żżżżžł’’’’’’’’2Final Draft, Inc. Final Draftōō’’’’’’’’ų 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IN: Super: Most teenagers have traumatic lives, which are actually mundane tempests contained in teapots... InT. the zoo - squirrel habitat - dAY A squirrel in a cage scampers up an artificial tree then pauses to gnaw on a nut. Zoologist (V.O.) There is a label on a cage at the zoo that states simply, 'This animal is new to science'. Inside the cage there sits what appears to be a small squirrel. It has black feet and comes from Africa. No black-footed squirrel has ever been found on that continent before. Nothing is known about it. It has no name. The squirrel stands off against another squirrel. Both stand tensed ready to pounce. One leaps on the other! They scuffle for a moment before separating. Zoologist (V.O.) When we look at our unidentified squirrel in its cage, we can only guess at what environmental forces led to this particular branching off of the species separating it from the other squirrels of the world. All we can be certain about is that the markings on its fur - its black feet - indicate that it is a new form. The squirrel approaches another (apparently female) squirrel and mounts it to mate. 000200000403000004763FD,Zoologist (V.O.) In studying this new species we start humbly by giving it a simple and obvious label: we will call it the African Black-footed Squirrel. Now we must observe and record every aspect of its behavior and structure and see how it differs from, or is similar to, other squirrels. Then, little by little, we can piece together its story. The squirrel digs in the dirt for left over food. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) There is another animal that deserves a closer look. Considering its significant impact on the planet earth, it is surprising that it has not been subjected to the objective eye of science before now. EXT. st. louis - riverfront - mornING[] Time-lapse: Water rushes past. A barge comes into view drifting down river. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) From the teeth, hands, eyes and other anatomical features, it is obviously a primate of some sort, but of a very odd kind. Ext. st. louis - downtown - morning Time-lapse: Car lights breathe with their own rhythm, surging and pausing with the synchronized stoplights. 00020000049600000873490,ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) When held up next to the other primates, it most closely resembles the tailless great apes such as the chimpanzee and the gorilla. Ext. st. louis - school bus depot - mORNING Time-lapse: A fleet of yellow/orange busses come to life and spill out onto the city streets. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Yet even here it is obtrusively different. The legs are too long, the arms too short and the feet are rather strange. Ext. st. louis - high school parking Lot - day Time-lapse: The sun peeks out as the lot fills with cars. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) But there is another characteristic that cries out for attention: the skin is virtually naked. Except for conspicuous tufts of hair on the head, in the armpits and around the genitals, the skin surface is completely exposed.[] iNT. Ladue high school - hall - Day Time-lapse: The empty hall floods with a blur of students. ALEX FELDMAN (16, scrawny) stands isolated in their midst, an island of loneliness. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) At this point and without further investigation, it is justifiable to name this new species. Something simple and descriptive, a name based on a simple observation that makes no special assumptions. 00020000049500000D0348F,EXT. gateway arch - st. LOUIS - dusk Alex lies at the foot of one of the massive steel legs. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) We will call this new species the Naked Ape.[] The Arch climbs like a silver ribbon up into the sky, an abstract reflecting the orange light of the setting sun. (Begin Opening Credits Sequence.) ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) As early mammals evolved into the lowliest forms of primates, their vision improved, the eyes coming forward to the front of the face. Int. cONDOMINIUM - ALEXÕS ROOM - dAY A poster of a rock band is taped to a wall. A pair of hands reach in and carefully take it down. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The hands developing as food graspers well suited to finding the fruits, nuts and bugs that made up their primary diet. Hands select various items from about the room, items of sentimental value; a little league soccer trophy, a small metal souvenir of the Arch, a family picture, etc. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) There was much to be said for keeping to the lush comfort and easy pickings of their forest of Eden, but somewhere around fifteen million years ago, the environment gave the apes a rude shove out of the forest and into the great open spaces of the plains. 00020000058E00001192588,Alex stuffs them into a bag of clothes followed by an envelope of money (a lot of money) and an envelope labeled Greyhound BUS. Int. cONDOMINIUM - Basement - dAY Alex enters the cluttered office. His father, Mr. Feldman, sits behind a Post-It Note-encrusted computer on the phone. mR. FELDMAN Well, I donÕt want to talk to you. Give me your manager. aLEX Dad, I-- Mr. Feldman stops him with a finger. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) To deal with this challenge they had to evolve dramatically. Brains enabled them to out think their enemies and competitors, hands to wield weapons extending their reach and power in hunting and defense. MR. FELDMAN (in the background) IÕm not interested in what you think anymore. I asked for a review of the charges and you gave me the run-around. I want to talk to someone who can actually help me. Hold on. He looks to Alex. ALEX I was... James said... Can I stay at JamesÕs tonight? MR. FELDMAN Empty the trash. (back to the phone) Look, how hard is this? Press the little hold button. Press the little transfer button and punch in the number of someone else. Anyone else. I donÕt care. IÕll talk to the janitor at this point. Alex lingers before retreating up the stairs. EXT. conDOMINIUM - DAY Alex exits and gently closes the door behind him. He pauses with his hand on the knob. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) And they learned to run. In a sudden burst, he bolts down the steps to his car. 0002000004870000171A481,eXT. erICÕS apartment - DAY Alex screeches to a stop and honks. Nothing happens. He anxiously drums the wheel with his fingers. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Most likely the loss of fur was the result of having to deal with temperature control during the long treks and short sprints of attack hunting now demanded. A look to the clock. He honks again. Without waiting, he jumps out and hurries up the steps. int. ericÕs apartment - dAY Alex opens the door and yells inside. aLEX Eric, come on! We gotta go! ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Male/female pair-bonding formed to promote cooperation among the hunters by removing the conflict of fighting to mate. The apartment is anally clean. On the wall by the door thereÕs a family photo. Eric and his brother as toddlers. Asian mother and Caucasian military father. ERIC ŅÕCRICÓ KEEFER (16, half Asian) comes out of a dump of a room. Clothes and trash trail his feet. He lugs a poorly packed duffle and a skateboard. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Their posture became more vertical to enable the carrying of weapons and food to and from the home. eRIC IÕm going out, mom. IÕll be back in a week or so. He doesnÕt wait for a response. 00020000050B00001B9B505,eXT. JamesÕs house - dAY Alex honks the horn hard and holds it in. James Dobbs (18, African-American) exits the house in a cool saunter. Alex gives him another honk. James ignores it. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) And so it was that the ancestral primates ventured out into the plains and slowly evolved to become the Naked Ape. James kicks Eric out of the front and takes his place. He throws his bag in the back for Eric to deal with. Alex peels out.[] (End Opening Credit Sequence.) Time-lapse: Their car zips through the neighborhood, out onto a major street and almost immediately it turns into a... EXT. mcDONALDÕS Drivethrough - DAY Eric stands outside of the car and loudly over-enunciates their order directly into the little speaker box. ERIC Three! Big! Macs! Three! Super! Size! Fries! James sorts junk food while reminiscing. jAMES (to Alex) My brother Trev was looking at this school in Flagstaff. We were staying in this dive motel but Trev and I had our own room and we kept sneaking out at night. Hey, gimme the map. Alex digs around for it. ERIC (in the background) Three! Filet! Mignons! CASHIER (speakerbox) Excuse me, sir? We donÕt have anything like that. ERIC What? You donÕt? Now I gotta start all over! Okay?! Okay?! Are you ready?! CasHIER (speakerbox) 000200000501000020A04FB,IÕm ready, sir. ERIC Three! Big! Macs! JAMES So TrevÕs school contact hooked us up with these chicks, right? I was the youngest and this one girl, Julie, kept saying how cute I was. So I put on the charm, you know? ALEX You do her? JAMES What do you think? Alex clearly doesnÕt believe him. He hands James the map. James unfolds it. A dozen big pirate ŅX marks the spotÓ marks litter it. JAMES What the hell is this? ERIC Three! Super! Size! Cokes! ALEX Hey! MineÕs diet! ERIC Wait! ItÕs all screwed up! I have to start over again! Okay?! Are you ready?! How Ōbout now?! CasHIER (speakerbox) IÕm-- ERIC How Ōbout now?! CasHIER (speakerbox) IÕm ready, sir. ERIC Three! Big! Macs! JAMES Man! Come on! Here... (leans over Alex) Look, forget him! ItÕs three number five meals, all supersized. Two with coke. One with diet! There. ERIC To go! Okay? ItÕs to go! CasHIER (speakerbox) Okay, thatÕs three number fives... Eric climbs back into the car pushing the seat forward and crushing Alex for as long as he can draw it out. JAMES (over the Cashier) Did you do this? ERIC Yeah. I want to see a couple things. JAMES WhatÕs wrong with you! Messing up the map... CasHIER (speakerbox) ...total is thirteen-twenty-three. Please pull up to the first window. 0002000005D00000259B5CA,ERIC ThatÕs to go! To go! Alex pulls the car forward. JAMES What about you? You got an agenda? ALEX No. I just want to see the ocean. Cashier Thirteen-twenty-three, please? Alex hands her a five spot. James digs into his pockets. JAMES Damn. My moneyÕs all packed up. Can you cover me, bro? Alex hands her another five. Eric reaches over Alex with a handful of pennies... and another... and another. And a quarter which he holds up for her to note. ERIC (grinning) ThatÕs to go. She wants to strangle him. He pulls out a little disposable camera and snaps a picture of her. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) For the modern primates and the Naked ApeÕs ancestors, feeding is spread out through much of the day. Instead of great gorging feasts followed by long fasts, the monkeys and apes are constantly munching - a life of nonstop snacks. iNT. missouri HIGHWAY - aLEXÕS CAR (moving) - dAY The three guys munch on all manner of junk: chips, soda, candy, fast food... Wrappers and garbage litter the car. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) For the ancient primates of the forest, the static food was always there just waiting to be plucked and eaten. All that was necessary was for the animals to move from one feeding-place to another, as their tastes changed. As the group was always on the move, no special behavior was developed to deal with the disposal of feces. Since they dropped down out of the trees and away from the animals there was little danger of a particular area becoming unduly fouled. 0002000004E400002B654DE,Eric tosses an empty soda can out the window. aLEX Hey! ERIC What? ALEX DonÕt do that. erIC What? ALEX Throw shit out the window. ThatÕs not cool. James WhatÕs the matter? You afraid of getting busted? aLEX No. James digs up a wrapper from the floor and tosses it out. ALEX Come on, James! He throws a shit eating grin to Eric. Eric grins back. They suddenly dig down for all the trash in the car and toss it out the window in handfuls. Alex steams as they laugh at him. James Aw, chill, man. You need to relax about shit like that. Seriously. Alex doesnÕt answer. James Hey, are you cool? (pause) I said are you cool? aLEX Yeah, IÕm cool. EXT. mISSOURI HIGHWAY - dAY The car speeds down the road, heading west. eXT. colorado - DAY Time lapse: Storm clouds gather and darken on the horizon. The sun drops like a stone from the sky. Eric skips through a field singing the national anthem at the top of his lungs. Alex waits on a picnic table, his gaze off in the distance, watching the distant thunderhead. A tire screeches as a car stops too quickly. A gaggle of girls spill out of a car. TheyÕre beautiful. Alex stares. One of the girls notices him and whispers to her friend. The friend looks him over, looking him right in the eye. 00020000052C00003043526,Alex panics. He snaps his attention back the horizon, shrinking into himself. Giggling passes behind him. Ext. highway (FANTASY) - day Alex stares straight ahead. HeÕs alone in the car. A big-rig semi barrels down the road in the other direction. Alex lets the car drift across the dashed lines. The big rig honks its horn. AlexÕs car straightens out in the opposing lane, headed for the oncoming big rig. The big rig honks in panic! TheyÕre headed right for each other! TheyÕre going to hit! James (o.S.) Hey! BACK TO: Ext. colorado - rest area - dAY James emerges from the bathroom buttoning his pants. He follows AlexÕs gaze. James WhatÕs up? aLEX Hmm? Nothing. James You ready to hit it? ALEX Yeah. Alex heads for the car. James follows AlexÕs gaze to the horizon. Nothing special there. James 'Cric! WeÕre outta here! EXT. sanD DUNES - nIGHT The car doors slam shut. Alex, James and Eric head out across a dark expanse of sand, each armed with a flashlight. JAMES These are dunes? ALEX ThatÕs what the map said. JAMES ItÕs just sand! I told you there wereÕnt no dunes in Colorado. ALEX I didnÕt make the map. Eric jogs ahead, then turns his flashlight back on them. ERIC Found Ōem! They catch up and find a rise in the sand. They climb to the top and look around with their lights. Nothing out there. 0002000004FF000035694F9,AlEX Okay. Dunes. JAMES This is it? ALEX I donÕt know. Eric moves on to the next dune and plops down. ERIC Good for me. He lights up a cigarette. The other two join him. ERIC Cancer stick? JAMES Man! Get that shit out of my face! Eric shrugs and offers to Alex. Alex ignores him. AlEX Dude! Check out the sky! JAMES What about it? ALEX The stars! Look at them all! ERIC Wicked... When I was a kid I was going to be an astronaut. ALEX Me too. I used to make spaceships out of a bunch of chairs covered with blankets. ERIC Yeah, I did that. Four back to back. IÕd use sofa cushions for the sides. ALEX Get a big salad bowl for a helmet... Alex and Eric share a laugh at the memory. James snorts. ALEX Screw you. WhatÕd you want to be? A mammal? YouÕre not doing too well. JAMES I wanted to be a football star. And I am. ItÕs AlexÕs turn to snort. JAMES Laugh it up. I already got a scholarship to Texas A&M. As long as my knee donÕt keep me out of practice this year IÕm practically there. See, IÕm already on my way. What are you two chuckleheads doing after high school? Making manager at Mickey DeeÕs? ERIC IÕm not doinÕ nothing. IÕm taking a year or two off. Maybe going and hanging out at my deadbeat dadÕs. I got plenty of time for school later. 