The Shadowing Eye The Shadowing Eye A Screenplay by Eric P. Vana An Underground Artists Production OPEN ON: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY There’s a mop going over brown tiled linoleum flooring, basically just pushing around dirt and other garbage. CUT TO: EXTERIOR.OVER RESTAURANT.DAY Slowly zoom close up to a small model of a restaurant named Fortunato's. Keep cutting back and forth to inside and outside of restaurant while rolling credits. CUT TO: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY The restaurant is well lit and the walls are painted a very stand-out color, like pink or orange, or both. There are a few tables in the corner, and a cooking area behind the viewer. There’s also a closet entrance to the left. Part of the menu can be seen, and there's one of those chalkboards with the special of the day written on it. The special today is "free donut with purchase of two coffees". The mop-bucket quickly comes into view and sloshes over to the other side of the room. A male teenager attired in whatever color the walls are dips the mop into the bucket and moves it around over the floor. He's a pretty average looking dude. Greasy hair, tennis shoes, un-tucked shirt, average height and what not. His name is ALLAN SKASINSKI. He looks at his watch and it's 5:42, we assume it's the morning because he yawns. Allan opens the closet door on the left and moves the bucket in there, spilling some water out of the side. He pulls a box off one of the shelves and pulls out a pack of hamburger buns. He goes over to the stove and moves some of the leftover crumbs and junk over to the side, and throws a set of buns down to warm them up. The radio clicks on and some guy with an annoying voice is talking. Allan breaks an egg over the stove top and drops it next to the buns; he proceeds to make an omelet. CUT TO: EXTERIOR.OUTSIDE OF RESTAURANT.DAY A car pulls up in the closest parking space. An amazingly ugly woman steps out; she has orange tied back hair and hairy legs. She's wearing the same color that Allan is. Her name is YVETTE FORTUNATO. She steps into the restaurant. CUT TO: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY During this next part, make sure to get a good close up or two on one of Yvette’s eyes. It’s important. As Yvette is walking in, Allan says: ALLAN Hey Ms. Fortunato... She pretends not to notice him and pulls out an apron from the closet, ties it on. She walks over to see what Allan is doing and makes a pissed-off expression. YVETTE How many goddamn times do I have to tell you to not waste the goddamn eggs? ALLAN I was just... YVETTE Listen-- Yvette grabs the spatula from Allan and scrapes the eggs and buns onto the floor. YVETTE This isn't your goddamn house you little bastard! Allan walks over to the new mess and starts picking it up. YVETTE And turn that radio off. ALLAN Yeah, okay. After he sweeps up the eggs and the buns, Allan walks over and turns off the radio. He stands there contemplating for a minute. YVETTE What the hell are you waiting for? ALLAN I did everything already. YVETTE What about the garbage? Did you take out the garbage? And did you scrub out the sinks? Allan sort of turns away from her and mumbles something under his breath. YVETTE What did you say? ALLAN (Not looking at her) I didn't say anything. Yvette quickly walks over to Allan holding onto his shoulder, still holding onto the spatula. YVETTE What the hell did you say you lousy scumbag teenager? ALLAN (Sort of struggling) Don't point that thing near my face... YVETTE I'm not going to hurt you, what did you say!? ALLAN Get your goddamn hands off'a me... She continues to point it in his face. YVETTE Don't touch me! What did you say? ALLAN Look I-- Allan sort of pushes her back, more so trying to just get away from her; she drops the spatula and stumbles backward, tripping on an electrical cord. She hits her head hard on one of the seats and blood proceeds to drip out of her head. ALLAN Shit... Allan just stands there for a minute and then slowly walks over to her, with a seriously frightened look on his face. ALLAN Ms. Fortunato? He kneels down next to her, looking at the wound on the back of her head, blood is still oozing out. He doesn't know what to do. She looks cold, and her eyes are still open. ALLAN Shit... He attempts to feel for a pulse, but can't bring himself to pull her arm out from under her. Allan walks over to the closet, and grabs a pair of rubber gloves, leaving