INT. PRISON CELL - DAY
Light breaks through the window in a cell
over the face of MAX CUBE causing him to break out of a trance. MAX is
sitting in a lotus position in the middle of the cell; it is dark and
musty. MAX's hair is long and his face has a growth of a beard.
MAX
stands and stretches. He goes to the sink and splashes some water on
his face. He reaches up and grabs a razor, holding it in his hands and
glancing long and hard into the mirror. A smile cracks his face.
INT. PRISON BLOCK WALKWAY - DAY
TWO PRISON GUARDS walk down a cell block.
VETERAN GUARD:
Well kid, today is your first day on the job and you get to meet our very own celebrity on his way out.
ROOKIE GUARD:
A celebrity?
VETERAN GUARD:
The great Max Cube.
ROOKIE GUARD:
You mean Max Cube is here?
VETERAN:
Well for the next 33 minutes he is.
INT. PRISON CELL - WALL
A hand tears down a picture of MAX standing next to the Great Wall of China with a can of spray-paint in his hands.
INT. BLOCK - DAY
VETERAN GUARD
The
man is considered a legend and a myth. He's been here so long that the
world has forgotten all about him. You know the day he arrived there were
hundreds of reporters standing out there; heck, he even had his own fan
club that stood outside and waited to catch a glimpse of him.
INT. PRISON CELL - WALL
A
hand takes down a picture of MAX standing on the ledge of the Grand
Canyon. He is holding a pop can over the ledge ready to drop it while
looking at the camera.
INT. BLOCK - DAY
ROOKIE GUARD
You mean the shanty just on the other side of the road? They are his fans?
VETERAN GUARD
They be the ones.
The
two GUARDS approach MAX's cell. MAX, with his back turned, is dressed
in a nice light blue shirt and funky black tie. He turns as he hears the
key slide into the lock and the tumblers inside working.
VETERAN GUARD
Well Max, it's time to get that smoke you always wanted.
MAX:
It's been hell.
20130816
The Mall Moll
It was Wednesday evening and the Mall was practically empty; you could hear the music playing, echoing throughout the building. It was tuned to an 80's station and some powerful songs were being blasted from the past, like a visit from an old friend.
Mags was sitting at the fountain. Her shoes off and she was resting. It had been a hard day and she needed this time just for her. It amazed her that she could take pleasure in doing the simple things in life, like taking her shoes off and wiggling her toes in a near-dead mall.
Nu Shooz kicked on and a smile visited her face. The music was calling to her, beckoning her like a lover, making her sway to the beat. A couple of tween girls strolled past her and paid her no attention; they were off in their own universes and were oblivious to anything not involving them. But her actions were rather infectious, since one of the other store clerks who was standing at the entrance began to move to the beat of a passed generation.
Mags left the parcels on the bench and stood, letting the beat sway her. A rapture unlike anything else she had felt in a while. Mouthing the words to the song, and as if on cue, or by her sheer will, the music turned up a notch. The call of the music was too strong, and like a bagel with cream cheese it was too good to resist.
She let the beat consume her.
The Reality Show
CAMERA ON. Sound on.
MAX checking the clips in his guns. The rest of the team are preparing to move. We see FRANK scanning the horizon. GONER is picking up a shoulder bag. ANGST is leaning against a rock, with a bowie knife in hand.
Camera focuses in on Max.
MAX
(to camera)
Clean body, clean mind.
Max grins and changes his socks.
MAX
I really don't know what I could tell you at the moment.
Max balls up the dirty socks and puts them in his jacket pocket.
MAX
(to camera)
Bear with me okay?
FRANK (O.S.)
In a couple of hours they would be hard as rock and he could use them as lethal weapons.
Max laughs.
HOST
I've been meaning to ask you, why do you change your socks before battle?
MAX
It's a ritual.
HOST
Does it work?
MAX
I'm still here aren't I?
HOST
Ah. So can you recap what we are doing here at the moment?
MAX
There's a group of Quiks nestled up in the building there.
Camera pans to a devastated building. Zooms in on something peering out, but before the camera comes into focus the something disappears. The camera pans around.
MAX (cont.)
They have several hostages that they are going to feed on. What we are doing here is a little rescue.
HOST
You think it's a wise idea to go storming in the front door?
MAX
We don't have that much time. They could have already killed and eaten one or two of them already.
Camera pans to HOST who has a disgusted look on their face. The Host just points to Max as if to order the Camera back to Max.
Frank comes into the shot and up to Max.
FRANK
Maggie's in place. She's ready to rock when we are.
MAX
(to camera)
Well, let's earn some ratings now.
There is laughter off screen.
MAX checking the clips in his guns. The rest of the team are preparing to move. We see FRANK scanning the horizon. GONER is picking up a shoulder bag. ANGST is leaning against a rock, with a bowie knife in hand.
Camera focuses in on Max.
MAX
(to camera)
Clean body, clean mind.
Max grins and changes his socks.
MAX
I really don't know what I could tell you at the moment.
Max balls up the dirty socks and puts them in his jacket pocket.
MAX
(to camera)
Bear with me okay?
FRANK (O.S.)
