Lesson 26

[carl marshall]

Carl Marshall
LOGLINE: Carley and Marcus realize they were meant to be together
ESSENCE: learning how to love.
INT. SMALL BOOKSTORE- EVENING
CARLEY, late 20s, stands rigidly by the “Self-Help” section, clutching a paperback. MARCUS, early 30s, dressed with precision, leans against a nearby shelf, arms crossed.

MARCUS
(sarcastic)
Let me guess, you’re here to fix yourself again?

CARLEY
(sharp)
At least I admit I need fixing.

MARCUS
(grinning)
I prefer to win. Fixing’s for losers.

CARLEY
(igniting)
There it is. That stupid game-playing ego.

MARCUS
You’re confusing strategy with ego.

CARLEY
You’re confusing people with pawns.

They lock eyes. A beat.. Carley shifts to another aisle, hiding behind a stack of romance novels.

CARLEY
(firm)
Not everything’s a game of chess, Marcus.

MARCUS
It is with you. You distract, deflect, run…

He steps closer. She steps back.

CARLEY
(quiet)
You don’t know me.

MARCUS
(softer now)
I did. I think I still do.

CARLEY
(pain surfacing)
You set me up to fail last time. Don’t act surprised I walked away.

MARCUS
I didn’t mean to—

CARLEY
(interrupting)
But you did.

MARCUS
I thought if you saw how bad it could get, you’d finally believe in yourself.

CARLEY
That’s not strategy. That’s sabotage.

A long pause. Her anger is spent. His confidence falters.

MARCUS
(genuinely)
I wanted to be the reason you fought harder. Not the reason you quit.

CARLEY
(tearing up)
And I wanted you to just believe I was enough without the war games.

Silence. Then, laughter—nervous and unexpected. Carley wipes her eye. Marcus smirks.

MARCUS
We’re a mess.

CARLEY
(deflecting with a grin)
Tragically poetic.

They look at each other. A long, weighted pause.

MARCUS
(soft)
What if we tried again… no games?

CARLEY
Only if you promise no sabotage.

MARCUS
Only if you stop running.

She steps closer. He matches. Inches apart.

CARLEY
What now?

MARCUS
We stop fighting.

They kiss. Not dramatic, but honest. Real.

[Rita Roberts]

Rita's QE Cycle #6 Scene – Draft 1
WHAT I LEARNED:
-This looked difficult as a scenario but using the ITs to outline made it much easier.
-It's also getting easier to keep all the QE items in mind as I write the first draft.
-I don't exactly know what the cover up is covering up but I trust that it will be more clear in the next pass.

EXT. LIFEBOAT-MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN – DAY
Marcus (35) in slacks and a white shirt, ready for fine dining reclines with his head against the inflated yellow rim.

Carley (26) huddles with her head on her knees. She covers as much skin as possible with her skimpy sundress.

The boat rocks on a peaceful surface in the full, hot sun.

CARLEY
What are we going to do with him?

MARCUS
We're all just bodies.

He lifts his head finally to inspect the third passenger/body.

A middle-aged man lies in a puddle on the floor of the boat. Unconscious in underwear and a ripped shirt. PASSENGER THREE is somehow pale and sunburned at the same time.

Carley checks their compadre's pulse.

CARLEY
Three is still kickin'.

MARCUS
Really?

CARLEY
You sound like you're disappointed.

MARCUS
Sorry. I'm just so… thirsty.

He eyes her cleavage as she leans over Three to listen for breathing. He gurgles.

CARLEY
I don't understand. He was so lively when I fell asleep last night. What happened?

MARCUS
How would I know? He didn't even want to tell us his name. Bum ticker?

CARLEY
Did you rip his shirt?

Marcus lays his head back down. Over it.

MARCUS
Right. It was me. Couldn't be any other cause in this whole situation.

Carley sighs and goes back to her duck and cover.

A shark fin breaches the surface in the distance. Then another.

CARLEY
Have you ever considered being nice and like, realize I'm your only friend right now?

Marcus flips himself to his knees, the boat rocks.

MARCUS
Oh, I've considered.

Marcus crawls past Three toward Carley.

Carley grabs the perimeter ropes as the boat tilts and sharks move closer but unseen by these two. Or Three.

CARLEY
You're going to capsize us!

Sharks submerge out of sight as Carley scans the waters in a panic.

MARCUS
Hey, we're probably shark meat anyway. What do you say we go out with a literal bang.

She shoves him back with her foot.

CARLEY
Oh. My. God. That wins the creepiest pick up line ever. No, thank you.

MARCUS
Yeah, I saw your plan. You're just sorry that Mister Swarthy Moneybags here shit the bed. You were getting all cozy with him before he…

Marcus gestures at the non-responsive, almost corpse.

CARLEY
Gross. You are so not cool.

Sweat beads up and runs down her clavicle into her dress.

MARCUS
Neither are you.

He splashes sea water at her.

CARLEY
That actually feels good.

He obliges her with a full handful over her head.

She finally looks at him with kindness.

He smiles.

Three coughs. Startles them both.

But then goes quiet.

Carley checks him again.

CARLEY
Oh, no.

MARCUS
Really?

CARLEY
I think he was Saudi royalty.

MARCUS
No, he wasn't!

CARLEY
How do you know?

Marcus switches moods.
MARCUS

I mean, nah. I don't think so.

CARLEY
Do we say a few words?

Marcus does a hitchhiker's thumb to point overboard.

MARCUS
You want to do a science experiment out here? How long does it take for a corpse to decompose in the sun? I got dibs on his shirt. You want his boxers?

CARLEY
Gross.

MARCUS
You could wash them. Plenty of water.

CARLEY
Ha, ha.

She shades her eyes and squints. At Three.

CARLEY
Maybe.

MARCUS
Gimme a hand.

Carley buries her head again.

CARLEY
Oh, God. Please, no.

Marcus inhales sharply. A ship sails on the horizon. Marcus's eyes dart between Three, the ship and Carley. And a shark's fin. He undresses the limp, lifeless corpse named Three.

MARCUS
Come on. Under these circumstances, all sins are forgiven.

He dunks Three's boxers several time, keeping a close eye on the shark fins. Wrings them out. Drapes them over Carley's head.

CARLEY
I can't believe I have a dead man's boxers on my head.

MARCUS
And you like it.

Carley laughs. Inordinately hysterical. Turns to tears.

Marcus scoots closer, careful not to cause the boat to tilt.

CARLEY
I can't do this.

MARCUS
I'll take care of it.

He moves a matted strand of hair out of her eyes.

She accepts the kindness. Gazes into his eyes.

He kisses her cheek.

CARLEY
I can't stand it.

She grabs his face. A full, passionate kiss next to a naked, dead body.

The ship isn't any closer but the girl is.

Marcus, in one motion, tosses Three overboard.

He sinks, then bobs back up.

Shark fins close in on Three.

Marcus closes in on Carley.

The ship continues on the horizon.