EXT. LAINEY STREET-NOON

BAXTER LAWSON,(18 years old),  limps across the road, the idyllic neighbourhood passing him by. Men watering their lawn take little notice of him, practically dead on his feat.

Large packs of women jog by with their baby strollers. No one notices Baxter, bleeding on the cement. 

In the distance we see PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL.  

INT. PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR-NOON
Baxter props himself against the wall, he‘s bruised and broken. 

He pokes and prods the wall and the lockers as if trying to make sure there really there. 

He holds out his two forefingers and his thumb making the shape of a gun with his hands. 

He points his imaginary gun at the opposing wall and lowers his thumb as though he just fired. He makes the sound of a gun shot. A bullet explodes in the wall.

Baxter tries again but with a different target. More bullet holes explode out of the school hallway walls and floors.

He points his gun against his temple. He shoots, nothing happens. 

INT. CLASSROOM-NOON
The class stares at the door, there’s a television set up in the front of the room. Mr. Arturo (45) is dumbfounded by the sight.

MR. ARTURO
Baxter?  Oh my god. Nancy, go get principal Bradley, tell him to call an ambulance.

BAXTER
No.

MR ARTURO
What? Baxter your hurt you have to…

BAXTER pulls out a revolver and points it at Arturro.

BAXTER (interrupting)
I need to watch this. 

He hands Arturo the tape.

MR. ARTURO
Baxter, you can’t just…

Baxter is on the verge of tears.

BAXTER (interrupting)
Please…

Mr Arturo stares long and hard. 

BAXTER
I have to watch this.

Baxter hands Arturo the revolver. He goes to the back of the class and takes his seat at his desk. Tears run down his face. 

MR. ARTURO
Nancy

She leaps out of her seat and runs out of the door.

MR. ARTURRO
Nancy!

She comes back in the room, confused.

MR. ARTURO
Shut the door and turn off the lights please.

She does as she’s told. Mr. Arturo starts the tape. We see a grainy video image of Baxter in his room. We zoom into the screen until the borders become invisible. The image starts to clear up until we cannot distinguish it from reality.

INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM-NIGHT

BAXTER (V.O)
It’s hard to be heroic in such un-heroic surroundings. 

Baxter, GREG, JULIAN and LUKE (all 18) are barely awake, the grotesque sounds of an extremely violent video game fill the room.

GREG
Why are the zombies, nazi zombies?

JULIAN
In case Nazis play video games. The developers don’t want to alienate any of their consumers.

An alarm goes off.

BAXTER (V.O.)
The thin line between reality and fantasy, as so many over anxious mothers have put it, is not thin, and it certainly doesn't blur. It’s a huge wall, and to get to the other side you’ve got to chip away at it, bit by bit. 

LUKE
You ready Bax?

JULIAN
I’m Totally desensitized.

INT. CORRIDOR-NIGT
Baxter approaches the door with a saucer of milk and a pellet gun in the other hand. 

EXT. PORCH-NIGHT
Luke is cajoling a scrappy looking alley cat in his lap, the cat is purring.

BAXTER (V.O)
The suburban teenager is the most entertained person on the face of the planet. He is constantly being shown a different world, one of limitless possibility and big breasted women. And frankly, he likes it better over there. And so do I.

Baxter places the saucer down and the cat goes for it, slurping furiously at the milk. Baxter cocks the gun and takes aim.

LUKE
You’re still in the video game.

Baxter steadies the gun, the cross hairs fall on the cat’s head, who is still enjoying his meal. 

BAXTER (V.O.)
A movie has a climax, the main character learns and eventually triumphs at the height of the conflict. That’s exciting, that’s a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

LUKE
You can do it. you're so close. Just let yourself go. Relax. You’re in a video game. 

Baxter strains, he slowly squeezes the trigger. Then lets go of the gun. He shoos the cat away.

BAXTER (V.O.)
A character starts off flawed but redeems himself. I want to redeem myself. I just need a quest. 
  
INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM-MORNING

His door cracks open. FIONA LAWSON,(44) stares at her son. 

FIONA
Baxter, It’s time to get up.

Baxter is already awake. 

BAXTER
Ok. Thank you.

FIONA
Breakfast is ready.

Baxter turns around and gives his mother a warm smile. She leaves and the smile vanishes. 

INT. KITCHEN-MORNING
Baxter’s sister, LISA LAWSON (10 years old), reads from her course book.

LISA
Mom what would you do to help cure racism?

FIONA LAWSON
Honey this isn’t the time.

She ties to flip some of the bacon without being burnt by the hot oil.

LISA
Baxter?

BAXTER
Exterminate every race but the Polynesians.

FRANK LAWSON (49 years old) laughs.

LISA
Why them?

BAXTER
Because they’re stuck on little islands in the pacific and never did anything bad to anyone. They just want to fish and get cool tattoos.

FIONA
Don’t listen to him to honey.

LISA
How do you spell Polynesians?

BAXTER
g-u-l-l-a-b-l-e

INT. CAFETERIA-NOON
Baxter sits and stares off into the void.

JULIAN
The birds and the bees, am I the only one who finds this retarded?

LUKE
I don’t understand.

GREG
You’re full of shit.

JULIAN
I swear to god it was a plot developed by the government to stop kids from having sex.

LUKE
I’m still lost.

JULIAN
Parents have to talk to their kids about sex, right? So the government publishes a book called the birds and the bees about the do‘s and don’ts. It becomes so popular that now we call It the birds and the bee’s talk.

GREG
I’m going to be amazed if you manage to pull this one out of your ass. 

JULIAN
Why would they call a book about sex after two animals that don’t have sex? Birds don’t hump each other they squirt their juice on the eggs and the queen bee is like some freaky dominatrix with all her male drones. That’s the part that gives it away. Kids don’t yet understand their plumbing so what sticks in their head the most?  The Animals. Birds and bees. Kids are afraid of bees. Kids become afraid of sex.

GREG
Wow, do you think this stuff up yourself or are you a part of society?

JULIAN
Have you ever been stung by a bee? It fucking hurts! 

LUKE 
What about birds?

JULIAN
What do you think of when you think of pigeons? Venereal disease. They’re dirty, carry sickness. Kids associate pain and sickness with sex, abstinence wins.

GREG
I think in your case it will.

INT. GYM-AFTERNOON
The boys, along with many other male students are all lined up facing COACH LEWIS, (45). Behind him, an old knotted rope dangles from the ceiling.

LUKE (whispering to Baxter)
I can’t do this.

BAXTER
Why not?

LUKE (whispering)
I’m afraid of heights.

COACH LEWIS
There once was a great city  ladies, and she was called Sparta. She believed in principles, discipline and order. And this great city was in competition with Athens, a city full of homosexual philosophers who, in between worshipping their pagan gods, who fill the days by sodomizing their apprentices!

Julian tries desperately not to laugh.

COACH LEWIS
Do you know what the Spartans would do to their weak and underdeveloped children? They would hurl their own babies over a cliff.

He approaches Julian

COACH LEWIS
Do you understand the psychological fortitude it would take to hurl a cute fucking baby over a cliff! You think I wouldn’t do that to you? Are your cheeks rosy red? Does your innocent laugh fill me with hope and joy for all mankind? 

He walks back to the rope

COACH LEWIS
We’re going to be purifying our own little race today. That is of course unless you prefer a life of polytheistic sodomy! Alright Stansfield, your up.

Julian goes up and grabs the rope and starts pulling himself up.

JULIAN
As long as we’re on the subject, isn’t there something inherently homosexual about a bunch of sweaty guys gyrating their hips around a long cylindrical shaft?

Coach Lewis grabs the rope and makes Julian fall down on the mattress.

INT. LIVINGROOM -NIGHT
Lisa Lawson has her homework sprawled out on the floor. 

LISA
Baxter, what’s twelve minus sixteen

Baxter, slumped on the couch watches television. 

BAXTER
666

She writes down the result.

LISA
What’s 8 + (-6)?

BAXTER
666

LISA
Again?

Baxter continues to watch television, his eyes never leave the screen.

BAXTER
Yup.

LISA
What’s 4 - (-4)

BAXTER
What do you think?

LISA
The same thing as the others.

BAXTER
Math teachers love patterns, I can pretty much guarantee all the answer will be 666. In fact put that as the answer to everything.

LISA
Really?

BAXTER
Really.

LISA
Your smart.

BAXTER
So are you.

He looks over. 

BAXTER
You deserve a star on that assignment.

He gets off the couch and draws a giant red pentacle surrounding the exercise.

LISA
Wow, thanks Baxter.

BAXTER
You deserve it.

INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM-NIGHT
Baxter, already in bed, watches television. He eventually turns it off.

INT. THEATER - NIGHT
Baxter is sitting in the back row of an empty cinema. Light pours over his features, he never blinks. 

A young couple enters. They kiss and grope their way up the velveteen stairs and arrive at the back row. 

The young girl notices Baxter and feels uncomfortable, unclenching herself from her boyfriend’s grip. 

GIRL (to the boyfriend)
Stop.

Baxter snaps out of his trance. 

BOYFRIEND
Hey pal, this is a chick flick what are you doing in here alone. Why don’t you move down a bit and give us some privacy.

Baxter turns his head to address them but his eyes are stuck to the screen.

BAXTER
That’s not very romantic, or courtly.

The boyfriend lets an uneasy smirk take root on his face.

INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM -MORNING
Baxter wakes up with a jump, gasping for air.

His mother stands by his bed. She slowly walks out of the room and shuts the door behind her.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
Mr Schultz is sitting on his desk, a guitar rests in the corner of the class. The bell rings and the class empties.

Mr Schultz catches Baxter by the arm.

SCHULTZ
You got a minute Bax? It’s about your essay.

Baxter’s face drains of life.

SCHULTZ
Angst, I feel you. I feel what you’re trying to express. The words leapt right off the page. I was wondering if you’d like to read it to the class.

BAXTER (wryly)
It was kind of personal, I’d rather not.

SCHUTLTZ
Cool, cool, I feel that completely. I’ve got some good music I can recommend that I think really complement what your feeling. Life’s just a crazy experience. Sad, Happy it’s all-good.

INT. CAFETERIA- NOON
Baxter stares off into the crowd.

JULIAN
Dating shows. It’s a plot. Why else would they be on the air?

GREG 
Are you...”regular”? 

Luke smirks.

GREG
I mean, talking out of your ass for so long can’t be good.

