Shelf Aware
written by
For sum of us
FINAL PRODUCTION DRAFT
includes post-production dialogue
and omitted scenes
(c) 2018 Sophia Wood
Act One
FADE IN:
EXT. HIGH STREET- DAY
A warm and colorful high street. Soft music can be heard. There are children laughing. Vendors chat from their stalls selling fruits and vegetables. Everything is peaceful.
EMILY WARREN comes sprinting across the road, holding a bag that says, "DOWNTOWN BOOKS." She's 17, not particularly good looking, and dressed in a ratty sweatshirt. She spins and dodges out of the way, knocking people's shopping and tripping over small children. She collides with a woman carrying a birthday cake. The cake goes flying onto the floor.
EMILY
Yeah… I'm not gonna pay for that.
She continues to a small and rundown yellow store with the name "UPTOWN BOOKS" squeezed over the front in peeling letters.
INT. Uptown books - Day
Emily throws herself into the store.
"UPTOWN BOOKS" is one tiny room stuffed full of books. Half the bookcases have broken shelves and there are stacks littering the floor. It's in dire need of a good sweep and a layer or two of fresh paint.
She stops and peers around, hiding the bag behind her legs. The store appears empty. She starts to sneak through the store to the back.
FRANK (O.S.)
You're late.
FRANK FRANCIS stands inside the display window with a pair of binoculars. He's overweight, with hair everywhere except the top of his head, and so short he's balancing on a pile of books to see over the haphazard display of "BOOKS ABOUT GUYS WHO DON'T OWN SHIRTS". On all their covers are good looking and half naked men.
EMILY
Sorry, I joined the back of the conga line down the street and once I was committed…
FRANK
Downtown Books are getting a new shipment.
EMILY
(sarcastic)
No! What? How dare they!
Emily joins him at the display window and peers through the glass. On the other side of the street directly in front of UPTOWN BOOKS is a bright blue store with the name "DOWNTOWN BOOKS" elegantly displayed across the window.
A boy is heaving large boxes of crates out of a truck.
FRANK
They don't look like books…
EMILY
(shocked)
You mean-
(mouthing)
-drugs
FRANK
What? No! It looks like… comic books.
EMILY
Okay?
FRANK
Comic books aren't real books! Would Gregg's sell furniture? Would Lidl sell apples that aren't moldy? I don't think so! What are they playing at? What's their game?
Frank moves so close to the window the ends of his binoculars press against the glass.
EMILY
Why do we care?
FRANK
You mean other than they're tarnishing the good name of bookstores everywhere?
EMILY
Yeah, even though they're doing that thing you just said.
Frank turns and stares at Emily through the binoculars.
EMILY (CONT.)
They're just comic books…
FRANK
That's just what they want you to think! It starts with comic books. And then what? Board games? Puzzles? Stationary?... They're…
He gulps and turns back to the window.
FRANK (CONT.)
Branching out.
EMILY
(Offhand)
Actually… I think they already have stationary…
FRANK
They what?
Emily fiddles with the bag still hidden behind her.
EMILY
Yeah, I saw some cool displays over there actually. They've got those pens that can change color-
Frank looks outraged. Then he notices the bag.
EMILY (CONT.)
-not important.
An OLD LADY hobbles through the door with a walking stick.
OLD LADY
Hello? Do you have any books?
FRANK
(to OLD LADY)
NOT NOW!
(to EMILY)
What's that behind your back.
They stare at each other. There's a beat of silence.
EMILY
Okay! Okay! I caved. But they had such a cool pen display… you know I'm a sucker for pens.
FRANK
Pens you say? What else are they hiding…
Franks turns back to the window.
FRANK (CONT.)
…We need to know more… We need to go… undercover. Your costume is over there.
Frank points. In the corner is a sack with books and shelving chaotically glued to it and a head hole at the top.
FRANK (CONT.)
It's next to mine.
PULL BACK to reveal a bush beside it.
EMILY
How… how long have you had those?
FRANK
I took a crafting class over the summer.
cut to:
EXT. High street-later
Emily and Frank stand outside the bookstore. Emily is dressed as a bookshelf. Franks is dressed as a bush. Neither of their costumes are convincing.
FRANK
Are you ready?
EMILY
I'm not paid enough for this.
The OLD LADY hobbles over to them and pokes at Frank.
OLD LADY
(to EMILY)
Why is that bush talking, dear?
The three of them freeze with the roar of a hedge trimmer.
FRANK
Shit.