Unbroken Page #6

Louie’s eyes follow Pete as he runs. Pete’s always the one

who gets the applause.

Louie pulls up a plank to reveal another secret stash.

Cigarettes, matches, “milk” bottles, gum. He pops open a

bottle and continues to watch the race.

And of course, no boy under bleachers doesn’t enjoy a bit of

the view up at the girls.

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MINUTES LATER -24

THUMP! THUMP! Boots clumping towards him. Through a gap in

the planks he sees a figure bearing down on him.

TEACHER:

Someone down there? Who’s down

there?

Louie bursts out the back of the bleachers and runs like the

wind. Out onto the track, hurtling past the training team.

Pete sees him go by and lopes to a stop, astonished. He

watches Louie run out of sight.

Close on Pete

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EXT. TORRANCE STREET - DAY 28

Orange blossom tree-lined street. Pete on bicycle. He pedals

forward as we reveal Louie running ahead of him.

LOUIE:

This is so dumb.

PETE:

Since when were you so smart?

(beat) Come on. Faster!

LOUIE:

Why? No one’s chasing me.

PETE:

I’m chasing you.

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Louie is struggling. He comes to a stop, panting.

LOUIE:

Can’t do this, Pete. I’m not like

you. I’m nothing. Just let me be

nothin.

PETE:

What are you talkin about?

LOUIE:

I can’t make a track team. I don’t

even know why you want me to...

PETE:

Yes, you can.

If you can take it you can make it.

LOUIE:

What?

PETE:

If you can take it you can make it.

You train and you fight harder than

those other guys. And you win. You

get out from under em. Or, you keep

going the way you're going, you’ll

end up as a bum on the streets. You

can do this Lou. You just gotta

believe you can.

Louie looks at his brother. He wants to believe he can do it.

He’s scared.

LOUIE:

I don’t believe.

Pete looks into his little brothers eyes.

23A

PETE:

I do.

Louie considers. He sets off running again. Pete follows

behind. Louie’s running more steadily now, finding his

rhythm.

PETE (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Faster.

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EXT. TRACK FIELD, TORRANCE HIGH SCHOOL - DAY 29

A starter’s pistol BANGS! In close shot.

High school track meet. Louie trying out.

Pete watching, stands next to a middle-aged man holding a

stopwatch, both of them relaxed, arms on the rail.

Louie starts near the back of the field.

He gains, steadily.

Pete inclines his head to the man next to him, eyes still on

the race. The others pull away from Louie. He’s scowling as

he runs. Another runner just ahead of him turns and shoots

him a mocking grin.

Pete calls out.

PETE:

Brutta bestia, you dumb dago!

Louie wakes up. He decides to do his thing. He starts to belt

over the course.

Pete and the Coach watch as he catches up with the rest of

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