A Cold One

Happy Tuesday, horror kids. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 16 of FRANKENSTEIN IN LOVE, science genius nerd Frankie Stein and dead cheerleader Shayla Petrie go on their 'first date,' but run into problems when Frankie's best friend Josh arrives with news that he's going to the cops ...


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.

BLACK CHEERLEADER
Do you think she’s still alive?
Omigod, I HOPE so --

TALL, BLONDE CHEERLEADER
Who do you think it is?

HOT BRUNETTE CHEERLEADER
I don’t know.

STRIKING ASIAN CHEERLEADER
I can’t believe it’s one of our CLASSMATES.

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?

Pause.

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
The kids have been talking, dude.
I’m just sayin’ --

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

He storms off. Kirk watches him go.

KIRK
Asshole --
(shakes his head)
Whatever.

INT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - DAY
One of those low-rent suburban chain restaurants.
Rows of red vinyl booths.

Mostly dead at this hour on a weekday,
but there’s still a sprinkling of
the low-end of humanity.

A HOMELESS MAN nurses a cup of coffee.
A RETIREE reads the paper at the counter.
Picks at his sandwich.

And in a booth way in the back
sits Frankie and Shayla, studying menus.

SHAYLA
Around The -- World?

FRANKIE
All the meals have cute names like that.
It’s a bacon cheeseburger and fries.

SHAYLA
Cheese-burger --

FRANKIE
I think I’m gonna have the Slam Dunk.

SHAYLA
Slam -- Dunk?

FRANKIE
Can’t you read? It’s pancakes,
eggs, sausage, bacon and toast.

He looks at her more closely.
Her eyes are a little glassy.

SHAYLA
Can’t -- see so good.

She opens her mouth --
and VOMITS all over the table.

FRANKIE
SHIT.

SHAYLA
Don’t feel -- good.

A CHUBBY WAITRESS (40’s)
wearing a too-tight polyester uniform
appears holding a coffee pot.

CHUBBY WAITRESS
You get sick, honey? Not feeling good?

SHAYLA
I’m -- sorry.

CHUBBY WAITRESS
(over her shoulder)
PACO. We need a puke clean-up
at table twelve --
(smiles)
Don’t worry, we’ll get ya all cleaned up.
Do you know what you wanna have?

SHAYLA
Not -- hungry.

FRANKIE
I’ll have the Slam Dunk,
and please bring her a glass of water.
She’ll decide later.

Chubby nods, walks away.

CHUBBY
Cluck-clucks to herself.

CHUBBY WAITRESS
Either pregnant, or a junkie.
Probably both.
Skin’s turning BLUE,
and that SMELL --

FRANKIE AND SHAYLA
Look at each other.
An awkward silence.

FRANKIE
Are you okay?

SHAYLA
I feel -- cold.

Frankie’s phone RINGS.
He realizes.

FRANKIE
Josh.
(to Shayla)
Hold on a sec.
(answers it)
Hello?

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - DAY
Josh sits on his bike outside
looking in the window.

JOSH
I’m here, but I’m not coming in.
I can SEE her, Frankie.
She’s there with you --

FRANKIE
I’ll come outside.
Be there in sec.

JOSH
Alright --

They hang up.

FRANKIE
I have to go talk to a friend
for a minute outside.
Why don’t you go to the bathroom
and freshen up a bit?

SHAYLA
Bath-room?

FRANKIE
It’s really important. I’m sorry.
It’ll be real quick, I promise.

PACO (18) a tall, skinny Mexican kid arrives. S
tarts cleaning up the mess.

Keeps sneaking a peak at Shayla.
Wrinkles his nose.

She looks at him. Nods. Gets up.

SHAYLA
Bath -- room --

And starts shuffling off to the back.

EXT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - DAY
Frankie walks up to Josh.
He gets off his bike.

FRANKIE
Hey, Josh. Thanks for coming.

JOSH
I thought about it on the way over here,
and I’ve made up my mind.
I’m turning myself in.

FRANKIE
C’mon, let’s talk about this.

JOSH
There’s nothing to talk about.

Frankie GRABS him by the arm.

FRANKIE
Let’s go sit in my car.

JOSH
Why your car?

FRANKIE
I don’t want anybody to HEAR us.

JOSH
Alright, alright --

INT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - LADIES’ ROOM - DAY
Cramped. Tiny. Fairly clean.

A fan BUZZES in the window,
pushing the fetid air around.

Shayla looks at herself in the mirror.
But her eyesight is failing.

She RIPS off the wig. Turns.
Goes to the door. Opens it.

EXT. BENNY’S RESTAURANT - BACK ALLEY - DAY
The back door OPENS.
Shayla walks out. Looks around.

Starts awkwardly marching
away from the restaurant.

INT. FRANKIE’S VOLKSWAGON - DAY
Frankie sits behind the wheel.
Josh has his arms folded across his chest.

FRANKIE
Please, Josh --

JOSH
My mind is made up.
There’s nothing you can say.
I’m sorry.

FRANKIE
But we’ve been friends
since we were little kids --

JOSH
That’s just it, Frankie.
We’re NOT little kids anymore.
We gotta do the right thing.

FRANKIE
But we’re on our FIRST DATE --

JOSH
Date? That’s a good one --
(evil smile)
So did you FUCK her?
I bet that was GREAT.
Talk about 'a cold one.'

FRANKIE
SHUT UP.

JOSH
Oh, did I hit a nerve?
Well, it’s time you faced the facts --
she’s DEAD, and you’re a fucking PERVERT.

FRANKIE
NO --

Frankie LUNCHES at Josh.
GRABS his head.

SMASHES it into the window, CRACK.

JOSH
OW --

He SMASHES it again.
Blood SPRAYS the window.

BANGS it again.
And again.

He lets go.
Josh slumps over in the seat. Dead.

Frankie stares. Horrified.

JOSH
Omigod. Omigod.
What have I done?
What have I done?

He looks around.
No one out there. Whew.

Reaches over.
GRABS Josh, and with superhuman strength,
THROWS him in the back.

Finds a rag.
Wipes the blood off the window.

JOSH
(realizes)
Shayla --