REBELS (A HORROR EPISODE FOR THE MADMAN'S DAILY UNEQUIVOCAL COMEDY) Written by: Raymond Giuffrida (Story somewhat inspired by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 1991 Album - Into the Great Wide Open.) [email protected]
FADE IN: INT. COACH DANIELS’ LIVING ROOM - NIGHT COACH DANIELS, 40s, out of shape, disheveled, sleeps on a couch, a bottle of whiskey on the table in front of him and empty beer bottles scattered on the carpet. He moves around like he’s having a nightmare, as Carl Sagan’s Cosmos plays on the TV. CARL SAGAN FROM TV ...this is a stellar nursery. A place where stars are born... As the Sagan narration continues, we drift towards a framed photo on the wall of a younger Coach Daniels with his wife and son, WILLY, 8, in a red soccer uniform. INT. COACH DANIELS’ KITCHEN - DAY Coach Daniels eats Count Chocula cereal, while he stares out the window at some kids passing around a soccer ball in the neighboring yard. He shuts the window and curtains, then sits back down and eats his cereal in the now dark, silent room. INT. WILLY’S BEDROOM - DAY Coach Daniels sits on his son’s racecar bed, swigging his whiskey bottle, a globe behind him on a desk. He flips through a photo book: - Coach Daniels bending down on one knee with his entire soccer team, comprised of eleven-year-old boys in red uniforms. - Willy celebrating a goal in his red uniform. He shuts the photo book and weeps quietly to himself. INT. COACH DANIELS’ DINING ROOM - DAY Coach Daniels sits on the carpet, swigging his bottle of whiskey, while he stares at print-outs scattered on the floor of locations from a travel website - Brazil, Ireland, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico. Shuts his eyes, shuffles the papers around, then chooses one. Appears disappointed in his selection, as he crumples the papers into a ball and tosses it behind him.
2. INT. COACH DANIELS’ KITCHEN - DAY Coach Daniels finishes off the bottle of whiskey, seated at the kitchen table, then spins around the globe that was in Willy’s bedroom, pointing his finger at random places. Points on Canada. Spins...points on Romania. Spins...points on Peru. Spins...points on Djibouti. INT. COACH DANIELS’ OFFICE - DAY Coach Daniels sits in front of his early 1990’s desktop computer. He types, “IS ALCOHOL LEGAL IN DJIBOUTI?”, into a very early version of a search engine, drinks his beer, then squints towards the screen and clicks on a link. INT. COACH DANIELS’ BASEMENT / WORKOUT ROOM - DAY Coach Daniels does chest presses on a bench, in the very disorganized room. Press one goes well, but press two gives him some serious trouble, as he fights to bring the bar back up. Press three is a disaster, as he slides the weight bar onto the floor to avoid serious injury. He sits up, huffing and puffing, as he wipes blood off his chin, staring across the room at a wooden crucifix on the wall. Hobbles towards it, removes it from the wall and tosses it into a laundry basket. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY (ZEKE’S DREAM) We drift through the desolate countryside, as black smoke rises from a crevice in the rocky ground, where a trapped deer carcass rots, maggots devouring what remains of its flesh. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE / MOUNTAINS - NIGHT We drift through dark clouds towards seven mountains on fire, then descend erratically towards an ornate crystal throne atop one of the mountains. A horn echoes loudly, like an old Viking call to war, as the throne catches fire and a demonic, vampiric face forms from the black smoke. (END ZEKE’S DREAM) 2.
3. INT. ZEKE’S BEDROOM - DAY ZEKE, 11, sleeps in his bed, a team USA soccer blanket over him. A framed picture rests on his dresser, of him with four other teammates in red soccer uniforms making goofy faces. He opens his eyes and stares directly at a small plaque on the wall of an angel sculpture and the words - “If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take,” then rises in a panic. Calms himself down, grabs a soccer ball from underneath his bed and dribbles it off his barefoot, knee and thigh, counting every time he’s able to keep it off the ground. ZEKE One...two...three...four... His mother, LIZ, 40s, shouts from behind the door. LIZ (O.S.) Zeke, hurry up and get dressed! If you miss the bus again, you’re walking. He ignores her and keeps counting his dribbles. ZEKE ...five...six...seven... The ball drops to the floor. ZEKE Mom, you messed me up! Now I gotta start all over. She pounds on the door. LIZ (O.S.) Now Zeke! He sighs, grabs the soccer ball and keeps dribbling. ZEKE One...two...three...four... EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY A school bus rides through a middle class community, trees the colors of autumn. 3.
4. INT. SCHOOL BUS - DAY Zeke, dressed in a Catholic school uniform, sits in the back of the bus with his teammates from the photo in his room, who are also dressed the same. MACK, 11, the tough, burly, wise-ass. TIMMY, 11, the quiet, frail kid. JORDAN, 11, the pretty boy. Mack stands and pounds his chest like a wild animal. MACK We mighty REBELS! Ready to attack at any given moment! No matter the place or time, with no hint of doubt to weaken our fury! To those sacred halls of Valhalla! He howls loudly like a professional wrestler, while Jordan places a Color Me Badd cassette into his Walkman and listens through his headphones. MACK (catching his breath) We should have just skipped school today and practiced penalty kicks. ZEKE Would you just relax Mack. It’s our year. I feel it. Timmy takes out a Sports Card pricing guide magazine and flips through it. TIMMY One more week of mowing lawns and it’s all mine. Mack turns his head towards him, and chews on some Big League Chew. MACK What’s yours? TIMMY Jerry Rice rookie card. Gonna make me a very rich man one day. 4.
5. MACK You need to stop being such a geek and focus on this tournament. Better not embarrass us. TIMMY What did I do! MACK I only recall one person missing their penalty kick last time! TIMMY Yeah. Well sorry! I wasn’t ready back then. It would have been Willy’s turn to kick. Zeke, Mack and Timmy eye each other and share a few seconds of somber silence. ZEKE Willy was always the best, but we can’t be thinking about that now. This might be the last shot we got to win this. He places his hand out. ZEKE For Willy. Timmy places his hand on top of his. TIMMY For Willy. Mack smacks his hand on top of his. MACK For Willy. He reaches out and takes Jordan’s headphones off his ears. JORDAN Hey. What gives man! MACK We’re trying to bond as a team here. Jordan stares at him confused. MACK Just say “for Willy.” 5.
