A Turn of Luck

Contest Script

Much like the short stories published here, this script was written with similar guidelines. Two days to write a five page script with a specific genre, object, and location. For "A Turn of Luck", I was given "romance" as my genre, a "an insulin pump" as my object", and "a casino" for my location. I'll admit that this one was hard to write, which might be why there is very little dialogue. I had to try and mold the romance genre into something I'd know how to write without abusing the romance sterotypes. It's a little choppy with the backstory as I had to cut most of it out in order to make the five page limit. - CM

P.S. I know the text is a little small on the mobile site. It has to be to maintain the formatting. Zoom in the best you can. Sorry. -CM

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FADE IN:

INT. PAWNUKEE CASINO - DAY

The Pawnukee Casino has seen better days. Far from the

traditional image of flashy and posh casinos of Las Vegas or

Atlantic City, the Pawnukee Casino of Oklahoma looks more

like a converted warehouse.

GAMBLERS, both MEN and WOMEN of all ages, reflect the same

image. Tired-looking and beaten, the gamblers of Pawnukee

Casino are there out of habit, addiction, or naked greed.

Except one person.

Walking through the crowded playing floor, a tall man goes

unnoticed. Everything about him is unremarkable and

unmemorable, except for his eyes, deep emeralds set into a

sad expression.

This is LUCK. Though he appears to be a thirty-something

year old man, Luck is something else. Not a ghost or a

fairy. He's more like a spirit and he moves invisibly

through the CROWD.

MONTAGE - LUCK GOES TO WORK

-- Black Jack Tables - Luck stands unnoticed behind an

ELDERLY WOMAN (70s) and whispers in her ear. She holds as

the dealer hits and busts. She wins. Luck smiles. She was

deserving.

-- Poker Tables - Luck stands behind a BALDING MAN (40s) and

a HAGGARD-LOOKING WOMAN (40s). Luck touches the Balding

Man's head and instantly looks at him in disgust. He

whispers in his ear. The man bets everything he has...and

loses. The Haggard Woman wins. The Bald Man is undeserving

of Luck's favor.

-- Slot Machines - Luck walks up and down the endless rows

of slot machines, touching machines at random. With each

touch, the next lever pull produces a 'Jack Pot' for the

occupants.

-- Luck touches a MIDDLE-AGED MAN's shoulder and looks

worried. The man holds his bank card in his hand and stands

in front of an ATM machine. Luck whispers in his ear. A tear

runs down the man's cheek. He puts his card away and leaves.

END MONTAGE

INT. PAWNUKEE CASINO - DAY

ROULETTE TABLE

Later.

Luck walks in and stands next to the CROUPIER (20s) at a

halfway filled Roulette table. A TRUCKER (50s), a COUNTRY

BUMPKIN (30s), and an ELDERLY LADY (70s) stand around the

table, placing various bets.

Luck scans the group around the table with his sad eyes. The

Gamblers glance around and at each other. They're eyes never

fall on Luck.

The large Trucker shifts a little, fiddling with an insulin

pump attached to his large stomach. He taps it a few times

before stepping away from the table completely to reveal a

slender woman with fire red hair and face spattered with an

attractive arrangement of freckles.

Her name is KACY (20s) and she looks nervous.

The world falls silent.

Luck stops breathing and his HEART POUNDS loudly as he takes

in the sight of her. The Slender Woman's BREATH SOUNDS LIKE

A GENTLE BREEZE through the leaves of a tree.

Kacy smiles and produces three black, one hundred dollar,

chips and a four green, twenty-five dollar, chips.

She places one green chip on to the black diamond on the

table top. After a moment of other players placing bets, the

Croupier spins the Roulette wheel then spins the ball.

After another moment, the ball drops into the slot for 'red

7'.

She exhales and slides two more green chips onto the red

diamond.

Others bet. Another spin. The ball lands in the 'black 4'

slot.

