FADE IN:
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
Behind the Easy--RYAN, JACK, and KALIM are standing outside on break; Ryan, smoking, huddles near a trashcan turned ashtray while Jack stands by his side. Kalim, a ghetto black man of Jack's height with a sculptured haircut, chats mildly with his surroundings.
RYAN
He's a butcher, man.
KALIM (O.S)
That's what's up.
A pause, Ryan takes a drag of his cigarette. Exhale.
RYAN
You're lucky I let you take this break, guy. I didn't get any breaks my first day. Bullsh*t, anyway: 24 hours.
JACK
I appreciate it.
RYAN
Yea.
Ryan puffs smoke in Jack's direction and Jack tries to fan it away. He moves closer as to escape the cloud of smoke. Jack swallows--
JACK
What was that about Mr. Frank just now? Cold-blooded killer?
RYAN
Ya.
JACK
{That's neat. But how do you know?}
RYAN
Kalim told me. (a beat)
He spits the truth.
Kalim huddles behind Ryan.
KALIM
Yea, man, want me to tell him?
RYAN
Tell him, man.
KALIM
Lemme spin it for ya real quick.
RYAN
Ayuh.
Kalim pushes through Ryan and begins to rhyme with theatrics; Jack, his audience.
KALIM
I'm gonna kick it from the start
Trick ya wit my art
Show ya somethin
I got it
From the blackest streets at night
Excite
Givin you a fright
Dash it wit some pepper
Let's make it mo' better
Than the sickest bloodshed
Wastin' all those suckas dead
Cap 'em in the head
Or with a knife
His own wife
Strife!
A body lines the flower bed.
Kaium falls back, empowered, confident, as he finishes his performance. Ryan looks amused.
KALIM
That's for real, son!
Jack is confused, wearing a face that expects Kalim to tell the part of the story that makes sense.
JACK
Huh?..
RYAN
Mr. Frank killed his wife--murder.
JACK (unbelieving)
That's for sure.
KALIM
It's da truth, yo; he ain't never liked that ho. Aha (cackle)!
RYAN
please.. it's like, Mr. Frank finds out his wife is cheating on him; he just...did away with her.
JACK
Did away with her?
RYAN
Yea, like i said. (a beat)
Killed her.
Ryan flicks his cigarette.
Jack's eyes seem to be looking through it all: an expression of deep thought. Ryan gives him a look over.
RYAN
Man, it's like this:
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Mr. Frank and his WIFE--a short, slender brunette of middle age, are eating a steak dinner at the table. Wife is trying to hide her years, mocking with makeup and a bogus hairdo. The room is well furnished with upperclass dining-ware. Husband and wife exchange few words in MUTE.
RYAN (narr.)
You know, couples get older. The grow apart, to the point where every conversation is about what movies are coming on tonight, their nephew's birthday, cholesterol.
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Frank shaves in front of a mirror. Below the mirror, a fancy porcelain sink. He uses an old-fashioned straight razor, taking his careful time.
RYAN (narr.)
No life in it.
Wife enters. With a wretched face she complains on MUTE. Startled, Frank knicks his neck with the razor and is shot off into an argument with Wife.
RYAN (narr.)
And it doesn't help that she's a total bitch.
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
Ryan coughs at the realization of Jack's misunderstanding. He looks around to find where Kalim has gone off to.
RYAN (calling)
Kalim! Hey! He doesn't get it. Take two.
Kalim dashes toward Jack, eagerness in his step.
KALIM (in flow)
Ok, aight
It goes like this
It's night
strange and mysterious
The sky closed up now the fury comes down
Repaying vengeance--you can't see when you look around
Cuz it be goin on inside; indoors, interior
Frank, he chillin in the kitchen, his hand on the trigger
Cutlery, wood block, Wusthof brand
High carbon - Stainless steel, an omen in his hand
A call from the steps, the Mrs. on the prow
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Frank is alone in the kitchen, at the countertops. He stands in front of a wood block of knives admiring a chef's knife; turns it over in his hands. He looks up alarmed when his wife calls:
WIFE (O.S.)
FRANK! I need you upstairs, now!
INT. STAIRCASE - NIGHT
Wife looks down from the balcony in the direction of the kitchen. Her eyebrows curl into a glare. Impatient.
WIFE (calling)
It's the drain again; clogged!
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Frank is nowhere to be found. The knives are scattered and one is missing.
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
[same as before]
Kalim continues flowing without skipping a beat.
KALIM (in flow)
She makes it down in time to find
the missing Frank and the scattered left-behinds
she scans the kitchen and not the pantry
where her surprise/demise is waiting patiently
Behold--
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Wife enters kitchen frame. She seems to be alone in the room. Her eyes frantically pass over every detail in the room. Where is Frank?
She looks now to the the cabinet under the sink. She opens it and retrieves a bottle of DRAIN-O (low-shot).
She gives a suspecting glare to the half-ajar pantry door
INT. PANTRY - NIGHT
Light seeps in through the crack in the door. Frank is crouched under shelves of snack foods and canned goods. The chef knife in his hand casts an eerie gleam.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT
Wife goes to the mirror above a small table and gives herself a look over. On the table is a standing picture frame with Frank's picture inside. She flips it down.
INT. STAIRS - NIGHT
Wife ascends stairs harshly. Frank appears in the frame and carefully follows her, making no sound.
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
[same as before]
KALIM (in flow)
She needs to get a grip
She needs to turn around
But when Frank closes in
He don't make a sound
(For the kill)
She is unawares and stares up straight ahead
She go to po the draino take a bath then go to bed
But when she doesn't have clue
Frank knows just the thing to do--
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
[same as before]
Wife stands in front of the bathtub and unscrews the draino cap. Behind her is Frank.
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
[same as before]
KALIM (in flow)
He pulls the plug with a tug at her wrist
She's stuck in his grasp- a clasp. He cannot miss!
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
[same as before]
Frank makes a sharp snatch at his wife's wrist (Wife yelps) and yanks her around (she faces him). She drops the bottle of draino and it spills into the tub down the drain.
a short CUT TO: EXT. THE EASY - DAY
Kalim's eyes are huge as he casts the most bizarre expression. A mad gaze.
quick CUT TO: INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Shrill screams
Blood seeps down the unclogged drain.
EXT. THE EASY - DAY
[same as before]
RYAN (smirking)
Yea...
Jack is thinking. He runs around the corner to look into the diner windows. Hands on the window pane, he looks to the empty corner booth.
FADE TO BLACK