6. He nods his head in understanding. JORDAN For Willy. EXT. COACH DANIELS’ HOUSE - DAY RUSS, 40s, mild-mannered, drives his minivan by the middle class suburban home, as Coach Daniels, hooded sweatshirt, black sunglasses, carries his recycling bin towards the curb, full of various alcohol bottles. RUSS Hey Coach. He lowers his hood, not very eager for a morning conversation. COACH DANIELS Hey there Russ. How’s Zeke doing? Russ places the minivan in park. RUSS Zeke’s great. Big tournament starts tomorrow. COACH DANIELS Can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving. He places the recycling bin on the curb and waves. COACH DANIELS Have a safe trip, and tell the boys good luck. Russ notices all the bottles in the recycling bin as he walks away. RUSS Why don’t you come along. Plenty of room. Wasn’t this always your favorite tournament. COACH DANIELS Thanks, really, but I have some work to catch up on around here. RUSS Come on Coach. We both know that’s not true. 6.
7. Coach Daniels pauses, his back facing Russ, who leans his head out the front window. RUSS Change of scenery might do you some good. Plus, this could be the Rebels last hurrah. What do you say? He ponders quietly to himself, as the morning sun shines down on his face, then walks away as Russ drives off. RUSS Just think about it, Coach. INT. LIQUOR STORE - DAY Coach Daniels approaches the register with two bottles of Seagrams Seven whiskey. The CASHIER, 40s, bearded, in a West German soccer jersey, stares towards the TV behind him, which plays the 1990 World Cup Final, as the West German team celebrates their victory. CASHIER (German accent) Wird nie alt. (translation) Never gets old. Coach Daniels gazes up towards the soccer game, then tries to get his attention. COACH DANIELS Think you could ring me up? The Cashier wipes a tear from his eye and turns around. CASHIER Sorry. Watch this game everyday since they won back in July. He rings him up, bags the whiskey, then hands him some change. Coach Daniels nods in thanks, grabs his bag and walks away, while he grabs a remote and rewinds the video. CASHIER Beautiful game, huh? Coach Daniels turns, watches the TV for a few seconds, then walks out. 7.
8. EXT. COACH DANIEL'S BACKYARD - DAY Coach Daniels sits on an old beach chair swigging his flask, facing his unkempt lawn. EXT. COACH DANIEL'S BACKYARD - DAY (FLASHBACK) Coach Daniels, a bit younger, cheerier, passes a soccer ball to Zeke, who passes it to Willy. COACH DANIELS Pass it back now Willy. He passes him the ball. COACH DANIELS How about some penalty kicks boys. Who thinks they can score on me. ZEKE Me! Me! Let me shoot! WILLY This is too easy, Dad. I score on you like every time. COACH DANIELS Oh, someone’s getting cocky now huh. WILLY Not cocky. Just confident. COACH DANIELS Ok. Well let’s see if you can handle the pressure then, Mr. Confident. Willy sets up the ball as Coach Daniels stands in front of the net trying to psyche him out. They playfully stare each other down, then Willy runs up to the strike the ball. INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY Willy rests in a hospital bed, now completely bald, as Zeke, Mack and Jordan stand around him, while Timmy hands him a soccer ball with signatures all over it. TIMMY Check it out. Everyone signed it. 8.
9. Coach Daniels walks by and gives the boys some privacy, as he watches them from the shadows of the doorway. ZEKE It’s the same ball you scored against South Beaverton. Remember that game, man? Willy grabs the ball with his frail hands and smiles. WILLY Sure, but I only scored because Jordan made the greatest pass ever. Jordan smiles and high fives him. JORDAN I’ll be sending plenty more goals your way in no time. MACK Seriously Willy. You better get out of this place quick or Coach will have to play this little runt more often. He picks Timmy up under his armpits and places him on Willy’s legs, causing him to wince in pain. MACK Oh sorry Willy. He picks Timmy back up and places him down on the floor. WILLY That’s okay. Just haven’t had much of a chance to run around lately. Zeke grabs the ball and throws it to him. ZEKE We’ll just work on your throw-ins then. They toss the ball around, while Coach Daniels watches from the shadows with a tear in his eye. (END FLASHBACK) 9.
10. EXT. COACH DANIEL'S BACKYARD - DAY Coach Daniels snaps out of his daze and wipes a tear from his eye. Swigs his flask, as a black bat flies down like a missile, right into his face. Swats at the bat with the flask, sending it flying away. Pockets the flask, walks onto his lawn, and retrieves a soccer ball out of a high patch. Juggles it impressively from his feet, thigh, chest, and then up to his head. COACH DANIELS (quietly to himself) Who says alcohol impairs your motor skills. Dribbles the ball again and clumsily slips on the grass. Falls hard onto his back groaning in pain, then gazes up towards the sun shining on him through the clouds. INT. CATHOLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY A NUN, 50s, writes on a blackboard, as we notice other phrases written in chalk - “The seven deadly sins”, “The seven wonders of the world”, “The seven dwarves”, and “The seven seals of the apocalypse”. She finishes writing “The seven days of creation”, then places the chalk down. NUN As you can see, the number seven is a very popular number. To this very day, it’s still considered a symbol of spiritual perfection, not just in Catholicism, but in many different cultures around the world. Points to an equation on the blackboard - “(72+X = 79)” NUN Now, when we start to speak about algebraic equations like the one here, we begin to recognize just how important numerology is in both religion and mathematics. Mack grips tightly onto his pencil from his desk, staring towards the clock, which reads about a minute to 1 PM. NUN Mathematics is in fact one of the most beautiful ways to interact with the spirits around us. 10.
11. Mack, Zeke, Jordan and Timmy all stare at the clock above her, ready to move. NUN And for the spirits to interact with us. MACK (under his breath) Oh come on, enough with this bullshit already. She walks to his desk and stands in front of him, clutching her rosary beads. NUN What was that Mack? Did I hear something about bullshit? The clock hits 1 PM, as Mack, Zeke, Jordan and Timmy place their books in their desks, sprint to the back closet, grab their bookbags, and run towards the door. JORDAN Bye sister. ZEKE Have a good weekend. MACK Yeah, you all have fun in bullshitland. The other students giggle and watch them run to the door, as the Nun chases after Mack, swinging her rosary beads towards him like a weapon, grazing his backside playfully. NUN Have fun at your little tournament boys. Don’t go looking for trouble! You hear me! She stares towards the class and regathers her thoughts. NUN Now, who would like to come up and solve for X. 11.
12. EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT / INT. MINIVAN- DAY Timmy and Mack get in the backseat of a beat-up station wagon from the early 1980s. TIMMY Later gentlemen. MACK To those mighty halls of Valhalla! Jordan gets in the backseat of a fancy luxury car, as a few other students run to their parent’s vehicles, while Zeke opens a minivan’s sliding door. ZEKE Yeah. See you when we get... Zeke turns his attention towards Coach Daniels, who sits in the back hungover with his sunglasses on, sipping a cup of coffee. ZEKE ...there. COACH DANIELS Hey Zeke. Long time. He shuts the sliding door and sits down next to him. ZEKE (confused) Hey, Coach. COACH DANIELS Ready for the tournament? ZEKE You know it. Coach Daniels fumbles his coffee and spills some on his clothes. COACH DANIELS Shit. Wipes the coffee off with his hands, licking his fingers, while Russ gazes back towards Zeke from the driver’s seat. RUSS Coach decided to give me a hand. Liz sits in the passenger seat, eating an apple, as she takes out a map of Pennsylvania and unfolds it. 12.
13. LIZ They changed it up this year. You boys ever heard of Seventh Mountain? Coach Daniels sips his coffee. COACH DANIELS Doesn’t ring any bells. Russ starts the ignition. RUSS Changed it kind of last minute too. LIZ I think it will be good for the boys. Expose them to that authentic country lifestyle. EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY We drift above into the clouds as the minivan drives away from the Catholic school. LIZ Maybe even teach them some survival skills. INT. MINIVAN - DAY (LATER) (Song Recommendation - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Learning to Fly). Russ drives through a lush country highway, the colors of autumn in full display as he passes mountains, hills, farmland, and fruit stands on the side of the road. RUSS You’re right Liz. It’s good to get out to the country every now and then. LIZ We should all do it more often. She turns back towards Coach Daniels. LIZ What was it ‘89 Coach, when we took the kids tubing down the Delaware. 13.
14. She giggles, replaying a memory in her head. LIZ Willy wiped out going through some rapids and swore he would never step foot in any body of water again. I’ll never forget that face he made. Coach Daniels forces a smile while he sips his coffee. LIZ Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up. COACH DANIELS Nah. It’s fine Liz. Really. Good to remember those good ole’ days. She turns her head back towards the road, while he takes out his flask and pours whiskey into his coffee. Places his finger over his mouth as instruction for Zeke to keep it a secret, then passes it to him for a taste. ZEKE Ew. Gross Coach. Coach Daniels laughs and takes the flask back. COACH DANIELS So, why don’t you catch me up. We got a shot to win this thing this year? ZEKE Well, we only had two losses all season. And one was because some idiot ref gave Mack a red card for pulling this asshole kid’s shorts down during the game. Coach Daniels grins. COACH DANIELS Guess things haven’t changed too much. Russ eyes him through the rearview. RUSS Boys have had a really great season Coach. I’m sure they’ll all be glad to see you. 14.
15. Coach Daniels leans forward and pats him on the shoulder. COACH DANIELS Sounds like you’ve done a really great job with them Russ. Think I’ll just keep a low profile and watch from the shadows. RUSS Whatever you want. Just glad to have you with us. ZEKE (to Coach Daniels) Heard the teams are a lot tougher this year so we’ll need some luck on our side. COACH DANIELS Can’t rely on luck in life. He leans back and yawns, starting to doze off. COACH DANIELS Can’t rely on anything. Except for the slow demise to the many layers of sulfuric hell waiting for us below. Zeke secures his coffee in the cup holder, then stares out the window towards the beautiful scenery. EXT. COUNTRYSIDE / MOUNTAINS - NIGHT (ZEKE’S VISION) We drift through the dark and gloomy sky, descending towards a mountain on fire, like it was in the depths of hell. A cave entrance appears through the dark smoke, with a giant eyeball painted in blood, and a flame instead of a pupil. Hundreds of black bats fly out of the cave and blacken the sky. INT. MINIVAN - NIGHT Russ drives through a narrow dirt road, wildfires raging on all sides, as Liz gently places her hand over his from the passenger seat. RUSS/LIZ If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. 15.
16. Zeke stares out the back window as the smoke morphs into seven demonic faces, as hundreds of black bats fly in front of the minivan and cover the front windshield. Russ and Liz gaze back calmly towards him, while the minivan speeds towards the edge of a cliff. RUSS/LIZ Now I lay me down to sleep. (END ZEKE’S VISION) INT. MINIVAN - DAY Zeke blinks his eyes, seated in the back, then stares out towards a sign - “SEVENTH MOUNTAIN - 77 miles”, while Coach Daniels rests his head against his shoulder and snores. INT. / EXT. JORDAN’S FAMILY CAR - DAY Jordan sits in the backseat of the spotless luxury car, listening through his headphones to En Vogue - My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It), on his Walkman. His father, KURT, 40s, anxious, drives through the country highway, adjusting the rearview ever few seconds, while his wife, RUTH, 40s, the Alpha, naps in the passenger seat. Honks sound loudly from his left, as he gazes over and spots Mack’s family’s old station wagon. KURT What the hell? Mack’s father, AL, 40s, overweight, fun-loving, honks some more, while hooting loudly, as Kurt waves back apprehensively, more concerned with keeping both hands on the steering wheel. In the backseat of the station wagon, Timmy and Mack lift up their shirts and make funny faces towards Jordan, who shakes his head and bops his head to his music. JORDAN (quietly to himself) What a bunch of freaks. Al swerves dangerously close to Kurt’s car, then lifts his shirt up and shakes his man-boobs towards him, where “REBELS” is written in red paint. AL Let’s go Rebels!!! 16.
17. Kurt forces a smile, as Al speeds away, then grabs a granola bar from his pocket. Gets a paper cut on his finger from the wrapper, then eyes Ruth, who sleeps soundly. KURT Honey, can you grab me a band aid from the first aid kit? She doesn’t budge. KURT (soft-spoken) Ruth? Frustrated, she opens her eyes and turns towards him. RUTH Okay Kurt! Okay! Opens the glove compartment and grabs a band aid out of the large first aid kit. RUTH Here. KURT Can you bandage me? RUTH Jesus Kurt. You’re barely bleeding. KURT I don’t want to get blood on the steering wheel. She places the band aid onto his cut, then tosses the first aid kit back inside the glove compartment and tries to resume her nap. KURT Honey? RUTH What Kurt! KURT Can you please make sure everything is accounted for in the first aid kit? RUTH What! 17.
