hunting - a short script

FADE IN: EXT. CITY PARK – AFTERNOON

Sunny day in a big city. The usual sounds of a BUSTLING metropolis feel somehow distant in this muddy park. BEANS the cat (3) is chasing a fly. It’s always just out of reach. The fly lands on a tall blade of grass. Beans stops perfectly still. His pupils widen, he cannot miss. Beans wiggles his butt ready to pounce – and LEAPS! At the last second, The fly WHIZZES away and Beans tumbles through the blade of grass and into a puddle. Beans lies there, quite embarrassed. The fly lands almost mockingly on Beans’s nose for a moment. And then the fly buzzes away. The CAMERA TILTS UP with the fly as it ascends and we see the city skyline. The TITLE fades in:

hunting

EXT. CITY ALLEY – AFTERNOON Beans pursues the fly down an alley, occasionally shaking the water off his fur as he runs. The fly goes into a shaded corner, hidden behind a large black bin. Beans prowls towards the corner. He sees the fly caught in a Spider’s web, in front of the dark alcove by the bin. Beans’s pupils widen, his butt wiggles, he’s ready to pounce. Suddenly from behind the web - two eyes appear out of the darkness, staring at BEANS. Beans recoils away, arches his back, puffs his hair out and growls. Whipping his tail in a nasty fashion. Unfortunately for Beans, he isn’t the biggest cat. The menacing eyes in the darkness blink and creep out past the web. A brown rat (1) comes into the light, rotten fruit in mouth. Beans remains standoffish. The brown rat (who from here on out will be referred to as PAUL), drops his rotten fruit and pushes it forward with his nose. A rotten apple slice slides towards Beans. Beans - still puffed up - sniffs it, recoils again and bats it back. The apple slice hits Paul and causes him to retreat into the darkness. Paul’s eyes still stare out but not as menacing. Beans backs away and leaves the alley. EXT. CITY STREETS – EVENING Paul follows Beans out of the alley. Paul watches Beans from a distance -- curious. Beans slinks around the city streets, trying to keep out of sight. A little GIRL (10) stops to beckon Beans over. Beans sits wary for a moment. Beans goes to the young girl. The girl pets Beans and he purrs. Paul goes into the street. He spots a young BOY (7) and skulks towards him – unnoticed. Paul tries to look cute and even purr. But rats can’t purr so it’s sort of a weird gargling noise. The boy looks down and sees Paul; lying down, belly up at his feet, ‘purring’. The boy screams, and runs away from the rat – his foot just missing Paul’s head. Dodging the boy’s foot, Paul runs and hides under a nearby parked car. Paul looks over at Beans. Beans is purring like a well oiled engine, hugging the girl’s feet. The girl is grabbed by the arm and dragged away by her mother, in a rush to get home. Beans stares at them as they go. He meows after them, but they don’t turn around. Beans leaves to go back to the park. Paul follows at a distance. EXT. CITY PARK – NIGHT Beans approaches a locked sheltered enclosure where the park bins are kept. In one bound, he leaps over the locked gate and in. Rain begins to fall. Like earlier with the cobweb, Paul’s eyes stare on from the dark park and towards the enclosure. Paul scampers towards the bin shelter. INT. PARK BIN SHELTER – NIGHT It’s a cold rainy night in the park. Paul sneaks over the locked gate and into the shelter. He sees Beans curled up and sleeping in a space between the bins, elegantly lit by moonlight. Paul creeps towards Beans, pussyfooting under and around the bins. Paul speeds from behind one bin to another, and accidentally knocks something caught on a hook on the bin. The strange hooked item jingles, and Paul rushes to grab the ringing orb and stop the sound. Paul looks at Beans. Beans stirs a bit, but rolls into a comfier sleeping position. Paul sighs with relief, takes the item off the hook and lays it on the ground. It’s an old blue velvet collar with a bell. On the collar it reads: ‘Beans’. Paul looks back at Beans for a moment and imagines how he must’ve looked before. Not brown with mud and rain, but ginger and soft. Prim and perfect. Paul softly approaches Beans. Suddenly he’s gripped with uncertainty. He wants to introduce himself but he’s worried Beans might reject him again. Paul hangs around a bit hoping Beans just wakes up. Beans does not wake up. Paul lies down, belly up and starts to ‘purr’. But Beans does not wake up. Paul spots a spider’s web in the top corner of the enclosure. At the centre of the web is a fly gift wrapped in cobwebs. Paul climbs up the bins, onto a drainage pipe and up the enclosure. Paul gets to the cobweb, careful not to put his weight on it. But he just can’t reach the fly. So he rests one foot on the web, the other still hanging onto the pipe. The fly is so close but just out of reach. Out of the darkness, beyond the fly, two menacing eyes appear. Then four eyes, then eight! A large dark furry leg CREEPS onto the web, then another and another. A SPIDER crawls out of the darkness. Each of the SPIDER’s eyes reflect back to Paul his scared little rat face. Without a moment’s hesitation, Paul chews an integral support of the cobweb and cuts it. Paul holds onto the web, swinging like Spider-man! As Paul is swinging, the fly comes loose and falls into Paul’s arms. As Paul flies through the air, he realizes there’s nothing to break his fall -- but Beans. Paul SLAMS into Beans. Beans leaps up, howling and growling in all directions. Fangs and claws out, ready for all attackers! Beans sees Paul lying on the ground, facing away. Beans growls. Paul doesn’t move. Beans stops showing off his fangs and takes a step towards Paul. Paul rolls over revealing a fly wrapped in web -- then Paul purrs his odd purr. Beans sniffs at the fly, nudges it a little with his nose and looks at Paul in bewilderment. Beans purrs and starts grooming Paul. Paul’s little buck teeth peek out as he smiles. And whilst they’re distracted, the fly tries to roll away to freedom. But the Spider zips down on a string of web and stops it before it can get far – and zips it up away out of view. Beans curls up into a ball and goes to sleep. Paul climbs into Beans’s arms and sleeps with him – burrowing into Beans’s fur to get as close as he can. Beans and Paul drift off to sleep, purring. It’s still a cold rainy night in the enclosure, but tonight it’s just a little warmer. EXT. CITY STREETS – NIGHT A woman and her child silhouetted by the night are putting up a poster. The woman checks her watch.

