The Silence Of The Clams

Happy Tuesday, 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 7 of AFTERHOURS, after reviving alcohol-poisoned goth rocker Bettie Black, gunman on the run Danny Peel instructs gay drug dealer/former nurse Mickey Mertz to dress rogue cop Vin Vargas' gunshot wound, much to Vin's dismay ...


INT. AFTER HOURS CLUB - NIGHT
Bettie lies motionless on the floor.
Easy takes her pulse.

EASY
SHIT.

CASEY
What’s wrong?

EASY
She’s got no PULSE.

He starts giving her CPR,
PRESSING his hands on her chest.

Sky and Casey kneel nearby.
Casey grabs her wrist.

SKY
Holy shit.

CASEY
Still nothing.

Easy PUMPS his hands HARDER.

CASEY
Nothing. HARDER.

Easy PUMPS her chest
for all he’s worth.

Bettie JERKS back to life.
COUGHS. Opens her eyes --

BETTIE
Need -- a drink.

And passes out again.
Easy strokes her forehead.

EASY
C’mon, baby.
Stay with us.
(to Sky)
Help me move her
over to a booth.
Make her more comfortable.

Easy and Sky pick her up.
Take her over to a booth.

Carefully lie her down.
Casey walks over.
Sits next to her.

Holds her hand.
Studies her face.

CASEY
She doesn’t look good.
We need to get her
to the hospital.

DANNY
You can take her
after we leave.

Mia comes back in.
Takes her place
behind the bar.

Hands a box of
rice cakes to Danny.

MIA
Here you go.

DANNY
(take it, makes a face)
Great.

MIA
They’re blueberry.

DANNY
Yummy.

He takes one out.
CRUNCHES a bite.

Chews.
SPITS IT OUT.

DANNY
Tastes like fucking cardboard.

VIN
Maybe we could order a pizza.

DANNY
Are you TRYING
to look like an idiot?
We’ll figure out something later.
The first order of business
is getting ourselves patched up.
(to Angel)
You good with that first aid kit?
Take care of a couple gunshot wounds?

ANGEL
I could try.

MICKEY
I can.
I used to be a nurse.

VIN
Why doesn’t that surprise me?

MICKEY
I was a trauma nurse, asshole.

VIN
Hey.
Who you calling an assole, FAGGOT?

DANNY
Enough with the name calling.
Let Florence Nightengale
do his thing and shut the fuck up.

VIN
I’m not gonna let him touch me.

DANNY
You want your leg to get infected?
Get gangrene?

VIN
No, of course not.
(beat)
Okay, okay.

MICKEY
I promise I’ll be gentle --