FADE UP
EXT. PARKING LOT, LAKESIDE — DAY
Perfect day. Blue skies. Birds CHIRPING.
A standard kids-like drawn car CHUGS into the packed parking lot.
BRUTUS, big, imposing, body shaped like a triangle, emerges from the car WHISTLING a happy tune. He’s in the prime of life. Not a care in the world.
TRUNK OF CAR
Brutus dives into the trunk. Picnic basket, striped beach towel, endless inflatable toys fly into the air.
Done, he stands up. Wrestles a collapsible beach chair from the trunk.
A heavy metal car jack tangled in the mess of stuff, shoots from the trunk, punctures the inflatable ring, smashes Brutus’ big toe.
Brutus’ face turns beet red as he hops around, pulsing big toe in hand.
His knee bangs into the side of the car. Ouch!
Losing his balance, he tumbles, rolls into a beehive, head first.
He runs around. Beehive for a head. Bees swarm around him.
BACK AT THE TRUNK
Brutus, face a mass of red welts, returns to the car, throws the car jack back in the trunk and slams it closed.
Bruised, but determined to have a good time, Brutus grabs his beach stuff and strides off, only to be yanked back by the striped towel caught in the closed trunk.
THWACK! His head bounces against the trunk.
He looks to the lake.
EXT. BEACH, LAKE — DAY
A happy, busy family scene. KIDS frolic in the water. Parents stand in the shallows chatting.
A RADIO plays a summer hit.
TRUNK OF CAR
Brutus sighs.
DISSOLVE TO:
BRUTUS
striding towards the water.
Behind him lays his ripped beach towel, punctured beach ball, broken chair, mangled beach umbrella.
SHORELINE
A TODDLER, totting a full diaper, runs gleefully between water’s edge and his sand castle.
Brutus, chest puffed up with anticipation, plows right through the sand castle on his way to the water.
The Toddler’s face clenches in anger. Steam spurts from his ears. He grabs his super-soaker, built like a rocket launcher and lets loose.
Three TODDLER BUDDIES, pick up their formidable super-soakers and join in the fun.
A painful and steady stream of water, resembling sharp daggers, pins Brutus in the butt, catching him unaware.
Brutus falls forward. Sand in his face.
He looks back at the Toddler gang who smile at him maliciously.
He looks at the lake. It still glistens.
DISSOLVE TO:
LAKE
Music: Sea shanty
Brutus dives under. Shoots up. Swims with unbridled joy. Spits long streams of water into the air like a porpoise.
Floating on his back, eyes closed, Brutus hums along. Above Brutus…
SKY
Dark clouds mass. A solid sheet of slate gray.
SHORELINE
Moms, Dads, Toddlers and Kids are playing.
A second later the beach is littered with abandoned shovels, pails, umbrellas but no people.
SFX: WHOOSH
A picnic basket in the air falls to the ground.
LAKE
Music: Sea shanty continues
Brutus, eyes still closed, unaware of the impending danger, continues to swim like a seal.
PARKING LOT
The last car motors away.
LAKE
Brutus bursts through the water, back arched like a dolphin.
The shadow cast by a dark cloud slides across his face as he opens his eyes and sees…
SKY
Darkening, tinged a sickly green.
LAKE
Brutus swims frantically to shore when the first bolt of lightning strikes in front of him.
In rapid succession three bolts of lightning strike, targeting Brutus. In response to each bolt of lightning Brutus changes direction as if he’s being chased by a charging bull.
His arms turn into a whirl of propellers. His legs cut through the water like a churning table saw.
He moves at top speed. Covers vast distances, but still the lightning pursues him.
BRUTUS
Winded, chest heaving, flips on his back. His eyes are wide with fear as he sees…
SKY
The largest, most jagged and mean bolt of lightning shooting straight towards him.
His name is etched with electricity in the vertical shaft of the bolt.
BRUTUS
closes his eyes with dread. His lips move in prayer. He draws his last breath.
But nothing happens. He opens his eyes and sees…
SKY
The bolt of lightning dissipating into brilliant whimsical sparks that spread over the…
LAKE
Dead stillness. Nothing moves. Not a bird or leaf.
In the distance a row boat with a WOMAN at the helm rows across the lake. Her back is towards Brutus.
SKY
The slate gray sky roils…breaks into masses of clouds that form shapes against unexpected slivers of blue.
Clouds nearby shift and rearrange themselves into the shape of a voluptuous woman — resembling Picasso’s monumental women. Built like Joan from “Mad Men”.
BRUTUS
Stares at the cloud woman with wonder. He’s entranced.
LAKE
A jet stream shoots up from under Brutus, lofting him into the air.
BRUTUS
Draws closer to the cloud lady…closer.
Suddenly the jet stream turns off. He falls back towards the lake and lands…
ROWBOAT
Dazed, Brutus on the floor of the rowboat, looks up in wonder and sees…
An out of focus woman, gradually falling into focus. Meet…
BETTY. Voluptuous like the woman in the clouds. Tough, muscular, no-nonsense like Brutus.
BRUTUS
His face softens. Goes all gooey with love.
LAKE
Betty rows the boat into the sunset.
Hearts form in the wake.
FADE OUT
Brutus Meets Betty
August 5, 2010 | 0 comments