Luck moves around the table towards Kacy as a moment of

panic flits across her face.

Kacy begins to slide one of the black chips onto the table,

but stops. Luck has placed his hand on her's. The world

which has been running on silently all around freezes in an

instant.

Luck turns Kacy around to face him. His eyes are are almost

tearful as they gaze on the strange beauty before him. Her

eyes...they're like his. Dark green and flecked with golden

hazel.

He's in love.

Lost in her eyes, he places his hands behind her head, then

leans forward and touches his forehead to hers. The world

dissolves.

MONTAGE - KACY'S LIFE

-- Kacy is born, bloody and crying.

-- Infant Kacy learns to walk while a WOMAN (late teens)

watches from across the room in a haze of smoke.

-- Pre-teen Kacy stands at a funeral, dressed in black. She

holds hands with a little boy, her BROTHER(5). A Male Hand

rubs her shoulder rather less than consolingly.

-- Pre-teen Kacy lies in her bed, shaking as the bedroom

door opens and a MALE FIGURE stands silhouetted in the

frame, holding a bottle. She cries.

-- Teenage Kacy fights with a FACELESS MAN, her Brother (9)

cowers in the corner of the room. She fights hard.

-- Teenage Kacy smokes a joint with a GROUP OF TEENS. She

drink from a bottle of Jack Daniels. She takes a pill. She

has less than consensual sex with TWO TEENAGE BOYS.

-- Twenty year old Kacy grabs a puppy from the middle of a

busy street. She carries it to safety.

-- Twenty five year old Kacy argues soundlessly with a

ANGRY-LOOKING MAN (20s). He hits her once. And then again.

And again.

-- Twenty-five year old Kacy looks at a map of the U.S. open

on her lap. Her finger runs along various roads until her

finger stops on San Francisco. A small smile twitches on her

lips. Her Brother (20) sits next to her. He smiles at her

and nods.

RETURN TO SCENE

Tears run down Luck's cheeks. He removes his hands slowly,

allowing the back of one of his hands to lightly touch her

cheek.

After a moment, he turns her back around to the table.

The world comes to life again, in movement and sound. Kacy

is dazed.

CROUPIER

Place your bets.

Luck leans close and whispers into Kacy's ear.

She looks worried and, with great hesitation, places all her

chips onto the 'black 20' spot.

The Croupier spins the wheel and launches the ball. Round

and round the ball spins before it bounces once, then twice.

Luck purses his lips and blows. The ball bounces once more

and lands...

...on 'black 20'.

Kacy smiles and laughs. She covers her mouth as tears well

up in her eyes.

The Croupier slides Kacy her winnings. She begins to count.

It's all she can do to contain her joy.

Luck smiles, but his eyes don't.

She turns to leave the table and runs into Luck, knocking

the chips loose from her hands. Both Luck and Kacy kneel

down to pick up the chips.

She looks at Luck and he is seen.

KACY

I am so sorry, sir. I didn't see

you.

LUCK

Most don't. My name's Luck.

KACY

Luck, huh? That's an appropriate

name.

He smiles as he places the chips he collected into Kacy's

hands as they both stand.

KACY

Thanks and I'm sorry again for

running into you.

LUCK

Perfectly alright.

Kacy waves as she walks away and gives Luck smile before she

turns around.

LUCK

(yelling)

Good luck in California, Kacy.

Kacy stops dead, but doesn't turn immediately.

LUCK (CONT'D)

No one deserves it more.

Kacy turns, but Luck has disappeared.

She looks confused and a little scared and she begins to

walk quickly out of the casino.

Luck watches Kacy leave, the same sad smile etched in stone

on his lips.

LUCK

(to himself)

Maybe we'll find each other again.

He swallows hard.

LUCK (CONT'D)

Maybe not.

He turns from the Roulette table and walks into the crowded

and loud casino floor, slowly fading away until he can no

longer be seen.

FADE TO BLACK