Julian ignores them completely.

JULIAN
I mean these are terrible, terrible shows, but more and more of them keep popping up. You know why? The government sponsors them to protect the rest of the population. 

Genuinely intrigued.

LUKE
From what?

JULIAN
From idiots. They facilitate the mating of idiots with other idiots to protect the gene pool of the country. They don’t want bankers having kids with the kind of people that they have on that show. Have you ever watched? They’re all brain dead as a result of spending so much time in the hot tub. 

Baxter stares at LARA PETERS in the cafeteria line up. She is the image of teenage female perfection.

LUKE
You should go talk to her. 

Baxter stares back apprehensively.

GREG
You’re such a chicken shit.

HERBERT BLAKE (19)muscled, handsome and tall enters the cafeteria and sits next to Lara. He gives her an innocent peck on the cheek, she obviously feels uncomfortable.

GREG
Shit, I hate that guy.

JULIAN
I heard there’s a porno on the internet with him in it.

GREG
I heard he gave this cheerleader a date rape drug at Gordon‘s party.

LUKE
He’s an A student and a football quarter back, I doubt he needs to drug someone to get laid.

JULIAN
An A student? Damn it. How dare he transcend the stereotype I have made for him, how am I supposed to feel superior now?

INT. BASKETBALL COURT-AFTERNOON

Baxter looks awkward trying to cover a boy significantly taller and with much more prowess for the game. Baxter gets knocked down to the floor while trying to block a lay up. The referee doesn’t call anything. Coach Lewis paces up and down the court.

JULIAN
You got to get in the game.

COACH LEWIS
Lawson! This is not interpretive dance son! When you wave those skin sticks you call arms in the air your not trying to express your link to mother earth as experienced through your monthly feminine cycle!  Your trying to block the shot! Now grab some bench!

Baxter sits on the bench panting.

INT. CLASSROOM-AFTERNOON
Mr. Arturo stands at the head of the class.

MR. ARTURRO
Well children, your education gets screwed over once again. I have been assigned to teach yet another class of which I have no background. 

He writes philosophy on the board in big angry letters.

MR. ARTURRO
And who knows what happens when your education gets compromised?

CLASS (ALTOGETHER)
Society as a whole slowly deteriorates.

Arturo start to write out the syllabus.

JULIAN
Are we going to talk about Nietzsche?

MR. ARTURRO
I’m sure he’ll come up, yes.

JULIAN
I heard he wrote that we should kill god.

Arturo pauses, hesitant about approaching the subject.

MR. ARTURRO
More eloquently but yes. He said that there could be no good and no evil, that we can only base our actions and thoughts on what we feel. If you feel something is the right thing to do, then it doesn’t matter what word we label on to it.

The students seem interested. 

GREG
So what if I decided that not doing my homework feels right?

MR. ARTURRO
In this classroom I am your god, and I’m not dead. Pick up your assignments on your way out.

The class empties and Baxter goes over and picks up his report. It has a big Z on it. 

MR. ARTURRO
I thought maybe a c would represent this paper better, but then I thought it was more like an f but even then I didn’t feel it was proportionate, so I kept going further and further down the alphabet. 

BAXTER
I’ll do better next time.

MR. ARTURRO
It’d be hard not to. 

An awkward pause.

MR. ARTURRO
Your a smart kid. 

He pauses.

MR. ARTURRO
I think I might have a project for you. 

He takes out a camcorder from his desk. 

MR. ARTURRO
I need someone to film the football practice. Do a good job and I’ll let this slide. 

Baxter smiles slightly.

MR. ARTURRO
Don’t worry too much Baxter, it’s only school.

INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Baxter sits in his room in the dark. The same violent sounds and graphic imagery emanate from his gaming console. 

INT. LIVING ROOM-NIGHT
Frank Lawson fiddles with the wires behind the television. 

FIONA
What are you doing?

FRANK
You said we needed to hire a new Baby sitter, I’m going to give us some piece of mind. I got it cheap, only two hundred bucks.

FIONA
Meaning?

FRANK
I’m going to install a Nanny cam system in the house.

FIONA
That doesn’t help anybody.

FRANK
Sure it does, now we can see if she does anything weird anywhere in the house.

FIONA
Congratulations frank, you bought a power trip for two hundred dollars.

FRANK
Wrong, I bought us a little piece of omnipotence. 

Fiona laughs. 

EXT. PARKWAY-MORNING
Baxter rides his bike to school. He crosses a shady looking motel, Junkies and prostitutes are up even at this hour in the day. 

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD-MORNING
Baxter holds the camcorder and films the practice. Greg straddles the camera and starts humping the lens, Baxter shakes him off obviously just as entertained as the other boys.

Most of the school has shown up for the practice.

BAXTER (V.O.)
Culture is a backdrop. A set against which we play out the day. it’s a reference of what is acceptable and standard. We live our lives by it. Something happens and we react accordingly. 

A terrible metal screech is heard. The boys look around but they can’t see anything wrong.

BAXTER (V.O)CONT’D
Television is our culture. Entertainment is our standard.  

Suddenly another sound of strained metal resonates through the air. People are screaming. The middle of the bleachers on both sides crumples inwards. 

BAXTER (V.O.)CONT’D
But it’s a shallow source of information. What if Your dog dies from liver failure, how do you react?

Dozens of people slide down the torn bleachers and pile onto the giant mass of students. 

Some of the aluminum benches topple under the strain and slide inwards, the sharp edges cutting into the people like giant shish kabob skewers.

INT. MASS-DAY
Baxter is breathing loudly. His body is being crushed by the weight of the people on top oh him. The sound of everyone moaning and crying fuses into an eerie wail. 

In front of him he can barely make out the contorted torso of Greg. Greg starts to cry and manages to stretch his hand out and reach over to Baxter. 

BAXTER (V.O.) CONT’D
In the movies Dogs don’t die of liver failure, they either get hit by cars or die bravely fighting off bears or get shot by an evil sheriff or thrown off a bridge in a sack with its brothers and sister. So You check the list and liver failure isn’t there, so you don’t react, you don’t know how. Your sad of course, but that can’t last, especially when you don’t fully understand why your sad. Desensitized to violence is one thing, were slowly being desensitized to life. If it’s not black and white we don’t get it. 

Their hands meet together and Greg squeezes hard, too hard. Baxter winces with Pain as the terrified Greg digs his fingernails into Baxter’s flesh.

BAXTER (V.O.) CONT’D
In a movie the sadness either disappears or lasts until the end, and then it’s encapsulated, it’s there forever and it’s perfect and it doesn’t stay stuck to you. In the real world however, the sadness just keeps playing over and over and over.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM-AFTERNOON
The door swings open violently, Fiona Lawson barges in, her husband not far behind. 

Baxter sits upright on his bed filming them with his video camera.

FIONA
Are you hurt?

Baxter keeps filming and shakes his head. Frank and Fiona sit on the bed , slightly disturbed by the video recorder but extremely relieved that their son is alright.

BAXTER
I’m totally fine.

INT. CAR-NIGHT
Baxter has his face pressed against the glass.

BAXTER
I think Greg is really hurt.

Frank Lawson keeps his eyes to the road, Fiona looks back empathetically.

FIONA
You don’t have to go to school tomorrow or until your ready.

BAXTER 
What would I do if I didn’t go?

INT. MOVIE THEATER-NIGHT
Baxter’s head is tilted towards the boyfriend but his eyes are locked to the screen where a rough looking street punk is harassing a beautiful young blonde.

Baxter finally looks back at the boyfriend, only the person he sees bears a perfect resemblance to the aggressor in the movie, the girl is also an identical match of her onscreen counter part.

A huge smile comes over Baxter’s face.

He stands up defiantly to the much taller and much heavier boyfriend.

INT. BEDROOM-MORNING
Baxter opens his eyes slowly and calmly, his mother isn’t in the room.

INT. KITCHEN-MORNING
Father and mother talk quietly at the table. 

FRANK
Your up.

BAXTER
You seem cheerful.

FIONA
Honey, we called Greg’s Parents he’s in the hospital but he’s ok. He fractured his collarbone and arm but he‘s just fine.

Relief overcomes Baxter.

BAXTER
Can I visit him tonight?

FIONA
Of course.

Frank signals something to his wife.

FIONA
Oh that’s right, while your there you can visit that boy whose life you ruined. I hear he still shits through a tube.

INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT
Baxter jolts up in his bed, sweating profusely. He takes a moment to compose himself. Through the darkness he can see a small red light that he can’t recognize. 

He turns on the lights and sees that it’s his camcorder, it’s been filming for hours. 

He notices a small cable attached to the television. He turns on the TV, a live feed of him in the room is being projected onto the screen. He sits down and watches himself stare at himself.

EXT. PARKWAY-MORNING
Baxter rides his bike to school. He’s joined by Luke And Julian, also on their bikes. They nod to each other solemnly. They reach a hill with congested traffic. Baxter looks down at the steep hill filled with cars. 

The boys make a turn avoiding the giant hill.

INT. PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR-MORNING
The school is almost empty. Mr. Schultz meets up with Baxter.

MR. SCHULTZ
Hey man, how you coping?

BAXTER (wryly)
I’m doing fine Mr. Schultz

Mr Schulz looks behind him as if looking for something.

MR. SCHULTZ
Oh I’m sorry I thought you were calling my Father.

Baxter takes a deep breath and desperately tries to keep the friendly smile on his face.

BAXTER
I’m doing fine Barry.

MR. SHCULTZ
I’m glad to hear that. My door’s always open if you ever need to talk about anything. 

INT. CAFETERIA -NOON
Baxter Julian And Luke play cards. Baxter prods his half edible looking meal. He grabs a spoonful of slop.

BAXTER
Do you ever hear of that woman who lifted her car up to save her kid. A one hundred and thirty pound woman lifts the back end of her two ton Toyota clear off the ground.

JULIAN
bullshit.

BAXTER
Its true. I saw on TV a guy who held his breath for 6 minutes diving to save his friend.

LUKE
Yeah I saw that show too.

BAXTER
You know what those people have in common?

JULIAN
They’re both the subjects of boring stories told by you?

Baxter throws the loaded spoon at him.

BAXTER
Ordinary people in extra ordinary situations. People are given a chance to be extraordinary and they’re all to happy to follow suit. People are given the chance to be heroic and they rise to the occasion.

JULIAN
and?

