COPING

EPISODE 1:
I HEAR NOISES

Written by

Christopher Kowalski

161 Ross Avenue Hackensack, NJ 07601

(201)221-9980
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

The coffee shop, filled to the brim with impatient people

waiting in line.

The noise of brewers, people talking, baristas calling out

orders, milk steamers steaming and coffee cups clattering all
come together in a cacophony of maddening mundanity.

ALLIE, 26, medium height, dark brown skin, curly hair held up
in a bun sits slowly drinking her tea.

She spies on all the other customers, eyes shifting rapidly,

paranoid.

The ambience of the busy shop becomes ubearably deafening.

She keeps her head down, her legs crossed, foot tapping on
the floor.

She winces in discomfort as people pass her by.

The bell at the door rings.

She looks up.

Enter CHRIS, 24, tall, pale skin, shaggy hair, unkempt patchy
facial hair.

The manager of the shop glares at him from behind the

counter.

ALLIE
(Whispers) Oh no.

CHRIS smiles and sits down.

CHRIS
Hi, Chris.

ALLIE
Hi.

She smiles nervously.

Silence.

CHRIS
Well its nice to meet you. Lets get
down to it. I_

A barista walks up to their table.

 2.

BARISTA
Excuse me sir. If you’re going to
sit here you’re going to need to
order something.

CHRIS
Seriously?

BARISTA
Its busy. Every seat counts.

The barista leans in.

BARISTA (CONT’D)
(Whispers) And this isn’t the first
time.

CHRIS glares at him and stands up.

He grabs a pack of “gourmet” gum and orders a water.

He smirks at the BARISTA and pays for his “order”.

He sits back down.

ALLIE is mortified.

CHRIS
That was...sorry about that.

ALLIE stares at him, hand over forehead, hiding her face.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
So heres the deal. I’m about to
move into a new place in Lodi, nice
apartment complex, ground floor,
easy grocery shopping and whatnot,
but hears the thing. My landlord is
willing to negotiate the rent. Im
thinking I can get him as low as
$800 even.

CHRIS’S foot is tapping.

ALLIE notices.

She looks at him, taken aback.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I know, its nuts, but we have to
move now to get in on it.
(MORE)
 3.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I mean the dude likes me but he’d
rent to some other poor sap in a
heartbeat if he can make an extra
buck off it.

Silence.

ALLIE
Wait. Your ad said you already had
a place. You’re telling me you
don’t even have it yet? And you’re
negotiating_that doesn’t make any
sense.

CHRIS leans back, defensive.

CHRIS
Well look I needed to get a couple
things worked out and I didn’t want
to slow anything down. I needed
you. I’m sorry I know this is
weird.

ALLIE
(Mutters) I shouldn’t meet people
on the internet. Something ain’t
right.

CHRIS shuffles around.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
What?

CHRIS mumbles.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
What? You’re not telling me
something. Tell me what I’m missing
or I’m walking right now and
you’re out with your sketchy plan
and your dusty-ass white boy beard.

He frowns, rubbing his fuzzy face.

Silence.

CHRIS
Okay I lied.

She glares at him.

ALLIE
What the fuck!
 4.

The coffee shop patrons look at her.

CHRIS
(Hushed) Look this place...it was
the scene of a murder, I have
proof...

ALLIE gets up.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(Raising his voice) And I thought I
could use that to knock the rent
down. I have pictures to prove it
and_

ALLIE starts walking.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
No come on, wait.

He shrugs, smiling nervously.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Its a pretty good idea when you
think about it.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARKING LOT

ALLIE storms off.

Cars race by along the highway behind her.

CHRIS
Wait! Please.

CHRIS races up to her.

She turns to him furious.

ALLIE
(Yelling) Are you out of your mind?

CHRIS
I cant do this without you. You’re
the only other person who actually
came.

ALLIE
(Yelling) So I’m the only idiot who
actually fell for your bullshit?
Great that makes me feel better!
 5.

CHRIS
No! No you’re not an idiot. I just
think this is better than you’re
making it out to be!

ALLIE
Whats the endgame in this? Con me
into being your roommate and extort
cheap rent out of some poor
landlord? In a fucking murder
apartment? How is that a stable
living situation?

CHRIS starts to stumbles back.

CHRIS
(Yells) Okay!

ALLIE stares.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
It’s not stable!

He starts tearing up.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(Screams) Fuck!

ALLIE backs up, eyes wide.

He starts pacing back and forth.

He mutters to himself, tugging at his hair, pacing faster.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
(Screams) Fucking stupid!

He starts slapping himself.

ALLIE rushes him.

She grabs his arms.

ALLIE
Stop!

CHRIS
I’m living out of my car. I work
two miserable jobs just to pay my
insurance. My life is fucked.

He backs away.
 6.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
This is my last leg.

He shrugs.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
If this doesn’t happen. Im done.

He looks her in the eye.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Done.

ALLIE looks down at her feet.

CUT TO:

TITLE: COPING

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

The clouds are pink as the sun begins to set.

ALLIE pulls into the driveway.

CUT TO:

INT. HOUSE

The shades are pulled casting shadows all throughout the

house.

Dirty dishes pile up in the sink and along the counters.

The buzzing of fruit flies sting the eardrums.

ALLIE sits on her bed and sighs placing her purse beside her.

She checks her phone, staring at CHRIS’S contact info.

VOICE
Hows daddy?

ALLIE is startled, dropping her phone.

Enter ALLIE’S MOM, 55, medium height, dark brown skin, medium-
straightened hair, standing in the doorway of ALLIE’S
bedroom.
 7.