MOTHER

I’m sorry honey, we’ll try again tomorrow.

The MOTHER (36) escorts her SON (12) home. The poster they were putting up is for a missing ginger cat called: ‘BEANS’. EXT. CITY ALLEY – MORNING Early morning. A couple of rats are eating out of a takeaway bag. The grey rat (who from here on out will be referred to as SCHOFIELD) hears something clang in the distance. Schofield returns to eating but stops when he hears footsteps nearby. Schofield nudges the black rat (who from here on out will be referred to as WILLOUGHBY). Willoughby stops, leers at Schofield for a second and returns to eating. Schofield knows something isn’t right. He starts backing away from the takeaway bag and towards the street. Willoughby’s head is lost inside the bag of food. Her butt and tail poking out. In a flash, a mess of teeth SNATCH Willoughby’s tail and pull it, back out of view. Schofield hears Willoughby screeching and and frantically scampers down the street. EXT. CITY PARK FIELD – MORNING Schofield stops for a moment in the tall grass. Trying to hide. He scurries through, out of the grass and up a tree. Schofield surveys the area. No danger in sight. THUD. The tree shakes. THUD. It shakes again, this time harder. Schofield looks to the base of the tree and sees the FOX. Eyes transfixed on the rat. It’s a mean looking Fox too; scarred muzzle, missing half an ear. The Fox hurls it’s body at the tree, trying to knock it down. THUD. Schofield’s feet wobble off the tree, only his paws hold him steady. He grips the branch, his nails grind against the bark. He holds on as hard as he can. THUD. THUD. The thuds stop. Schofield loosens his grip and catches his breath. He looks down and sees the Fox bounding up the tree. Schofield leaps from the branch. SLAMS into the mud and just as he starts to run a mess of teeth SNAP at him. CUT TO BLACK. FADE IN: INT. PARK BIN SHELTER – MORNING We see Beans wake up and stretch himself out. Paul rolls himself over. Suddenly they hear something RATTLING on the gate. Beans retreats under a bin. Paul scurries to the gate. Paul climbs up and looks down. It’s the Fox pushing at the door. Scarred muzzle and missing half an ear. It sniffs and paws at the locked gate. The Fox smells something in the air. It spots Paul. Paul stares back frozen. The Fox drools as it sizes up Paul.

