"In Search of Whip Snake"
Written by Rebekah Elizabeth Hall
BLACK SCREEN
FADE IN:
ALARM CLOCK - The digital numbers, showing 7:29, fill the screen. As the clock clicks to 7:30, the DJ simultaneously comes on, mid-word. His voice is overly loud - the radio's turned up too loud. While his commentary goes on, the camera PULLS BACK AND PANS TO THE RIGHT slightly, revealing a single bed, a blanket-covered lump in the middle.
The rest of the BEDROOM is organized chaos - piles of books, clothes, etc. are scattered across the floor. A computer rests on a desk at the end of the bed, humming quietly as its screensaver runs. Sunlight sneaks in through the windows.
DJ
-day morning, and it's a beautiful day! Time to get your lazy ass out of bed and get to work!
He switches on a brief excerpt of a song, singing along off-tune. A SOFT GROAN is heard from the bed.
DJ (cont.)
"...St. Peter, don't ya call me, 'cuz I can't go! I sold my soul to the company store-"
A hand slowly emerges from under the blanket and slaps the top of the clock. The DJ's voice is cut off simultaneously. The hand is still resting atop the clock. After a pause, the blankets are tossed back, and BECKY sits up, a disgusted look on her face.
BECKY
(muttering)
I've got to find another radio station!
She stands reluctantly and moves out the door.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN
BECKY enters, rubbing one hand over her eyes. A dog - PEANUT - bounces up, nosing her free hand. BECKY pats her absently on her way to the refrigerator. Opening the door, she leans over and grabs a soda. She slides open the patio door and the dog bounds out. Watching the dog race across the yard, BECKY SIGHS. Turning away, she wanders back to the bedroom, the camera FOLLOWING HER through the house.
Back in the BEDROOM, she sits in front of the computer and wiggles the mouse. The screensaver ends, revealing the desktop. She double-clicks on the "AOL 4.0" icon. The dog runs in and jumps onto the bed as the computer starts GRUMBLING, loading the program. BECKY taps on the soda can before opening it. She sips, and raises the can in a toast to the dog.
BECKY
(chuckling)
The breakfast of champions, eh, Peanut?
PEANUT BARKS, wiggling her stubby tail, a confused but loving look on her face. BECKY laughs.
BECKY
(smiling)
You couldn't care less.
She returns her attention to the computer, where AOL is now open. She clicks on "SIGN ON" and takes another sip of soda as she waits for the connection to complete. She grimaces as the computer CHIMES "WELCOME" and then "YOU'VE GOT MAIL."
BECKY
(to Peanut)
Remind me to change those sounds when I'm more awake! Ugh.
Clicking on the mailbox, she opens the latest message: "Guess what!" from brightgirl@hotmail.com.
BECKY
So, what's up now, Bright Girl?
EXTREME CLOSE UP on computer screen, PANNING across the message.
MICHELE
(voice-over, as Becky reads the message)
Hey, Methos Watcher! What's up in your life? You'll never guess what I just found out! This weekend... Norco, California... Wild West Show... Anthony will be there!-
BECKY
(whispered awe)
Anthony De Longis? Cool!
MICHELE (cont.)
-Anyway, I checked out the website that has info about this, and ran the address through MapQuest. Um... Oh yeah! Anthony and his partner Colin will be performing as the Australian Light Horse Cavalry... Admission is $9, and it'll take us about an hour to get there. So, are ya interested?
BECKY
Are you kidding?! Of course!
BECKY
(cont. as voice-over as she types her response)
BG- Yeah, I'm interested! I'll have to check with the parentage about getting the car, but other than that I don't see any problem with it. Hey, this might be pretty cool! I'll talk at ya later. - MW.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP ON COMPUTER is restored, goes out of focus until screen is a complete blur. After a pause, the blur resolves to:
EXT. BECKY'S HOUSE - DAY
BECKY is half inside a car in the driveway when another car drives up and stops. The passenger side door opens, and MICHELE steps out, carrying a red backpack. Both are dressed in jeans and T-shirts. BECKY backs out of the car and straightens, waving to MICHELE as the car drives away. Camera SHOOTS over BECKY’S shoulder.
BECKY
Hey, BG! What's up? You ready to go?
MICHELE
Yep! I brought the traveling music! (Holds up tape) We're off to Norco.
