TEASER
EXT. DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE - NIGHT
The murky din of the city streets emanates into the
blackened shroud of the night sky. It is very late, and only
those sketchy enough to brave the metropolis at this hour
roam through the dark.
There is a TELEVISION in the window of a small bodega, tuned
in to the eleven-o’clock news.
TV REPORTER #1
Providence authorities are saying
that this is now the ninth reported
casualty connected to the rash of
dangerous street racing activity in
the Greater Rhode Island area...
Through the commotion a fierce-looking woman, MARYANNE
PALMER (early 40s), struts past the television wearing dark
SUNGLASSES- peculiar, being as it is night.
TV REPORTER #2
In other news, a violent spree of
reported city bus robberies has the
police force on constant watch and
the general populace terrified...
She stops, and glances at the broadcast for a brief second.
TV REPORTER #1
...Providence officials are asking
the public to remain vigilant and
not to do anything to provoke the
assailants should they be spotted.
TV REPORTER #2
Well Diane, it looks like I’ll be
biking to work next week.
TV REPORTER #1
Oh, who are you kidding Hank? You
drive a Prius.
She scoffs, shakes her head, and continues on her way. Not
far ahead she notices an obvious JUNKIE buying drugs from
his menacing DEALER. They glare at her threateningly, but
disregard her presence as she walks onward.
Her path is suddenly blocked by a rather trashy-looking
MARILYN who is quite obviously a hooker.
PROSTITUTE #1
You lookin for some fun tonight
suga’?
MARYANNE
(with a noticeable New York
accent)
Sorry hun, you’re not my type.
PROSTITUTE #1
(scoffs)
Your loss.
Maryanne chuckles and continues walking.
MARYANNE
(to herself)
I doubt it...
She then casually takes a CIGARETTE out of her pocket. As
she puts it to her lips, it appears to light all on its own,
just as she turns the corner into an alley.
She exhales a billowing cloud of smoke and continues walking
down the deserted alleyway.
As she comes to a crossroad, she looks to her right to see
another STREET-WALKER who appears to be having an argument
with her pimp- a ruthless gangster going by the name of "K"-
behind a nasty-looking DUMPSTER.
K
Yo, where’s the rest of it?
PROSTITUTE #2
(pleading while handing him a
wad of cash)
That’s all I got K. I’m sorry.
K throws the crumpled up wad of cash aside and smacks the
woman across the face. She falls helpless to the ground.
Maryanne continues staring and takes another drag of her
cigarette.
K
You’re sorry?
He kicks her and she squeals in pain.
K (CONT’D)
(yelling)
You’re sorry bitch?
(he takes a GUN out of his
JACKET and points it at her)
Not as sorry as yo’ kids gonna be
without they momma.
Maryanne turns the corner and walks toward them.
PROSTITUTE #2
(cries out)
OH GOD PLEASE NO!
K cocks the gun.
MARYANNE
(i.e. K)
You know, I don’t think you’re
gonna get too lucky with that
thing.
K
(startled)
What the?
(now points the GUN at
Maryanne)
Who the fuck is you?
MARYANNE
(smirking and walking forward
slowly)
I’m just sayin’ man... A dead girl
can’t make you any money.
The hooker tries to get up, but K kicks her back down and
stands with one foot on her back.
K
(i.e. Maryanne)
I don’t give a FUCK who you think
you is bitch! You ’bout to be dead
as this sorry ass-
MARYANNE
(steps forward, with
confidence)
I don’t think so.
K grips the gun. As he is about to pull the trigger,
Maryanne adjusts her SHADES.
MARYANNE (CONT’D)
I’ve been looking all over for you.
The metal on the firearm suddenly becomes WHITE HOT, searing
the skin on K’s hand. He drops the weapon and falls to the
ground howling in pain.
The prostitute screams in horror.
MARYANNE
(i.e. Prostitute #2)
Go on. Get out of here. Forget you
ever saw me.
She nods, frightened out of her mind, then grabs the CASH
off of the ground and runs away.
Maryanne smirks and walks over to the writhing mess.
K
(whimpering)
The fuck are you man?
MARYANNE
(she chuckles, towering over
him)
Trust me. You don't want to know.