18. KURT Just to be safe. She sighs, then grabs the first aid kit. Pulls out a small flashlight, some gauze, band aids, eye-wash, burn-cream and some other medical items, then tosses each item back inside the glove compartment. RUTH (mocking) Everything checked and accounted for captain. Happy now! Jams the first aid kit box inside and slams the door shut. Tries to resume her nap, as Kurt stares towards the road, then stares towards the glove compartment, then stares towards the road, then stares towards the glove compartment. KURT Honey? Think you can maybe put everything neatly back inside the kit though? She rummages through the glove compartment and places everything back inside the kit, then slams the glove compartment shut. KURT I’m sorry but OCD is genetic. It’s not my fault. RUTH We better find Jordan a good therapist now then. EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY - DAY Mack and Timmy lean against the old station wagon, as Al lifts up the hood, then coughs through the thick black smoke. AL (through the smoke) It’s okay boys. Just the damn radiator. He waves the smoke away. AL Just need to let her rest for a bit. Be on our way in no time. (to the station wagon) Isn’t that right baby. 18.
19. He gently bangs on the side, causing the door handle on the passenger side door to fall off. Bends down and picks the handle up off the highway, just as a gang of seven bikers speed by him, each wearing a leather jacket with the words “A Celor Căzuti” on the back. (ROMANIAN TRANSLATION - Of the Fallen.) Watches them zip by, then tosses the broken handle inside the passenger side door. AL (to himself) We’ll just fix take care of that later. Timmy eyes Mack. TIMMY I gotta pee Mack. MACK What you looking at me for. Go damn pee then. TIMMY Where? MACK Anywhere. Pick a damn tree and mark your territory! Timmy holds his crotch and does the pee-pee dance. TIMMY I really gotta go. Mack sighs and leads him into the woods. MACK Alright. Follow me. And watch out for poison ivy. Timmy scans the woods anxiously. TIMMY What’s that look like? MACK Jesus kid! Aren’t you in the damn Boyscouts! 19.
20. EXT. WOODS - DAY Mack leans against a large tree, picking his nose, as Timmy urinates nearby in the bushes. MACK What happened to your parents this time? Timmy zips up, then walks carefully through the bushes. TIMMY Think they had a business trip or something. Stares down at the bushes nervously. TIMMY Wait, is that poison ivy? Mack sighs, then puts his arm around him. MACK Come on tough guy. Let’s get back to the shitwagon. They approach a large smoking crevice on the rocky ground and cover their noses with their shirts. TIMMY Ah man, what is that crap. As they gaze down the smoky crevice, the grass around Timmy sinks, as he grips onto the sinking terrain. TIMMY Mack! Mack dives down and reaches out his hand as far as he can extend. MACK Grab on! Timmy freezes in terror. TIMMY I can’t. MACK Trust me! TIMMY I can’t! 20.
21. MACK Just grab on to my damn hand Timmy! He reaches out and Mack pulls him to safety, just as the terrain collapses around them. They crawl away in a hurry, then stare back towards the smoking sinkhole, as loud, demonic howls echo from below. EXT. GAS STATION / OLD BARN - DAY Russ drives the minivan into an isolated rural station, with old fuel pumps from the 1960s, surrounded by some abandoned shacks and rusted farm tractors. RUSS (to LIZ) Be right back. (to Coach Daniels and Zeke) You guys need anything? Coach Daniels snores as Zeke puts down his Batman comic book. ZEKE I think we’re all good back here, Dad. Russ nods and walks away towards the wooden shack to find an attendant. Gazes through the front window towards broken glass, rotted wood, and debris all over the floor. RUSS Hello? Anyone? Just need some gas. Walks around to the side of the station, towards an old battered barn not too far, where three Harley motorcycles are parked. Peeks his head inside. INT. OLD BARN - DAY (CONTINUOUS) Three intimidating, bearded, tatted up bikers, BIKER 1, BIKER 2, and BIKER 3, mix a black liquid in a large vat, all wearing the same leather jackets as the bikers from the highway, with a logo of bat wings on fire on the back, and the words “A Celor Căzuti”. 21.
22. EXT. OLD BARN - DAY Russ curiously watches the three bikers mix the black liquid, as a shadowy figure slowly approaches him from behind and reaches out his muscular, tattooed arms. He jumps back in fright and falls backwards onto the dirt, as he stares up towards a massive biker, GRIGORE, who would put the fear of God into any living being, cigar smoking from his mouth. GRIGORE (Eastern European accent) That your van out there? Russ regains his breath and rises to his feet. RUSS Sorry, was only looking to get some gas. GRIGORE Only cash. RUSS That’s fine. GRIGORE Come now. Grigore picks him off the ground and leads him towards the fuel pump. EXT. GAS STATION / INT. MINIVAN - DAY (MOMENTS LATER) Russ sits in the driver seat, gazing nervously towards Grigore as he puffs his cigar and fuels up the van, while Zeke stares out the back window at tattoos on the back of his neck, of bat wings on fire and one eyeball with a flame in place of the pupil. He finishes fueling and walks towards the driver side window, staring directly towards Zeke, who places his comic book over his face to avoid eye contact. Sticks his head inside the driver side window, winks at Liz, then stares down Russ, who nervously hands him a twenty. RUSS Thanks very much. Grigore reaches into his pocket for change. 22.
23. RUSS (nervous) It’s fine. Keep it. He starts up the minivan, rolls up the window and drives away quickly, while Grigore watches the minivan speed away and puffs his cigar. EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY / INT. STATION WAGON - DAY Mack and Timmy run out of the woods towards the station wagon, covered in grass and dirt, both huffing and puffing. TIMMY Thanks, for saving me back there. MACK Always got your back man. You should know that by now. Rebels stick together. TIMMY What do you think that was anyway? MACK I don’t know. Maybe the Draugr. Coming back to feast on the living. They would have definitely turned you by now if they grabbed you, made you a part of their undead army. TIMMY You’re crazy Mack. They walk up to the station wagon, as Al keys the ignition with no success. AL (seductively) Come on sugar. He sweetly kisses the dashboard, while flicking the dice hanging from the rearview. AL We’ve been through so much together. Keys the ignition again and the engine starts. AL I knew you still loved me! 23.
24. Motions towards Mack and Timmy. AL Hey boys! Shut the hood and we’ll be on our merry way. Mack lowers the hood and locks it into place, then he and Timmy get in the back, covered in dirt and grass, while Al turns to face them and sniffs the air. AL What the hell happened to you two? After no response, he turns his attention back to the highway, checks for oncoming traffic and drives away. MACK Dad, do you believe in hell and demons, and you know, all that creepy shit? Al squints at him curiously through the rearview. AL Isn’t that something you should ask those priests or nuns at your school. Or a witch doctor. MACK I’m serious here! AL Alright. Alright. Calm down. I can’t really say too much. But I did see a man morph into a wolf once when I was about your age. Mack and Timmy stare towards him intently as he drives. AL One night, I was walking towards the school gymnasium, when right there in the open, under the full moon, on the side of the building, an older kid transformed into a gigantic wolf, howling like the loudest roar of thunder you could ever imagine. He moves the rearview to view the boys hanging on his every word. 24.