the door open behind him. He puts two of his fingers on her neck, like you've seen on TV. He feels around all over, not knowing what he's doing. The music tenses. Outside, a car is pulling up, someone's coming. Allan stands up quickly, noticing the car. He thinks for a short minute, as two men attired in construction worker clothes approach in slow motion. They are WORKER 1 and WORKER 2. He grabs Yvette's corpse by the shirt and drags her into the closet, leaving a trail of blood behind. The men have almost reached the door; they're talking to each other, not looking into the restaurant. CUT TO: INTERNAL.CLOSET.DAY Allan's struggling to jam the body into the closet; he manages, and slams the door quickly, just as the two men enter. CUT TO: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY He's pressed up hard against the door with his back, sweat running down his head. ALLAN Hello, and welcome to Fortunato's. WORKER 1 Hey der. WORKER 2 How's it goin’? ALLAN Great, great, just, uh, take a seat anywhere. They decide to sit close to the closet. Allan realizes there's a large blood streak on the floor. He quickly dives over it to cover it up, wiping it away with a towel. When he's finished with that he grabs two menus and throws them down on the table where the two men are sitting. ALLAN (Shaky) How are you two gentlemen today? They respond with mumbles like most people do. ALLAN Is there anything I can get you to start out with, drinks? WORKER 1 Sure, I'll have da or'nge juice. WORKER 2 And I'll have da choc'late melk. ALLAN Sure thing, be right back. He walks over to the beverage dispenser, and takes off the bloody rubber gloves. Allan pours the milk and orange juice while the men are chatting away. WORKER 2 I can't believe dat butthole's got us workin' on da roof in wedder like dis. WORKER 1 Is gotta be like two-hunnerd degrees up der at least. WORKER 2 Yeah at least. They notice that Allan is looking at them quite strangely as he pours the drinks. He looks away quickly as they notice. WORKER 2 Dis kid nutso or sumpin'? WORKER 1 Yah, sheesh. They stop talking as Allan walks over with the milk and juice. ALLAN Who wanted what? WORKER 1 I got da juice. He sets them down. ALLAN Are you guys ready to order yet? WORKER 2 Yah, I want da one-two-one. ALLAN How do you want your eggs? WORKER 2 Ahh, over easy. ALLAN And you? WORKER 1 I'll have two pancakes with toast an' sausage. ALLAN Do you want anything else? WORKER 1 Uhh... ALLAN Like jelly or uh, syrup or anything? WORKER 1 What kinda jelly do you got? ALLAN Grape, raspberry, and mix. WORKER 1 I'll go with da mix. ALLAN What about you? He points to Worker 2. WORKER 2 Grape. Allan walks away with their menus in hand and starts whipping up the stuff. He is staring at the two men uneasily, trying to make their food, but not doing a very good job. Allan looks at the closet door and it moves slightly. He jumps, drops the spatula and walks slyly over to the closet. The two men are still just sitting there talking over their drinks, not paying any attention whatsoever to Allan. ALLAN (To workers, with strange expression) How's everything going? Do you need more to drink? WORKER 2 No, we're fine. Tanks. Allan slips into the closet, barely opening the door. CUT TO: INTERNAL.CLOSET.DAY Yvette's leg had become un-propped and pushed the door open slightly. Allan notices this and pushes it back with his foot. Her leg slides back down. Allan changes the corpse's position, with her legs facing the wall this time. CUT TO: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY The two men hear fumbling around inside the closet; they look at each other and shrug it off. Allan slips back out into the restaurant, pressing up against the door again. ALLAN (To workers) You guys doing okay? WORKER 1 Could I have anoder orange juice? ALLAN Sure thing. Allan grabs the empty cup and fills it again. ALLAN (Giving back the cup) Your breakfast is almost done. Are you sure there's nothing else I can do for you? They don't answer, so he goes back to preparing their breakfast. When he reaches the stove, the eggs are burnt and so is the toast. He throws it onto a plate regardless. Allan takes the plate over to the men's table. ALLAN Who wanted the one-two-one? WORKER 2 I did. Tanks. He sets down the plate; the man looks at it strangely but doesn't say anything. ALLAN Yours is almost done. Allan shuffles back to the stove and places the pancakes and what not onto another plate, one of the