BAXTER
You know why we never hear from these people again? Because real life is 
un-heroic, these situations don’t just pop up every other day. 

LUKE
what’s your point?

BAXTER
Isn’t it sad that there’s a hero in all of us, a superman shackled in a MacDonald’s employee uniform.

LUKE
that’s just life.

BAXTER
Yeah I know.

INT. PARK HILL HIGH-SCHOOL HALLWAY-AFTERNOON
Herbert Blake shoves papers into his locker.  Something falls out. The grey object lands on the floor with a loud thud. It rolls on the floor and reaches Baxter’s foot. 

Baxter picks it up. It’s a large grooved bolt, the edges have been stripped by some shoddy handy work. 
Baxter moves into the crowd and disappears.

EXT. PLAYGROUND-AFTERNOON
Luke and Julian stand around hitting a few tennis balls with their baseball bat into the Teacher’s Parking lot.

Luke
Check it out

He throws up a ball and obliterates it in midair. In the distance a car alarm goes off. Luke and Julian laugh it up.

JULIAN
Say what they will, petty vandalism is just plain fun.

Baxter bursts out of the door panting.

BAXTER
Herbert Blake, he sabotaged the bleachers. 

The door bursts open. Herbert is pissed.

Baxter hits him with a weak right, more of a passionate slap. Herbert decks him. Herbert grabs him in a choke hold.

LUKE
Let him go man.

He warns him with the bat. Herbert snatches it up. 

JULIAN
We’re three against one, Back off.

Luke and Julian nod to each other. They rush him together but Herbert takes them both out with ease.

Baxter gets up and picks up the bat. Julian is being pummelled by his aggressor.

BAXTER ( barely audible)
Stop.

He arcs the bat backwards having a clean arc of rotation into Herbert’s skull. Julian urges him on with a worried look.

Baxter drops the bat. Just stands there he lets his hands fall to his hips. Herb throws Julian to the ground and turns his attention to Baxter, who eventually runs away.

INT.PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE-AFTERNOON

The school is empty but Baxter remains. Barry Schultz looks both disappointed and empathetic.

MR. SHCULTZ
Anger is a good thing, but you got to know how to use it. I play in a band and I just bang out all of my anger in the G chord. I find it’s the most soothing Chord. Dr. Martin Luther King was an angry man. But he used his anger in a constructive way. John Lennon was an angry man, George Washington and Ghandi were all angry men. You have to find an outlet. At some point you have to ask yourself who is In control? Who’s the skipper of the S.S. Baxter?

Schultz tries to put a sympathetic hand on Baxter’s shoulder. Baxter snaps.

BAXTER
Does it bother you that no one likes you? Are you a failed musician whose last attempt to reach onto to glory long since faded is to leech on to the success of promising students by trying to be there buddy, the one teacher they can relate to and remember.  The one who helped them get through this creatively stifling time in their lives? This isn’t a movie, your not the inspirational thinker who wont let the man buckle you down. Your just a lame teacher who everyone secretly despises. 

Mr Schultz takes the time to absorb what Baxter has said and leaves the room angry and hurt.

Frank and Fiona Lawson followed by the principal enter.

PRINCIPAL BRADLEY
…Assaulted one of our top students with a baseball bat!

FIONA
We will deal with this at our home as we deal with other family problems, Baxter, we’re leaving.

PRINCIPAL BRADLEY
I think this incident goes further than your home. 

FIONA
I don’t. Baxter.

Bradley puts a rough arm on Baxter shoulder. His hand is immediately caught By Frank Lawson’s

The two men exchange glances.  

INT. CAR-NIGHT
The car is deathly quiet. Frank Lawson continually stares back at his son. 

FRANK
Tell me he deserved it.

Baxter nods. 

The car swerves across two lanes. 

FIONA
where are we going?

FRANK
Dairy queen.

BAXTER
Why?

FRANK
Because he deserved it. 

EXT. DAIRY QUEEN PARKING LOT-NIGHT

Fiona Lawson and her son eat away at their cones. Ice cream dripping. Baxter starts to tear up.

BAXTER
I think I know who sabotaged the bleachers.

Fiona understands the subtext immediately.

FIONA
Oh dear. 

BAXTER
It wasn’t right, I couldn’t fix it. That was my chance, my moment to do something great and heroic. That was my extra ordinary situation. But I was still ordinary.

Fiona backs away a bit. Baxter starts to tear up.

A long pause.

FIONA
You could never be ordinary.

She leans in and hugs him hard.

INT. LIVING ROOM-NIGHT
He groans. He pops a tape from the Nanny cam system and plays it. The image doesn’t’t show up on the screen so he fiddles with the video mode. 

Suddenly an image appears. It’s Baxter sleeping in his room. Suddenly, Baxter Jolts up, Terrified.

Frank is taken back but fascinated and continues to watch.

On the tape Baxter starts to cry, then gets upset. He throws the blankets on the floor and punches the walls, then himself, he hits too hard and his lip starts to bleed. He freezes and goes back into bed and feigns being asleep.

Fiona Lawson comes inside the bedroom

FIONA(TAPE)
Honey are you ok? I heard a noise.

BAXTER(TAPE)
Yeah I’m just fine, I fell out of the bed is all. 

FIONA(TAPE)
honey your bleeding from your lip.

BAXTER(TAPE)
Yeah I split it open when I fell, but I’m fine.

Baxter flashes her a warm smile, which disappears once she leaves.

Back in the living room Frank Lawson looks shook up. He hears someone coming down the stairs and hurriedly shuts off the television.

Baxter comes down.

FRANK
Hey Baxter you doing alright?

BAXTER
I’m just fine.

He gives his dad a smile and walks away.

INT. MOVIE THEATRE-
Light bounces off the faces of the three boys. Luke stares at Baxter  who looks angry and depressed.

The music from the movie rises to its climax. 

Luke gets up and leaves dragging Baxter out of his seat.

BAXTER
Dude the movie isn’t over yet.

He leaves the theatre and Julian reluctantly joins him.

LUKE
I know.

JULIAN
Hey, you ok?

LUKE
We have to leave before the lights turn on.

JULIAN
What?

Luke stares at Baxter
LUKE
I want you to drive.

BAXTER
I don’t have my license yet.

LUKE
I don’t mind.

EXT. PARKING LOT-NIGHT
The group walks briskly.

LUKE
The movie is still going, the lights haven’t come back on yet. This is your extra ordinary event. 

JULIAN
Hold up, what’s the rush.

LUKE
When the lights come back on the screen turns off and sucks it all back up again. It completes it. Puts an end to it. And suddenly it becomes just a movie, regardless of how realistic and your yanked out of that world. 

He gets in the car. As do the boys.

LUKE
Real life isn’t like a movie, The transition is too sharp.

JULIAN
I really don’t think you should be driving

LUKE
The transition is too sharp. We’re going to dull it. You can’t fool yourself into believing your life is a movie, or something extra ordniary at least not when your life is this boring, we need to spice it up a little.

           BAXTER
I’m not going to drive this car. 

        LUKE
Fine, get in.

The boys pile in. The car motor bursts into life and Luke slams down on the gas. The car narrowly avoids the oncoming cars. Luke skids across the lawn on the sidewalk and crashes onto the main street.

JULIAN
Jesus Christ what are you doing?

LUKE
Real life isn’t filled with explosions and beautiful woman and guns and bad guys. What’s real is what’s day to day. Your day to day isn’t going to be boring anymore No more shit from anyone. Your day to day is going to be like a movie. If you can’t lose touch with reality, then your going to forget where it ends and where fantasy begins, maybe something will rub off on you.

The car does a u-turn and speeds into the oncoming traffic. Luke unbuckles his seatbelt and crawls into the back seat, leaving no one at the helm. Baxter quickly grabs the steering wheel from the passenger side.

BAXTER
What are you trying to do get us killed? 

LUKE
No I’m trying to attract some attention.

JULIAN
what kind of attention?

We here sirens.

LUKE
The police.

JULIAN
Now we’re screwed! why’d you want to get the police involved?

LUKE
You need two cars for a car chase.

Baxter switches back into the appropriate lane. The police speeds up and comes up right behind Baxter’s car.

Baxter closes his eyes. 

Slowly a smile starts to spread on Baxter’s face. 

JULIAN
When were caught I’m telling them you abducted me. That your some weird sexual deviant.

LUKE
Now all we need is a bridge to jump off of. You know the kind that opens up for boats and stuff. 

In the background, the police car Looses control as a result of the high speed. He slows down almost to a stop and disappears.

LUKE
that’s it?

JULIAN
We actually got away?

Baxter slows down to a stop and puts the car in an alley. A long pause. The car is still running

JULIAN
Baxter, how’d you learn to drive like that?

BAXTER
I don’t know.

Baxter turns and sees that his hand is resting on the gear shift. He looks puzzled, then stalls the car. 

INT. HALLWAY-NIGHT
Baxter enters the house, He quietly makes his way up the stairs. 

FRANK LAWSON (O.C.)
How was the movie?

BAXTER
It was great. It had this awesome Car chase.

A weird silence, Baxter seems a little too happy. 

BAXTER
Anyway I’m going to go to bed, Love ya Dad, see you in the morning.

INT. PARENTS BEDROOM- NIGHT
Both parents lie in bed, Frank Lawson grins, his eyes still closed.

FIONA (disbelief)
I love you dad?

Still smiling

FIONA
Do you think he actually went to go see a movie tonight?

FRANK
Probably not.

FIONA
What was he doing do you think?

FRANK
He probably went out drinking.

FIONA
Drinking? So that would make him?

FRANK
Normal.

Both smiling.
FIONA
Normal.

INT. BAXTER’S ROOM -NIGHT
Baxter stares at his projected image on his television. 

He waves at himself. He tries to whistle the tune from the movie but he can‘t remember it. 

INT. CLASSROOM-MORNING
Arturo scribbles notes on the board.

Baxter stares off at LARA in the front row. 

JULIAN
You’ve got no chance. She is perfect. You’d just be a stain on her image.

BAXTER
She’s not perfect.

JULIAN
Are you insane? Look at her. She’s a masturbation fantasy muse! She inspires the masses!

BAXTER
She’s not perfect.

JULIAN
And why not?

BAXTER
She’s not in distress.

EXT. PARKWAY -AFTERNOON
Baxter bikes home with Julian.

BAXTER
Sorry about yesterday.

JULIAN
One thing I don’t understand.

