THE BOARDWALK
ashley is on spencer and Laddie's tail. sHe keeps pace
with her, walking a safe distance behind. She becomes
aware of her. She looks over her shoulder -- then
suddenly stops.
spencer
Are you following me?
ashley
Well, I...
spencer
Did you want to talk to me?
ashley
Well... yeah. Sure.
spencer
Okay. Talk.
Ashley
I just wanted to... I, uh...
kyla rushes up carrying her comic.
kyla
Mom's here.
Laddie notices the vampire comic.
kyla
Let's go.
spencer
(very sweetly)
Nice talking to you.
She smiles and walks away.
BOARDWALK ENTRANCE - MINUTES LATER
ashley argues with christine as kyla climbs into the Rover.
ashley
It's early. Why do we have to
go home?
christine
Bring your own wheels tomorrow
night and you can stay as long
as you want... well 'til eleven
thirty maybe.
Ashley
I'll hitch.
christine
Oh, no, you won't.
kyla
Mom, you hitched all the way to
Berkeley once, remember?
Ashley
Mom, just give me five more minutes.
Just five minutes, okay?
Lucy nods as Michael dashes off into the crowd.
kyla
she met a girl.
christine
I guess no one cares what I got
a job.
kyla
Can we get a T.V.?
. ANOTHER PART OF THE BOARDWALK
ashley rounds the turn and stops short.
spencer and Laddie are surrounded by the Lost kids. ashley
feels upstaged. The Lost kids look his way -- but there
is nothing threatening in their expressions.
They all have motorcycles. They climb on and GUN their
engines. spencer climbs on behind aiden, putting her arms
around him.
They ROAR away. ashley is left standing alone. spencer
smiles as she disappears into the night.
. BEACH IN FRONT OF BOARDWALK - EARLY MORNING
GAS STATION/SURF RENTAL/TRAMPOULINE RIDE -
EARLY MORNING
ashley parks her bike, as she and kyla rent surf boards
and wet suits.
BEACH
ashley carries her board under her arm as kyla drags her
behind.
kyla
Do I have to do this?
ashley
Come on, ky, you know before
there were malls there was 'like
the ocean.'
ashley leans to "master" the art of Surfing.
she's very athletic and it doesn't take her too long to
get the hang of it.
kyla is disaster, however, and settles for watching
ashley along with the huge Santa Carla Seals who seem-
ingly applaud ashley. Suddenly she is wiped out, however,
by max and the Surf Nazis who surf right past him.
max
My beach, my wave, dude.
ashley wipes out as the Seals applaud.
THE VIDEO STORE - DUSK
32's first day on the job. MARIA, the hot-looking black
cashier, shows Lucy the ropes.
MARIA
I'd be out on the street if it
wasn't for john. Nobody would'a
given me a job the way I looked
when I walked in here.
Christine
I haven't seen him all day.
MARIA
He only comes in nights.
He's busy opening another
store in Los Gatos. Much
bigger than this one.
Christine sees ashley and kyla drive up on ashley's Honda.
She goes out to meet them.
VIDEO STORE
kyla leaps off the motorbike. ashley GUNS the engine.
Ashley
See you later.
Christine
I get off in another twenty
minutes. I thought maybe we'd
all get a bite together.
Ashley
I'll pass.
With that, ashley peels off.
. THE BOARDWALK - NIGHT
ashley is purchasing a BLACK JACKET from the PUNK STORE
on the boardwalk. sHe likes her reflection. It's the
kind of jacket the Lost kids would wear.
with her as she gets into her new attitude. she stops near
an EAR PIERCING CONCESSION and actually considers it.
spencer
It's a rip-off.
ashley is floored to see spencer standing behind her.
ashley
Hi...
spencer
If you want your ear pierced,
I'll do it.
sHe follows her as they move along the busy Boardwalk.
ashley
What's your name?
Spencer
spencer
ashley
spencer great. I like spencer.
STAR
Me, too.
ashley
I'm ashley.
spencer
ashley's great. I like ashley.
ashley smiles awkwardly at spencer's playfulness. For a
moment they walk in silence.
spencer
I guess you're new around here.
ashley
Sort of. We used to come here
summers when I was kid. Now
we're here on a permanent basis.
She seems pleased by that news. ashley gives her a look.
sHe can't believe her good fortune.
Ashley
Are you hungry? Wanna get something to eat?
spencer
Okay.
BOARDWALK PARKING AREA - NIGHT
As ashley and spencer approach ashley's Honda, the Lost
kids arrive on their motorcycles. Laddie sits behind
Paul. aiden is astride a THROBBING TRIUMPH. ashley
looks uneasy; out-classed and out-numbered.
aiden
(to spencer)
Where you going?
spencer
For a ride.
aiden
(glancing at ashley)
With her?
Spencer
Yeah.
aiden GUNS his engine, then lets it REV BACK DOWN.
aiden
(to ashley)
I'm aiden.
(indicates the others)
Paul... luke... liam.
Laddie speaks up, having been passed over.
LADDIE
Hi... I'm Laddie.
spencer
This is ashley.
