ReindeerGames,驯鹿游戏

英文片名: reindeer games

中文片名: 驯鹿游戏

上映: 2000

reindeer games

by ehren kruger

fade in:

a figure in a santa claus suit

lies face-down in a nighttime expanse of snow. one of the body's

red-sleeved arms is twisted at a sickening angle. the white snow

beneath the figure is spreading with red.

reveal ext. snowy road - night

the figure in the suit lies motionless. snowflakes drift.

int. hallway - night

dark, rustic wood, an office with broken windows and whistling

winter beyond. a second body in a santa claus suit lies dead in

the doorway.

it's a man with a large build. the suit is riddled with holes. his

face is missing.

ext. parking lot - night

more snow falling. a handful of cars in the lot. a third body

in the same red-and-white outfit lies atop the hood of an old

pontiac. his head is not visible, having smashed through the

windshield. his suit is charred and blackened.

a halo of broken glass outlines him. his black boots hang off the

front bumper. the parking lot is silent.

int. room - night

a floor scattered with shiny silver quarters. reflections of neon.

there's a fourth santa here, face-down in a red pool. the suit is

far too big for him. not that it matters now.

ext. snow-filled ravine - night

where the fifth and final santa lies at the edge of a ravine,

which plummets a hundred feet down. the man rests precariously

atop the slope, upside-down, eyes closed.

his burned suit is smoldering. he has a sly but tired face, late-

20's, sandy hair, cold and scarred. this is rudy duncan.

he opens his eyes.

rudy (v.o.)

i never was much for the holidays.

cut to black.

the sound of a winter wind

rises, as a title appears: 'seven days before...'

and then, to complete the sentence: '... xmas.'

fade in:

ext. iron mountain state prison - day

snow drifts down onto the stone walls and wire fences of the iron

mountain, michigan s.i.c. winter's been here awhile.

int. prison cell - day

rudy duncan lies in his top bunk, staring at his ceiling -- where a

handful of paper-cut snowflakes have been pasted.

the sounds of yelling inmates and gates slamming shut echo through

the fortress. rudy watches a spider scurry across the paper snow.

it's his excitement for the day.

he turns to the wall, where there's a photo of his teenage self

with some co-workers at an auto body shop. and a family photo,

cheery midwesterners, with rudy a scowling artful dodger.

a wall calendar

shows the dates have been crossed off up to december 18th.

december 22nd is circled again and again.

rudy muses at the calendar, then hops out of his bunk. drops to

the floor, crosses to a desk, finds a chewed-on pen. turning back

to the beds we reveal--

the lower bunk

where rudy's cellmate, nick mason (32), rugged, mustached and

well-built, sleeps soundly. in contrast, his bed-wall is a collage of

photographs, twenty, maybe thirty of them. almost a mural.

all of them photos of a beautiful young girl, mid-twenties,

smiling out from beaches, parties and snowy scenes. gorgeous brown

hair, heartbreaking smile. effortlessly sexy.

rudy

stares at the pictures for a moment, wistful. nick snores, turns

over. rudy climbs atop his bunk again, with the pen this time. and

crosses december 18th off the calendar.

cut to:

ext. prison yard - day

the two of them, nick and rudy, shivering by the fence. nick -

absently whistles some 'silver bells,' then digs for a smoke.

nick

what's the first thing, man? what's

the first thing you're gonna do?

rudy

haven't thought about it.

nick

hell you haven't.

rudy

get to thinking about it, it

won't happen.

nick

we walk outta here, we hit that

road, what's the first thing you're

gonna do.

rudy

ain't there yet.

nick

three days, man.

rudy

not yet.

nick

fuckin' christmas, man. fuckin,

christmas on the outs.

dozens of uniformed inmates wander the yard, stamping feet, hands

tucked away, breath frosting. nick tries to light his cig, but the

wind plays havoc. nick curses, tosses it.

rudy

hot chocolate.

nick

what?

rudy

get a hot mug of chocolate.

(nods)

first thing i'm gonna do.

nick

(smiles)

and a slice of pecan pie, right?

rudy

and some pecan pie.

nick laughs, stares through the fence at the gates of the prison's

entrance road. longingly.

nick

she's gonna be out there, man.

right there. right there waiting.

rudy

yeah.

nick

gonna walk out of this

shitstorm and right into her

arms.

rudy

yeah.

nick

got us a motel out highway 5,

bringing her own damn sheets, you

read that part? silk damn sheets.

lock ourselves in the whole week,

drinking wine, taking baths, man,

see if they got those room service

steaks ... anything i want to do.

remember when she wrote that?

anything i want ...

rudy

yeah. fuckin' christmas.

nick grins. they stand there, shivering. it's freezing, but the

time they get outside is too precious to give up.

rudy

all those pictures she's sent...

y'know ... you sure they're all

of her, nick? you hear sometimes

they don't send their real

pictures. could be her cousin or

something.

nick studies him.

nick

why you gotta say a thing like that.

rudy

i'm just saying.

nick

why you gotta. we were gonna give

you a ride someplace, man. now i

just don't know.

rudy

i'm just talking.

nick

fuck your hot chocolate, rudy.

they trail off in silence. nick looks out at the prison road

again. a snowy wasteland.

nick

i'm gonna marry this girl.

int. prison cell - day

rudy lies in his bunk, staring at the same paper snowflakes.

nick (o.s.)

