Carnival Page #4

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11.

AYLEEN:

Wish I could open that head of

yours and take all the crap away.

Starting with her.

SHIV:

I had this thing long before I met

her.

AYLEEN:

But she surely doesn’t help. She’s

poison. You need to let go.

Shiv touches the flower behind her ear - Mirage’s gift.

SHIV:

Could you let go?

AYLEEN:

It’s different. We’re in love.

SHIV:

Maybe I’m in love as well.

AYLEEN:

Love takes two.

SHIV:

Says who?

AYLEEN:

Ever saw Marion and Dante kiss?

Have a good look next time you see

them. Notice how she takes his mask

off, how she doesn’t care about the

charred skin on his face. Notice

how he doesn’t let anyone see his

mug... except her. That’s love. A

two-way street. The one-way street?

That one’s named “obsession”.

Shiv takes this in as she stands up to go.

AYLEEN:

Now get some sleep, handsome.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE CARNIVAL - DAWN

A fiery SUNBALL rises behind the heat-wave distorted circus

tents.

12.

INT. BACKSTAGE TENT - DAY

CLACK! - a knife THRUSTS between two fingers.

Shiv, alone, plays five-finger fillet. Warm-up for the show.

SHIV:

I thought a thought. But the

thought I thought wasn't the

thought I thought I thought. If the

thought I thought I thought had

been the thought I thought -

Something breaks his focus - he STOPS.

SHIV (V.O.)

Where is she?

He looks around. No Ayleen.

SHIV (V.O.)

She’s never late.

EXT. MIDWAY - DAY

Townies test their skill and chance amid a cacophony of

lights, sounds and drunken laughter. A feel of heightened joy

all around except...

Shiv paces along, head down. A hooded figure weaving solemnly

through the crowd like a cursed ghost.

SHIV (V.O.)

The desert sun makes the carnival

grounds swelter in a triple digit

hell, yet I have this cold feeling

in my chest as I head for Tigra’s

tent.

A CIRCUS FLIER:

“Tigra” is the name of the LION TAMER, written in font made

of sharp canine teeth. A woman clad in leather, cracks a whip

while holding two fierce PANTHERS on a leash.

SHIV (V.O.)

Her father used to be the

ringmaster but died when she was

seventeen. She started barking

orders even before the funeral was

over. And since that day her word

is law.

13.

The flier is glued to:

EXT. TIGRA’S TENT - DAY

Shiv TOLLS a bell.

TIGRA (O.S.)

I’m busy!

He enters nonetheless -

INT. TIGRA’S TENT

Shiv paces over the Persian rug to find...

TIGRA (40s) in bed, having sex with a circus ROUSTABOUT and

smoking at the same time. She doesn’t stop riding him as she

turns to Shiv.

TIGRA:

Someone better be dead.

SHIV:

My sister is missing.

TIGRA:

Ask her boyfriend.

SHIV:

He’s missing too.

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