She KICKS him square in the face.
END TEASER
BEGIN ACT ONE
INT. PALMER RESIDENCE - MORNING (7:00 A.M.)
The next morning, Maryanne’s ALARM CLOCK blares on the FM
radio playing "Super Freak." She groans, rolls over in her
bed, and SMACKS the off-button. Then she rolls back over,
struggling to get away from the comfort of her RED SATIN
SHEETS.
A moment later, she walks into her seventeen year-old
daughter CADY PALMER’s room, just down the hall. She stands
in the doorway next to her sleeping daughter’s bed.
MARYANNE
(yawning)
Cady, honey, it’s time for school.
Cady groans and rolls over. Maryanne tries to shake her.
MARYANNE
Come on, it’s time to get up.
CADY
(groans in a daze)
Go away.
MARYANNE
(pokes her)
Cady wake up.
CADY
No.
MARYANNE
I am not in the mood Cady. Wake up.
CADY
(annoyed, covering her face
and disheveled dark hair with
her pillow)
Bite me Mom.
Maryanne shrugs, and leans over to bite her daughter’s arm.
Cady shrieks.
INT./EXT. MARYANNE’S JEEP - MORNING
About a half-hour later, they climb into Maryanne’s Jeep and
buckle up. Both of them are inconspicuously wearing dark
SUNGLASSES, though the sky is rather cloudy.
Cady looks at her arm.
CADY
For Christ’s sake Mom, I’m calling
Hazmat.
MARYANNE
We don’t say Christ honnie. You’re
half-Jewish remember?
They start to back out of the driveway.
CADY
Yeah, well Dad’s not here... And
anyway, Grandma’s Catholic.
MARYANNE
True, true... But Grandma’s kind of a
bitch.
CADY
Mhmm... And speaking the Lord’s
name in vain is offensive to
Catholics.
MARYANNE
(laughs)
Aha! I always knew you were my
favorite.
She playfully touches her daughter’s shoulder. They both
laugh and the Jeep flies off down the road.
The Palmer’s HOUSE and GARAGE come back into view.
INT. PALMER RESIDENCE, GARAGE LOFT - MORNING
Above the Palmer’s garage is the loft where Maryanne’s older
daughter, ALISE KYLE (26) sleeps next to her boyfriend DAVIE
GUTIERREZ (20’s). A slew of empty Monster and beer CANS is
strewn across the disheveled room.
A single, peeking ray of sunlight shines through the curtain
onto Alise’s nose which appears to be slightly disturbing
her slumber. Davie tries to put his arm around her, but she
smacks him, groans, and pulls the blanket around her.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL, PARKING LOT/INT. MARYANNE’S JEEP - MORNING
The Jeep pulls up outside the front doors of the school. The
BELL RINGS.
MARYANNE
Aw crap Cady! You’re late again!
CADY
(gives her mother a hug and
kiss)
It’s fine Mom. I’m acing English as
it is.
MARYANNE
(smiles)
Of course you are.
Cady steps out of the Jeep.
CADY
(through the window)
By the way, you’re taking me for my
rabies vaccination after school.
She turns and walks up the stairwell toward the front doors.
MARYANNE
(smiles and waves)
Have a good day! Try not to infect anyone!
Maryanne takes a PACK of cigarettes out of her purse and
puts ONE in her mouth. Her CIGARETTE again appears to light
all on its own.
SLOW MOTION:
Her CIGARETTE again appears to light all on its own.
CONTINUOUS SLOW MOTION:
Cady reaches for the handle to the DOOR but does not touch
it. As she brings her hand back, the DOOR seems to follow as
if on an invisible string.
RETURN TO NORMAL SPEED:
The JEEP pulls off as Cady enters through the front doors.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
So I guess... you’ve probably got a
few questions for me.
Maryanne pulls up to a stoplight and takes a drag of her
cigarette.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
My name is Maryanne Palmer. Once
upon a time, I was a bad-ass chef
slaving away at a five-star
restaurant in New York City...
INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
The frantic sounds of a busy restaurant flood through
Maryanne’s mind.