0002000004E100003A624DB,ALEX I donÕt know what IÕm doing. Alex lies back to stare up at the sky. ALEX Maybe IÕll end up an astronaut. iNT. sand dunes - alexÕs car (parked) - moRNING Alex wakes up with the sun in his eyes. He squints and looks around the car. Eric and James are still out. He opens the door and stumbles out onto sandy ground. EXT. sanD DUNES - mORNING Alex stretches, his back aching from sleeping in the car. He wanders over to a bush to relieve himself. While standing there, he looks up and his eyes pop out of his head. aLEX Holy shit... Towering in the near distance are mountainous dunes of sand rising up hundreds of feet. He pisses on his shoe. Alex beats on the windows of the car, waking up the others. ALEX Wake up! Sand dunes! Sand dunes! James and Eric sit up wearily. Then their eyes go wide. They venture tentatively out towards the dunes, then break into a run. They WHOOP and HOLLER as they climb the dunes, roll down the slopes and throw sand at each other. One of them finds a piece of cardboard in the sand. They fight over using it as a sled, pushing each other off and piling on top. Eric takes a cigarette break while the other two continue on. Then James has had enough and stops to rest. Alex continues on alone. 00020000059400003F3D58E,He eventually makes it to the top and looks out over the expanse of sand stretching miles into the distance. Alex turns to call for the others to tell them about it. He finds them lounging far below. Instead he returns to the view, keeping it to himself. He stands quietly, just drinking it in. Alone and at peace. EXT. the zoo - ape habitat - day[] Various apes and monkeys as well as other animals representing Ņself-mimicry.Ó ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) Sometimes a species will evolve a sort of self-mimicry where by features of one portion of the body, usually related to mating, are replicated in appearance elsewhere on the body. This aids in attracting a mate by heightening the sexual signals. A mandrill grooms another, its bright red chest displayed. A male mandrill approaches a female from behind. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) It is clearly seen in the colorful face of the mandrill and the chest of the gelada baboon where features appear that mimic their own genitalia. A gelada baboon sits eating, its colorful face and genitals in clear view. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) At some point, back in its ancestry, the Naked Ape must have been using the rear approach for mating like all other mammals. The female most likely signaled sexually to the male with a pair of fleshy, hemispherical buttocks and a pair of bright red genital lips, or labia. The male would have evolved a powerful sexual responsiveness to these specific signals. 0002000004B9000044CB4B3,Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - bathroom - day SERIES OF SHOTS: Formfitting jeans: Tugged over the butt of a teenage girl. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) But then the species became increasingly vertical and frontally orientated in its social contacts. If the male of the species was already primed to respond sexually to these signals when they emanated posteriorly from the genital region, then he would have a built-in susceptibility to them if they could be reproduced in that form on the front of the femaleÕs body. A pushup bra: Prominently displaying cleavage. The ownerÕs hands adjust their amount of exposure. Lipstick: Applied to a teenÕs pursed lips. Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - hall - dAY Mrs. Jansen (40Õs, too much makeup) knocks impatiently on the bathroom door. Mrs. Jansen Would you like your meals in there too, beauty queen? SuSIE (O.S.) IÕm almost done. MRS. JANSEN Susie. We have to go. YouÕll have it all to yourself for the next two days. Come out and say goodbye. Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - bathroom - dAY SUSIE JANSEN (17, too much makeup) rolls her eyes. SuSIE Fine. She tosses aside her makeup. She gives her hair a gentle adjustment, plucking out a stray one that wonÕt listen, before unlocking the door. 0002000005B80000497E5B2,Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - HALL - dAY Mrs. Jansen looks condescendingly at Susie as she passes. Mrs. JANSEN You put on too much again. EXT. suSIEÕS HOME - dAY Mr. Jansen (40Õs, just this side of a redneck) finishes closing the back of a station wagon. He looks back towards the mobile home. MR. JANSEN Last chance. Sure you donÕt want to go? Susie stands by the front door with her arms crossed defensively in front of her. She shakes her head no. Mr. Jansen crosses to her. MR. jANSEN Come on. Not even for old times sake? You used to love pageants. SUSIE That was different. ItÕs just going to be a bunch of screaming kids. No thanks. MR. jANSEN So youÕre too big for all that now, huh? I see... She gives him a look. She knows what a guilt trip is. MR. jANSEN Okay. He gives her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. MR. jANSEN (calling into the house) Come on Tilly! Mrs. JANSEN (o.S.) IÕm checking the iron! Mr. Jansen heads for the car. MR. jANSEN SusieÕs going to be here! Beth (11) comes out of the house dressed up in a poofy dress with a banner ribbon across her chest that reads ŅMiss Teenie TaosÓ. Beth pauses next to Susie. Beth Mom says I have a better chance of winning. Mrs. Jansen emerges from the house and ushers Beth along. Mrs. JANSEN Come on, in the car. Susie gives Beth a snide smirk. Beth climbs in the car and sticks her tongue out at Susie. Susie returns the gesture. MRS. JANSEN HereÕs the numbers. No guests in the house. Clear? 00020000050C00004F30506,She scurries over to the car, high heels on gravel. Mrs. JANSEN Okay. Bye! Mr. jANSEN Bye. MRS. JANSEN Say goodbye, Beth. BETH (mocking) Goodbye, Susie. Beth flashes a winning fake smile. Susie sticks out her tongue again. The station wagon backs out of the drive and off they go. INT. suSIEÕS HOME - dAY The fridge door opens and Kristie HARBER (17, flower child wanna be) grabs a beer. KrISTIE How many times did you sleep with your dad to get him to talk your mom into letting you stay? SUSIE ThatÕs not funny, Kristie. Kristie crosses into the living room where Susie lounges on the couch reading a fashion magazine. KRISTIE Lighten up. SUSIE My dad counts those. Kristie plops onto the couch, forcing Susie to make room. KRISTIE No, he doesnÕt. SuSIE Yes, he does. KRISTIE No, he doesnÕt. She flips through channels on the TV. KRISTIE Come on. YouÕre free! LetÕs go out and do something. SUSIE Like what? Kristie gives her a look. You know what. INT. taos - susieÕs car (driving) - dAY Music blares. KristieÕs music, modern versions of 60Õs hippy tunes. Kristie and Susie puff away on cigarettes, cruising the main drag of the small town. KRISTIE Oo! Honk them! She doesnÕt wait for Susie, reaching over to honk it herself. Then she half climbs out of the window. KRISTIE 0002000004600000543645A,Hey, Coby! WhereÕs your brother? Coby HeÕs working a double! Int. taos - street - susieÕs car (driving) - dAY The girls drive slowly down the main drag. Their car stops by a group of other teenagers. Int. taos - sidewalk - susieÕs car (parked) - dAY Kristie writes on the back of a notebook with a fat black marker. When sheÕs done she holds it up against the window for passers to read: ŅHonk if yer not wearing underwear!Ó Int. taos - convenience store - susieÕs car (parked) - dAY A college-age guy sells the girls several cigarette packs. Int. taos - street - susieÕs car (driving)- dAY Kristie grabs SusieÕs arm. KRISTIE Pull over there. Pull over, okay? Susie stops the car and Kristie jumps out and runs across to a car stopped at a nearby intersection. She leans on the open window to talk with the people inside. Susie waits uncomfortably for Kristie to return. She checks her face in the mirror. The door slams. KristieÕs back. SUSIE What was that? KRISTIE Nothing. SUSIE Come on. WhatÕd you get? KRISTIE Nothing! SUSIE Is it X? KRISTIE Maybe. None of your beeswax. SUSIE I donÕt care, you know. 0002000004A7000058904A1,KRISTIE Sure, mom. SUSIE Fuck you. KRISTIE Fuck you. SUSIE Fuck you. KRISTIE Fuck you. SUSIE Fuck you. KRISTIE Okay. Hop in the back seat, babe. They both giggle hysterically. EXT. Sonic - dAY Kristie and Susie sit on the patio poking at a box of fries. Kristie looks past Susie and hides a smile. KRISTIE DonÕt look now, but I think you have a couple of admirers... Susie starts to turn. KRISTIE I said donÕt look! Susie snaps back. KRISTIE Ulp. Too late. Yer busted. Susie turns red. KRISTIE Well, you might as well look now. It canÕt get any worse. Susie fights the urge and loses. She tries to be subtle looking over her shoulder. Alex, James and Eric sit in their car at one of the drive up stations looking back. Susie quickly turns away. She and Kristie look wide-eyed and giggle. KRISTIE (white trashese) IÕd bet my left tit they arenÕt from Ōround these parts! James nods towards Susie and Kristie eating across the way. The girls keep glancing over at them and giggling. JAMES What do you think? A thumping comes from the dash. They look at Eric. HeÕs mock masturbating and hitting the dash on the up swing. JAMES Man, donÕt fuck it up for us! ALEX Get real, James. 00020000047100005D3146B,JAMES What? You donÕt think so? ALEX You just going to go up and talk them into bed with you? JAMES Why not? ALEX Yeah, right. JAMES Alright, IÕll show your sorry asses. He gets out and strolls over to the girls. ALEX Aw, shit... ERIC DonÕt knock it if it works. ALEX If it works? Have you looked at them? ItÕs like Betty Joe Ann Sue Mary and the Southwest All-County Makeup Queen. James looks up from talking to the girls and waves them over. Eric jumps out while Alex reluctantly follows. Kristie checks them out. SheÕs in a tie-dye and cutoff jeans. SheÕs a little older than them and knows it. Kristie Hiya. Susie sits across from Kristie. She looks shyly over at Alex and Eric. susie Hi. SheÕs dressed more modestly, but has on a ton of makeup. ALEX Hey. Eric (smarmy) Hello there... JAMES ThatÕs Alex. ThatÕs ŌCric. KriSTIE IÕm Kristie and this is Susie who almost made Miss Santa Fe-- Susie kicks her under the table. Eric ŅsneakilyÓ raises his camera to take a picture of them. Alex snatches it out of his hands. Kristie Your buddy says you guys are on a road trip. Checking out the sights... Seeing the world... 0002000003980000619C392,ALEX Something like that. JAMES So what sights are worth checking out Ōround here? Feel like showing a couple of city punks around the desert? The girls exchange looks and smiles. Alex wants to hide. KrISTIE Yeah, we know a couple of places. We could take them to the springs. SuSIE (to Kristie) I donÕt know-- A REDNECK leans out a passing pickup. redneck Hey there, Kristie! Looks like you got yourself a whole tag team! Kristie (flicking them off) Sit on it!! Susie looks embarrassed. James acts like nothing happened. KRISTIE God, this town bites! (remembering the guys) Hope you can swim... EXT. hot springs - dAY The guys follow the girls down the last stretch of path to the shore of the Rio Grande. Hot springs line the bank. With a yelp, Kristie tosses her stuff aside and strips to her underwear. The guys stare. She runs and jumps in the river. KrISTIE Come on, guys! What are you waiting for? 0002000006200000652E61A,Susie appears to be following suit so the guys slowly begin undressing. Eric loses his clothes and dives right in. Alex and James get down to their boxers. Susie stops after shoes and socks and wades into one of the hot pools. The guys blush and hesitate. Kristie throws her bra up onto the shore at the guys feet. Her panties follow moments later. KRISTIE WhatÕs the matter, James? Afraid to show me what you got? She pops up out of the water, flashing the guys quickly. JAMES IÕm not afraid of nothinÕ... James drops his drawers and heads for the river. JAMES God damn itÕs cold! KRISTIE Cold first, then hot. Alex leaves his boxers on and follows Susie into the springs. SUSIE Hi. ALEX Hi. Uncomfortable silence. ALEX YouÕre not going to skinny-dip? SuSIE (a challenge) Are you? ALEX I donÕt know. Maybe... A naked Eric and James land heavily in the pool with a splash, laughing. JAMES WhatÕs this underwear shit? ALEX James, wait-- James and Eric grab Alex and forcefully remove his skivvies. JAMES You want to wear Ōem, you gotta come get Ōem. He climbs out of the pool and scurries back into the river. Alex leaps out of the pool and hurries after, getting his bare ass below the surface as soon as possible. He swims out to where James holds his underwear up out of the water. Just as he gets there, James tosses them back up on the shore. Alex calms down a bit and hangs out in the water. JAMES ItÕs not so bad, is it? ALEX Yes. JAMES (more private) Come on. Look at that... Kristie swims on her back, her breasts just hinted at below the surface. 0002000005F600006B485F0,JAMES How often you gonna come across that? With a wink to Alex he swims across to Kristie. JAMES Okay, you seen what I got. KRISTIE (noncommittal) Hmmm... JAMES Tell me IÕm not your ideal man! KRISTIE Not unless you got a ten inch tongue and can breath through your ears. JAMES What?! Get the fuck outta here! He splashes her. She splashes back. Lots of giggling... Eric poses on a rock before cannon-balling into the water and dousing Alex. ERIC (to Alex) You look miserable. ALEX IÕm freezing my ass off! ERIC So go get back in the hot springs. Susie is there... all alone... just waiting for you... ALEX I canÕt. erIC Why not? ALEX (eyes on Kristie the water nymph) ŌCause IÕve got a raging hard-on the size of Texas. He sinks lower into the water. iNT. convENIENCE STORE - dusK Eric loiters through the aisles. He plays with a little toy here, fingers a frilly thing there, noncommittal busywork. The girls eye the beer in a fridge. SUSIE What are you doing? KRISTIE Just having some fun. Loosen your bra a little. SUSIE IÕm not supposed to have anyone in the house. KRISTIE I was in the house. SUSIE YouÕre different. You know that. KRISTIE No oneÕs going to know. Daddy and bitch queen wonÕt be back till Friday. IÕll help you clean it up. IÕll even get your dad replacement beer, okay? SUSIE TheyÕre not going to sell to you. Kristie rolls her eyes. KRISTIE IÕm not going to get it here. Alex grabs a six-pack of Diet Coke and a selection of junk food. The COUNTER CLERK eyes Eric. He turns to Alex. 00020000048E00007138488,counter clerk Is that it? aLEX Yeah. James throws a six-pack of Pepsi up next to the Diet Coke. The Counter Clerk scans AlexÕs Diet Coke. James Add this on. Man, that shit is nasty! Why do you drink that crap? aLEX YouÕre the one drinking Coca-clona so I donÕt want to hear about it. While the Counter Clerk rings up their stuff, Eric slips a little dancing beer can into his pants. He grabs a bag of pork rinds and heads for the counter. ERIC This too. Alex wrinkles his nose. ALEX You know what the stuff is right? ItÕs pigÕs skin. Skin. From a pig. That rolls in shit. JAMES That stuff rocks. ALEX How can you eat that and knock my DC? Eric opens the bag and makes a show of eating them. JAMES Hey you know what else we need? He glances back at the girls then nods towards the condoms behind the counter. ALEX You think you need Ōem, get Ōem. JAMES Whatcha gonna do when I hook you up? ALEX I see. So now youÕre thinking with my dick. counter clerk You guys need something else? They both shut up. James waits Alex out. eRIC You wussies. Gimme a box of those. He points past the checker. counter clerk What size? Eric holds his hands a foot apart. 