hey, hey, listen here. 'i've made

my list and i've checked it twice,

and as long as you're naughty, it's

gonna be nice. these cold winter

weeks have been killing me, nick,

as i lie here alone. it's not

enough to have your warmth in my

heart anymore; i need your warmth

next to me. work at penney's has

been busy because it's christmas

and that's when we do almost half

of our business for the whole year--',

okay, whatever, whatever--

(skipping on)

'--my manager's still mad at me for

asking for the whole week off,' whatever,

whatever-(smiles) here we go. 'and all

that gets me through the day is to

close my eyes and imagine holding you,

and kissing you, and touching you,

and tasting you everywhere because i

know at that moment, i'll feel i've

found the reason for my whole entire

life.'

rudy still stares at the stone ceiling.

rudy

for twenty-five, she sounds pretty mature.

nick

yeah. you grow up in detroit, you get

matured real quick.

nick's doing pushups on the floor below, smoking a cig, reading

sheets of pink stationery. with a new photo: of the same girl, in

a bikini by a lake. vamping a childish pose.

nick

sure as hell don't make me miss millie

bobek. guess i owe millie, though. if

i hadn't been rollin, her, i woulda

never ended up here. and i woulda

never met ashley.

(studies photo)

that's the world for ya.

nick climbs off the floor, paces back to the bunks, marvelling at

the latest letter.

rudy

what if she sees you, man, sees what

you look like ... and it's not there.

you just don't do it for her.

nick

me and her got a connection.

(hands page to him)

read this part. read the part

about stuffing her stocking.

nick drops the page on his stomach. rudy sighs, picks it up,

brings it to his nose.

rudy

she's using a new perfume.

nick

no, i think that's just oranges.

she writes here she's eating

oranges.

rudy

oh.

nick

shoulda written to that magazine,

rudy. i'm gonna walk outta here,

walk right into a relationship. not

some one-nighter, man ... a

relationship. you? you're gonna walk

outta here with bus fare. searching

for the drunkest skirt in the room.

rudy

mornin', gorgeous. more egg nog?

nick

shoulda written, rudy...

nick drops'back to his bunk, pasting the new lakeside photo among

his collage of pictures. admiring his pen pal:

nick

shoulda got yourself a girl.

above, rudy peruses the page nick gave him. some lipstick marks

pressed to the paper. he passes it back, closes his eyes.

rudy

all i want ... is to make it to

sidnaw, and sit down for christmas

dinner. watch some ball with my

old man, sleep in my old bed, and

have leftovers for bout six months.

nick

thought you hated sidnaw.

rudy

just taste that christmas turkey.

nick

thought you hate your old man.

rudy

five years, nicky. five years.

(shrugs)

i just want to go home.

there's the echo of crashing metal gates. prisoners yelling. nick

smiles, still staring at his girl.

nick

well, man. me and ashley. we'll be

thinking about you.

int. main prison floor - day

guards monitor prisoners as they file out of their cells for the

afternoon meal. rudy and nick are motioned out by a mean guard,

his bitter world etched in his face. they join the line.

rudy

shit. alamo's back.

across broadway, a parallel line is forming. a tall, tattooed

native american, the alamo, steps out of his cell. his hands are

the size of a man's skull.

nick

don't look like he missed the

sunlight.

rudy

pinscher told me alamo thinks i'm

the one ratted on him beating up

cree. since i was there, i saw it,

he thinks i got him sent to solitary.

nick

aw, rudy.

at that moment, alamo glances over. finds rudy's eyes. rudy

swiftly looks away--

rudy

count me outta mealtime--

he slaps nick an the back, heads back for their cell--

mean guard

get back in line!

rudy

i'm not hungry, i'm gonna--

mean guard

shoulda stayed in your hole!

get back in fucking line!

the mean guard pulls his blackjack. another guard's ready behind

him. they want rudy to give them trouble.

rudy stops. slides back into the line of prisoners. looks across

broadway. the alamo's walked on up ahead. rudy swallows, heads

toward the mess hall.

int. mess hall - day

a gloopy spoon of chunky red and green jello gets splooshed on

rudy's plate. same with nick. it's the cafeteria line.

nick

what theis this?

ugly staffer

holiday jello.

nick

what's this shit in it?

ugly staffer

swallow and see.

the ugly staffer grins from under his plastic hairnet. nick looks

to rudy, then turns back to the help:

nick

just so you know, this man and

i are outta here in two days. so

while we're inhaling london broil

and lobster bisque, you're gonna

still be standing here smelling up the

mystery creamfuck.

(nods)

who's in prison now?

the ugly staffer curls his lip. nick smiles. rudy moves on,

taking his tray off the rail and turning--

--right into the chest of the alamo. he looks up--

--into the most scarred and vengeful face a man could ever dread

to see. the alamo's a lifer. many times over.

the alamo

when you don't expect it.

rudy

it wasn't me, alamo--

the alamo

that's when.

the alamo strides into the cafeteria line. rudy finally takes a

breath, as if he's dodged death. nick's at his shoulder. they

share a grave and worried look. trying to help:

nick

two days.

int. mess hall - tables - day

rudy and nick sit at a cafeteria table. beside rudy is a frail,

nervous, fiftyish inmate, zook. zook sits alone, talks to no one,

always has the shakes.

nick

so maybe after our week beneath the

sheets, we'll head down to motor

city for new year's. she says her

roomnate's skipping town for a few

days, have the place to ourselves.