She stands in front of the HOT-LINE, SHADES donned,
frantically tossing PANS and stirring POTS on the STOVE TOP.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
Bein’ a working Mom was alright I
suppose. But my job got me started
drinking...
She takes a bottle of white wine and splashes it into a
saute pan, then takes a swig.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
...a lot.
She puts the bottle down and continues tossing.
MARYANNE
(to one of the DISHWASHERS)
Hey Sammy, where’s that package of
endives I asked for like twenty
minutes ago?
SAMMY
(poking his head out from the
dish pit)
I checked back there. Ain’t none
left!
MARYANNE
(exasperated)
Check again! I told you I hid an
extra one behind the bell peppers!
Come on, come on kid! I need that
damn salad!
Sammy obliges begrudgingly and runs out of the kitchen.
Maryanne rolls her eyes in frustration.
MARYANNE
Jeez...
Suddenly, her snooty boss FRANCOIS LAROUX (50’s) approaches
her in a tizzy.
FRANCOIS
(with a wicked French accent)
Maryanne! Hurry ze’ fuck up wit’
zose’ scallops!!!
Maryanne bites her LIP.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
...And for good reason I might add.
MARYANNE
Three minutes Francois.
FRANCOIS
Well move your skinny ass, woman!
We don’t have all day.
She clenches her FISTS.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
But sometimes the stress was...
FRANCOIS (CONT’D)
And for fuck’s sake! Take off zose’
creepy sunglasses. This is Relais
and Chateaux not a Cory Hart music
video!
(mumbling as he turns to walk
away)
Fucking vampire.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
...unbearable to say the least.
Maryanne angrily whips around to face him.
MARYANNE
(at the end of her rope)
Excuse me?
Suddenly, as if by magic, all of the BURNERS on the stove
roar up in an inferno as Francois begins to open his mouth
sending POTS and PANS flying in every direction.
The other COOKS scream and try to dodge the incoming
missiles.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
That was my very last day.
Francois turns around and screams. He then frantically
rushes to find the fire extinguisher as the stovetop fire
continues to rage on.
Maryanne rolls her eyes and shrugs, looking down at the
floor to see the SCALLOPS she had worked so hard to make in
a sploshy mess. She squishes one down into the floor tile,
grabs the BOTTLE OF WINE off of the counter space, swigs it,
and struts out of the kitchen.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
I told him that he had unsafe
working conditions.
END FLASHBACK
INT. MARYANNE’S JEEP - MORNING (CONTINUOUS)
The stoplight turns GREEN and Maryanne pulls off.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
So I suppose that’s where your
questions lie... Like, "What the
hell was that?"
She takes another drag of her cigarette.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
Guess I’d ought to fill you in on
my family’s dirty little secret...
INT./EXT. MARYANNE’S PARENT’S ESTATE, 1986 - DAY (FLASHBACK)
Maryanne, at the age of sixteen, ferociously makes out with
a young teenage BOY. They seem to be getting hot and heavy
as they make their way through the doorway. She SLAMS the
DOOR shut with her foot, and they flop onto her bed.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
My family and I, we’re...
different.
Young Maryanne giggles and the boy grunts aggressively. They
rip each others clothes off.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
I know, what a lame thing to say. I
mean it’s so goddamn cliche’, but
when I say different, I mean DIFFERENT.
YOUNG MARYANNE
Do you like... have a... you know?
BOY
Naw, but I’ll be careful. I
promise.
Maryanne concedes and they start to make love.
FREEZE FRAME:
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
Careful my ass. Ten months later I
was an unwed teenage mother. But I
digress... There’s people like us
all over the world. We come from a
long line of genetic freaks who
develop special "gifts"- as my
mother calls them- usually during
the teenage years. And these
"gifts" generally come around at
the worst possible moments.
END FREEZE FRAME:
Young Maryanne’s opens her eyes and her BROWN IRISES
suddenly change into a fluorescent FIERY-BLUE.
Outside the house, we hear her scream with pleasure, and
suddenly, a small part of the estate EXPLODES.
END FLASHBACK
INT. MARYANNE’S JEEP - MORNING (CONTINUOUS)
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
Yeah, tell me about it. Oh, and
that weird eye thing? It happens
pretty often. So we have to keep
’em covered.