BAXTER
I mean it was Luke’s fault but I could have done something more to stop him

JULIAN
You can’t drive a standard. But you didn’t stall once yesterday, you drove it perfectly.

BAXTER
Just rising to the occasion I guess.

A car backs out and sends Julian flying. Five older boys including Herb file out. They grab Baxter and throw him off his bike. Two guys sit on him and hold him immobilized.

Herb picks up Julian’s bike and flips it on its seat, the wheels in the air. He start turning the pedals with his hands until they whir smoothly. 

Two other boys grab Julian’s hand and outstretch his fingers. Julian starts screaming as what’s about to happen dawns on him. 

Baxter start breathing loudly, he uses every ounce of strength and tries to break free of his antagonists grip, But to no avail.

They drag Julian up even closer. He starts to cry as they move his fingers closer and closer to the spokes of the fast turning wheel.

With a final push they jam his fingers into the moving spokes which come to a sudden stop. 

Baxter watches , horrified as he too starts to tear up. Luke writhes on the floor clutching his obscured hand. 

INT. MASTER BEDROOM-DAY
Baxter walks in the master bedroom and goes straight for the closet. He pulls out a box hidden behind his mother’s shoe rack. 

He carefully unwraps the cloth revealing an old looking revolver. He loads the gun with a single bullet. 

He reaches the door only to turn back and load a second bullet into the gun.

EXT. LANEWAY-NIGHT
He walks towards an expensive looking home. 

EXT. DOOSTEP
Baxter places the nozzle of the gun against the peephole. 

INT. LIVING ROOM-NIGHT
Herbert Lawson sits at the dinner table with his father OWEN BLAKE. All of which are impressively built and look disgruntled and gruff.

OWEN
eat up, you’ll need your energy tonight

The doorbell rings.

Herb goes to open it. He looks through the peephole but sees only black. The door swings open, no one. Herb pokes his head out.

Baxter, prone against the wall places the gun right beside his temple. His face twists with emotions as he tries desperately to pull the trigger. 

INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT
Baxter plays video games while Luke watches.

BAXTER
I was going to kill him.

LUKE
But you couldn’t’t bring yourself to do it.

BAXTER
It just tears you up inside, here’s someone who deserves to be dead and yet you can’t take that extra step.

LUKE
Some people deserve to be punished regardless of how you feel about it.

A long pause. The two boys don’t look at each other.

BAXTER
I wanted to do it.

LUKE
But you were selfish.

Baxter looks surprised and puts his controller down on the bed.

BAXTER
what?

LUKE
I said that you were selfish.

BAXTER
How the fuck do you figure?

LUKE
Here is someone who deserves to die, deserves to be punished, but you didn’t do it. Why? Because you selfishly decided that justice was not worth dealing with the guilt and remorse and everything else.

BAXTER
That’s bullshit.

LUKE
It’s a social stigma. Were fascinated with it, a man is given an innocent newborn, if he kills the baby he cures aids. Does the hero ever kill the baby?

BAXTER
No

LUKE
Exactly, he cheats billions of humans because he doesn’t want to have to bear the guilt. It’s totally selfish. We are incapable of justice in our society, we’re brainwashed into thinking this weakness is something honourable. We live with it and abandon our intentions, cowardice blends into clemency.

BAXTER
Could you?

LUKE
Of course not. I grew up in the same society and culture as you did. I couldn’t bring myself to do it any more than you could. But together we could.

BAXTER
What do you mean?

LUKE
WE have been blessed with a second culture. One which encourages death and destruction.

He points to the television. He presses a button and the digital character decapitates his opponent.

LUKE
I didn’t even blink.

BAXTER
We can’t kill someone.

LUKE
Herbert has given us something very useful. A purpose. We couldn’t lose touch with reality before because our lives weren’t like a movie. With herb it is. Suddenly we have a quest, a nemesis, a goal. That’s dramatic, that’s the stuff movies are made of.

BAXTER
I can’t kill someone.

LUKE
Not now, but once your ready it won’t hold the same importance. What’s right and what’s wrong if you don’t remember the act? You drove that car pretty damn well yesterday despite not being able to use a stick. With an opponent who attacked two of your friends it‘ll be hard not to do the right thing. 

BAXTER
I won’t.

LUKE
You know what every hero has buried inside of him.

Baxter picks up the controller and continues playing.

LUKE
A flaw, hamartia, something in his past he did or that happened to him. And you know what happens through the course of the movie? What happens when he accomplishes his goal? He redeems himself and becomes pure. 

Baxter keeps playing.

LUKE
Some people deserve to be punished regardless of how you feel Baxter, you can’t ignore that.

INT. GYM CLASS
Baxter stares at the same gorgeous girl in gym class. 

COACH LEWIS
The x factor, it’s what were all looking for gentlemen. The extra edge, in life like in sport. I have found that edge, I apply it to my life. I live my life like I play sports, to the max. Does anyone else live life to the max?

Silence.

COACH LEWIS
And that’s why we’re losing! 

He takes a moment and composes himself. 

COACH LEWIS
My neighbour borrowed my power sander and he didn’t return it. I went over there took it back and taught him a lesson in the process. I gave him a crash course in respect! 

HE holds up his two fists.

COACH
Meet the dean and the professor.

He walks over to a scared , ostracized, pimply teen.

COACH LEWIS
What do you do when someone steals your power sander son?

The teen looks confused

COACH 
Nothing! You do nothing! Do you know what the love of my life, My wife of 13 years told me to do? To write him a fucking letter! Letters don’t win Basketball games! Living life to the max wins basket ball games. Find the X factor! Now everybody give me 60 push ups. Those left at the end will make our starting line up.

Everyone gets on their knees. 

COACH LEWIS
ONE!

The kids proceed to doing the push ups.

Baxter collapses after 10

COACH LEWIS
Are you trying to be ironic son! Because I apologize if I don’t grasp the subtleties of your humour. Tell you what, grab some bench and ill think it over.

Luke strains but he too collapses. 

INT. CLASSROOM-DAY
Arturo reads from a philosophy book.

ARTURRO
There are no facts, only interpretations. Who knows what Nietzsche was trying to say here?

Silence.

ARTURRO
Ok, well what he’s trying  to say is that what we see isn’t necessarily the absolute way it is. We all see life a different way, we see beauty differently we see right and wrong differently. What Nietzsche is trying to say is that in the end all we really have is our filter with which we see the world. And that’s the only thing that your ever going to be able to rely upon.

Baxter raises his hands. Arturo is pleasantly surprised

ARTURRO
Go ahead Baxter

BAXTER
What if you were to trip out on drugs. The world changes because you see it differently?

ARTURRO
In a sense, yes. But drugs wear off and eventually things come back to normal.

BAXTER (resigned)
Right.

Arturo goes back to the board and writes the homework assignments. Baxter stares off at Lara who catches him staring, she shivers as if disgusted. 

BAXTER (to Luke)
Fine, we can try it tonight.

LUKE
Time to change the world.

EXT. BACK ALLEY-NIGHT
Luke, Baxter and Julian stand in the alleyway looking nervous and unsure of themselves. Julian’s arm is in a cast.

In the distance a drug dealer eyes them nervously. Luke holds a tripod.

LUKE 
You want to be a hero? you have to be heroic.

BAXTER
ok fine. What’s the tripod for.

JULIAN
shit, shit , shit he's coming over.

Julian sets the tripod down and starts unpacking something from his bag.

Baxter makes his way towards the drug dealer.

DEALER
hey guys, you don't have to be worried or anything, I just thought you were cops. What do you have a craving for?

BAXTER (nervous)
oh, hi. Uh what I’d... um,  like is for you, if you could, to stop poisoning our country and the youth with the cancer you peddle.

The dealer looks surprised then laughs.

DEALER
your a funny guy. You sure I can't get you anything?

Luke finishes mounting a projector on the tripod he points it at the brick wall behind the dealer.

JULIAN
Why doesn’t Baxter just smack him right now?

LUKE
He needs to be on the defensive, he needs the moral high ground or else he’s the villain.

He rests his hand on the projector.

BAXTER (unsure, trying to remember the words)
Your like a genital, ...uh wart on the phallus of our society, obtained from intercourse with the cheap whore that is drugs.

the dealer is stunned.

JULIAN
nice.

DEALER
fine, you don't want anything. I'm not going to waste any more of my time.

he starts to walk away.

Baxter pulls out a note from his pocket.

BAXTER (reading)
Your rob children of their innocence and their potential, your a pedophiliac without the intimacy.

He keeps walking away.

JULIAN (yelling)
Yeah and Bob Marley was a talent-less addict.

The drug dealer stops dead in his tracks.

DEALER
un cool.

He marches resolutely towards Julian. Baxter grabs him by the shoulder as he walks by. 

BAXTER
No one hurts my friends. 

The dealer winds up for a punch. Baxter gets decked. The dealer sits on his chest and winds up for another blow.

LUKE
now.

He presses the projector button and the image of an old Kung Fu movie is shot onto the brick surface.

Baxter opens his eyes and sees various shirtless Asian males fighting each others with infinite grace and strength. A powerful right from the dealer is caught by Baxter, he slowly starts to squeeze.

He raises himself to his feet, still squeezing the man’s fist. The dealer pulls out a knife but he is just as quickly disarmed by Baxter.

JULIAN
Holy shit.

Luke smirks with satisfaction. Baxter stands up staring at the screen. He stares back at Julian and Luke, blinking incessantly.

EXT. ALLEYWAY-NIGHT BAXTER’S POV
His eyes slowly open and he sees Julian and Luke, but two black horizontal lines skew  his vision, he sees the ally and his friends and the retreating dealer in wide screen.

BAXTER
Another test.

EXT. PARKWAY-NIGHT
Baxter stares at the busy four way intersection at the bottom of the hill. Traffic is heavy and cars race by at dizzying speeds.

Baxter inches his bike towards the slope. He looks down defiantly. He pulls out a knife and starts to work on the brake cable of his bicycle.

JULIAN
what the fuck are you doing?

BAXTER
I don’t think I can die. 

He manages to cut through the cable and works on the back brake.

JULIAN
That‘s just asinine. 

BAXER
no, it’s a movie. And it’s only the first act. If I’m the hero then I can’t die.

He straddles the bicycle and gathers speed. Gravity starts to hurl him down the hill at an amazing speed. Baxter slowly lets go of the handle bars and closes his eyes. 

