AMERICAN HISTORY X

She coughs, recovers, and sips. Danny walks away.

DORIS

Hey. Come here. Sit with me.

DANNY

I've got this thing to do.

DORIS

You can sit down for two seconds.

He looks at her and sits beside her.

DANNY

Don't breathe on me.

DORIS

I won't.

They share a smile.

DANNY

It's cold in here, no wonder your

sick.

She stares and smiles at him for a few moments.

DANNY

What?

DORIS

What? I'm not allowed to look at you

anymore?

He smothers her face with his hand, jokingly.

DANNY

No. You're not.

DORIS

(laughing)

Daniel Patrick! Stop it! Are you

ever gonna let that beautiful hair

grow back?

DANNY

Nope. Never.

DORIS

I bet you will.

He smiles and locks eyes with his mother for several

moments. He finally rises and walks back to his room.

DANNY

Get some sleep.

DORIS

If you need me to proof anything for

you I will.

DANNY

I'll be all right.

DORIS

Wake up early if you get tired.

Doris watches him disappear down the hall, distant

thoughts creeping back slowly.

INT. BEDROOM CLOSET - DANNY

He grabs a flannel and throws it on. He sees a cigar box

that rests on the right shelf. He grabs it and looks

inside. The rolled-up LA TIMES clipping reads "Prominent

Skinhead Charged with Murder." The accompanying picture

of Derek is near evil.

TIGHT ON HIS EYES. Danny stares at the clipping. ON THE

TRACK--GUNSHOTS.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM WINDOW - THE EYES - FLASHBACK

He watches Derek fire his gun at the TRANS AM as it

blazes down the street. He walks over to the wounded man

on the lawn and points his weapon.

STACEY (O.S.)

Get on the floor, Danny! Jesus!

Danny looks down at her and hurries out of his room.

EXT. HOUSE - TIGHT ON DEREK

He hovers over big Lawrence. Gun pointed steadily, he

kicks him in the stomach over and over -- tongue pressed

against teeth. Hot air flows from Derek's breath and

into the cold.

DEREK

You fucked with the wrong bull.

LAWRENCE

Goddamn, man!

Danny watches his brother from the front porch.

DANNY

Let the cops handle it, Der!

DEREK

Fuck that. The cops will let him

walk.

Derek grabs Lawrence and drags him to the CURB.

DEREK

Ever shoot at firemen, you fuck?

(then)

Open your mouth and put it on the

corner of the curb. I'm gonna teach

you a little lesson.

DANNY

Derek!?

DEREK

Get in the fucking house, Dan!

Danny doesn't move.

LAWRENCE

Come on, man. Call an ambulance.

DEREK

My dad gave me that truck,

motherfucker. Couldn't leave well

enough alone. Put your mouth on the

corner of the fucking curb!

Derek cocks his piece and Lawrence complies--his teeth

now scraping concrete. SIRENS sound from afar. Danny

walks out into the middle of the street to check it out.

DANNY

The cops are comin' Der'

Lawrence mumbles something unintelligible from his

outstretched mouth.

DEREK

What the fuck did you say? You just

threaten me? Hunh? Hunh? Hunh?

DANNY

(anticipating)

No!

Derek STOMPS his foot on the back of LAWRENCE'S head -

completely tearing his jaw in half on the curb's corner.

DANNY

(crying)

Holy fucking shit! Derek! What the

hell was that for?! Jesus!

The two lock eyes. Derek does not flinch. Helicopter

lights shine on the house. COP CARS SCREECH TO A HALT.

DANNY'S POV. Two cops take cover behind their door, draw

their guns, and shout instructions. Derek puts the gun

down, puts his arms behind his head, and drops to his

knees. His eyes are remorseless.

DANNY (V/O)

Joseph Conrad once wrote that "murder

is always with us. It's almost an

institution." That couldn't rang more

true than with me.

CUT TO:

EXT. WET STREET - THE CRIME SCENE - LATER

FIVE PATROL CARS, a FIRE TRUCK, TWO AMBULANCES, and a

throng of terrified NEIGHBORS strangle the front of the

house. Clothed and handcuffed, Derek is escorted from

the house by two uniformed cops and RASMUSSEN.

DANNY (V/O)

Bobby Lawrence died of massive head

trauma early that morning.

Derek marches past the bodies -- which are being tended

to thoroughly.

DANNY (V/O)

Six months after that...Derek was

convicted and sentenced to seven years

for voluntary manslaughter...to be

served at the California State

Penitentiary in Chino.

Rasmussen forces Derek's head down and he gets in the

car. He stares at his brother and sister as police

lights flash on him. Then to Stacey. Finally, to a

lifeless Doris. They lock eyes as the patrol car takes

off down the street.

DANNY (V/O)

Prosecutors wanted murder one for my

brother's torture method...but there

wasn't enough "premeditated" evidence.

CUT TO:

OMIT

INT. BEDROOM - DANNY'S EYES

They clearly focus on the computer. HIGHLIGHTED is the

sentence "There might have been if I testified." Only

when he hits the DELETE KEY does it disappear. He

continues typing.