remember how her brother's a truck

driver down there? i'm thinking

he might be able to help get me some

work.

rudy

what, working security?

nick

no, i'm through with that shit.

ashley's right. gotta start doing

something i got a stake in. get a

business going.

rudy

i don't know, i've seen the business

world.

nick

hotwiring cars, rudy, does not qualify as

a small business. chop shop consultant;

doesn't work on a resume. rudy shrugs. he

checks across the room, on the whereabouts

of the alamo. the big indian has his back

turned.

nick

ashley's talking about maybe we

can start something up together...

next to rudy, zook has stopped eating. he is still as stone,

staring at his tray.

nick

whatsa matter, zook?

they both watch zook put down his utensils and reach into his red-

and-green jello with his bare hand.

rudy

the hell you doing, zookerman?

gloppy gelatin drips from his hand, as the frail man lifts a large

black cockroach out. zook's shaking.

nick

just a roach, zook.

rudy

good for you. protein.

zook

monsters-in the gelatin...

nick

it's a roach, guy--

zook

there are monsters ...

(voice rising)

... in the gelatin...

nick

oh, man--

zook stands up, holding jello aloft:

zook

there are monsters in the gelatin!

nick

(shakes his head)

fuckin, zookerman--

zook

there are monsters! in the gelatin!

there are monsters! in the gelatin!

a grumbling murmur sweeps through the cafeteria as inmates sift

through their jello, searching for--

distant inmate

sonofabitch!

he pulls something bug-like out of his dessert, holds it aloft,

and then hurls it at the cafeteria line. a staffer ducks away. the

inmates laugh and suddenly they're all on their feet--

zook

there are monsters! in the gelatin!

--grabbing handfuls of jello and throwing it at the cafeteria

line. inmates get errantly splashed, and respond by wheeling on

their fellow inmates -- red and green globs flying to and fro!

guards

sit down! sit theback down!

as guards immediately rush in to restore order--

nick

rudy, don't move--

rudy

two days, we got two days! don't

do nothing. don't touch nothing--

an inmate at the end of their table picks up their table and

overturns it, sending food flying. rudy and nick stand back, hands

raised in surrender. jello hits rudy in the face.

nick

don't move, rudy!

rudy

standing right here, man!

zook is still shouting until a guard clubs him senseless with a

blackjack. whistles are blowing. guards scream for order.

nick

(as a guard eyes them)

ate the jello, jello was fine!

the guard leaves them alone, runs on. the melee's still out of

control. as rudy turns--

--and suddenly sees the alamo charging across the room, with

murderous eyes, a metal shank in his hand! five feet away!

nick

rudy, look out!

nick grabs him, trying to push him out of the way--

--and the alamo's shank plunges deep into nick's stompch burying

between his ribs. blood splashes. nick slumps.

rudy

nick!

the alamo pulls the blade out with a ferocious yell, pushes nick

to the floor and spins on rudy! rudy blocks with a chair,

stumbling back, cartwheeling over a table as the alamo roars over

him for the kill--

--and two guards tackle the big indian out of nowhere! knocking

the knife away, hammering him with blackjacks. it takes another

three guards to keep the alamo down.

rudy scrambles across the floor. nick's on his back, blood pumping

freely from his gut-

rudy

guard! guard!

nick

(in shock)

alamo...

rudy

guard!!!

no one's helping, the guards nearby all subduing the alamo. nick

grabs rudy's shirt, gasping to speak-

nick

jesus, rudy--

rudy

take it, man! you're all right!

hold it in! guard!

nick

oh, fuck, rudy ... oh jesus ...

rudy

guard!!!

nick

ash...ashley...

rudy

no, man! no, no, no!

nick

(choking)

tell her... i'll be there ...

rudy

you're gonna be there! we're

getting outta here! take it!

nick

tell ashley... i...

rudy

you tell her!

nick

... be with her...

blood spills out nick's mouth. his eyes go vacant.

rudy

no!!!

nick

... for christmas...

rudy

nick!!!

and rudy's suddenly hauled backwards. a trio of guards descend,

grabbing nick's body as his life fades away. dragging his figure

out of the melee. whistles are blowing.

guards

get him out of here! lock down!

rudy

nick!!!

rudy struggles, enraged, and gets blackjacked across the skull for

his trouble. he hits the jello-covered floor.

and the world goes dark.

int. prison cell - night

darkness and shadows. rudy sits in a corner, holding his head. the

cell block silent for the first time.

bootsteps from down the row. a shadow falls across rudy's somber

figure. it's the mean guard. he stares at rudy with distinct

pleasure.

rudy

the man had two days ...

mean guard

well. least he won't be coming back.

the guard grins a gold tooth. rudy looks at him--

--and then springs to his feet, charges the room, grabbing through

the bars. the guard takes a calm step back. keeps the cruel smile.

mean guard

you need company tonight, rudy...

you just give a holler.

he puckers a kiss and walks on. starts whistling 'are you lonesome

tonight?' several shadowed voices request that he shut the fuck

up. the bootsteps and melody drift down the row.

rudy

turns back, starts toward his bunk. and stops. his eyes on nick's

empty bed. and the wall behind.

the pictures of ashley

smiling, laughing, playing kissy-face. hearts drawn on the photos.

all colors of stationery taped to the wall.

rudy

takes a seat on nick's bed. there's a shoebox at the foot of it.