BECKY
Cool. Let me just duck inside a minute here, and then we should be ready to go.
She disappears into the house, and emerges a moment later, blue backpack in one hand, papers in the other. She hands the papers to MICHELE, who’s been hovering outside.
BECKY
Here ya go. You're Navigator.
MICHELE
(laughing)
Aye, aye.
BECKY opens the driver's side door, leans against the car's roof to address MICHELE.
BECKY
(chuckles)
Hey, someone has to tell me how to get where we're going!
MICHELE
True.
She opens the passenger door, and BOTH get into the car, shutting the doors. Camera stays on MICHELE'S DOOR a moment, then pulls back to reveal the car moving down the freeway.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR - Camera is shooting from backseat, over the shoulders of BECKY and MICHELE. MUSIC is HEARD coming from the car radio.
MICHELE
Oh, hey. I forgot to tell you that Godiva and Riot emailed me. They're meeting us in Norco. This is going to be a regular Boot-Licker reunion!
BECKY
Cool! Hey, tell me the directions again.
MICHELE
Okay. (Consults papers.) The 5 South to the 91 East, exit at Lincoln.
BECKY
Gotcha. Do me a favor and put in some music.
MICHELE
Absolutely.
MICHELE digs into her backpack, brings out a tape, and inserts it into the car's tape player. Camera ZOOMS IN, following her hand, and rests on car radio. MUSIC - "Princes of the Universe" - BLARES from the speakers.
RADIO
"Here we are! Born to be kings. We're the princes of the universe..."
MUSIC CONTINUES, then FADES DOWN till it's barely audible. MUSIC FADES UP again, this time with a different song - "Who Wants to Live Forever?".
RADIO
"There's no time for us, there's no place for us..."
The music continues in the background; BECKY'S voice cuts in.
BECKY (off-screen)
Oh shit!!
Camera CUTS to side-view (MICHELE'S P.O.V.) of BECKY.
MICHELE (off-screen)
What?!
BECKY
Look at that!
Camera looks out car window as a sign passes - "SACRAMENTO 387 MILES", then cuts back to MICHELE.
MICHELE
Why is there a sign for Sacramento on the 5 south?! Isn't Sacramento to the north?
BECKY
(grimly)
Exactly. How in the world did we manage this?! We've been going north on the 5 for an hour, when we were supposed to be going south?!
MICHELE
Well, we go to the next exit and turn around, right? So what if we're late. With luck, we won't miss anything important.
BECKY
It's not that easy...
We start HEARING SPUTTERS and a CLUNK. The car jerks slightly.
BECKY (cont.)
We're running out of gas.
MICHELE
(sighs)
Great.
EXT. SHOT OF CAR - Camera FOLLOWS CAR down the freeway. The car moves sideways, edging toward the off ramp. We can see the girls inside, MICHELE raising her hands in joking prayer, BECKY rocking as though that will help propel the car forward. The car rolls down the ramp and into the parking lot of a gas station that is, luckily, right next to the ramp.
BOTH
YES!!
BECKY jumps out of the car and pulls out her wallet, counting out bills and taking them to the cashier. Coming back to the car, she fills the tank and gets back into the car. MICHELE is studying a map of the area.
BECKY
HOW did we manage to go north for an hour without noticing?!
MICHELE
You got me! But if you go that way, (points) we can get back on the 5 South and hopefully get there without too much more delay.
BECKY
(voice-over as the car pulls onto the freeway)
Okay, but let's make a pact. NO ONE knows about this! It's too embarrassing!
MICHELE
(voice-over)
Oh, agreed! Believe me!
BOTH laugh nervously, then start singing along loudly with the radio.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. RANCH
BECKY and MICHELE stand by the side of an arena, cheering on the riders and scanning the crowd for friendly faces.
BECKY
(shouting over crowd and announcer)
I think we beat them here!
MICHELE
(shouting)
You know what that means!
BOTH
(laughing)
We don't have to tell them! Yes!
BECKY
(grinning)
And here comes the reason we put ourselves through all this!
ANTHONY and COLIN ride into the arena, dressed in Australian Cavalry uniforms and brandishing whips. They ride toward the camera and crack their whips - as the CRACK is HEARD, CUT TO:
BLACK SCREEN
THE END