|
EXT. HILLSIDE -NEAR OCEAN, DAY.
Three guys from town in dirty jeans, old T shirts and old shoes are
hiding in the foliage along the hillside. One we've seen at the auto shop,
MARCEL, and another at the furniture shop, FURN.
|
POV guys.
Celleste, 12, climbs down the steps from the house wearing one
of Raymond's shirts and a straw hat. Philip is coming in from swimming,
naked and wet, he waits at the bottom of the steps for Celleste.
They exchange some words and then Phillip begins to climb the stairs.
Celleste drops the shirt 
and her hat before going into the water.
|
 |
|
 MARCEL:
(French with Subtitles)
Okay, lets go.
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
Wait.
MARCEL:
(French with Subtitles)
Why?
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
Because if she sees us now, she'll just swim away and we'll never
catch her.
FURN:
(French with Subtitles)
I thought you said she wouldn't be afraid?
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
Of one, maybe two, but three ...? Its pretty clear what we have
in mind.
|
MARCEL looks around the hill and other coves.
|
MARCEL:
(French with Subtitles)
I'll go first, when I get on the water side of her then you come
along, When he's between her and the steps then you come along and
we'll have her.
|
They nod and MARCEL slides down the hill.
MARCEL walks past Celleste's shirt and hat and sits on a rock that divides
this cove from the next one and waits.
LATER
Celleste swims in and only then notices Marcel. 
|
 CELLESTE:
(French with Subtitles)
Hello?
MARCEL:
(French with Subtitles)
Hi.
CELLESTE:
(French with Subtitles)
Can I help you?
MARCEL:
(French with Subtitles)
You're doing just fine.
|
|
The second guy, Pierre, is coming up behind Celleste. Celleste
sits down on her shirt.
|
CELLESTE: (French with Subtitles)
Well, enjoy yourself.
MARCEL: (French with Subtitles)
We intend to.
|
Celleste hears the "we" and the movement of rocks.
MARCEL has moved towards the water (to look between Celleste's
legs as she dries in the sun?) and Pierre comes in on the hillside.
Celleste looks around and sees the second guy, Pierre, coming
in and begins to worry.
|
 |
|
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
You know this is a private beach?
MARCEL:
(French with subtitles)
Yeah, it belongs to the town, but you don't.
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
It belongs to-
|
Celleste hears and then sees Furn moving in.
Celleste stands up, scared. 
MARCEL and Pierre move in quickly, each grabbing an arm. MARCEL punches
Celleste in the face. Pierre punches her in the face on the other side.
Furn punches her in the stomach and Celleste goes limp.
MARCEL spreads her legs and Furn holds one then Marcel unzips his pants
and penetrates her.
Pierre unzips his pants and presses his cock to her face.
|
PIERRE:
(French with subtitles)
Bite me and I'll beat your face in until you can't breath.
|
EXT. HOUSE, LATER.
|
CELLESTE:
(O.S.)
Dad? Phillip?
|
Celleste comes through the foliage near the stairs, shirt and hat forgotten.
She is limping and has her hands holding her stomach.
|
CELLESTE:
Dad? Phillip?
|
Raymond comes out of the shop rubbing his hands on a towel, naked with
streaks of saw dust and darker things made by perspiration.
When he sees Celleste, he drops the towel and runs to her side.
|
RAYMOND:
Philip?!
|
INT. HOSPITAL, DAY.
Celleste is in a hospital bed, the bruises on her face are just beginning
to show.
Philip and Raymond are there wearing almost matching ancieant clothes
(too large for Phillip). They both use bits of rope as belts and only
Phillip has socks in his shoes. There's a local Police Detective in the
room too, trying to stand up wind of Phillip and Raymond.
|
DETECTIVE:
(skeptical) (French with subtitles)
You said there were three, how did they manage to sneak up on
you?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
I don't know. There was one, waiting on a rock when I came in-
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
When you came down the stairs?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
No, when I came in from the water. I was swimming and I swam in
and I saw the first one, sitting on a rock, at the edge of the cove.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
How far out had you been?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
To the raft.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
What has that got to do with anything?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
If she was that far out in the water, it would be hard to hide
from her. She could see into the next coves on either side of hers.