000200000473000075C046D,ERIC About like that. The Counter Clerk tosses a box across to them and punches it in. James tears it open and hands one to Alex. JAMES Here. Stick this in your wallet. ALEX What for? JAMES To wear on your head, you moron. What do you think? ALEX I think it takes up space in my wallet. Alex fingers through a large wad of bills in an envelope and slips a twenty onto the counter. James notices and opens his mouth to say something. The girls join them. They all clam up. KRISTIE What are you guys so secretive about? counter clerk (smirking) They just bought a box of rubbers. iNT. STORE parking lot - aLEXÕS CAR (parked) - dusk Eric plops into the back seat and thrusts up his crotch. eRIC Check it out! I got a party in my pants! He claps his hands in the vicinity of his dick and something starts wiggling underneath. Eric giggles and pulls out the dancing beer can. He pops it up on the dash. It joins a collection of odd little items: the disposable camera, a pink squirt gun, a koosh ball and the pack of rubbers. aLEX Come on, Eric! Eric What? James Shut up, you guys. The girls went left. iNT. susieÕs home - nIGHT 00020000050700007A2D501,The trailer home screams white trash; faux woodpanel walls, plastic covers on all the furniture, ceramic collectables... ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Sexual behavior in the Naked Ape goes through three characteristic phases: pair-formation, pre-copulatory activity, and copulation, usually but not always in that order. These mating habits are lengthy and complex, differing dramatically from that of the other primates. Various K-Mart family photos litter every surface. Mom. Dad. Kids. Mom and Dad. Mom, Dad and kids. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The pair-formation stage is remarkably prolonged by animal standards, frequently lasting for weeks or even months. Some B-movie[] plays through interference on a TV from the Ō70s. The actors on the screen flirt coyly. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The initial encounter produces nervousness and hesitancy that slowly reduces if the mutual sexual signals are strong enough. These signals involve complex facial expressions, body postures and vocalizations. Alex looks uncomfortably across at the others. Eric attempts to make out with Susie who isnÕt really cooperating. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Positive responses to these initial stages lead to simple body contacts such as hand-to-hand or hand-to-arm followed by mouth-to-face or mouth-to-mouth and mutual embracing. 0002000004D700007F2E4D1,James and Kristie make out in a La-Z-Boy on the verge of tipping over[]. EricÕs hands move unsubtly up SusieÕs legs, along the hem of her shirt, looking for an opening. For her part, Susie can barely fend him off. James and Kristie suddenly fall backward with a THUMP. They roll out of the chair laughing. Kristie Come on. She pulls James up and leads him to the back of the house. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Much of this pair-formation phase may take place in public, but when it passes over into the pre-copulatory phase, privacy is sought and the subsequent patterns of behavior are performed in isolation from other members of the species. Kristie Night, guys. Susie perks up and tries to get their attention. susIE Not in my parentsÕ... The door closes. suSIE ... bedroom. She slumps back only to find Eric still there. aLEX She sure is getting friendly. SUSIE ThatÕs what you do on X. Giggling comes from the other room. ALEX SheÕs on ecstacy? SUSIE Usually. eRIC Are you on X? Susie gives him a deadpan look. Eric leans in close. She pops up out of the couch. SUSIE Well, see you tomorrow. The couch opens up if you want. Eric follows her to her bedroom with a grin and a wink to Alex. He ducks in behind her without her knowing. 000200000517000083FF511,A second later the door opens again and Eric is pushed out. He returns to the couch and picks up his soda. Giggling comes from the master bedroom. Eric looks sidelong at Alex and scoots closer to him. Eric The couch opens up, huh... He winks and makes a kissy face. Alex turns with his lips flipped out making them extra big. Eric tosses soda on him. Eric (holding up his empty can) You want another one? aLEX Sure. Hey, whatÕs with you making moves on the All-County Makeup Queen? eric Take what you can get, you know? Dude! Check out all this beer! He comes back, a beer in each hand and one sticking out of his pants like a hard-on. He throws one to Alex. ALEX I donÕt know if this is cool, ŌCric. ERIC DonÕt get a pantie rash. TheyÕll never notice a couple of beers. They turn back to the TV, but sounds of heavy sex and bouncing springs overpowers it. Eric begins bouncing up and down on the couch in time to the squeaking. Alex joins in until theyÕre both bouncing in concert. They grin like idiots and start moaning loudly. AlEX Oh! Oh! Oh! ERIC Oh, yeah, baby! Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - her bedroom - nIGHT Susie lies on her bed, fully dressed, not going to sleep. Squeaking and moaning come from her parents room from one side, the mock cries of Alex and Eric come from the other. 0002000004DC000089104D6,She takes her pillow and presses it over her ears. After a moment, she reaches out her hands and claps. Once. Twice. The lights go out. int. bedroom (FantaSY) - night Alex lies on his back in a bed. A ridiculous smile plastered on his face. An unidentifiable girl rides him, undulating slowly, a silhouette in the darkened room. She reaches out with an eyedropper and deposits a couple drops of some dubious drug on his extended tongue. AlexÕs smile increases. So does the girlÕs movements. She feeds him more drops. The tempo grows. AlexÕs eyes roll up into his head, his face a frozen grin... The fantasy girl speaks.. Fantasy Girl (with the voice of James whispering) Alex! Wake up! AlexÕs expression drops. ThatÕs not right... Int. susIEÕS HOME - nIGHT James shakes Alex awake. jAMES (whispering) Hey, man. Kristie needs a ride. aLEX So take the keys. JAMES I canÕt man. She gave me something that totally messed me up. INT. taoS - alexÕs car (driving) - nIGHT Alex steams while driving. James and Kristie continue to make out in back. Are they having sex again? Right now? eXT. KristieÕs house - nIGHT Alex, James and Kristie dart across an open field to a dark farm house. Kristie leads them around back to her window. 00020000046A00008DE6464,She turns and kisses James. krISTIE (whispering) See you tomorrow. She climbs in the window without even a glance to Alex. A door slams! The light goes on in the room. kristieÕs father (O.S.) Where the hell have you been?! Is someone out there?! Alex freezes. James bolts. KRISTIEÕS FATHER leans out the window feet from Alex. He sees James running off. KRISTIEÕS FATHER If I catch you IÕm gonna kill you, you God damn degenerate!! He ducks back in without seeing Alex. KRISTIE (o.S.) I was just... The sound of a smack cuts her off. KRISTIEÕS FATHER (O.S.) Shut up! You were out in these trashy clothes! You get this off you right now! Alex finally forces himself to run as fast as he can. He runs and runs and runs...[] INT. suSIEÕS home - her BEDROOM - moRNING Bang! Bang! Bang! Susie sits up startled and promptly falls off the bed. SomeoneÕs at the window. KRISTIE (o.S.) Susie! Wake up! ItÕs me! Susie climbs to her feet and parts the blinds. Kristie stands outside. SheÕs been crying. Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - daY Kristie stomps around the room, knocking over pictures, punching pillows, slamming doors, etc. 0002000004120000924A40C,KRISTIE I hate him! I wish heÕd die! Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - bathroom - daY Susie works on applying her morning make up. SUSIE You donÕt mean that. KRISTIE (o.S.) Yes I do! I wish he was dead! Susie pauses considering. SUSIE What are you going to do? Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - daY Kristie pauses at an end table. A letter opener sits by a stack of mail. KRISTIE (after a pause) Nothing. As usual... Int. SuSIEÕS HOME - bathroom - daY Kristie appears in the doorway. KRISTIE (brainstorming) I have to get away. I have to. I could go with James... SUSIE What are you talking about? Kristie sits on the closed toilet and puts her feet up on the wall. KRISTIE IÕm old enough to take care of myself. I donÕt need him. I donÕt need anyone. She contemplates the footprints she makes on the wallpaper. SUSIE Wait... Kristie, you canÕt just-- KRISTIE Why not? What have I got going for me here? You could go with me. Susie returns to her makeup work. SUSIE I canÕt-- KRISTIE We could go together. WeÕd be okay. We could go with those guys-- 00020000041B00009656415,SUSIE We hardly know them! Kristie gets up and looks over SusieÕs shoulder into the mirror. She toys with SusieÕs makeup, putting a little on herself. KRISTIE We have your car. TheyÕre going to California. We could just stick with them for a while. I bet theyÕd even pay for our meals just because they might get to sleep with us. SUSIE IÕm not going to sleep with them. KRISTIE You donÕt have to. Just let them think they have a chance. Susie, I canÕt do this alone. (reading Susie) IÕm not going back to him. I wonÕt let him touch me any more. SUSIE Kristie, you donÕt have to. Look, IÕll ask my dad. You could stay with us. KRISTIE With your mom? No thanks! SUSIE You could... I donÕt know! DonÕt you have an aunt, or-- KRISTIE (searching) Susie, I need you... We need to do this together. Look at the way your mom treats you. She hates you. SheÕs just going to keep bossing you around your whole life and youÕll never be good enough for her. Fuck her! Come with me. Susie doesnÕt respond. INT. kRISTIEÕS HOUSE - main - dAY 00020000046600009A6B460,The door opens carefully and slowly. Susie peeks around. All clear. She continues in quietly. She passes a bedroom and glances in. KristieÕs father lies passed out, naked on top of the sheets. A bottle of liquor sits by the bed. The shirt Kristie wore the night before lies on the floor. Int. kRISTIEÕS HOUSE - kristieÕs bedroom - dAY Series of shots: Closet: Hands pull down a duffle bag. Bed: A teddy bear taken from its pillow. Duffle bag: Susie stuffs clothes in the bag. Dresser: Knick-knacks are selected from among their less lucky brethren. Bed: Susie digs a diary from hiding under the mattress. Susie has what she needs. Her arms full she exits into the hall closing the door as quietly as possible behind her. Int. kRISTIEÕS HOUSE - main - dAY She takes two steps down the hall and glances into KristieÕs fatherÕs room one last time... HE ISNÕT THERE! She freezes. A noise comes from the kitchen. She looks for a hiding place. The bathroom! She darts in and closes the door. Footsteps. They stop by the door. Susie holds her breath. Knock knock. Susie nearly shits her pants. KriSTIEÕS FATHER 00020000048F00009ECB489,Kris? Are you okay in there? Susie canÕt answer. KRISTIEÕS FATHER Kris? I... Okay. I have to get ready for work. WeÕll talk about this when I get home. You know... (pause) You know what to... (pause) Uh... I left you some toast. On the table. Okay? Have a good day, honey... Footsteps receding. She waits. Another door closes. She waits. And waits. She cracks the door and peaks out. KristieÕs fatherÕs door is closed. She creeps past his door and across the living room like sheÕs walking through a mine field. She makes it to the door and out. I/e kriSTIEÕS HOUSE - suSIEÕS CAR (PARKED/driving) - dAY Susie doesnÕt even close the door all the way before making a guarded break for her car. Kristie waves for her to hurry from the passenger seat. Stuff in the back. Door closed carefully. Ignition turned. Hope he doesnÕt hear! KRISTIE Did you get the picture of my mom? SUSIE Yes! KRISTIE And Pooh Bear? SUSIE Yes! Shh! They back out of the drive... and theyÕre away. iNT. dennyÕs - DAY Alex slouches in a booth with baggy eyes and rumpled clothes. Eric doesnÕt look much better. James is the only one with any energy. He eyes the door. 0002000003FD0000A3543F7,JAMES What time is it? ERIC (glances at a bare wrist) Midnight. ALEX I donÕt think theyÕre coming. But then the door opens and Kristie and Susie enter. They spot the guys and join them. krISTIE Hey guys! Susie smiles stiffly. KriSTIE We were just-- A WAITRESS arrives with a tray of food interrupting her. The plates barely touch the table before Eric pops up and starts rearranging them, exchanging AlexÕs for JamesÕs, his for SusieÕs. Alex perks up and joins in, adding to the chaos. James reaches in at key moments to lift one and hand it off. After a couple of seconds it all settles back down with plates miraculously returned to their correct owners. The guys act like this is totally natural. The girls and confused Waitress look on in bewilderment. waitress Uh, will there be anything else? Eric takes out his camera and snaps a picture of the food. Eric Naw, itÕs all cool. susIE Okay, that was bizarre. KRISTIE So! We have a proposition for you. We want to go with you on the rest of your road trip. 00020000040B0000A74B405,Alex chokes on his food. JAMES Huh? ERIC (from DiffÕrent Strokes) WhaÕchu talkinÕ Ōbout, Willis? KRISTIE WeÕre skipping town. ERIC What? You rob a bank? ALEX YouÕre running away? SuSIE I-- Mmmmm... KRISTIE WeÕre not running away. WeÕre almost eighteen. We can do what we want. JAMES (uncomfortable) And you want to go to St. Louis? KRISTIE I want to go to California. What the hell is there in St. Louis? ALEX ThatÕs what IÕve been saying. KRISTIE We just figured we could hang together since weÕre heading the same direction. ALEX (looking at Susie) Both of you? KRISTIE Yeah. Both of us. Susie keeps her peace. EXT. NEW MEXICO highway - dAY Their two cars speed down the highway out of town. AlexÕs car pulls ahead and passes the girls. The passenger window rolls down and Eric sticks his bare ass out. eXT. utah HIGHWAY - dAY AlexÕs car follows the girlsÕ down the highway. Time-lapse: The asphalt highway narrows and turns to dirt. They head toward a high cliff. Switchbacks lead to the top. eXT. muley point - dusk 0002000004370000AB50431,The cars stop on wind-rounded rocks as the sun sets. The view is breathtaking. They can see for miles out over the gorgeous Utah desert with its buttes and canyons. The setting sun casts everything in deep gold. Eric and James run to the edge. Eric Check this shit out! Eric picks up a rock and throws it as hard as he can, watching it fall into infinity. James gives him a push/pull to freak him out. ERIC Shit! Fuck you, man! Eric pushes him back. jAMES Hey, Alex! Come here! Alex inches tentatively closer. He looks at the dirt and stones casually kicked off into the abyss and backs away. aLEX I can see just fine from here. JAMES What? You chickenshit or something? Alex hesitates. ERIC He is! Alex looks like a rabbit ready to bolt. James hits Eric. JAMES Hey, man, chill for a second. He approaches Alex. JAMES You afraid of heights? ALEX No. JAMES ItÕs okay if you are, you know. We all got something that bugs us. AinÕt that right, ŌCric? Eric approaches Alex from the other side. ERIC Yeah, thatÕs right. For example, IÕm totally freaked out by clowns. 