Short screenplay from the Done Deal "Devil's Deadline" contest,
Sept 2008
"The Deepest Cut"
FADE IN:
INT. ENTRANCE HALLWAY - NIGHT
Damp walls, peeling wallpaper and a filthy carpet. Even
rats wouldn't live in a dump like this.
The shadows of a MAN and WOMAN fall on the old style stained-
glass door window. The man knocks on the glass again and
again.
BURGUNDY (O.S.)
All right, all right, I'm coming,
don't break it.
BURGUNDY shuffles to the door, it's hard to place her age,
her face is young yet weary, wisps of grey hair stick out
from under her wool hat.
Burgundy unlocks and opens the door. She stares at the Man,
thin and dangerous, and the woman, Ann, young and scared.
And very pregnant, her belly's huge. The Man looks up and
down the dark alleyway, wary.
MAN
Is he here?
BURGUNDY
Yeah, he's here. You didn't say
she's with calf for fúck's sake.
The Man gives Burgundy a fat envelope with money bills
sticking out.
MAN
Just get rid of it, all right?
He gives Ann a hard push. Burgundy catches her, and opens
her mouth to give the Man abuse, but he's gone. Ann sobs.
Burgundy puts her arm around Ann's shoulders.
BURGUNDY
Don't worry, girl. It's you and me
now. I'll look after you.
INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY
Burgundy leads Ann inside. Ann's eyes widen in horror. A
big table in the middle of the room is covered with a clean
white sheet, with pillows at one end. A stirrup frame is
clamped to the other end. A trolley holds a gleaming steel
tray with surgical instruments. Another trolley supports
oxygen and anesthetic bottles whose tubes run to a breathing
mask. The equipment wouldn't look out of place in a modern
hospital, but in this scabby dirty back-street dive it looks
alien.
Burgundy offers Ann a hospital smock.
BURGUNDY
Change into this. Just dump your
things over there. I'll tell the
doctor you're here. Everything's
going to be fine. He's a real doctor.
He's done this hundreds of times.
All his patients have got through it
okay. All right?
Ann nods uncertainly.
INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT
Burgundy enters and sees SMITH hunched over the table, a
glass in his hand. Burgundy snatches up the whiskey bottle --
it's half-empty.
BURGUNDY
You'd better not be drunk. You'd
better not be.
SMITH
Just enough to give me courage.
What's she like?
BURGUNDY
Scared, like the rest of them. Look,
you're doing her a favor. Her family
wants to marry her to a decent man
who'll give her a good life.
Smith nods, wanting to believe it. Burgundy smiles.
BURGUNDY
Come on, then. Put on your best
reassuring act. Pat her hand and
tell her she won't feel a thing.
SMITH
All right.
Smith gets up and passes Burgundy on his way out. Burgundy
licks her lips in anticipation and follows him out.
INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY
Close on Ann lying asleep on the table, mask over her mouth,
white sheets rising off her chest to give the impression
Smith has access to her lower regions. Air pressure HISSES.
A droplet of blood flies up and stains the white sheets.
INT. HALLWAY LOOKING INTO LIVING ROOM - DAY
Burgundy stands with her arms folded, leaning back against
the wall, watching the proceedings.
INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT
Smith stumbles in. His surgical smock is soaked with bright
red blood. He rips his gloves off, throws them into the
dirty sink. He has to hold onto the sink to stop himself
from collapsing.
SMITH
That's the last one. No more. The
last one, do you hear me? Christ.
He falls into a chair, pours himself a glass of whiskey,
throws it back.
INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY
Burgundy peeks around the door. Ann is still asleep, under
sedation, her lower half covered with clean sheets.
Burgundy's gaze is drawn to a metal bowl, covered by a towel.
You really don't want to know what's in there. But Burgundy
does. Her eyes gleam with excitement.