25. AL Later that night, when I thought I’d seen it all, he went on to score forty-three points in the championship basketball game, hitting seven of ten from beyond the arc, and ending the game with a flashy reverse slam-dunk! Mack sighs. MACK Dad, that’s from that stupid Teen Wolf movie! AL Hey! Teen Wolf is not a stupid movie. I will not allow such blasphemy in my presence. Grabs a half-eaten candy bar from the floor and chews. AL (mouth full) It’s one of the best sports-slashhorror-slash-coming of age movies of all time! Snaps open a soda can and drinks. AL It’s like symbolic or something. About puberty and all that shit. Laughs to himself. AL Those nuns teach you boys about puberty yet? Timmy laughs and snorts, while Mack covers his face in embarrassment. MACK Dad, please just stop talking. He drives farther, sipping his soda, while Timmy lunges forward and eyes him. TIMMY Sister Charlotte did tell us to make sure we don’t pop any boners. Al spits some soda onto the windshield and laughs to himself. 25.
26. AL Maybe you should both stay away from that one. Wipes the soda from the windshield with his sleeve and drives farther down the highway. EXT. SEVENTH MOUNTAIN MOTEL - DAY The sun starts to set as Russ drives the minivan through a complete ghost town, gazing towards abandoned buildings and wooden shacks, not a soul in sight. He pulls into the motel parking lot, with a rusted sign out front with some letters missing, as Liz appears disappointed. LIZ Not quite what I expected. Zeke, Liz and Coach Daniels exit the minivan, and stare towards the motel, which has definitely seen better days, while Russ steps out to join them. RUSS Might as well get situated. They walk towards the lobby entrance. INT. SEVENTH MOUNTAIN MOTEL - LOBBY - DAY Zeke and Coach Daniels check out some dusty tourist pamphlets on a shelf, with graphics from the 1970s, “Explore the Pennsylvania Canyons”, and “Seventh Mountain Hay Rides”. Russ rings the bell at the front counter, waits a few moments, then rings it again, while Liz explores the small, dirty room. LIZ Maybe this is the wrong place. The owner, JACK, 70s, not many teeth left, bugs in his beard, walks towards them from a back room, smiling wide. JACK Well! Howdy there travelers. LIZ Hi. Just checking in. I think. He checks the calendar on his desk, where a large poster of the Orion’s Belt constellation hangs nearby. 26.
27. JACK Right. You must be one of the families here for that thanksgiving tournament. RUSS You got it. He grabs two room keys and hands them to him. JACK Come at a good time, right before the weather gets too frigid, and the chill burrows deep into your bones. Runs his hand through his beard, flinging some bugs onto the counter. JACK Best time of the year, honest to God. Used to have a thanksgiving parade right through this street back in the day. LIZ Didn’t see a lot of people around town driving in. He stares down towards the floor. JACK (despondent) Town kinda’ hit that proverbial rough patch some years back. You know how it goes. So called progress. Young ones don’t want to stay tied down to their roots any more. Walks towards the front window and gazes towards the ghost town. JACK Plus that whole mine explosion didn’t help. Some parts underground have been on fire to this very day. Forty some years of constant burning. Can you believe that? Scratches his beard and walks back behind the counter. 27.
28. JACK It’s welcome to get some nice family units back around here though. Usually just get some drifters or weirdo kids searching for ghosts. He coughs out a disgusting wad of tobacco towards a can on the floor. JACK Sometimes I think those kids may be on to something. They share some awkward silence. RUSS Well okay then. Thank you very much... JACK Jack. They shake hands, then Russ and Liz walk towards the front door, followed by Zeke and Coach Daniels. JACK Do got a working bar on the other side. Mostly bikers, but, what do ya’ call that, when you sing other people’s songs? LIZ Karaoke? JACK Kar-I-Okee, that’s it! We do have one of those sing-song machines. All in good fun. He eyes Zeke. JACK And good luck in that tournament son. Cherish your days of youth. Never know what the stars will bring. Coach Daniels watches the others walk out, then eyes him. COACH DANIELS Where’s that bar again? 28.
29. JACK Just keep walking around to the right. Can’t miss it. He nods in thanks and walks out. EXT. SEVENTH MOUNTAIN MOTEL - DAY Russ, Liz, Coach Daniels and Zeke walk towards their rooms. LIZ Maybe we should have just stayed with the rest of the team. RUSS Thought you wanted Zeke to experience that authentic rural way of life. LIZ Yeah, but this seems more depressing than educational. Coach Daniels pats Zeke on the back. COACH DANIELS This town is what happens when modern industry digs its claws into small town America, thrusting stakes right through every Ma and Pa store’s heart. Russ pats him on the back. RUSS See, anything can be made educational. Thanks Coach. Liz grabs the room key from him, opens the door and walks in with Zeke, while Russ tosses a key to Coach Daniels as he breathes in the country air. RUSS Told you it would be good for you. They enjoy the sunset together. RUSS Rebels are still your team. 29.
30. COACH DANIELS Not anymore. You kept the Rebels alive. The kids really needed that, after Willy. Russ pats him on the back, as they listen to the sounds of nature. RUSS Get some rest. Wake up call at 6:30 sharp. Coach Daniels nods and keys his door, just as Kurt drives into the lot, followed by Al, who honks his horn, sticks his head out the window and hoots. AL Who’s ready to kick some countrybred, Pennsylvania ass! WOO! WOO! Go Rebels!!! He parks the station wagon, as thick black smoke filters through the front hood. AL Goddammit! Not again! Exits, opens the hood and coughs through the smoke. AL (to the station wagon) I thought we moved past this. Russ and Coach Daniels share a smile. RUSS (quietly to Coach Daniels) Get out now, while you still can. They dash into their rooms and slam the doors, while Al fans the smoke away. AL Hey guys! A little help here! 30.
31. EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY The Rebels, in red uniforms, play against a team in green uniforms, as Mack wins a header and passes a long ball towards Jordan down the left sideline. Liz watches the game with Coach Daniels from the bleachers, who wears a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up over his head, trying his best to stay incognito. LIZ Good ball Mack! (to Coach Daniels) So, how’s it feel to watch a game again? COACH DANIELS A little different being a spectator, but the boys are really playing as a team out there. Ruth sits next to Kurt, who stands and watches through fancy binoculars, cleaning the lens every few seconds with a handkerchief, while Al stands and lifts up his shirt to expose REBELS painted across his chest in red. AL Let’s go Rebels! Woooooo! Take no prisoners! A tall player on the green team elbows Timmy in the face purposely, as they both go up to play the ball in the air, while Coach Daniels rises up in a fury and removes the hood from his head. COACH DANIELS What the hell ref! How’s that not a red card! The REF, 40s, no-nonsense, stares him down, as the game continues, while Timmy rolls over, blood dripping from his nose. COACH DANIELS Damn oafy kid nearly took his damn nose off! A player on the green team takes a throw-in, while the Ref walks by Russ seated on the Rebel’s team bench writing notes in a pad. 31.