0002000004560000AF81450,JAMES (pauses) YouÕre afraid of clowns? ERIC (perfectly straight) No. They grab AlexÕs arms! He drops like a stone! They pile on! Back by the cars, Susie busies herself digging through camping gear. Kristie stands nearby sensing SusieÕs mood. KRISTIE Are you okay? SUSIE Yeah. IÕm fine. Just nervous. You know. My mom would-- KRISTIE That bitch. DonÕt even look back. You hear? DonÕt look back. Kristie waits to see if more is needed. Finally she turns to the wrestling guys. KRISTIE Hey! How Ōbout some tunes?! The guys stop struggling for a few seconds. JAMES Huh? KRISTIE Music? From the car? The guys all look at each other. As one they struggle to their feet and make a break for the car. All three I got it![] Ext. muLEY POINT - nIGHT Music pours from the back of AlexÕs car. A fire burns in a natural pit in the rocks. James dances with the girls. Eric skates awkwardly on the rounded rocks. He wipes out and lands by Alex sitting nearby. He reaches into his pants with a grimace and digs around. With a hearty pull, he yanks out a plastic bag of pot. He overdoes the mock pain. 0002000004380000B3D1432,He tosses the bag onto AlexÕs lap. aLEX WhereÕs this from? Eric takes a seat and pulls out rolling papers. Eric (Oo-la-la in bad French accent) Oo-la-la! My brother. aLEX No, I mean originally? Eric Wee-wee! I donÕt know. Mexico? Eric begins rolling a joint. Alex looks across at him. ALEX Hey ŌCric, can I ask you something? ERIC No, fromage ami! Masturbation does not cause blindness. ALEX Serious. ERIC Pom frit! Shoot. ALEX Why do you do that? Eric Un-de-poo-poo! What? ALEX Put on that act. Eric Oh-do-mard! I donÕt know what your talking about. ALEX YouÕre doing it right now. eRIC Oo-la-la! No IÕm not. ALEX Come on, ŌCric. Eric doesnÕt answer right away, focusing on the joint. Eric I donÕt know. To get under peopleÕs skin a little. Mess with their heads. ALEX You need to mess with my head? Eric No, I guess not. ALEX So why do it to me? Eric Habit I guess. AlexÕs look says it isnÕt appreciated. ERIC Okay, IÕll cut you some slack, alright? (pause) YouÕre my bro, dude. It donÕt mean anything. He licks the joint to seal it and offers it to Alex. ALEX 0002000004590000B803453,WhereÕs the lighter? Eric passes it to him. Alex takes a drag. He chokes and coughs it out. Eric captures the moment with his camera. aLEX I thought you said it goes down smooth. Eric I said my good stuff goes down smooth. This isnÕt my good stuff. ALEX Of course not... James joins them. James Gimme some of that. He puffs on it like heÕs been doing it since he was three. JAMES You really scared of heights? ALEX Will you drop it already? JAMES HavenÕt you ever been up the Arch? ALEX No. JAMES YouÕre shitting me. How long have you lived in St. Louis? ALEX Not everyone in St. Louis goes up the fucking Arch. JAMES ŌCric. You been up the Arch? Eric twists an empty plastic bottle of water over his mouth like heÕs wringing every last drop from it. Eric (more interested in the bottle) No. ALEX See. JAMES Why not? ERIC Cause itÕs stupid. Kristie Hey, gimme that lighter. Kristie snatches it up and produces some fireworks. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) The Naked Ape has a remarkably strong exploratory urge. She lights a bottle rocket and throws it in the air. It shoots off into the night ending with a pop. 0002000005000000BC564FA,ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The start of this interest has something to do with the investigation-reward principle of obtaining disproportionately large results from the expenditure of comparatively little energy. Eric runs to the car and pulls out some road flares. He sparks one up casting brilliant red light. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) We can call this the play principle of 'magnified reward.' Both chimps and children like banging things and it is those objects which produce the loudest noise for the smallest effort that are preferred. Several bottle rockets bang in succession. Eric dances around like an Indian Shaman. As the flare gets low, he spins around and flings it off the cliff. He lights up another one and continues dancing. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Young chimpanzees repeatedly investigate the noise potentials of acts like thumping, foot stamping and clapping. As adults they develop this tendency into prolonged social drumming sessions. Alex, left with the joint, looks pretty stoned. He takes another hit, listens to the music, watches the others... ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) One animal after another stamps, screams and tears up the vegetation, beating on tree stumps and hollow logs and the chimpanzees often include many swaying and jigging movements in their drumming rituals. 0002000004520000C15044C,He finds EricÕs discarded camera and snaps a couple of pictures of the others dancing. His view lingers on Susie. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) These communal displays may last for half an hour or more. Their exact function is unknown, but they have the effect of mutually arousing the members of a group. EricÕs second flare grows short. He spins around and flings it away again, only this time in the wrong direction. It careens off AlexÕs car in a shower of sparks. Eric Sorry! Sorry! He scurries over and stomps out the glowing embers. aLEX (laughing) Oh shit! WhatÕd you do? Alex climbs to his feet with effort and stumbles over. ERIC ItÕs cool! ItÕs cool! James grabs him as he weaves through the others. JAMES Hey, buddy. AinÕt this the bomb? WhatÕd I tell you? ALEX Yeah, okay. I guess... JAMES You guess! Come on! Here, show these girls some white boy moves. ALEX Come on, James... JAMES Hey ŌCric! Crank that shit up and help me get white boy here shakinÕ! Eric vibrates his body like heÕs having a fit. James just shakes his head. JAMES (to Alex) Now, I know you can do better than that! 0002000004300000C59C42A,Alex smiles and tries to loosen up. He dances stiffly, self-consciously. JAMES Alright, loosen up that ass. You know, like this... James wiggles his butt ridiculously. Alex copies him. The two begin a monkey-see-monkey-do act with Alex trying to keep up with more and more outrageous dancing from James. Everyone is laughing and having a great time. ERIC WhoÕs got the pot? ALEX Hang on, I got it. He retrieves the remains of the joint and stumbles back, right into Kristie. He grabs on to keep from falling. Drunk, stoned and surprised, she pushes him away in a panic. Kristie What the fuck are you doing, spaz?! ALEX Sorry... Kristie DonÕt touch me. She looks at him like heÕs toxic. James intervenes. James Hey, itÕs cool. HeÕs just messed up. He didnÕt mean anything... KRISTIE Yeah... Okay. I guess not. Just tell your buddy to watch his hands. But the damage is done. Alex wanders away from them. Eric Hey, you got the dube? aLEX Huh? Yeah, here... ERIC (calling out) Lighter?! Kristie tosses it to him. Eric catches it and but itÕs out of fluid. 0002000005320000C9C652C,ERIC Crap. He jumps in the car and pops in the electric lighter. Alex stands just outside, looking confused. KristieÕs already over it, digging in the cooler for another drink. Susie catches his eye, concerned. He quickly looks away. Eric jumps as the lighter pops out of the dash. He lights his joint, then shakes it as if putting out a match and tosses it into the back still glowing. ALEX Hey, ŌCric. You think, I mean, am I... eRIC Oh, shit! He leaps up and struggles into the back to find the lighter before it can cause any damage. Alex wanders off. Omitted[] Ext. muley Point (FantaSY day-for-night) - nIGHT Alex runs over the rocks. He closes his eyes and jumps... He lands on his feet on another rock. He opens his eyes in disappointment. Alex runs back and forth over the rocks looking for a drop off. The land stretches out flat for miles. He stops running and sits on a rock. Looking up, thereÕs a cliff edge right in front of him. EXT. mULEY POINT - cliff edge - nIGHT A flashlight pokes blindly into the darkness, searching. Susie stumbles, unsure of herself on the uneven rocks. Her light falls on a sulking Alex near the cliff edge. SUSIE Oh! You scared me! How did you get over here without killing yourself? Alex grunts. She stands there uncomfortably for a moment. ALEX You want to sit? SUSIE 0002000004000000CEF23FA,Oh, yeah. I guess. She sits. SUSIE Are you okay? ALEX IÕm fine. SUSIE I mean, cause of Kristie. She didnÕt mean anything. ALEX CouldÕve fooled me. She shrinks a bit at his bitterness. ALEX IÕm sorry. ItÕs just... same shit, different day. SUSIE Same as what? ALEX Nothing... They sit for a moment in uncomfortable silence. SUSIE IÕve seen her do that to people. Lead one on, shoot down another. ALEX Gee, which one was I? SUSIE DonÕt take it personally. SheÕs just got issues. Susie stands and taps him with her foot. SUSIE Come on. IÕm getting cold. muLEY POINT - SUNRISE Time-lapse: Jet contrails streak across the brightening sky. Alex lies awake looking up. ItÕs almost meditative. A snort invades the peace. He finds James snoring nearby, Kristie draped across him. Turning, he discovers Susie sleeping a couple feet away. He watches her sleeping for a moment. He sits up and looks around. No Eric. Standing, he finds him by the cliff edge. aLEX Hey. How long you been up? Eric puffs on a cigarette. 0002000003EB0000D2EC3E5,aLEX Oh man! My head hurts worse than yesterday. Are you sure I wasnÕt smoking shoe polish and parsley? Eric flicks his cigarette away. Alex runs fingers through his hair. They get caught in the tangles. ALEX I must look like crap. I mean, more than usual, you know? Alex smiles. Eric doesnÕt. ALEX Hey. WhatÕs eating you? Eric picks up an envelope. ItÕs labeled Greyhound and has a big round cigarette lighter burn. He flips it at Alex. Eric WhatÕs this? ALEX Oh. (pause) You werenÕt supposed to know about that yet. Eric Yet? What the fuck is yet? ALEX IÕve been thinking and... when we get to California, IÕm staying. Eric What the hell are you talking about? What about school? aLEX Forget school. School blows donkey dick. IÕve had enough. IÕm getting out. I mean look around. Two girls, three guys? Guess whoÕs the fifth wheel here? ThatÕs the way it always is back there. This is my chance to start clean-- Eric One year. You couldnÕt wait one fucking year! You pussy! 0002000004690000D6D1463,Alex wavers. ALEX I just... ItÕs not... Eric looks away. Back at the camp, others stir. James sits up, scratching his head. ALEX Look, just... donÕt tell James. Let me do it. I need to find the right time. Eric You gonna pass him a note? ALEX I donÕt need a lecture from him right now. Just let me handle it. Eric Where you gonna stay, huh? I mean, whoÕs going to rent to you-- ALEX I donÕt care. IÕm not going back. Alex stuffs the envelope in his pocket, turns and walks away. Eric watches AlexÕs receding back. Alex packs up, refusing to look at him. Eric turns back to the cliff. Eric Fuck. Alex stomps back to the campground. James looks over at him and busts out laughing. JAMES (oblivious to his own hair) Man, you got some messed up morning hair. AlexÕs hands go self-consciously to his head. Susie scurries around to the far side of one of the cars to fix herself up in a side mirror. Kristie follows. Alex moves to pack up. JAMES (privately) Hey, buddy, can I borrow your car for a bit? Maybe you and ŌCric can shack up with Sus while I spend a little ŅqualityÓ time with Kristie. What do you say? 0002000004C20000DB344BC,INT. uTAH HIGHWAY - SUSIEÕS CAR (MOVING) - day Alex sits in back behind Susie and Eric. The tension between them is thick enough to cut and Susie senses it. eXT. Walmart - parking lot - DAY They climb out into the desert sun. Eric brushes past Alex and heads for the store without waiting. James God damn, itÕs hot out here! He throws an arm around Kristie and follows Eric. suSIE Is Eric okay? aLEX How should I know? Her eyes follow him as he walks away. JAMES (calling to Eric) Meet back here in twenty! ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) There is a rigidly established social hierarchy in most species of monkeys and apes, with a dominant male in charge of the group. iNT. wALMART - dAY Inside, Susie grabs Kristie and drags her to cosmetics. Alex follows James to the toy section. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) When the Naked Ape became a cooperative hunter, the tyrannical system of the usual primate colony had to be modified to ensure full cooperation from the weaker members. But there remained a mild hierarchy with weaker members and a top leader. As the troop keeps together all the time, his role as group tyrant is incessantly operative. But despite this he remains the sleekest, best-groomed and sexiest in the community. 0002000004290000DFF0423,James scratches his ass. James What do you think of Kristie? aLEX What am I supposed to think? James I know she gave you an ear enema the other night, but donÕt take it personally. ALEX YouÕre right. She wasnÕt talking to me. James picks up and inspects random toys. James IÕm telling you, man, she took me into the back, climbed on up and started gyrating... He demonstrates. A mother with her kids throws them a disapproving look. James Yeah! I ainÕt had it that good in like a month. What about you and Susie? aLEX Huh? James I saw you talking to her. You get it on? ALEX Yeah, James. You could tell by the way she was hanging all over me I was bound to score. James You gotta stop putting yourself down. DonÕt think about it. Just go for it, you hear? Alex keeps to himself. JAMES LetÕs get the hell out of here. WhatÕd we come in here for anyway? Ext. Walmart - parking lot - dAY Alex digs through his bag out of view of the others. He checks two envelopes, one with bus tickets, the other full of cash, and stuffs them way down to the bottom. 0002000006BE0000E4136B8,James and the girls wait nearby, baking in the hot sun. jAMES Man, where is that punk? KriSTIE Someone should go find him. Eric exits the store. A pair of guys in suits standing just outside perk up. Coming up behind, they reach out to stop him. Eric brushes them off but they grab him by the shirt. aLEX Oh, shit... James What the hell is this? He starts to go but Kristie holds him back. Kristie No, James. James What? She pleads with her eyes, nervous. Eric struggles but the men overpower him. Handcuffs bind him and they sit him on the curb. A police car pulls into the parking lot. Kristie Maybe we should get out of here. The girls climb into their car without waiting. Alex and James get into theirs. They slowly pass by him. Alex looks out to see him holding up a hand, hiding his face. Alex can see heÕs crying. Omitted[] eXT. BLANDING - street corner - duSK Alex and the girls wait anxiously by the cars while James talks on the phone. JAMES Sir? No, I just-- CanÕt you-- No, sir. I-- Okay-- But-- Okay. He hangs up. KRISTIE What the hell was that? JAMES They wonÕt give out information to anyone but his parents. KRISTIE Well, just fucking tell them youÕre his dad. JAMES You know, I donÕt need that kind of static right now. ALEX You want me to try? JAMES What are you going to say right after I just called? TheyÕll know itÕs bullshit. ALEX IÕll say you called me and itÕs the first IÕve heard and ask for the info. James sarcastically offers him the phone. Alex steps up and dials. He looks around at the others while waiting. His attention suddenly shifts to the phone. Someone must have answered. He opens his mouth to speak and freezes up. James throws up his hands. Alex regroups. 