Things That Go Bump In The Night

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 44 of SPIRAL, Andy, still haunted by the death of Savannah, sees her ghost late one night. Meanwhile, Cathy, his old friend from Playboy, is now a film producer, and is planning to make a movie about what happened ...


INT. ANDY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The digital clock on the nightstand reads "3:39."
Andy is fast asleep, dead to the world.

INT. ANDY'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The lights are out.
A street lamp outside dimly
illuminates the room, casting long shadows.

Andy sits on the couch.
A wing chair across from him
faces the window.

In it, Shannon's blonde hair
in three-quarter profile.

ANDY
I wanna see you,
can't you turn around?

SHANNON
No, I don't look the same.
You won't recognize me.
I'm not so pretty anymore.

It sinks in. Andy is horrified.

ANDY
What, your face? The accident?
The-the gunshot wound?

SHANNON
You don't want to see me now.

ANDY
I do, Shannon, I wanna see you.
I don't care what you look like.
I love you, I miss you... I...

SHANNON
You sure had a funny way of showing it.

ANDY
That morning, I just thought
I was gonna die... I...

SHANNON
...You didn't have to.
I did it for you.

Andy JUMPS off the couch.

ANDY
What do you want from me?
I'm trying to say I'm sorry!
I never stopped loving you...
And now, every night I go to bed expecting...
this.
(pause)
Shit.

He COLLAPSES on the couch.

SHANNON
You think you can just apologize,
wave your magic fucking wand
and we're friends again?

ANDY
I don't know what else to do.

SHANNON
There IS something you can do.

INT. ANDY'S BEDROOM - DAWN
An alarm clock RINGS.
Andy BOLTS upright in bed.

CLOSE UP OF BOOK - DAY
A book cover that reads
"Screenwriting: The Writer's Journey."

The CAMERA pulls back to reveal
Cathy reading the book.

She's lying in the sun on her patio
wearing a bikini and shades,
stacks of reading material around her.

ANDY (V.O.)
Cathy had left Playboy
shortly after Shannon died.
She'd gotten sick of the politcs,
not to mention having to
watch all that porno.

She puts the book down,
gets up and walks toward the house.

INT. CATHY'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
She walks over to a windowed alcove
overlooking the ocean.

A large table with a computer beckons.
Cathy sits and CLACKS away on the keyboard.

ANDY (V.O.)
She had lept into the void,
jumped into the abyss.
She was on a mission,
never looking back.
No more weekly paycheck,
no more security.
What courage, what strength.

The phone RINGS.

PAUL
She was producing her first film.

INT. BAR - DAY
On the bar that divides the kitchen
from the living room is the phone.

Next to it is a Barbie doll.
She's wearing an orange jumpsuit
and is strapped into
a little electric chair.

CLOSE UP OF BARBIE DOLL
Barbie's grinning, head cocked.
A sign next to her says "Dead Barbie Walking."

The doorbell RINGS.

INT. BAR - DAY
Cathy GRABS the phone and walks to the door.

CATHY
(into the phone)
Klaus, hey.
(pause)
What do you mean you lost the location?

A beat. She listens, then opens the door.

INT. DOORWAY - DAY
Andy stands in the doorway
in shorts and t-shirt, grinning.
He holds up a paper bag.

Cathy motions Andy to come in, excited.
Silently mouths "I'm sorry,"
then holds up her index finger.

CATHY
(into the phone)
That fat fuck.
Like the bar is packed
at midnight on a Monday.

A beat. She listens.
Andy walks over to the bar
and takes a bottle of
mimosas out of the bag.

Cathy's eyes light up.
She gives Andy the "okay" sign.
Andy expertly opens the bottle with a POP.

CATHY (cont'd)
(into the phone)
Yeah, good idea, take the crew to IHOP.
Listen, Andy just got here.
I'll call you on the cell when I'm done.

A beat. She LAUGHS.

CATHY (cont'd)
Welcome to no-budget independent filmmaking.
Drive-thru craft services.

She walks over to the bar
and HANGS UP the phone.

CATHY (cont'd)
I'm sorry.

Andy pours two champagne glasses.
He hands one to Cathy.

ANDY
Don't worry your pretty little head.

CATHY
I never do.

They CLINK glasses and sip.

CATHY (cont'd)
Mmm. A three dollar bottle
of mimosas on Sunday afternoon.
I knew there was a reason
I loved you so much.

ANDY
Only the best for a former colleague.
(pause)
And future partner.

They CLINK again.

They take another sip and smile
at each other like kids on Christmas morning.

ANDY (CONT'D)
So. Are you ready to make a movie?

CATHY
A real movie? With a budget?