INT. DIRTY KITCHEN - NIGHT
Smith knocks back another whiskey. Takes a moment to calm
down. He looks at the door. Funny, where's Burgundy? He
cranes his neck, looking out into the hallway.
INT. HALLWAY LOOKING INTO LIVING ROOM - DAY
Smith sucks in deep breaths, steeling himself to go in again.
INT. LIVING ROOM CUM OPERATING ROOM - DAY
Smith forces himself to enter. Ann's asleep on the table,
peaceful. Burgundy is over by the window, her back to Smith.
From she way she's hunched over, with her arms raised to
chest height, she's holding something.
Smith sees the metal bowl is uncovered. It contains blood
but nothing else.
SMITH
Oh, God.
His words snap Burgundy's head round.
Smith stares in horror. He staggers backwards, catches hold
of the table to stop himself falling.
Burgundy chucks whatever she's holding back into the metal
bowl, tipping the bowl over and sending everything crashing
to the floor, mercifully out of sight.
She snatches up the towel and wipes bright red blood from
her mouth and chin.
Smith points at her accusingly, like some witch hunter from
a bygone age.
SMITH
You, you fiend! You vile fiend!
Smith lunges for the door but Burgundy slams him against the
door frame. Smith twists this way and that to get away from
her, she disgusts him, but Burgundy holds him.
BURGUNDY
Listen to me. LISTEN TO ME.
Smith stops stuggling.
BURGUNDY
Listen to me. I've been saving. We
don't have to stay here. We can
move anywhere you'd like. Buy you a
medical diploma, set you up in a
nice little practice.
Smith shakes his head, he just wants to get away.
BURGUNDY
Look at me. LOOK AT ME.
Burgundy pulls off her wool hat. Every bit of grey is gone
from her black hair. Her face is young, line-free. Smith
stares in disbelief.
BURGUNDY
A youth treatment clinic. They'll
be falling over each other to see
the miracle doctor. He takes years
off your face, guaranteed. You'll
make millions. We could be rich
beyond your dreams.
Burgundy reaches down inside her blouse, pulls out a blood-
red crystal on a silver chain. Smith stares at the crystal.
A spark of light glows within.
BURGUNDY
Just a little bit of gypsy magic.
And your clever hands. That's all
it takes. All we need is a dozen
girls a month. They'll be easy enough
to find. Spoiled rich little bitches
who don't want daddy to know they've
been knocked up.
Smith takes it all in.
BURGUNDY
What do you say, huh?
SMITH
How long have you been doing this?
BURGUNDY
A while. You're not the first. But
you are the best.
(indicates Ann)
Look, if you didn't do this, they'd
just go and find someone else.
Someone less gifted than you, who
might kill them. There's no reason
to feel guilty.
SMITH
And what about you? Do you feel
guilty?
BURGUNDY
I didn't ask her to come here. I
didn't ask any of them to come.
SMITH
But you knew what you were going to
do before you even invited her in.
BURGUNDY
What's that got to do with anything?
SMITH
You're telling me you don't know?
You don't know how wrong this is?
Burgundy lets Smith go. She gives a big sigh.
BURGUNDY
I thought you were different. But
you're just like the others. Guilt.
Conscience. What next? Going to
the police and confessing? Telling
them about me?
Burgundy draws a scalpel across Smith's throat. His surprise
turns to horror but it's too late to do anything. Smith's
eyes glaze, he slowly sinks to the floor, dead.
Burgundy looks down at him with regret.
BURGUNDY
I just hope the next one is as good
as you.
She walks to the table, looks down at Ann, sleeping
peacefully. Burgundy turns the anesthetic flow knob up full.
The HISSING becomes louder. Ann spasms but doesn't wake up.
Burgundy kisses her fingertips and touches her fingertips to
Ann's forehead.
BURGUNDY
Sorry, love.
Burgundy exits the living room, stepping over Smith. Moments
later we hear the outside door close.
Just the HISS remains as we...
FADE OUT:
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