SECOND HAND HEARTS

SECOND HAND HEARTS

By

CARLOS PATRICK REID

[e-mail]



EXT WOODS

A young boy, Wesley, is fleeing from a crash scene. Behind

him, a smoking wrecked pickup truck  is nosed into the ditch.  A police car slides to a stop behind the wreck.

The teenager is limping. Blood is dripping down his right calf from a

fractured bone. He is pursued by a lone determined

policeman, RUSTY patiently follows the panicky

teenager into a creek bed. The police chief stops in the dry

creek bed and looks up at the fleeing child. Wesley’s right

leg makes a snapping noise and he screams and begins sliding

down the creek bank. He is now directly in front of the

uniformed chief of police. He is defiant at first even as

the chief points the gun at him. He glances down and sees a

Bible in the policeman’s left hand. His eyes widen and the

child starts begging for his life. At first the policeman

aims the .40 cal Beretta semi automatic into the boy’s face.

Then after pause he levels the barrel with the boy’s stomach

and squeezes the trigger. Brown color blood explodes from

the boy’s belly. WESLEY screams in agony. The cocky attitude

is gone as pleads for mercy. The policeman holsters the

pistol and begins reading the bible verses "ashes to

ashes..."



INT. PAT’S APARTMENT MORNING

Pat is cleaning up beer bottles and liquor bottles. He files

away pictures of ex-wife. He gently wipes the portrait of a

beautiful woman and places it in a box. He piles condolence

cards on top. He pulls a black wreath from his door and puts

it into a garbage bag. He shaves. He is clearly making a new

start. The phone rings; it is POP’s other daughter KATHY

from Washington State.



PAT

Hello.



KATHY

Hi Pat. I was wondering if you

could check on Pop. He hasn’t

returned my calls.



PAT

That sounds like him.



KATHY

I know. But I have a bad feeling.

He will usually check in, at a crazy

hour and leave a voice mail so that

he won’t have to talk.





PAT

He hates me.



KATHY

He hates everyone. I know it’s

hard but I really need you to do

this. I could call the police but I

hate to cry wolf.



PAT

No problem. I will check on him

this morning.



Hangs up and he is swiftly out the door.



INT JACKIE’S TRAILER

Jackie is rushing in the door. She grabs a EPT from the

paper bag. She rips at the hard plastic wrappings and

eventually grabs the edge of the package with her teeth and

rips it violently as she runs to the bathroom.

Seconds later she is watching her watch. She watches the

minutes countdown. While she is waiting she remembers.



INT RESTAURANT PREVIOUS MEETING

Felicia is checking makeup in a pocket mirror in a cafe.

She presses at the crows feet around her eyes. She begins

admiring the waiter by peering over her menu. She watches

his approach. Sensing his arrival she fluffs her hair and

exposes her neck.



WAITER

Wow!



Felicia smiles confidently and lowers menu.



FELICIA

Thanks...I just had my

She stops when she sees him staring out the window. Jackie is passing by and looks stunning in a simple thin dress.



WAITER

I am sorry ma’am. You were saying.



FELICIA

(disappointed)

Oh nothing. That’s Jackie she is

my old friend. She is very

beautiful. My first husband had a

huge crush on her.

(she takes a

bread stick, gnaws on it and mumbles to herself)

Nothing changes. I have always

stood under that bitch’s shadow.

Sweet Jackie. Lovely Jackie. Cant

you be like Jackie. Why are you a

bitch? Be nice like Jackie. Blah.

Blah. Blah.

(she looks up at the

confused waiter)

Cancel the tea.

Bring me a Mojito!)

Jackie enters and sits by Felicia.



FELICIA

Is that a new dress? You look

stunning.



JACKIE

I got it at Wal-Mart for 9.95. Do you think that it is pretty.



FELICIA

Sure for 10 bucks it makes you look great.



JACKIE

Felicia. I am so happy.



FELICIA

You deserve it. I can’t believe you

caught him. I didn’t think he would

be serious about anyone. After his

wife’s death.



JACKIE

He has been suffering. He is so

Sweet… and he would never be cruel

like John.



FELICIA

No more black eyes honey. You

deserve this guy. Do you think he

wants kids? I know that you always

dreamed of a family.



JACKIE

No. Hell no. He was clear on that.

He made me promise. He is over that

phase in his life.



FELICIA

I can understand that.  Every young

woman married or single has been

throwing themselves at him. They

want his money. Still how do you

feel about that? I mean the child

issue.



