Rat Race

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In Chapter 2 of FRANKENSTEIN IN LOVE, science genius nerd Frankie Stein chases the dead rat he brought back to life ... into the kitchen, where he runs into his mother. Moments later, next door neighbor Vita Heck asks Frankie for a date, which he politely declines ...


INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Total suburbia brought to you
by the color beige, dimly lit
by the light coming from
the various appliances.

The rat RACES through the kitchen,
followed by Frankie.

The rat BANGS around the room,
looking for an escape.

Frankie THROWS OPEN the door
to the back yard,
and the rodent FLIES OUT.

He SLAMS the door.
Exhales. Shakes his head.

FRANKIE
Talk about a rat-race.

FEMALE VOICE (O.C.)
Is everything okay, honey?

The lights FLIP ON.
Frankie’s mother JULIE (40’s)
stands there in her bathrobe.

Once a great beauty,
now a bit washed-out-looking.

But still appealing,
even fresh-scrubbed.

JULIE
I heard the door slam.
Everything okay?

FRANKIE
(nods)
I was coming in from the back yard.
The wind blew the door shut.

JULIE
What were you doing in the backyard
so late at night?

FRANKIE
Uh -- I was --

JULIE
Never mind.
One of your experiments, right?

FRANKIE
Uh, yeah.

JULIE
Have a seat, boy genius.
I’ll fix you a glass of warm milk.

FRANKIE
Could I, uh -- get a beer?

EXT. FRANKIE’S HOUSE - DAY
Frankie walks out the door.
Starts walking over to his car,
a decrepit, old Volkswagon bus.

FEMALE VOICE (O.C.)
Hey, Frankie --
He turns and look, sees --

VITA HECK (17), his next-door neighbor.
Your classic tomboy. Hair in a ponytail.
Glasses. Baggy clothes.

Not the stuff of teenage dreams.
But kinda cute if you squint your eyes.

FRANKIE
Hey, Vita. What’s up?

VITA
Finally fixed the motherboard.
Got two-hundred screaming gigs of POWER.

FRANKIE
(distracted)
That’s -- great.

He opens the car door.
Gets in. Starts the engine.
Vita walks over to the car.

VITA
A bunch of us are gonna play
Dungeons and Dragons tonight.
Can I pencil you in as a wizard?

FRANKIE
I haven’t played that
since we were kids --

VITA
I know. I just thought --

FRANKIE
You ask me every week.
And what do I always say?

VITA
Uh, no -- ?

FRANKIE
Don’t get me wrong.
I really appreciate the invite.
No hard feelings?

VITA
Okay --

He nods. Puts the car
in gear and drives away.

She watches the car sadly
as it goes down the street. Sighs.

VITA
I’ve loved you all
these years, Frankie Stein --
and you don’t even know I exist.