Dead On Arrival

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 4 of BLUE HOTEL, hooker Alona Tal and boozy writer Holly Land have drinks at the dive bar on the first floor of their scuzzy Venice Beach hotel, where they have to fend off the scuzzy advances of a journalist 'doing research.' Then, later that night, Holly hears a trick attacking Alona, so she races in to defend her, with disastrous results ...


INT. THE STARLIGHT LOUNGE - NIGHT
Alona and Holly sit on bar stools.

The joint is deserted,
except for a couple of DRUNKS
sitting at the end watching a ball game
on a shitty little TV above the bar.

They’ve had more than a few.
Both quite drunk.

Holly raises her glass,
takes a swig of vodka.

HOLLY
My parents are REALLY pissed.

ALONA
But you can go back to school, can’t you?

HOLLY
Not really. I got into some -- trouble.

ALONA
What kind of --

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
LADIES. Do you mind if I join you?

Reveal BOB BALL (40), smooth-talking,
good-looking journalist.

A bit scuzzy without a shave
and a serious case of ‘bed head.’
But still with that aura of cool.

He sits on the stool next to Alona.
Grins. Sips his beer.

BOB
Bob Ball, I’m a writer --
doing a piece on dive bars,
and thought I’d scope the joint out.

ALONA
'Joint?'
Read much Mickey Spillane?

BOB
Ooh. Feisty.
Just the way I like ‘em.
(grins)
You gals come here often?

ALONA
We live here.
(off his look)
In the hotel, upstairs.

BOB
Well, that’s certainly convenient.

HOLLY
Is he -- hitting on us?

BOB
Occupations hazard, I’m afraid.
I see a couple of hot chicks,
and I become a heat-seeking missile.
(beat)
Pun intended.

ALONA
(stands, takes Holly’s hand)
Come on, baby.
Let’s blow this popsicle dick.
Somebody turned up the
testosterone too high.

HOLLY
(to Bob)
You talk like -- you’re in a movie.

BOB
(watches them leave)
Nothing ventured, nothing sprained.

INT. HOLLY’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT - LATER
Holly lies in bed, sleeping like the dead.
Mouth open.

There’s a BANGING on the wall.
Followed by SHOUTING.

ALONA (O.C.)
NO, STOP it!
You’re HURTING ME!

Her eyes FLY OPEN.
She WHIPS off the covers.

LEAPS out of bed.
Bare feet SLAP the wooden floor.

HOLLY
Alona !

Holly looks around frantically.
GRABS a pair of scissors off her desk.
RACES out of the room.

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Alona lies on her bed,
trussed up like a pig.

Major bondage action.
Wrists tied to the bed.

A LARGE MAN (30’s) lies on top of her,
pumping up and down.

Fucking the shit out of her.
Alona wriggles and squirms.

ALONA
You’re -- HURTING ME.

Holly CHARGES in,
holding the scissors like a knife.

HOLLY
NO! STOP THAT.

She PLUNGES the weapon into his back.
He REARS BACK like a bull on steroids.

LARGE MAN
OWWW!

He turns around.
Sees Holly. Turns red.

Tries to reach around
and grab the scissors.

LARGE MAN
Fucking BITCH.

Holly GRABS a chair.
SMASHES it over his head. CRACK.

He FLIES off the bed,
HITS the floor, face up.

Plunging the scissors all the way in.
Dead on arrival.

HOLLY
Holy SHIT.

She RACES over to the bed.
Starts untying Alona.

HOLLY
Are you okay?

ALONA
He was a trick, Holly.

HOLLY
(stops)
What?

ALONA
He wasn’t raping me.
He’s a john.

HOLLY
Yeah, right.
And I’m Lady Gaga --

A sharp KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK at the door.

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
HEY. Are you okay in there?

Alona and Holly look
at each other. Shit.

ALONA
(whispers)
It’s the guy that just
moved in down the hall --
(to the door)
Be there in a sec!
(whispers, to Holly)
Cover him with the bedspread
and hide.
(off her look)
DO IT --

Holly RUNS to the bed.
Grabs the cover.

THROWS it over the body.
Dashes into the closet.

Alona RACES over to the door.
Opens it a crack.

ALONA
Hi --

IN THE HALLWAY
Is a large, bald,
friendly-looking GUY (20’s)
with a long goatee.

Meet VERNE.
The new neighbor.

VERNE
Are you okay?
I heard shouting and fighting --

IN THE ROOM
Alona smiles coyly.

ALONA
Sorry about that.
Had a fight with my boyfriend.
I’m okay. He’s gone --

Verne pokes his head in.
Sees she’s naked.

VERNE
Oh.
(stares)
So you’re okay --

ALONA
Yeah. I’m fine.

VERNE
You sure are.
(beat)
Boyfriend’s a lucky sumbitch.

ALONA
We have an --
open relationship.
Why don’t we --
party one of these nights?

VERNE
(aroused)
Shit, yeah.

ALONA
Cool. See ya later.
Gotta crash now. Bye.

VERNE
(as she closes the door)
Later --

The door CLICKS shut.
Holly comes out of the closet.

HOLLY
Holy shit, that was close.

ALONA
Tell me about it --
(thinks)
Shit. Now I’m gonna have to
hang out with him.

HOLLY
The b-bald guy with the gross goatee?

ALONA
Yeah.

She goes over to the body.
Stares at it.

Holly sits on the bed.
Head in her hands.

HOLLY
I’m so sorry, Alona --
I fucked up.

ALONA
It’s okay.
He was a jerk.

HOLLY
(looks up)
So who was he?

ALONA
A rich, kinky asshole.
Scum of the earth.

HOLLY
A, a -- lawyer?

ALONA
Worse --
(beat)
An agent.