Fade in

1. EXT. NIGHT

DARKNESS

The territorial sound of dogs barking; footsteps running; a breathless pant; in the distance, police car sirens wail.

A giant billboard displaying an advertisement showing a beach, a man and palm tree with the logo ‘It’s time to escape with virgin’ breaks up the darkness. There is a slight gap in the fence on which the billboard is perched; a wooden panel is wedged aside.

MAIN ROAD

The sound of police car sirens draw closer until one; two; police cars speed through the red signal of the traffic lights.

 A hand from behind the billboard closes the wooden panel.

WASTELAND

A mysterious hooded figure; CLEM sits upon an abandoned sofa, he is crouched forward, hood up, head bowed, fists clenched.

The LOCAL BUSINESS MAN holds out a BROWN PAPER BAG.

LOCAL BUSINESS MAN

(Heard only)

          Here! Take it! Take it... be careful what you   

          wish for...it might come true.

A chink of light appears in the fence behind as the wooden panel is forced aside.

The LOCAL BUSINESS MAN dressed in a smart suit stands in front of CLEM, he thrusts the BROWN PAPER BAG into CLEMS hands before running off.

Footsteps can be heard hurrying towards CLEM.

POLICE OFFICER 1

          Hands above your head! Hands above your head!

          get down on to the floor! On your knees! On

          your knees...Slowly! Slowly!

POLICE OFFICES 1 and 2 stand directly in front of CLEM; weapons pointing.

CLEM raises his head exposing a rugged, bearded face.

POLICE OFFICE 1

          It’s not him.

CRACK! CRACK!

Two double tap shots echo around the wasteland.

POLICE OFFICER 3

(Heard only)

          We’ve got him! We’ve got him!

POLICE OFFICES 1 and 2 lower their weapons and run off towards the sound of the shots.

CLEM takes the BROWN PAPER BAG from beneath his coat.