Chapter Text
Slowly FADE IN on a WIDE-SHOT of a New England-style house, set in black-and-white world. The pristine garden and clean bricks provide it with an idyllic ambiance, all very picturesque of 1940s suburbia.
Begin PUSHING IN on the transom windows, passing over the wood paneling and lionhead door-knocker. Monochrome stained glass swells up and blurs the screen in a brilliant silver. Beat. Then everything is clear again — and FOCUS is on a lavish main foyer.
CUT TO
INT. FOYER - DAY
An immaculate BRITTANY begins descending the stairs, each step taken with the elegance and class she was brought up to display. Her tidy butler — a tabby cat named OSCAR — follows her, listening closely to her instructions. The discrepancy between the two is immediate: The BRITTANY speaks with a posh accent, and is dressed in a wide-brimmed hat, vintage opera gloves, and decadent jewelry. OSCAR’s tuxedo does little to hide a normal baritone voice.
BRITTANY
Now don’t forget Oscar, Jean-Luc and his investors will be arriving at 4:00 sharp. Make sure to take care of the bookshelves — dust is so often missed between the pages.
OSCAR
Yes ma’am.
BRITTANY
Oh, and if my husband calls, tell him I’m with the Garden Club. We’ll be finished at quarter-past-five. And if a state of emergency happens to arise, the number for the bistro is by—
OSCAR
—the desk in the study. Yes ma’am.
BRITTANY
(smiles)
Splendid.
She opens the front door, but looks back.
BRITTANY
Oh, and don’t tell Jean-Luc about the cake. It was a last minute preparation, and my husband doesn’t need to know about the favor I owe to Mavis. Now, where did I put that tip for the cab driver...?
OSCAR
(hands a $5 from a side-table)
Ma’am.
BRITTANY
(smiles)
Proficient as always Oscar. Well then. Ta-ta!
As soon as the door shuts, Oscar parts a curtain and watches the cab roll off the curb. Once out of view, he bolts towards the back door.
CUT TO
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Oscar, now plain-clothed, starts up a pontiac and maneuvers the car out of the driveway.
CUT TO
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
The cab turns the corner, breezing past lampposts and various New England houses. The pontiac trails discreetly behind.
OVERHEAD SHOT — The cab stops, and the BRITTANY exists. She walks up to a furnished home, chrysanthemum sparking the gravel path as the cab drives into the distance.
The pontiac parks across the house. Oscar tips his hat and watches, a sour expression forming on his face. He reaches down and pulls up a polaroid camera...
POV — CAMERA. Lens focuses on the parlor, revealing the BRITTANY unbuttoning a PIG’s shirt. He leans and kisses her. She reciprocates, wrapping her arms around him.
Camera snaps twice. Oscar lowers it, frowning. He sets it down and begins driving to the end of the cul-de-sac.
Begin INTERCUTTING between following scenes:
CLOSE-UP on a Colt New Service Revolver being pulled out of a trenchcoat. An ANONYMOUS MAMMAL opens the chamber and begins to load in the bullet.
WIDE-SHOT of the pontiac circulating the cul-de-sac. Everything is too tranquil, like a moth gracefully fluttering to an open flame.
Back to CLOSE-UP. The chamber locks. RISE with the mammal lifts the gun and aims, their finger edging closer to the trigger.
SHOT of Oscar stopping at the end of the lane. He glances to his left and begins to turn the wheel.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP on the mammal's finger pulling the trigger. FADE TO BLACK as gunfire echoes.
END OF TEASER
TITLE CARD
“A Good Dog is Hard to Find” is shown on screen. After five seconds, the title gradually DISSOLVES.
Beat. Then, a CHYRON slowly types out — The events depicted in this fic took place in San Fangcisco, between June and July of 2019. Out of respect for privacy, the names of those involved have been changed.
CHYRON FADES OUT