32. RUSS (reserved tone) Sir, uh, please remember, it’s just a game. Don’t want to see anyone getting hurt out there. The Ref stares him down. REF You better watch it! I will toss you right out of this tournament if your side can’t keep their damn mouths shut. Russ turns his attention back to his notebook. RUSS Understood sir. Understood. On the field, Zeke passes the ball to Mac, who valiantly dribbles through two defenders and passes the ball into the corner towards Timmy, who retrieves the ball, fakes out a defender and crosses a perfect pass to Jordan, who sticks out his leg and deflects the ball in. The Ref blows the final whistle to end the game and the Rebels celebrate. MACK One game down fellas! TIMMY Nice deflection man! ZEKE Let’s keep this going! Coach Daniels walks down the sideline excitedly, trying to hold in his enthusiasm while he swigs his flask. COACH DANIELS Way to be tough out there Timmy! Great win boys! The tall player who elbowed Timmy trips him from behind, sending him flying onto the ground, holding his ankle in pain. Mack rushes to his defense, pushes the tall player down, stuffs grass into his mouth, then puts him in an awkward looking headlock, straight out of the WWF. A brawl breaks out between the two teams, as Jordan tries his best to keep the peace while keeping his hair neatly in place. 32.
33. JORDAN Come on guys, watch the hair! Watch the hair! The Ref runs over, blows his whistle and tosses kids off one another in a futile attempt to break up the tussle, while Coach Daniels watches in high spirits. COACH DANIELS That’s right! Rebels always stick together! Way to be boys! Russ sits on the bench with his legs crossed writing more notes, completely unaware of the comical fighting on the field. INT. BAR - DAY There are dive bars, and then there are bars like this that probably don’t have plumbing. Main features include an old dart board, a cheap karaoke machine on a small stage in one corner, and rotting wooden walls. Coach Daniels sits at the bar, cleaning off the top of his dirty mug with his shirt sleeve, as Russ walks in and sits next to him. RUSS Hey Coach. Thought I’d find you here. He takes out his notebook. RUSS Wanted to get your advice on some strategies for the next game. Stares down at the notes. RUSS Now, we started the game with a 4-4- 2 formation and we seemed to be doing fine. Towards the end, we changed to the more attacking 3-5- 2, which is when we got that clutch winning goal from Jordan. I’m just not sure if we can sustain that aggressive push for a full half. Coach Daniels pays him little mind as he drinks his beer. RUSS So, what do you think Coach? 33.
34. COACH DANIELS Number one, you’re the coach now, so stop calling me coach. Number two, don’t worry about all that technical stuff. He finishes his beer and eyes the female BARTENDER, 40s, dressed like a biker, who walks towards him and refills his mug from the tap. COACH DANIELS That team has heart and they fight for each other. They fight for you. As a coach, that’s all you really need. He pats Russ on the arm and drinks his beer. COACH DANIELS You’ve done a great job Russ. Should be proud. RUSS Thanks Coach. Catches himself too late. RUSS Sorry, it’s gonna take me some time. COACH DANIELS You want a celebratory beer? RUSS No thanks. COACH DANIELS When’s the next game? RUSS Tomorrow, 10 AM. Teams are only going to get tougher from this point. Grigore and the three bikers from the barn walk in and sit at a back table away from the sunlight, while Coach Daniels stares towards them curiously and the Bartender walks towards them with a tray of beers. RUSS If we win the next one. 34.
35. COACH DANIELS When we win. RUSS Right. We should be safe to stroll right into the next round. But I don’t want to get the kid’s hopes up too much yet. COACH DANIELS Keep everything even keeled. High emotions will always get you into trouble. RUSS Speaking of, Liz said you really gave it good to the Ref. COACH DANIELS Yeah, sorry about that. Controlling my own emotions wasn’t always one of my strengths. Russ rises. RUSS You gonna be alright here by yourself? He finishes his beer, then motions to the Bartender for a refill, as Russ walks away. RUSS I’ll be in my room if you need me. Coach Daniels turns towards him as he opens the door. COACH DANIELS Real good game today, Coach. Russ smiles and walks out. EXT. WOODS - NIGHT Timmy, Jordan and Zeke sit on logs surrounded by the sounds of nature, gazing towards the bright stars, while Mack passes Coach Daniels’ flask to Zeke. MACK Check it out. Found this in Coach’s room. Zeke passes it to Jordan. 35.
36. ZEKE I already tried it. Tastes like piss and vinegar. MACK And how would you know what piss tastes like. Jordan takes a swig and makes a gross face, then passes it to Timmy who takes a swig and instantly spits it out. TIMMY It does taste like piss. ZEKE See. Told you. Jordan grabs the flask from Timmy and sniffs. JORDAN How the hell does Coach drink this stuff. Mack grabs the flask from him and takes a long swig, trying to hide the whiskey burn. MACK You guys will get it when you grow up. JORDAN I’m older than you. ZEKE So am I. He swigs the flask again. MACK You know what I mean. Once you get on my level of manliness and all. Places the flask into his pocket. TIMMY Weren’t so manly running from that portal to hell. Embarrassed, Mack lunged towards Timmy. MACK You would be a pile of ash by now if I didn’t pull you out, you dinky dweeb! 36.
37. He pushes him down and punches him on the shoulder, forcing Zeke to separate them. ZEKE Would you stop messing around! We need everyone in top shape tomorrow. Timmy rubs his aching shoulder, while Mack calms down and stares towards the clear night sky. MACK Besides, all that hellfire stuff is bullshitland. JORDAN Bullshitland? Mack lays on the grass and gazes towards the Orion’s Belt constellation. MACK You know, bullshitland. Where people like to run to when they don’t have any answers. Tosses pebbles into the air. MACK Where did all this stuff come from. How could something exist with no beginning or end. He launches a rock as far as he can into the night. MACK Why do bad things happen to good people, like Willy. Sits back down on a log, as the mood turns somber. MACK Bullshitland. A fine place to visit, but the more time you spend there, the more it will rub off on you. Zeke rises and tries to bring the mood back up. ZEKE All I know is Willy would want to win this tournament if he was here with us right now. 37.
