THE COST OF LIVING By Michael Humphrey & Iain Milne

FADE IN: EXT. BACK STREET - NIGHT The street is desolate and dirty. It contains a vandalised phone box with a car parked near by. INT. CAR - NIGHT A middle aged, middle class man sits in the car. This is the CUSTOMER and everything about him, from the clothes he wears to the car he drives, scream that he does not belong in this part of town. He waits nervously for three figures to pass by. INT. PHONE BOX NIGHT The customer enters the phone box. He awkwardly removes a newspaper from his leather bag and fumbles as he takes his wallet from his breast pocket. He struggles to get change from it as he has his hands full and refuses to place his bag on the dirty floor. He is forced to jam the bag under his left arm as he holds the newspaper in one hand and the phone in the other. INSERT TOP OF NEWSPAPER A phone number is written on the top of newspaper, above the headline. BACK TO SCENE The customer returns his wallet to his breast pocket and puts on his glasses to read the number. He has to make two attempts to insert the coin into the slot as his hands are shaking. He dials the number. The phone RINGS a few times and is picked up. WOMANS VOICE (VO) Hello? CUSTOMER Can I speak to Davis? WOMANSVOICE (VO) Sorry, who? CUSTOMER Im wanting to speak to Mr. Davis.

3 WOMANS VOICE (VO) Sorry, I think you have the wrong number. Silence from the customer. Hello? WOMANS VOICE (VO) Hello?

The customer hangs up. He pauses, checks the phone number again, and redials carefully. MANS VOICE (VO) Hello? CUSTOMER Hello, is Davis there? MANS VOICE (VO) Yeah, speaking. CUSTOMER I believe that you can help me... ... I have some business that needs attended to... ... I was told that you offer certain specialist services -DAVIS (VO) Cut the crap, I know what this is about. Ive been expecting your call. I just need to know who, where and when; you just need to know the price. So first things first, describe him. CUSTOMER Well, hes middle aged... pathetic... a coward. The mans -DAVIS (VO) No, genius, I mean what does he look like? Customer turns to look at his own reflection in the glass of the phone box and begins to describe himself, face

4 first, then looks down to give height, build, etc. DAVIS (VO) Any distinguishing features? Customer looks back at his reflection. CUSTOMER None. DAVIS (VO) Youre not making this easy -Anyway, Ive got the details of where hes going to be. You can get me the keys, right? CUSTOMER Yes. DAVIS (VO) And youre definitely sure that hell be in his office at that time of night? CUSTOMER I can guarantee it. DAVIS (VO) So how do you want this done? CUSTOMER What do you mean? DAVIS (VO) Well, we can do it quick or, you know, take our time with him... A pause from the customer as he considers this statement. CUSTOMER (panicked) No, please, nothing like that. make it as quick as possible.

Just

DAVIS (VO) No problem. Some people just like to make it clear. Let them know what its for. CUSTOMER Trust me, he knows.

5 DAVIS Right then, it all seems simple enough. Lets say... ... five grand. CUSTOMER (shocked) Five grand? Yeah. DAVIS (VO) Is there a problem?

CUSTOMER No, no. Not at all. I just expected it would come to more than that. DAVIS (VO) Well you can pay as much as you want, but its just some nobody alone in his office. Five grand will do it. As soon as I receive the money, itll go ahead, so make the payment as arranged. Any questions? CUSTOMER No. DAVIS (VO) Good. Only contact me again if there is a problem. Davis hangs up and the customer is left holding the phone. The customer exhales and goes to hang it up. His face is roughly smashed into the phone panel by an unseen attacker, then held pressed painfully to the panel. ATTACKER (OS) Dont turn around. Dont move. me that bag. Give

The customer is shocked by the attack and hesitates. CUSTOMER What? CHARACTER Give me the fucking bag.

6 The customer clumsily untangles the bag in his rush to hand it back to the attacker. The attacker then begins to roughly search the customer with his free hand while the other keeps the customers face pressed to the panel. ATTACKER Are they car keys? CUSTOMER What? His anger rising, the attacker says each word of his reply as separate, staccato sentences, like he is explaining it to someone who doesnt speak English. Are. Yes. ATTACKER Then give them to me. The customer fishes them from his pocket and passes them back. ATTACKER (OS) And your wallet. CUSTOMER What? Grabbing the customer by the hair he smashes his head sideways into the phone box, twice. His free hand presses the point of knife to the customers throat. ATTACKER (OS) I said give me your wallet or Ill fucking kill you. CUSTOMER Just take it. ATTACKER These. Car. Keys? CUSTOMER

No.

Just take it.

He tears the wallet out of his pocket so quickly that it bursts open and scatters coins onto the floor. Taking the wallet in one hand, the attacker pushes away the Customer.

7 ATTACKER (OS) For fucks sake. The attacker walks away, leaving the Customer pressing himself into the corner of the box. He slides down it as he begins to sob. As he reaches his knees his hands touch on the newspaper. He sees the number written above the headline. He freezes as he stares at it. Suddenly he grabs the newspaper and one of the fallen coins. He stands up quickly, slots the coin into the phone and dials.

THE END