In a couple of hours they would be hard as rock and he could use them as lethal weapons.
Max laughs.
HOST
I've been meaning to ask you, why do you change your socks before battle?
MAX
It's a ritual.
HOST
Does it work?
MAX
I'm still here aren't I?
HOST
Ah. So can you recap what we are doing here at the moment?
MAX
There's a group of Quiks nestled up in the building there.
Camera pans to a devastated building. Zooms in on something peering out, but before the camera comes into focus the something disappears. The camera pans around.
MAX (cont.)
They have several hostages that they are going to feed on. What we are doing here is a little rescue.
HOST
You think it's a wise idea to go storming in the front door?
MAX
We don't have that much time. They could have already killed and eaten one or two of them already.
Camera pans to HOST who has a disgusted look on their face. The Host just points to Max as if to order the Camera back to Max.
Frank comes into the shot and up to Max.
FRANK
Maggie's in place. She's ready to rock when we are.
MAX
(to camera)
Well, let's earn some ratings now.
There is laughter off screen.
20130815
The Feng Shui Do?
The
corner store was practically empty, except for the cashier who stood
behind the counter glancing up at the television in the corner, as
Maggie walked through the door. Chimes rang out drawing the attention
of the cashier who just gave a quick glance at the lady at the door, and
then back onto the television set.
Maggie paused at the door, scanning for what she was looking for. She saw the coolers in the back and made her way there.
The cashier was focused on the game on the screen. He had good money on his team and they were behind.
The cooler was cool and comforting, and the chilled air rushed out to greet Maggie as she opened the door. She reached for a Ginger Ale and as her finger touched the cool glass the chimes jingled.
Maggie turned in
time to see three men enter. All of them hands in pockets and scanning
the place; two of the men noticed her standing by the cooler while the
lead walked up to the counter, taking something small and dangerous
from his pocket and pointing it at the cashier.
"Why can't I just have a moment just to enjoy a soda?" Maggie muttered to herself. "That's all I'm asking."
Flashforward
I am who I am.
The fall of Saigon was nothing compared to this. His head swimming with a current of alcohol. He wasn't sure what was going on but he knew that his mind was quiet and foggy like a pre-dawn London.
Max lay in the motel room, naked and sweating, watching the ceiling fan rotating around and around and around and around. He felt like Martin Sheen filming his part in a Francis Ford Coppola movie before the big bug out.
Am I mad?
His attention diverted as an naked woman strolled from the other room. Max looked up at the ceiling fan again.
This must be hell.
In the other room he could hear the sounds of lust emanating from a half-open door. Some girl was telling some guy that she loved it like that. Max closed his eyes, his mind drifting millions of realities away.
"Yo Max."
Max's eyes flickered open. Momentarily lost in the void, he was laying on a couch with the remote in hand.
"Yes?" Max questioned Frank.
"I'm going out to grab a java, wanted to know if you wanted one?" Frank asked. He was slipping into his loafers.
"Java?" Max said; he was still trying to grasp the scene change. "How long was I here?"
"All night bud," Frank replied; he stood up and grabbed his jacket. "You want anything?"
"Ummm," Max began, he swung his feet onto the floor. "I'll think I'll tag along."
The Boots are the Thing
The next thing Goner saw were stars and then he fell flat on his ass.
The one punch was a world of pain, full of force and harmful intent. It
staggered him a bit and left him momentarily stunned before the ground
called to him.
The room turned from jovial to an icy cold silence and everyone turned to see what was going on. Max paused the game he was playing and made no move to intervene.
Maggie stood over Goner, looking down upon him, her right fist clenched and the look of anger in her eyes made Goner cringe like a frightened child. He had never Maggie this angry before and he didn't want to set her off again.
"What did I say?" Goner asked. He was rubbing his jaw and he spat out a little blood.
"Bitch boots!" Maggie said. "Do not say those words one more time because they are derogatory and have serious implications."
On that note Maggie turned around and walked out the door wearing long leather boots; the soles of the boots on the hardwood floor were the only sound everyone could hear.
The room turned from jovial to an icy cold silence and everyone turned to see what was going on. Max paused the game he was playing and made no move to intervene.
Maggie stood over Goner, looking down upon him, her right fist clenched and the look of anger in her eyes made Goner cringe like a frightened child. He had never Maggie this angry before and he didn't want to set her off again.
"What did I say?" Goner asked. He was rubbing his jaw and he spat out a little blood.
"Bitch boots!" Maggie said. "Do not say those words one more time because they are derogatory and have serious implications."
On that note Maggie turned around and walked out the door wearing long leather boots; the soles of the boots on the hardwood floor were the only sound everyone could hear.
20130814
The Messenger Summoned
FADE IN:
INT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT
The garage has several luxury cars in the bays. MAX is leaning up against a pillar that has a No Smoking sign on it. A cigarette dangles from his lips. He glances at his chronometer: 9:13pm.
The sound of a car pulling in from the entrance. Max sees a black sedan pull up in front of him. It stops and a GUARD from the front passenger side gets out and opens the back door.
CONTROL (V.O)
Come now Mr. Cube, we don't have much time.