00020000058A0000EACB584,ALEX (in a deepened voice) Hello, who is this? Well, I donÕt want to talk to you. Give me your manager. Everyone stares at him. ALEX YouÕre the one that answers the phones. That means you canÕt help me. Give me someone who can do something for me. (pause) Who is this? Sergeant what? Good, maybe you can actually give me a straight answer. I want to know where my son is. WhoÕs my son? How many kids have you arrested today? You in the business of rounding up minors in that piss-ant town of yours? SuSIE (loudly) WhereÕs my son?! Everyone gives her a look of surprise. SUSIE What have they done with my son?! She waves for Alex to go along with it. ALEX Calm down, Millie, you let me handle this. No, I canÕt come down there for the information. IÕm only a thousand miles away. How about I call a lawyer to come get the information? James mouths the question, ŅMillie?Ó SUSIE (in the background) God damn it, theyÕre not going to keep me from my son. And when I get a hold of that god damn degenerate IÕm going to give him a whipping but good! ALEX You hear how distressed my wife is about this whole thing. When his friend called to tell us he was in trouble again, I just about left him there to rot. Now why donÕt you just tell me what youÕve done with that punk so I can decide what to do with him? Hang on... He waves for a pen. The other three scramble. He writes something on his hand. 0002000003B10000F04F3AB,ALEX Thank you, Sergeant, that wasnÕt so difficult, now was it? He hangs up the phone. kriSTIE Where the hell did that come from? They exchange glances. James grabs AlexÕs hand and reads it. jamES They took him to a juvenile hall in Salt Lake City? James pulls a map from the car and looks it over. KRISTIE ThatÕs like six hundred miles. James LetÕs get going. ALEX Come on, James... James (extra clear) We better get going. Now. Alex looks at the girls. TheyÕre not thrilled at the idea. ALEX ItÕs like ten hours away. James Not the way I drive. ALEX What the hell are we going to do for him in the middle of the night? What are we going to do tomorrow anyway? Bust him out? James Maybe. ALEX James, itÕs six hundred miles. James I heard. So what? ALEX So what? So itÕs late is what. James And? ALEX And we should find some place to shack up. James dismisses him with a sneer. James Yeah, whatever. The girls plead with their eyes. 00020000073C0000F3FA736,ALEX Look, James, weÕre tired. We canÕt do anything right now. WeÕll leave first thing tomorrow. James mulls it over. aLEX LetÕs just get a room and crash for a bit. I promise weÕll leave early. James No room. We might need the money. aLEX Where are we going to sleep then? James We need the money. We either rough it or we get driving. ALEX Fine. eXT. BLANDING - park - nIGHT Time-lapse: The shadows on the table lengthen as the day passes them by. Faint signs of a storm drift in the distance. The girls try to start a fire in the barbecue grill. Alex watches, maintaining a distance. suSIE What do you think theyÕre going to do with him? Kristie Duh! HeÕs going to jail! jAMES This town probably doesnÕt even have one. aLEX HeÕs under eighteen. They wouldnÕt put him in jail. TheyÕd send him to juvenile hall. suSIE TheyÕll call his parents. You think he told them about us? aLEX No, he probably told them he walked across five states. Kristie Screw you! James WhatÕs the big deal? We didnÕt do anything. Kristie What if he tells them we did? James He wouldnÕt do that. Kristie How do you know? James Look, donÕt get all hysterical... Kristie DonÕt call me hysterical! James Hey! Chill! Okay?! We all got the same problem here! Kristie turns her back on him, seething. James digs into his pockets and finds twenty-five dollars. James (to Alex) How much money you got? Alex squirms. aLEX I donÕt know. Probably enough. James Well, how about checking? ALEX ItÕs packed up. IÕll check tomorrow. JAMES Man, donÕt give me that shit. Just go see how much you got. ALEX ItÕs like fifty bucks, okay? JAMES No way thereÕs only fifty bucks in that fat envelope you keep pulling out. ALEX DonÕt worry about it. WeÕll see how much we need when we get there. James Why you gotta be so stubborn? WeÕre not going anywhere. Go dig it up. 00020000044E0000FB30448,ALEX I said donÕt worry about it. James YouÕre gonna sit there and be a selfish bastard when you got a brother on the inside! Man, of all the... ALEX Four thousand. Okay? They all stare at him. aLEX Is that enough? He stomps off to the jungle gym. James follows. They sit for a second in silence. James ThatÕs an awful lot for a week. ALEX DonÕt worry about it. James You already said that. WhereÕd you get that kind of money? ALEX Working, okay? ItÕs none of your business. James You made four grand working at a grocery store part time for three months. ALEX I sold some comics too. James How many? ALEX All of them. JAMES You sold your Wolverine number one? Why the hellÕd you do that? ALEX I figured in case something happened... James DonÕt bullshit me. WhatÕs the money for? ALEX You wouldnÕt understand... James Bullshit. WhatÕs the money for? ALEX James... James WhatÕs the money for? Alex agonizes for a moment. ALEX For me. In California. James What are you talking about? ALEX IÕm not going back. Get it now? IÕm sick of all the crap. IÕm getting a job and staying there. 0002000004F50000FF784EF,James Brilliant. And in this master plan, what the hell were me and Eric supposed to do? ALEX I got you bus tickets. He takes them out and tosses them to James. JAMES Had that figured out from the start, huh? ALEX I didnÕt want to deal with you and ŌCric being-- James Of all the bone headed, stupid ideas I ever heard come out of you... ALEX Leave me alone. James No, IÕm not going to leave you alone. When you go and do stupid stuff, IÕm going to call you on it! ALEX You always got to be the one to tell me IÕm wrong! James Damn straight. Someone has to show you when youÕre being a jackass! Alex stands and walks away. James ThatÕs right! Just walk away! Like you walk away from everything. You big pussy. Alex walks past the girls, heading for his car. Int. BLANDING - PARK - alEXÕS CAR (parked) - nIGHT Alex slams the door and turns on the stereo, loud. Someone gets in the passenger side. Susie sits for a minute, then turns the music down. suSIE YouÕre running away from home? aLEX I donÕt want to talk about it. SUSIE Is it your parents? ALEX No. SUSIE School? Alex looks away. suSIE People can be such jerks. James is a jerk. My dad told me that sometimes people do it just because they can. He says they wonÕt quit till you stand up to them. 0002000004D3000104674CD,aLEX ItÕs not that easy. SUSIE But heÕs right. If you always let people push you around they always will. aLEX ItÕs not that simple-- She turns towards him, getting more vocal. SUSIE But look at James. HeÕs always pushing you around. Why do you let him? ALEX I donÕt let him push me around. SUSIE Like tonight. You said you wanted to get a room and he made us sleep out here. ALEX I talked him out of driving through the night-- SUSIE (on a roll, not listening) And when he asked about the money he kept pushing you-- ALEX Look, I didnÕt have to-- SUSIE I heard on the radio that people that are abused always end up in abusive relationships. ALEX What the hell are you talking about? SUSIE I mean, maybe youÕre friends with James because of something else in the past. ALEX ThereÕs nothing in my past... SUSIE Well, havenÕt you ever asked yourself why you let him do that? Why you let people take advantage of you? ALEX Well, why do you cake on so much makeup? You ever asked yourself that? She clams up. aLEX When I want your opinion youÕll be the first to know. She looks away, hurt. She opens the door and gets out. Alex locks the doors and turns the music back up. Int. BLANDING - PARK - alEXÕS CAR (parked) - niGHT 0002000004B9000109344B3,Time-lapse: Light rain speckles the windshield. Alex sleeps in the front seat. A tap on the window startles him awake. ItÕs James. James (through the window) Open up. aLEX Why? James Just open the door. Red lights flash on James. Alex looks past him and sees a police car parked nearby. Ext. BLANDING - pARK - nIGHT The girls put out the fire and pack up. James Says we canÕt park here overnight. We gotta go before they get too nosy. aLEX Fine. WeÕll get a room. James No. WeÕll find someplace else to park. Alex holds back a response. James doesnÕt wait for one. The girls get into their car. James gets into AlexÕs. James LetÕs go. aLEX Where are we going? James Just drive. IÕll tell you when to stop. eXT. BLANDING - streets - nIGHT The rain picks up. Thunder rumbles low in the distance. The two cars wander around town. Int. BLANDING - aLEXÕS CAR (moving) - nIGHT James and Alex drive in silence. James keeps his eyes out the side window, holding an air of superiority. Alex drives looking more and more pissed off. James Turn here. Alex throws James a look but obeys. James Slow down. (peers out the window) Never mind. Keep going. They continue on. James issues curt directions. 0002000004FD00010DE74F7,James Hang on, slow down. (beat) Forget it. Keep going. aLEX Look, we gotta find a place to stop. James (after a beat) Just keep driving. Alex bites off a response. James eventually stops giving directions altogether. Ext. BLANDING - streets - nIGHT They drift away from town and down the desert highway. iNT. UTAH highway - alEXÕS CAR (moving) - nIGHT Alex drives with his eyes on the road. HeÕs tense and holding it all in. The lines on the road pass rhythmically. The music from the stereo soft, hypnotic... iNT. colorado HIGHWAY - aLEXÕS CAR (moving) (flashback) - daY Alex steams as James and Eric laugh at him. James Aw, chill, man. You need to relax about shit like that. Seriously. Alex doesnÕt answer. James Hey, are you cool? (pause) I said are you cool? aLEX Yeah, IÕm cool. Ext. muLEY POINT (flashback) - nIGHT James dances with the girls. He overdoes it with the gyrating hips. He thinks heÕs so cool. Int. UTAH highway - alEXÕS CAR (moving) (present) - nIGHT The rain and the road and the music set up a hypnotic rhythm. AlexÕs eyes droop. He shakes them open. Ext. muLEY POINT (flashback) - nIGHT Alex watches everyone dancing. KristieÕs overly suggestive in her movements. She likes being looked at. She has no problem showing a little skin. 0002000004CE000112DE4C8,Susie laughs but dances self-consciously. She keeps her arms close, fixing her hair, her skirt... muLEY POINT - suNRISE (flashback) Alex can see Susie getting up and hiding her face. She hurries to her car to fix her face in the side mirror. Int. BLANDING - alexÕs car (parked) (flashback) - nIGHT Susie sits in the passenger seat, hurt. Alex looks across at her guiltily. In the dim light she looks innocent, sad... Int. UTAH highway - alEXÕS CAR (moving) (present) - nIGHT AlexÕs eyes close and his head drops. aLEX (quietly) IÕm... IÕm sorry... CUT TO: Black Silence. Emptiness. Smash CUT TO: Int. UTAH highway - alEXÕS CAR (moving) - nIGHT Alex and James jolt awake! TheyÕre off the highway flying down the muddy desert! Little dashboard toys go flying! The girls match them on the highway honking wildly! aLEX Oh shit! He slams on the brakes! eXT. UTAH HIGHWAY - DROPOFF - nIGHT Rain flashes by the headlights. The car skids through the muddy grass and brush doing fifty! The tires lock and the car twists to the side! Branches slap at the carÕs flanks! Finally they begin to slow and eventually slide to a stop... Alex and James fall out of the car. The girlsÕ car makes a three-point U-turn in the distance. 0002000004EC000117A64E6,James looks where they were heading. The ground drops off to an underpass less than fifty feet away. They would have been killed. jAMES Son of a bitch... The girls pull off onto the shoulder and hurry over. suSIE Are you guys alright? Kristie Oh my God! What happened? James You stupid bastard! What the hell were you doing? You almost killed us! Jesus Christ! You are the worst fucking driver! aLEX (meekly) I told you we needed to stop. If youÕd listened to me... suSIE Guys... James YouÕre such a God-damn know-it-all! God damn thick headed... Alex turns to walk away from him. aLEX (softly) Yeah? Well at least I donÕt lie-- James rounds on Alex with a violent shove! Alex lands on his face in the mud. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Animals fight amongst themselves for one of two very good reasons: to establish dominance in a social hierarchy, or to establish territorial rights. Time slows to a crawl. Alex spits out mud and his jaw sets. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) When aggression is triggered, adrenaline pours into the blood banishing fatigue. Inside The human body Blood courses through veins. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Blood transfers from the skin and viscera to the brain for quick thinking and the muscles for violent action. Lungs flex with each deep breath. 00020000051100011C8C50B,ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Breathing quickens and deepens. A heart increases its beating. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Heart rate and blood pressure increase to boost the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Cells multiply. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Blood coagulates faster to speed healing. Digestion and food storage stop. The rectum and bladder do not empty as easily. Arm hairs stand on end. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Stored carbohydrate floods the blood with sugar to increase muscular efficiency. Hair stands on end exposing the skin and there is profuse sweating to prevent overheating from excessive activity. Sweat pours out of pores. Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - DROPOFF - nIGHT Alex climbs to his feet. James gets in his face. James You gonna do something? Come on, pussy! Do something! ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) With the vital systems activated, the animal is ready to attack, but there is a snag. The enemy invariably provokes fear as well as aggression. Aggression drives the animal on, fear holds it back. This inner conflict suspends it, tensed for combat, but not yet ready to begin it. If, in this state, it presents a sufficiently intimidating spectacle and its opponent slinks away, the battle may be won before it even begins. Alex shakes, holding his ground for a second, then lowers his eyes. Normal time resumes. 00020000055900012197553,James ThatÕs what I thought. James heads for the car. James Kristie! Kristie looks at Susie for direction. Susie is at a loss. She looks between the two guys. James Kristie!! Kristie follows James to AlexÕs car. James gets behind the wheel. He pulls forward and looks to Alex. JAMES Well? Alex stands stoic in the rain. JAMES Fine. He pulls up onto the road. Alex stands shaking. Susie waits. Alex turns and heads for her car. He gets in and she drives through the thick brush back up onto the highway. Int. UTAH HIGHWAY - susieÕs CAR (moving) - nIGHT Alex shivers, inches from tears. He canÕt even look at her. Susie leaves him to his own thoughts. aLEX IÕm... IÕm sorry... for... about... what I was... I said... She shakes her head. aLEX I just... you just donÕt understand. Everyone thinks IÕm-- suSIE Forget it. She reaches down and turns up the stereo. Alex clams up. After a few moments Susie accelerates. aLEX What are you doing? sUSIE I canÕt see James anymore. He looks ahead with realization. aLEX When he sees weÕre not behind him-- sUSIE Which way do we go? A sign indicates a fork in the road. Alex digs out the map. aLEX I donÕt know where we are... Susie slows to think then takes the fork to the right. Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - nIGHT SusieÕs car speeds down the long dark highway all alone. eXT. Montecello - gas station - mORNING 00020000058D000126EA587,Their car sits in the parking lot. A STATION MECHANIC crosses the asphalt. He peers in through a window, then raps his knuckles against it. Int. gas station - SusieÕs CAR (parked) - mORNING They both startle awake. Alex squints at the bright light and finds the Station Mechanic staring at him. STATION MECHANIC You kids get a move on. You canÕt sleep here. aLEX Yeah, okay... Alex wipes a line of drool from his cheek. Susie self-consciously checks her face in the mirror. STATION MECHANIC You hear me? You want to sleep, go find a campground. Go on. Get out of here. SuSIE Okay, okay... She starts the car and they exit the station. suSIE What do we do? aLEX I donÕt know. SUSIE Where do you think James went? Do you think he went the other way last night? ALEX Maybe, I donÕt know-- SUSIE YouÕre his friend. What do you think he would do?! ALEX Look, I donÕt know, okay?! He does stuff like this sometimes. He gets upset and takes off. SUSIE HeÕd just take off and leave us? You think he went after Eric without us? ALEX Maybe. Probably. He just decides and he goes. He probably didnÕt even know we got left behind-- SUSIE Why do you keep defending him? HeÕs a jerk and-- and-- ALEX I donÕt know! Cause heÕs my friend! Silence drops between them. SUSIE What are we going to do? Alex thinks for a moment. ALEX I... Eric was sent to Salt Lake. If thatÕs where Eric is, thatÕs where James went. 00020000058400012C7157E,SUSIE How are we going to find them? We canÕt search the whole city. ALEX JamesÕll go to the Juvie Hall. We can wait for him there. HeÕs bound to show up sometime. SUSIE What if heÕs already been there? Alex doesnÕt have an answer. Susie mulls it over. SUSIE Okay. WeÕll try Juvie Hall. Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - dAY Their car speeds along the highway. INT. thE ZOO - APE HABITAT - GORILLAS - dAY Gorillas lounge about swatting at flies and scratching various body parts. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) In the wild, monkeys and apes frequently groom themselves, systematically working through the fur, picking out small pieces of dried skin or foreign bodies. But there are physical limits to reach and obviously the head, back and arms are going to be less beautifully groomed than other areas unless something special can be done. A gorilla rubs itÕs back against a tree, trying to get a hard to reach spot. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The solution is social grooming, the development of a friendly mutual aid system. This can be seen in a wide range of both bird and mammal species, but it reaches a peak of expression amongst the higher primates. Special grooming invitation signals have evolved here and social 'cosmetic' activities are prolonged. One gorilla approaches another and smacks its lips together. The other gorilla sits down and allows the first to approach. It picks through the second gorillaÕs shaggy coat. 0002000004E5000131EF4DF,ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Because social grooming is a cooperative, non-aggressive activity, a lip-smacking pattern has become a friendly signal for an offer to groom. If two animals wish to tighten their bond of friendship, they can do so by repeatedly grooming one another, even if the condition of their fur hardly warrants it. iNT. UTAH HIGHWAY - susieÕs CAR (moving) - dAY The stereo on, the volume low, each caught up in their own thoughts. Alex recognizes the tune and unconsciously mouths the words. Unaware of this, Susie also sings silently along with it too. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Clearly, if we turn now to the Naked Ape, we might expect to see some manifestation of this social grooming. Some kind of activity has to be borrowed and converted into a social bonding mechanism. Simple observations reveal that the plundered activity is verbalized vocalization. This goes on for a couple of seconds till the chorus when both switch and sing along out loud. They both freeze up self-consciously leaving the song to its own devices. Alex digs for something to say. ALEX (about the music) IÕve heard this before. Who is this? SUSIE I donÕt know. ItÕs KristieÕs. ALEX Do you like it? SUSIE Not really. She just always controls whatÕs on, you know? 00020000047D000136CE477,ALEX Yeah. I know. (pause) You got anything else? SUSIE (towards the glove compartment) Check in there. Alex finds a CD organizer and begins flipping through it. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) The meaningless chatter of social occasions is not concerned with the exchange of important ideas or information, nor does it reveal the true mood of the speaker, nor is it aesthetically pleasing. Its function is to reinforce the greeting smile and maintain social togetherness. By providing a non-aggressive social preoccupation, it enables valuable group bonds and friendships to become strengthened. ALEX You like Five For Fighting? SUSIE (shy) Yeah, I liked that one song about Superman so I bought the album. ALEX Yeah? Me too. I also found their first album. ItÕs called Message For Albert. SUSIE I didnÕt know they had another album. ALEX Yeah, thereÕs this used CD place James took me to and one of the guys there told me about it. ItÕs a regular hangout for us. Eric likes to find all these old punk bands no oneÕs even heard of-- SUSIE WhatÕs the story with you guys anyway? ALEX What do you mean? SUSIE Well, you know... YouÕre so different... 00020000053500013B4552F,ALEX I donÕt think weÕre all that different. I met James in Junior High. We were in art class together and found we were both really into comic books. SUSIE But you sold all your comics? ALEX Oh, yeah. Well, IÕm not into them anymore. I grew out of it, you know... Susie hides a smile behind her hand. ALEX I had a social studies class with Eric freshman year. We just hit it off. When James and Eric first met it was really tense for about fifteen minutes. Then we started talking about some Kung Fu movie or something... He trails off, leaving a dead moment. aLEX ThereÕs this stupid old saying that always cracked my dad up. ŅYou can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you canÕt pick your friendÕs nose.Ó I think thatÕs all bullshit. You canÕt pick your friends, they pick you. (pause) And, hell, you canÕt pick your nose without someone telling everybody else about it. Silence falls again. ALEX Um, Kristie said something about Miss Santa Fe? sUSIE (blushing) I was almost ŅMiss Teenie Santa FeÓ when I was eleven. ALEX Yeah? SUSIE Yeah. I used to be in all kinds of shows like that. My Mom would help me get all fixed up, you know? WeÕd crack jokes about the other girls in the show. ŅI bet she came on a horse right from the farm.Ó Stuff like that. Well, it was funny when I was eleven. 0002000003EA000140743E4,aLEX What happened? SUSIE I donÕt know. We just stopped going. I guess I got too old for it... ALEX Is that why you wear make up? She turns away, hands self consciously raising to her face. aLEX I meant-- IÕm sorry... IÕm an ass... suSIE I donÕt wear that much. I just want to... She wipes away tears. Alex stares ahead, giving her space. ALEX Hey, IÕm sorry about what I said, you know, before. I was just pissed at James. I think you look fine. I mean, I think youÕre pretty. Really. I just donÕt like all that makeup... He clams up feeling like an jerk. She smiles weakly, uncomfortable. SUSIE Thanks... Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - dAY The road cuts a line through the desert. Time-lapse: Two lanes become four become six... The sun sets. Ahead lie the lights of Salt Lake City. They reach the cityÕs center and turn off the highway. EXT. gas station - day Alex looks in his wallet and finds only a handful of bills left. He takes out a five and passes it through the slot in the window. 0002000005B9000144585B3,The guy behind the window passes a map back through to him. Alex partially opens it up, glancing over the layout of Salt Lake City. ALEX Is there a phone? The guy points around the building to the back. EXT. gas STATION - back - daY Alex props the phone against his shoulder and waves to Susie for a pen. ALEX Could you give me that again? He writes an address in the margin of the map. ALEX Okay, thanks. He hangs up. They return to her car. ALEX EricÕs there but they wonÕt let him talk on the phone. They said no oneÕs come by. EXT. juvenile hall - day Susie pulls up to the curb. Omitted[] Omitted[] Omitted[] Omitted[] INT. jUVENILE HALL - SUSIEÕS CAR (PARKED) - night Alex and Susie eat frozen burritos in the awkward silence. They eat in the awkward silence. ALEX Can I ask you something? SUSIE What? ALEX Why are you running away? She doesnÕt answer right away. SUSIE Because... I... My mom is... SheÕs so mean to me sometimes-- ALEX You mean like KristieÕs dad? SUSIE What do you know about her dad? ALEX I took her home the other night. He slapped her around I think. He was yelling. I didnÕt stick around. Susie doesnÕt respond. ALEX Is that why sheÕs running away? SUSIE He rapes her. That shocks Alex into forgetting about his food. SUSIE I donÕt know how long itÕs been going on. At least a couple of years. Probably longer. ALEX Why didnÕt you tell someone? SUSIE She made me promise! She made me swear! Susie throws down her food. 00020000036E00014A0B368,suSIE You know, I heard on the radio once that girls that that happens to end up sleeping around a lot. I keep telling her... She never listens to me! She always thinks she knows what sheÕs doing. Like sheÕs got it all figured out! SheÕs so damn... Slowly, she calms. ALEX You know, Susie, youÕre not her mom. SUSIE (offended) What?! ALEX IÕm sorry, I mean... Look, KristieÕs problems... theyÕre hers to deal with. ItÕs great that you want to help her, but look where itÕs gotten you. SUSIE You donÕt understand. She was hysterical. I donÕt know what sheÕd have done if IÕd said no-- ALEX So thatÕs why youÕre running away with her? Susie thinks about it silently for a moment. SUSIE IÕm not really running away. I... I just want to make sure KristieÕs all right. I figured after a couple of days sheÕd get this whole thing out of her system and weÕd go home. 00020000035300014D7334D,ALEX What about your parents? SUSIE Well, that part is true. My mom can be such a... bitch! ALEX Sometimes I hate my dad too. HeÕs got this list of chores that he uses as punishments all the time... SUSIE Is that why youÕre running away? ALEX (pause) No. ThatÕs not why. SUSIE Was it something like Kristie? Something bad? ALEX (pause) No. Not that bad. She waits for more. He doesnÕt give it. INT. jUVENILE HALL - SUSIEÕS CAR (PARKED) - nIGHT The clock says midnight. Music plays softly from the stereo. Susie dozes. Alex browses through her CDs. A car parks across the street but he doesnÕt take any notice until he hears the door slam. A dark figure climbs the fence and drops down into the hallÕs yard. AlexÕs car sits nearby. ALEX (quietly) Hey! Hey, Susie! Wake up! I think heÕs here! She looks around. SUSIE WhereÕs Kristie? 000200000486000150C0480,ALEX I donÕt know. Wait here. IÕll check it out. EXT. jUVENILE HALL - niGHT Alex crosses the street and peeks into his car. The doors are locked. No Kristie. He crosses to the fence and scales it. EXT. juVENILE HALL - yard - nIGHT He drops down and spots James by one of the windows. He hurries over. jAMES (whispering) Man, you scared the crap out of me. ALEX (whispering) WhereÕs Kristie? JAMES I left her back at the campground. James counts three windows and taps lightly on the last one. The window opens a little behind the protective fence covering. Eric (whispering) James? Are you guys nuts? JAMES The pigs wonÕt let us talk to our bro. Figured that wasnÕt right. How they treatinÕ you? eRIC You know. My bed smells funny and the food is worse than school. JAMES Well, I got you something... James pulls a bolt cutter out of his jacket and moves to cut the fence window covering. aLEX What the hell are you doing? James Shut up! I got it under control! The cutter clangs against the metal fencing. Eric Keep it down! ALEX Damn it, James! Quit screwing around! JAMES I thought you were skipping town. You worry about your business. 0002000003750001554036F,The light in the room goes on. Eric Oh hell... Truant Officer #1 (O.S.) (from inside) Hey! A pair of flashlights round the corner of the building. James panics and bolts into Alex taking them both down. TrUaNT OFFICER #2 Freeze!! Hold it right there!! They struggle to their feet as the flashlights close in. James looks at Alex and runs for the fence. Alex turns and runs a different way. One of the officers is right behind him! trUaNT OFFICER #2 (to James) I got you! YouÕre not going anywhere! Over his shoulder, Alex sees James up against the fence. Alex keeps running. The fence comes up fast! HE JUMPS! Alex scrambles up the chain link and gets a leg over. Someone grabs his other leg! He looks back and stares the officer in the eyes for only a moment. Then he throws his weight over and pulls free. He drops down and keeps running. The officer doesnÕt follow. 000200000575000158AF56F,He sprints down the street. Then the adrenaline recedes and he suddenly has no strength. His legs start to buckle... Car lights pass over him and he turns to find Susie pulling up alongside. He gets the door open and falls into the passenger seat. ALEX IÕm in. Go... They drive off into the night. INT. Salt Lake city - suSIEÕS CAR (DRIVING) - nIGHT Alex breathes heavily trying to recover. He rolls down the window and gulps the fresh air. SUSIE Where do I go? ALEX Just give me a minute. My legs hurt. She drives without direction, half watching him, waiting. ALEX Okay... IÕm okay. SUSIE What happened? ALEX James tried to bust out Eric. I think they got him. SUSIE What do we do? ALEX I donÕt know. Just keep driving. Omitted[] Omitted[] ExT. Dry Lake - nIGHT Their car comes to a stop just off of a drive opening out onto the dry lake. The engine stops and the lights go out. INT. Dry Lake - suSIEÕS CAR (PARKED) - nIGHT Alex and Susie sleep in the car with the seats leaned back. Alex lies facing away from Susie. HeÕs awake. After a few minutes he rolls over and looks across the car. To his surprise, sheÕs awake too. She looks back silently. Her makeup has worn away. They lie there just staring at each other. On an impulse he reaches across and caresses her face, brushing away stray bangs. She smiles in response, letting him, then suddenly becomes self-conscious. 