38. He walks off alone into the darkness. ZEKE And that’s all we need to focus on. EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY Russ gathers the team in front of their bench as everyone places a hand over his. RUSS (soft-spoken) Okay guys, remember your positioning. Always back each other up if someone makes a run, and make sure you constantly communicate with each other out there. Leads the cheer. RUSS Maintain our structure on three. One...two...three... ENTIRE TEAM (lackluster cheer) Maintain our structure. The Rebels, in their red uniforms, run onto the field, matched up against a team in black and white striped uniforms, as the same Ref blows his whistle and the game starts with Zeke passing the ball to Mack. The Ref jogs by the bleachers, where Coach Daniels sits a distance away from the other spectators, wearing his hooded sweatshirt. He swigs his flask and rises. COACH DANIELS Hey, keep it clean out there Ref! No more bullshit like yesterday. The Ref stares him down, then jogs off to follow the game in progress. COACH DANIELS (under his breath) That’s right, prance away you zebra looking piece of shit. He chuckles to himself then swigs his flask. 38.
39. EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY (LATER IN THE GAME) Zeke wins the ball in the air against a taller player. Dribbles it off his thigh, to his foot, to his other foot, then sends a perfect pass to Timmy. Timmy dribbles slickly past two defenders, who slide at the same time but fail to take the ball away, then sprints towards goal, while a defender tackles him in desperation. The Ref blows his whistle, pulls out a red card and ejects the defender from the game, while Coach Daniels jumps up in excitement from the sideline. COACH DANIELS (to the Ref) There you go! Way to finally do your damn job! Mack, Zeke and Jordan huddle closely around Timmy, who squirms in pain. JORDAN You alright man? TIMMY What do you think. MACK Let me take this penalty then. ZEKE I don’t know. You sure you aren’t still drunk from last night. MACK I barely even drank any! JORDAN This is all me gentlemen. I’ll paint the corner. Timmy valiantly stretches out his aching leg and rises up in a fury. TIMMY No!!! The others appear shocked by his newfound vigor. TIMMY I’m tired of being kicked around like this all the time, this is mine! 39.
40. MACK You sure man? What about last time? The Ref sets the ball in the penalty kick area, blows his whistle and jogs over to the huddled boys. REF Ain’t got all day here boys! Mack, Jordan and Zeke run towards Russ, who stands in front of the team bench. MACK Who should take the kick Coach? The Ref blows his whistle again in their direction, his patience wearing thin, while Russ stares towards Timmy stretching out his injured leg on the field. RUSS Timmy! It’s all yours. The Ref holds up his arm and blows his whistle, as Timmy confidently strides towards the ball and shoots a perfect penalty kick into the upper right corner of the net. He falls to his knees in celebration, as the Ref blows the whistle to end the game. His teammates carry him towards the other end of the field as Timmy has his Rudy moment, while Coach Daniels pumps his fists on the sideline like a madman. COACH DANIELS Wooo! That’s what I’m talking about! Way to be Timmy! You magnificent little runt! Timmy is carried towards the bleachers, where Al, Liz, Kurt, Ruth and the other spectators hug each other and cheer. RAMBLE OF CHEERS Timmy! Timmy! Timmy! 40.
41. EXT. SNACK STAND - DAY Coach Daniels and Russ dress their hotdogs at the stand then sit on a bench, as other teams play on fields in the background. COACH DANIELS Good choice to let Timmy take that kick. See, you do have natural coaching instincts. RUSS He’s really made great strides this season. COACH DANIELS His first year, he could barely run one lap around the field. Out on that field today, it was like he knew it was going in the net before he even kicked it. They eat as the other games continue in the background. RUSS Next game’s in about two hours. I don’t know how the kids are going to find the energy after all that. COACH DANIELS Don’t worry. You were that age once, right? RUSS I think so. COACH DANIELS Ever run out of gas back then? RUSS I guess not. But I pretty much just stayed in my room all day and read poetry. Coach Daniels laughs and pats him hard on the back, causing Russ to drop his hotdog onto his shorts and wipe mustard stains off with a napkin. COACH DANIELS Just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Seems to be working out pretty well for us. Families with small children walk by with food. 41.
42. RUSS Why don’t you come sit on the bench with me this game. COACH DANIELS Are you crazy? RUSS I’m serious. COACH DANIELS Not about to mess up your flow. RUSS Didn’t know you were so superstitious. Coach Daniels swigs his flask. COACH DANIELS Every coach is a little mad inside. RUSS How about tomorrow’s game then. I could use a good assistant. COACH DANIELS Tell you what, when you make it to the championship, I’ll consider it. RUSS Deal. COACH DANIELS Not making any promises though. This might be the last time all these boys get to play together. I don’t want to ruin all that with my nonsense. They turn towards the game behind them, as a large roar echoes and one of the teams celebrates a goal. RUSS Just wish Willy was here. You know, in case one of these games goes to penalty kicks. He was always the best. Cool and composed. COACH DANIELS Yeah, I never quite knew where he got that from. 42.
43. Russ swipes the flask, takes a swig, and makes a gross face just like the kids. RUSS Damn Coach. You must have a castiron stomach. He swipes the flask back. COACH DANIELS Maybe, but I think my liver is going to abandon ship soon. He takes a swig. COACH DANIELS And Russ, stop calling me coach. -SOCCER TOURNAMENT MONTAGE- (Song Recommendation - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Kings Highway). EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY The Rebels, in their red uniforms, play against a team in yellow and blue uniforms, as Mack plows through three defenders like a rugby player, sprints towards goal and dribbles the ball into the net along with the goalie, then celebrates with the rest of the team. LATER IN THE GAME... Timmy chests a ball down to his feet and passes to Zeke, who drills a perfect shot past the goalie, then spreads his arms and makes a snow angel motion in the grass to celebrate. EXT. SEVENTH MOUNTAIN MOTEL - NIGHT Mack, Zeke, Timmy and Jordan pass a soccer ball around in the parking lot, using car headlights to light up the area. Russ, Al, Kurt, Liz and Ruth join the game, as Coach Daniels and Russ watch from the curb and scan Russ’s notebook. Al picks the soccer ball up with his hands and runs through the kids, throwing stiff-arms like it was a football game. Spikes the ball in celebration and does a touchdown dance, sending the ball through a lobby window. 43.
