Matt Nielson
Aug 31, 2018 · 2 min read

Scene 8

EXT. BUSY STREET — DAY

Light rain falls on a busy city street — pedestrians up their pace to get to shelter, and cars find themselves crawling forward in gridlock. LEANNA, a beautiful and expensively-dressed young woman holding a stylish overnight case, is standing half a step into the street from the kerb, staring in frustration at the oncoming traffic and waving her phone in the air at them.

LEANNA: (to self) Come on come on come on… HEY!

A cab drives past slowly. LEANNA throws her hands out in outraged protest, before recoiling with a shriek as the cab splashes a small puddle in her direction. She takes a few steps after it, screaming in anger.

LEANNA: You pig! You dirty, disgusting -

A car honks behind her. LEANNA wheels around in rage…

LEANNA: Oh, you too, huh? You -

But it’s actually another cab. Through the window, we see an overweight, hairy guy in a cap. He smiles and beckons her to get in.

LEANNA: Oh. Thank you!

With short steps in her high heels, she totters over to the cab, and throws open the door.

INT. TAXI CAB — DAY — CONTINUOUS.

LEANNA climbs into the cab, dragging her case. She flops down on the seat, relieved.

LEANNA: Oh my gosh! Thank you!

She relaxes, exhales, the stress of the last few minutes leaving her body and her eyes drooping shut. She takes a deep breath…

…before her eyes shoot open again, in horror.

CUT TO

We get a good look at MO, the driver. He is covered in a sheen of sweat, and his stained shirt is unbuttoned down to reveal a hairy chest. His hair is matted to his forehead under a dirty old newsboy cap. He looks like he stinks. He holds up a half-eaten souvlaki wrap, dripping oily sauce and meat down the wrapper and his arm.

MO: Wanna bite, lady?

LEANNA restrains a gag, breathing through her nose. It’s like she’s choking on the noxious air.

MO: Alright, lady? Where to?

LEANNA: (barely talking through dry retching) Airport.

MO: Airport coming right up, lady!

MO takes a big bite of the wrap, to LEANNA’s obvious disgust. He chews with his mouth open, before pausing suddenly. LEANNA pauses too, in trepidation, before…

…MO coughs loudly, sending flecks of food all over the dashboard and windshield.

LEANNA reflexively grabs for the door, throwing it open and stepping out onto the street…

…and instantly ducks back into the cab, drenched in the increasingly hard rainfall, as a car speeds by honking. She screams in frustration.

MO: You okay, lady?

LEANNA takes stock of her situation, and restrains herself.

LEANNA: Airport.

MO stares, not acting.

LEANNA: Airport! Now! Fast!

MO wheels around and stomps on the pedal as LEANNA is thrown back into the seat, trying to stay calm in the fetid air.

END SCENE

    Matt Nielson

    Written by

    Big words guy, I mean, HUGE. Hire me: mattjnielson at gmail dot com