PARK BIN MAN (O.S.)

Go on! Clear off!...bloody things.

The Fox flees. And the PARK BIN MAN (40) goes to unlock the gate. Paul runs to the other side of the enclosure, and squeaks down at Beans. Beans hears the lock click and leaps out of the shelter with Paul close behind. EXT. CITY PARK WALK – AFTERNOON Beans strolls through the park with Paul riding on his back. Paul runs off and into a bin and pulls out an orange slice coated in dirt and hair. Paul bats the muck off it and drops it in front of Beans. Beans passes. Paul devours the slice. The two continue strolling through the park. EXT. CITY PARK FIELD – AFTERNOON Beans sits looking over the park. He scratches his ear with his foot, and Paul runs up to him and scratches exactly where Beans is trying to reach. Beans’s foot slowly stops kicking and drops. Beans looks at Paul and purrs. Beans raises his butt, he’s ready to pounce. Paul lets out a giddy squeak and springs away. Beans makes chase. Beans allows Paul to feel like he’s always just out of reach. Paul stops running, looks around to see if he has lost Beans. He can’t see him anywhere. But we can see Beans’s eyes through the tall grass and he leaps after Paul! With Paul caught in Beans’s paws, they tumble through the grass and into a puddle. Paul immediately jumps up excited and runs away again. Beans bounces up and runs after Paul. EXT. RESTAURANT ALLEY – DUSK A tired Chef comes out from a restaurant with a bag of waste food. He drops it in one of the alley bins and returns to work. Beans and Paul creep out from hiding. Beans sniffs around the alleyway. Paul follows from behind. Beans stops at one of three large bins, sniffs at it closely, then boops it with his nose. Paul understands the signal, climbs up that bin and roots around inside. Paul comes out of the bin triumphant, and drops a large chicken leg down onto the ground for Beans. Beans launches at it, ravenous. Paul comes down with his own smaller piece of chicken and they eat together. The shadows around them grow taller as the sun disappears from view. As Beans and Paul feast on the chicken, they hear an ominous growl. They turn to look behind them and see the Fox. Beans puffs himself up and gets between the Fox and the chicken. Paul cowers behind Beans unseen by the Fox. Beans unsheathes his claws and hisses. Fangs loudly on display. The Fox doesn’t even react. The Fox steps closer to the meat. Beans steps towards the Fox. They stand still for a moment, waiting for the other to make the first move. The Fox pounces at Beans, Beans leaps at the Fox. They tumble into a messy brawl. Paul flees to the bin. From under the bin, Paul sees the Fox standing over Beans and watches as the Fox leaps up and onto Beans! Paul can’t even look, but then he gets an idea. Paul climbs the bin and returns inside, rooting around for something. Beans falls to the ground tired with a fresh bloody rip in his ear. The Fox steps towards Beans. It’s growling, barbed mouth dripping with bloody saliva. BONK. An apple core bounces off the Fox’s head. The Fox turns and sees the fat juicy rat it saw earlier. The Fox becomes transfixed on its prey. Paul flings a banana peel at it but the Fox dodges it, and hurls its body at the bin. Paul falls off and onto the ground, right by the chicken. The Fox sprints after Paul but stops and SCREAMS. Beans is latched onto the Fox’s rear leg. Beans howls and growls, not letting the Fox go. EXT. CITY PARK – SAME TIME OF DAY The Mother and the Son are putting up another ‘Missing Cat’ poster – when suddenly they hear a fox scream and what sounds like a cat howl. They exchange a look. The two of them rush to the source of the noise. The poster falls, unhung. EXT. RESTAURANT ALLEY – SAME TIME OF DAY Beans lets the Fox go. The Fox lets out a loud and weak whimper. It retreats from the brawl, limping. Paul looks back at the chicken and then at the Fox. The Fox hides in the darkness, trembling and whining. Paul cautiously approaches the Fox and drops his share of the chicken in front of it. Paul then runs back and hides behind Beans. The Fox steps briefly into the light, grabs the chicken and limps away. Paul grooms Beans, licks his wounds. Beans flinches but trusts Paul. Beans grooms Paul too. And they have a moment of calm after the chaos. Beans meows at Paul and Paul does his strange purr. They both go to eat the chicken leg.