00020000042800015E1E422,Her hands reflexively raise to hide her face. She sits up, breaking the moment and looks in the rearview mirror. Her makeup is in tatters. She digs around for her purse. Alex reaches out and stops her. ALEX Hey, itÕs all right... She slowly stops, then lies back down, hands half returning to hide her face. Alex gently lifts her hands away, crosses the space between them and kisses her. She doesnÕt pull away. He continues and she responds, slowly at first, then more. Suddenly, Susie pushes him away. Has he gone too far? She pulls at his shirt. He smiles and tries to move closer. The divider between the seats gets in the way. He struggles to climb over to her side. He kicks the gear shift and knees the steering wheel. SUSIE Wait, wait... Back seat... Ext. Dry Lake - nIGHT Like a ŅChinese Fire DrillÓ, Alex and Susie tumble out of their respective front doors and dive in the back doors. INT. Dry Lake - suSIEÕS CAR (PARKED) - nIGHT Doors slam shut and they come together forcefully. Kissing hungrily. Pent up desire rushing to get out. 000200000404000162403FE,ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) With the pre-copulatory stage there is a striking increase in the adoption of a horizontal posture. Body-to-body contact increases in both force and duration. Vocal and visual signs become less important and tactile signals increase frequency particularly from the fingers, hands, lips and tongue. Hands pull at clothing. Faces stuck together. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Clothing is partially or totally removed and skin-to-skin tactile stimulation is increased over as wide an area as possible. The male pays particular attention to the breasts of the female. His hand goes under her shirt. She jumps. He backs off nervously. SUSIE (breathless) ItÕs okay... She pulls him down and hungrily kisses him. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Mouth-to-mouth contacts reach their highest frequency and their longest duration during this phase. The lips and tongue are also applied to many other areas of the partnerÕs body, especially the ear-lobes, the neck and the genitals. She explores lower with her own hands. He flinches too. 0002000004490001663E443,ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Once contacted, the partner's genitals may also become the target for repeated actions. When this occurs, the male concentrates largely on the femaleÕs clitoris, the female on the maleÕs penis. There is also a considerable amount of twining and intertwining of the arms and legs. They pause, breathless and stare into each otherÕs eyes. Light from another passing vehicle washes over them. ALEX Uh, IÕve never done this... SUSIE Neither have I. She wraps her arms around him. More clothing discarded. They find a position that doesnÕt hurt. SUSIE Wait. What about... What about, uh, protection? AlexÕs heart sinks, then he suddenly brightens. ALEX Oh! My wallet! He tries to get it but the position is bad. ALEX Can you reach? She grins and digs around for it. Inside is the condom James made him stow there. She holds it up questioning. ALEX (embarrassed) Uh, James... He said... He thought... SUSIE (grinning) Uh-huh. A likely story. ALEX No, really. I didnÕt... She kisses him to shut him up. He takes the condom and unwraps it. Hands fumble in the dark. 00020000047800016A81472,ALEX Am I doing this right? She reaches down to help. He jumps at her touch. Can it get any more awkward? They laugh nervously. SUSIE Okay. I think itÕs on. She pulls him down. They struggle against the tangle of clothes, the cramped back seat and their own inexperience. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Copulation starts with the insertion of the maleÕs penis into the femaleÕs vagina. This is most commonly performed face-to-face, the male over the female, both in the horizontal position, with the femaleÕs legs apart. Something must be going right. She stiffens and stops him. SUSIE Slow, slow... ALEX Okay? SUSIE Yeah... Yeah, Okay. Okay... ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) The male begins a series of rhythmic pelvic thrusts. These can vary considerably in strength and speed, but in an uninhibited situation are usually rather rapid. They continue, learning as they go. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) In both sexes there are marked increases in pulse rate, blood pressure and respiration. Breathing becomes deeper and more rapid as arousal develops and then, as orgasm approaches, develops into prolonged gasping often accompanied by rhythmic moaning or grunting. 00020000045000016EF344A,ItÕs very passionate and heartfelt. ItÕs also very quick. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Other female primates do not appear to experience a climax, but the Naked Ape is unusual in this respect. Some females may reach this point very quickly, others not at all, but on the average it is attained between ten and twenty minutes after the start of copulation. They both stifle moans and suddenly Alex jerks and he grabs for a hand hold to steady himself. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) On the other hand, the male reaches the consummatory act within a few minutes in most cases. They come down slowly, breathing heavily. Alex looks at her sheepishly. ALEX IÕm sorry. SUSIE IÕm not. ItÕs okay. It was sweet. ALEX It didnÕt last very long. SUSIE Well, I didnÕt really expect it to. ALEX Oh. They lay there and laugh the tension away. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) After copulation there normally follows a considerable period of exhaustion, relaxation, rest... eXT. Dry Lake - nIGHT Time-lapse: Clouds dissolve into vapor. The stars rotate across the sky, the mountains silhouette against them. ZOOLOGIST (v.O.) ...and frequently sleep. 0002000006820001733D67C,Their car sits alone on the lake bed, waiting for morning. int. Dry Lake - susieÕs CAR (parked) - mORNING They lie asleep in the backseat. The sun creeps in through the window and lands on SusieÕs face. She awakens. She props herself up and looks down at Alex, brushing lightly at his bangs. Then she smiles and opens the door. Alex grins behind closed eyes as the door closes behind her. EXT. dry lake - mornING Susie stands on the salt flat looking across the expanse of white stretching into the distance. The crunch of footsteps proceeds AlexÕs joining her. They exchange shy looks. Both want to speak but canÕt think of what to say. Finally, Susie thinks of something. SUSIE What about Kristie? ALEX James said... The campground? Something about a campground... SUSIE Okay. ItÕs worth a shot. I/E. CAMPGROUNDS - suSIEÕS CAR (DRIVING) - dAY Series of shots: Back on the road they search the campgrounds and parking lots around the dry lake. Alex drives. They pass families packing up. Susie asks people questions. They shake their heads no. The car still driving. Susie asks more people questions. Someone points. INT. campground - suSIEÕS CAR (parked) - dAY They stop near a public shower and again Susie gets out to ask a question. The guy she asks points towards the showers. She throws Alex a worried look before hurrying over to it. Alex parks the car and follows. ItÕs the ladies room. He pauses unsure if he should go in. ALEX Fuck it. iNT. campgrounds - public shower - dAY Kristie cowers in the corner of a shower stall, her clothes soaking wet. She looks up as Alex enters. SheÕs been crying. She holds onto Susie for dear life. 0002000004BF000179B94B9,sUSIE Shhh. ItÕs okay. IÕm here... Alex enters. Kristie shrinks back. AlEX What happened? SUSIE SheÕll be okay. SheÕs mostly just drunk. Kristie What? What did you tell him? SUSIE Nothing. DonÕt worry about it. Kristie (to Susie) I didnÕt think IÕd ever see you again. I was so scared. I... SUSIE (to Alex) Can you help me? Alex crosses and helps get Kristie to her feet. SheÕs soaking wet and shivering. He takes off his jacket and gives it to her. SheÕs never had a guy be nice to her before. KRISTIE Thank... Thank you. aLEX What happened? Kristie suddenly stumbles to the toilet and throws up. SUSIE ItÕs okay. Get it all out... Feeling useless, Alex goes outside. KRISTIE Oh, Susie... You have to help me. I have to get out of here! SUSIE Okay. We will soon. KRISTIE No, we have to go. Promise me, youÕll never leave me alone with some guy again. Promise me. SUSIE (only half sure) Okay, I promise. KRISTIE Promise me youÕll help me. SUSIE (for her sake) I promise, I promise. KRISTIE I donÕt know what IÕd do without you, Sus. EXT. campgrounds - dAY Alex lingers by the car, waiting for the girls. An amusement park nearby draws his attention. He wanders through an open gate into... 00020000047A00017E72474,EXT. amusement park parking lot - dAY Alex looks over the wall to the towering roller-coasters and adrenaline fun drops. One of the rides draws his attention. ItÕs an arch. It looks just like a wire-frame, scale model of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. He stares at it... He senses someone watching him and turns. Ratty girl Hey. AlEX Hey. SheÕs about fifteen, wears a mix of black jeans and dead animal furs and looks like she hasnÕt bathed in weeks. ratty girl Where you from? Alex has to think about it for a moment. alex Missouri. RATTY GIRL WhereÕs that? ALEX The state? RATTY GIRL Is it anywhere near Miami? alex No, not really. RATTY GIRL You heading anywhere near Miami? ALEX No, weÕre going to California. ItÕs the opposite direction. RATTY GIRL Oh. She stands uncomfortably for a moment, absent-mindedly scratching an armpit. rATTY GIRL You got any pot? aLEX Sorry. rATTY GIRL Okay. Thanks. She wanders off. Alex canÕt stop staring. He wanders back to the campgrounds. EXT. campgrounds - dAY Susie digs in the trunk for some clothes for Kristie. SUSIE She needs me. She wants to leave. I donÕt know where she wants to go. 00020000054B000182E6545,ALEX What are you going to do? SUSIE I donÕt know. She wants-- ALEX What do you want? SUSIE I... (stops) I canÕt just leave her. Not now. ALEX If you want to help her, take her home. SUSIE But what if she wonÕt go? Her father... ALEX Then thatÕs her decision. DonÕt let her drag you down with her. SUSIE She... She made me promise. ALEX Look at her. Does she look like she knows what sheÕs doing? He eyes the Ratty Girl down the way asking the next couple of people for a ride. Alex points her out to Susie. ALEX Look at that girl. How long before thatÕs you and Kristie? SUSIE Yeah? What about you? How long before you wind up like that too? Alex stops. The mirror now turned on him. ALEX Shit... IÕve lost everything. My car... James had the keys... SUSIE ItÕs so much easier to solve other peoples problems, isnÕt it? ALEX Yeah. YouÕre right. IÕm no better off than Kristie. SUSIE What are you going to do? ALEX What can I do? Turn myself in? Got any other ideas? She shakes her head. ALEX (thinks about it) I guess... Just drop me at my car when youÕre ready to go. Maybe IÕll think of something before then. If not... He shrugs. She nods. INT. Salt Lake city - sUSIEÕS CAR (DRIVING) - dAY Alex sits quietly in the back as they drive through town. Susie repeatedly glances back at him in the mirror. Kristie ignores him. 0002000004040001882B3FE,EXT. jUVENILE HALL - day Susie pulls up behind AlexÕs car on the side of the road. Alex climbs out. Susie pauses for a second before following. aLEX Thanks for... Helping me... suSIE Hey, I couldnÕt just leave you on the side of the road, right? He avoids her eyes. She looks at her feet and fidgets. SUSIE You know, if you ever pass through Taos again... aLEX Oh, yeah... Uh, okay. See you. He turns for the building. suSIE Hey! She throws her arms around him and kisses him. He smiles and kisses her back, then lets her go. They part and she grabs his hand. SuSIE Here... She writes on his hand. SUSIE Write me? He smiles and nods. She quickly kisses him again and hurries back to her car. Alex continues down the walk. He stops next to his car, looking in on all their stuff. EricÕs skateboard in the back, CDs scattered among discarded junk food... He turns away and continues on. INT. jUVENILE HALL - day Alex enters and approaches the reception desk. He lingers until the RECEPTIONIST finally notices him. 0002000001B300018C291AD,Receptionist Can I help you? ALEX Yeah. I want to turn myself in. She gives him a blank look. RECEPTIONIST For what? EXT. tHE ZOO - APE HABITAT - CHIMPANZEES - daY A chimpanzee sits behind the bars of a cage looking out at the passers by. He looks miserable. James Alex! The chimp turns to look. Omitted[] iNT. juVENILE HALL - dorm - DAY James and Eric enter the room with smiles and cross quickly to where Alex sits on a cot. 0002000004D400018DD64CE,James Alright. This is the way it oughtta be. All the bros back together. James grins. Alex doesnÕt return it. James You made the right call, coming back and all. I mean, even if you did screw up. You did right, man. Hey, was that dude messed up or what? He grill you too? aLEX Yeah. James WhatÕd you say to him? ALEX Nothing. Eric Pigs. They got nothing on us. You know this other kid told me they canÕt even charge me unless the store does a citizenÕs arrest. James Well, there ainÕt much they can do other than call our parents. Eric So I guess those bus tickets went to waste, huh, Alex? James Yeah. That was a bone-headed idea. Man, what were you thinking? Alex stews for a moment. aLEX Fuck you guys. He stands and walks away from them. James Hey! James jumps up and catches up with him. He grabs his shoulder. JAMES Look, man, if itÕs about the other night, IÕm sorry, okay? Alex avoids looking at him. jAMES ItÕs just the shit, you know? You got under my skin is all. I mean, you know I donÕt lie, right? Alex shakes his hand off. aLEX DonÕt touch me. Eric and James look at each other in bewilderment. He crosses the room and stations himself by a window. His car sits by the curb just outside the fence. 00020000049C000192A4496,INT. rest room - dAY Hands set makeup items on the small ledge under the mirror. Two compacts, eyelash brush, hairbrush, lipstick... Susie splashes water on her face and pats it dry. She grabs a compact of base and rubs the pad in it. She raises it to her cheek but pauses as she sees herself in the mirror. Who is this person staring back? Kristie grabs the hairbrush and tugs at her tangles. KrISTIE God that feels good! You know what IÕm thinking? Everyone runs away to California. What do you think of Colorado? I mean, my cousin told me that Boulder is hippy central! So how hard can it be to get by there? Susie smears base on her face very slowly, reluctantly. SUSIE No. KRISTIE What? SUSIE No. IÕm going home. KRISTIE But... I thought you cared about me. You know what my dad did to me. Susie, he thinks I like it! Susie stops applying makeup. SUSIE Maybe you can stay with us for a while, I donÕt know. But IÕm going home. Kristie stares at her betrayer. KRISTIE You canÕt go back! YouÕll be grounded for life! Just think what that bitch is going to say. SheÕll convince your pussy-whipped dad that somehow you were out to tear apart the family-- 0002000004200001973A41A,SUSIE IÕm going home. Susie starts packing up her makeup. KRISTIE You... You promised me! You promised youÕd stick with me! What am I supposed to do!? Susie takes her bag and heads for the door. SUSIE You do what you have to. IÕm going home. iNT. juVENILE HALL - hall - DAY Alex pulls a Diet Coke from a machine. A MONITOR approaches. monitor You Alex Feldman? Someone here for you. iNT. juVENILE HALL - cafeteria - dAY There are several rows of tables and benches sitting empty except for one person; AlexÕs father, Mr. Feldman. His heart sinks. His Dad looks at him disappointed. Alex sits across from him, setting the unopened can on the table. mR. FELDMAN You want to tell me whatÕs going on? aLEX NothingÕs going on. MR. FELDMAN DonÕt give me that. IÕm not going to let you out of this one. I think I have a right to know why my son packed his car and drove halfway across the country without telling me. ALEX You wouldnÕt understand. MR. FELDMAN Try me. ALEX I was... We were just taking a road trip. I needed a break-- MR. FELDMAN 00020000049700019B54491,What are you talking about? You didnÕt clean out your room for some road trip. ALEX Well, I also... I was going to get a job in L.A. I was going to call you as soon-- MR. FELDMAN Come off it, Alex. Do you really think that some companyÕs going to hire a sixteen year old kid without checking with his parents? Why did you run away? Alex canÕt answer. MR. FELDMAN Was I mean to you? Was I unfair? ALEX No. MR. FELDMAN Is it school? Your teachers? Your classmates? ALEX Can we talk about this some other time-- MR. FELDMAN No, Alex, IÕve had it up to here. I had to cancel three meetings and fly across the country to bail you and your buddies out. I donÕt know what else to do with you. IÕve tried to talk to you-- Alex sweeps the soda can off the table and across the room. It hits the wall and explodes, spraying Diet Coke everywhere. ALEX I canÕt talk to you! Alex leaps to his feet. Mr. Feldman shuts up immediately. aLEX Every day itÕs something else! Is someone going to spit in my food? Are they going to throw dog shit in my backpack? I canÕt turn my back in the locker room anymore because some asshole might give me a wedgie! IÕve had enough! 