Did you see anything in those coves?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
No. I don't remember. I just remember the one boy, waiting for
me in OUR cove.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
You said he was waiting for you?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
He was sitting down, he watched me swim up and he started talking
to me when I came out of the water.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Uh huh. And you were naked when you came out of the water?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
Yes, my only swimsuit ... I out grew it some years ago.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
And you did not think to cover up?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
I thought of it, especially the way he was looking at me but ...
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Yes?
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
I didn't want to be forced into getting dressed for him, not on
my beach.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Uh huh. But you said he said it was not your beach but the town's
beach.
CELLESTE:
(French with subtitles)
He said that later.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
I see.
|
INT. HALLWAY, LATER.
The Detective comes out of Celleste's room.
BEAT
Raymond comes out of Celleste's room and catches up with the detective.
|
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
What did all of that mean?
DETECTIVE:
(French with Subtitles)
I am sorry?
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
You didn't sound like you planned to do much about this.
DETECTIVE:
(French with Subtitles)
You are wrong sir. It is only, I am not sure how much can be done.
I doubt it is as much as you would like.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
Why is that?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Your daughter could not identify any of her attackers.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
She gave you their ages, and they live in Telbroune.
|
The Detective again tries to stand up wind of Raymond.
|
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Perhaps, they live in Telbroune. And even if they do, Telbroune
is not so small that there are only three boys of a certain age.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
So that's it? You're not going to do anything?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
I am a detective, I will detect. I will attempt to see if any
one else was swimming at that time, or perhaps sailing past and
witnessed the rape. I will ask around town if any boys have been
bragging about raping the nude girl.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
The "nude girl?"
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Yes, that is what your daughter is called around Telbroune, and
your son, and yourself. You are all called the "nude family."
Your daughter is also called the "barefoot one."
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
And how is this relevant?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
It is relevant because they do not know your names. Because you
are not considered a part of the community. And as such it is more
likely that violence will be committed against you.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
So this is our fault?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
You could look at it that way. Even if there were contributing
factors though, it is never permissible for boys to rape girls,
even girls naked on a secluded beach who don't put their clothes
on when confronted by a stranger.
|
BEAT
The two part ways.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, LATER.
Phillip and Celleste have been talking when Raymond enters.
|
CELLESTE:
Daddy, am I going to get pregnant?
PHILLIP:
I told her it was a dumb question. They can't tell for a week
or two.
RAYMOND:
Its not a dumb question. But Phillip is right. We wont know for
a couple of weeks.
CELLESTE:
But I have to have the abortion in the first trimester.
RAYMOND:
We'll keep an eye out for symptoms.
CELLESTE:
(Nods)
What about diseases?
RAYMOND:
I'll ask them to check the ... semen they found, and your blood.
They should be able to tell right away.
|
Celleste smiles.
|
RAYMOND: (almost crying)
Did, did you get a good look at their faces?
CELLESTE:
Yes, does the detective want me to identify them once they're
arrested?
RAYMOND:
Probably, but that won't be for a while.
|
SHOT OF EXT. HOUSE, DAY 
INT. CELLESTE'S ROOM, DAY.
Celleste is propped up in bed reading when Raymond comes in.
|
RAYMOND:
Hi there button.
CELLESTE:
Hi Daddy. Oh, look Daddy, I'm bleeding.
|
|
Celleste spreads her legs, there is blood on a folded sheet under
her and she wipes her vagina with another piece of cloth and shows
her father the blood.
|
CELLESTE:
Does that mean I'm not pregnant?
RAYMOND:
No, it just means that they weren't careful. They tore you
up inside.
|
|
 |
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
Will men notice that?
RAYMOND:
If they go down on you. But you'll heal in a few weeks and then,
no, men, not even ones who go down on you will notice a thing.
|
Celleste brightens up.
Raymond hands Celleste a pad of paper and a pencil.
|
CELLESTE:
What's this for?
RAYMOND:
You said you got a good look at them. I want you to draw their
faces, one per page.
CELLESTE:
Okay, but, I got a better look at ... their cocks then their faces.
RAYMOND:
Well, I don't think the police can get every man in town to drop
his pants. And I think we all look pretty much the same down there
any way.
|
Celleste isn't convinced but she takes the pad and opens it to a blank
page.
INT. KITCHEN, DAYS LATER.
ANGLE on Drawing of Furn looking down at us.
BEAT
Raymond rolls Celleste's drawings together in a tube. He's wearing old
woolen pants, a denim shirt and his shoes without socks.
