Cognitive Relapse

By
Brittany Ulman

FADE IN:
EXT. INNER-CITY ALLEY. -- MIDNIGHT.
GIOVANNI, 27, olive skin, short black hair, tall, lies on
the pavement curled into a ball.
The Chinese restaurant sign from across the street comes
into focus, and Giovanni peels himself up off the
ground. He tries to prop himself up, but his weak arms
force him back down.
Giovanni rubs his temple behind his right ear but stops when
he touches something wet. He presses his fingers together as
he brings his hands up to his face.
Blood.
Giovanni bolts up into a sitting position. He looks to his
left and sees a WOMAN lying several feet away from him.
Her right arm is twisted behind her back while the
other lies next to her side. Giovanni cant see her face
because its turned the other way. Her knees are bent
towards each other, but one is more elevated.
GIOVANNI
Uh, are...are you okay?
Silence. Giovanni scoots toward her.
He pokes the womans shoulder. Some of her brown hair has
fallen across her cheek into her blue eyes.
He notices something shiny by her belt buckle. He moves her
shirt up her stomach and sees a police badge hooked onto her
brown leather belt.
GIOVANNI(CONT.)
Holy shit!
His hand slides off of the womans hip and lands in
another puddle. Theres a large pool of blood under her.
Giovanni yanks his hand away and rubs his hands on his
paper-thin white t-shirt.
He brings his hands up to his face and notices some grey
powder on his fingertips. He brushes his hands on his ripped
jeans, smearing blood on the skin underneath.
Giovannis eyes widen in shock. His mouth forms a small
circle, and his nostrils flare.

2.
EXT. INNER-CITY ALLEY. -- LATE EVENING. -- FLASHBACK
Giovanni walks out of the bars back door, leans on the
gum-caked brick wall, and lights a cigarette.
After taking a deep drag, he puffs out a few smoke rings. He
glances around the alley and spots CORMICK strutting toward
him from the alleys entrance.
Cormick, late 30s, handlebar mustache, pale complexion,
flicks his lighter on and lights a cigarette. His entire
face is basked in a yellow glow.
Cormick pauses a few feet away from Giovannis left side
and extends his arm toward Giovanni with lighter in hand.
CORMICK
You like burnin up yo lungs too?
Giovanni purses his lips and nods toward Cormick. He raises
his eyebrows, then focuses on the adjacent wall.
Cormicks arm falls down to his side, and he slides the
lighter back into his front jeans pocket.
CORMICK(CONT.)
My names Cormick.
He looks back over at Giovanni and holds his gaze. Giovanni
rolls his eyes and blows smoke out of his nose.
CORMICK(CONT.)
Ok, not much for talkin. Cool.
Cormick adjusts his weight from one foot to the other.
CORMICK(CONT.)
Ya know, this aint a good part uh
town. Murders, robberies, that
stuff. So whats a pretty thang
like you doin out here all alone?
Giovanni chokes back on his cigarette.
GIOVANNI
Uh, I just got off work.
CORMICK
You tellin me that a guy likes you
works in this dump?
Giovanni scoffs in Cormicks direction. He takes one final
drag off of his cigarette and tosses it onto the ground.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

GIOVANNI
Yup.
He turns to leave the alley, but Cormick grabs Giovannis
shoulder and spins him around to face him.
CORMICK
Now, you waits jus a second.
BACK TO PRESENT
EXT. INNER-CITY ALLEY. -- MIDNIGHT.
Giovanni places his hand over his chest and scoots away from
the woman. His heels slide on the wet pavement. He scrambles
onto his knees.
Muffled laughter comes from past the alleys entrance. He
leans to see who it is and then wobbles over to the
bars wall.
A GROUP OF PEOPLE head into the Chinese restaurant across
the street, and Giovanni exhales.
As he returns to the woman, he kicks something and it skids
under the rusted dumpster in the alleys right corner.
GIOVANNI
What the...?
Giovanni pauses and heads to the dumpster. He spots a
dark object and reaches for it.
His hands wrap around the object, and he pulls it out.
Giovannis hand begins to shake causing the gun to fall.
EXT. INNER-CITY ALLEY. -- LATE EVENING. -- FLASHBACK
Giovanni shoves his left hand into Cormicks clavicle while
digging his heels into the pavement. Cormick grins and leans
farther into Giovanni.
GIOVANNI
Let go of me, you creep!
Giovanni jerks toward the bars door. Cormick digs his nails
into Giovannis skin.
CORMICK
I jus wants ta talk wish ya.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

GIOVANNI
Well, I dont wanna talk to you.
With one final tug, Giovanni breaks free from Cormick.
He stumbles forward but catches himself on the dumpster next
to the door.
CORMICK
What, you dont wanna have some
fun?
Cormick chortles and races toward Giovanni.
Giovanni hollers and tries to push Cormick away from him.
Instead, Cormick slides his hand down Giovannis stomach,
caressing Giovannis hip bone.
CORMICK(CONT.)
Hey, look what wes got here.
Cormick pulls out a large wad of one dollar bills from
Giovannis waistline and waves it in front of Giovanni.
Suddenly, IVANA yells at Cormick.
Ivana, a brunette, tan woman in her early 30s, with a
lean build and casual attire, cocks a gun at Cormick.
IVANA
BPD! Put your hands up!
Cormick turns around to look at Ivana, but keeps his hand on
Giovannis thigh, moving it closer in between his legs.
CORMICK
Well, well, well. Ivana, my
favorite BPD bunny, whats you been
up to?
Giovanni glances around the dumpster. He spots a rusted
steel pipe crammed in between the dumpster and the brick
wall. He slowly leans toward it until he can wrap his
fingers around it. He tugs on the pipe until it breaks free,
and he hides it behind his back.
CORMICK(CONT.)
I knew wed see each other again.
Yous jus cant get enough of me.
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