Up ahead the congested traffic isn’t letting up for an instant. Baxter holds his hands by his side. The bicycle enters the traffic and car horns blare from every direction.

Baxter emerges onto the other side of the street, eventually slowing to a full stop. The bike drops on the soft grass, Baxter is unscathed.

INT. DINING ROOM-NIGHT
The family eats silently. Baxter enters, bleeding from the lip. 

FRANK
Luckily for you your mother’s cooking only gets better when it gets cold.

The mothers gives him a glance.

BAXTER
Sorry I’m late.

He gives them all a warm smile.
Fiona Lawson looks uncomfortable and take her plate into the kitchen.

LISA
Why is your lip bleeding?

BAXTER
The hooker got over excited and bit too hard.

FRANK
Don’t do that Baxter.

Baxter looks surprised, but shakes it off and smiles again.

BAXTER
Sorry, but she knows I’m kidding.

FRANK
Not that. That smiling thing.

BAXTER
What?

FRANK
Don’t smile when your not happy.

Baxter looks sad but tries to look amused by the riddle.

FRANK
Don’t make it so that we can’t deal with this thing ok? 

BAXTER
I’m sorry , I don’t get it.

Baxter laughs nervously.

Frank Lawson slams both fists on the table sending his glass of wine tumbling off the table.

FRANK
Don’t do that! Something hurts you then cry, yell, tell us your planning to kill yourself, that we don’t understand you but don’t patronize us by trying to make us believe that your always fine. 

The smile has vanished off Baxter’s face.

FRANK
We know how you feel Baxter, Jesus everybody knows.

Fiona Lawson comes into the dining room table, she’s been crying but she looks happy and vibrant despite it.

FIONA
Who wants desert. Eat up quick, we have to leave in ten minutes if we’re going to get you to the game on time.

INT. BAXTER’S ROOM-NIGHT
Baxter talks into the phone while staring at himself In the mirror.

BAXTER
My dad just exploded. He never explodes. I think I’m changing.

LUKE (V.O.)
I think we all know that

BAXTER
No, I think I’m changing the world. My life is changing, people are changing, drama comes so easy now. Everything feels scripted.

LUKE
You ok?

BAXTER
Does it matter?

He hangs up the phone.

INT. BASKET BALL COURT. 
Baxter sits on the bench. He waves to his parents in the stands. He still looks kind of dazed.

COACH LEWIS
X Factor McCartney! X! You know, Like your two chromosomes! Grab some Bench.

Baxter gets signalled up.

COACH LEWIS
Ever hear of the Nazis Lawson?

Baxter nods.

COACH LEWIS
Do you know what the nazis did towards the end of world war 2?

Baxter shakes his head.

COACH LEWIS
They changed the draft age in the army to anyone between the ages of 16 and 50. They threw their pathetic, their untrained  and their weak into the front lines. Do you know what I’m going to different from the nazis son?

Baxter shakes his head.

COACH LEWIS
Not exterminate millions of Jews. Now go bust some allied skull.

Baxter gets on the field but a large opponent runs into him. Knocking him to the floor. Baxter eventually gets back up. 

The game starts again. Baxter receives a pass. He dribbles near the first defence man and easily goes around him. 

He drives for the net and sinks a two pointer. Everyone is shocked.

Baxter intercepts a ball and puts in another two points. A clamour starts to build inside the arena.

The opposing team regroups once more. They make a solid drive for the net.

JULIAN
Holy shit.

Luke smiles.

Baxter jumps and rejects the shot, He races down the court. All in hand and slows down just before the net. He looks at the score board. It’s a tie. 

BAXTER
Like it was scripted. 

He smiles and holds the ball not moving. He squints. An enormous player rams into him from behind.

REFEREE
FOUL! Two shots.

Baxter is on the floor, nose bleeding, smiling furiously.

He steps up to the line. The crowd hushes down to a murmur. 

BAXTER
Miss the first.

He aims carefully, then releases in a perfect follow through but the shot bounces off the rim.

BAXTER
drama.

He closes his eyes and makes a nonchalant lob at the net. It hits the rim and spins around before finally falling in.

The players rush off their seats and grab Baxter, carrying him into the locker room.

COACH LEWIS (ecstatic)
X factor! X  factor!  X  factor!

EXT. PARKING LOT-NIGHT

Baxter and his parents walk towards their car.

FIONA
You were wonderful honey, it was nice to see all that camaraderie.

They reach the car, a giant slash is etched deeply into the side panelling, The tires are also slashed.

The whole family is shocked.

BAXTER
I know who did it.

FRANK
We‘re calling the police.

BAXTER
But I can do something about it now. I can do the right thing.

FRANK
No, We’re calling the police. 

INT.PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA -DAY
The table is more quiet than usual.

JULIAN
You’re a god. How did you do that?

BAXTER
I don’t know, it just seemed easier.

LUKE
How does it feel?

BAXTER
Frightening.

LUKE
Why?

BAXTER
Because things are changing very quickly.

He gets up and walk over to Lara in the cafeteria line up.

JULIAN
Is he ok?

LUKE
Probably not.

INT. CAFETERIA LINE UP-DAY
Baxter doesn’t seem nervous at all. Lara looks surprised that he is talking to her.

BAXTER
Hi, I’m Baxter.

KELLY
I know, you won the basket ball game.

BAXTER
Yeah, I really like you.

KELLY
Right, and you won the game so your status has gone up and you’ve come to claim your due?

Baxter flinches.

BAXTER
What?

KELLY
You expect me to fall into your lap just because suddenly things are looking up for you. 

She walks away. He’s starting to lose his nerve. He stumbles back to the table with the guys.

BAXTER
It’s leaving

Luke looks concerned.

LUKE
What happened?

BAXTER
The leading lady dumped the leading man. That doesn’t make sense, maybe I’m not the leading man.

LUKE
Yes you are Baxter, don’t let go of that feeling. Come on.

BAXTER
Where are we going?

LUKE
You need more drama.

BAXTER
I can’t fight anyone else. 

LUKE
That’s not drama, that’s action.

INT. SCHOOL OFFICE-NOON
Mr. Schultz is sitting on his desk in his small office. Baxter is sitting in a chair. Schultz still looks bitter.

BAXTER
I just can’t keep hiding it anymore. You’re the only person I can confess too. I, I’m sorry I lashed out at you. I just couldn’t express all my, 

Baxter almost smiles but he fights it off.

BAXTER
I couldn’t express all the angst I was feeling.

Schultz starts to come around.

BAXTER
I was angry, mad, depressed everything at once.

Schultz start nodding empathetically, he places his arm on Baxter’s shoulder.

BAXTER
I’m gay. You the only one I can talk to.

Mr. Schultz is moved.

BAXTER
Can I have a song?

MR Schultz, gets up and slowly tunes his guitar. He’s touched.

BAXTER
In the G chord.

Baxter is crying. He touches his cheek and feels the tears he doesn’t seem to understand why he‘s crying. 

INT. PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY-NOON
Julian is desperately trying not to laugh, He’s not doing very good job.

LUKE
Well?

BAXTER
It’s working, where’d you get the idea to tell him i was gay?

LUKE
They did it on an episode of Dawson’s creek.

BAXTER
I need more.

INT. DRAMA CLASS-AFTERNOON

The 30 something students are doing mouth exercises. The teacher MR. TOULOUTHE (52) speaks with a thick French accent.
MR. TOULOUTHE
Pardon?

LUKE
I’m making a film. And I need a cast.

Mr Toulouse looks unimpressed.

LUKE
I need people to act, through the lost art of the mime. You know, like the great Marceau.

He starts to come around.

INT. SHOP CLASS-NOON
The gruff shop teacher look apprehensively at Baxter.

SHOP TEACHER
Sets?

Luke senses his apprehension.

LUKE
Or, special effects, you know, explosions and stuff.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM-EARLY MORNING
Frank Lawson stares up the  ceiling

FRANK
I worry about Baxter.

FIONA
He’s a good kid he’ll do fine.

FRANK
He just seems so distant.

FIONA
Drugs?

FRANK
I wish. Drugs are easy.

FIONA
What’s really bothering you?

FRANK
He just reminds me of myself at that age, Your so positive that life has reached it’s climax, your sick of being at school, of being a kid of being a nobody.

Fiona shifts in the bed and puts her hand around Frank.

FIONA
You want to make a difference.

FRANK
A sixteen year old is a desperate person. Your convinced that everything is about to end.

FIONA
What do you mean end.

FRANK
College, work, it’s all about to start. And their lives now are going to be replaced or go through some major changes to say the least, and theydon’t really know what’s going to be there afterwards, despite what we tell them. I sure didn’t. Like a mid early-life crisis. 

FIONA
But without the money to buy a mustang.

Both are two tired to laugh

FRANK
Yeah, you know why men do that? To shake things up. Make a ripple in the water. Punctuate your life with an exclamation mark.

FIONA
I think your over reacting.

FRANK
I think Baxter wants to make a ripple, or a splash if I know him.

FIONA
I doubt he has this secret agenda that we’re not aware of.

She checks the alarm clock, it reads 4 am.

FIONA
He’s only sixteen he’ll live through it.

FRANK
You know, I think I almost want him to make a splash. Not taking life bending over.

Fiona warps the cover over him. She closes her eyes.

FIONA
Just like his old man. Now go to bed, our son isn’t planning anything.

INT. BAXTER’S BEDROOM.- EARLY MORNING

Baxter and Luke sit in his room playing video games. He seems angry and determined. An egg timer goes off. He drops the remote and walks briskly out of his room.

INT. CORRIDOR-EARLY MORNING
Baxter makes a shape of a handgun with his fingers and marches resolutely towards the door. 

EXT. FRONT LAWN-EARLY MORNING
A dozen or so masked men loaf around on the front door, they notice Baxter and strike menacing poses, one of them pretends to be stuck inside a small box. 

They are each wearing a white cotton tea shirt and various rubber Halloween masks. 

Baxter takes aim on the men and slowly, methodically starts to pull the trigger of his imaginary gun making his own gun shot sounds. 

Blood erupts out of the white cotton shirt spraying him on the face. 

He aims at another, three wounds burst out of his chest. He dies as dramatically as possible. Small explosions in the grass create puffs of dust, as though the lawn was being hit with mortars.

He continues the process until every one is dead and on the grass.

Baxter looks around him, dazed. 