He swats his leg with the drawings and goes out the front door.
EXT. HILL, DAY.
Raymond walks down the hill towards the rail station.
EXT. TOWN STATION, DAY.
Raymond eixts the train at a "real" station.
EXT. TOWN STREET, DAY.
Raymond walks down the street and into a police station.
INT. POLICE STATION, DAY.
Raymond drops the drawings on the Detective's desk. (The drawings are
not masterful but if you held the drawing next to the boy, youÕd definitely
see the similarities.)
|
DETECTIVE:(French
with subtitles)
What's this?
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
"These" are drawings of them men who raped my daughter.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Where did you get them?
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
She drew them.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
I did not know she was trained as an artist. There are no school
records that I could find.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
She's done free hand, and not, copies of paintings for years.
You'll find no mistakes of proportions.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
The faces look strange.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
She saw their faces best while they were over her.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
Ah. Thank you, these will help a great deal.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
Will you find them?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
I can not predict.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
I see. Even with a small population and these drawings, its just
too much to ask. Did you know my daughter is bleeding from her vagina?
And that she's worried that she might be pregnant?
DETECTIVE:
(nods) (French with subtitles)
Your daughter does not wear underwear.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
What?
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
It is known not only that your daughter swims naked in a secluded
cove but when she comes to town, she does not wear underwear under
her loose clothing.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
Why you-
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
And the nurse at the hospital told me that she was not a virgin.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
Wha-
I suppose it is unknown for young French women not to wear underwear
and that all unmarried French women are virgins and that French
women never go to the beach topless or naked.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
This is not Saint Tropez or the French Riviera Mr. Carson. This
is a small remote town. We have no sand on our beaches and we have
cliffs between us and the beach. We do have tourists but we are
not some cosmopolitan center. We are a traditional old village.
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
And it is traditional to blame the woman for being raped.
DETECTIVE:
(French with subtitles)
I did not say that sir. But ... I do not believe you can honestly
say that your daughter bares NO responsibility for this crime. There
are several things she could have done that would have, if not prevented
it, would have made it much less likely.
|
Raymond nods, then he taps the drawings.
|
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
And, I don't believe you can honestly tell me, that with the information
you have, that if these boys are not brought to justice, it will
not be, at least in part, your fault.
|
Raymond turns and walks out.
EXT. ROAD, DAY. (2 days later)
Celleste's bare feet (with three years of wear on the bottoms) are followed
by Phillip's feet, without socks in old shoes of Raymond's, which are
followed by Raymond's bare feet in old shoes.
|
CELLESTE:
You never go to town. Why are you coming today?
RAYMOND:
Because I am so incredibly bored.
I never get out of the house.
|
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
What are you going to do?
RAYMOND:
Some shopping, and some sight seeing.
PHILLIP:
Sight seeing?
RAYMOND:
I've never been past the first square, have you?
PHILLIP:
A couple of times.
|
EXT. SQUARE, LATER.
They are in front of the library.
|
RAYMOND:
Well, I'll see you later. By the time you're done, I should be
having some coffee over at the cafe.
PHILLIP:
Dad, can I barrow those drawings? Raymond and Philip look at each
other.
RAYMOND:
Sure, I think I've got them memorized.
|
Raymond hands Philip different versions of the drawings. Phillip puts
them in his old school bag.
|
PHILLIP:
Thanks. See you later.
|
INT. LIBRARY, LATER.
Phillip slips the drawings into a large format book, while making sure
nobody is watching AND keeping his eye on the young librarian, MARGUERITE.
When no one is watching Phillip gets up and goes to the desk.
|
PHILLIP: (French with Subtitles)
Excuse me, my French isn't what it should be and there are three
images in this book, well I'm looking for what in English we would
call a "Violator" but I can't tell which one of these
pictures that is, or even more importantly where they can be found.
|
Marguerite thinks this is strange but she looks at the book where Phillip
has it opened, to the first drawing -the best one- of Marcel.
|
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
Oh!
|
BEAT
|
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
This first one is called, Marcel, and can be found at the auto
repair shop on YOUR way out of town.
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
Oh, thank you. Can you tell me about this one?
|
Phillip opens the book to Pierre, not as good a drawing.
|
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
I, I think I can.
I believe that is a Pierre. It was released from the army because
of an unstable personality. The family likes to live in yards with
junk, they own the yard and Pierre can be found there most days.