Maryanne adjusts her SHADES and tosses her CIGARETTE out the
window.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
It’s hard sometimes- never really
getting a chance to know people,
and having to hide who you are from
the entire world. It’s something my
family and I know all too well...
The Jeep flies off.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM - DAY
Cady sits in the back of her Physics class, next to her
preppy cousin, WESLEY KYLE, who is a little short for his
age. The SHADES over her eyes give her an impassive look.
MR. FELMAN, the attractive male teacher, stands in front of
a diagram of the earth.
MR. FELMAN
The value of the earth’s
gravitational acceleration is...
CADY
(muttering, bored)
...approximately nine-point-two
meters per second squared.
Another STUDENT raises her hand, and Mr. Felman calls on her
for the answer.
STUDENT #1
Approximately nine-point-two meters
per second per second.
Wesley chuckles.
MR. FELMAN
Very good. Now, in conjunction
with...
He continues his lecture on which the rest of the CLASS
seems to be genuinely interested.
Cady slowly nods out and falls asleep on her desk. Mr.
Felman’s voice quickly fades into the background.
After a few moments, her DESK suddenly begins to rise off of
the ground as if by magic.
Wesley finally notices after a few seconds as both his
cousin and the DESK continue to float.
WESLEY
(whispering)
Cady! Cady!
In response to her unresponsiveness, he picks up a small
pink ERASER and flings it at her.
WESLEY
(aggressively whispering)
DUDE! Wake up!
The eraser THUDS off of her head. She jolts to attention,
and the desk comes crashing to the ground, alerting the
entire class, including Mr. Felman. Everyone looks at her
suspiciously.
MR. FELMAN
(to Cady)
Is there a problem Miss Palmer?
CADY
(coughs sheepishly)
Oh no sir. I’m uh- a huge fan of...
gravity.
She smiles, embarrassed, and Mr. Felman shakes his head. He
returns to his lecture and Wesley give Cady an accusing
glare.
After class, Cady and Wesley walk out of the classroom
toward Cady’s locker across the hall.
WESLEY
Dumbass. You really need to be more
careful. You came like THIS close
to getting busted.
CADY
Yeah, that WAS pretty close.
Cady opens her LOCKER.
CADY (CONT’D)
(she playfully punches him in
the shoulder)
Thanks for having my back Wes.
WESLEY
Hey, what's family for?
(he reveals an antique POCKET
WATCH and opens it)
Shit man, I’m gonna be late for
Trig. I’ll catch you later.
CADY
(sarcastically)
Jolly good then, Sherlock.
He playfully flips her off and walks away.
WESLEY
Fuck you Watson.
CADY
Hey, sidekick or no I’m still the
brains of this family!
WESLEY
(laughs)
Well then, consider us all royally
screwed.
She flips him back off and shakes her head, returning to the
books in her locker.
A couple of STUDENTS stare at her bewildered.
STUDENT #2
She’s so creepy.
STUDENT #3
Yeah, what is she? Blind?
Cady glares back at them.
CADY
Can I help you with something?
They walk away shaking their heads and muttering barely
audible insults.
CADY (CONT’D)
(muttering)
Bitches...
Suddenly, her PHONE beeps as she closes the locker door. She
takes it out of her PURSE and blushes. There is a text
message from someone named EDDIE. The opened MESSAGE says:
"Can’t wait to see you."
She replies:
"Me too."
She closes her phone as an obnoxious HALL MONITOR approaches
her with his PAD of pink slips.
HALL MONITOR
(while writing)
Using cell phone during school
hours...
CADY
Oh come on. Seriously dude?
HALL MONITOR
(he hands her the SLIP)
That’ll be Friday at three-thirty.
(he smiles slyly)
Enjoy.
She glares at him, aggravated.
HALL MONITOR (CONT’D)
(muttering while walking away)
Freak...
Cady hears him and is appalled. She watches as he gives out
another pink slip to another very annoyed STUDENT.
As she causally taps her NOSE, the monitor’s BELT BUCKLE
unfastens by itself and his pants drop to the floor. He
trips over the fallen JEANS and falls flat on his face.
BLOOD gushes from his nose.