pancakes falls onto the floor. He picks it up and puts it back onto the plate, the man didn't notice. ALLAN Here you go, is that everything? WORKER 1 I'm set, tanks. ALLAN (Real sincere like) Listen, if you guys need anything else, just holler, okay? They nod. Allan walks back over to the radio that he previously turned off, and flips it on. There's some techno hyper beat song playing, he turns it up really loud. Allan is staring at the closet door, and all of the sudden, it starts shaking to the beat of the music... The door bursts open, and the two men sit back in their seats in terror as Yvette stumbles out of the closet! There's blood running down her shirt, her hair is crazy and her glasses are half off. She starts walking toward Allan like a zombie would, arms outstretched but somewhat limp... Allan steps back, and eventually ends up cowered in a fetal position, trembling. The two men run past the zombie Yvette screaming and out of the restaurant. Yvette continues to stare at the screaming Allan in slow motion. She coughs bloody gunk into Allan's face! SWEET! FADE OUT: FADE IN: INTERNAL.RESTAURANT.DAY CAPTION ...Later that day... Allan is standing over a table where two boys and a girl sit, they're about the same age as him. They're wearing whatever the trend is at the time. Their names will be JOE, SARAH, and I don't know...ROBERT. Allan's taking their orders. ALLAN So, two burgers, and a one-two-one? Sounds great, that'll be done in a few minutes. Is there anything else I can get you while you're waiting? JOE Ah, no. ROBERT I could use another coke. ALLAN Be right back. Allan walks back to the stove and cracks a couple eggs onto it. He glances at the wall, does a double take and this time looks deep into it’s soul. Looking closer, Allan realizes that the wall has sprung facial features, like a mouth and nose. It’s real distorted and everything. The eyes pop open; they are the same color as Yvette’s. WALL Heart beating. Fear is inside you. The wall is talking. Your mind is playing tricks on you. Or is it? You’ve never seen walls talk before. Look! Over there, under the closet door. She’s trying to get out. Blood is oozing out from underneath the closet door rapidly. WALL cont. She’s trying to get out, Allan. Allan. She’s trying to get out. Why won’t you let her out? Everyone knows it was an accident. You’re not to blame. She did it herself. She tripped on the cord and hit her head. You had nothing to do with it. You didn’t push her. You didn’t shove her. Even more blood is coming out now. WALL cont. Listen. Listen to what I am saying Allan. You didn’t make her die. You didn’t throw her to the ground in fierce animalistic anger, your blood boiling, your fists clenched. You didn’t take her head and slam it onto the table thirty-five times. Allan is sweating and trembling. WALL cont. It’s not your fault. I saw the whole thing. Both you and I know, even she knows that you didn’t mean to do it. It was only an accident. You were there, maybe you gave her a little nudge, but you didn’t mean anything by it. The closet door bursts open again, Yvette walks out in her zombie like trance. WALL cont. What was it Allan? What made you do it? Was it the eye!? Allan looks at the customers, their heads have turned into one big eye, staring back at him. A large eye also bulges from the beverage dispenser / wall. Allan stares into the camera as the wall laughs hysterically. A dude is standing in front of Allan; he looks pretty normal and everything. CUSTOMER Uh, excuse me, excuse me, man, are you okay, man? ALLAN Huh!? Beat. ALLAN cont. Oh yeah, yeah, sorry, I’m okay. CUSTOMER Dude, I don’t mean to bother you or anything but I’ve been here for like five minutes already and, shit, I need to get something to eat before I frickin’ evaporate, man, you know what I’m sayin’? ALLAN Exactly, what the hell do you want? CUSTOMER I don’t know exactly man, that’s where you come in. You see, when I walked in here, I had a hankering for something in total quantity, you know? But then like four minutes ago I totally changed my mind, I mean I still wanted something in volume, but I want something that I’ve never had before, like the tuna fish sandwich with vegetable soup. Right? ALLAN Yeah, I follow. CUSTOMER Like sure I’ve had tuna fish before and everything, but, y’know, not here. That’s my point. I’ve been here a few times since I live just around the block, but I’ve never gotten around to eating the tuna fish sandwich. Beat. CUSTOMER