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
Oh, interesting.
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
Please sir, this is not what I should be doing.
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
I only have one more for you to help me with.
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
I know sir but I am unfamiliar with this creature.
|
Marguerite hasn't even looked and she refuses to.
|
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
Okay, well thank you.
Guess I'll have to go back to the dictionary.
MARGUERITE:
(French with Subtitles)
Yes, that's probably best.
|
Philip returns to his seat.
EXT. CAFE, LATE AFTERNOON.
Celleste and Philip come up to Raymond who is sitting with an empty
coffee cup watching all the people go by.
|
RAYMOND:
What are you two doing here?
PHILLIP:
Its late Dad.
|
Raymond looks at his watch, 5:00 pm.
|
RAYMOND:
Not so late.
PHILLIP:
The library closed and I need to get home. I have chores to do
before it gets dark.
RAYMOND:
Oh, well why don't you-
|
Philip reaches for his father's bag of groceries on the ground by his
chair and whispers to him as he bends over and as he comes up again.
|
PHILLIP:
One is named Marcel. He works at the auto shop.
RAYMOND:
Oh, well, if you're going to carry my groceries I guess I should
come along.
|
EXT. EDGE of TOWN, LATER.
The auto shop is a mess but as its the first store on this side of town
it gets more business then it deserves. A door is open in the back which
leads to the outside and a young man, Marcel, can just be seen working
out there.
The mechanic is a fat man in his forties who is probably Marcel's father.
|
RAYMOND:
Excuse me, I'll be right back.
|
Raymond walks over, apparently to talk to the mechanic who is working
on a car.
|
CELLESTE:
What's Dad doing? We don't have a car.
PHILLIP:
He's not interested in the mechanic, but his kid.
|
Phillip looks up and down the street as Raymond follows the mechanic
into the office.
INT. OFFICE, CONT.
|
RAYMOND:
(Cont.) (French with Subtitles)
... and if you found out your son had cheated a customer?
MECHANIC:
(French with Subtitles)
I'd knock his teeth out. But my kid-
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
And what would you do if some kid had raped your daughter?
|
The Mechanic stops.
He looks at Raymond and then out the window at Celleste and Phillip.
|
MECHANIC:
(French with Subtitles)
I'd kick his balls up into the back of his throat.
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
Good, I was hoping we'd understand each other.
|
Raymond backs out of the office and walks out the back of the shop.
EXT. BACK OF SHOP, CONT.
Marcel is breaking up boxes and tossing the pieces into an old oil drum
to burn.
|
RAYMOND:
Marcel?
|
Marcel turns around expectantly but when he sees Raymond he frowns.
He doesn't know him.
Raymond walks right up to Marcel before the kid backs up and punches
him in the face.
|
RAYMOND:
I'm "naked girl's" father.
|
Raymond hits the kid time after time, too fast for the kid to regain
his senses (if he did Raymond could be in a bad way.) When he gets the
kid on the ground Raymond kicks him without mercy, in the face, ribs,
genitals, etc.
|
MECHANIC: (O.S.)
(Yell of rage)
|
Then the Mechanic goes flying past Raymond to land on the ground with
a big wrench in his hands.
Phillip follows and kicks the wrench out of the man's hands before planting
some kicks in the Mechanic's side.
|
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
If you'd brought your son up right he wouldn't be on the ground
there with his life leaking out his face.
|
Phillip stops and looks at Marcel and his father.
|
PHILLIP:
So, you going to kill him?
RAYMOND:
No. They didn't kill Celleste, they didn't even beat her up much,
but if they had ...
|
Raymond kicks the kid again.
|
RAYMOND:
(French with subtitles)
The evil you do, comes back on you three times greater. And when
you go to the police make sure you explain to them WHY I kicked
the shit out of you.
|
Raymond looks around and then leads Phillip back through the shop.
EXT. STREET, CONT.
Celleste is watching the street, no one is looking.
The three of them continue walking down the street.
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
You've got blood on your shoes.
|
Both men look.
RAYMOND grunts.
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
Daddy, can you teach me to fight?
|
Raymond closes his eyes and shakes his head.
|
RAYMOND:
I can try.
|
INT. KITCHEN, MORNING.
Phillip finshes his breakfast and puts his plate in the sink.
|
PHILLIP:
Thanks.
|
And he's gone.
Celleste is still at the table, eating slowly.