Baxter grabs his bike and rides away. One of the bodies looks up and takes off his shirt and mask, tapped to his chest are exploding ink pellets. It’s Toulouse. He stares at his colleagues and the ridiculous scene.

TOULOUSE
Indy movies.

He spits in disgust.

EXT. PARKWAY - DAY
Luke and Baxter peddle down with amazing speed. Baxter zooms down the street, Luke can’t keep up. Suddenly Baxter spots something on the street. 

He brakes and walks over to the parked car. 

BAXTER
This is Herb’s car.

LUKE
What are you going to do?

Baxter sets his bike down and rolls his sleeve up.

LUKE
This is in broad daylight.

BAXTER
He used this car to attack Greg, the car just like him needs to be destroyed. 

LUKE
What do you mean.

Baxter punches the passenger side window with all his strength. He is met a dull thud. The pain doesn’t register.

He winds up again and hits it with all his strength. Still nothing. Baxter looks down at his hand, one of his fingers is bending the wrong way. He punches the window again. A hairline crack is made. 

Baxter keeps punching faster and faster. Blood starts to collect on the glass. The crack grows bigger and bigger and eventually gives way and shatters. 

Baxter leans in and disables the parking brake. 

Luke looks genuinely worried for the first time. 

Baxter grabs the car by the frame and starts to pull the car perpendicularly so that all four wheels are hindering him.

He strains and turns red but drags the full weight of the car into the street, blocking both lanes.

LUKE
We should go

Baxter reaches in and grabs a video cassette. The logo for 8ball motels is labelled on it.

INT. BEDROOM-AFTERNOON

Baxter bandages his broken hand.

LUKE
That car must have weighed close to two tons.

BAXTER
I got over excited.

LUKE
Your ready.

BAXTER
Are you sure?

LUKE
You tell me. Are you on the other side of the wall?

BAXTER
Way over.

LUKE
And?

BAXTER
It’s definitely more intense.

LUKE
I think were only missing one aspect.

BAXTER
What’s that?

Luke tosses him a DVD of sleepless in Seattle. 

LUKE
Romance.

INT. MALL-AFTERNOON
Baxter stands awkwardly in a crowd of several young women. Luke sits in the distance admiring his protégé.

WOMAN 1
That’s deep.

Baxter laughs heartily, completely at ease.

BAXTER
Like I always said, its not the women in your life it’s the life in your women.

LUKE (under his breath)
I’m no angle, paramount 1999.

The girls all laugh and cling to Baxter. But Baxter makes a serious face and looks sad and hurt. The girls all look concerned.

BAXTER
I gave her my heart, and she gave me a pen.

LUKE
Shirley valentine, Warner brothers, 1989

GIRLS (together)
Aaaaawwwwww

Baxter is knocked forward. He turns back and notices the drug dealer from the alley.

The dealer pulls out a knife and places the tip on Baxter’s shoulder.

DEALER
Beg.

Baxter shows no sign of fear.

BAXTER
I know what your thinking.

LUKE
Shit.

The dealer is nervous but doesn’t back down.

BAXTER
Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kind of lost track myself. 

The dealer is scared and doesn’t understand. He pushes on the blade and it slowly buries itself in Baxter’s arm.

Baxter doesn’t react at all, showing no signs of pain. He grabs the dealer’s arm and slowly pulls out all 6 inches of the blade. 

BAXTER
But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question:

Baxter now rests the tip of the blade on the drug dealers arm.

BAXTER
Do you feel lucky?

Luke knocks him down and grabs him by his good arm out of the building.

INT. CAB-DAY
Baxter looks as though he’s on drugs, he sways back and forth barely able to keep himself in his position. Luke holds Baxter’s arm which is gushing out blood.

The taxi driver takes notice.

TAXI
Is he ok?

LUKE
Yeah he just fell off his bike.

BAXTER
I don’t feel very good. 

LUKE
We’re almost home buddy. I’m so sorry Baxter. 

BAXTER
Is my arm going to be ok?

LUKE
Everything is going to be ok very soon.

Baxter looks out the window. The scenery that’s speeding by looks like a congested New York street.

He looks through the back window and it looks like your average suburban street. Something doesn’t fit.

Baxter rips himself free from Luke’s grip. He opens the door.

TAXI DRIVER
What the hell does he think he’s doing?

Baxter looks at a white screen with the projection of the new York street, the car isn‘t moving at all.

The taxi driver brakes just as Baxter step out of the speeding car.

LUKE
Jesus Baxter!

Baxter walks past the projector screen and onto the normal suburban street. He’s barely able to keep his balance. He trips and leans against a telephone pole. 

The pole starts to tip over, it’s a cardboard cut out, like it was part of a set. 

Baxter starts to lose his nerve. He runs over to a fire hydrant and kicks it over, another cardboard cut out.

Julian rushes out of the taxi and throws money at  the driver. He see Luke kicking the solid metal fire hydrant.

Baxter is frantic now. He goes on his knees and feels at the cement, he finds a fault line on it. He digs his fingers in it and lifts it up the concrete as though it were a carpet. He reads “studio 51” on the floor under the asphalt.

Julian rushes up to his friend who’s fingers are bleeding from scratching at the asphalt. Baxter, his arms in the air, holds up the imaginary asphalt carpet.

Luke rushes up and grabs him, immobilizing him in his powerful grip.

LUKE
I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.

BAXTER
I don’t want to do this anymore Luke.

LUKE
Of course, Baxter, of course, whatever you want.

INT. HALLWAY-NIGHT
Baxter, his arm in a bandage limps in the house. His mother is asleep on the chair , a telephone in hand.

Baxter goes over and wakes her up.

FIONA LAWSON
Baxter! Where were you I’ve been calling everyone.

BAXTER
I’m really sorry mom.

FIONA LAWSON
Oh, my god, honey what happened.

BAXTER
I fell.

FIONA LAWSON
Are you ok? I need to call the doctor.

BAXTER
I’m fine now.

Baxter’s mother gets up and gives her son a big hug. He eventually pulls himself away.

BAXTER
I’m fine

He starts to tear up.

BAXTER
I’m fine.

He goes back for another hug and doesn’t let go this time.

INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT
Baxter unplugs all his entertainment software and places it in his closet except for the VHS player and the camcorder which is still recording.

INT. BEDROOM-MORNING
Baxter shoots up drenched in sweat. Luke is sitting in the chair.

LUKE
You ok?

BAXTER
Yeah I’m fine.

LUKE
You don’t look it.

BAXTER
What do you want?

LUKE
To apologize.

BAXTER
You don’t have to.

LUKE
Yes I do, I made you do this, it’s my fault.

BAXTER
I wanted to.

LUKE
Why?

BAXTER
Like you said, Hamartia.

LUKE
What happened that night in the theatre?

BAXTER
I did something bad.

INT. THEATRE-NIGHT
Baxter stand up defiantly to the boyfriend.

BAXTER (V.O.)
Sometimes your life can be so boring that you look for divertissement where you can find it. I saw this guy who was being a jerk and I decided that he would be my enemy.

The boyfriend laughs then sucker punches Baxter in the stomach. Baxter bends over from the force but eventually gets back up.

BAXTER (V.O.)
I became a hero, or at least I thought I was.

The boyfriend is unnerved by Baxter’s resilience but before he can wind up for another punch Baxter grabs him by the  neck. 

The boyfriend continues to hit him. Bt to no effect. The girlfriend joins in and attack Baxter with all her strength. 

BAXTER (V.O.)
It felt like the right thing to do at the time. Nothing about it seemed wrong. It was black and white.

The boyfriend falls to his knees, his face turning purple.

He stops fighting back as he loses consciousness. But Baxter doesn’t loosen his grip. 

BAXTER (V.O.)
Eventually  I stopped and walked out. And I was never caught. And for a while I didn’t feel any guilt at all.

INT. BEDROOM-MORNING

BAXTER
He was in a coma for 19 months before waking up I was never caught, never punished. I’ve tried to punish myself but your never fully able to do that to yourself. 

Luke is stunned. 

BAXTER
It’s my fault, all of it. 

LUKE
You didn’t do that on purpose

BAXTER
But if felt good, I felt right at the time. For a long time I thought he was dead and it didn’t bother me 

Fiona Lawson enters.

FIONA
Breakfast is ready boys.

LUKE
So what do we do now?

BAXTER
Go back to real life.

INT. CLASSROOM-MORNING
Arturo writes a math problem on the blackboard. Baxter sits quietly next to Luke and Julian.

ARTURRO
Ok Julian why don’t you go up and solve the problem. Take some chalk.

JULIAN
Although I’d love to I am a member of PETA  I respectfully refuse on the basis that I cannot morally bring myself to spread the guts and body parts of dried aquatic life, which the chalk is made of, onto your black board of death.

ARTURRO
Here, then do it on  paper.

JULIAN
Again, I am pro life and do not wish to spread the burnt ashes of our trees onto their skinned hides.

Arturo rubs his eyes

MR.ARTURRO
Do you know how much money I make Julian

JULIAN
Although your salary may be low, by giving yourself to a higher cause you must be a man of great social wealth.

MR ARTURRO
Go do the problem

Julian eventually complies but the bell interrupts him. The class empties except for Baxter.

ARTURRO
I corrected your last philosophy paper. I was a little depressing but good. You must have put in a lot of effort.

BAXTER
I didn’t try any harder than last time.

ARTURRO
Oh, well that’s disappointing. Life is often too easy for our own liking. You have to find something difficult to do. That’s what makes people happy.

BAXTER
Are you happy?

ARTURRO
If I’ve managed to help people, people like you, then yes.

BAXTER
I have to go.

He starts to pack up his things.

ARTURRO
Things will work out in the end Baxter, they always do. It’s not very dramatic but they do.

Baxter zips up his bag, and walks by, he flashes another empty smile at Arturo, whose expression reveals a weariness for it as well.

EXT. PARKWAY-AFTERNOON

Luke and Baxter ride their bikes. Every rotation of the peddle is an almost insurmountable task for Baxter, every moment brings a new face of pain.

LUKE
What do you want to do?

BAXTER
I don’t know. Watch a movie?

LUKE
I’d like that.

INT. BEDROOM-AFTERNOON
Baxter rummages through his closet.

LUKE
Find anything worthwhile?

BAXTER
No.

Luke moves over to the VCR.

LUKE
There’s already something in the VCR.

BAXTER
What?

Luke presses play. 

