EXT. SCENIC DIRT ROAD - DAY
MIKE runs along a dirt back-road, soaked in blood, stripped
to his boxers, in a blind panic. Not a structure or a human
being is in sight. Nothing but fields and scenic landscape as
far as the eye can see. He comes to a cross-roads and briefly
pauses, turning to look down each lane before choosing to go
right, and continuing his run.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
A car driven by FRANCIS pulls up to the same crossroads.
Francis stops momentarily, before engaging the turn signal
and veering off to the right. Continuing his drive.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Mike spies two men working in a field off in the distance.
MIKE
Oh, God. Thank you. Thank God!
Mike approaches the two men.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Holy shit, I'm so glad to see you
guys. You have to help me. This
fucking lunatic kid-napped me and
six other people. He killed all of
them and tried to drown me in a
feed troth full of their blood. I
got away after he passed out from
huffing gas, but I think he's after
me. You have to do something!
The two men only stare blankly.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Please tell me one of you speaks
English.
GUY 1
Undskylde mig?
MIKE
What the fuck? What...
Guy 1 starts shaking his head violently. He motions toward
Mike, then to his friend, who also begins shaking his head.
GUY 1
Ingen!
MIKE
What are you-
GUY 1
Ingen! INGEN!
MIKE
I don't speak Danish!
Both of the men start picking up rocks and throwing them at
Mike.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Quit it!
They don't quit it.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Fuck you guys!
Mike turns and runs off once more.
MIKE (CONT'D)
FUCK!
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Francis pulls up in front of the two field workers and rolls
down his window.
FRANCIS
Hey, fellas. Have either of you,
perchance, seen a naked man,
running around out here, barefoot,
covered in blood, screaming....?
Both men stare at Francis for a beat before they
simultaneously raise their arms and point in the direction
Mike ran.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Mike still runs. He hears a car approaching from the distance
behind him.
MIKE
No. No, no, no.... NO!!
Mike hastens his sprint, tearing down the road like a bat out
of hell, but all in vain.
Moments pass before Francis pulls next to him and slows his
vehicle to jogging speed, he pulls to Mike's right and rolls
down his window.
FRANCIS
Morning, Randolph!
MIKE
Fuck off! Stop calling me that!
FRANCIS
Stop being called that.
MIKE
That's...fuck you!
FRANCIS
Come on, man, this is pointless.
You can't outrun a Subaru. Not even
a gazelle could outrun a Subaru.
MIKE
That's not even a Subaru.
FRANCIS
Maybe not now it isn't.
MIKE
Just leave me alone. I won't tell
anyone, I promise. Haven't you done
enough to me already?
FRANCIS
Done enough?! What have I done?!
MIKE
You kidnapped me with six other
people and then tried to drown me
in a feed troth full of their
blood!
FRANCIS
...Maybe that was touch extreme.
Mike just laughs and shakes his head.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
What do you want from me, bro? I
was fucking zany on fumes, it
seemed like an important experiment
to perform.
MIKE
Important for who?
FRANCIS
Everyone?
MIKE
Now I probably have an STD from all
the blood in my lungs.
FRANCIS
Actually one of them did have HIV,
they told me.
MIKE
Seriously?!
FRANCIS
Just kidding! I don't know if any
of them had HIV, but I wore gloves
for a reason.
MIKE
God, you're an ass-hole.
FRANCIS
Hey now, name calling isn't going
to win you a ticket aboard the not
drowning-in-AIDS-blood express, my
friend.
Mike keeps his eyes forward, running straight ahead.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Where are you even trying to go?
Mike points forward.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
I had you pegged as a runner from
the beginning, but still, your
cardio is impressive. Your calves
must be killing you.
MIKE
The burn is mostly in my glutes.
FRANCIS
Yeah, I bet. So, what do you say we
put our differences aside and-
MIKE
Fuck off!
FRANCIS
French Toast!?
MIKE
What?
FRANCIS
Let's go grab some breakfast.
French toast. My treat.
MIKE
It's a trick!
FRANCIS
Me? Trick you? My good friend
Rudolph?
MIKE
It's Randolph!
FRANCIS
My mistake.
MIKE
Give me my clothes back.
FRANCIS
You mean my clothes?
MIKE
You stole them from me!
FRANCIS
I actually threw your pants away
because they didn't fit, but this
shirt? It's like wearing clouds.
MIKE
What about my shoes?
FRANCIS
Tossed em'.
MIKE
Jesus Christ.
FRANCIS
My bad.
Mike continues jogging, his pace now slowing. He gives
Francis the silent treatment.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Dude! French Toast! Who could say
'no' to that?
Mike points at himself. Francis abruptly swerves toward Mike.
Mike leaps out of the way, almost falling over.
MIKE
What the shit?!
Francis laughs, and does it again, and once more.
MIKE (CONT'D)
Cut it out!
FRANCIS
Do you think I want to be in this
position any more than you do?
MIKE
I don't even have skin on my feet
anymore!
FRANCIS
Then you shouldn't have run away!
MIKE
I'm covered in other people's
blood. Flies keep landing on me and
getting stuck in it and dying. I'm
covered in human blood and dead
animals. Do you have any idea what
that's like?
FRANCIS
Sounds like the world's saddest
bukkake.
Mike stumbles and falls, screaming in agony.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Oh, snap!
Francis pulls his car over and gets out. He approaches Mike
and leans over him.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Are you Ok?
MIKE
I pulled a hammy.
FRANCIS
Saw that coming.
Francis offers his hand to help Mike up. Mike takes it and
stands, leaning against the car for support.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Mike, we need to end this silly
game between us. Nobody has
anything to gain from it. Look, you
see that?
Francis points into the car, gesturing toward a layer of
towels laid over the passenger side seat.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
I already put towels down for you.
There's water, and neosporin, and
tylenol, and band-aids for your
feet and trail mix. Not to mention
a big plate of French Toast with
your name written on it, in syrup
and powdered sugar.
Mike stands. He looks at Francis, then into the car, then
down the road.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
How much longer can you run for?
Nobodies going to find you out
here.
MIKE
It's a trick...
FRANCIS
Whether it is or not, it's a trick
you have nothing to lose by falling
for. If I wanted to kill you, I'd
have just run you over and kicked
your body into a ditch. Which I
could still do.
A pounding noise is heard from the trunk of the car. Mike
looks at it in alarm, Francis doesn't seem to notice.
MIKE
Do you have somebody in the trunk?
Francis holds up two fingers.
FRANCIS
Dos.
MIKE
Who?
FRANCIS
Couple of D-bags I nabbed a ways
back down the road.
MIKE
Danish?
FRANCIS
I'd guess yeah.
MIKE
Fuck those guys.
FRANCIS
I bet one of them has a pair of
shoes that'll fit...
Mike lets out a brief chuckle. Francis laughs and pats him on
the back.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Hop in, partner! Restaurants won't
be serving breakfast for much
longer.
Mike shrugs and walks around to the passenger side door.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Just make sure you sit on the
towels, though. This is a Subaru.