44. Jack walks out from the lobby to inspect the broken window, as everyone sprints into their rooms. EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY The Rebels, in their red uniforms, play against a team in maroon and blue uniforms, as Jordan fakes out a defender and sprints down the left sideline. Russ calmly sits on the bench with his legs crossed, writing notes inside his pad, while Coach Daniels paces the sideline following the action. A patch of grass sinks down in front of him, with black smoke rising from the sinkhole, as he stares down curiously, then walks away to follow the game. Back on the field, Jordan sends a cross to Zeke, who dribbles by two defenders with a fancy spin-move, then passes a ball to Timmy who pokes it by the goalie with his outstretched foot. The Rebels celebrate together in front of their supporters on the bleachers, while Al smashes a beer can on his forehead and splashes Kurt, who tries to wash it off with his handkerchief. EXT. SOCCER FIELD - DAY (LATER) The Rebels, in their red uniforms, play against a team in teal uniforms, as a striker on the teal team shoots the ball past the Rebel’s goalie and the teal team celebrates. LATER IN THE GAME... Zeke passes the ball towards Mack, as a player on the teal team intercepts it, breaks towards goal and shoots it by the Rebel’s goalie. They celebrate, while Coach Daniels paces the sideline in frustration and swigs his flask. LATER IN THE GAME... Zeke steals the ball from a teal player and jumps over a defender. Passes the ball through another defender’s legs, retrieves it and shoots a laser by the goalie, then quickly retrieves the ball and runs to midfield. LATER IN THE GAME... Timmy launches the ball from midfield towards the corner, where Jordan chases it down and sends a cross to the box. Mack dives and heads the ball past the goalie to tie the game, then leads a raucous celebration down the sidelines. 44.
45. LATER IN THE GAME... A skilled teal player dribbles past Zeke and zips a shot towards goal, but Zeke dives and blocks the shot, then rises and passes the ball ahead to Timmy, who sprints in the clear towards goal. He charges directly towards the goalie, then swiftly passes the ball behind him to Mack, who shoots past the goalie. Mack and Timmy take their jerseys off and run like madmen through the field in celebration, twirling their jerseys over their heads. The Ref blows the whistle to end the game and the Rebels celebrate with their families, while Coach Daniels excitedly picks Russ up off the bench, hugs him and kisses his cheek. -END SOCCER TOURNAMENT MONTAGEINT. BAR - NIGHT Al drinks a beer at the bar, feigning interest, as Jack stands by his side. JACK Everything runs on an ancientcosmic-mechanical engineering. Even our damn bodies! And end times are just another cyclical calculation, if you pay close enough attention to the night sky. He places some chewing tobacco into his mouth and puts his arm around Al, who appears exhausted with his lecture. JACK Take this town for example. Built on mining, through many generations. And I mean the toughest sons of bitches you could ever imagine, with anthracite in their blood. It didn’t just up and become a ghost town over night you know. People here worked hard and cradled the boom, until the mines decided to send a boom of their own. He backs away and spits out a tobacco wad into a bucket. 45.
46. JACK Anyways, long story short. Traditions have no chance to survive, when there’s nobody left to pass them on to. Gently pats Al on the shoulders. JACK It’s how information gets tangled up in webs, lost in the static, fried up in the clouds. Why Caesar burnt down that Library in Alexandria back in the day. Walks away from the bar as Al drinks the rest of his beer. JACK Day will come soon enough, when men won’t notice their souls being snatched right out from their insides, because they forgot there was a soul inside of them to begin with. He pauses at the door and runs his hand through his beard. JACK The celestial hunter comes for us all, whether we’re ready for him or not. Al gladly watches him exit, as the Bartender fills up his mug. BARTENDER (mockingly) Jack speaks to the stars. He smiles towards her. AL They ever speak back. BARTENDER I don’t know. Maybe you should ask him next time. AL Hopefully he’s right and the world ends before our paths cross again. He drinks, as Russ, Liz, Coach Daniels, Kurt and Ruth enter the bar. 46.
47. AL Hey! There he is. Rises and shadow boxes onto Russ’s chest. AL Coach of the year! Ready for your hall of fame speech? Russ grins and sits down at the bar, while Liz, Coach Daniels, Kurt and Ruth order drinks. RUSS We haven’t won anything yet. AL Championship is as good as ours. And you got big Al’s guarantee on that one. No force on heaven or earth can stop us now. He motions to the Bartender. AL Hun, round of your finest whiskey. She prepares the shots as Al puts his arm around Russ. AL (singing) We are the champions, my friends. Dun Dun Dun. And we’ll keep on fighting until the end... She places the shots in front of them. BARTENDER (mocking) Quite the singing voice. AL Why thank you for noticing my pretty. He passes the shots to everyone. AL To the Rebels! They cheers and drink. BARTENDER Couple more shots and you’ll be ready for karaoke. 47.
48. AL Now there’s a solid goal to work towards, or at least an excuse to keep drinking. She pours more shots of whiskey. RUSS I really should get a good night’s sleep. AL Come on. Big game isn’t until noon. Plenty of recovery time. Coach Daniels drinks his shot and puts his arm around Russ. COACH DANIELS Yeah Coach. Don’t poets like to get wild now and again. Liz drinks her shot and smirks towards Russ. LIZ Since when did you become a poet. Russ gives in to the peer pressure and drinks his shot. RUSS Guess I can hang for just a little while. But no more shots. Al grabs the bottle off the bar and pours shots for everyone. AL Sure thing Russ. INT. BAR - NIGHT (FEW HOURS LATER) Russ, Al and Coach Daniels, drunkenly sway back and forth on stage, slurring a version of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Into the Great Wide Open, on the karaoke machine. RUSS/AL/COACH DANIELS (singing) Into the great wide open. Under them skies of blue. Into the great wide open. A rebel without a clue. 48.
49. Russ steps down to drink a shot of whiskey from a nearby table and passes out onto the floor, while Al and Coach Daniels continue their drunken performance. AL/COACH DANIELS (singing) Into the great wide open. Under them skies of blue. Into the great wide open. A rebel without a clue. Liz hoots towards them, seated next to Kurt and Ruth at the bar, as they continue rocking out on stage. LIZ Man, wish someone was recording this shit-show. Kurt and Ruth sip their drinks in embarrassment and eye each other. RUTH What a bunch of idiots. INT. BAR - NIGHT (MOMENTS LATER) Kurt and Ruth sway on stage, singing comically high-pitched harmonies to Bob Marley and the Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff, with the karaoke machine in front of them. KURT/RUTH (singing) I shot the sheriff. But I didn’t shoot no deputy. Oh no...Oh! I shot the sheriff. But I didn’t shoot no deputy. They strut around, taking their performance way too seriously, like they were on Soul Train. 49.