BLOOD TIED

By
Benjamin Anderson
EXT. BACKYARD OF A TRAILER - DAY
Summer. The screech of crickets ECHOES out of the forest.
An ABOVE-GROUND POOL rests behind the trailer.
A chubby man sits on the back steps, holding a 22-rifle. His
eyes are fixed on something in the distance.
This is RONNIE TRUMAN (25).
REVEAL: A bald eagle flying gloriously through the sky. It
perches on a tree.
Ronnie carefully aims his weapon at the bird.
INT. TRAILER
TANYA TRUMAN (65) looks out the front window. A
breathing-tube rests under her nose.
ANGLE ON:
GRAVEL ROAD
A car moves down the road toward the trailer.
TANYA
Ronnie.
RONNIE (O.S.)
What?
TANYA
I see a car.
RONNIE (O.S.)
Well, I see cars too. I just dont
announce it every time.
TANYA
Its coming towards the house.
RONNIE (O.S.)
Im sure. Im sure its real scary.
ANGLE ON:
DRIVEWAY
The car parks.
BACKYARD
2.
Ronnie lets out a deep, controlled breath, preparing to
shoot.
Tanya emerges from the trailer. Ronnie pulls the trigger...
TANYA
I --
Her voice causes Ronnie to yank his shot. The eagle flies
away, unharmed.
RONNIE
Damn it, mom. That was a bald
fuckin eagle.
TANYA
There are men here.
RONNIE
I dont give a damn. How am I
supposed to summon the devil
without GOD DAMN eagle talons?
TANYA
Im sorry.
Ronnie props his weapon against the steps and storms into
the house...
RONNIE
You ruined my seance.
TRAILER
He makes his way to the door. Tanya follows.
RONNIE
I already bought the damn candles.
I mean, I could re-purpose those, I
suppose. Theres not really much
difference between bath candles and
Satan candles. But the pentagram?
Thats a one-trick pony. No way
"Spencers" honors that return.
What can I do? Turn it into a
dartboard? Thats how you get a God
damn poltergeist.
Ronnie grabs the door-handle...
The door JOLTS open, POPPING Ronnie in the face. Blood pours
from his nose.
GRADY (26) leads the way in. Hes a muscular, angry type.
3.
Behind him is his boss -- SCOTT RAGSDALE (33).
Grady grabs Ronnie and leads him into the...
BACKYARD
Grady forces Ronnies head into the pool and holds it under.
Ronnie struggles to no avail. The water around his head
turns sanguine.
Scott steps out of the trailer. He escorts Tanya and helps
her take a seat on the steps.
SCOTT
Let him breathe.
Grady pulls Ronnie out of the water. Ronnie GASPS for air.
SCOTT
You know I hate this, Ronnie. Its
completely unprofessional of me
coming to your home and beating the
shit out of you.
RONNIE
Youre damn right.
Grady punches Ronnie in the temple.
RONNIE
Shit!
Tanya lights a cigarette, her oxygen tank resting beside
her.
SCOTT
Why are you always Jewing me?
RONNIE
I got money problems.
GRADY
Every since you got the pool?
RONNIE
Ive had that.
GRADY
Bull-shit. Thats brand fuckin
new.
4.
RONNIE
My mom is having health problems.
Shes got medical bills.
Scott looks at Tanya.
SCOTT
That true?
TANYA
It is.
GRADY
No. No, Scott. Hes playing you.
SCOTT
Ronnie, you get me my share. I will
come back around.
RONNIE
I can get you paid-up. Shes just a
real clusterfuck of diseases. Gout,
diabetes, she spontaneously
combusts.
GRADY
Its cause she smokes next to an
oxygen tank.
Scott disappears into the trailer.
RONNIE
Nah. We just got spirits. Im
getting that ironed-out. Tried a
couple things -- so far shes still
catching on fire.
SCOTT (O.S.)
Come on, Grady.
GRADY
(to Ronnie)
When Im the boss, Im gonna fuck
you up.
RONNIE
Hey, its the job, man. I get it.
Nothing personal.
GRADY
It is completely personal. I
despise you.
Ronnie lets out a friendly chuckle. Grady walks away.
5.
RONNIE
I love our repartee. You say
something funny, then I come back
with something hilarious -- its
verbal wit -- which I love.
GRADY (O.S.)
I will strangle you some day.
RONNIE
Listen to us. Like Abbot and
Costello.