Welcome to Hell

Gorgeous full moon last night. Slept like the dead. Which I guess is fitting ...

It's a grey, cloudy, foggy day today at the beach. A brisk wind is causing the ducks to bob like ... well, ducks ... in the canal. They don't seem to mind. Neither do it.

Screened REAR WINDOW last night. Holy crap. What a perfect film. Been years since I've seen it last. A great murdery mystery, tight thriller and touching love story all rolled into one. Stewart and Kelly are magic together. There's a new, restored print that looks incredible. The colors POP out. Watched the 'making of' interview with the screenwriter afterwards, and was intrigued to learn that it was adapated from a short story. And, since there was so little STORY in the original, they had to pad it out by showing all the stories of the various neighbors that Jimmy spies on from his wheelchair. And all of these little stories each had their own little beginning, middle and end. Very satifying. Now THAT'S how you weave plot strands, kids.

Okay. Onto today's installment from GUN-WILD.

Our intrepid robbery/homicide cops Bobby Teen and Taya Ralls get a call on their car radio about the bank job, and race to the scene.

But there's jut one little hitch along the way ...

***

EXT. 7-11 - PARKING LOT - AT THAT MOMENT

Bobby and Taya sit in their unmarked vehicle.

Taya behind the wheel. The police radio SQUAWKS.

DISPATCHER

(O.C.)

All units, 10-108, officer needs assistance.

First Fisherman’s Bank on Main Street.

Officer down, repeat, officer DOWN.

Another officer critically wounded.

All available units. Officer DOWN.

BOBBY

(grabs receiver)

SHIT.

(into the mike)

This is unit two-eleven.

We’re on our way.

DISPATCHER

(O.C.)

Copy that.

He clicks it off. Looks at Taya.

BOBBY

STEP ON IT.

She PUNCHES the gas,

and they SCREECH OUT of the parking lot.

TAYA

(murmurs to herself)

Fucking animals --

BOBBY

GODDAMMIT.

(beat)

It’s MY BANK.

AT THE CORNER

Their car SIDESWIPES a woman on a bicycle

with a dozen BAGS OF GROCERIES on the handlebars.

The bike and woman HIT the pavement.

Food goes FLYING.

IN THE CAR

TAYA

Ohmigod. Holy shit. Ohmigod.

(HITS the brakes)

Holy shit. Holy fuck.

BOBBY

(looks)

It’s alright. She’s okay.

Move it, move it, MOVE IT.

TAYA

But we’re leaving the scene of a --

BOBBY

I said MOVE IT!

Taya PUNCHES the gas.

TAYA

But that woman --

He SLAPS a red dome light on the roof.

FLICKS on THE SIREN.

BOBBY

We have TWO OFFICERS DOWN.

Cop’s gotta have PRIORITIES.

Make difficult choices in A SPLIT SECOND.

TAYA

I’m going to hell for this.

BOBBY

(turns, looks at her)

Welcome to hell -- detective.

***