Photo (c) Ronan Gallagher 96

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THE SIN'S OF THE FATHER

Written By

Ronan Gallagher

(c) Ronan Gallagher 93

SCENE 1

EXT. PUBLIC PARK - DAY

Two kids soccer teams are playing a game in the park. A few spectators dot the sideline.

Passing along the sideline we pick up snippets of conversation from the crowd. We see a man and a boy who are watching the match. The man is about forty and the boy, his son, about five.

MAN

Go on son!...Go for it.

 A young footballer dribbles the ball and prepares to take a shot. He shoots and the Goalie dives and saves the ball. The man is grimacing in frustration.

 MAN

Oh noo...hard lines young fella...

He turns to his son.

MAN

Good bleedin shot, eh son?

The boy nods in agreement and claps his hands in excitement.

BOY

Come on United!....Come on United!

 His father tosses his hair playfully.

 MAN

Hey! What about The Gunners? Your old Dad's team...you little turncoat.......

SCENE 2

EXT. STREET. DAY

A motorbike approaches carrying two riders. They are darkly clad in helmets and leathers. The bike turns off and away from our view.

SCENE 3

EXT. PARK. DAY

The man and the boy cheer on their team.

SCENE 4

EXT. ALLEYWAY. DAY

The alleyway is littered with rubbish bags. The motorbike comes into view at the end of the alley and drives towards us and passes out of frame.

SCENE 5

EXT. PARK. DAY

Wide shot of football action. A young boy crosses the ball to another who heads it into the net, and does a celebration run. Both the man and the boy jump up and down, delighted with the goal. In the background the motorbike can be seen approaching. We see the motorbike more clearly now. The pillion passenger unzips his jacket and pulls out a sawn off shotgun.

                                                                                                                        CUT TO

The man and the boy are still celebrating the goal, unaware of what is happening behind them. In the background the bike comes to a stop and the pillion passenger gets off.

                                                                                                                         CUT TO:

The biker walks towards us. As he gets closer we see his breath coming from the helmet which has a tinted visor obscuring his face, giving him a menacing look. He raises the gun.

                                                                                                                         CUT TO:

The man and the boy still celebrate their teams goal. The biker approaches them from behind and raises the gun. The boy turns around, sees the biker raise the gun and calls out in fear. The man, reacting to his son’s alarm, turns to face his assailant.The biker points the gun at the man. Fear registers on the man’s face, then despair at the hopelessness of his situation.

MAN

No....please....Jaysus...not in front of the young fella....

                                                                                                                         CUT TO: 

We see the expression of horror on the boy’s face..

SFX Gunshot.

Small specks of blood splatter on the boys face. After a few seconds of shock the boy begins to scream hysterically..

                                                                                                                        FADE OUT:

SCENE 6

INT. CAR - DAY

Detective John Courtney and his partner Tom Roche are driving down O’ Connell St. Roche is driving and Courtney is sitting in the passenger seat eating a kebab. Through the car windows we see the various shops and pedestrians pass by. Roche is obviously upset by the smell of the kebab. Courtney notices this, takes another big bite from the kebab and speaks with his mouth full.

COURTNEY

Another day, another Donner

ROCHE

How can you eat that garbage?

Courtney looks at him in mock indignation.

COURTNEY

I'll have you know, that this garbage, as you call it, contains all the ingredients essential to a policeman's life.

ROCHE

Oh yeah?....Such as?

COURTNEY

You don’t have to cook. You can eat on the hoof, and......

He finishes the kebab, rolls up the paper and chucks it lazily in the back of the car.

COURTNEY

...joy of joys,there's no washing up!

 Suddenly Courtney spots someone in the crowds. He taps Roche and points him out

COURTNEY

Isn't that Mixer Kelly over there....yeah! That’s him . Pull over Tom, I want a word.

ROCHE

Who's Mixer Kelly?

Courtney winks at Roche.

COURTNEY

One of my most trusted informants.

 The car pulls up and Courtney gets out. Roche watches as Courtney crosses the flow of pedestrians towards Mixer, a wiry, tattooed man selling cigarette lighters. He can just about hear him over the bustle of the shoppers.

MIXER

Cigarette loyrrers, three for a pound.....Cigarette loyrrers, three for a pound

Roche watches as Courtney approaches Mixer from behind, an unlit fag in his mouth, and taps Mixer on the shoulder indicating he wants a light. Mixer turns to him and lights him. They begin talking. Suddenly the police radio comes to life in the car, startling Roche.

POLICE  RADIO

All units! All units! Reported shooting at Sandymount Green. All units in close proximity proceed to area immediately.

ROCHE

Jesus!......Sandymount Green! That's beside us.

He shouts out the window, but Courtney who is now writing down something in his notebook doesn’t hear him.

POLICE RADIO

Repeat! All units! Reported shooting in Sandymount Green. One fatality reported. All units in close proximity proceed with caution to the area.

Roche beeps the horn at Courtney who waves back at him unaware of the urgency of the situation.

ROCHE

Christ! Come on!

Roche switches on the siren and catching Courtney's attention beckons frantically for him to hurry, which he does. Courtney reaches the car and jumps in.

COURTNEY

What the hell's your hurry?. He was just giving me the name of....

ROCHE

There's been a shooting in Sandymount green. It just came over the radio......

Courtney reaches down, pulls out the siren light and slaps it on the roof of the car.

COURTNEY

Well, what are we waiting for? Go Man!

                                                                                                                        CUT TO:

SCENE  7

EXT. PARK. DAY. 

We see the victim's body. It is covered by a coat. A hand reaches down and pulls back the coat revealing the victim’s face which is bloodied and very dead.

                                                                                                                        CUT TO:

Courtney looks down at the face.

COURTNEY

Jesus Christ!...........

                                                                                                                        CUT TO:

Courtney crouches down by the body. Tom Roche and some uniformed police are trying to keep the players and onlookers back. The sound of police and ambulance sirens can be heard as more police arrive on the scene. Courtney covers the victim again. A Sergeant approaches him. Courtney rises to meet him.

COURTNEY

Sergeant, have your men secure the area as fast as you can, before it's trampled to pieces. Don’t let any potential witnesses leave though, there’s got to be plenty of them seen what happened. 

Courtney looks in the direction of the crowd and sees a priest standing with the victim’s son. The boy is staring blankly into space in deep shock.

SERGEANT

That's the victim’s son. Saw the whole thing....poor kid. You'll get nothing out of him though, he's in an awful state. Any idea who the victim is?........

Courtney looks back towards the body. Roche is crouched beside it and has the face uncovered again. He looks back to the boy who still stares blankly into space.

COURTNEY

Yeah, I think maybe we do.

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