Crossover Dreams

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Hump Day. 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 13 of SPIRAL, after being dumped by Slash, Savannah visits her so-called new boyfriend Danny Boy of House of Pain on the set of his music video, but gets the cold shoulder when he gets a call from his latest conquest ...


EXT. RALEIGH STUDIOS LOT - DAY
The classic arched sign, gate and guard box.
It's a sunny day in East Hollywood.

Shannon's white Corvette
pulls up to the gate.

Bright, cheerful pop music
plays on the car stereo.

SHANNON
Hi.
I'm here for the
House of Pain shoot.
I'm Shannon Wilsey.

The guard looks at his list.

GUARD
Okay, hon.
(pause)
Say, aren't you...

Shannon punches the gas and drives off.

SHANNON
Yes I am!

A second guard comes into
the booth with two coffees.

GUARD NO. 2
I think that was Savannah.

GUARD NO. 1
Shit. I thought so.
I was gonna ask her for her autograph.

CLOSE UP OF NATIONAL ENQUIRER MAGAZINE COVER.
The magazine lies on the guard's desk.

Shannon's beaming face is
splashed across the cover.

The headline screams
SLASH DUMPS PORN STAR GAL PAL.

INT. SOUNDSTAGE - DAY
A giant soundstage.
Three Panavision cameras.

A crane. A dolly.
In the middle is a boxing ring set.

GRIPS, GAFFERS, CAMERAMEN, P.A.'s, WARDROBE,
MAKEUP, RECORD CO. EXECS., PUBLICISTS, AGENTS,
and HANGERS-ON buzz like bees in a hive.

ANDY (V.O.)
Shannon was so excited
about being in a video.

She was dating Danny Boy
of The House of Pain, and their song
"Jump Around" was a big hit.

Shannon said this was
her ticket to the big time.
Her crossover dream was coming true.

DANNY BOY, (early 20's),
near the ring drinking a beer.

His cell phone rings.
He flips it open.

DANNY BOY
Hi, Felina.

A beat. Danny sips his beer.

DANNY BOY
After we're done.
I'll call you.
(listens)
Sounds like you've been
a bad little girl.
Daddy's gonna have to
punish you when he gets home.

Danny CLAPS the phone shut and smiles.
The VIDEO DIRECTOR walks over to Danny.

VIDEO DIRECTOR
Danny.
We're almost ready to start.
I just wanted to talk about
your motivation for a sec.

DANNY BOY
It seems pretty simple to me.
I'm just boxing, right?

DIRECTOR
Yes, but it's a statement.

DANNY BOY
A statement?

VIDEO DIRECTOR
Yes. I see "Jump Around"
as a statement about angry,
dissatisfied youth who are
bored and need to,
well, jump around.
You know, in the ring.
The ring of life.

DANNY BOY
I see.
(pause)
So we're raging.

VIDEO DIRECTOR
Exactly.

LATER IN THE SOUNDSTAGE - NIGHT
The shoot has wrapped.
The director holds a
bullhorn to his mouth.

A loud buzzer BLEATS.

VIDEO DIRECTOR
I think we've got it on that one.
That's a wrap.

Shannon approaches Danny Boy,
who's whispering into his cell phone.

DANNY BOY
It went late, Felina.
I'll pick you up in half an hour.

Danny sees Shannon.
He puts the phone in his pocket.

SHANNON
You were great, Danny.

DANNY BOY
You were too, my little flower.

They kiss.

SHANNON
What are you doing now?
Wanna hang out?

DANNY BOY
Oh, god. I'm sorry, baby.
I gotta get some sleep.
I'm fuckin' beat.

SHANNON
Oh. Okay.

DANNY BOY
I'll call you tomorrow.
How about we go to Magic Mountain?

SHANNON
Really? Okay. Great.
(beat)
Good night, Danny.

They kiss again.

DANNY BOY
Good night, baby.

Shannon leaves.

The director walks over to Danny.

VIDEO DIRECTOR
You let a piece of ass
like that leave?

Danny grins wickedly.

DANNY BOY
I had her last night.
Tonight I've got a naughty
little Catholic girl
in Brentwood that
needs a little tutoring --