cont. Then, here’s where the fun starts, I totally just went at it and completely revamped my entire appetite. Before you remember how I said I wanted something in quantity? That’s totally changed. Right now I really need something that will give my taste buds a bit to think about for a couple of days. And, no offense, fifteen burgers or a tuna fish sandwich with vegetable soup just wouldn’t cut it. You follow? ALLAN I think so. CUSTOMER Now this is the role you play: I want you to help me decide what I should eat for lunch today. Should I go with the strange but normal breakfast at noon? Should I eat only liquids? Do you follow me because I get the feeling you’re just nodding after everything I say to humor me? ALLAN I am completely with you one hundred percent. CUSTOMER Hey man, did anyone ever tell you that you’d look great in a movie? No, seriously, I make movies for a living, and I think your face would just look frickin’ perfect on film. ALLAN Seriously? CUSTOMER Yeah, man, I’m not even kidding. You’ve got to give me a phone number or an e-mail address or something man, I’m starving for actors and actresses. ALLAN I’ll write it down. And oh yeah, how does a fish sandwich with extra mayo but no tomatoes sound? CUSTOMER Not only would you be a great actor, but you should be a goddamn gourmet chef or something. You’ve seen that guy on cable, what’s his name? Jean Luc Pierre or some shit like that. I’ve never met anyone so frickin’ mentally stimulating in my— ALLAN Take a seat; I’ll have your meal done in a few minutes. CUSTOMER Nice. As Allan is preparing the dude’s food, he looks at the closet door. Nothing happens. The dude is still talking as he prepares the food. Robert from the other table says something that gets Allan’s attention. ROBERT Where’s our food man? Silence. Customer looks at Allan, wondering what he’s going to say. Allan stops what he’s doing. ALLAN I’m not going to stand here and lie to you. Ever since you walked in I wasn’t planning on making your food. Except maybe yours, baby. He winks at Sarah, who blushes. ROBERT Hey, watch it butt-head. Allan starts walking around the counter towards the table. ALLAN No, look, you watch it you pathetic-jock-consumer-specimen. I just killed someone and I’m not afraid to do it again. ROBERT What? Customer watches in delight. ALLAN Shut-up; get the hell out of my restaurant. Robert and his friends stand up and start to leave. Robert sort of pushes Allan as they walk by. ROBERT Screw you, man. They leave. Allan walks back behind the counter and continues to fry up dude’s fish. Beat. CUSTOMER Man. Not only are you a professional actor, and a gourmet chef. But you are one slick bastard. That was probably one of the cooler things I’ve seen in my life. Believe me; I’ve seen a lot of cool things in my life. I’m a director for Christ’s sake. ALLAN I know. What do you want to drink? CUSTOMER Shit man, you decide. I am giving you the heavenly privilege of letting you decide what I should drink, I know you know what’s best for me. ALLAN Coke and sprite it is. CUSTOMER I’m bowled over. There’s silence as he pours the drink, the dude is just sitting there amazed. ALLAN Here you go… Allan begins to set down the drink when he notices there’s blood leaking out from under the door. He accidentally drops the drink and it splatters all over the dude. CUSTOMER Dude! Allan walks over to the bloody area, slowly. He never lifts his eyes from the leakage. CUSTOMER Hey man, you okay? Allan reaches the puddle and drops to his knees. CUSTOMER What is all that shit man? Beat. ALLAN Villains! The dude is taken aback. ALLAN cont. Dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Open the door! Allan whips open the door. Yvette is lying there sprawled out on the floor. ALLAN cont. Here! Here! It was the glaring of these hideous eyes! The customer looks into the closet. CUSTOMER Dude… this is not what I expected from you… The dude stands up and leaves, Allan watches him go. When he turns his head back to look into the closet, the body has disappeared! He stands up from his kneeling position. He scratches his head and begins to walk into the closet. As Allan places his right foot into the room, a spatula comes out from nowhere and smacks him in the face, he falls down backward. Beat. Yvette peaks around the door frame and looks at Allan’s unconscious body. She walks out, takes her jacket, and leaves. FADE OUT: THE END Roll credits.
Copyright © 2002 Eric P Vana |