JACKIE

I am older now. I can let that

dream go. It just wasn’t meant to

be. If I was supposed to have a

baby, God would have given me one.



FELICIA

Probably best. Any pregnancy would

be high risk. I am sorry that your

dream didn’t come true. My four kids

have been a blessing especially on

the holidays.

Jackie’s winces.



JACKIE

I am good with it. Pat is a

dream. We grew up together. Did

you know that I have loved him

since kindergarten.



FELICIA

Kindergarten? Are you kidding?



JACKIE

No. It is true. He would build me

straw houses on the playground when

I was a little girl. If only I had

been 2 more years older.

It is like we have been just missing each other.



FELICIA

Wow. You have come full circle. At

least now you will be rich.



JACKIE

I feel like I am alive for the

first time.



Felicia watches Jackie leave. She looks up and the waiter is

standing beside the table watching too.

FELICA

Waiter!



WAITER

Is she married?



FELICIA

No. She has herpes. (downs the

Mojito). Shut up and get me another

one of these!



INT RESTAURANT ROMANTIC CANDLE LIGHT

Pat and Jackie huddle close and speak in whispers.



PAT

I am ready. But you have to promise me.



JACKIE

I promise. You can trust me.

He kisses her passionately. She sighs.



INT JACKIE’S BATHROOM

The cell phone timer goes off. She peeks over reading

glasses at the early pregnancy test stick. She begins

crying. She is pregnant. She is 40+ and pregnant. She has

betrayed her one true love.



EXT DIRT ROAD

Pat drives by a house where crime scene tape and police cars

are pulled over. Rusty the police chief somberly waves at

him. Pat continues down the road and stops at a beautiful

house on a hill. He exits the car. And knocks on the door.

No answer. He walks around to the kitchen and looks in. He

sees POP sitting at the kitchen table petting Rebel



INT POPS KITCHEN

Pat is reaching for the dog.



PAT

(Tears on his face)

Pop. Give Rebel to me. Pop.



POP

(mumbling something.) No.



PAT

Pop. Please. He is gone.

.

POP

No. he is sleeping. Go away.



PAT

Pop look at the brush.

Pat notices the fur is coming off the dog. It is dead.

Perhaps for a couple of days.



EXT POP’S YARD

Pop and Pat are standing in a corner of the yard marked by

little pet headstones. They have just buried Rebel. The old

man’s face is covered in tears. But still he is proud and

defiant.



PAT

Pop. He was so old.



POP

(mumbling)



PAT

Pop wont you come to my house and

stay with me.



(Rusty the police chief walks up.)



RUSTY

George. We have had another home

invasion. It would be best if you

stayed in town till we sort this

thing out. It is not safe for you

to be out here all alone.

Pop snatches his head around.



POP

I wouldn’t be alone. If this son of

a bitch hadn’t killed my daughter.

Pop stumbles back to his house.



RUSTY

Wow.



PAT

It’s okay. He doesn’t mean it. But

he is right.



RUSTY

Pat it isn’t your fault. She had

cancer.



PAT

We could have caught it. She wanted

to save her baby for me. It was a

boy. She wouldn’t start the chemo.

I should have made her.



RUSTY

That is not fair. (pauses)

Pat. I can’t tell you how bad it

is. But we have some sick animals

attacking old people. They tied

Margaret up and then strangled her

with the mouse cord from her

computer. It is worse but...



PAT

What is wrong with this world? I

will call Kathy; maybe she can talk

him into moving into town. But he

is stubborn. I doubt it. I will

try.



(Rusty looks at all the little headstones. Pat starts

pointing at the stones.)



PAT

That there is Yankee a golden

cockier spaniel. Sam over here was

a huge Siamese cat with a black

mustache.



PAT

The old guy puts on a tough front.

But he is a softy. He loves puppies.

Their whole family is like that.

They have a hard time saying I love

you to people. The pets open their

hearts. (he looks away)

I saw a Maltese at the pet store.



RUSTY

Why don’t you just walk away? My

god this is painful to watch.



PAT

(softly)I don’t know.



INT ROACH INFESTED APARTMENT IN PROJECT

Wesley and a group of crack heads are binging on drugs

scored from their latest home invasion. Rap music blaring

vulgar lyrics.



INT POPS KITCHEN

The old man is picking up Rebel’s toys and crying.



INT OF RESTAURANT

Pat and Jackie are having a romantic dinner. But the subject

turns to the violence.



