Friday the 13th

ANOTHER ANGLE
 

As Jack pulls the starter cord. The engine roars into action.

JACK

(yelling)

Now ya' close the switch.

CLOSEUP as Jack's hand reaches in and touches a heavy-duty metal switch. A spark arcs and we PULL BACK to see Jack with a perfect connection running through his body. There is a sparking sound, the little light in the shed blinks, Jack screams, the generator chugs roughly. Hundreds of volts are streaking through Jack's body and grounded through his wet shoes.

Bill reacts quickly: knowing better than to touch him and continue the connection, he takes a half-step backwards, aims at an oblique angle and executes a perfect Bruce Lee-type drop- kick on his friend, severing the contact.

Jack stumbles out of the shack and the light goes dead. The machine stops.

CUT TO:

EXT. GENERATOR SHED – LATE AFTERNOON

Jack lands, almost unconscious. Bill kneels into FRAME and cheeks Jack's vital sign: his eyes, his carotid pulse, his breathing.

Jack shakes his head.

JACK

I'll be okay. Holy shit...

BILL

Don't get up. Take a second...

Jack lies back down. Covers his eyes with his arm.

JACK

You saved my life.

BILL

I had to.

JACK

Thanks.

BILL

I figured if I didn't save you. I'd have to give you mouth-to-mouth and that would have ruined my appetite.

Jack looks up and smiles. Bill give him a hand and the groggy athlete gets to his feet.

JACK

Whew.

Satisfied that Jack won't fall down, Bill goes to the shed and looks in.

We can look in over Bill's shoulder and see a smoke-scarred switch and a now-silent generator.

BILL

This puddle was enough to ground you all the way to China.

Jack looks in, too.

JACK

Floor probably leaks. This area is full of springs.

BILL

A short somewhere.

Bill leans down and sees a smokey-colored wire that touches another wire.

BILL

(continuing)

There's the problem, Jack. Wire worked itself loose.

He starts to wind it round a set-screw in CLOSEUP.

JACK

Just in cause this bugger goes bad. I'm gonna pick up some lanterns from the equipment shack.

Jack walks away.

CUT TO:

INT. EQUIPMENT SHED – DUSK

The door opens at us, letting in the limited light. Jack comes in and goes to pick up a fluorescent lamp. He flicks it on. As he bends down to pick up two Coleman lanterns, the CAMERA slowly moves toward the wall where once we saw all the hatchets and knives. They are all missing.

Jack takes his booty and exits.

The light is gone and we are alone in the dark.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN – DUSK

EXTREME CLOSEUP of the lightbulb over the kitchen area. It flickers on as we hear in the B.G. the sound of the generator start up. The bulb glows, goes down, glows cheerily.

NED

What hath God wrought?

BRENDA

That was the telephone.

NED

Ha! You wily oriental! The phone was "Mr. Watson, come in here, I need you." "What hath God wrought" was the telegraph.

Jack comes in with his lanterns followed by Bill.

MARCIE

Last line of Gone With the Wind?

NED

Frankly, Scarlet, I don't give a damn!

Alice listens as she washes the dishes. It looks as if things will be okay.

BRENDA

Shows how much you know. It's something about tomorrow.

ALICE

Tomorrow is another day.

BRENDA

Right! Right!

Marcie is finishing up making her green California dip.

Suddenly Alice cries out. Everybody whips around to see. Alice holds up a piece of broken glass – the bottom half of a bottle. She has cut her finger. It is not a serious cut, but the blood is visible.

ALICE

This just plain ain't my day.

Bill reaches into a cupboard and pulls out a BandAid.

MARCIE

You okay?

Ned

Those things can be nasty.

BRENDA

Wash it out real good.

Bill comes up to Alice.

BILL

Lemme see. Doesn't look too bad.

That said, the OTHERS go back to what they were doing.

Bill and Alice are featured even though we can hear the others. Bill takes great care and puts the BandAid on Alice's finger.

They share this moment with soft smiles as the trivia contest continues.

NED

Who played the role of Gorgon in Star Trek?

BILL

I don't want you getting hurt.

Brenda

Melvin Belli.

ALICE

I was careless. guaranteed winner!

BILL

How'd it get in there?

ALICE

Somebody probably dropped something too hard.

NED

Alice, you're just lucky there are no snakes in the dishwater here.

Neddy is hovering over a bowl of California dip which Marcie has just made. He dips a chip as soon as she steps back.

MARCIE

Soooooeeeeey, piggy, piggy.

Suddenly Ned's face goes red. His eyes bulge out. He grabs his throat and gags. Coughs, can't clear it.

JACK

What is it?

BILL

Is it stuck?

Ned points to the dip and slumps down on the floor where he writhes about.

MARCIE

Help him!

ALICE

Oh, my God!

BILL

Roll him over!

JACK

Get behind him more.

As Bill and Jack flip him over to try to give him the Heimlich, Ned stops his act and grins from ear to ear. It's a big finish:

NED

Ta-da!

REACTION SHOTS: as it sinks in that Ned has been putting them on.

JACK

Not funny, Ned...

Bill stands up, angry, but willing to keep his mouth shut.

MARCIE

Wait'll you're really in trouble and see what happens...

NED

But it's in the brochure! "Camp Crystal Lake has a full drama program." You just saw it.

Ned tries to laugh it off. They shake their heads. Marcie walks away. Jack looks at Bill.

BILL

Chance to get even?

JACK

I'll spot you five points.

NED

Hey, look, I'm sorry. I'll never do it again.

Ned turns and heads for the door. Alice comes up next to him. The OTHERS are out of earshot now. Bill and Jack play a little ping-pong. Ned is a little embarrassed by his play-acting stunt.

NED

(continuing)

I'm sorry.