Poetic Justice

EXT. THE ROAD – DUSK

We start on the truck coming up the road, then PAN with it to REVEAL a sign that reads "YOU ARE NOW ENTERING OAKLAND".

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRUCK – DUSK

Where Lucky and Justice ride along.

LUCKY'S POV

Where he sees a big brawl in the street. Docu-style realism sets back in. BACK TO TRUCK Justice turns to Lucky and smiles. Lucky just looks at her. Then he lowers the boom.

LUCKY
I gotta tell you something.

Justice turns her attention out the window. She sighs. She can sense this is gonna be something heavy.

JUSTICE'S POV

Subjective to objective, then reveal Justice. There is a car accident in the street.

JUSTICE

What? Oh shit, don't tell me you got somethin!

LUCKY

No. But listen – I'm only saying this cause I like you and you should know before anything else happens.

EXT. OAKLAND NEIGHBOURHOOD – NIGHT

Where we see the mail truck turn a corner and go up a street. In the far distance we can see the red lights of an ambulance.

INT. THE TRUCK-NIGHT

Where the flashing lights fall upon Lucky's face. He ignores them and pulls to the curb.

JUSTICE

A little girl, huh? Why didn't you tell me that shit from the beginning?

LUCKY

I didn't think it was important. How was I to know we wuz gonna... hold on, let me just check in with my cousin.

He gets out of the truck.

EXT. OAKLAND NEIGHBOURHOOD – NIGHT – A WALKWAY

Where Lucky gets out of the truck and walks up to his Aunt Audrey's house, notebook in hand. He is on cloud nine and in the best of spirits. People are running past him and down the street toward the ambulance and police lights.

BACK TO TRUCK

Where Justice and Iesha emerge.

IESHA

(stretching)

What we doing here? How come we didn't go to the hotel? Shit, I'm tired.

THE DOORWAY

Where Lucky arrives to notice that it is open. Empty. Dark.

LUCKY

Kalil! Aunt Audrey! Anybody in here!?

He goes in.

ANOTHER ANGLE – NEW SHOT

As Lucky comes back out and looks down the street. He senses something wrong. Lucky hops off of the porch and runs with the rest of the crowd down the street. We follow with him some ways then swing around in front of him. Lucky pauses in shock. We hear screams. Lucky comes forward as we move with him to reveal his cousin Kalil on a bloody stretcher, his aunt Audrey frozen in shock, and a crowd of spectators standing around. Lucky makes his way to his aunt, and they embrace.

CLOSEUP – LUCKY

As he looks up from his aunt toward the ambulance. In the background an attendant is trying to get some information from Lucky and his aunt. They say nothing. Also we hear the various voices of people in the crowd with a thousand explanations of what happened.

TIMESLOWS DOWN – JUSTICE AND IESHA

Walk up. Both stand there in shock. We frame up Lucky holding his aunt in the foreground, with the two women in the background.

INT. AMBULANCE DOOR POV

Where the door is closed and the truck moves away, revealing Lucky and his aunt still embracing. He leads her toward her home.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE TRUCK – NIGHT

Lucky is driving. Justice sits in the next seat. Solemn. Iesha is in the back quiet and frozen.

EXT. OAKLAND HOTEL – NIGHT

We see Jessie come down some stairs and enter some change into a cigarette machine. It takes her change, she hits it a couple of times, and a pack comes out.

THE PARKING LOT

The truck comes into the lot, and Justice and Iesha hop out. Lucky comes around from the driver's side. Iesha looks as though she wants to say something to Lucky, but she can 't bring out the words.

IESHA

You all right?

Lucky has no reaction. Iesha backs up and reluctantly walks away, leaving Lucky and Justice alone.

LUCKY

Walks over to the front grill of the truck and sits down.

JESSIE

As Iesha walks past her, and she watches and waits to talk to Justice.

JUSTICE

Follows him and sits next to him. She puts her arms around Lucky and tenderly kisses him. She kisses his neck, face, etc. The music gets higher. Everything is romantic, then

Lucky puts his head down then looks back up.

LUCKY

I mighta got there on time if I hadn't been fucking around wit you.

He walks away.

JUSTICE

(confused, shocked)

What?!

ANOTHER ANGLE – WLDE SHOT – PARKING LOT – SFX

As we see the truck start up and back away from Justice. Leaving her standing there alone. She walks toward the hotel and Jessie.

JESSIE

You scraping the bottom of the pudding cup now, huh?

JUSTICE

(pissed off)

Know what you talking about before you judge.