ALLIE
I didn’t see him today. I had some
things to do.

ALLIE'S MOM
So what did you do today?

Silence.

ALLIE
I met some guy. Possible roommate.
Didn’t work out.

ALLIE'S MOM
I’m sorry. Probably for the best
though.

ALLIE
Yeah sure.

ALLIE walks out of her room into the kitchen.

ALLIE'S MOM
I mean you don’t pay much rent
here...

ALLIE'S MOM’S voice muffles through the wall between them.

ALLIE opens the refrigerator.

ALLIE'S MOM (CONT’D)

Its close to Daddy. I need help
around the house. Im not asking for
much. Really this is much better
for you than it is for me.

ALLIE slams the refrigerator door shut.

ALLIE
(Yelling) You drank all of my tonic
water!

She glares at the counter.

Mostly empty glasses of liquor, beer bottles.

ALLIE'S MOM
(Hushed) Sorry.

ALLIE walks back into her room, facing her mom.

 8.

ALLIE
Just to be clear. We stand exactly
where we always have. You take, and
I watch you take.

ALLIE grabs trash bags filled with her clothing and loads
them back into the kitchen

ALLIE’S MOM follows.

ALLIE'S MOM
I thought you were all about seeing
daddy every day, keeping me out of
it.

A framed photo of her father shimmers the reflection of them

fighting.

ALLIE
Yeah well you proved that shit
wasn’t for you a long time ago.

ALLIE'S MOM
(Angry) So what changed?

ALLIE
(Yelling) It was one day mom! One
day! At least I don’t fucking steal
his pills. At least I don’t show up
fucking drunk and yell at him when
he won’t eat.

ALLIE'S MOM backs off.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
You lost. You live in this shit-
hole alone. I’m not. I’m done.

ALLIE'S MOM, eyes wide, claustrophobic against the wall of

her kitchen, on the verge of tears.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Pick up your own pieces or die. No
one else can help you.

ALLIE turns to go.

She accidentally kicks an empty tonic water bottle.

She walks out the door.

 9.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
(Yelling) How many gin and tonics
can you go through in a week?

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

The sun sets.

ALLIE'S MOM shouts through the door as ALLIE drops her

clothes in her trunk.

She gets in the car and drives off.

EXT. MOTEL - NIGHT

ALLIE walks up the steps to the doorway of the seedy motel,

carrying one of her trash bags full of clothing.

INT. MOTEL OFFICE

The front desk is one giant wall of glass with a tiny slot at
the bottom for exchanging keys and info.

ALLIE walks up to the CLERK aka the most monotone man in NJ.

ALLIE
Hi I would like a room for the
night.

CLERK
Smoking or non-smoking?

ALLIE
They still have those?

The CLERK stares at her.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Smoking.

She shows them ID.

Pays for the room.

He gives her the key.

CUT TO:
 10.

INT. MOTEL ROOM

ALLIE closes the door and lays against it.

She drops her bag beside her.

INT. BATHROOM

ALLIE brushes her teeth.

The television blares in the background.

A low repetitive whirring noise rumbles through the walls.

ALLIE winces.

ALLIE
(Toothpaste in mouth) Shit.

She spits.

CUT TO:

INT. MOTEL HALLWAY.

ALLIE slowly walks the halls.

The hallucinatory whirring gets louder.

ALLIE starts shaking.

She startles herself, looking over her shoulder to find

nothing there.

She finds a vending machine and orders a bag of chips.

The whirring is deafening.

There is a sudden loud scream from behind her.

She runs.

CUT TO:

INT. MOTEL ROOM

The lights are on, the tv is blaring still.

ALLIE sits on her bed, eating chips.

Several bottles of medication sit on the side table.

 11.

LABLES: SEROQUEL

LITHIUM

LAMICTAL

GABAPENTIN

She finishes the chips.

She takes a pill out of each bottle one by one with a sip of
water.

INT. MOTEL ROOM

The lights are off. The tv is still on, the volume low.

ALLIE curled up in bed against the wall, wide awake smoking a

cigarette.

She looks at her phone, staring at CHRIS’S contact.

She sighs.

EXT. SIDE OF THE ROAD - NIGHT

Cars drive by at what feels like light-speed creating a

constant pattern of silence followed by loud whooshing
sounds.

CHRIS’S blue, rusty, sorry excuse for an SUV is filled with

boxes and blankets, parked off the edge of a busy road.

He sits on the hood smoking a cigarette.

His phone vibrates.

INTERCUT -- PHONE CONVERSATION

ALLIE
Hey.

CHRIS
Hey.

Silence.

ALLIE
Can we meet?

CHRIS
Yeah sure.
 12.

Silence.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Hello?

ALLIE
Yeah um. Do you have a pen and
paper? I’ll give you the place.

CHRIS
Hold on let me...

CHRIS struggles to look for something to write on.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Man nobody has a pen and paper
nowadays, can you just text it to
me?

ALLIE chuckles.

ALLIE
Its at the top of Johnson ave, near
the high school.

CHRIS
Johnson Ave near the high school.
Hey wait which_

She hangs up.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Which town?

He looks at his phone.

He gets in his car.

EXT. JOHNSON AVE (NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL) - NIGHT

CHRIS’S car pulls off to the side atop a the hill of Johnson
ave.

The hill overlooks highway 80 and 95 intersecting over

Paterson, lit up like a decaying Las Vegas.

ALLIE gets into the passenger’s seat.

CHRIS
Meet me at the pier at midnight why
don’t you.