MAX
I'm here as requested.
MAX steps from the shadows to reveal his face.
CONTROL
Ah Max. It's good to see you again.
CUBE
It's been awhile. But I gather we're not here to discuss old times are we?
CONTROL
Alright then. Let's cut to the chase.
CUBE
Let's.
CONTROL
A shift is in process and I need you to relay a message to me once it does.
MAX shuts his eyes in pain.
MAX
Please ...
(looks at Control)
CONTROL
It's something that needs to be done. The fates of otherwhens depends on this.
The Possible Way
Clank.
The sound of metal on stone echoed throughout the the area. It made me cringe because that meant that we were being followed. Max expected that would happen, but we didn't know by whom.
A rat scuttled by my feet. There were a few of them scampering about, more defiant than their cousins topside. I had tied the handkerchief over my nose and mouth, hoping that the would stop the stench.
"You coming Frank?" Angst asked. She was just a few steps ahead of me and she had this joyful glee about her. Who'd of thought that a girl like her would dig doing stuff like this.
"No. Just breathing hard," I quipped.
"You wish you old fart," Angst replied with a faint flirty tone.
"Cut the chatter back there," Max said. Though, I really couldn't understand why he said that since he'd been humming a show tune as we made our way through the sewers.
"Yeah right," Angst told Max.
Clank.
There was that sound again off in the distance behind us. Sounding much closer. Whoever was following us had picked up the pace.
Here we were beneath the city, walking through sludge trying to find a key. The old man had given Max a riddle, and though I am not to clear about it myself, Max and Maggie came to the conclusion that the answer lay in the sewers.
Clank. Clank.
"Max," I said; I drew my glock. "I think we have company."
Max paused; he held the blue cube in his hands and turned to me. He looked very sinister in the pale green light, as if he had discovered the Loch Nar and was about to morph out into a zombie like in the end segment of that Heavy Metal movie.
I guess Angst noticed that as well and she chuckled.
The sound of metal on stone echoed throughout the the area. It made me cringe because that meant that we were being followed. Max expected that would happen, but we didn't know by whom.
A rat scuttled by my feet. There were a few of them scampering about, more defiant than their cousins topside. I had tied the handkerchief over my nose and mouth, hoping that the would stop the stench.
"You coming Frank?" Angst asked. She was just a few steps ahead of me and she had this joyful glee about her. Who'd of thought that a girl like her would dig doing stuff like this.
"No. Just breathing hard," I quipped.
"You wish you old fart," Angst replied with a faint flirty tone.
"Cut the chatter back there," Max said. Though, I really couldn't understand why he said that since he'd been humming a show tune as we made our way through the sewers.
"Yeah right," Angst told Max.
Clank.
There was that sound again off in the distance behind us. Sounding much closer. Whoever was following us had picked up the pace.
Here we were beneath the city, walking through sludge trying to find a key. The old man had given Max a riddle, and though I am not to clear about it myself, Max and Maggie came to the conclusion that the answer lay in the sewers.
Clank. Clank.
"Max," I said; I drew my glock. "I think we have company."
Max paused; he held the blue cube in his hands and turned to me. He looked very sinister in the pale green light, as if he had discovered the Loch Nar and was about to morph out into a zombie like in the end segment of that Heavy Metal movie.
I guess Angst noticed that as well and she chuckled.
Like a Starless Night
His world was in a state of chaos, his head swimming with glitches of images of other people's lives. Max staggered through his room, his head a black hole sucking in the hopes and dreams of those around him.
Get out, Max ordered the random patterns that were making his mind feel like a swiss cheese omelette. He caught his foot on the corner of a chair and stumbled as a drunk would onto the floor. His head catching the corner of the wall with such a sickening thud that Max didn't feel the impact.
He welcomed the coming darkness to swirl in and end the visions of millions.
"Max!"
His eyes flickered opened. His face down and in congealed blood. He brought a hand to his head and he felt a gash there, and he knew that he had lost a lot of blood. The good thing about it was that there wasn't the millions of voices crying out to him, but the question remained was who was the one voice that shouted his name?
"This is candy compared to what I've been through already," he muttered. He tried to pick himself up and it was a slow process, like a dinosaur dying in a bog. He chuckled at the imagery of a dinosaur; it could mean a metaphor for what is to come.
The phone rang, sending a signal right to the core of his brain. The feeling of ice on a sore tooth, and he cringed. He steadied himself as he got up and he looked at the blood on the floor (it wasn't the first time... nor would it be the last time) and it made him feel queasy that he had lost a lot.
He made it to the phone after the sixth ring and picked it up.
"Hello?" Max said into the receiver.
"Good Afternoon, is the man of the house in?" a voice said at the other end. Max could hear other voices as well trying to sell things to people who didn't really want them in the first place.
"No."
Max hung up the phone.
20130813
God Complex
Max jumped from the rooftop, over the alleyway, and landed on the roof of the hardware store. He rolled and came up on his feet.
Glancing around quickly, he headed for the door. He gave it a quick tug to see if it would open, but luck was against him.
He took out his gun with a silencer on it and shot the lock. The door didn’t resist…
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