Raymond finishes his breakfast and goes to the sink where he begins
to clean his plate and Phillip's.
|
CELLESTE:
Can you begin showing me how to fight?
|
Raymond's shoulders fall.
|
RAYMOND:
Might as well.
|
Celleste pops up from the table full of energy.
|
RAYMOND:
Let's go outside.
CELLESTE:
Why?
RAYMOND:
So we don't break anything.
|
Celleste looks around like, what's there to break? 
|
RAYMOND: (pushing Celleste ahead of him)
Very funny.
|
EXT. HOUSE, MORNING.
Raymond tells Celleste to hit his outstretched palm as hard as she can.
After a few tries Raymond lets her rest.
|
RAYMOND:
Go over to your brother and ask him to let you do his shoveling.
But I want you to place one hand at the end of the shovel like this.
And when you get tired, reverse it with your left hand at the end
of the shovel. And when you get sore from both ... rest.
|
SHOT of Celleste shoveling.
EXT. SHOP, DAY.
Celleste is working in the back yard under her hat and wearing an old
shirt of her father's. Raymond comes out of his shop marked by sawdust
and perspiration as usual.
|
RAYMOND:
Celleste?
CELLESTE:
Yes?
RAYMOND:
Hammering.
|
Celleste puts down her stuff and walks to the shop.
SHOT of CELLESTE Hammering.
SHOT of CELLESTE sawing, and then switching to her left hand.
SHOT of Celleste hammering floor beams on the second floor.
INT. SHOP, DAY.
Celleste and Raymond are working on something. They get the section
finished.
|
RAYMOND:
Okay, we'll need another two by six.
|
Celleste looks around.
|
CELLESTE:
No can do.
Guess we have to go to the junk yard.
RAYMOND:
Okay.
|
EXT. POOL, DAY.
Phillip, naked and covered in four kinds of dirt, is working on framing
for another layer of concrete when Raymond and Celleste come from around
the house.
|
RAYMOND:
Phillip, Celleste and I are going to the junk yard to get some
wood. Do you need anything?
PHILLIP:
Uh, yeah, I do. I'll go.
RAYMOND:
Okay, well, find something to wear.
PHILLIP:
No, I mean I'll go instead of you two.
RAYMOND:
Huh?
PHILLIP:
I need to get some stuff at the dump and I need to talk to some
customers out that way, so I'll just do it all together. What kind
of wood do you need?
|
EXT. JUNK YARD, DAY.
Phillip drags his hand cart into the yard. Phillip is dressed like HE
should be minding the junk not looking for salvagable things.
An adult male, Mr. GENEVIE, is at the window.
|
PHILLIP:
(French with Subtitles)
Hello. Is Pierre around?
Mr.
GENEVIE: (French with Subtitles)
No, heÕs sleeping. He never wakes up until it is too hot to sleep.
Then I make him take over and I take my siesta.
PHILLIP:
Oh.
|
Phillip searches for scrap wood.
DAYS PASS 
EXT. HOUSE, DAY.
Celleste punches Raymond's hand with greater strength then last time.
Celleste is careful about her stance and twists her body with the punches
like a fighter in a movie.
|
RAYMOND:
Good, can you feel the difference?
CELLESTE:
Yes, I can see it too.
You're making me look like Phillip.
RAYMOND:
You said you wanted to fight, you have to have something to fight
with.
CELLESTE:
I know, but when are you going to teach me to actually fight?
RAYMOND:
Now. First, you still can't fight like a man. You would have to
spend most of your time working on your strength and you're always
going to be lighter and smaller.
CELLESTE:
So why did you say you would teach me?
RAYMOND:
Because you can still protect yourself but you have to understand,
men fight by a set of rules. And they fight until one of them is
hurt enough to beg for the fight to end, or just backs away. A man
fight is not supposed to cause real permanent damage, if you do
... well you'd better have a pretty good reason.
What you can do is cause real, permanent, damage. So you'd better
have a pretty good reason. Like, he attacked you first and he's
bigger then you and you didn't ask for the fight.
If some guy just attacks you for no reason the rules say you can
fight him until he CAN'T hurt you.
CELLESTE:
What happens if you don't follow the rules?
RAYMOND:
For a girl?
Other people could join in, to punish the person who didn't follow
the rules. Or you could be charged with assault. The guys around
here are such macho clowns they wont make a complaint against you,
unless you break the rules. Then you don't deserve any respect.