Silence.
 13.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I’m just saying you’re lucky I grew
up here or this wouldn’t have been
my first guess.

ALLIE
I had a bad night. I wasn’t
thinking. You weren’t a good start
to my day, mind you.

They stare out at the spectacle before them.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I love this view.

CHRIS looks over at her

ALLIE (CONT’D)
My dad used to take me up here. I
used to dab a little of my ice
cream on the roof of his car. Same
spot every time. First time it was
an accident, a week after he got
it. Then it became sort of a
tradition.

Silence.

They stare.

CHRIS
It is beautiful. Me and my friends
used to come up to a spot a few
blocks over, smoke pot and just
watch the cars go by. I would get
all paranoid and think the cops
were coming. They always knew how
to talk me down.

Silence.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(Chuckling) I mean don’t get me
wrong they’d shit on me for it but
they were always good to me when I
needed them.

He chuckles.

ALLIE looks at CHRIS

He shakes his head.

 14.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
They don’t know.

ALLIE leans over to him.

ALLIE
Look. I get it. Its just that you
have problems and I can’t fix them.

He nods in shame.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
...but if we’re going to do this...

He looks up at her.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I need to know everything. I mean
everything. You cannot bullshit me.
I need to know exactly what your
plan is, I need to know who you
are, and I need to know if there is
anything about you I should be
worried about.

He sits frozen.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I’m serious. I won’t judge. I mean
that.

Silence.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I mean it. But I need to know.

He sighs.

CHRIS
Well you know my name.

He waves jokingly.

She waves back, playing along.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(Stammering) I’m uhh, I’m bipolar.
(Laughs) I mean you probably
figured I got something after all
that shit back there. Sorry about
that by the way.

ALLIE smiles empathetically.

 15.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
It’s fucked up a lot of my shit in
my life. I cant...

He stares down at his lap.

Silence.

He sighs

CHRIS (CONT’D)
And my plan. My plan. My plan. My
plan. So I used to park my car near
this complex in Lodi. It was one of
the few spots without meters where
the cops didn’t roll by too often.
One night the flashing lights come
on and I’m thinking “This is it.
Best case scenario I have to move.
Or worse case, I’ll be sleeping on
a bench waiting for bail that will
never come”. Instead... It was 20
cops. Regular patrol cars and some
black cars. Turns out they’re
homicide detectives. I know this
because they kept shouting it at
the patrolmen to keep away from the
scene. So I’m ducking in the back
of my car. I’m watching this play
out. Then I see a body come out on
a stretcher. So I start taking
pictures.

He pulls out his phone.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I didn’t know why at the time. I
felt like an asshole but it just
felt important.

ALLIE points at the phone.

ALLIE
Wait. How the hell did you get
these?

She points at pictures on the phone that were taken inside

the apartment.

CHRIS
Thats the crazy part. So the
homicide detectives start scoping,
or canvasing or whatever you call
it.
(MORE)
 16.

CHRIS (CONT'D)
And they actually walk up to my
car. So I duck under layers of
blankets. You know its cold at
night so I sleep under five of
those things. So they peek through
the windows, poke around
underneath. They don’t see me. They
fucking leave and don’t see me at
all. So I wait it out until it
looks like they’re gone. And my
gut, which always gets me in
trouble, just tells me I have to
get more photos.

He looks her in the eye with a crazy look.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
So I break into the apartment.
Which was easy because the door was
open. The murder already happened,
its like when they raid a meth lab
and the door is just left on its
hinges. So I got all these by being
a sneaky fucker.

ALLIE
Shit.

CHRIS
I know.

ALLIE
Well you’re a better sneak than you
are a liar I’ll give you that.
Damn.

CHRIS
So I have these. My plan is to go
to an open house, and corner the
landlord with all of this. You know
make him squirm with the pictures.
He could get in a lot of trouble
for not disclosing this sort of
thing.

Silence.

ALLIE
What if it doesn’t work.

CHRIS
There’t literally no reason why it
wouldn’t.
 17.

ALLIE rubs her forehead in frustration.

ALLIE
Okay but what if?

Silence.

CHRIS
Then we’ll figure something out.

ALLIE
Great. What the hell is wrong with
you?

CHRIS
Lots of things.

ALLIE looks at him frustrated.

ALLIE
Fine tell me about that.

CHRIS
I’d rather not.

Silence.

ALLIE
Why are you...you know...living
here?

CHRIS looks over at her.

He sighs.

CHRIS
You really want to know?

She nods.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I have...had this girlfriend I was
living with. She was sweet. It was
good for a while. Then it wasn’t.

He takes a deep breath.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I got diagnosed a year and a half
ago. Prior to that she had no idea
what was up with me. But I was
always_ I mean I always tried. I
was as good to her, I think. As
good as I could be.
(MORE)
 18.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
It got different. She changed.
There were things that I suddenly
couldn’t do.

He starts to tear up.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I couldn’t have sex. My dick just
wouldn’t fucking work. At 24 years
old and I’m soft as a fucking slug
and I’d tell her it wasn’t her
fault, but... She would accuse me
of cheating. She would tell me that
I thought she wasn’t attractive. I
mean do you know how embarrassing_

Silence.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Why am I telling you this?

She nods.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Then she got mean. She would yell
at me. All the time. She would call
me crazy. That I was a lost cause
and I would be better off dead. And
then days later she would tell me
she never said that. That she loved
me. She would make me breakfast and
say everything was okay.

He looks down, face red.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I loved this girl. And I had no
idea what was going on. I was
confused. I’m still so fucking
confused.

