INT.

RANCH HOUSE - DAY The door swings open, a gust of dust and wind comes blowing in with the large man. He is 50, a large gut and grey beard, dressed in typical mechanic's overalls, name patch says BILL, oil spotted. He is wearing a hard hat, which he promptly hangs on the hat rack. The logo, WELLS MINERAL EXTRACTION, smudged and scratched with years of abuse is barely visible. Seated at the kitchen table is CARLA, a young woman, 25, short black hair with a shock of blue bangs. Petite with tattoos running up her right forearm. The man is clearly surprised, looking as though he's seen a ghost and is unsure whether to inspect or bolt. He approaches the table, unsteadily, and slowly pulls up a chair across from her. BILL C..C... Carla? CARLA Dad. BILL Why? Why now? CARLA I heard about mom. Sorry I couldn't make it for the funeral, it's just that I've been... BILL We didn't even know you were alive. No letters, no call. What, six years now? CARLA Like you ever gave a shit. Her father looks haunted, regretful. BILL I gave up the bottle after your mom died. CARLA (sarcastically) Well good for you. BILL I guess I'll have to live with what I put you and your ma through... But why now? CARLA I need my birth certificate.

She was no nonsense about it. CARLA And then I'm gone. Bill sighs. BILL Can you come back in half an hour? CARLA Look, there ain't shit to do here in Greenwater. I know it's in the safe with everything else. Don't worry, I won't peek at your combination. I just want to get the hell out of here. Bill is deciding. Reluctantly he gives in. Goes to the den, pulls back a rug that covers the safe bolted to the slab under the floorboards. Bill crouches down, looks warily back over his shoulder, Carla is still seated at the table with a look of annoyance on her face. Bill dials the tumblers and the telltale click is heard. CARLA So I was reading Minerals Quarterly... You'd be surprised what types of things you can find in a prison library... Bill looks back over his shoulder, confused. Carla has gotten up and is now standing at the entrance to the den, with a 38 snub nose in her hand. CARLA Stand up. Now. The big man did as he was told. BILL Carla... CARLA And you'd never guess how surprised I was to find that they'd discovered a massive vein of copper that runs directly through your parcel. I suppose... Your final will and testament is also in the safe? A brief look of desperate understanding crosses his face. Bang. Thud. She closes the safe, replaces the rug. Ransacks the den and bedroom quickly, makes it look like a quick robbery, takes

her moms jewelry box, leaves. INT. TOYOTA CAMRY - DAY Carla inside the car driving, passes the sign that says Thank You For Visiting Greenwater. Inside she pats a sheaf of letters and legal documents on the passenger seat beside her. An upbeat pop song plays on the radio. EXT. SHELL STATION RTE 190 - D Carla stands along side the entrance to the Death Valley gas station. Her Camry is visible in the background, steam billowing from the hood. A sign reading "COLDEST Beer West Of Vegas" hangs on hooks from the awning over the pumps, wind and dust pushing it slowly pack and forth. She is talking to a TRUCKER. TRUCKER I can't get you all the way to Vegas, but can get you as far as the junction at 127 and 178. Carla looks at the steaming radiator of her 20 year old Camry at the side of the Shell Station. CARLA Well I guess that'll have to do. TRUCKER There's a big old RV park over there, people coming and going all the time. Should be able to find a ride there. CARLA Yeah, I know the place. The TRUCKER climbs up into the drivers side of the 18 wheeler, an empty cattle trailer behind it. He leans across the seat and opens the passenger door. TRUCKER Climb on up little lady. She gives him a sour expression. CARLA` I ain't no lady. She climbs up, all she carries if a bundle of faded yellowing papers as thick as a phone book, tied together with a piece of jute twine, frayed at the bow and looking like it could snap at any moment.

INT. BIG RIG - DAY TRUCKER Hell of a place to have your car take a shit on you. The trucker gears up and they cruise through Death Valley, windows up, air conditioning on high, an old bluegrass cassette playing on the radio, something instrument, probably Flatt and Scruggs. CARLA Shit happens. TRUCKER What's bringing you to Vegas? CARLA What do you think? FADE OUT