Now men have this thing about throwing punches to the face. The
good part is if you hit the person hard enough his brain bounces
around in his head and he's stunned, and can't think straight for
a couple moments. Then you can hit him in the stomach and cause
some serious pain. But I don't recommend you hit some one in the
face, they'll be looking for it, you have to hit real hard and you
can seriously hurt your hand. A good punch to the jaw will break
your fingers.
CELLESTE:
They never show that on TV.
RAYMOND:
I know.
A good strong punch to the throat is better for you, no hard bones
in the front to hurt your hand and its closer.
|
Raymond does a slow motion right cross followed by a left cross.
|
RAYMOND:
You can get a lot of power behind a good shot to the neck. But
people will notice you winding up and be ready for it. You need
to disable them fast because you can't take more then a couple hits.
I want you to practice a fast shot, straight out. Now hit me in
the stomach, as hard and as fast as you can.
|
Celleste punches her father in the stomach. 
|
CELLESTE:
Ow!
RAYMOND:
Not good to let them know you hurt. And I wanted at least two
or more punches right after the other, as fast as you can.
|
Celleste gives her father a series of punches.
|
RAYMOND:
Hey, not bad.
CELLESTE:
How do you make your stomach so hard?
RAYMOND:
You just pull the muscles together. That's why you have to distract
the guy with a punch somewhere else so he relaxes his stomach.
|
Celleste has been holding her hand to her stomach and trying to make
her stomach muscles hard.
|
RAYMOND:
If you lie on your back and lift your legs you're using some of
the same muscles.
CELLESTE:
But if he's got his stomach muscles hard and he'll see a punch
to the neck coming, what do I do?
|
Raymond places his thumb at the bottom of his Adam's apple.
|
RAYMOND:
What you do is you give one of those really fast punches, but
you hit the guy's Adam's apple with your thumb, the spot is too
small to hit with your fist.
|
Celleste makes a move and Raymond steps back.
|
RAYMOND:
If you hit me anywhere but my stomach, after I have my muscles
tightened, I'm going to be very upset.
CELLESTE:
Sorry.
RAYMOND:
Me too. Because you're not going to be able to practice these
moves on someone for real. And don't practice punching things with
your thumb because you'll hurt your thumb. The throat is soft and
you want to hit right above where the collarbone makes this V.
CELLESTE:
Okay, sorry.
RAYMOND:
But you should practice punching really fast with your elbows
held in. Try not to give anything away.
CELLESTE:
What will happen when I hit him?
RAYMOND:
He'll be stunned and he wont be able to breath. If he rears back,
hit him in the stomach. You want him to bend forward. So you can
break his nose or his cheek bone with the end of your knee. What
you want is for him to be on the ground. If he's on the ground you
can run with a head start. If he's on the ground you can kick him
good if he tries to get up. You want to keep him on the ground until
he surrenders or you get help.
If you kick him in the stomach, it will hurt really bad. You're
leg muscles are the strongest muscles in your body. If you kick
him in the ribs and break one, he'll have trouble breathing and
he won't be able to come after you. But if you have witnesses, you
don't want permanent damage, so you go for the stomach. If they
catch you alone again, move fast, hit each of them, one after the
other.
Break a rib, break a cheek, break an arm or leg, legs are going
to be hard. Put sand in their eyes. You don't want them to be able
to follow you. Disable them and then leave, fast. Macho guys like
around here are going to be more upset about people knowing a girl
beat them up then the actual injuries. They might rape you for fun,
but if you embarrass them they'll try to kill you.
|
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
So, what do we do?
RAYMOND:
You keep practicing. Fast and hard. Practice every thing. When
you feel ready you can punch me, only in the stomach. Its important
that you actually punch someone, because you're going to have a
resistance to actually hitting someone, but you need to get over
it.
|
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
That's it? We don't ...
RAYMOND:
You can spar with your brother, according to the rules. This breaking
the rules stuff you're going to have to practice by yourself where
nobody but Phillip and I can see. It has to be a surprise or it
won't work.
CELLESTE:
But you said you'd teach me. Phillip won't want to help me.
RAYMOND:
Look dear. I don't want to get hurt, sorry about that. So I don't
want you trying any of this stuff on me. And if I were to hit you
... I'm a lot bigger and stronger. You should spar with Phillip
because you need to learn that pain isn't serious. And that you
will live and you can still fight, and win, even if you're hurt.
