Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wichita Falls

The name of that town even sounds like a black and white horror movie. As I write this a coyote is freaking out outside. Atmosphere? Oh yeah.
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SCENE 1: THE HOTEL ROOM

The time is 9:30. The place, a small dimly lit hotel room in Wichita Falls, Texas. Our protagonist, Adrienne paces the room as her mother finishes a phone call to someone back home. Upon hanging up, Adrienne sits on the edge of the bed and bounces anxiously.
Adrienne: Let's go! I'm starved!
Mom: I am too! I'm thinking... Denny's?
Adrienne: Yeah that sounds good. I could go for some pancakes.
Mother and daughter collect their belongings and exit the room. The door shuts violently behind them, making them jump. 


SCENE 2: THE LOBBY
The two women make their way through the deserted lobby. A fly buzzes loudly over the desk, where an small vase of dying flowers sits. In theory, there is supposed to be someone working at the desk, but considering the town and the time, they are probably off doing something more productive with their time. I know I'd be watching TV in an empty room. Or taking a nap. Anyway, so they're walking through the lobby. They reach the automatic doors, which open slowly and begrudgingly, as if they're doing a real favor. 
Adrienne: Would it be weird if I got hot chocolate and bacon? Like, just those two things? That's kind of all I want.
Mom: Get whatever. I want to get those crepes. Are those at Denny's or are they at IHOP? I can never--
Adrienne: grabbing Mom's arm and looking down in horror. Mom! Don't move! Do you see that?
Mom: looks down at the ground and moves back several spaces, back through the glass doors. She is followed by Adrienne. What are they? Oh my god-- they're crickets!
Adrienne: They're EVERYWHERE.
Camera pans down to the ground, which is alive with hard shelled black bodies leaping about and squirming. The pavement is completely covered. Some more unfortunate members of the cricket party have hopped inside and have been crushed. Their squashed and mangled corpses liter the floor. Although their legs are pretty intact. It's actually pretty gross; their insides totally spirted out over everywhere, but their freaking legs were still propped up, totally ready to jump around. Now I'm kind of grossing myself out. Anyway, back to script-mode.
Mom: Okay, let's make a run for it, I want my strawberry crepes.
Adrienne: looks longingly at car parked about 50 feet away. Ehhhhhhhh.
Mom takes off outside the doors. After a beat, Adrienne looks behind her at the empty front desk, and follows after her. Splitting up in horror films is the stupid thing to do, you know. 
Mom: from the cricket pile OH IT'S SO BAD BECAUSE THEY JUMP AT YOU.
Adrienne: Don't open your mouth, they could jump in there!
An audible crunch and a near jump-attack send Adrienne into full board linear panic, and she begins to run. Mom follows suit. The car is so close. Mom fiddles with the keys, but not as long as most people in movies do, and unlocks the door. They fly into their respective seats and slam the doors closed. Adrienne does a quick check to make sure one isn't in her hair or in her pants. You never know, people. Those things are cheeky. Breathless, the two look at each other and do a kind of half laugh, like heroes do at the end of the movie. A sort of, "we made it by the skin of our teeth. Boo ya," moment. 
Mom: When we get back, let's park at the other entrance. It doesn't have as many lights, and the crickets probably won't be as attracted to it. That's the scientific breakthrough part of the movie. 


Now here's the dramatic cliffhanger ending:
The next morning, driving out of Wichita Falls. The sun is shining, Mom and Adrienne are sharing a joke. All of a sudden, Mom points. A lone grasshopper clings to the passenger side rear view mirror. IT'S NOT OVER. 


But it totally was because it fell off like 50 miles later, so all's fine.
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Finally home! It's good to be home!

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