0002000003F500019FE53EF,mR. FELDMAN You never even tried to talk to me-- ALEX What could you do? Talk to the teachers? Talk to the principal? Talk to the cops? How do you think that would fly? Alex who has to have his dad stick up for him! You think things would improve? Tears stream down AlexÕs face against all his best efforts. MR. FELDMAN There are other ways of handling-- ALEX Yeah? Well they didnÕt happen, okay? I decided IÕd be better off starting over! I screwed up! Is that what you want to hear?! It was stupid?! I was wrong?! Fine! Just leave me alone!! Mr. Feldman doesnÕt respond. Alex follows his look to discover James and Eric standing in the door. They avoid his eyes, uncomfortable. Mr. Feldman breaks the stillness by crossing the room to pick up the remains of the coke. mR. FELDMAN IÕve cleared everything with the police. ItÕs time to go home. Ext. jUVENILE HALL - front - dAY A tow-truck lifts AlexÕs car off the ground. Alex hands the last of their stuff to James and shuts the back. 0002000003990001A3D4393,The TOW-TRUCK DRIVER finishes counting out hundred dollar bills to Mr. Feldman. Tow-truck driver ... eighteen... nineteen... two. And these were scattered about the floor. He hands a box to Mr. Feldman. Inside are various odds and ends: a dancing beer can, a disposable camera, a squirt gun, a box of rubbers... Mr. Feldman looks at the three boys questioningly. mR. FELDMAN Thank you. (to the guys) Alright, letÕs go. Eric grabs the camera out of the box and snaps a picture of the tow-truck pulling away. James shakes his head. James Man, thatÕs messed up! aLEX Well, what did you expect? Mr. FeldmanÕs rented minivan sits in a nearby parking lot. Eric and James set the last of the stuff in the back and shut it. EXT. jUVENILE HALL - SUSIEÕS CAR (PARKED) - dAY Susie and Kristie watch the guys pile into the minivan. KRISTIE (not happy) Okay? SUSIE Yeah. Okay. She starts the car. Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - day 0002000003E30001A7673DD,The minivan pulls carefully out into traffic. Int. UTAH HIGHWAY - MINIVAN (moving) - day James switches into control mode. James You know, sir, me and Eric had no idea that Alex hadnÕt talked to you or that he was taking off. I tried to talk him out of it, you know, after I found out. MR. FELDMAN I appreciate that. James We figured weÕd just catch a few sights and be back before a week was up. MR. FELDMAN Yeah? What did you see? James There was these sand dunes, I think we saw the Rio Grande... This one place, like cliffs... What was that place called...? Eric shrugs, unhelpful. Alex keeps his eyes focused on the passing countryside. Suddenly, a yellow sedan zips past honking wildly. Alex looks up to find Susie smiling and waving. Kristie doesnÕt look back. They quickly disappear into the distance. mR. FELDMAN I guess youÕre not the only kids with road trips on your minds. Alex follows them with his eyes. A faint smile plays across his face. Ext. UTAH HIGHWAY - dusk 00020000042C0001AB44426,The minivan continues on, heading back home. Time-lapse: Sunset gives way to night and still they drive on. The country side passes in a sped up blur. Whole towns flash by in a matter of seconds. iNT. Colorado highway - minivan (Moving) - nIGHT Alex stares off into the passing empty farm lands. His eyes drop and finally he sleeps. Mr. Feldman pushes on through the night. A glance at his passengers reveals them all asleep. His gaze lingers on Alex, contemplating... They pass a handful of hotels. He doesnÕt stop. Ext. saND DUNES (Fantasy day-for-night) - nIGHT Alex climbs the sand, waves of it slipping away and sliding down the slope giving his feet no place to hold. On and on he climbs till finally he makes it to the top. He stands and catches his breath. An ocean stretches out to the horizon, an endless expanse of water just beyond the dunes. He looks around and finds a figure struggling to the top of the dune to his left. Susie stands at the crest and shakes sand from her clothes. She looks up and finds him staring at her. She smiles. 0002000003E00001AF6A3DA,He smiles back and looks up at the stars. INT. mountain pass - MINIVAN (parked) - nIGHT Alex awakens and looks up through the sunroof at the stars. The car isnÕt moving. He sits up, stiff, and looks around. James and Eric are asleep in the back. He father isnÕt there. The lights of a passing car highlight a figure standing on the other side of the road. Alex gets out quietly. EXT. mountain pass - nIGHT Alex crosses the road to his father. As he approaches, a grand vista of city lights is revealed in the plains below. He stops next to his father and just looks at it for a while. MR. FELDMAN ItÕs late. WeÕll find a hotel in town. Alex nods. MR. FELDMAN When I was traveling across the country to go to college I stopped here, right on this spot, on a night just like this. I stood here for something like an hour staring down at the lights and smoking a joint. Alex shoots a look at his dad. MR. FELDMAN DonÕt look at me like that. I did stupid things when I was a kid too. 0002000004550001B34444F,He looks pointedly at Alex. MR. FELDMAN IÕve been thinking. IÕve had a lot of time to think. I kept asking myself, ŌWhy would Alex do a stupid thing like run away? I never did anything like that.Õ But the more I thought about it the more I realized I did. Maybe not literally running away from home, but I wanted to. I just waited for college then made sure I went to one as far from home as possible. And then when college ended I took a job clear across the country, severing my ties once again. And you know what? I think thatÕs why your mother and I got a divorce. I think it was just me running away... He stops talking and they stand for a moment. MR. FELDMAN You know, Alex, sometimes life is just plain shitty, but we all go through it and, in the end, weÕre better for it. ItÕs universal, probably built into us going back millions of years. ALEX (pause) I miss mom. MR. FELDMAN Sometimes I do too. Another quiet moment. ALEX So... You used to smoke pot. MR. FELDMAN DonÕt think that makes it okay for you to go get stoned. And if you do, I donÕt want to know about it. Got that? 0002000004380001B793432,ALEX (smiling) Understood. Mr. Feldman tousles AlexÕs hair then puts an arm around him. Time-lapse: The city lights below flow like blood in veins. EXT. fields of wheat - morning Time-lapse: The grain jitters in sped up motion as the sky brightens behind them with the coming sun. Ext. Brightening sky - morning Time-lapse: Clouds dissolve as the temperature rises. Ext. st. louis - high school parking Lot - morning Time-lapse: The sun peaks up as the lot fills with cars. iNT. Ladue high school - hall - Day Time-lapse: The empty hall floods with a blur of students. Alex stands alone, isolated in their midst. Time returns to normal. Alex walks down the hall, eyes on the people around him. No one notices him, no one cares. He pauses and just looks at the people as they pass... A freshman stiff, self-conscious. A girl fixes her makeup in a locker mirror. Another kid uncomfortable until his buddy taps him on the shoulder... A kid running down the hall slams into Alex taking them both to the ground. Alex scrambles to his feet in a panic. WhoÕs attacking him? 0002000003420001BBC533C,Kid Sorry man. Sorry. ItÕs just a freshman, and a small one at that. Alex breaks into a smile, laughing privately. ALEX ThatÕs okay. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) It appears that the laughing reaction evolved out of the crying one, as a secondary signal. Where crying is a reaction to danger or pain, the laugh says, 'I sense a danger and recognize that it is not real.' Nothing is different yet everything has changed. Alex bends down to pick up his stuff. Garret (o.S.) What are you grinning about, butt-lover? Thinking about asking that frosh to the prom? Corrupt laughter follows. ZOOLOGIST (V.O.) Laughing at another Naked Ape can also, of course, become a potent social weapon. It is doubly insulting because it indicates that the target of the laughter is both frighteningly odd and at the same time not worth taking seriously. 0002000003D90001BF013D3,Alex turns to find a couple of football players crowding him. He looks GARRET in the eyes. The smile drops, but he doesnÕt back away. GaRRET Look at this fruit. I heard you got arrested for running away. Garret and his buddies laugh at that. Alex holds his eyes. GarRET What? You think youÕre some kind of shit kicker now? Is that it? He gives Alex a push. Alex comes back to face him. GARRET Check this ass licker out? The other guys ŅooohÓ. A couple of people stop to watch. Garret pushes him again. Harder this time. Alex comes back. Garret drops his smile and pushes Alex again. Alex tries to push back but he has no leverage. Garret gets pissed. He grabs AlexÕs shirt. Alex tries to pull his hands off. Garret backs him into the lockers. Kids scramble to get clear! Garret gets in his face. GARRET You want it? Huh? ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) In the tense state of conflict between aggression and fear, everything is suspended. Time slows to a crawl. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) 0002000004300001C2D442A,As moments of threat and counter-threat tick by, we see flashes of parasympathetic activity interspersed with the aggressive sympathetic symptoms. A kid turns and runs down the hall looking for a teacher. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Dryness in the mouth may give way to excessive salivation. Tightening of the bowels may collapse and sudden defecation may occur. The urine, held back so strongly in the bladder, may be released in a flood. GarretÕs buddies urge him on, calling for a fight. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) The removal of blood from the skin may be massively reversed, extreme pallor being replaced by intense flushing and reddening. The deep and rapid respiration may be dramatically interrupted, leading to gasps and sighs. Garret breaths in short, sharp breaths, his face red, his mouth open, his eyes wide. ZoOLOGIST (V.O.) Thus, the angry, red-faced opponent is far less likely to act. Whereas the white-faced, tight-lipped one with rapid deep breathing is a danger signal. This combatant is ready to attack. AlexÕs mouth is a line, his eyes intense, his body taut. 0002000004DB0001C6FE4D5,Time returns. Alex lashes out! It glances off of Garret forcing the bigger kid to flinch and back off for a moment. Unfortunately, itÕs only for a moment. Garret punches him in the gut! Alex manages to squirm out of the bulk of the punch. Another one comes. It connects! Alex fights back, but pathetically. HeÕs way outclassed. A glancing blow strikes him across the face. He tries to get his hands up to defend himself. Suddenly someone tackles Garret to the floor! Eric flails wildly at Garret, not doing a lot of damage but keeping Garret on guard. One of the other jocks steps up and grabs Eric by the shoulders, pulling him away. Garret leaps to his feet ready to fight and comes face to face with James. James shoves Garret back towards his buddies. A big imposing black guy facing down the white bullies. They sober. GaRRET So the pussy needs someone to protect him, huh? ALEX And you need someone smaller than you to pick on? JAMES Yeah. Why donÕt you pick a fight with me, cracker? Eric is hopping with energy, literally. He looks like heÕs on speed. ERIC Yeah, cracker! Yeah, cracker! All eyes are on Garret. He looks from James to Alex to the crowd. A couple of teachers make their way towards the disturbance. 0002000005C30001CBD35BD,GARRET Fuck you pussies. He pushes past his buddies and saunters away. The crowd slowly disperses. JAMES You okay? ALEX Yeah, IÕm okay. Miss Arbor WhatÕs going on here!? ALEX Nothing. JAMES ItÕs nothing serious, Miss Arbor. Alex just tripped and fell. ItÕs cool now. Miss arbor (looking at Alex) Is that what happened? ALEX Yeah, IÕm fine. She wanders away suspiciously. Alex turns and heads for his locker, not trusting himself to look at anyone. James comes up behind him and pats him on the shoulder. James Hey, I got something for you. He hands him the comic book. ItÕs an issue of Wolverine. Number 1. Alex smiles. aLEX Thanks, James. James Punks always been giving you that much trouble at school? aLEX Yeah. A lot. Eric I didnÕt think it was that bad. James Man, why didnÕt you come to me? IÕd have put them straight. You know that. aLEX ThatÕs not the point, James. They donÕt respect me. They wonÕt ever respect me. JAMES We respect you, man. ALEX No. You donÕt. JAMES Come on... James looks to Eric for support. eRIC We donÕt. Alex closes his locker and looks at each of them. No one has any more to say. Alex gives a stiff grin and heads to class. Ext. sT. LOUIS - GATEWAY ARCH - DAY The Arch climbs like a silver ribbon up into the sky. iNT. gateway arch - top - dAY The elevator doors open and the next load of people pour out. The guys hurry to the nearest open windows. James Check this out. Over thereÕs where Ladue is. See those trees? 0002000003A20001D19039C,Eric I thought it was that way. James Man, you donÕt know what your talking about. ThatÕs Highway 40 right there. Alex notices a cute teenage girl by the next window. She catches him staring and he reflexively looks away. Then, on second thought, turns back. She glances at him... once, twice... again. He smiles at their nervous exchange. She quickly returns the smile then hurries away to a couple of friends. James Aw, damn! Look at that! Alex turns back to find James and Eric watching. aLEX She just smiled is all. Eric I just thought of something. You and Susie were alone together for like two days. James ThatÕs right. You guys got it on, didnÕt you? aLEX (blushing) Maybe. James No way! He did! And didnÕt even bother to tell us. Can you believe that shit? Eric I was casing her all day and couldnÕt even cop a feel. aLEX Come on, guys. It wasnÕt like that. James I bet it wasnÕt. You use that rubber? 0002000005C50001D52C5BF,Alex shuts his mouth and takes an interest in the view. ERIC He did. JAMES Yeah, he did. ERIC Yep. James gives him a slap on the shoulder. Eric (after a beat) This is pretty dope. Hey, I thought you were afraid of heights? ALEX Yeah,