Teaser
FADE IN
EXT. SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT - DAY
The weather is calm, but the sky threatens rain. A gray, powerful-sounding station wagon pulls into a parking space in plain view of a bookstore where a CROWD is standing outside.
EXT. BOOKSTORE - DAY
A banner advertises “Psychic author Diane Smithers here today--Don’t miss her!”. Below the banner, POLICE SERGEANT SMITH directs foot traffic for the crowd members.
EXT. BOOKSTORE SIDEWALK - DAY
The crowd gravitates toward the entrance of the bookstore. At the sidewalk, out of a limousine, steps MISS DIANE SMITHERS, forty-something, charming, pretty, dressed in faux-Southern business attire. A TV CREW goes into action capturing her arrival. Miss Smithers gives a distinctive, almost Miss America-like wave and everyone returns it in a reactionary, almost mocking, puzzled fashion.
INT. RED MUSTANG - DAY
Not far from the bookstore is AUDREY WESTIN and CHANCE HARPER. The car goes by the big signs that corral other cars through the parking lot of the mall to the “big” event. As Chance and Westin people-watch, they are being directed by quite a few (too many) POLICE OFFICERS into parking.
CHANCE I can’t believe that this is what I’ve been reduced to--taking pictures of psychic authors. Everybody gets their fifteen minutes of fame and I get to make sure that this lady gets hers.
(beat)
What’s her name again?
WESTIN It’s Miss Diane Smithers and she’s already had her fifteen minutes of fame, you’re just here to make sure that the Examiner gets it’s thirty-five seconds.
(adding significance)
By the way, her book hit number one on the bestseller list. And now, according to her press release, various celebrities now claim to have tapped into their hidden psychic abilities.
EXT. BOOKSTORE - DAYCHANCE Isn’t that dandy? Well, my psychic powers tell me this is going to be one boring photo op.
The Mustang pulls up to the side of the bookstore as we see one television station van with news crew outside broadcasting from the front of the store’s entrance.
INT. RED MUSTANG - DAY
Chance looks amused and Westin looks bewildered at the strange paranormal National Inquirer-type FANS inside and out of the store.
CHANCE Well, it looks like the TV sharks are already doing their thing.Well, you be a good little hammerhead and make sure that you get some great pictures. I’m going to keep you on fluff pieces until you get your car back from the shop. What did you say was wrong with the Dentmobile this time? WESTIN
CHANCE It’s the electrical system. My turn signal stopped working, so I tried to fix it myself and then my four ways come on when I use the horn.
WESTIN No kidding?It’s the darnedest thing I’ve ever seen. CHANCE
Chance and Westin nod together in agreement as they both turn to look out at the crowd.WESTIN Then it must be pretty strange.
WESTIN Wow, it’s definitely a zoo.
Westin throws a funny look as she rolls her eyes as they exit the car.CHANCE Yeah, let’s go find us a unicorn.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAYWESTIN Yeah, right.
The doors close on the Mustang as Chance stands at the passenger side. Chance whips out his Leica.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY (CAMERA P.O.V.)
Chance snaps a shot of the suppressed pandemonium [click] as Sergeant Smith walks toward Chance. Sergeant Smith adjusts his hat as a way of blocking his face [click] from Chance’s camera.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Chance leans away from Sergeant Smith quickly to avoid being knocked off balance.
CHANCE Geesh!What? WESTIN
CHANCE Did you see that? That cop almost knocked me over.I think he’ll get over it. WESTIN
Chance looks back at Sergeant Smith. Sergeant Smith is walking toward the gray station wagon. Chance gives a funny look and then proceeds to the bookstore.CHANCE I bet he will.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY
In the bookstore, DOZENS OF PEOPLE are waiting to have their book signed by Diane Smithers. Diane happily signs books and shakes the hands of her new fans as she smiles contentedly. TODD, the bookstore manager, indicated by his obvious name tag, stands pensively in back of a “Miss Diane Smithers--Don’t Miss Her!” book-signing display. There is an image (below the grahics) of Diane doing her mock-Miss-America wave while holding her book with the other hand. A FAN steps forward holding a book in her arms against her chest. She waves the mock-Miss-America wave to get Diane’s attention as Diane finishes off a book for a LITTLE OLD LADY.
DIANE Hi, what can I do for you today?Can you tell me what’s in my future? FAN
Well, honey, I can’t tell you what’s in your future, but I can tell you if it will rain today, how’s that? DIANE
Diane looks straight up and then closes her eyes. She is concentrating calmly. The crowd watches her curiously.FAN Well, OK.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY (FLASH FORWARD--SLOW MOTION)
People are facing away, trying to run. It seems innocent enough.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAYCROWD MEMBERS Run!...Look out!...
Diane looks puzzled and then concerned.
The fan looks puzzled too. Chance brings his Leica up to his eye in the background. Chance snaps a shot of Diane [click]. Westin, to his left, pulls her camera out of her bag and looks at it to see if it’s ready to use.DIANE Well, I see people trying to get away from the rain--no. They’re running... outside--hmm!
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY (CAMERA P.O.V.)
Diane begins to put her hands up to her forehead to concentrate further as Chance [click] snaps another shot.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAYDIANE They’re running outside because--ohmigod. There’s a bomb! [click]
Chance takes his camera away from his face as a heavy lady, JANE SELMA, leans forward between Westin and Chance and inquires incredulously.
Everyone in the book store freezes. Westin, standing in the middle of the edge of the crowd, blurts out the next obvious question.JANE SELMA There’s a bomb?!?
Diane pulls her hands away from her face as she opens her eyes and points to her right.WESTIN Where?
Manager Todd, standing next to the book-signing display, grabs the display and picks it up revealing a bomb made of C-4, wires and a timer. Todd looks as though he is about to mess his pants.DIANE The bomb is right under that display.
Todd drops the shit and his eyes get real big--he sees the timer on the bomb ticking away. Big red numbers counting down the time until detonation...0009...0008...TODD Holy--
The people in the room shift quickly away from the bomb. Panic sets in. People try to run away.TODD V.O. There’s only eight seconds left!
EXT. BOOKSTORE ENTRANCE - DAY
People are pushing their way out the door and away from the bookstore as they exit. The sound of glass breaking is heard in the background.
EXT. BOOKSTORE - DAY (AS SEEN BEFORE)
People are facing away, trying to run.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY
The crowd is confused and disoriented.
Pandemonium is no longer suppressed.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY (SLOW MOTION)CROWD MEMBERS Run!...Look out!...Get out of here!
Chance leaps at the bomb past people as they try to run. They turn their heads to look back at the bomb in fear. Chance lands in front of the bomb. Everything is nightmarish as Chance picks it up and turns it around, revealing the timer as it ticks down...0004 ...0003. Chance, counts the wires with his eyes, grabs the red wire. (...0002), closes his eyes and then yanks out the wire (...0001). Instead of the red LED numbers turning to 0000, they go blank. Chance lowers his forehead to the floor. Westin, relaxing for a second that she is safe, realizes the photo opportunity, she swings around and moves in to get pictures of a hero as he looks up.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY (CAMERA P.O.V.)
Chance lifts his head off the floor and stares into space with the neutered bomb in his hands...[click].
FADE OUT
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