Rocky Mountain High

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In Chapter 9 of RIDGEWAY, after Kayla shows Cate around the quaint Ozark village, they climb back up the mountain to get back home, where they discover the hot water has been shut off, but Cate comes to the rescue when she reveals an ounce of primo weed she brought from California ...


EXT. PINE STREET - A LITTLE LATER
Kayla and Cate walk back up the steep hill.
Cate, huffing and puffing. Red in the face.

CATE
Hold on a sec.
(stops)
Smoke too much --

KAYLA
Wanna sit down?

CATE
(catching her breath)
I’m okay.

INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DUSK
Cozy and dark with the shades drawn.
Indigo walls. Funky furniture.
Primitive, spiritual art.

Tons of candles.
Bohemian rhapsody in blue.

Cate finishes setting up her stereo.
Turns it on. We hear some pretty,
Smiths-like new wave song.
Kayla walks in the room, pissed off.

CATE
Got the stereo hooked up --
(sees her expression)
What’s wrong?

KAYLA
There’s no hot water.

CATE
What?

KAYLA
The creep upstairs moved out
and the gas company was
just here to it shut off --
but they shut off ours, too.

CATE
I was really looking forward
to taking a shower.

KAYLA
I know, I’m sorry.
I’ll call the gas company.

CATE
Hey. I’ve got something
that’ll cheer us up.

She walks over to her suitcase.
Pulls out a heavily sealed plastic bag
the size of a paperback.
Holds it up.

KAYLA
What’s that?

CATE
Ounce and a half of sticky bud.
OG Kush. Surfer Tom triple-sealed it.
(smiles)
Ready to fry the friendly skies?

INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
Cate and Kayla cuddle on the couch
watching the flat screen, candles lit,
both really high, eyes druggy slits.

Cate downs a shot of bourbon,
takes a pull on her beer.

Kayla sips a glass of wine.
Can you say ‘rocky mountain high?’

ON THE SCREEN
We see glam brit-rockers Suede performing onstage.
Singer Brett Anderson, a Ferry/Bowie hybrid
of decadent beauty croons a fragile ode
to the devastation of heroin.

BRETT ANDERSON
(electronic)
Where’s all the money gone?
All up the hole in your arm --

CATE
Sways to the music, softly mouthing the lyrics.
Kayla loads the bong. Takes a big hit.

Cups the top with her palm. Passes it to Cate.
She does one. Both hold it in.

Then look at the cats on their laps. Smile.
Then BLOW the smoke in the felines’ faces.

One of them SNEEZES, blows snot
all over Cate’s bare thigh.

PUSH IN ON Cate’s face. Disgusted.

EXT. RIDGEWAY AVENUE - NIGHT
Pitch black.
A million crickets chirp in the distance.
Competing with the loud thrum of the cicadas.

A cracked, narrow country road
lined with smallish houses.

A lone street lamp glows at the end,
making the cul de sac kinda spooky.
We’re not in California anymore, Toto.

Cate walks Bobby down the street,
looking at the mostly dark windows.

She passes a bed and breakfast,
sees a sad-looking MAN (50’s)
in the window by himself
on a couch watching TV.

Passes the next house.
A butch/femme FEMALE COUPLE (40’s)
sit on their porch in the dark,
cigarette embers glowing.

Keeps walking. Sees a small spring
in a tiny front yard.

Hears a frog CROAK.
Stops. Listens. Another CROAK.

Continues on. Stops. Looks up.
Opens her mouth in surprise.

THE SKY
Is filled with a zillion stars.
In the absence of city lights,
every single one twinkles
in the inky black sky.

CATE
Stares. Eyes filled with wonder.

INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - A LITTLE LATER
Funky. Lit by a single candle.
Cate lies on her back.

Kayla slowly gives her
head under the covers.
Cate moans softly.

Then stops. Kayla pops out.
Sees Cate has passed out.

Kisses her on the cheek.
Gazes at her a long beat.

KAYLA
I still can’t believe you’re here --