Silence.

ALLIE
She sounds...not great. I mean that
sounds traumatic. Like
something...like something abusive.

He shakes his head.

CHRIS
It wasn’t that bad. I mean she
never hit me. I could deal.
 19.

Silence.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
It wasn’t all out of nowhere. I
made her miserable. And I am crazy.
She wasn’t wrong.

ALLIE
Look I don’t know what went down,
and I don’t know her so I can’t
speak to any of that, but I know
people who’ve gone through the same
shit you’re describing.

CHRIS
Yeah.

Silence.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I mean the day she kicked me out...

He sniffles.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
...I mean, The day I started living
out of my car...I did something,
and she didn’t like it. She started
throwing things at me. Screaming at
me. I was scared. I grabbed
whatever I could and ran. All this
stuff in my car. Its all I could
get. My whole livelihood, its still
there, with her. Being held
hostage.

ALLIE
What do you mean?

CHRIS
I have some cameras. I used to make
a good amount of money, me and my
friend. Not enough to live off of
but enough to justify going to
fucking art school. Now I can’t do
shit. I lost clients, lost a place
to live, my whole sense of what my
future could be. Everything.

ALLIE
Im sorry.

CHRIS
Oh and the best part.
 20.

CHRIS smiles, looking ALLIE in the eye.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
She was cheating on me through all
of it.

He starts to laugh hysterically.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
(Laughing) So fucked up.

ALLIE smiles empathetically.

ALLIE
Medication?

CHRIS
Nah.

ALLIE
Therapy?

CHRIS
Used to. Cant afford it.

ALLIE
Do you even have insurance?

Silence.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Seriously?

CHRIS
I have car insurance if that makes
you feel better. Figured that was a
priority.

ALLIE
What about the fine?

CHRIS
Fuck the fine. I’m not paying that
shit.

ALLIE chuckles.

ALLIE
Oh man I have to stop meeting
people on the internet.

CHRIS laughs.
 21.

CHRIS
Yeah probably

CHRIS pulls out a pack of cigarettes.

He motions towards ALLIE.

She grabs one.

ALLIE
Thanks.

The hold hang their arms out the windows, blowing smoke.

CHRIS
Look sorry for snapping at you. Its
just. She’s not a bad girl. I just
couldn’t. Well you know.

ALLIE
Yeah sure.

Silence.

CHRIS
So what about you? Whats your deal?
Aside from the fact that you’re a
hard ass and I know your name,
you’re kind of a mystery.

ALLIE
Not much to me. I lived with my mom
until yesterday. Her and my dad
are... separated, I’d rather not
talk about it. I work as a
receptionist for a hotel chain in
Montclair. No siblings, not much
extended family. Friends are mostly
at work. No drugs no alcohol. I’m
not much fun.

CHRIS looks at her suspiciously.

CHRIS
Yeah...you’re boring as shit.

She punches him in the arm.

ALLIE
Shut up.

They laugh.
 22.

CHRIS
Anything else, mystery girl?

ALLIE
Well Chris, basically just know
with all this thats going on, you
need to follow my rules from here
on out. No bullshit. Because I may
be all charitable and shit, but I
will drop you if I feel I can’t
trust you.

Silence.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I mean it.

CHRIS nods.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I’m the girl who’s going to save
your ass.

Silence.

They both take a drag.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I’m in a motel in Lodi, there’s two
beds, let’s get some sleep.
Tomorrow we meet our landlord.

INT. MURDER APARTMENT - DAY

The spacious two-bedroom apartment is fully repainted. Light

Sea-foam green walls. A few stock paintings for show.

A few families take the tour talking amongst themselves.

ALLIE and CHRIS stand together, staring at one of the

paintings.

CHRIS
(Hushed) Which one is the landlord?

ALLIE motions to the man speaking to one of the couples.

THE LANDLORD, 48, medium heigh, dark brown skin, greying

unkempt hair, glasses, walks over to the dynamic duo.
 23.

LANDLORD
You guys a couple?

CHRIS
No_

ALLIE
Yes we are.

She smiles and she shakes his hand.

LANDLORD
As you can see this place is in
reasonably high demand. We have a
few units like this but you can’t
beat ground floor.

CHRIS
Thats what I said.

ALLIE
He hates stairs. Bad knees.

CHRIS
How much are you looking for?

LANDLORD
$1500 a month. For a place like
this, this close to the Stop &
Shop, you can’t beat that.

Silence.

ALLIE runs her finger down the freshly painted wall.

ALLIE
(Casually raises her voice)
I don’t know. Seems a bit high.

She looks at her finger tip.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Considering one of your tenants was
killed here only a month ago.

CHRIS’S eyes widen.

The other potential renters grow silent.

THE LANDLORD glares at them.

 24.

INT. LANDLORD’S OFFICE - DAY

The office is dimly lit, old dark brown wood walls and a
house fly that won’t quit.

ALLIE and CHRIS sit across the desk from THE LANDLORD.

They glare at each-other.

The house fly lands on THE LANDLORD’S head.

He smacks it, crushing it under his palm, maintaining eye

contact with the dynamic duo.

The CHRIS flinches.

ALLIE maintains eye contact, with an eerie grin.

THE LANDLORD leans forward, both hands folded into one

another.

LANDLORD
What do you know?

ALLIE
Show him.

She motions to CHRIS.

CHRIS hands THE LANDLORD his phone.

His face drops.

LANDLORD
How the hell_

ALLIE
Thats right bitch.

CHRIS
Thats unnecessary.

