This is a short script that sprung from a dream I had one night. If anyone would like to turn it into a short film you have my permission as long as I am given writing credit and get to see the finished product.
Enjoy,
Ben
EXT. CORNER STORE - NIGHT
DANNY, early 20’s, leaves a corner store carrying a brown paper bag. He walks towards his pride and joy, a late 60’s Chevelle. Candy apple red with black racing stripes running across the body it is obvious that this machine is built for power and speed.
Next to the dull blue postal MAILBOX Danny parked in front of the Chevelle looks even more fantastic.
The windows on the driver and passenger side are down revealing Greg's other pride and joy, SANDY. Barely out of her teens and barely able to contain her energy as she sits in the passenger side.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
(Calling through the window.)
Did you get it?
EXT. CORNER STORE - CONTINUOUS
Danny pulls a six pack of beer out of the bag.
Viola’.
INT. CAR
Alright!
EXT. CORNER STORE
Danny sets the beer on top of the mailbox and crumbles up the brown paper bag. Opening the mailslot he shoves the brown ball into the mailbox.
Relieved of his trash burden, he snatches up the beer and flings open the drivers side door.
Which smashes into the side of the mailbox.
He slowly pulls the door away from revealing-
CLOSE ON
-a nice size dent in the door.
EXT. CAR - CONTINUOUS
Ahh, man!!
He looks with contempt at the mailbox.
Stupid mailbox. You dented my door.
And hits it a few times.
INT. CAR
Danny, come on. You’re a smart guy, I’m sure you can fix it.
EXT. CAR
(Smiling.)
You’re right. I can fix this.
(Smacking the mailbox one more time.)
Nice try Mr. Box.
With this final flourish, Danny gets into the car and closes the door.
INT. CAR
Sandy take a beer from Danny and pops one open.
Alirght, let’s get going; they’re probably waiting for us.
(Keying the ignition.)
You got it babe.
EXT. CORNER STORE
The car drives off leaving the mailbox in a cloud of dust.
INT. CAR - MOMENTS LATER
So Bret has got this new girl who is supposed to be there tonight.
Really?
Yeah. And Cindy is just totally stressed about it. I mean I don’t know why she just didn’t tell him to not come over.
Cindy has always had trouble telling Bret no.
Yeah. If she had done that the first time around she wouldn’t be in this situation.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
As the car speeds down the road a mailbox appears in the middle of the street.
INT. CAR
Danny slams on the brakes
What the -
Why would somebody put a mailbox in the middle of road?
I don’t know. Probably some jerk playing a prank.
Danny turns the wheel to go around the mailbox. Sandy grabs his arm.
Wait. Shouldn’t we move it?
(Continuing to drive around it.)
No, let’s just get going.
But somebody might get hurt.
It’s just a mailbox. And besides I’m sure someone else will take care of it.
Sandy watches out the window as the car goes around the mailbox.
EXT. STREET
The car drives off leaving the mailbox in a cloud of dust and exhaust.
INT. CAR - MOMENTS LATER
As Danny and Sandy sit in awkward silence another mailbox appears in the headlights. Danny slams on brakes and they both stare at it for a second.
Danny what’s going on?
I don’t know.
(Looking around.)
Is somebody messing with us?
Maybe, let’s just keep going. We’re only a few miles from Cindy’s.
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
The car drives off leaving the mailbox behind.
EXT. STREET
Another mailbox appears in the middle of the street.
INT. CAR
This is ridiculous.
He turns the wheel and maneuvers around the mailbox without hitting the brake.
Danny I don’t like this.
Before he can reply another mailbox appears before them.
EXT. STREET
The car swerves to the left barely missing the mailbox.
INT. CAR
What is going on?
Danny look out!
EXT. STREET
A series of mailboxes are lined up down the street forming an obstacle course.
The car swerves from the left to the right like an slalom course going around each mailbox.
INT. CAR
Why is this happening?
I don’t know.
(Peering out windshield.)
Oh my God, what is that?
EXT. CAR
A row of mailboxes is blocking their lane.
INT. CAR
Hold on!
He jerks the wheel violently to left.
EXT. CAR
The car swerves into the next lane avoiding the mailboxes.
INT. CAR
(Pointing in front of them.)
Look out!
Through the windshield another row of mailboxes stands in their lane. Danny pulls the wheel to the right.
EXT. CAR
The car brushes past the row of mailboxes and sails into the other lane.