Silence. Nobody moves, but glances are exchanged all
around.
ashley
(to spencer)
We still going?
aiden
Honda 250, huh?
ashley
That's right.
aiden
C'mon, Star. Climb on.
ashley
spencer?...
She gives ashley an apologetic look, then climbs onto
the motorcycle behind aiden .
aiden
Know where Hudson's Bluff is?
Overlooking the point?
aiden again GUNS his ENGINE and ashley gets his meaning.
ashley
I can't beat a Triumph.
aiden
You don't have to beat me,
ashley.
(pause)
Just try to keep up.
BOARDWALK STEPS
The motorcycles BOUNCE down the steps and hit the beach.
THE BEACH
Now they pick up speed as they spin out from the board-
walk, spraying sand into the air and REVVING their
ENGINES.
People on the beach turn to look as the motorcycles ROAR
by, heading for a more deserted section of sand.
Of ALL FIVE MOTORBIKES weaving between the ROARING
BONFIRES.
Their faces are alive with the excitement and the thrill
of the ride.
ashley
Cautious. Worried. Doing her best to keep up.
The motorcycles speed through the surf.
They head for the pier at full speed. The thick wooden
pilings present a hazardous obstacle course. ashley
SKIDS and slows down.
The Lost kids do just the opposite. They increase their
speed as they approach the pilings.
BENEATH THE PIER
Aiden and the others thread their way between the pilings
at breakneck speed -- executing turns and avoiding col-lisions in a way that doesn't seem possible.
ashley
travels through the pilings, trying to keep up.
DUNE-FILLED BEACH
An area of gently rolling sand dunes. A bonfire burns
beside one of these dunes. one-by-one the Lost kids
sail off the edge of the dune -- fly through the flames
of the bonfire -- and land upright on the beach below.
Ashley
is the last one to try this. sHe's determined not to
chicken out. sHe speeds up the dune -- flies through the
flames -- and hits the beach. sHe almost falls -- but
immediately rights herself.
spencer looks back from her position behind aiden and gives
her a smile. The Lost kids also favor her with approving
looks.
RAILROAD TRESTLE
ashley and the Lost kids -- silhouetted against the
night sky -- speed across the trestle.
ashley AND aiden
now travel side-by-side. Spencer's hair blows in the wind.
She reaches out her hand toward ashley. ashley reaches
out her. Their hands touch for a moment -- then aiden
turns to ashley.
aiden
(shouting above the
noise of the WIND
and the MOTORS
Now we race!!
aiden smiles -- and speeds ahead. ashley takes off
after him.
HUDSON'S BLUFF - NIGHT
aiden's Triumph streaks across the flat surface of the
bluff. ashley is not far behind.
Ashley 'S POV
The bluff terminates in a shear five hundred-foot drop
into the CRASHING SURF below. And it's coming up fast.
Aiden
ROARS toward the abyss, seemingly heedless of the peril
that lies before him.
ashley
begins to show fear. It's as is she's going to shoot off
the edge of the world. sHe brakes and spins out, nearly
losing control of her bike, sliding toward the edge.
aiden
BRAKES! The tires lock and the TRIUMPH SKIDS to a stop.
CLOSE ON TRIUMPH'S FRONT TIRE
Hanging slightly over the edge of the bluff. The PACIFIC
OCEAN CRASHES POWERFULLY against the moon-lit rocks below.
ashley
slides next to him, slightly over the edge.
FULL SHOT - THE BLUFF
The other boys now arrive on their motorbikes. aiden
calmly climbs off his bike. ashley explodes and punches
him. The other boys fall silent.
spencer looks to Laddie. ashley prepares for aiden's
retaliation, but aiden surprises everyone by smiling his
irresistible smile at ashley.
aiden
How far you willing to go, ashley?
BLUFF
A beautiful magic spot. Aiden, Ashley, spencer and the
others climb down old condemned wooden stairs, passing
huge signs on old rusted pilings reading: "CONDEMNED,"
"UNSAFE," "UNLAWFUL TO GO PAST THIS POINT." The group
presses on toward a LARGE OPENING IN THE ROCKS.
CAVE
The group enters and ashley can't believe her eyes.
A VICTORIAN HOTEL LOBBY
has seemingly dropped through a crack in the earth. It
is tilted and broken, but nearly intact: Front desk,
lobby mural; wrought-iron elevator, and more.
Shafts of moonlight shoot down from cracks in the ceiling.
Aiden
This was the hottest resort in Santa
Carla back about eighty years ago.
Too bad they built it right on top
of the San Adreas fault.
(beat)
In 1906, when the big one hit San
Francisco, the ground opened up and
this place took a header into the
crack.
PAUL
Man, you wouldn't believe the cool
stuff we've found in here.
ashley glances at spencer.
spencer
C'mon, ashley. I want to go.
aiden
No. Stick around.
ashley
We were gonna grab some food.
aiden
Good idea.
(turns)
liam. We're hungry.
Liam nods and leaves.
aiden
See? All you gotta do is ask.
(lights up a
joint)
How about an appetizer?
aiden takes the first hit, then passes it to ashley.
spencer seems troubled.
