2

FREDDIE (continued)
Then why would I start now?

BENNY (reluctantly)
I’m sorry.

FREDDIE
There isn’t another way, is there?

BENNY
No.

FREDDIE
I’ve never been this nervous in my life. (looks at his hands) My hands are shaking. (exhales) I’m ready.

FREDDIE closes his eyes. BENNY tightens his grip on the log. He swings the log and hits FREDDIE in the stomach. He groans and drops to his knees. BENNY hits him again. FREDDIE drops to the floor.
Distraught, BENNY raises the log into the air. He is about to hit FREDDIE, but then drops the log onto the floor. He takes a few steps back and sits on the floor. FREDDIE slowly raises himself up to his feet.

BENNY (tearfully)
I’m so sorry.

FREDDIE limps past BENNY.

BENNY (continued)
I’ll try and buy you some time.

FREDDIE stops and looks at BENNY. He turns and limps into the distance. BENNY brings out his phone. He rings JJ, who answers the phone.

JJ
Is it done?

BENNY
Yeah. Everything’s been taken care of.

Cut to
INT. – FREDDIE’S BEDROOM – AFTERNOON

FREDDIE walks slowly inside the room. He closes the door behind himself. He stands in front of the mirror and lifts his t-shirt up. His chest is badly bruised. He

Page 49
lowers the t-shirt, just as RICKY walks inside the room.

RICKY (relieved)
There you are.

RICKY brings out a set of car keys. He chucks them to FREDDIE, who catches them.

RICKY (continued)
Wanna take a look?

Cut to
INT. – RICKY AND ALISON’S GARAGE – AFTERNOON

RICKY leads FREDDIE inside the garage. FREDDIE’s car is parked inside it. FREDDIE looks at the car.

RICKY
What do you think of it?

FREDDIE
It’s awesome!

RICKY
All the insurance has been paid for and your first lesson is next week.

FREDDIE turns to face RICKY

RICKY (continued)
Wanna take it out for a spin?

Cut to
INT. – FREDDIE’S CAR – AFTERNOON

The car is parked in a lay-by. RICKY is sitting in the driver’s seat and FREDDIE is sitting in the front passenger’s seat. They have their seatbelts on.

RICKY
Did you know that lad Calvin?

FREDDIE (reluctantly)
He’s Becky’s ex. He was at the party the other night.

RICKY
What was he like?

FREDDIE

Page 50
At first, I thought he was a bit of a dick. But he’s not so bad. (pauses) I can’t believe what happened to him.

RICKY
That’s life unfortunately. Things happen that we have no control over. (checks the time on the dashboard) What time does your thing start?

FREDDIE
Seven.

RICKY
We better head back. Give you enough time to get ready.

RICKY switches the engine on and he drives down the street.

Cut to
INT. – RICKY AND ALISON’S GARAGE – AFTERNOON

RICKY parks the car inside the garage. He gets out of the car, along with FREDDIE, who strains from the bruising on his chest.

RICKY (concerned)
What’s up?

FREDDIE
Nothing. I’m fine.

FREDDIE walks out of the garage. RICKY shrugs and locks the car.

Cut to
INT. – FREDDIE’S BEDROOM – EVENING

FREDDIE is standing in front of the mirror, looking at his reflection. He is wearing casual clothes. He fluffs his hair up and walks out of the room.

Cut to
INT. - NEWSAGENTS – EVENING

FREDDIE is standing in the refrigerated section, browsing through the sandwiches. He picks one up. He also picks up a bottle of soft drink, then walks to the till, where the SHOPKEEPER is standing behind.

SHOPKEEPER

Page 51
All right, mate?

FREDDIE
Yeah, thanks.

FREDDIE brings out his wallet as the SHOPKEEPER scans the two items.

SHOPKEEPER
That’ll be three pound ten, please mate.

FREDDIE opens his wallet.

Cut to
EXT. – OUTSIDE THE NEWSAGENTS – EVENING

FREDDIE walks out of the newsagents. He has the sandwich and the drink in his hands. He opens the sandwich and eats it as he walks down the street.

Cut to
INT. – HALL – EVENING

Some student artwork is on display. There is a table with a laptop on it. It is playing FREDDIE’S soundtrack from his coursework. There are several guests looking around the room and also some talking to members of staff.
MR SMITH is talking to RAY, early fifties. FREDDIE walks inside the room. He looks around the room. MR SMITH leads RAY over to FREDDIE.

MR SMITH
This is, Freddie. He’s a student on the Media Tech course.

FREDDIE
Hi.

RAY
Hello.

RAY holds his hand out and FREDDIE shakes it.

MR SMITH
Freddie composed the soundtrack to the thriller opening sequence you watched.

RAY
It was very good.

Page 52
FREDDIE (smiling)
Thanks.

MR SMITH
Would you care to explain how you did it? From the planning stages to the final version.

FREDDIE
Well, the first thing I did was I watched through the video to get an understanding to the feel of the video. I experimented with a few of the sounds and it sorta went from there really.

RAY
Does it help having a background knowledge of music to take this subject?

FREDDIE
I’ve always played instruments in the past and its definitely helped me. But as long as this is what you wanna do, there’s no reason why anyone can’t take this subject.

MR SMITH
Thanks for that, Freddie.

RAY
It was nice meeting you.

FREDDIE
And you.

MR SMITH leads RAY away. FREDDIE stands by the table with the laptop on the top of it.

Cut to
EXT. – STREET – EVENING

FREDDIE is walking slowly down the street. He can hear a live performance playing loudly from inside the music venue. He walks towards it.

Cut to
INT. – AUDITORIUM - EVENING

JJ, BENNY, APRIL and ZACK are on the stage, playing a song. ZACK is drumming, APRIL is playing bass, BENNY is playing guitar and JJ is singing. Flashing lights brighten up the stage. There are hundreds of teens around

Page 53
the stage, dancing. FREDDIE walks inside the room. He makes his way to the front of the crowd.
JJ, BENNY, APRIL and ZACK spot FREDDIE standing amongst the crowd. They stop performing the song. FREDDIE turns and walks out of the room. ZACK gets down from the stage. The crowd scream in excitement. ZACK pushes his way through the crowd and makes his way to the door.

Cut to
EXT. – OUTSIDE THE MUSIC VENUE – EVENING

FREDDIE sprints out of the building and sprints down the street. ZACK bursts out of the building. He spots FREDDIE running in the distance. He runs after him.

Cut to
EXT. – ALLEY – EVENING

FREDDIE runs into the alley. Out of breath, he looks for a place to hide. He ducks behind a bin. ZACK runs into the alley. He looks for FREDDIE, but is unable to find him. He turns and runs back out of the alley. FREDDIE breathes a sigh of relief.

Cut to
INT. – DRESSING ROOM – EVENING

JJ is sitting on the settee, with APRIL sitting with her head resting against his arm. BENNY is standing with his back against the dresser. ZACK bursts inside the room. Outraged, he punches BENNY in the face.

ZACK (furiously)
You told us you’d fucking taken care of him!

JJ
He has no intention to go to the police. He’s playing games on us.

ZACK
(turns to face JJ) None of this would’ve happened in the first place if you hadn’t spoken to him!

JJ gets to his feet. He grabs ZACK by the scruff of the neck and he pushes him against the wall.

JJ
This is not my fault. And if you ever speak to me like that again, Freddie won’t be the only one running. You