True Grit

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Friday. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 26 of FILLMORE, when rival Pimp Big Curtis tries to steal Fillmore's girl Beverly, he grabs her and take her 'home' and cuff her to his bed for safekeeping. But when Curtis takes her again, Fillmore starts planning revenge ...


EXT. THE STROLL - NIGHT
A group of pimps are hanging out,
watching their girls, shooting the shit.

Beverly walks up to Big Curtis.
Hands him a wad of money.

BEVERLY
Slim ain’t been doin’ right by me.

BIG CURTIS
You made a wise decision, baby.

He takes the money.
Stuffs it in his pocket.
Takes her hand.

BIG CURTIS
Let’s take you out for a spin.
Sample the merchandise.

Beverly giggles. He squeezes her ass. They walk away.

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
Slim walks up to a group of his girls working the track.

SLIM
You ladies seen Beverly?

HOT BLONDE HOOKER
She gave Big Curtis her money.

SLIM
God-DAMMIT.

He turns on his heel and heads off.

EXT. STREET CORNER - NIGHT
Beverly works a new corner
with a couple of Big Curtis’ girls.
Slim comes up to her. Big smile.

SLIM
Baby. There you are.

BEVERLY
I got nothing to say to you.
Get your sorry ass back to Nikki.
That’s who you chose.

SLIM
You got it all wrong, baby.
Nikki’s nothing to me but business.
YOU’RE my girl -- that’s two different things.
(off her look)
Haven’t I been good to you?
Didn’t I get you clothes, taken you
to the finest restaurants and lived in high style?

BEVERLY
There’s more to it than that.
You ain’t been treating me right.
You got lots of other things on your mind.
Big Curtis just got ME on his mind.

SLIM
Pretty soon Big Curtis gonna have you
doing twenty tricks a day.
(off her silence)
You can’t go from a Cadillac to a Volkswagon.
I’d do anything for you, girl.
You’re my number one honey-bunny.

Beverly hugs him. Slim hugs her back. Relieved.
Then watches a HOT CHICK (18) go by.

INT. SLIM’S JOINT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Slim and Beverly walk in the room.
She goes to the bed. Sits.

BEVERLY
You want a little ‘welcome back home’ sugar?
He goes to the dresser. Pulls out a couple things.
Puts them in his pockets. Walks over to her.

SLIM
First we gotta TALK.

Fast as lightning he WHIPS OUT a pair of handcuffs.
SNAPS one on her wrist, CLICK.

FLIPS her over on her stomach, facing down.
SNAPS it to the brass headboard.

BEVERLY
What are you DOING?

He pulls out another pair of cuffs.
SNAPS them on her other wrist, CLICK.
SNAPS it on the other side. CLICK.

BEVERLY
HEY. What the FUCK?

SLIM
You still belong to me.
Big Curtis never called.
He disrespected me.
Let’s see you get back to him NOW.

BEVERLY
(strains against the cuffs)
You fucking ASSHOLE.

SLIM
Now you just sit tight.
Big Curtis and me have some business.
(big grin)
Then you and me can party.

He leans down and tries to give her a kiss.
She WHIPS her head away from him.

EXT. PENNY’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
Slim walks down the street, looking around.
Trying to find Curtis. He goes into the coffee shop.

INT. PENNY’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
Slim looks at the customers. No Curtis. He leaves.

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT - LATER
Slim stands on a street corner chatting
with a couple of his HOOKERS (20’s),
collecting money, getting the lowdown.

SLIM
You SURE you haven’t seen him?

Suddenly a Cadillac comes SCREECHING around the corner.
Big Curtis is behind the wheel, driving like a maniac.

Beverly is in the passenger seat,
still handcuffed to the brass headboard,
hanging out the window, bouncing up and down,
SCRAPING the pavement, leaving a trail of SPARKS.

SLIM
Fat bastard.

Slim walks down the sidewalk. Gets to his car.
Unlocks the door. Gets in. Drives off.

INT. PENNY’S COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
Big Curtis sits at a table holding court
with five other PIMPS in all shapes and sizes,
each one wearing a more outrageous outfit than the next.

Slim walks calmly into the restaurant.
Gets in Curtis’ face.

SLIM
You didn’t call me about Beverly.
That’s in direct violation of the code.

BIG CURTIS
You can go FUCK your code.

SLIM
We have to settle this.

BIG CURTIS
She gave me money, BOY.
I don’t need to tell you SHIT, motherfucker.

He SLAPS Slim in the face. HARD.

GIANT PIMP
Ooh. Someone just got bitch-slapped.

Slim stares at him.
Shakes his head with quiet anger.
Turns on his heel and walks out the door.

INT. SLIM’S JOINT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
We hear the strains of classic country cowboy music over --

Slim. Standing in front of his dresser mirror
wearing a pair of blue jeans in his socks.

There’s a series of boxes on top.
He RIPS one open. Separates the tissue paper --

and pulls out a dress denim COWBOY SHIRT
with fancy stitching on it.

Slowly puts it on. Starts SNAPPING up the buttons.
Tucks it in. Checks himself out in the mirror.

Then opens another, bigger box.
Pulls out a pair of brown leather CHAPS.

Slowly puts them on over his jeans.
Ties them on at the waist.

Steps back from the mirror. Check. Then a black box.
Pulls out a pair of ostrich COWBOY BOOTS
with gleaming metal spurs. SPINS one. Smiles.

Takes them over to the bed. Sits. Slides them on. Stands.
CLOMP-CLOMPS back over to the dresser.

He RIPS open another box.
Inside is a giant, black TEN-GALLON COWBOY HAT.

It looks almost too big, but when he puts it on,
it looks amazing. Another check in the mirror.

Goes to another box. RIPS it open.
He slowly, carefully pulls out a jewel-encrusted HOLSTER.

Ties it to his waist. Another mirror check.
Turns to the side. Yep. Lookin’ good.

Then he opens a polished wooden box.
Gingerly takes out a pair of pearl-handled
Colt 45 LONG-BARRELLED GUNS.

He TWIRLS them in his hands like a pro.
SLAPS them into his holsters.

He opens a dresser drawer.
Pulls out a small derringer and a knife.

Slips the derringer in his back pocket.
The knife in his boot. Looks in the mirror.

Adjusts his hat. Then heads for the door.
A BURNT ORANGE POODLE trots up to him happily.

Wants to go with him.
Slim pats his head and leaves, a man on a mission --