Baxter comes and sits on the Bed waiting for the movie to start.

A look of dread come on both their faces.

HERBERT (V.O.)
Now?

OWEN (V.O.)
Not yet

Baxter is utterly shocked. He rushes up to the television. He tries to turn it off but can’t find the button.

HERBERT (V.O.)
Now?

OWEN (V.O.)
Yeah go ahead, enjoy.

Baxter tips the television off it’s stand sending it crashing on the floor. He sits on the bed with Luke, both boys breathing more loudly now.

Baxter pulls out the cassette, the 8ball motel logo printed on it.

BAXTER
I change my mind. I want to do it.

Luke nods. 

BAXTER
Whatever it takes.

Luke nods.

EXT. PARKING LOT-NIGHT

Baxter and Luke unload wires and a crowbar. They reach a locked door and pry it open. 

INT. MOVIE THEATRE-NIGHT
The place is completely deserted. 

LUKE
Are you sure you want to watch this?

BAXTER
I’m sure. 

LUKE
Alright, I’ll go set it up. Where d’you get the idea from?

BAXTER
Clockwork orange. Figures it’d be from a movie.

Luke shows him the small camcorder Arturo gave to Baxter. 

LUKE
I can hook this baby up to any closed circuit system.

Baxter goes and takes in the middle of the theatre. 

The projector hums to life and eventually we can see a montage of violent images and scenes from gory video games. 

LUKE (O.S.)
You ready for sound?

BAXTER
Hit me.

The speakers turn on and the place is flooded with the moans coming from the various victims.

Baxter eventually relaxes and soaks in the images that he sees.

Luke can be heard leaving the cinema.

LUKE
four hours should do it

EXT. PARKING LOT-NIGHT
Baxter comes stumbling out.

LUKE
And?

BAXTER
I think I’m going to puke.

LUKE
I think your ready.

BAXTER
How can we make sure?

INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT
the grotesque sounds of an extremely violent video game fill the room. 

LUKE
Three hours.

An alarm goes off.

Luke turn to Baxter who keep playing.

LUKE
Let’s go.

Baxter sets the controller down and grabs the pellet gun from under his bed. 

EXT. FRONT PORCH-NIGHT
Luke is holding the bowl of milk, he taps the side with the spoon enticing the ally cat who eventually shows up.

LUKE
This is it Baxter. This is all fantasy. Your life is a fantasy. 

Baxter lifts the gun and aims at the cat who slurps his meal. Baxter squeezes on the trigger.

LUKE
Remember Baxter, some people deserve to be punished, justice deserves to be dealt regardless of how you might feel about it.

Baxter closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and eventually lets the gun fall to his hips. He’s concentrating hard.

LUKE
Soon everything will be gone.

Baxter lets go of his grip and holds the barrel with both hands. 

He lifts the gun over his head like a club and brings it crashing down. 

We hear a dull thud and the sound of china breaking.

Luke leans in and grabs Baxter’s arm, he checks his pulse and smiles.

LUKE
Your ready.

INT. CLASSROOM-DAY
The classroom is empty apart from Baxter who sits at his desk nervously tapping his foot on the ground.
		
ARTURRO
Are you alright Baxter?

BAXTER
I don’t think so

ARTURRO
what’s wrong?

BAXTER
I think I’m going to do something terrible soon.

ARTURRO
if you think it’s terrible why are you going to do it.

BAXTER
because I won’t remember.

ARTURRO
do you think that makes it ok?

BAXTER
I think it does.

Arturro is ill at ease.

BAXTER
I mean, if I have no memory of it then it’s impossible for me to feel bad about it, and how I feel is the only way to judge something.

ARTURRO
Baxter I’m afraid that doesn’t make much sense to me.

BAXTER
you could be a murderer

ARTURRO
Baxter that’s preposterous

BAXTER
why? Because you know your not? If you wouldn’t remember then you’d be sure your weren’t also. You could be a child molester and a serial killer for all you know.

ARTURRO
I think that’s highly unlikely

BAXTER
So it doesn’t bother you at all?

Arturro doesn’t want to encourage Baxter at this point but indulges him anyway.

ARTURRO
no it doesn’t

BAXTER
so if that were the truth then you wouldn’t mind because you don’t remember.

ARTURRO
is there something else that is bothering you Baxter?

BAXTER
Memory is like a dirt path , it tells us were to go because we can see where we went. But what if we get lost, if we forget?

ARTURRO
I don’t think this an appropriate conversation for us Baxter, I’m going to have to leave now.

BAXTER
IF we get lost then we don’t have a destination. We can go where ever we want, wander off the beaten path.

ARTURRO
Baxter.

BAXTER
yes?

ARTURRO
Life is what you make of it, so don’t go and fuck it up. I mean that in the best way possible. Unfortunately for you, you’ve been given more than your fair share of smarts, and than means your going to have a big say in the worldl, so say something nice, for all our sakes. 

Both smile.

INT. BEDROOM-NIGHT
Baxter zip up a duffel bag. He dons his hooded sweater, wraps his broken hand tightly in a new white bandage. He takes the time to tie his shoes as tight as they can go. 

He picks up his baseball bat and his camcorder. He turn it on and points it at the mirror directly in front of him.

Lisa comes in.

LISA
What are you doing. 

BAXTER
I’m going to a friends house.

LISA
You look angry.

BAXTER
Just a little.

LISA
At me?

Baxter smiles.

BAXTER
Never. You understand? Never.

He leans down and hugs his little sister. 

BAXTER
Can you keep a secret

She nods.

BAXTER
I’m going to be gone for a while, so don’t tell mom or Dad that I left ok?

LISA
Ok. Can I tell you a secret too.

Baxter nods.

LISA
I made a new friend last week.

BAXTER
Who is it?

She makes sure no one else is around.

LISA
I call him Scrappy. He’s a cat

Baxter holds his breath. 

BAXTER
I promise I won’t tell Mom or Dad.

He gives his little sister one last hug.

INT. DINING ROOM

Baxter’s father is sitting at the dining room table.

Baxter walks by without noticing him.

FRANK
Baxter.

Baxter stops, places his gear down and goes back to the dining room. 

FRANK
Sit down

Baxter does as he’s told.

FRANK
How are things going, for real this time.

Baxter looks as serious as can be.

BAXTER
Really, really bad. And they have been for a while now. And I’m really, really scared right now. Really scared, in fact I’ve never been more afraid, but I’ve also never been so brave. I’m about to do something that I think really needs to be done and you won’t agree with it. 

FRANK
I don’t suppose you can tell me what that is

BAXTER
No

FRANK
Does it have anything to do with that bat?

BAXTER
Yes

FRANK
What’s wrong Baxter, can you just tell me? Just tell me and we can both pretend that you didn’t right afterwards. I just need to know.

BAXTER
I can’t.

Frank Lawson finally lets his guard down, it’s the first time we’ve ever seen him like this.

FRANK
Do you know how much I love you Baxter?

BAXTER
I know you do dad

FRANK
But do you know how much? I love you so much that I’m this close to just letting you go whatever it is your going off to do. I’m ready to do anything Baxter, anything to fix all of this. 

Baxter gets up and places his chair under the table.

FRANK
If that means being a bad father a bad person a bad human being , then fine ill do all of that gladly Baxter. Ten times over that would be fine. But I need the chance. 

Baxter goes to the door.

FRANK
So go do what your going to do anyway. And I’ll pray it works out for you because I obviously can’t do anything about it. But that’s the limit Baxter, No more, if you can’t fix it for yourself you have to let me have a shot afterwards ok?

Baxter leaves

FRANK 
Let this work Baxter. Let all of this end, I pray that you‘ll finally get all of this sorted out, we all want Baxter back. 

Lisa comes in the room. Frank Lawson wipes the tears off his face.

LISA
Are you ok dad?

FRANK
I’m fine honey. I think you need to go baack to bed.

LISA
I afraid for Baxter.

FRANK
Me too, but I’m sure he’ll be fine. You know why?

Lisa shakes her head.

FRANK
Because your brother is very brave. And I’m very proud of him. And somehow I know that everything is going to be ok. Go back to bed ok?

INT. MASTER BEDROOM-NIGHT
Frank Lawson crawls into bed.

FIONA
Where is he going at this hour.

FRANK
Just to a friend’s house, everything will be fine in the morning.

FIONA
We have a good kid.

FRANK
Yes we do.

Fiona Lawson puts her arm around her husband.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD-NIGHT
All of the debris has not yet been collected, metal spikes still dig into the ground. 

Luke leans over and picks up a tiny tooth imbedded in the ground. He tosses it away.

LUKE
Last chance to back out Baxter.

BAXTER
It’s a scary thing when you realise that your god.

LUKE
God?

He tries to laugh but he’s scared enough to almost believe it.

BAXTER
The world is just perspective, the entire universe as I see it is just something projected through me. If I change then the world changes. It’s just like cyan.

LUKE
The colour?

BAXTER
Exactly. I grew up thinking cyan was green. Cyan became green. Cyan is green.

LUKE
No it’s not

BAXTER
Sure it is

LUKE
If I had a dictionary we could solve this.

BAXTER
A dictionary is just someone else’s perspective. You know why? Because how do you describe a colour? Every man is an island Luke, with the power to do whatever he pleases. 

Luke can’t think of a comeback.

BAXTER
I can create anything, and I’m going to change the world. 

EXT. PARKWAY-NIGHT
Baxter, and Luke, their gear strapped to their bikes ride slowly down the street. Rain is pouring down but it doesn’t seem to affect either one.

LUKE
You sure your up to this.

BAXTER
Absolutely.

LUKE
Be careful ok?

BAXTER
Nothing about this is careful. It’s not supposed to be, I’m the hero, If this is going to work I need all the odds against me, their can’t appear to be a glimmer of hope. 

LUKE
I know, that’s what scares me.

EXT. 8BALL MOTELS-NIGTH
A few cars  are in the parking Lot. Light shines out of the many occupied rooms. 

LUKE
I’ll go work on the jack in.

Baxter nods. 

LUKE
It’s all just a movie Baxter, don’t forget that. 

Baxter nods. He tightens his grip on the bat.

EXT. 8BALL MOTELS PATIO-NIGHT
A lone guard stands next to one of the doors smoking his cigarette. He puffs a huge smoke cloud. He looks through the haze at a hooded figure racing towards him, a bat hanging from his belt like a sword and a duffel bag on his back. 

