CREDITS FADE IN OVER OPENING SCENE

INT-DAY-DARK CELLAR

            MELIISA WILLIAMS, age 30, is sitting strapped to a chair and gagged by duct tape. Whimpering slightly, her eyes dart around the room.

CLOSE UP-- MELISSA’S FACE, sweaty and dirty, her blonde hair stringy and clinging to her face.

            A dirty, fat hand reaches across and rips the tape off her mouth. She lets out a scream, which is quickly covered by the hand.

WIDE SHOT-- CELLAR WITH BARELY ANY LIGHT SHINING THROUGH A BOARDED UP WINDOW

SFX—SCUFFLING OF FEET AND MELISSA’S STRUGGLING, DRIPPING WATER

            JIM, age 43, is standing before her holding a gun to her jaw.

                                                JIM

                                                (hoarsely)

You scream like that again, I’ll blow your head off.

MELISSA

(crying)

Do you really think you can get away with this? They’ll fin you, you know. They’ll find you and they’ll put you behind bars you pervert!

(she spits at him)

JIM

(slaps her hard in the face)

You’ve got some right to call ME a pervert. You’re the one that went off with that punk and decided to have a great old time. You’ll never do that to me again. (he laughs)

JIM takes gun from under her chin and sets it on the table beside her. Pulling up another chair, he sits himself so that his face is inches from hers. Breathing on her neck, he kisses it roughly. MELISSA tries to pull away. JIM places his hand on the other side of her head, forcing her closer to him.

                                                JIM

                                                (holding her head)

Did he do that to you? Did he make you feel better than I ever could? Huh? ANSWER me, dammit! Why was he so much better than me?

MELISSA

(manages to writhe away stiffly)

HE loves me. HE cares about me. HE would never do anything to hurt me, like you’re doing right now.

JIM

(laughs)

Yeah, well that line of you never hurt the one you love isn’t always true my dear. You hurt me so I see no reason why I shouldn’t put you through just as much pain. Hell, maybe you’ll even like it. (he pulls her face towards him again and roughly kisses her)

WIDE SHOT—BEDROOM—NIGHT

MELISSA sits up abruptly, breathing heavily. JIM is sound asleep beside her in the bed. Shaking her head, she gets up and moves to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She stares at her reflection in the mirror.

SFX—WATER RUNNING

            She splashes water on her face then dries it with a towel, shaking her head slowly.

                                                MELISSA

                                                (talking to herself quietly)

You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Mel. You’ve got to get out of Jim’s grasp before he actually does find out and try something.

She moves from the bathroom to the kitchen, removing her purse from the counter. Rummaging through it, she adds money from a jar behind the toaster and then closes her purse quickly. Trying to be as quiet as she can, she reaches into the closet beside the door and pulls out a small backpack. Shoving her purse in, she leaves it on the counter and returns to her room only long enough to grab a few changes of clothes.

MEDIUM SHOT-- KITCHEN-- CAMERA IS MOVING ON AN ANGLE IN A SEMI CIRLE AROUND HER, THE VIEW SOMETIMES OBSTRUCTED BY VARIOUS PIECES OF FURNITURE OR PILARS.

            She stuffs the clothes into the backpack and then closes it, pulling her key out of her pocket and resting it on the counter. She pulls a notepad and a pen from the counter and begins to write.

CLOSE UP-- MELISSA’S HAND-- WRITING A NOTE THAT READS:

                        Dear Jim,

By the time you get your lazy ass out of bed I’ll be gone. I’m done with all of the stuff you’ve put me through, and I’m done with the way you’ve treated me. You don’t love me, it’s obvious. So just let me be happy. I’ve found a man who can take care of me and who can love me like you never could. If you have any feeling or respect for me at all, you won’t try to find me. At least you don’t have to put up with me anymore.

Sincerely,

Melissa

SFX-- MELISSA’S VOICE READING THE LETTER WITH SADNESS AS SHE WRITES

She puts the pen back and rests the key on top of the note. Slipping out the kitchen door, she closes it behind her quietly and walks down the driveway toward a pay phone.

CAMERA FLASHES TO PAYPHONE, MELISSA’S HAND FUMBLING TO DIAL A NUMBER.

                                                MELISSA

                                                (speaking into phone)

Yeah, I’m ready. Come get me the hell out of here. (she hangs up and pulls out a cigarette)

Sitting down on the curb, she puffs on her cigarette, and it isn’t long before the screeching of tires are heard around the corner.

WIDE SHOT-- MELISSA SITTING ON CURB IN BOTTOM RIGHT OF SCREEN

A 1970 blue Pontiac GTO pulls up and parks haphazardly in front of Melissa. She puts out her cigarette and gets into the car quickly and it speeds away.

CAMERA FLASHES TO JIM, STANDING IN THE WINDOW WATCHING HER LEAVE. HE RETREATS BACK TO THE BEDROOM AND FADES OUT OF SIGHT. CAMERA THEN FLASHES BACK TO MELISSA, SITTING IN CAR.

RYAN, age 32, has one hand on the wheel and his other arm resting around Melissa’s shoulders.

RYAN

                                                (soothingly)

So you just couldn’t take it anymore, huh? You’re safe now, baby, no one’s going to hurt you now.

MELISSA

(sighs)

I wish I could say that for sure. How do I know he’s not going to try and find me and get me back? (she leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder)

RYAN

(turns and kisses her softly before turning his eyes back to the road)

Mel, come on. Don’t worry. I’m here now. I’ve got you protected.

CAMERA ZOOMS OUT SLOWLY DURING HIS DIALOGUE TO REVEAL HIS CAR SPEEDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

END SCENE