ALLIE
Shut up.

Silence.

A clicking noise from the phone starts going off.

CHRIS
Are you seriously deleting the
photos?

THE LANDLORD grunts.

 25.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Fine, not gonna stop you.

He leans back.

THE LANDLORD looks up at him.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
You realize theres this thing
called the cloud. I backed
everything up the second I took
those.

THE LANDLORD lays back in defeat.

He drops the phone on his desk.

CHRIS slides it back to him.

ALLIE
Lets talk.

LANDLORD
(Angry) What do you want?

ALLIE
$550 a month.

LANDLORD
Way too low for the listing.

ALLIE smiles, he’s willing to play ball.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
The apartment goes for $1500.

ALLIE
It doesn’t have to.

LANDLORD
I can’t

ALLIE
This is a nice complex, plenty of
renters paying way more for similar
apartments. One charity case isn’t
going to bankrupt you.

LANDLORD
I don’t do bussiness that way.

ALLIE
Yeah but you will.
 26.

LANDLORD
(Yelling) No actually I wont!

He crosses his arms.

ALLIE frowns.

She looks at CHRIS.

He nods.

ALLIE
We both know you’ll take a loss, I
mean thats obvious. But its really
a matter of how much you’ll lose.

THE LANDLORD raises an eyebrow.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
See I’m willing to negotiate. But
if say, an ad were to go up with my
own low price, and some
unflattering pictures with the
reason for the price, that could
make you lose a lot more. People
could see that and go “Eww Im not
going there”. On the other hand,
folks like us could see that and go
“Oooh cheap place, Murder? Who
cares. I need a roof over my head”
Either way best case scenario, you
come up with my lowball.

Silence.

THE LANDLORD stares blankly at her.

ALLIE slams her hand on the desk, leaning in close, face to

face with him.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
You are fucking with crazy you know
that?

Her hands tremble.

She backs off.

INT. CHRIS’S CAR

ALLIE and CHRIS sit smoking with the windows open.

 27.

CHRIS
So what do we do now?

ALLIE looks over to him.

ALLIE
Time for motherfucking plan B.

EXT. ALLIE’S HOUSE - DAY

CHRIS and ALLIE stand outside of the car staring at her

house.

CHRIS pulls out a cigarette.

ALLIE
Don’t light that.

CHRIS looks her, unlit cigarette in mouth.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
We won’t be here long.

She walks in the house.

CHRIS watches the house.

Within seconds he hear’s yelling.

His eyes widen.

ALLIE runs out the front door with a laptop bag.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Get the fuck in the car.

ALLIE'S MOM
Wait where the hell do you think
you’re going?

The tires screech.

They drive off.

INT. CHRIS'S CAR

CHRIS drives, looking backs and forth between the road and
ALLIE.

CHRIS
Who was that?
 28.

Silence.

ALLIE
My mom.

CHRIS
Shit.

INT. MOTEL OFFICE

The CLERK stares at CHRIS and ALLIE.

CLERK
Smoking or non-smoking?

CHRIS and ALLIE look at each-other.

CHRIS & ALLIE

Smoking!

INT. MOTEL ROOM

ALLIE sits on the bed with the computer open in front of her.

CHRIS paces around the bed.

CHRIS
I honestly can’t believe he didn’t
cave right then and there, I mean
what is wrong with that guy?

ALLIE
Uh huh.

CHRIS
And did you see the smug look on
his face? I hate that shit. Its
that generational thing. Fucking
like we don’t struggle everyday.

ALLIE
Mmhm

CHRIS’S voice becomes muffled.

ALLIE looks over and notices one of her pill bottles fell out
of her bag.

She looks over at CHRIS.

She leans over and knocks the bottle back into the bag and
puts a shirt over it.
 29.

CHRIS
Are you even listening?

ALLIE
What?

CHRIS
Unbelievable!

ALLIE
Sorry. I’m trying to focus.

She type’s rapidly.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
What’s your cloud password?

CUT TO:

ALLIE and CHRIS stare at the computer screen.

CHRIS
Whoah.

ALLIE grins.

ALLIE
Whoah.

CHRIS
So what do we do now.

ALLIE
We save drafts. And print copies.

Silence.

CHRIS
How do people print things
nowadays?

INT. MOTEL OFFICE

ALLIE walks up to the desk with a an obviously fake smile,

CHRIS following.

The CLERK looks up, half asleep.

ALLIE
Excuse me, have a printer we could
use?

Silence.
 30.

CLERK
No.

ALLIE and CHRIS walk away defeated.

ALLIE turns around.

ALLIE
Is Kinkos still a thing?

CLERK
(Annoyed) I have no fucking clue
ma'am.

ALLIE
I’m 26 dude. Don’t give me that
ma’am shit.

INT. CHRIS'S CAR

ALLIE and CHRIS continue their ritual, windows open,

cigarettes in hand.

ALLIE
Well that was a bust. I just don’t
trust bringing my computer to that
creep’s place. I need it for work.

CHRIS
Mhm.

ALLIE
Plus, even if we did find a print
shop, theres a chance we could both
get in a lot of trouble if they got
a peek at what we were printing.

CHRIS
Shit.

ALLIE
So.

CHRIS
So.

Silence.

ALLIE
(Yells) Oh Fuc_

CUT TO:
 31.

EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

CHRIS sits in the car watching ALLIE as she walks to the

entrance the High rise Hotel office where she works

INT. ELEVATOR

ALLIE stands breathing heavy as the elevator slowly rises.

She looks down at her shirt and notices a stain.