rudy opens it. it's filled with ashley's letters.

he trails a finger along them, must be over a hundred pages. he

selects the one nearest the front. surveys it.

nick (v.o.)

rudy, man, here we go, here, what she

wrote here: 'the car's waiting. the

motel's waiting. and i'm waiting.

i've waited for so long. i'm burning

for you, nick. my whole body. my whole

heart. i'm burning for you...'

rudy turns to the wall. to the lakeside picture of ashley, a

swimsuit siren. rudy stares sadly.

rudy

he was burning for you too ...

and puts the letter away.

close on rudy's calendar - night

as his hand slashes through december 21st. prison's over.

cut to:

ext. iron mountain prison - day

snow swirls. near blizzard conditions. a heavy steel door bangs

open, held by an exit guard. and fifteen convicts, make that ex-

convicts, trudge onto a fenced drive, covered in snow.

exit guard

your world and welcome to it, dumbfucks!

don't be a stranger now! we'll keep the

lights on for ya!

rudy stumbles out with the group, shivering in a goodwill handme-

down coat. thin canvas, wouldn't keep him warm in summer.

secondhand shoes. no possessions.

he clutches his sides with his hands, hunched over. all fifteen

huddle and herd toward the gate at the end of the fenceway.

beyond the gate

there are a dozen friends and relatives waiting. a few men,

several women, a couple kids. bundled in winter coats, hats and

hoods. a prison shuttle bus is parked behind them.

the released cons reach the gate, where a gate guard unlocks the

fence to the outside world. fifteen men are free.

the ex-cons and relatives scan each other's faces. wives rush over

to embrace their men. pals nod to ex-cons and trade slaps on

backs. reunion time.

the snow batters them, wind whipping. rudy keeps his head down,

leaning forward, keeps walking. toward the bus. but he can't help

himself -- he glances up--

to see a young woman

bundled in a silver ski jacket, pink wool hat with a poof-ball on

top, scarf and mittens. scanning the released prisoners.

rudy

drops his head, looks away. climbs onto the shuttle bus.

int. bus - continuous

rudy shakes his arms, basking in the vehicle's warmth. takes a

seat at the back. a couple other lone ex-cons climb aboard. then

the cons with relatives start to pile in.

rudy's window is steamed against the cold. he stares into his lap,

then reaches for his coat pocket. takes out the picture of ashley,

in her bikini by the lake. stares at it.

he rubs his window with his sleeve.

outside, the woman in the silver coat turns this way and that,

troubled. she's watching the other ex-cons climbing onto the bus

with their loved ones.

the woman looks back to the prison. the guard closing the gate.

the steel door has been shut. no one else is coming.

rudy watches her sadly.

aboard the bus, the seats fill up. ex-cons are feeling up their

wives, kids are climbing on their absent daddies, buddies are

jawing loudly 'bout how the neighborhood's changed.

the woman outside is now alone. silver coat, pink poofball.

rudy looks at the bikini picture again.

then at the shivering bundle.

rudy

don't do it, rudy...

the bus engine starts up. in the seat beside rudy, an ex-con makes

out with his wife while his bratty kid punches his leg.

out the window, the young woman is scanning the bus windows. then

the prison again. she turns in a worried circle. rudy looks

swiftly away. closes his eyes.

rudy

don't do it ...

the bus door closes. it revs and starts forward. rudy sighs with

relief. the photo of ashley falls to the floor.

ext. prison release gate - continuous

the young woman watches the bus pull away, down the snowy road.

but it doesn't get fifty feet before it suddenly stops.

the door opens. and rudy steps out.

the bus revs up again and groans off into the winter.

the young woman pushes her poofball hat out of her eyes. we get a

look at her face for the first time. skin pale, lips turning blue,

but it's the girl from the pictures. it's ashley.

she watches rudy's figure trudge back toward her. snow obscuring

him until he's right in front of her. both of them shivering. both

of them standing there.

and finally:

rudy

you ashley?

ashley nods. and rudy sadly smiles.

rudy

i'm nick.

cut to:

int. truck stop - day

rudy and ashley sit at a coffee shop booth. coats still on. big

rigs bluster by on the highway outside.

two untouched cups of coffee sit before them.

she's watching him in silence.

rudy

i like your coat.

ashley says nothing. rudy looks at his own:

rudy

this-this is just something they

gave me at the door. wasn't snowing

when we signed up, y'know?

ashley nods.

rudy

how's your coffee?

ashley looks at it, like she's just realizing it's there. she

lifts the cup, takes a sip. puts it down.

ashley

good.

rudy nods. silence again.

rudy

gotta be ten degrees out there.

ashley

radio said negative five.

rudy

negative five?

ashley

yeah.

rudy

i don't think it's negative five.

ashley

radio said.

beat.

rudy

wind chill. that's probably

what they meant.

ashley nods. rudy bites his lip.

rudy

i was scared. scared you were gonna

take one look at me and change your

mind. scared i was walking into

heartache. all those words ...

you put a picture in your

mind of where they come from and

when you see where maybe it's

not the same as your picture.

he trails off.

ashley

i figured you walked outta there and

saw me and walked right the other

way--

rudy

no, no--

ashley

saw my outfit or something, my coat--

rudy

no, hey, i like your coat--

ashley

saw me--

rudy

ashley, no. that was me, that's what

i was scared of. i mean, be serious ...