DANNY (V/O)

(continuing)

Over the next year we'd lose our house

and the rest of our father's pension

to attorney fees. My mother...much to

all of our surprise...stood by Derek.

Danny's interrupted by a LOUD KNOCK on the front door.

INT. FRONT HALL - DANNY'S POV

He looks through the PEEPHOLE and sees it's CHRIS AND

JASON. He sighs in relief and opens the door.

JASON

We're here, dude.

CHRIS

Drop your dick and grab your stick.

DANNY

I told you I can't tonight.

DORIS (O.S.)

(from the couch)

Danny?

DANNY

It's okay, Mom.

The two punks laugh as Danny pushes them and their boards

back to his bedroom. He shuts his bedroom door.

INT. BEDROOM - THE THREESOME

Danny looks at the two.

DANNY

If I don't finish this thing I'm dead.

CHRIS

Just tell 'em you'll do it tomorrow.

You can't miss the party.

JASON

Fire pie Lizzy called and told us to

grab your ass.

DANNY

She did?

CHRIS

(nodding)

You gotta hit that shit. It's the

only fun thing that's legal anymore.

The PHONE RINGS and Danny grabs it.

DANNY

Hello?

INT. DARK OFFICE - TIGHT ON SWEENEY

The only illumination shines through the window from the

street. Holding his briefcase, he stands over his desk

phone, all packed up and almost out the door.

SWEENEY

Dan?

DANNY (O.S.)

Yeah?

SWEENEY

Dr. Sweeney.

INTERCUT THE CONVERSATION

DANNY

(worried)

What's going on?

SWEENEY

Nothing here. Is everything all right

over there?

DANNY

Everything's fine.

SWEENEY

How's it comin'?

DANNY

I'm doing it right now.

CMRIS

Who is it, dude?

DANNY

(covering the receiver)

It's Sweeney.

CHRIS

Who?! Why is he calling here!? Fuck

you, Sweeney! Asshole!

JASON

(grabbing the receiver)

Get a fucking job, you reggie!

Danny grabs the receiver back and yells at his friends.

DANNY

You fuckers are going to get me

booted!

(into the receiver)

Dr. Sweeney? I'm sorry, man.

SWEENEY

Just make sure it's on my desk

tomorrow, Danny.

DANNY

It'll be there, alright!?

SWEENEY

It better be.

Sweeney hangs up abruptly. Danny slams the phone on the

hook, gives it TME FINGER, and looks at his friends.

DANNY

Let's go.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMMERON'S HOUSE PARTY - NIGHT

A TRUCK sits across the street.

INT. TRUCK - DEREK AND SETH

They sit in the car as a band JAMS from Cam's house.

Shiftless Seth throws on a black CRO-MAG t-shirt and

tosses his work shirt in the back. He wolfs down a

burger as Derek rolls his foot on a basketball on the

floor.

SETH

You're an idiot if you ask me.

DEREK

I'm not asking you.

SETH

What if he writes something stupid and

that nigger turns you in? Jesus. He

didn't testify, Der. They can use

that shit and re-try you.

Derek takes a long stare at Seth, who devourshis burger.

DEREK

Sweeney's not gonna do anything, Seth.

He helped get me released.

Seth is a pathetic vision to Derek. Derek stares at him

for several moments.

DEREK

I'm out, Seth.

Seth wipes his mouth and casually meets eyes with Derek.

DEREK

I'm only going to tell you this once

so pay attention. I'm done, Seth. I

don't want you to come near me...near

Dan...I want you to leave my family

alone.

Seth stares and laughs at Derek.

SETH

You're serious.

DEREK

I'm dead fucking serious. No more

phone calls, no more visits, no more

nothing.

Seth doesn't know what to say.

DEREK

We don't exist as far as you're

concerned, Seth.

SETH

I can't believe I'm hearing this shit

come out of your mouth.

DEREK

Believe it, Seth. Believe it. I

spent over three years away from my

family. My family, Seth. For what?

SETH

For your country, fuckhole, that's

what. I'd do a hundred years before I

felt like that.

Seth gets out, slams the door, and walks to the party.

SETH

You're a motherfucking traitor!

Derek stares out the window and sighs.

EXT. STREET - DEREK'S POV

He watches the house. Suddenly, Danny, Chris and Jason

skate up to the residence and follow Seth inside.

DEREK

What the--? Shit.

INT. CAMMERON'S HOUSE - THE FRONT DOOR

CUT TO:

DICK NIXON plays a punk version of WHITE CHRISTMAS as

skins slam dance.

EXT. CAMMERON'S BACK PATIO - A SKINHEAD

His face is tattooed with crow's feet and prison ink.

CASSANDRA, a frail, older, English woman with green hair

and multiple piercings, approaches JASON at the keg.

CASSANDRA

You're full of shit!

JASON

If he ain't here, he's comin'.

INT. HOUSE - MORE SLAMMING

Chris, Danny and Jason pound beer and huck DARTS at a

picture of O.J. SIMPSON. Seth violently slams past the

kids. Derek walks in.

CHRIS

Yo! What's up, Fat Seth!?

Seth throws Chris against the wall.

SETH

I'm not fat, cockwart! I'm husky!

CMRIS

Okay! I'm sorry, bro!

DANNY