AMERICAN HISTORY X

Honor and loyalty run thick, Derek.

Not skin color. Skin is thin. I

don't get you, man. I don't.

(after a beat)

I got my Doctorate in Education...not

in medicine. But if you think babies

come into this world evil...you're

fucked up, Derek. You're way to smart

to believe that shit.

(then)

There's nothin' more beautiful Derek,

nothin' more pure, nothin' more

innocent...than a baby.

DEREK

They killed my father, Sweeney.

SWEENEY

Jesus Derek. Use that brain God gave

you for chrissake. What are you gonna

do? Seek revenge your whole life and

become a lifer in here. That's what

these guys are like, you wanna be like

them? Fucking little boys in prison?

Think, man. None of your guys back

home give a shit about you.

(after a beat)

They only care about your brother.

The new blood. And he sure as hell

can't take care of himself like you

could.

Derek looks at the man with regret.

DEREK

Get me outta here, Sweeney.

Sweeney looks at the young man, heavily weighing his

options. The two lock eyes.

CUT TO:

EXT. PRISON QUAD - DAY

Derek reads by himself on the cement stairs by himself.

A shadow approaches from behind.

VOICE

How you doin', man?

Derek turns his head and sees LAMONT standing there.

DEREK

All right.

(after a beat)

How are you?

LAMONT

I'm fucking incarcerated, man. With a

bunch of faggots. How you think I'm

doin'?

Derek looks at the young man and can't help but laugh.

Derek slowly gets up and limps past Lamont.

LAMONT

What are you gonna do, man?

Derek looks at him for a few moments, still shaken.

DEREK

I'm not going to do anything.

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON VISITING ROOM

He looks through the window at his mother. Together they

pick up the phone.

TIGHT ON DEREK. He can feel her pain more than he can

feel his own. He forces a smile.

DEREK

Hey Mom.

DORIS

Hello.

The two sit there and stare at each other for a few

moments.

DORIS

Dr. Sweeney called me. He spoke with

a guy on the parole board here.

(then)

He thinks you might be getting out

soon.

Derek nods and stares at his mother, broken.

DEREK

How are the others?

DORIS

Davina's good. UCLA Math major.

(frustrated)

All three of you have always been so

great in school. I wonder why all

this--

DEREK

What about Dan, Mom? How's he?

DORIS

He's doing the same stuff you were

doing, Derek. Hanging out with

Cammeron, getting into trouble. It

brings back a lot of sad memories.

And I can't do anything...he won't

listen to me. He needs you.

Derek stares at his mother like it's the last thing he

wanted to hear.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PRISON CHECK-OUT - DAY

Derek gives back his prison garb. LAMONT APPEARS.

Through the partition we see Derek say goodbye to Lamont:

and walk out to his awaiting family.

DISSOLVE BACK TO:

EXT. STREET - NIGHT - PRESENT

Danny tearfully stares at his brother, speechless.

DEREK

(after a long beat)

You're my best friend, Danny. You're

my only friend. And I just want

what's best for you.

The two rub heads as DEREK puts his arm around him.

Danny squeezes back and Derek kisses him on the top of

the head.

CUT TO:

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - THE COPS

Danny skates up to the front gate and looks at them.

COP #1

How the hell...?

Derek slaps the roof on the passenger side and scares the

hell out of the officers.

COP #2

Son of a bitch.

DEREK

Pretty shitty assignment you got.

COP #1

Out of respect for your father.

DEREK

Oh yeah? What the hell do you know-

about my father?

The two men sit there speechless as Derek walks over to

an awaiting Danny.

INT. VINYARD HOUSEHOLD - A SLEEPING DORIS

She snores on the couch. The clock on the wall reads

eleven as the boys ENTER. Danny goes to his room whale

Derek heads for the girls in the living room. He genzly

shakes Davina.

DEREK

Hey. Wake up.

She looks at him, delirious.

DAVINA

What?

DEREK

Time for bed.

INT. OPEN BEDROOM - DEREK'S POV

Dan types at the computer as Derek escorts Davina and

Doris to bed.

INT. DAVINA BEDROOM - SAME

Davina plops herself down and falls asleep instantly.

DORIS

Goodnight.

DEREK

Goodnight, Mom.

CUT TO:

INT. BATHROOM - LATE NIGHT

Derek stares at himself in the mirror. A million

thoughts race through his head as computer keys echo in

the b.g. He looks at all of his tattoos and SCARS.

TIGHT ON HIS UPPER BODY. He stares at the SWASTIKA on

his tit. He puts his hand over the tattoo to see what

he looks like without it. He turns on the shower and

gets inside.

129 INT. SHOWER - TIGHT ON DEREE

As he soaps himself down, the soap slips out of his hand

and sits on.the bottom of the tub. He looks at it a long

time before he bends over to pick it up. He immerses his

face into the shower faucet and thinks to himself.

INT. BEDROOM - TIGHT ON DANNY

He sits back down at the computer and looks back at his

brother as he dries off. Danny thinks to himself and

types a sentence.

DANNY (V/O)

There was only one person who loved

Derek more than me.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. VINYARD HOUSEHOLD - MORNING - FLASHBACK

The place is immaculate. DENNIS VINYARD, the father of

the household, eats his breakfast in his LA COUNTY

FIREFIGHTER UNIFORM. Vintage fireman material:

muscular, receding hairline, zero facial hair. Handsome.

A pretty and well-dressed Doris SINGS while she scrambles

eight eggs with mushrooms and peppers.

DANNY (V/O)

That was Dad. They were best friendS.

Fathers and sons are never best

friends...but they were..

YOUNGER DANNY stares at his larger-than-life father with

a cap turned backwards. Doris breaks from song and yells

to the back.

DORIS

Breakfast!

DENNIS

Okay! Let's go, Davina! Derek!

DORIS

So what's this all about, Dennis?

Dennis doesn't hear because his attention is on Danny.

YOUNGER DEREK, donning a flat-top haircut and no tattoos,

walks into the kitchen. The smiling athlete has his

backpack and blue VENICE HIGH gym bag. He drops it all

onto the ground and sits at the table.

DENNIS

Good morning.

DEREK

Good morning.

Doris sets food in front of her two sons and they both go

to work. Young Danny eats quietly.

DORIS

What about this gang stuff?

DENNIS

Jesus Doris...it's not that big of a

deal. All departments have to take a

precaution class on gang patrol today.

DEREK

What for?

DENNIS

A guy was shot yesterday in

Inglewood...changin' a valve on a

hydrant. LAPD is worried that more

firefighters will become targets.

That's what this bullshit is about.

(sipping his coffee)

A good father this guy was though and

now he's in intensive care because of

some goddamn--! They've pretty much

declared war on LAPD and us.

DORIS

Why you guys though? I can see them

but the fire department?

DENNIS

They think we would rather let a

building burn down over there than

fight it. So now we got two fights

goin' on at one goddamn time.

Dennis takes a bite of his eggs and explodes.

DENNIS