i ' ain't exactly looking like mr.

universe here.

ashley

you are to me.

rudy goes silent. whoa. ashley considers.

ashley

thought you wrote you had a mustache.

rudy

i can get another one going. y'know,

hey, whatever you want me to--

ashley

no, no, no. be like you want to be.

another awkward pause. rudy picks up a milk dispenser beside the

coffee, puts it to his lips. it gives him a wide white mustache.

he stares straight-faced.

ashley gives a bashful smile, covers it.

rudy

do that again.

ashley

what.

rudy

smile.

ashley smiles again, blushing now.

ashley

no--

rudy

one more. smile. one more.

ashley

(trying not to)

no, c'mon--

rudy

i've been dreaming about that smile,

ashley mercer. for a long time.

they stare across the table, drifting into one another's eyes.

ashley

you're better than the picture in my

mind, nick...

(softly)

you're real.

outside, another truck rumbles by, whipping up snow.

smash cut to:

int. interstate motel room - day

and rudy and ashley slam inside, kissing passionately, limbs

intertwined, pawing at each other's coats. rudy kicks the door

closed. mouths devouring, hands lost in snowy hair.

they collide with a side table, knocking over a lamp, tumbling

onto the lumpy bed. rudy tears at her silver coat and sweater and

turtleneck and capilene and whatever else's she got on, as

ashley's lips explore his neck and body. writhing and wrestling

and rolling off the bed. bang.

int. motel room - later

rudy and ashleylike lovers in r-rated movies.

int. motel room - day - later

the bed sheets'lie tangled on the floor. rudy and ashley rest

naked amidst them. her pretty young head on his chest, all their

inhibitions gone. rudy strokes her arms.

rudy

tell me something. this the first

time you've ever done this?

ashley

go to hell, nick mason, what's that

supposed to mean--

rudy

no, not that, no...

(laughs, kisses her)

i mean this, the whole thing. start

writing to a guy, guy in the bricks.

get a boyfriend like this. tell me the

truth.

ashley

well. you're not the first guy

i wrote to. but you're the only

one i kept writing to.

rudy

yeah. me too.

(considers)

why? i mean i know why for me, why

i paid for the ad. but you ... why

start writing to some guy -- some con --

you don't even know?

ashley studies his face, smiles in reflection.

ashley

i told you, nick. remember?

rudy

tell me again.

ashley

all the guys i've ever been with...

they never want to know me. who i

am on the inside. they just want to qet

inside. when they do, they think

that means they know who i am.

that i trust them. that they know me.

that there's nothing left to learn.

(beat)

a guy like you, nick -- six months

before you can even touch my face. i

figure a guy in that kind of bind, he's

gonna hafta work to get to know me

some other way.

rudy

had some bad relationships, didn't you.

ashley

not bad. just regular.

(smiles)

you wrote me wonderful things, nick.

personal things.

she turns to him, kisses his chest--

rudy

well, wasn't all me, y'know.

ashley

yes it was all you--

rudy

guy i was in with ... he helped sometimes ...

some of the romantic stuff, actually ...

you'd like him--

ashley

i'm talking about the heart, nick. i'm

not talking about the words.

rudy

y'know, some of the heart mighta been

his too...

ashley

then he shoulda signed his name.

she turns over playfully, eases herself back atop him. ready to

make up for lost time. with a kiss:

ashley

and he'd be here right now.

int. shopping mall - day

ashley runs through an xmas-decorated megamall, dragging rudy

behind her. both of them laughing, as she hauls him over to some

cookie bakery company:

rudy

where the hell are you going?

ashley

provisions! we are not leaving that

motel room again till after new year's:

we need ten days worth of provisions!

(to cookie matron)

what's good?!

cookie matron

oh my, we've got a special on our

chocolate crunchie elves, they're

shaped like little helpers--

ashley

this man ... has not had a cockie in

two goddamn years! get him two

of everything!

rudy

ashley, jesus--

ashley

can't survive on our bodies alone, nick.

(to cookie matron)

hurry up!

rudy

ash ... didn't you write me that you

don't eat chocolate?

ashley

yeah, well you wrote me you were

six-foot-four, baby.

(teasing smile)

so don't talk to me about little white

lies.

int. j.c. penney's department store - day

teddy bears with nightcaps, green bows, red ribbons. ashley's

tearing through men's clothing racks, all love and confidence.

rudy's got a bunch of purchase bags weighing him down:

ashley

you need a coat!

rudy

ash, you've gotten me enough--

ashley

no boyfriend of mine is going to

walk around in negative-five degree

wind chill without a goddamn

good-looking coat!

she pulls out a hellacious black leather fringe number.

rudy

baby, c'mon, all this stuff ...

i haven't gotten you anything--

ashley

you got out, nick. you're here.

you're my christmas.

she puts the jacket against his chest, smiling. rudy sighs.

rudy

it's two hundred dollars, ash--

she whips a penney's card from her purse, grins wickedly:

ashley

you forget where i work?

rudy

(beat)

beauty and fragrances.

ashley

fifty percent off, motherfucker.

ho ho ho.

she runs off with the jacket. rudy turns to a dressing mirror,

left to stare at his reflection. an ex-con in rags, with a half-

dozen holiday shopping bags. to himself:

rudy

just for the holidays, nick. then

we'll tell her. we'll let her...

have her holidays ...

rudy nods till he convinces himself. can't help but smile.