And Philip is going to need the practice too I'm thinking.
CELLESTE:
But you won't teach me any more?
RAYMOND:
No. I told you-
|
Celleste's fist darts out and up to Raymond's throat. At the same time
Raymond's fist punches Celleste in the chest.
Celleste flies off her feet, lands on the ground and hits her head.
Raymond is holding his throat.
|
RAYMOND:
That hurt, but it wasn't fast enough or hard enough. And now we
both hurt and I didn't hit you as hard as I could and I tried to
hit you where it would hurt least. You aren't ready to practice
with me.
|
BEAT
Raymond goes back into his shop.
INT. BATHROOM, NIGHT.
Celleste is looking at a faint bruise on her chest in the shape of Raymond's
fist.
Phillip comes in to take a shower.
|
PHILLIP:
You going to use the shower?
CELLESTE:
Already did.
|
Phillip turns on the water.
|
PHILLIP:
What are you looking at?
CELLESTE:
Bruise.
PHILLIP:
Oh, yeah? What happened? Fall on something?
CELLESTE:
My ass.
|
Phillip doesn't get it.
|
CELLESTE:
I asked Dad to show me how to fight. He TOLD me how to fight but
said he wouldn't practice with me.
PHILLIP:
How will you learn?
CELLESTE:
He said I should practice with you.
PHILLIP:
(Frowns)
But how did you get the bruise on your front side?
CELLESTE:
I tried one of the punches Dad told me to do. But he punched me
at the same time, in the place he thought it would hurt least and
not as hard as he could. Next thing I knew I was on the ground and
my ass and my head hurt.
|
Phillip pulls Celleste's hair out of the way.
|
CELLESTE:
What are you doing?
PHILLIP:
Looking for a bruise.
Little dirt, no bruise.
|
Then Phillip grabs her ass and pushes her around into the light.
|
CELLESTE:
Hey!
PHILLIP:
Maybe, a little pink.
CELLESTE:
I'll make you pink.
|
INT. KITCHEN, CONT.
Raymond hears [the fighting going on in the bathroom.]
Raymond comes around but the bathroom door is closed.
Raymond knocks, then knocks [louder].
[fighting stops]
|
CELLESTE: (O.S.)
Yes?
RAYMOND:
No fighting in the bathroom. That tile is hard and the water makes
it slick. Someone's going to get hurt.
CELLESTE:
(O.S.)
Okay.
RAYMOND:
Phillip?
PHILLIP:
(O.S.)
Okay.
RAYMOND:
(walking away)
Who was I supposed to think she was fighting with?
|
Celleste slips out of the bathroom looking sheepish.
|
RAYMOND:
Don't let him get away with a thing.
|
Celleste gives him a smile.
EXT. GRASS SOUTH SIDE, MORNING. (Days later)
Celleste and Phillip are set up to spar.
Celleste tries to land a few but Phillip blocks. Then Phillip gets in
a shot to the jaw.
|
CELLESTE:
Ow! Merde!
|
Celleste turns out her nails and swipes at Phillip.
|
RAYMOND:
Celleste! Stop that.
|
They stop.
BEAT
|
CELLESTE:
It hurt.
RAYMOND:
Not much really.
CELLESTE:
How come when ever we get hurt you say its not much and when you
get hurt it really hurts?
RAYMOND:
Because it doesn't hurt me when you get hurt.
No, that's not true. So far you guys have been lucky, you haven't
had any serious hurts. No, that's not right, You're being raped-
CELLESTE:
..didn't hurt that much.
RAYMOND:
Sure it did.
Maybe not physically but still, that's a hurt you're not going
to forget. Phillip's punch to the jaw, you'll forget that before
lunch. That kid who raped you, he's never going to forget how scared
he was when I beat the shit out of him. And ... But only a couple
of those things I did to him are going to actually physically hurt
for a while.
PHILLIP:
What about when you dropped that bed frame on your foot? You yelled
and got real mad.
RAYMOND:
I was tired. I'm sorry about that, it didn't really hurt as much
as I let on.
CELLESTE:
So, it doesn't hurt if it doesn't break a bone?
RAYMOND:
Something like that. If it doesn't hurt so much that you loose
track of your surroundings, then you're not really hurt. You knew
where Phillip was, you got mad and you knew how to go after him.
