This short script was part of an anthology series of short films to be developed by Habit Forming Films. The theme was “Whiskey, Gun, Cigarette” and each script was required to contain those elements.

Billy stumbles across a strange man in a field and gets a lesson on the difference between good guys and bad guys.

Script by David Accampo

  FADE IN:

            EXT FIELD - DAY

            A wide, yellow field under blue skies. BILLY, a young boy,
            traipses through the tall weeks, talking to himself.

                                BILLY
                      ...but Mr. Sinister didn't count on this
                      secret passageway out of the Savage Land,
                      did he, Ka-zar? Now, once the X-men make
                      it to our hidden outpost, we'll fire up
                      Cerebro and find out what happened to
                      Cyclops...

            Billy comes to an outcropping of large rocks in the field.

            EXT FORT - CONTINUOUS

            Billy's FORT is a sheet of plywood covering two of the rocks.
            He hunkers down at the edge of it.

                                BILLY
                      Ah, here we are, safe and sound.

            INT FORT - CONTINUOUS

            Billy crawls into the shadowy space. COMICS and TOYS litter
            the space.

                                BILLY
                      OK, Professor, we're back!

            An empty whiskey bottle rolls out of the shadows and smack
            against Billy's feet. At the other edge of the plywood, we
            see a man's FEET stumble into view. Billy stands up.

            EXT FORT - CONTINUOUS

            Billy sees a MAN in a torn suit. He's dirty and bloodied.

                                MAN
                      Hey, kid. Sorry. Bottle got away from me.

            Billy doesn't move. The man reaches into his suit coat. He
            pulls out a PACK OF SMOKES, raises it to his lips and pulls
            out a CIGARETTE with his teeth.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      Don't suppose you got a light?

            Billy shakes his head.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      Eh. Filthy habit, anyway.

            He spits out the unlit cigarette.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      Trying to cut down. So. What you playing?

                                BILLY
                      X-men.

                                MAN
                      Oh yeah? Who you fighting?

                                BILLY
                      Mr. Sinister.

                                MAN
                      Never heard of him. Sounds pretty bad,
                      though.

            Billy nods.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      I used to...oh whoa...

            The man staggers and collapses to his knees. He smiles at
            Billy and leans back against a rock.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      You don't mind if I sit, do you?

            He looks out at the field.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      I used to play super-heroes, too. Kinda
                      like that. Bad guys. Good guys.
                      Who...who's winning?

                                BILLY
                          (shrugging)
                      Good guys.

                                MAN
                          (laughing)
                      Yeah. That's good. That's the way it
                      should be.

                                BILLY
                      Mr. Sinister's pretty powerful, though.

                                MAN
                      The bad guys always seem cooler, don't
                      they? Better powers. Better clothes. But
                      that's the thing, ain't it? They're bad
                      guys. And sooner or later, they go down.
                      And why is that?

                                BILLY
                      Cuz they're bad?

                                MAN
                      Ah, that's what they want you to think.
                      Nah. Nah. The bad guys always lose
                      because they forget something.
                      It's...whatever...I don't know. You think

                      you're better. You think you you've got
                      all the angles covered. But eventually
                      the good guys find the one thing you
                      missed.

                                BILLY
                      Like what?

                                MAN
                      Oh. It could be a million little details.
                      What's your name, kid?

                                BILLY
                      Billy.

                                MAN
                      Billy. Well, Billy, where do you live?

            Billy points to the edge of the field. The man reaches into
            his pocket and pulls out a GUN.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      You maybe ought to head on home, Billy.
                      There are some guys coming. And believe
                      me you don't want to be here when they
                      get here.

                                BILLY
                      Who's coming?

                                MAN
                      The good guys, Billy. The good guys.

            Billy runs off across the field. The man leans back and close
            his eyes.

                                MAN (CONT'D)
                      Goddamn, I really could have used that
                      cigarette.

                                                          FADE TO BLACK.