GRANDPA'S HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT
kyla'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
kyla is lying in bed reading Vampires Everywhere. Christine
enters.
Christine
Ten o'clock. Lights out.
Christine opens the closet and throws a few items inside, then
walks away.
kyla
Mom.
She closes the closet door.
Christine
I can't sleep with the closet
door open, either. Not even a
crack.
(pause)
Your father doesn't mind, though.
It could be wide open for all he
cared. I think one of the reasons
I divorced him was because he
never believed... in the horror...
of the closet monster!
GRANDPA (O.S.)
Closet monster!?
Taken by surprise, Christine and kyla yelp like a pair of
scared puppies.
Christine
Dad! Don't sneak up on people
like that!
GRANDPA
It's called the Indian walk.
Walkin' without makin' a sound.
Grandpa is holding something behind his back.
GRANDPA
Brought you a little somethin' to
dress up your room with, kyla
Grandpa reveals what's behind his back: A grotesque
stuffed woodchuck. Raised up on its hind legs. Teeth
exposed. Very ugly, indeed.
Christine and kyla hide their revulsion as Grandpa proudly
places the monstrosity on the dresser.
kyla
Thanks, Grandpa...
GRANDPA
Lots more where he came from.
Christine
Lights out, kyla.
kyla
Soon as I finish this comic. Okay?
Christine nods and exits the room. Grandpa follows her out.
kyla is left alone to finish the comic. But she can't
concentrate. The woodchuck seems to be staring at her.
Finally, kyla leaps out of bed, grabs the woodchuck and
puts him in the closet. SLAMMING the door tightly.
lobby
MUSIC IS PLAYING from a ghetto blaster. Very loud. Very
hypnotic. luke makes graceful moves with a skateboard
beneath his feet. Everyone is very mellow; very dreamy.
Ashley
(to all)
Where are you guys from?
PAUL
We're from right here.
Ashley
I mean, where do you live?
luke
Right here.
ashley
You live here? Your folks let
you?
PAUL
Is she talking parents?
luke
(laughing)
What are they?
The others laugh, too. ashley looks confused.
aiden
We do what we want, ashley. We
have complete freedom.
(beat)
Nobody knows about this place...
and nobody knows about us.
ashley is intrigued -- and aiden sees it. He steps
closer to her.
aiden
Freedom, ashley. No parents.
No rules.
(smiles)
Hell, we're as free as birds.
liam suddenly arrives bearing cartons of take-out food.
liam
Chow time!
Aiden takes the cartons from his hand.
aiden
Chinese! Good choice.
He pops the lid on one of the cartons and approaches
ashley with it.
DAVID
Guests first.
ashley hesitates.
aiden
It's only rice. Don't you like
rice? 300 million Chinese people
can't be wrong.
ashley takes the carton warily and aiden immediately
turns his back on her, passing out food to the others.
ashley takes a mouthful of rice using the plastic spoon
provided. The others begin to eat as well.
aiden
So how do you like those maggots,
ashley?
ashley
What?...
aiden
You're eating maggots. How do
they taste?
ashley looks at her food.
A thousand wiggling maggots, squirming and sliding over
each other.
spits out her mouthful in horror and revulsion and throws
the carton to the ground.
But as the carton spills out, she see that it is just rice
after all.
The boys LAUGH UPROARIOUSLY. ashley looks mortified.
spencer gets to her feet.
spencer
Leave her alone.
aiden
Sorry, Mashley. No hard feelings,
huh?
(offers a new
carton of food)
Here. Try these noodles.
ashley looks at the noodles and her expression turns to
one of disgust.
ashley
Worms!
A hundred squirming bloodsuckers!
aiden
Worms?...
aiden tilts back his head and pours the contents of the
carton into his mouth. The slimy bundle of worms slides
slowly across his lips.
ashley looks on with a sick expression. sHe grabs
aiden's arm.
ashley
Don't! Stop!
aiden
Why?
(beat)
They're only noodles.
aiden shows ashley the carton again. And sure enough,
they are only noodles. ashley is baffled. The boys
have a good, long laugh at her expense.
spencer
That's enough!
The laughter dies down as a NEW SONG comes on the radio.
It's apparently a favorite of the Lost kids because the
MUSIC is immediately TURNED UP LOUD and all thoughts of
ashley seem to be forgotten.
Everyone begins to move to the music. Spencer encourages
ashley to dance with her. sHe's feeling the effects of
the joint she smoked and her balance is a little off. her
head is spinning.
During all this, aiden has located a bottle of wine. He
pours some into a paper cup and offers it to ashley.
Ashley is about to drink when spencer holds her arm.
Spencer
(softly)
Don't Ashley . You don't have
to. It's blood!
ashley examines the contents of the cup and smiles know-
ingly. sHe's not falling for any more tricks.
ashley
Good joke, blood.
ashley brings the cup to her lips and drinks. The Lost
kids watch her carefully. Wine drips from the corner of
her mouth. But it looks more like blood than anything
else.
ashley lowers the cup. The room is spinning around her.
Suddenly:
whirling up into the air so that our VIEW of the lobby is
now from HIGH ABOVE.