So it didn't hurt that much. If you'd blacked out, then I would
have taken it serious. That's part of what you need to learn. That
most of this is little hurts and you can survive them.
|
BEAT
Celleste turns to Phillip then she turns back to Raymond.
|
CELLESTE:
Phillip won't let me hit him.
RAYMOND:
Its called blocking and why should he let you hit him?
CELLESTE:
But you didn't teach me how to block.
RAYMOND:
Because I wanted you to attack fast enough that you didn't need
to know.
AND I don't know much about blocking. Ask Phillip what he's doing,
and how to do it.
|
Celleste looks at Phillip with new eyes.
And Phillip's feeling pretty good too.
INT. KITCHEN, EVENING.
Celleste and Phillip both have black eyes and swollen lips.
|
RAYMOND:
I don't think either of you should go into town until you heal
up. After what happened last time they're going to think I beat
you.
|
Painful smiles.
|
PHILLIP:
I didn't tell you. One of the guys, his family owns the junk yard.
He can be found there most afternoons.
RAYMOND:
Oh, I wondered why you were so eager to go last time. Well, Celleste,
when do you want to go?
CELLESTE:
Me?
RAYMOND:
Okay, I'll take care of it.
CELLESTE:
No. I'll do it.
Do you think I'm ready?
RAYMOND:
No. But nobody's going to wait until you are. And we'll be there.
|
Celleste looks from one to the other of them. They're ready to stand
behind her.
EXT. JUNK YARD, AFTERNOON.
Its very hot and dusty as the Three walk up the long dirt road to the
junk yard dragging their wheeled cart. Philip and Celleste are still black
and blue. And all of them are wearing their hand-me-downs clothes.
Pierre is in the booth by the gate. He looks up as they approach. He
tries to hide a smile at the bruises.
|
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
What cha' looking for?
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
Pipes and wood, and what ever else we come across.
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
We don't have no pipes and not much wood.
RAYMOND:
Can we at least look?
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
Go ahead and look. Just show me what you've got on the way out.
|
LATER
The Three of them are looking but Celleste keeps looking back at Pierre.
Eventually Pierre goes into the house.
|
RAYMOND:
Okay, we're done.
|
The kids think his timing strange but they stop looking and come back.
EXT. JUNK YARD GATE, AFTERNOON.
Our three have to wait for Pierre to return.
|
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
Hey, Pierre, you going to look at our stuff or not?
|
The boy comes out of the house with a beer bottle in his hand, frustrated.
|
PIERRE: (French with Subtitles)
I'm coming, I'm coming.
What have you got?
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
Just what we told you we'd get, except for the pipes. You were
right, you didn't have any.
PIERRE:
(French with Subtitles)
Then what's that?
|
Pierre is pointing at a pipe sticking out of the bottom of the pile.
Raymond doesn't answer.
Pierre bends over to see what else they may have hidden in there.
Celleste pulls back and lands her hardest punch at the back of Pierre's
jaw.
|
CELLESTE: (Holding hand)
Merde!
RAYMOND:
Celleste!
|
Pierre went down but he's not out. He's trying to get his arms and knees
under him.
Celleste kicks him hard in the ribs and he goes down again. But he stays
on his stomach, and all Celleste can do is kick him in the ribs and stomach.
|
CELLESTE:
Daddy, he won't let me-
RAYMOND:
What do you need to do?
|
Celleste kicks apart his legs and slams her toes into his balls.
Pierre screams, curls up and rolls over.
Celleste gives him a couple more good kicks.
Mr. Genevie comes running out.
|
MR.
GENEVIE: (French with Subtitles)
Pierre? What is happening?
RAYMOND:
(French with Subtitles)
Your son hurt my daughter, bad, on the beach. Now she's hurting
him back.
MR.
GENEVIE: (French with Subtitles)
But ....
RAYMOND:
My daughter went to the hospital, she still bleeds and she may
need an abortion.
|
BEAT
Mr. Genevie drops his head.
|
RAYMOND: (French with Subtitles)
Okay, Celleste, let's go.
MR.
GENEVIE: (French with Subtitles)
Aren't you going to pay for that stuff?
CELLESTE:
(French with Subtitles)
Charge your son. I have missed days of study.
|
BEAT
Then they move off.
BEAT
Mr. Genevie kicks his son a few times himself.
|