She tries rubbing it out.

She spits on her fingers and presses harder while rubbing.

The stain goes away but now her shirt is noticeably wet.

ALLIE
(Whisper) Goddammit.

INT. ALLIE’S OFFICE

The elevator doors open.

ALLIE exhales.

She walks through the office slouching, trying not to be

noticed.

COWORKER 1
Hey you!

ALLIE nods.

Another coworker walks past.

COWORKER 2
Whats up girl?

She smiles.

VOICE
Hey stranger.

ALLIE is startled.

ENTER TASHA, TALL, dark skin, very short hair, standing in

front of ALLIE holding a stack of files.

TASHA
How’s my best assistant doing?
 32.

They Hug.

ALLIE
You know.

TASHA
I thought I wasn’t gonna see you
for at least another couple of
days?

ALLIE
I just needed to print something
out.

TASHA
So hows the move going?

ALLIE nods slowly.

ALLIE
Good.

EXT. PARKING LOT

CHRIS paces around the parking lot doing the pee dance.

He stands against the wall. Unzips his pants.

A car rolls up.

CHRIS
Shit.

INT. ELEVATOR

CHRIS hops up and down, shaking the elevator.

CHRIS
Come on. Come on. Come on.

INT. ALLIE'S OFFICE

TASHA
So who is this roommate anyway?

The elevator bell rings.

ALLIE’S ears perk up.

CHRIS
Excuse me can I use your bathroom?
 33.

COWORKER 1
(Muttering) Who is that?

COWORKER 2
(Muttering) I don’t know.

ALLIE looks back mortified.

She taps her foot.

ALLIE
Excuse me.

She walks up to CHRIS.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
(Smiling) Hey you!

She grabs him by the arm.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
(Whisper) What the fuck?

CHRIS
(Whisper) I had to pee.

ALLIE
(Whisper) You have a dick, you
could have peed outside.

CHRIS
(Whisper) Don’t tell me what to do
with my dick!

TASHA walks up to them.

They swiftly feign a fake smile.

CHRIS & ALLIE

Hey!

ALLIE
This...is my roommate.

CHRIS
Chris.

He holds out his hand, still bouncing from his soon to be

UTI.

ALLIE
Could you show him the bathroom?

TASHA walks CHRIS.

 34.

TASHA
So tell me a little about yourself.

ALLIE’S eyes widen but she shakes it off. Theres no time.

She pops a usb key into her work computer.

The load time couldn’t be slower.

She gazes nervously around the office at her coworkers.

The USB key loads.

She opens the files and starts printing.

She walks over to the printer.

She stands by and nervously spies the office.

While not looking COWORKER 1 gets to the printer and takes a

look at the ads.

COWORKER 1
What is this all about?

ALLIE
Well...

CHRIS standing behind them.

CHRIS
Its pictures for a short film I’m
working on.

He shakes COWORKER 1’S hand.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
My name’s Chris. I work in film and
video. I’m working a project thats
sort of a murder mystery. The props
are extremely realistic.

COWORKER 1
Huh.

He looks at the images.

COWORKER 1 (CONT’D)
Why are these real-estate ads?

Silence.

CHRIS shrugs.
 35.

CHRIS
You’d have to ask the director that
one.

INT. CHRIS'S CAR - NIGHT

ALLIE and CHRIS slam the car doors shut. Both of them
hyperventilating.

ALLIE
Holy shit.

CHRIS
Yeah that about sums it up.

ALLIE
When did you become such a good
liar.

CHRIS
I’m not. I’m just good at being
chummy.

He looks at her.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
Survival.

She laughs.

They drive off.

INT. LANDLORD'S OFFICE - DAY

ALLIE slams the ads on THE LANDLORD’S desk

ALLIE
(Yelling) Are you ready to
negotiate or are you ready for a
bunch of poor folk to flood into
your next open house next week
talking murder this and murder
that?

She huffs and puffs with a crazed look in her eyes.

CHRIS stands off to the side, eyes wide.

THE LANDLORD pulls his glasses out of his desk drawer.

He takes the papers.

 36.

LANDLORD
(Reading) “We are catering to
potential low income tenants in the
Bergen county area who are willing
to look past the fact that this was
the scene of the crime. People who
do not believe in, nor care about
ghosts because y’all have better
things to worry about than things
that don’t exist.”

He puts the papers down, looking up at them flabbergasted.

Silence.

ALLIE
The ghost part is debatable.

LANDLORD
You do know this is blackmail,
right?

ALLIE
Not the type of blackmail that
could ever be traced back to us.

LANDLORD
How so.

ALLIE
I’m not stupid. I wouldn’t post
these under an IP address that
would link back to me. Go to one of
those internet cafe’s, make a fake
account with a fake email, post
these fucker on every real estate
site you can imagine.

LANDLORD
I got your face on the security
cameras.

ALLIE
So what? If I do this to fuck you
I’m not trying to stick around.

CHRIS
We.

ALLIE and THE LANDLORD look at him.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
If we do this.
 37.

ALLIE and THE LANDLORD ignore him.

ALLIE
Plus, fraud. Lets talk about fraud.
I looked it up. Thats a federal
crime in this bussiness. Not
disclosing that a murder took place
in one of your apartments a few
months before you’re selling it
off. Shiiiit. You fucked yourself
pulling a stunt like that.

THE LANDLORD looks, dead-eyed

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Don’t give me that look.

Silence.

LANDLORD
You don’t get to tell me what to
do. You little kids don’t get to
come in here and dictate how I do
bussiness. Now I could have you
arrested on the spot if I wanted
to.