It moves forward a few seconds and then another row of mailboxes blocks their lane.
INT. CAR
What the-
He jerks the wheel violently to the left.
This is not funny.
I don’t think it’s a joke.
As they approach the intersection their exits are blocked on the right and left by a row of mailboxes forcing them to drive forward. In the streetlights they appear ominous and menacing. Danny slows down the car and they both look out the windows inspecting them.
(Hitting Danny’s shoulder.)
Go, go, go! Cindy’s house is only a block away.
The car speeds on down the block until they reach the next intersection. Mailboxes are lined up in front of them three deep and have also blocked the left side. The car screeches to a halt.
What do we do?
Go back.
Danny glances into the rearview mirror.
I can’t.
(Turning around.)
What do you mean-
EXT. CAR
A line of mailboxes is blocking the road behind them.
Sandy gets out of the car.
Sandy what are you doing?
Her house is right there.
She walks over to the mailboxes, stopping a few feet in front of them.
Cinnndyyy! Cinndyy! Cindy!
INT. CINDY’S HOUSE
Various people around the same age as Danny and Sandy are sitting in the living room unaware of what is happening outside.
EXT. CAR
Sandy stares off at the Cindy’s house accepting the fact that she will not be able to hear her.
In frustration she hits one of the mailboxes.
After a few seconds of silence a long, slow, metallic hissing emanates from the mailbox and spreads to others.
Sandy watches in disbelief as the chorus grows louder and louder.
Sandy come on!
She is frozen, caught up in the unbelievable.
Danny runs up to her and grabs her by the arm.
Come on, lets go. Let’s get the hell out of here.
Sandy snaps out of her shock and runs with Danny back to the car.
INT. CAR
They slam the doors shut and Danny floors it.
EXT. STREET
The car speeds away in a cloud of dust.
INT. CAR
What are we going to do?
We’re going to get the hell out of here that’s what going to do.
EXT. CAR
The car speeds down the street. Each intersection of the deserted suburban streets is blocked off on the right and left by the mailboxes.
INT. CAR
Scanning the blocks ahead Danny pushes the peddle down further. The car races down the street. Each intersection is blocked by the mailboxes.
After a few moments of hurtling at top speed, Danny slams on the brakes.
EXT. STREET
The car fishtails and shudders to a stop several yards past the last intersection.
INT. CAR
This is ridiculous. They probably have everyone of them blocked.
What are we going to do?
Hold on.
EXT. STREET
The car backs up into the lawn behind it, aiming the front of at one of mailbox blockades.
INT. CAR
Danny shifts into neutral and revs the motor a few times, each roar of the engine growing louder.
Slamming the gas pedal down, he throws the engine into drive.
EXT. STREET
Deep gouges are cut into the lawn as the car speeds towards the mailboxes.
INT. CAR
Here we go!
With a crash, the car breaks through the roadblock and speeds off.
The next intersection they approach is a T-section with the left side blocked by three rows of mailboxes.
Danny jerks the wheel to the right.
EXT. STREET
The car swerves sharply to the right and barrels down the street.
INT. CAR
Did we lose them?
They both scan the sides of the streets as the vehicle hurtles down the street. The neighborhood is deserted again.
I think so.
The tension dissolves for a moment.
Oh my God, look.
EXT. STREET
The car comes to a stop in the middle of the street.
At the end of the block rows of mailboxes, three to four deep, stretch across the street.
INT. CAR
We’re never going to get away are we?
Danny puts the car in neutral and guns the motor.
What are you doing?
I’m going to go for it.
No! Their are too many of them.
Just trust me alright.
He pushes the gas pedal all the way to the floor and rips the motor into drive.
EXT. STREET
The car launches into the mailboxes unleashing a torrent of metal on metal which only results in pushing a few rows backward.
There is no gap to escape through and the mailboxes now surround the front part of the vehicle.
INT. CAR
No! No! No!
He fumbles to lock the car into reverse.
Do something! Do something!
I’m trying.
Danny jams the car into reverse.
EXT. STREET
The car flies backwards from the blockade.
As the vehicle moves the mailboxes slide back into position.
INT. CAR
Sandy turns around to see where they are going.
Oh my God Danny! Look out!
EXT. STREET
The car slams into a thick line of mailboxes which have assembled behind them.
INT. CAR
Startled, Danny fumbles for the gear shift. As the mailboxes surround the rear of the car Sandy screams grabbing Danny’s hand.
