ext. high plains - road - america - 2023 - day
THE INTERCEPTOR rumbles down a lonesome highway. 8 cylinders of internal combustion echo through the grasslands. Fallow earth. Neutral zone where none dare plant crops. risk v. reward, baby.
grass blows in the wind, thriving in deep top soil. the sun rests on the top of trees, threatening to set. the moon is visible in the sky.
int. interceptor - continuous
SUNGLASSES sits behind the wheel. One hand guides the steering. Holds a cigarette out the window.
Several CHILDREN(5-12) occupy the backseat. They busy themselves with their own tasks, intent on their own business with the fastidiousness of childhood curiosity, ad lib-clean weapons, snort coke, snort ritalin, smoke weed, drink grain alcohol, load magazines, read books/magazines, eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, gamble, pray, jury-rig electronics, count money.
BOXO (teenager) sits in shotgun. He carries his own shotgun(double-barreled). He is all duty and honor. He is also looking for someone to shoot in an area of miles of grassland.
BOXO
So, what’s with these black people they talk about in these books? Did they paint their faces?
SUNGLASSES
The fuck you talkin’ bout?
BOXO
Blacks? The fuck are they?
SUNGLASSES
Yeah, you don’t find those round here no more.
BOXO
You seen one?
SUNGLASSES
Yeah, they used to be around.
BOXO
So, why’d they paint themselves?
Sunglasses takes a drag and laughs to himself.
SUNGLASSES
They didn’t paint themselves. That was what color their skin was.
BOXO
They skin was black?
SUNGLASSES
Not totally black. Not like oil, though some were. Mostly it was real dark brown to lighter. Like they always had a tan, but it was darker all the time.
BOXO
Oh. Well, how’d they do that?
SUNGLASSES
They didn’t do it. God did it.
BOXO
What happened to them?
SUNGLASSES
That, God did not do.
WHOPPY(8) pipes up from the backseat. Hands Sunglasses his PIECE.
WHOPPY
Finished!
SUNGLASSES
Thank you, boy.
Flicks cig out the window. Grabs and holsters weapon. Hands the child a candy bar.
As he goes to the backseat, Whoppy fights off the other children to get his first bite and then hides the rest of what he keeps in one of his many pockets.
WHOPPY
So, why did God make them so dark?
Sunglasses lights another.
SUNGLASSES
They didn’t get sunburns.
Whoppy stares out the window.
WHOPPY
Hell, maybe we should paint ourselves black.
SUNGLASSES
Hell, maybe.
ext. road - cont.
The interceptor speeds past.
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