int. toy store - day

puzzles, barbies and dinosaurs. kids scurrying, parents chasing.

rudy and ashley with a scared teen clerk:

teen clerk

you can't find ... what?

ashley

toys for adults. where are your

toys for adults?

teen clerk

toys for ... adults?

ashley

c'mon. how old are you, sixteen? c'mon.

teen clerk

we sell children's toys--

ashley

(slams money down)

i got fifty dollars to spend in your

store, jesus of nazareth. can you

help me or not?

the clerk glances around, then, low:

teen clerk

slinky's in aisle five, twister's in

aisle one, moon mud's in aisle four.

ashley

thank you.

int. supermarket - day

close on conveyor

as bottles of wine, vodka and rum, cartons of egg nog and orange

juice, and countless prepackaged sandwiches come scrolling past.

ashley (o.s.)

you know what i was thinking, after our

holiday hideaway? instead of going back

to detroit, maybe we could go gambling.

y'know? drive up to that indian place

you worked at. wouldn't that be fun? i

haven't gone gambling in forever!

ext. supermarket parking lot - dusk

light snow falls. rudy, in his new black fringe eyesore, and

ashley carry grocery bags across the icy asphalt:

rudy

well, i don't know about that--

ashley

blackjack, nick, blackjack i am

good at. i mean, they'd give us

some free games or something,

wouldn't they? since you worked

there?

rudy

security, ash, i just worked security.

they wouldn't be rolling out the red

carpet--

ashley

and the slots, slots i'm good at too.

wouldn't that be fun?

rudy

we'll have more fun in detroit.

ashley

we could live it up and--

rudy

ashley. we're not going anywhere i used

to work.

it comes out too harsh. ashley stops, a little hurt.

ashley

i just ... i thought you'd have friends

there...

rudy softens, touches her arms:

rudy

hey. i been in prison for two years, ash.

believe me. those guys wouldn't want to

see me.

he kisses her. she nods, dismisses it, kisses back.

ashley

well, they don't know what the

hell they're missing.

ext. motel - night

ashley's chevy nova pulls back into the lot of the roadside joint.

there's an artificial (silver) christmas tree tied to the roof.

she and rudy climb out; she heads for the office:

ashley

baby, i'm gonna go tell lem not

to disturb us for the rest of the

year. i get back in that room, you

better be wearing nothing but a

candy cane.

rudy

i'll see what i can do.

ashley

no, lover. i'll see what you can do.

she smiles, sashays sexily away. rudy watches her go, admiring his

good fortune. then pops the trunk, collects some of their shopping

score. gifts and goodies.

rudy

(sings, sotto)

i have no gifts to bring,

parum-pum-pum-pum. no treasures for

the king, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum...

loaded down, he struggles to the motel room, balances bags on his

knee, gets the key in the door, and heads inside.

int. motel room - night

pitch dark. rudy fumbles his way in:

rudy

... but i got a girl to be with,

rum-pum-pum-pum...

merlin (o.s.)

hi, nick.

rudy drops the shopping bags, whirls around, as a stocky black

shadow, merlin, all 280 pounds of him, kicks the door shut--

rudy

what the fuck-

--and swings a baseball bat toward rudy's chest. rudy gets an arm

down to deflect the blow, but it still stings like a mother. rudy

howls. merlin comes at him again--

--and this time rudy slips by. merlin's bat shatters a dresser.

rudy grabs him by the neck, kicks out his knees and wrests him to

the ground. grabs the bat--

--and gets decked from behind by another shadow, pug, a little

white guy with a snarl. they go crashing onto the bed, grappling

for leverage, and then to the floor--

--where rudy grabs a champagne bottle from the groceries and

bashes it backwards, shattering it over pug's head!

pug lets go, as rudy scrambles up, and merlin's got him again in a

bear hug. rudy's struggling, whirling with him, crashing into one

wall, then another, yelling for help--

rudy

heyyy!!! in here!!! heyyy!!!

--until he hears the pump-load snap of a shotgun.

rudy stops still. a lamp clicks on.

standing in silhouette, a figure in a leather duster holds a

sawed-off on him.

gabriel

welcome home, nick.

another lamp comes on. rudy, still in merlin's choke-hold, gets a

look at the gunman, gabriel. weathered face, stringy hair, early

301s. handsome in a scuzzy way. he's seen a lot of road.

rudy stares, totally thrown. pug, the little guy, bad teeth, bad

hair, bad skin, gets up spitting blood and champagne.

pug

i owe ya a drink, ya fuck--

--and slugs rudy in the gut. merlin yanks him back up. merlin's a

black widebody, wears a goatee and brass knuckles. behind merlin

stands a fourth intruder, a stone-faced indian in a grateful dead

longsleeve. jumpy. guarding the door.

gabriel's studying rudy, up and down. nods. merlin relaxes his

choke-hold so rudy can breathe.

rudy

you...you don't know me--

gabriel

oh, i know you, nick. i know

you real well.

rudy

no, you can't--

gabriel

the hell i can't.

as the room's door gets kicked open-

ashley

watch out, baby! i'm bringing in the

fucking tree!

