By Alysha N. Hernández
Inspired by
Barrio Dreams, John Carpenter and Gentrification
FADE IN:
EXT. TRAIN TRACKS – DAY
I-35 in East Austin is full of traffic, congestion, vehicle smoke, and HONKING DRIVERS. The homeless shuffle in droves around the scene.
Four young adults are walking in a field by some adjacent train tracks. They are standing in what sounds like the exact point of unity between three musical landscapes, all blaring from sound systems – hiphop, country and conjunto.
Ahead, there is a connecting concrete overpass. It is the heat of summer. The field they are standing in is dusty and full of dry, browning grass.
There are FLIES BUZZING. Their bikes are in the background. There is a lot of smoke and pollution. All signs of an overpopulated urban metropolis.
AT THE OVERPASS
CHICA-BOOM, 20, lays near the train tracks. She glances over her shoulder to look at her little brother, DILL, as in pickle.
DILL, 18, fumbles with a Zippo-lighter to ignite and then smoke a cigarette. He’s young and shouldn’t be smoking. He seems awkward and is having trouble. After the cigarette is lit, he continues to FLICK, FLICK, FLICK the lighter.
HECTOR, 25, aggressively rolls his eyes at DILL and folds his arms in front of his chest while leaning backward.
LITTLE TOMMY, 23, clad in an oversized Clash shirt, bends over to pick up a stick, and then pokes the ground with it. He looks bored.
All four of the homies stop what they are doing, look at each other, and start bellowing with laughter.
It’s an inside joke.
Chica-Boom abruptly stands up, stops laughing, holds up one finger, two fingers, and then three fingers, as if counting. After a brief pause, she hops on her bike and starts away peddling ferociously.
Dill, Hector, and Little Tommy look at each other, and jump on their bikes, following after her.
On their ride to their final destination, they drive by trash on the side of roads, street dogs, old mattresses on the side of the road. Eventually, they park in front of an old Cedar tree. Initials, seemingly theirs, are carved into the stump.
Chica-Boom reaches up into the tree and pulls down an old stereo and turns it on. It’s the local radio station and the local DJ is talking.
DJ
We’re receiving reports of a strange, gooey substance being found around East Austin. Officials are looking into what the substance is but urge residents not to touch it. If you or your family members encounter this ooze, city officials urge you to call 3-1-1.
The homies are not paying attention, though, their heads are in the clouds.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD – CONTINUOUS
The neighbors are out and about. Music is playing. Some of the neighbors are smoking cigarettes and dancing on the side of the street.
An older, Mexican American neighbor, named SUSANA, is next door. She is sweeping her porch with an old straw broom, you can hear it SCRAPE against the old concrete porch. She is wearing a muumuu. You can see the fan blowing in her front room and the tv can be seen but not heard in the background.
The volume is down but the banner on the screen shows a local news anchor reporting on strange sightings in town.
Her chihuahua, CHULO, BARKS and GROWLS showing his teeth from behind her screen door.
Kids are playing in the street. Others are playing on the sidewalk with chalk and doing hopscotch.
Chica-Boom, Hector, Little Tommy, and Dill ride their bikes in circles and zig-zags, laughing.
CHICA-BOOM (V.O)
As I look back on last summer, little did I know that we were about to embark on a lot of blood, guts, strange shit and, ultimately, need to stay alive.
I wondered if anyone else thought of the world like me until I met them…my homies. We’ve kind of grown up together, in this place…Hector, Little Tommy, and of course, my little brother Dill.
Our life was turning into the lyrics of that old, cheesy Bananarama song. You know, the one where the white ladies in big Boy George hats sing “It’s a cruel, cruel summer.” Well, they also sing, “Hot summer streets, And the pavements are burning.”
Here, it is cruel and it is summer. The streets in this barrio are hot and the pavement is burning. The prices are climbing and developers are making it harder for the brown folk to afford living.
But, this is our northern star.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD – MORNING
The morning is still rising but the homies are up early, frantically searching for something.
