVE?
(shrugs)
But it sell good.

He SLAPS Beryl on the face.
HARD.

YURI
Just business -- huh, sport?
(another SLAP)
But now it’s personal.

BERYL
Please, stop!
I’m sorry, I’ll do
anything you want!

YURI
You got that right,
you adulterous FUCK.

Yuri leans down.
Picks up a brown paper bag.

Pulls out a STUN GUN.
Hefts it in his hand.
Crooked smile.

YURI
She might be a
lying, cheating WHORE,
but she’s my WIFE,
the mother of my CHILD.
And you fucking FUCKED HER.

BERYL
Please Yuri, don’t --
I’m sorry, she said
you were separated,
what do you want, money?
I can --

YURI
SHUT UP!
I’m gonna fry
your fucking balls
like perogi in OIL.

Yuri JAMS the weapon
in Beryl’s crotch.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP!
Beryl SCREAMS IN PAIN.

And AGAIN.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP!

He STUFFS a RAG
in his mouth.

YURI
Fifty-thousand volts
is NOT ENOUGH.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP!
Muffled screams.

Yuri stands.
Pulls a knife out from
the folds of his towel.

Beryl’s eyes blink tears
of terror.

YURI
Now is time for --
Scarlet Letter.
(giggles)
Scarlet Letter,
that is good one --

CLOSE ON
Beryl’s head, from the side.
Yuri leans over,
starts with the knife.

Like pumpkin carving
on Halloween.

IN THE CORRIDOR
Yuri at the
temperature controls.

Turns it up ALL THE WAY.
Pulls Oogie out from
his robe pocket.
Gently pets him.

YURI
Was too hot for you?
Come, we go home.
Break bread.

IN THE SAUNA
Clouds of steam
billow over Beryl.
In permanent dreamland.

A bloody ‘M’ on his forehead.
Like a third eye.