--and the silver fake evergreen fills the doorway, getting forced

through with ashley's grunts and groans-

rudy

ashley!

merlin traps his jaw shut. the tree comes squeezing through,

followed by ashley, face in branches-

ashley

i'm telling you, we got the best

one in the store... i don't know

why people want their houses

smelling like the stupid woods ...

she's grabbed from behind by jumpy. ashley screams, but he slams

her against the wall. the tree hits the ground.

rudy

no!

ashley

nick!

rudy fights to help her, but merlin's got him. pug locks ashley's

arms. she fights, muffled cries, but jumpy and pug have her held

firmly. her face to the wall--

gabriel

(re: the silver tree)

hope her taste in men's better than

her taste in christmas.

ashley's turned to face him. her eyes widen. gabriel nods.

gabriel

hey, sis. happy holidays.

rudy's jaw drops. he looks to ashley. then to gabriel.

ashley yells, enraged, kicking and clawing. jumpy slams her back

against the wall for her trouble--

gabriel

jumpy, don't hurt her, now.

gabriel steps to rudy. studies him.

gabriel

so. this is the guy you been

waiting for. man of your dreams.

ashley

gabriel--!

gabriel

(unimpressed)

must have a way with stationery.

ashley

gabriel, what are you doing!

gabriel raises the sawed-off to rudy's chest. rudy flinches, but

merlin's got him.

ashley

gabriel!!!

gabriel fixes her with a stare. she shuts up. to rudy:

gabriel

you better be here to be good

to her, loverboy. 'cause she's

been good to you.

ashley

gabriel, let him go--

gabriel

read a lot about you, nick.

ashley

what are you doing here?!

gabriel

read you're a man of some knowledge.

ashley

gabriel!

gabriel

a man of some travels.

ashley

gabriel, i love him!

rudy's trying to speak, voice choked. gabriel nods to merlin, who

again eases his hold. rudy coughs.

rudy

i'm...not ... nick...

gabriel frowns. rudy turns to ashley.

rudy

i'm not him. i ...

(then to gabriel)

you want something from nick,

you got the wrong guy.

ashley

(hurt)

nick...

gabriel looks from her to him, then lowers his sawed-off, and

swings it into rudy's stomach. rudy buckles. panicked.

gabriel

who are you now.

rudy

you got the wrong-guy! she thinks

i'm nick, i'm not!

gabriel

(to merlin)

put him in the truck.

rudy

i was in the joint with him! i

knew about him and her, okay!? i

took his place!

gabriel

you what ...

rudy

got out, nick didn't! i pretended

i was him! i knew about her letters!

jesus christ, whatever you want from

him -- i'm not nick!

(to ashley)

i -- i just wanted to be--

a glance of regret amidst his desperation. ashley stares back,

confused, searching his eyes.

gabriel

you're not nick mason...

rudy

i shared his cell!

gabriel

but you were saying you were ...

rudy

yes!

gabriel

so you could get with my sister.

rudy

yes!

gabriel

so you could get down her chimney.

rudy

yes!

gabriel

and you think telling me that's

gonna help your cause.

gabriel ratchets him across the chin with the gun butt. rudy hits

the floor. gabriel spins on ashley, enraged:

gabriel

is this him!?

ashley

(reaches for rudy)

don't hurt him...

gabriel

is this the fucker you been writing

all year!?

ashley

(reaches for rudy)

please, gabriel, don't...

gabriel puts the gun to rudy's head.

gabriel

is this nick mason!!??

ashley

yes!!!

gabriel doesn't shoot. studies rudy.

gabriel

well, he's gonna have to learn to

give you some respect.

gabriil kicks rudy in the jaw. ashley screams. gabriel motions to

his boys: jumpy and pug drag her outside. gabriel kicks rudy

again. rudy lies there and takes it.

merlin lights a cig, examines rudy and ashley's grocery bags:

merlin

hey. they got a shitload of cookies.

gabriel

take 'em.

merlin

how 'bout the tree? you want the

tree?

gabriel

leave the tree.

merlin nods, tucks the bags under his arms, leaves the room.

gabriel drops beside rudy, with a sick smile:

gabriel

i've read your letters, motherfucker.

don't play no reindeer games with me.

ext. interstate - night

as we swoop down onto a four-lane stretch of winter highway,

arcing into the blackness.

closing on an 18-wheel tractor trailer, rumbling onward,

emblazoned with 'great lakes trucking.' there's an airbrush

painting on the door to the cab, of a skeleton looking thru a

flaming radial tire, and the legend 'motor city monster.'

int. gabriel's rig - cab - night

gabriel at the wheel, merlin smoking, jumpy eating cookies. a

truck passes; gabriel waves. a moment later, the cb crackles:

passing driver (over cb)

hey there, monster! what're

you hauling this far north?

gabriel

hell, bugeye. how you doin'?

ain't hauling, man, i'm up for the

holidays. gonna have myself a

holidays...for a goddamn change...

int. gabriel's rig - trailer - night

close on rudy

eyes closed, dried blood, head rocking side to side. he winces,

waking, with the headache to end all headaches.

ashley (o.s.)

shh, nick, shh. they won't hurt you now.

you're okay...

her hand strokes his face. rudy's eyes struggle open.

on full scene

they're in the back of the truck. there's some packing mats,

rope, two tall storage lockers, and ashley's chevy nova.

rudy's head is in her lap. he struggles to sit up, finds his

wrists tied with cord. he looks at ashley, follows her gaze.

in a corner, pug sits guard in a beanbag chair. he's dipping

chewing tobacco, reading road & track, headphones on. gives rudy a

bored glance, then back to his magazine.