HALL MONITOR
(howling in pain while holding
his busted nose)
GOD DAMN IT! I told my mom not to
buy me clothes at the fucking GAP!
For a second Cady stares in horror at the scene, but she
quickly sneaks away, shamefaced, as a couple of passerby
STUDENTS help the monitor up onto his feet.
INT./EXT. GROCERY STORE - DAY
Maryanne stands at the cash-register, her groceries already
bagged. The CASHIER, an older, seemingly dim-witted woman
smiles at her.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
Being on the outside gives us a
unique perspective from the rest of
the world.
CASHIER
Do you have any coupons dear?
MARYANNE
(politely)
Uh sorry, no I don’t.
CASHIER
(cheerfully)
Well, it’s your lucky day. I
believe I have one for those cans
of tuna fish... Let me see...
She bends down, picks up a coupon catalog from behind the
counter and starts flipping through the pages.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
Sometimes we just don’t understand
the trivial things that most people
relish in.
CASHIER (CONT’D)
Hmmm... I know it’s in here
somewhere.
MARYANNE
(hiding annoyance)
It’s like ten cents hon. It’s
really no big deal...
CASHIER
Now, now. Every penny counts right?
Maryanne forces a smile.
She looks to her right to see a suspicious-looking SKINHEAD
eyeballing an ELDERLY WOMAN’s purse.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
But we always know when shit’s
about to go down.
She stares at him for a moment but the cashier breaks her
focus.
CASHIER
Aha! Here it is! I knew it was in
here somewhere... And look at that-
twenty cents! See, more than you
expected right?
MARYANNE
(chuckles, barely hiding even more
frustration)
Fantastic. Thank you, really.
She takes her credit card out of her purse and hands it to
the cashier.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
And it always does.
Suddenly, the ELDERLY WOMAN screams.
ELDERLY WOMAN
Hey that’s my purse!
Maryanne looks over to see the skinhead running out of the
store, the PURSE in his hands.
MARYANNE
(mumbling to herself)
Goddamn it...
Maryanne bolts after him, leaving her GROCERIES behind.
CASHIER
(yelling after her)
Will that be debit or credit?
Maryanne runs out of the front doors to see the thief run
into a nearby alleyway. She rolls her eyes and chases after
him.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
But luckily, I can do things that
most people can’t.
In the alleyway, the skinhead thief looks back to see
Maryanne behind him. He books it.
When Maryanne realizes that he is beginning to get away, she
stops, and takes a deep breath. Though her eyes are masked
by her SHADES, it is obvious that she has closed them,
concentrating, and she raises her hand to eye level.
Suddenly, a SPARK ignites, and giant WALL OF FLAME appears
out of nowhere, blocking the thief’s path.
SKINHEAD
(horrified)
What the-?
He turns around, pale-faced, to face Maryanne who marches up
to him, completely out of breath. She puts up her pointer
finger, commanding him to wait for a second.
After recovering, she grabs the PURSE right out of his hand
without any resistance.
The skinhead stares, wide-eyed, in disbelief.
MARYANNE
You might wanna pursue another
pass-time dude. Maybe sailing,
drawing, gambling even. Something
that doesn’t involve snatching
purses from little old ladies.
He nods in compliance- his eyes still bulging out of his
head. The fire-wall behind him CRACKLES as it quickly dies
out and he jumps, panicked.
MARYANNE (CONT’D)
Awesome.
She punches him in the face, and he lands sprawled out on
his back, groaning. A victorious Maryanne turns and walks
nonchalantly back toward the store.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
I guess it’s our duty really- to
help those who can’t help
themselves.
She reenters the store and kindly hands the elderly woman
her PURSE. The crowd of CUSTOMERS cheers at her triumph.
MARYANNE
(i.e. elderly woman)
You might wanna buckle that next
time.
MARYANNE (V.O.)
And in the end...
She then turns back to the cashier, who still has all of her
groceries bagged and waiting.
MARYANNE (V.O. CONT’D)
...we do it with a smile.
MARYANNE
(smiles)
Debit please.
END ACT ONE
Thank you for bearing with me. I'm glad that in spite of this you actually enjoyed reading it.
Points: 260
Reviews: 38
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