ALLIE yells over him.

ALLIE
(Yelling) Oh Blah blah blah. But
you haven’t and you wont.

Silence.

ALLIE leans in.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
You won’t because you know I’m
right.

Silence.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Lets talk.

CUT TO: MOMENTS

LATER

CHRIS watches in awe as the two go at it.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
$500
 38.

LANDLORD
No way. I know that game. $1,300
now thats a good deal for a place
like this.

ALLIE
$650 eat my dick.

LANDLORD
What is up with you kids talking
like dirt these days. $1,100

ALLIE
Pshh deal with it old man. $700

LANDLORD
(Sighs) Jesus take the wheel $950.
Final offer.

Silence.

ALLIE
$800 Final, final offer.

They stare at each-other.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Like I said. Don’t fuck with crazy.

They shake hands.

CHRIS looks like he’s about to feint.

THE LANDLORD grunts.

LANDLORD
I just need you idiots to sign
these forms.

He pushes the papers up to them.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
I’m assuming the loud one is going
on the lease.

CHRIS nods.

EXT. PARKING LOT

CHRIS and ALLIE walk out of the office victorious.

 39.

CHRIS
I can’t even. You actually. How did
you?

They pause and smile.

They high five.

CHRIS & ALLIE

(Yelling) Ow!

CHRIS
So now furniture. I set aside some
money for the first and last months
rent, assuming it was going to be
my price, which you
(Yelling proudly) fucking got us!
But I don’t think we’ll be paying
that now so maybe we can put that
money towards some appliances,
maybe a good futon or something.

ALLIE
Nah.

CHRIS
Nah?

ALLIE
I got that covered.

EXT. STORAGE FACILITY

ALLIE and CHRIS stand staring at the gate of a large storage

locker.

ALLIE
Its been almost a year. Hope you’re
not afraid of spiders.

CHRIS frowns.

ALLIE opens the locker. It is filled with an entire

apartment’s worth of furniture and appliances.

CHRIS’S mouth is agape.

CHRIS
Where the hell did all this come
from.
 40.

ALLIE
I used to live with a girlfriend.
Then I didn’t. Thats all you need
to know.

CHRIS
Like a “girlfriend” girlfriend?

She glares at him.

ALLIE
Yeah. So?

He smiles.

CHRIS
I was just curious. Sorry. Not to
be all “Im with it” and all but I’m
bisexual.

She stares at him, her frown slowly morphs into a big smile.

She chuckles.

ALLIE
Okay now I’m starting to like you.

He smiles back.

They begin loading up the car, now with a U-Haul attached to

the back.

CHRIS
Fuck this shit is heavy.

ALLIE
Quit your bitching.

FADE TO: EVENING

EXT. STORAGE FACILITY

ALLIE and CHRIS finished the first load of furniture.

ALLIE gets a call from the landlord

ALLIE
Hello? Okay. Bye.

ALLIE looks over to CHRIS.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Our keys are ready. Time to go.
 41.

The hop in the car and drive off, U-Haul bouncing behind
them.

EXT. PARKING LOT

The sun is setting casting a beautiful pink hue on the

clouds.

ALLIE walks into the office while CHRIS waits in the car with
the stuff.

INT. LANDLORD'S OFFICE

THE LANDLORD hands ALLIE the keys.

LANDLORD
I don’t fuck with crazy.

He smiles.

She doesn’t.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
Honestly I respect your commitment.
You truly blindsided me.

ALLIE
Thanks.

She walks to the door.

LANDLORD
I got your background checks.

She stops dead in her tracks.

She turns to him.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
Him. He’s all over the the place. I
don’t even know where to start.

ALLIE
Yeah I figured as much.

THE LANDLORD looks at her.

LANDLORD
But you.

She looks up at him.

 42.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
You got fucked, as you would say,
with yours.

ALLIE stands nervous.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
HIPPA laws are supposed to protect
hospital records, unless, say it
was related to something criminal
or that sort of thing. I’m not
supposed to be able to see it, even
in a background check.

He wags his finger.

ALLIE sweats.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
But somehow you fell through the
cracks.

He looks her in the eye.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
You went to SUNNY DAYS.

Her eyes widen.

His face grows solemn.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
I won’t tell.

They sit in silence.

ALLIE drops down into the chair

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
My sister went there.

ALLIE looks up at him, blindsided.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
Ten years back, Jesus it feels like
yesterday. Its always the bad stuff
that feels close by. The good
stuff, goes by like it was...well
like it was ten years ago.

ALLIE sits nervously captivated.

She mumbles
 43.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
What?

ALLIE
Why does crazy always seem to
follow me wherever I go?

He chuckles.

LANDLORD
Crazy tends to do that.

Silence.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
She had a lot of problems. She used
to…burn herself with the lit end of
a cigarette. It was bad.

He holds out his arm and traces circles.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
Her arms and legs looked like
leopard skin. I didn’t know what to
do, my folks, god, well you
probably know. Maybe not.

He starts to shake.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
I caught her once…That look she
gave me. Like she was begging. I
smelled smoke and walked in thats
the only reason I came in, I’ll
never get that face out of my head.

He inhales deeply, holding back tears.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
Anyway, she went there and at least
for a little while things were
better.

THE LANDLORD looks ALLIE in the eye.

LANDLORD (CONT’D)
I miss her.

Silence.

ALLIE
Im sorry for coming at you like we
did, we just had to.
 44.

She looks at the door.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
He had to.

