SERVED COLD

Written by

Talha Bin
1 INT. PRISON CELL - DAY 1

BILLY RICHARDS, late 40s, sits on his cot. Hand in prayer

position over his nose and mouth, stares off into space.
FOOTSTEPS approach.

The door to the cell opens.

EVAN POPE, early 30s, formally dressed, stands next to a

SECURITY GUARD. Evan steps inside, the Security Guard stands
just outside the cell door.

EVAN
Hey, how have you been Billy?

Billy glares.

BILLY
What are YOU doing here?

EVAN
I’ve come here to discuss something
with you.

Evan sits down on the cot.

BILLY
There is nothing left to discuss
anymore, the trial is over. So
please leave me alone right now and
let me do my time in peace.

EVAN
What happened to “I need to get out
of here, my poor daughter needs
me”? Huh? Don’t you care about her
anymore?

BILLY
Of course I care! You know how much
I love Sarah!

EVAN
There’s still hope, there’s
something we can do.

BILLY
Like what huh? Go find yourself
another sucker EVAN.

Awkward silence fills up the cell.

BILLY (CONT’D) *
You know what everybody calls me *
around here?

EVAN
No idea.
 Blue (mm/dd/yyyy) 2.

BILLY
The Cop killer. I’ll be known as
The Cop Killer for the rest of my
life.

EVAN
I ain’t the prison shrink Billy, I
only talk legal matters.

Evan stops for a beat, rubs his forehead as if his head

hurts.

EVAN (CONT’D) *
Listen carefully to what I'm about
to tell you. I asked around and I
found something that should work
But you gotta keep an open mind
here.

BILLY
What?

EVAN
It’s a ground breaking new drug, a
single pill that induces temporary
insanity, and by temporary I mean a
week exactly.

BILLY
And why the hell would I do that?

EVAN
Let me explain. I had a chat with
your accountants overseas. You’ve
got a very lucrative business
Billy. For guys like you
arrangements can be made.
Arrangements that can get you out
of the country with you’re
daughter, new identities, a clean
slate! The old Billy Richards will
vanish.

BILLY
I don’t know Evan, this drug thing
doesn’t sound right to me.

EVAN
It’s been tested, I guarantee you
this is it. This is Your chance to
walk away scot free!

Evan takes a quick look behind. From the back of his tie he
produces the pill, hands it to a hesitant Billy.

BILLY
Supposedly I take it, how long
before it kicks in?
 Blue (mm/dd/yyyy) 3.

EVAN
6 hours. Once that happens you
won’t be yourself. Things will take
their course from there.

Billy puts the pill into his pocket. *

BILLY
Do you know if Sarah’s coming? I
need to see her, how has she been?

EVAN
I talked her into coming along,
she’s really upset with you for
some reason. Remember, be smart
about this and don’t share any
details with anyone Billy!

Evan stands up and signals the security guard.

EVAN (CONT’D)
Good luck my friend I'll see you
very soon.

Evan gives Billy a friendly wink.

Billy nods silently as Evan walks out his cell.

2 INT. PRISON - VISITING ROOM - DAY 2

Billy sits down at a table. Sarah 16, is on the other side of

the glass. His face is repentant. They both pick up the
phone.

BILLY
Hey there baby girl, WOW you’re
getting bigger every time I see
you.

He reaches out towards her.

SARAH
I know you’re not getting out dad,
you keep saying you are but I don’t
believe you, I'm not a little girl
anymore..

BILLY
Who told you that? That ain’t true.
I’m coming home soon.

SARAH
Don’t lie to me daddy. Kids at
school say that cop killers don’t
get out.

Sarah bursts into tears. Wipes them quickly.

 4.

BILLY
Hey hey hey, don’t you believe them
.you’re smarter than this baby
girl, look at me, I promise I'm
coming home soon, I promise I am.

SARAH
What kind of miracle is gonna bring
you back home dad? Tell me, tell
me!

BILLY
I can’t give you all the details,
but you have to stay strong for me
ok. I love you Sarah. You have no
idea how sorry i am for putting you
through this. I’ve been a horrible
father.

Billy has watery eyes.

BILLY (CONT’D)
Remember the time I took you
sailing, you were so excited to be
captain, we sailed and sailed like
we’re never coming back.

Sarah smiles for the first time.

SARAH
Yeah I remember. The best days of
my life were on that boat.

BILLY
One day I’ll take you sailing
again, we’ll sail as long as we
want, have an adventure of our own.
What do you say?

SARAH
I’d sure love that dad.

They both stare at each other, both with sparkling eyes,

their hands are pushing against the glass.

SARAH (CONT’D)
Goodbye dad, I’ll come to visit
next week OK.

BILLY
You stay strong for me MY CAPTAIN.

SARAH
I will.

They both hang up the phone. Billy watches her as she leaves
his sight.
 5.

3 INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT 3

Billy is staring at the pill.

BILLY
For you Sarah.

He swallows it then lays on his cot and closes his eyes.

CUT TO:

4 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - MIDNIGHT 4

Billy is unconscious, restrained to a hospital bed. He has

bloody bandages covering his forehead.

Evan and Sarah are sitting by him. They’re both staring at

him. Sarah is in tears.

SARAH
What happened to him? He was fine
when I saw him this morning!

EVAN
He-- he had some kind of mental
breakdown, almost got himself
killed.

Billy wakes up.

BILLY
Sarah! Sarah!

SARAH
I’m here, dad.
BILLY
No. You’re not Sarah? Who are you?
Where’s Sarah? We’re suppose to go
sailing together.

SARAH
(confused)
What? Dad. It’s me.

BILLY
Get her away from me! Where’s my
daughter? I want my daughter!

Sarah breaks down, tears up. Evan rushes to her.

SARAH
Why doesn’t he know who I am?

Sarah turns away from Billy looks at Evan.

 6.

EVAN
I don’t know, Sarah. I don’t know.
The doctors say he needs to rest. I
don’t think you should stay here
darling.

SARAH
You’re right I can’t stay here, I
can’t, I have to leave now, this is
too much.

Sarah rushes out the door crying, holding her mouth as if

she’s going to be sick.

Evan closes the door after her. Then looks at Billy with a
slight smile on his face.

EVAN
Oh poor Billy, you’re not gonna
remember anything I'm about to tell
you But I'm gonna get it off my
chest.

Billy doesn’t seem to comprehend a word he’s saying.

EVAN (CONT’D)
Here’s the truth Billy, the pill
you just took a few hours ago has
PERMANENTLY damaged your brain. The
Germans are calling it the LOBOTOMY
PILL.

Evan sits on the bed and gets closer to Billy’s face.

EVAN (CONT’D)
That cop you shot in cold blood was
a father to me .. He brought me to
his own family, raised me when I
had no one!

Evan goes to the other side of bed and sits.

EVAN (CONT’D)
You see I could’ve left you here to
rot, but in my book this is the
punishment you deserve. Life in
prison is not a proper punishment!
Insanity on the other hand..

He stops for a beat.

EVAN (CONT’D)
Your daughter happens to be
collateral damage, such a shame,
she’s such an innocent girl.

Evan exhales loudly.

 7.

EVAN (CONT’D)
Boy this feels good!

Evan sighs loudly, like a huge burden has been lifted of his
back.

Evan stares at a helpless Billy then giggles.

EVAN (CONT’D)
I’ll let you rest now. It seems
that my job here is done for now.
Enjoy your stay in MAYFLOWER PSYCH
Billy.

5 Evan Walks out the door smiling from ear to ear. 5