(Shoving her away.)
What are you doing!?
Danny throws the car into drive and pulls away from the mailboxes.
As they did before the mailboxes move back into position.
I’m sorry, I’m just so scared.
It’s alright.
Rows of mailboxes block the road in front and back of them.
what are we going to do?
(Looking around.)
I don’t kn-. Hey. Look.
Danny points out his window towards on dark wooden fenced alley. It is longer than the street they are on but only half as wide.
No, no, no. We’ll never make it.
Do you have any better ideas?
Let’s just stay here. They probably just want to hold us here.
EXT. STREET
The front line of mailboxes slowly starts scooting towards the car.
INT. CAR
(Overlapping.)
No, no, no, no, no.
Look I’ll gun the motor at top speed. We outran them before. We can do it again.
(Beat.)
Do you have any better ideas!?
Sandy shakes her head no.
Alright, hang on.
He guns the motor and shoots the car into the alley.
EXT. ALLEY
Kicking up dirt and trash, the car hurtles down the alley. The end is illuminated by the soft glow of the streetlights. They are almost there.
INT. CAR
Are we going to make it?
EXT. ALLEY
As they approach the end of the alley is flooded by mailboxes until a virtual see of blue fills the space in front of them.
INT. CAR
Sandy screams as the car plows into the mailboxes. The force of the crash was enough to push the hood of the car out of the alley.
The mailboxes slowly scrape their way down the sides of the car.
Oh my God! Back up! Back up!
Frantically, Danny puts the car in reverse and throws the pedal to the floor. The car shoots back a few yards and crashes to a halt.
They both spin around in their seats to see-
EXT. ALLEY
-another sea of mailboxes surrounding the car behind them. Both lines of mailboxes advance upon the vehicle scrapping up the sides.
INT. CAR
Lock the doors.
They both slam their hands down on the locks and move into the center sitting as close as possible.
What’s going to happen to us?
I don’t know. I don’t know.
The mailboxes move in around the sides of car.
Wait! The windows!
As they dive for the handles to roll up the windows, mail begins pouring out of the mailslots and into the car. They are both pelted with envelopes of all shapes and sizes as they turn the handles.
CLOSE ON
Sandy’s bracelet caught on the handle.
Danny get his window up and turns to Sandy who is struggling to fight around a growing pile of mail.
What are you doing!?
I’m stuck.
A pile of mail has engulfed Sandy up to her chest. Danny thrust his hand into the pile fishing for the handle.
The car jolts suddenly. They both look around and see the mailboxes pushing against the car. With the force of linebackers smashing into the sides, the vehicle rocks from side to side. [The rocking action continues throughout the rest of the scene.]
Danny keeps digging for the handle as more mail pours into the car.
I can’t get to it.
The drivers side windows smash open and mail starts pouring into the rest of the car. In a panic Danny grabs Sandy’s arm and starts pulling.
Yank it lose!
I can’t!
Break it. Just break it!
I can’t, I can’t, I can’t! This is it isn’t it?
No, no! You’re not.
By this point the front of the car is filled up to their necks and the backseat is slowly filling up. Danny crawls over the backseat, locking his hands under her shoulders and pulling with all his strength.
The envelopes continue to pour in and are spilling over from the front seat.
I can’t breath.
(Moving to the center of the car.)
No, no! You have to get lose.
(Grabbing her hand.)
Come on. Come on!
As the front of the car completely fills with paper Sandy’s hand goes limp.
(Shaking her hand.)
Sandy? . . . Sandy?!
Realizing she is gone, Danny looks around and notices that the floorboards of the backseat are packed with mail. More continues to spill in from the busted windows and the front of the car.
He begins yanking and pulling feverishly on the backseat trying to pry it lose. After a few moments the top of the seat comes lose and pulls away from the frame. Danny crawls through the slot and pulls the seat closed behind him.
INT. TRUNK
In the darkness we here Danny’s breathing and the thudding of the mailboxes against the car.
Suddenly the trunk lid pops open. Startled, Danny looks for an escape but is deluged by a torrent of mail. The envelopes quickly fill the trunk before he even has a chance to escape.
Then the first row parts and the dented mailbox from the corner store slides forward. It’s mailslot opens up and out shoots a crumbled brown paper bag.
With this last bit of business done the mailboxes shuffle and slide out of the alley leaving a car overflowing with mail.
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