The guard looks worried and pulls out a gun. Baxter unsheathes his wooden bat. A swift swing knocks the gun out of the assailants hand. 

He moves quickly though and nails Baxter with a hard right. Baxter swings with his broken hand but misses and slams it into the solid wood support beam. 

Intense pain shoots through his entire body, he clenches it with the other hand. 

The guard rushes him But Baxter tackles him and carries him 4feet off the ground into the metal railing knocking him out cold.

INT. FRONT OFFICE-NIGHT
Luke is standing over the knocked out deskman. He grabs the  key he wants.

LUKE
Different kind of Pay per view tonight folks.

He rushes out through the back exit. 

EXT. PATIO-NIGHT
Baxter sits down panting, slowly taking off the bandage from his hand. By this point Baxter can’t even make a fist, most of the bones already broken.  

Baxter bites down on the bat. And ties his broken hand into a fist with the bandage. 

He grabs his Walkie-Talkie from his pocket. 

BAXTER
I’m ready. How bout you

LUKE (V.O.)
Just about.

INT. BACKROOM-NIGHT
The room is small and dark, every rack filled with pornography tapes. 

Luke takes out his own tape and slides it into a machine also hooked up to the computer.

BAXTER (V.O.)
Ok, hit it I’m going in.

EXT. PATIO -NIGHT
Baxter slowly unzips the duffel Bag. He pulls out a boom box. He places it next to the door. He pulls the hood over his head and grips his bat firmly.

He leans down and turns on the Boom Box. He turns the volume knob to the max.

INT. BACK STORE-NIGHT
Luke hit’s the command key one last time. 

LUKE
Please god let this work.

The manager, holding a broken beer bottle in his hand approaches Luke from Behind. 

Luke sees him on the reflection of the screen at the last second, narrowly avoiding a the sharp bottle. 

He grabs the computer, while falling out of the chair, sending it crashing to the floor.

EXT. PATIO-NIGHT

Baxter has his eyes closed, concentrating hard. We recognize the music from the car chase, it blares out of the boom box at a ridiculously loud volume, drowning out everything else. 

Baxter opens his eyes and stares at the bottom of the door waiting for the shadow to appear, it does and with a mighty kick, he breaks the door down sending another guard to the floor.

Baxter rushes in.

INT. MOTEL ROOM-NIGHT
Although expecting this scene Baxter is still phased. Several cameras are set up , professional movie lights shinning on the heart shaped bed.

Herbert Blake, wearing nothing but his boxers. Has been floored from the surprise. 

An older man,  among a few others in the is in the sitting section filled with bodyguards and various low lives. 

Lara peters, is face down, naked on the bed, not moving much at all.

Baxter’s rage rises and he knocks down all the camera’s set up. 

The three bodyguards spring to life. The old Man tries to shout orders but the boom box drowns out everything.

Baxter gives looks at the television that is stuck on A music station.

Baxter wings the bat breaking limbs and knocking down lamps. He manages to knock out one of the guards and disarms two other ones.

He receives as many hits as he’s dishing out but nothing seems to reach him. He is perfect, every move as though it were carefully choreographed.

A chair is broken on Baxter’s back which send him to the floor but he jumps back to his feet with amazing speed.

He gives a worried look back at the television which is still stuck to the news.

INT. BACK ROOM-NIGHT
Luke struggles with the man who is now on top of him. But manages to take the lead and in turn knock him out a second time. 

He immediately goes to the computer which is now totalled. 

LUKE
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,

He grabs the cable from the computer and follows it to the wall. He pulls at it ripping it out of the plaster, he follows the chord as it rips out of the wall leading him into the hallway. 

He keeps ripping and it eventually leads him outside, he stares at it in the grass wondering where it will lead, 

He come to the foot of a crude looking telephone pole. The chord leads directly to a cable box at the very top of it.

LUKE
Shit.

INT. MOTEL-ROOM

Herbert, still only in his boxers, picks up a gun from the floor and unloads the clip In Baxter’s direction.

Baxter hit’s the deck and the bullets tear through the thin wall behind him. He gets back up only to be tackled to the wall by a 280 pound bodyguard. 

The force of the hit sends both of them into the adjacent room.

Baxter starts to lift him. Off, but a second equally heavy body guard jumps on him.

Baxter is turning red, and with every single ounce of strength starts to lift himself out from under over 500 pounds of muscle.

Inch by inch he lifts himself more and more and with a final scream shoves both men off.

Suddenly, a bullet tears through Baxter’s shoulder. A second bullet is sent into the boom box halting the music.

Baxter falls to his knees and loses consciousness.

EXT. TELEPHONE POLE

Luke works furiously on the cable box as best he can, dropping his tools.

LUKE
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit

He grabs the screws between his fingers  and continues to work, his hands now bleeding, the rain practically blinding him.

INT. HOTEL ROOM-DAWN

Baxter slowly comes to. He tries to get up but he’s handcuffed to the bed, his arms behind his back.

Herb is now fully dressed. His father standing behind him. A gun is pointed at Baxter.

HERB
You have to be a total suicidal.

Baxter, bruised and broken can barely speak he’s in so much pain. He’s bleeding from everywhere.

BAXTER
You deserve to die.

He stares over to Lara who’s still in the same position.

HERB
She’s drugged. She probably won’t remember any of it. She’ll be sore but none the wiser.

BAXTER
You deserve to die, it’s finally clear.

Herb and his father laugh.

Baxter stares at the lifeless television. 

BAXTER
Your going to die.

Baxter slowly starts to unwrap his bandaged, broken hand. 

We can hear Luke’s Muffled voice from Baxter’s Walkie Talkie.

Herbs goes ant takes it from Baxter’s pocket.

LUKE
It’s done, it’s working Baxter? BAXTER!

Herb throws it away.

Baxter stares at the TV which is turned off. He starts to scream at the top of his lungs. Louder and Louder , making as much noise as possible.  

Herb is taken back and start to get worried. He’s about to pull the trigger when his dad stops him.

DAD
Turn on the TV to drown out the noise.

Herb turns on the television and cranks the volume. He cocks and aims the gun at Baxter’s temple.

Suddenly the normal programming cuts out and is replaced with the image of a football practice. 

Suddenly we hear a loud metal screech and  the sound of fused cries of pain and desperation.

We recognize it as the image from Baxter’s camcorder after in the bleachers. 

Herb and at his father are again at a loss.

Baxter soaks in the sights and sounds from the television. He peels off the last bit of bandage , revealing his now almost lifeless and broken hand. He closes his eyes.

BAXTER
I am a hero, I fight for what’s good and I protect the weak. I uphold what I think Is right. And by all rights you deserve to die. Justice commands it.

Baxter yanks his broken hand through the handcuff , breaking only a few more bones in the already almost gelatine hand.

BAXTER
I am an ordinary person exposed to an extraordinary situation. 

Herb raises the gun. Baxter opens his eyes, he sees the scene in wide screen.

HERB
Die!

BAXTER
I can’t, good always overcomes evil.

Herb pulls the trigger but the gun jams. Baxter sprints toward him and tackles him in mid air. 

Both bodies hit the ground and a gun shot un jams it self and goes off.

Baxter gets up and throws the gun away, a smoking hole protruding in Herb’s chest.

Herb’s father runs out of the room. 

Baxter looks at the dead body of his enemy on the spotted carpet. Tripod with a video recorder, previously knocked down points in the direction of Herb’s corpse.

He walks over to it and pulls out the cassette. He wraps up Lara in a blanket and carries her out of the room.

EXT. MOTEl PARKING LOT-DAWN
Baxter slowly walks away from the motel.

LUKE
You did it? You did it! How do you feel? Guilty? What? Did it work? 

BAXTER
Go home and get in your bed before your parents realise you were gone, you were never here. Take Lara and drop her off at the hospital, she was raped.

Luke understand the situation and does as he‘s told. 

EXT. PARKWAY-MORNING
Baxter limps towards the school. 

BAXTER (V.O.)
I am a smart kid, a very smart kid. Luke had the idea but I perfected it. 

INT. PARK HILL HIGH SCHOOL-DAY
Baxter pushes the door open and limps through the hallway.

BAXTER (V.O.)
I’m in a fantasy world, but I can’t live there. No one can.
That’s impossible. Guilt will follow you everywhere you are, fantasy , reality, everywhere.

INT. Arturo’S classroom-day
Baxter is sitting gin his chair crying, tortured by guilt.

BAXTER (V.O.)
The only way to escape it is to strand it somewhere. Somewhere your not.

The kids in the class room stare at the video recording of Baxter falling on Herb and the gun shot going off. 

The movie ends and Arturo looks over at Baxter, He is paralysed by the shocking scene he has just witnessed.

Nancy, frozen to the door, her hand still stuck on the light switch turns them back on.

Baxter, who was crying a moment ago, squints his eyes at the light and looks completely refreshed, free of worry and guilt and depression and sadness. A million pounds have been taken off his chest.

BAXTER (V.O.)
But then the lights come back on and the screen sucks everything back, and the tragedy is complete and perfect, encapsulated into a tiny piece of plastic. An suddenly the movie, no matter how realistic, ends and it becomes just a movie. Luke had the right idea, a hero is purified through his suffering and his fatal flaw erased, and he gets to enjoy the happy ending.

Baxter gets up and walks out of class.

EXT. PARKWAY-DAY
Baxter walks, a smile slowly starts to spread across his face. 

He walks by a pet store. Stops, smiles even wider.

INT. DINING ROOM-DAY
Frank, Fiona and Lisa the television. A crude sketch drawing of a hooded teenager and a bat is on the news.

ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
A kiddie porn ring was hit an unknown group of vigilantes yesterday night, 8 men were injured, 1 critical and one person died. Witnesses were only able to spot one person.

The family stares at Baxter. He opens the box and a small kitten jumps out. 

BAXTER
I’m back.

Fiona Lawson runs towards her son and clutches him and strong as she can. Baxter smiles. 

His father approaches. He approaches the two but is stopped when he can hear the sound of sirens in the distance.

Baxter smiles. Frank Lawson looks apprehensive. He too is saddened by the events that have sealed his son’s fate.

BAXTER
Everything is fine.  

Frank spots police cars piling up on the driveway. 
He walks past them both and locks the door and closes the blinds. 

Frank Lawson goes up and the whole family embraces, and doesn’t stop as the police break down the door and storm in.

FADE TO BLACK

THE END