ashley

i won't let lem, nick. they won't

hurt you anymore.

rudy

your brother...

ashley nods. rudy looks around, remembering.

rudy

... the truck driver...

ashley

he's not a bad person, nick...

he's not ...

from the corner, pug spits some chaw. ashley wheels.

ashley

you're not gonna hurt him anymore!

pug doesn't even look up. still stroking rudy's face:

ashley

since janey moved in...gabriel...

he's come over more and more. to the

apartment. janey's the divorced one,

'member, with the tit job--

rudy

what theis going on.

ashley

he read the letters, nick. some

day i wasn't there. he went through

my room. he found your letters.

rudy

what's coing on!!!

the truck shakes.

ashley

he knows you worked in that casino.

rudy stares at her. she's scared

rudy

you motherfucker.

ashley

nick, no--

rudy

you sold him out.

ashley

nick--

rudy

when'd you decide to do it, ash?

after which of his letters, huh?

the fortieth? the fiftieth? the

first?!

ashley

nick, what are you--

she reaches out for him; rudy scrambles to his knees, tumbles

against the opposite wall of the trailer.

rudy

i'm not nick!

(raging)

you thought you'dhim over?!

well he's fucked you! i've never

worked at some casino! i can't

help you! because he's not me!

ashley

nick, i love you--

rudy

jesus christ!

pug

watch your mouth, man. it's christmas.

rudy

i'm not nick!

ashley runs at him, wraps her arms around him tightly. he tries to

fight her off. she won't let go.

rudy

get the hell off of me!

ashley

(hard whisper)

nick, it won't work. it won't work!

rudy stops fighting. she has a terrified look in her eye. checks

to pug: he's watching them now, chewing slower. ashley turns

them away from the little guy's view

ashley

he'll kill you.

rudy

you're not hearing me here--

ashley

my brother's killed people, i

know he has. truckers. if you talk

him into thinking you're not you,

you'll only get yourself dead.

rudy

he didn't 'find' nick's letters, did he.

ashley

nick, please, it's me-

rudy

you told him about nick's letters.

ashley

no, nick, no--

rudy

you're in on this.

ashley

i love you!

rudy stares at her coldly.

rudy

y'know, in a way, i'm glad it's me.

'cause you woulda broken his heart.

ashley stares, panicked. pug's still watching them.

rudy

your pen palls dead, lady.

ashley

if you say that, if you keep

saying that, they will kill

you. if they think you're not

you, they will kill you. don't

you see? i know what you're

doing, but it won't work!

rudy

nick died for me....

ashley

i won't let him hurt you! he just

wants what you know!

rudy

(ruefully)

... maybe i die for nick...

ashley

just tell him what you know,

nick! that's all they want! and

we'll get out of this!

rudy gives her a stone cold stare. ashley crumbles, touching his

face, shaking her head, tears. devastated.

ashley

he found them...i swear, nick...

(helpless)

... he found them...

the truck shudders through downshifts, to a groaning stop. ashley

embraces rudy fiercely, holding on for the last.

the trailer gate rattles open into the truck's roof.

ashley shuts her eyes.

ext. rest stop/int. gabriel's rig - continuous

the rig all alone at a snowy rest area. gabriel, merlin and jumpy

climb inside as silhouette sentries. gabriel surveys, then lifts a

piece of paper:

gabriel

'my sweet, sexy ashy-lashy, i have been

dreaming of you constantly, and knowing

you are out there makes these walls not

seem so close or so strong or so cold...'

(to merlin/jumpy)

women live for this stuff.

(reads on)

dreaming 'bout your this, dreaming 'bout

your those, gettin' x-rated on me here,

nicky ... where are we... oh, right,

other side...

(turns paper over)

'someday i'm gonna take you up by lake

s. before i went in, before goddamn

millie, 'fore i had my situation, i

used to work up at this casino, working

security. used to watch for people

stealing chips, counting cards, getting

piss-drunk, that kinda shit. indian

place, they hired this reject outta

vegas to run it, got about as much

business sense as a buffalo patty.

anyways, it's a fun place to run some

numbers and play.'

gabriel puts the letter down.

gabriel

you're a good writer, nick. i give this

writing an a-plus.

rudy

i never worked at no casino.

ashley

(hopeless)

nick...

rudy steps out of her hold and stalks forward:

rudy

that's the guy i was in with, i did

my last ten months with him. he

rode a two-year bit for manslaughter --

split a guy's skull open at

a bar for harassing his girl. that's

nick mason. he worked at that casino.

he's the one who wrote her letters.

me, i'm a damn mechanic, my last job

was a quickie lube, i did five for

lifting cars. i don't know shit about

blackjack, i don't know shit about

indians. i'm not him.

gabriel stares at him. then crumples the letter.

gabriel

bury this guy.

merlin and jumpy grab rudy and throw him from the truck. he hits

the snowy parking lot on his side, hands bound.

ashley

gabriel, you promised!

gabriel

i promised that when he helped us,

we'd be gone! when he helped us!

loverboy don't want to play!

merlin and jumpy drop to the snow, picking rudy up.

ashley

you promised me!

gabriel

and you promised me you'd get your

sweetheart to help!

rudy meets eyes with ashley. she's caught.

gabriel

he'd rather die than be with you,

he'd make a fucked-up boyfriend anyway.

(to merlin/jumpy)

bury him all over the place.

ashley

no!

she charges at her brothe