SON (O.S.)

I think it came from here - Beans?!

MOTHER (O.S.)

Beans! Oh sweetie, what happened to you?

Once the Mother and Son round the corner, Beans is elated. He runs to them, meowing, purring, he is ecstatic. The Son picks Beans up and hugs him close. Beans hugs him back. The Mother pets him.

MOTHER

We’ve looked all over for you!

SON

He might need to go to a vet.

MOTHER

We’ll take him on the way home.

Beans looks down at the alley for Paul. He can’t see him. Beans starts pushing off from the Son to be let down. He’s let go and Beans goes to the bins. He sees Paul hiding underneath. Beans meows frantically.

MOTHER

Beans?

The Son gets down to the ground to see underneath.

SON

There’s a rat under there.

MOTHER

Be careful honey, they’re dangerous. Come on Beans, let’s go.

The Mother goes to pick up Beans but Beans keeps pushing away. Making it difficult. The Son keeps looking at the rat. For a moment Paul steps forward, hopeful.

SON

…it doesn’t look dangerous.

MOTHER

Beans was probably hunting it. Probably led him out the house. Come on, it’s getting late.

The Son steps away from the bins. The Mother carries Beans out the alleyway and her Son follows behind, excited to have Beans back. The whole time Beans looks over her shoulder.

Paul comes out from under the bin and watches as Beans is taken away. Beans meows after him but Paul doesn’t move. It’s just Paul in the alley now. Alone.

EXT. CITY PARK FIELD – NIGHT

Paul is on his way back to the park bin enclosure. He stops and looks around to where Beans was hiding in the tall grass before. He can’t see Beans anywhere.

Paul keeps going.

EXT. CITY PARK WALK – NIGHT Paul passes the bin he ate from earlier that day. Not hungry. EXT. PARK BIN SHELTER – NIGHT The Park Bin Man has just locked up the shelter and left work. Paul creeps out from hiding and climbs up the gate and in the shelter, unseen. INT. PARK BIN SHELTER – NIGHT Paul wanders into the shelter. It’s empty now. Paul goes to the old collar on the floor. He stares at it. Paul picks it up off the ground and holds it for a moment. He shakes it and the bell jingles. The moonlight dances off the bell as the ringing echoes around the enclosure. Paul takes the collar to where he and Beans slept the night before. Then he lays the collar on the ground. The Spider slowly lowers down from the ceiling, and offers a webbed up fly. Paul sombrely shakes his head ‘no’ and lies down next to the collar. The Spider steps towards him and rubs Paul’s back a bit. It’s nice. The Spider takes the fly and returns to his web in the corner of the enclosure. Paul lies there. The enclosure wasn’t cramped before but it feels empty now. INT. CITY APARTMENT – NIGHT Beans is curled up on the Son’s lap in bed - arm wrapped in a bandage. Beans looks cleaner, more prim and perfect but still roughed up from the fight. The Son is fast asleep. Beans eyes open and he rises from bed. Beans hops up to the windowsill where there’s a beautiful view of the city. Including the city park. Beans stands on the windowsill gazing down at the park. Looking at the park bin enclosure. He curls up next to the window, trying to snuggle as close as he can against the glass. Beans shuts his eyes and sleeps. CAMERA TRACKS BACK, zooming out from the window and giving us a view of the city skyline at night. The TITLE fades in:

hunting

CUT TO: INT. PARK BIN SHELTER – MORNING The exact same shot as before when Paul went to sleep. But Paul isn’t there. The morning light shimmers off of Beans’s old collar. ROLL CREDITS. FADE OUT.

THE END.