Cabin Fever

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Monday. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

I've got a special treat for you today. You've probably been wondering why I haven't been posting my most recent projects on here. The reason for that is quite simple. For the last few years I've been working as a writer for hire on scripts that aren't originally mine, and as such, I haven't been allowed to post them on the blog. My latest original script, a pilot for a cable/streaming series I've also kept under wraps, but after considering it for a long time, I've decided it's time to share it with you.

In Chapter 1 of RIDGEWAY, we take a trip to an old shack on top of a mountain deep in the Ozarks, where a Dixie Mafia boss orders a mysterious woman from the big city to shoot his hostage in the head ...


EXT. OZARK MOUNTAINS - DUSK
Fat white clouds
poke the deep blue sky.

Rolling green hills stuffed
with pine trees out of
a John Denver song.

A giant white statue of Jesus
stands at attention
on the mountain peak,
arms outstretched like
he’s gonna take a dive.

A narrow gravel road meanders
up the mountain to an old,
ramshackle cabin at the top.

Cue the banjo music.

A giant, brand-new red PICKUP TRUCK
comes BARRELING up the road in a
CRUNCH of gravel like
the rural archetype it is.

An ARMADILLO lazily
skitters across the rocks.

The truck ROARS by and SQUISHES it,
CRACKING its shell with a CRUNCH.

EXT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - DUSK
At the top is a shack
that looks like it’d fall over
if you sneezed.

The gravel road runs by it,
then disappears into a
tunnel of trees
across the mountain ridge.

Dim light spills out from
behind dingy curtains.

The truck’s doors OPEN.
Out steps the DRIVER
and a TALL WOMAN.

He’s got a big gut.
She’s quite the looker,
with a great rack.

INT. MOUNTAIN CABIN - NIGHT
Dimly lit by a kerosene lantern.
Empty except for a KID (20’s)
tied to a chair. Badly beaten.

Covered in blood.
Mouth a ruined mess.
Teeth litter the floor.

Driver and Tall Woman walk in.
A BIG, BALD BRUTE in overalls
and a Ducky Dynasty beard
looks at Driver. Grins toothily.

BIG, BALD BRUTE
Finally told us.

Another MAN, intense-looking
with elaborate mutton chops and giant,
gnarled eyebrows eyes Tall Woman.
Smacks his lips.

MUTTON CHOPS
Who’s the cunt.

DRIVER
New business associate.

Driver pulls a thick wad
of bills from his pocket.

DRIVER
Five grand. Like we agreed.

Her eyes light up.
She reaches for it --
but he snatches it away.

Pulls out a GUN.
Offers it to her.

DRIVER
First you gotta shoot
this piece of shit
in the head.

TALL WOMAN
But what about --

DRIVER
This man stole from me.
Now he needs to pay the piper.
You want the fucking money or not?
(off her look)
You want to write my movie,
you gotta be IN my movie.
(holds up the cash)
Go a long way round here.

She looks at Bleeding Guy.
Then at Driver’s henchmen.
Then the money.

Takes the gun
in trembling hands.

DRIVER
Atta girl.

Walks over to Bleeding.
Slowly raises it.
Looks at Driver.

He nods.
She takes a deep breath --

Takes aim -- and BANG,
SHOOTS him in the head.

Brains, skull and blood
SPRAY the wall.

Driver tosses her
the wad of bills.

DRIVER
She shoots, she scores.
(beat)
Londell sent you
to get the dirt on me.
Now you’re dirty.
(nasty grin)
You just did a hit
for the Dixie mob.

A SIREN starts WAILING
in the distance.

DRIVER
Whoops. Gotta go.
(winks)
Don’t spend it all
in once place now, ya hear?