Road Rage

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 39 of SPIRAL, adult film star Savannah and rock star house sitter Jason Swing,, completely wasted, grab some fast food after a night of hard partying and head off onto the freeway, where they start going on a joy ride from hell ...


INT. CAR - NIGHT
Shannon's Corvette is parked
at a fast-food drive-thru lane.
She looks at the menu.

Nasty rap music THUMPS
on the car stereo.

SHANNON
(into the speaker)
I'll have a chocolate shake
and a chocolate sundae, please.
(pause)
Oh, and hold the nuts.

Jason leans over.

JASON
I'll have a Sourdough Jack
and Chili Cheese Curly Fries, please.
And a coke.

He grins, GRABS his crotch.

JASON
Oh yeah, and hold my nuts!

They BURST into gales of laughter.

EXT. JACK IN THE BOX RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Shannon's Corvette ZOOMS
out the drive-thru exit,
waits for traffic,
then PEELS RUBBER with a SCREECH.

INT. CAR - NIGHT
Shannon holds the wheel
with one hand,
sundae in the other.

She LICKS the chocolate syrup,
getting it all over her mouth.

The car stereo BLARES.

SHANNON
I can't believe
you're eating that,
do you know how much
fat is in that?

Jason SHOVES a forkful of messy,
gooey fries in his mouth.

JASON
Chili cheese fries rule, babe.
Almost as good as sex.

Shannon rubs her finger on her chin,
wipes off the syrup,
sticks her finger in her mouth.

SHANNON
No way.
It's all about chocolate.

EXT. 101 FREEWAY - AERIAL SHOT - NIGHT
Shannon's white Corvette
ZOOMS down the freeway,
SWERVING through traffic.

Cars HONK. Tires SQUEAL.

INT. SHANNON'S CAR - SAME
Shannon FLINGS her sundae
Out the window.

EXT. NEARBY CAR - NIGHT
The desert SMACKS onto the windshield
the car beside her.

INT. SHANNON'S CAR - NIGHT

SHANNON
Bull's-eye!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

EXT. NEARBY CAR - NIGHT
The driver HONKS furiously,
ROLLS down his window, YELLS.

DRIVER
Fucking bitch!
What the fuck do
you think you're...

INT. SHANNON'S CAR - NIGHT
Shannon CRANKS up the stereo
to a DEAFENING volume,
then PUNCHES the gas.

EXT. 101 FREEWAY - SAME
The car SHOOTS like a rocket
east towards Hollywood.

EXT. PRIVATE ROAD - NIGHT
The car BARRELS up a steep,
winding road up into
the North Hollywood Hills,
tires SCREECHING, loud rap music
THUMPING on the car stereo.

The Corvette ES into a mailbox.
It SCRAPES across the side of the car.

INT. SHANNON'S CAR - NIGHT

SHANNON
Fuck!

JASON
Slow down!

EXT. PRIVATE ROAD - NIGHT
The car SLIDES into the gravel
on the shoulder.

Shannon YELLS.

SHANNON
No!

INT. SHANNON'S CAR - NIGHT
Jason GRABS the door handle.

JASON
LOOK OUT FOR THAT...
Shannon's convertible SLAMS
into the fence on
the side of the road.

The night is pierced
with the horrible SHRIEK
of metal RIPPING APART,
the CRUNCH of wood SPLINTERING.

INT. CAR - SAME
In slow motion, Shannon's
body is FLUNG FORWARD.

French fries, napkins, the coke,
the shake, go FLYING into the air.

Her face SMACKS
into the windshield.

SHANNON
Uhh...

Her body stops in mid-air,
then SNAPS back into
the seat like a rag doll --