JACKIE

What kind of animals would hurt

sweet Miss Margaret?



PAT

Rusty didn’t say much but it was

bad.



JACKIE

I hope they catch them soon.

Pat tries to change subject.



PAT

I want to go buy Pop a new puppy.

Would you help me?



JACKIE

Sure. I would really love too. But

he is so mean to you. Are you sure

you want to put yourself in his

range?



PAT

He is all I have left. (Pat look

away back remembering)



JACKIE

I think that would be sweet. You

are brave.

Both take bites of food and drink wine. After an thoughtful

and awkward silence.



PAT

I cleaned up. I mean I packed up

her things today.



JACKIE

Are you okay?



PAT

Yes. I have to move on. I just

booked a trip around the world for

two. Will you come with me?



JACKIE

What will everyone

think? (reluctant because..her hand moves to her belly)



PAT

Nothing. I was hoping we could stop

off in Vegas and get married.

Jackie begins crying violently. She looks him in the eyes as

she backs out of her chair.



JACKIE

Yes. I have to leave now. I will

call you.



Pat is left there stunned.



INT ROACH INFESTED APARTMENT IN PROJECT

The gang of youths has weapons out and are walking around

Pointing hand symbols and making like gangsters. One girl is videotaping the

ridiculous posturing. Gangster party.  One punk is polishing a shiny semi-automatic pistol. They are getting

ready to attack someone.



INT JACKIE’S APARTMENT

Jackie on the phone with Felicia. Jackie is a wreck from

crying.



JACKIE

He asked me to marry him. He will

hate me if he finds out that I

betrayed him.



FELICIA

(scowling)Don’t tell him; just

do it. You will have lots of

time.



JACKIE

(sobbing)I have an appointment in

Joplin. Reynard clinic on "abortion

row".



FELICIA

You really don’t have a choice. No

one can blame you.



JACKIE

Why would god do this? I wanted a

child my whole life. Why ...why..



FELICIA

Pat’s wife died in child birth. He

will be so disappointed if he finds

out that you got pregnant.

Especially with all that mess with

that whore at the dinner claiming

he was her baby daddy. Sure the

paternity test cleared it up but it

nearly destroyed him. His father

in law went crazy with anger. This

is lousy timing.

He never has to know.



(Felicia is smiling and her eyebrows are arched. He will

know.)



INT ROACH INFESTED APARTMENT IN PROJECT

Door crashes open as heavy metal music blares. Guns drawn,

police raid the apartment. Led by an enraged RUSTY.

He has kicked in the door. He is on the trail of the killers. He

clears the apartment and smashes the CD player.

A deputy enters.



RUSTY

They aren’t here.



DEPUTY

Where do you think they are now?



RUSTY

They... are killing someone.



INT POPS KITCHEN

A hammer smacks downward with a sickening thud. Glimpses of

punks beating POP. POP is battered and bleeding. The old man

crawls while the punks trash and search for valuables.



WESLEY

Where is that old man?



PUNK

I don’t know man. I think he

crawled outside.

Punk points out the window.



PUNK

There he is outside with that

little dog.



WESLEY

I don’t see no dog. I will finish

this.



(Bumps fist with punk.)



WESLEY AND PUNK

No witnesses!



EXT PET GRAVE IN YARD

Pop is lying on Rebel’s grave and talking to him. Wesley and

the punk swagger outside with a hammer. They pimp stalk up to the

old man. Pop is delirious.



POP

Rebel! It’s time to come in. Rebel.



PUNK

What is wrong with you old dude?

Pop looks to the side. And sees a wavering vision of Yankee, a shiny cocker spaniel.



POP

Yankee. Oh Yankee. Help me.



Punk and Wesley are confused. They are sweating and high but

they still don’t see anything. They strain their eyes

searching the darkness. The punk looks at the area Pop is

staring at.



POP

Get him Yankee.



Punk is paranoid and now afraid. Panic. He shoots in the

direction. He is terrified. Now he sees the dog. He sees

teeth and red eyes. He shoots all his bullets and is

clicking. He screams as a hoard of ghost dogs attack him. He

is dragged screaming into the night. Wesley panics and runs

for the truck. Two other punks now enter the yard confused

and are surrounded by the spirits of the dead pets. They

swing knives and hammers at the ghosts with no effect. The

dogs converge as a pack. They swarm supernaturally over the

two punks and rip them to pieces. Screams fill the night

air.



