Under Fire

written by

Kate Bridge

Alberta, Canadak8bridge#gmail.com

EXT, BASKETBALL COURT-DAY

David (18) and Michael (20) both African American are playing basketball one on one at the basketball court. A firetruck pulls up with its siren blazing.

MICHAELAww shit, it's firefighters again

DAVIDRacially profilin sons of bitches,

Two fireman Bill (43) and Rick (40) both caucasian step out of the fire truck and walk up to the boys, they step right into Michael and Davids face and look them straight in the eye.

BILL Do you boys know anything about a fire around here?

MICHAELNo sir, we are just playing basketball.

RICKAre you sure you aren't playing (beat)

with fire?

DAVID What? No

RICKWhat's your name son? Raquan? Tyrosainse? Shaquanalamadingdong?

DAVIDMy name is David.

Bill starts sniffing the air

BILLIt sure smells like smoke doesn't it Rick?

RICKYes, Bill it does. It just makes me sick to my stomach knowing that there are pyromaniac pukes like this out here destroying the community.

2.

DAVIDSir we are just trying to play some ball here not start any fires.

RICKLets see what the dog team thinks shall we?

Rick gestures towards the firetruck and two Dalmatians run up and start sniffing at Michaels pockets and pull out a large pack of matches and bring it over to Bill, Bill takes out a single match and holds it up in front of Michael.

BILLSo what do you have to say about this?

MICHAELNothing, I like to barbeque. Owning matches is completely legal.

RICKYou can tell your porky pie lies to the judge you dirty arsonist, Take em in Bill

BILL (whispering to rick)

We actually can't take them anywhere, we really cant do anything unless there is a fire

RICKWell I guess we will just have to (beat)

Light them on fire

DAVIDThat escalated quickly.

Michael and David run away from Rick and Bill as they are chased Bill and Rick light and throw matches at the boys. Bill is able to catch up and hold a match on michaels skin for a second until the flame goes out.

MICHAELDude, what the hell? I am mean, it didn't hurt that much but that's going to leave a mark for sure

DAVIDDon't you guys have like real fires to put out somewhere?

3.

EXT. ALLEYWAY DAY CONTINUED

David and Michael can't run away from the two firemen and are now cornered in a back alley where there is a chained gate locked from the other side, they struggle in a panic to try to climb over but fail, The fireman close in on them, one of the matches that had been thrown has fallen on the ground. A nearby jerrycan behind them ignites, flames start to encircle them all.

MICHAELAren't you guys causing something you are supposed to prevent?

BILL(looks at Rick)

He's right, we are in over our heads, we should bail, no one will ever believe them anyway.

RICKYou're right, we are in too deep.(beat)

Now we have to finish this, we will just have to let the fire burn their bodies.

MICHAELYou guys really just go straight to that hey?

BILLAnd we will be first on the scene to look like the heroes who tried to stop this.

RICKRight, because they were just out of control firebugs standing in the way of us doing our jobs and there was nothing we could do to stop them. We'll probably even get medals.

Bill and Rick Laugh

A police woman (32) casually walking by the other side of the gate see's the four men and the fire. She unlocks the gate.

4.

POLICE WOMANOr not because I have witnessed everything that you just said

David and Michael still look nervous

RICKPiss off cop, this is a fire, this isn't your department, go write parking tickets or something.

The Police Woman pulls out a tazer and points it at the firemen as the building burns behind them. Bill and Rick put their hands up.

BILLOkay sweetheart, we all know you are not going to taze us.

RICKMaybe we can talk about this over a drink after.

POLICE WOMANOh go suck on your pole you fucking fire pig

DAVIDSo it looks like you guys have this situation sorted out so can we just go?

MICHAELYeah, I have a board meeting to get to in...

RICK,BILL,POLICE WOMANNo!

RICKPut the tazer down princess.

Police Woman charges the tazer, Rick turns to bill

RICK (CONT’D)Females, am I right? She's probably on her period.

The police woman tazes Rick right in the forhead and he starts to convulse and dies, Bill Freaks out and hits the police lady in the head with his firemans axe killing her and then goes to swing his axe at Michael and David but is shot in the chest four times.

5.

Michael and David look over to see where the gunshots came from and an over weight Mailman (40's) is blowing on the gun and re-holstering it.

DAVIDThank God you showed up.

MAILMANIt was on my route.

MICHAELWhen did mailmen get guns

MAILMANOh, we didn't, I just have one.

The three men walk into the sunset away from the burning alley and the three corpses.

DAVIDMailmen are so cool, When I was a kid I wanted to be one when I grew up. Now I am just a cardiothoracic surgeon

David gestures a finger down his throat and makes a pretend gagging sound.

DAVID (CONT’D)Blahh

MICHAELHey do you guys want to go get icecream?

MAILMANYeah for sure, maybe we will light some fires on the way.

DAVIDYeah, alright!