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In Chapter 26 of FRANKENSTEIN IN LOVE, Shayla's parents Adelle and Brub appear on a local morning talk show to discuss the death of their daughter. Meanwhile, now that her ex-boyfriend Willis is the prime suspect, everybody at school shuns him ...


INT. NEWS STUDIO - DAY
A cozy, cheap ‘living room’ set that
would do Good Morning America proud.

Candy Sprinkle sits on a chair
facing Brub and Adelle Petrie,
seated on an overstuffed couch.

Adelle clutches a tissue in her hands,
blinking back tears.

Brub holds a mug of coffee.
Looks haunted. Lost.

Candy leans into the camera.
Serious. Speaks in hushed tones.

CANDY
We’re here today with
Brub and Adelle Petrie,
the parents of head cheerleader
Shayla Petrie, whose tragic death
has rocked this sleepy little hamlet.
(to them)
Thank you for coming.
I know it must be hard for you,
given the circumstances.

BRUB
No sh-(BEEP).
The cops can’t even find
the (BEEP)ing body.

ADELLE
(low)
You and your foul mouth --

CANDY
Uh -- is there anything you’d
like to share with the
folks out there?

BRUB
Shayla was a GOOD girl,
not some common BAR-SLUT.
She was PUMPKIN QUEEN, goddammit.

He takes a sip of coffee.
Eyes burning with fire.

ADELLE
(looks into the camera)
Please help us find our little girl.
If we can’t have a proper funeral,
I don’t know WHAT we’ll do --

She trails off, overcome with emotion.

BRUB
(low)
I know one thing you won’t do --

ADELLE
(hisses)
SORRY I haven’t been
in the mood to (BEEP) you.
HONESTLY, how can you
think of SEX at a time like this --

CANDY
I think we’re straying off the topic --

BRUB
EXCUSE ME if a man has NEEDS, sister.
A good (BEEP) relieves STRESS.

ADELLE
Watch your (BEEP)ing mouth, mister --

BRUB
Oh, YEAH? You gonna (BEEP)ing MAKE me?

CANDY
(touches her earpiece)
What?
(listens)
We’ve just received a late-breaking bulletin.
The police now have a suspect in the case.
Their identity has not been released yet,
but it’s believed to be
one of Shayla’s classmates.
(beat)
We now pause for station identification --

BRUB
I (BEEP)ing KNEW it --

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY
The usual throng of kids weave
around each other on their way to class.

But now they seem excited. Almost happy.
CAMERA finds a gaggle of CHEERLEADERS
by the water fountain.

AMBER
Ohmigod. Who do you think it is?

AURA
I don’t know.

HOT BLACK CHEERLEADER
I can’t believe it’s someone here at SCHOOL.

SHAPELY HISPANIC CHEERLEADER
(sees someone, loud whisper)
I bet it’s WILLIS. Look, there he is.

Willis lumbers by them. Dejected. Head down.
He walks over to Kirk, who’s working
the combination on his locker.

WILLIS
Hey.

KIRK
(sees him)
Oh -- hey.

WILLIS
Whataya say after school we
snag some forties and blow a doob?

KIRK
I, uh -- got a lot of homework to do.

WILLIS
HOMEWORK? Since when the fuck do you --
(realizes)
Oh, I get it. You’re TOO GOOD
to hang out with me now that
I’m a suspect, huh?

KIRK
People been talking, dude. Just sayin’ --

WILLIS
I didn’t KILL her, man. FUCK you.

He storms off. Kirk watches him go.

KIRK
Asshole --
(shakes his head)
Whatever.