EXT RENARD CLINIC

Morning shot of Jackie reluctantly entering the abortion

clinic. The camera pans down the sidewalks we see 50 other

medical offices.



EXT POPS YARD

Pat drives up to see firemen, ambulances, and emergency

personnel...heavy duty crime scene.

Pat jumps out of the car and runs up. POP is being loaded

into the ambulance.



POP

Wait. (gasping) My son.



(The ambulance attendants stop and allow Pat forward.)



PAT

Pop are you okay.



POP

(shakes his head, no) Rebel

came last night. He saved me.



PAT

You are going to be okay. We will

get you help.



POP

No (gasping) going with Rebel. I

have to tell you.

..not..(gasps..dying) your fault.

She knew the risks of the cancer. I

know it was her choice...she told

me...sorry (faints)

.

PAT

You can’t go Pop. You are all I

have left.



P0P

(eyes stir) No. You have a

son...(breath exhales...dies)

Medics shove Pat aside and begin CPR. No use but they

continue. He is gone. Pat is weeping. Pat hears dog barking

and looks around. Snapping out of it. He pulls his phone out

and dials Jackie’s number.



PAT

A son?



RECORDING

"The number you have dialed is not in service."

Pat has a flashback of Jackie running out of diner last

night.



PAT

(whispering)

She’s pregnant.



(Pat smiles with tears in his eyes. he feels a warm glow in

the pit of his stomach. )



I am going to be a father.



INT FELICIA’S OFFICE



FELICIA

Pat. I promised I wouldn’t say

anything. What? How did you find

out. Yes. She is pregnant. You

aren’t mad. Well she is getting an

abortion in Joplin right now. She

doesn’t want to miss that trip to

Vegas because of an inconvenience.

The clinic...she didn’t tell me the

name. (hangs up with evil delight)



EXT HIGHWAY

Pat is driving like a madman. while goggling map directions

for clinics in Joplin.



EXT CLINIC

Pat is thrown out of a clinic by a security guard. And again.

He looks down the street at the many offices. It is

hopeless. On the corner a little white dog is barking at

him.



PAT

Rebel? No.



Pat runs after the little dog. He chases it across several

streets and ends up in front of the Reynard clinic. Jackie

walks out of the clinic holding her stomach and crying. She

gasps as she sees Pat. She runs.  She turns into a dead end alley. Pat block her exit.  Pat begins crying.



JACKIE

I (sniff) couldn’t betray. I am

sorry.



PAT

(drops to his knees) No.

Jackie walks forward and Pat hugs her thighs.



JACKIE

I am sorry. I couldn’t kill our

baby. I will raise it. I don’t want

your money. You won’t see us again.

I promise.



(Pat is stands up. Smiling as she babbles.)



PAT

I want our baby. We are going to

have a son.



JACKIE

You are just saying that to make me

feel better. You are lying. You are

just being noble. I don’t want you

to have to marry me. I want you to

love me. You are free to travel.



PAT

I do love you.



JACKIE

No. How could I know the truth?



(She pulls away. And turns her back to him. She begins to

walk away.)



PAT

I have loved you since

kindergarten.



Jackie freezes and holds her breath.

Please don’t walk away. I have spent my whole life watching you pass by.

You don’t remember this, but when

you were a little girl. I would

build you houses of straw. You were

too little to remember.

I have always been in love with

you.



Jackie turns and runs to him.



JACKIE

I remember. I remember.



(Passionate kissing. Desperate embrace.)



EXT IN THE CREEK

Rusty stands reading from the Bible. Boy is pale. Face looks

bleached from blood loss. A pool of blood makes a puddle at

his feet. Police chief stops reading the bible verses.



WESLEY

You are a good man. You don’t want

to do this.



RUSTY

Margaret was my Sunday school

teacher when I was just a boy.



WESLEY

Look. I am sick. I am crazy. I am

innocent because I am crazy.



RUSTY

Crazy don’t make you innocent. It

makes you guilty.



WESLEY

(Screams) NO! Daddy no.



Bang. A single gunshot echoes in the valley.



INT FELICIA’S APARTMENT

Felicia has dark circles under her eyes and is taking

prescription sleep medicine.



FELICIA

Can’t sleep. Damn dog barking.

(screaming)

Stop barking, damn it!



Felicia asleep. Quits breathing. Her fingers uncurl and the

pill bottle rolls across the bed sheets.



A dog barks in the

distance.



END