LANDLORD
I don’t get it. With what you make
you could afford this place as is.

ALLIE folds her hands together.

ALLIE
But he can’t.

THE LANDLORD looks perplexed.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Look I’m not his mom. I’m not going
to pay the guys rent. But if I can
get a place where he can afford his
share, I can live with that.

LANDLORD
Why? Why live with him in the first
place? Shoot his credit
rating...well he barely has one.

ALLIE shivers.

ALLIE
Honestly? I don’t feel safe...By
myself. And with him, I see this
kid and he’s sick and he’s living
out of his car...And he’s begging
me for help. Begging.

Silence.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I can’t ignore that. I know what
happens when you mix all that stuff
together and it never ends well.
Ever.

She sighs.

LANDLORD
Do you mind if I ask why you were
admitted?

ALLIE lets out a long shaky sigh.

 45.

ALLIE
Well I mean you already know about
the hospital. And you told me your
thing so...

She looks down at her hands, shaking.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I hear noises. Not all the time,
but whenever shit gets bad they
seem to come out. It happened the
other day.

LANDLORD
Like voices?

ALLIE
I mean I’ll hear screaming, but its
always distorted, fucked up. Never
people talking to me though. Not
like the movies. Its scary. The
noises are like, I don’t know, the
trigger for the fucking awful dread
I feel when they come up. The
feeling is worse than the noise.
Its fucking terrifying and it feels
like it’ll never stop.

She breaths heavy.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Its not as bad as it used to be. I
mean shit compared to him I’m the
stable one. I’m on pills, I go to
therapy weekly. I get my shit done
because the alternative, I don’t
ever want to go to that place. I. I
just don't want to go there ever
again.

Silence.

LANDLORD
I don’t know what to say.

ALLIE
I appreciate that. At least you’re
honest.

She looks up at him.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
I’m sorry about you’re sister. I’m
assuming_
 46.

He nods, face red.

Long tender silence.

The door suddenly opens.

CHRIS enters loud as can be.

CHRIS
Hey. Are you done yet I really have
to pee...oh shit.

He sees ALLIE and THE LANDLORD with red faces and teary eyes.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I’m sorry, should I_

He points to the door.

ALLIE
Um. No its ok. Here you go. I’ll be
done in a minute.

She hands him the keys.

He backs up slowly, closing the door.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
Thank you for being decent. I don’t
want us to have a bad relationship.

They shake hands.

LANDLORD
Vince, you can called me Vince.

ALLIE
Allie.

She smiles.

VINCE
Look if things get rough or you
just want to talk, I’m mostly here.

She nods and smiles.

EXT. PARKING LOT

CHRIS is finished peeing, waiting outside the apartment.

CHRIS
You okay?
 47.

ALLIE
Yeah.

She gently touches his shoulder and smiles.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
So we got three days on the U-Haul.
So lets get the important stuff in
before sundown. Then I’ll order us
a pizza.

CHRIS’S ears perk up.

ALLIE (CONT’D)
My treat.

He smiles, eyes wide.

She walks to the apartment door.

CHRIS
Hey Allie.

She turns.

CHRIS (CONT’D)
I’m starting to like you too.

She grins.

MONTAGE: MOVING IN (I Hear Noises - Tegan & Sara)

1. They open the door and stare bewildered. This is theirs.

2. They walk amongst the walls,

3. ALLIE dragging her finger accross the wall.

4. CHRIS opens a bedroom door, mouth agape at the size. He

leans out, looks at ALLIE. She nods. Its his. He falls to the
floor and giggles like a child.

5. They open the U-Haul.

6. ALLIE’S MOM sits alone drinking.

7. On the kitchen counter her mothers house we see ALLIE’S

FATHER’S medical bills left behind and more alarmingly, a
ripped open envelope with his disability check missing.

8. ALLIE smiles showing off her strength to CHRIS lifting

boxes. He frowns as he struggles.

9. ALLIE and CHRIS open up an fresh dining room table set.

 48.

10. ALLIE and CHRIS struggle to wedge the couch through the
door.

11. From afar VINCE watches, smoking a cigarette. He

chuckles.

12. VINCE helps them maneuver it correctly without breaking

his doorway.

13. CHRIS and VINCE look at each-other.

14. They shake hands.

16. ALLIE and CHRIS build the dining room table like
something out of the shark cage scene in JAWS.

17. CHRIS hits his head from under the table undoing all
their work.

18. He throws a temper tantrum. ALLIE watches, unamused.

19. ALLIE moves all her garbage bags full of clothing into
her room. One of her pill bottles falls out.

20. She watches it roll accross the floor.

21. CHRIS plays with the gas burner on the stove. ALLIE looks
at him bewildered.

22. On a computer screen elsewhere, we see camera prices

being googled.

23. A pretty girl, 24, with a laptop and an odd look in her
eye sits with a pile of video gear sitting in the foreground.

24. A burly guy with shaved head snuggles up next to her.

25. CHRIS and ALLIE toss lightweight boxes one after the
other.

26. The place comes together piece by piece, as if in stop

motion.

27. CHRIS claps.

28. The centerpiece, The TV. They slide it in directly facing

the couch in the living room.

END MONTAGE
 49.

INT. MURDER APARTMENT - NIGHT

ALLIE and CHRIS sit on the couch, feet on the coffee table,
eating pizza and staring at white noise on the tv screen.

ALLIE
We’ll get the hookup tomorrow.

CHRIS shoves pizza in his mouth and nods.

ALLIE kicks CHRIS’S feet off the table and smiles.

CUT TO: BLACK