They are riding their bikes but awkwardly stop every couple of feet to place their bike on kickstands, and then proceed to look behind doors, under cars, and around trash cans. The SLAM and CLUNK of trash can lids and the back-up beepers of construction trucks hauling materials can be heard in the distance.
Dill is sweating and leaning over to peer under a car. As he bends over, sweat beads on his forehead.
DILL
Chulllooooooooo! Here boy. Here boy! Where are you? I got treats!
Hector has his hair slicked back and is looking too cool for school. He is walking with them but not really actively looking. He’s bored with the whole thing. He looks at his watch and stairs into his phone’s mirror whenever he gets a chance.
HECTOR
How much longer do y’all wanna do this? Chulo, he got some sense finally and ran away from Susana. She’s loca, dude.
Chica-Boom rolls her eyes and scoffs at Hector. She is very frantically looking for the dog. Her actions are the polar opposite.
CHICA-BOOM to Hector
Well, we surely aren’t going to find Chulo with all the help you are giving, Hector. Chulooooo!!
Hector starts laughing.
HECTOR to Chica-Boom
He finally realized there’s more to the crappy kibble she’s feeding him and struck out on his own. He’s going to be fine, he’s a feisty little shit. Plus, I got a date tonight — I got places to go.
Little Tommy stops walking suddenly and holds up his hands to tell everyone to stop talking and get their attention.
LITTLE TOMMY
I’m telling you guys just like I tried to tell you the other stinking night.
CHICA-BOOM to Little Tommy
Ooohhhh, about the crazy, glowing eyes while you bought munchies after getting super hiiigghhhhhhhhhh?
Little Tommy rolls his eyes.
LITTLE TOMMY
First, there’s something weird going on around here, guys. I can feel it in the air and then there’s the news reports.
Second, Chulo ain’t comin’ back and he ain’t OK. So, I’m with Hector on this. How much longer are we gonna do this?
Hector rolls his eyes and starts walking fast alongside his bike. Chica-Boom keeps walking and searching and calling for the dog.
HECTOR
Aw. Tommy, something weird in the air? You are such a baby.
Quit it, you’re just going to freak out like last time. What was it last time, though? Nothing!
LITTLE TOMMY
It wasn’t NOTHING that time and it’s ain’t NOTHING this time.
If you saw what I saw, instead of trying to hit on that hyna, you would be on MY side.
Hector rolls his eyes again and Chica-Boom leans in, crossing her arms.
CHICA-BOOM
Well? What did you see for crying out loud?
Dill steps closer listening intently. Little Tommy now stands with his arms crossed, squints his eyes, puffs his chest up, leans and looks into the distance, while remembering.
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE – NIGHT
Little Tommy exits the store with a handful of snacks.
A flickering streetlight provides just enough light to the side of the store and into the parking lot. A vision in the corner of his eye startles him and he jumps a bit.
Next, he turns his whole body to see a strange shadow dragging along the bottom of the cars. You can see its movement in the shadow along the wall.
With his hands full of snacks, Little Tommy is unable to find words to explain what he is seeing, and he stutters while trying to get Hector’s attention.
Hector is not paying attention. He is leaning against the side of the convenience store flirting with a girl.
LITTLE TOMMY (V.O. while the scene plays out without sound)
Ok. The other night we were at the yellow store, I was getting some munchies, you know my usual routine.
And, from behind the streetlamp, I saw what looked like a chihuahua’s shadow, pretty sure it was Chulo. It looked like Chulo…only he seemed different.
The shadow was reflecting off the wall of the store and the creature was…
EXIT FLASHBACK TO PRESENT DAY
Hector interrupts laughing.
HECTOR to Little Tommy bellowing with laughter and laughs so hard he is bending over
…the creature! This fool!
Chica-Boom glares at Hector and he shuts up immediately. Little Tommy who looked defeated, regains his far off look into the distance and begins…
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE – NIGHT
LITTLE TOMMY
…the creature was dragging, it had labored breathing. When I tried to call Chulo, the shadow only got bigger. I heard bubbling, more labored breathing and leaned closer.
I tried to get Hector’s attention but as I said, he was busy with that hyna.
I got closer and the “chihuahua’s” eyes were burning red.