Hardcore

SCENE UNFOLDS with Anita (Autumn Falls), a young lady. She's in her vehicle, giving the steering wheel a small tap. Start already, why won't you?, she grumbles under her breath. She sighs deeply, reaching for her mobile phone. She attempts to power it on, but it's out of juice. She opens the glove compartment and rummages through it. After a bit, her head drops in frustration. 'Great, you forgot your charger. Fantastic work, Anita,' she scolds herself. Suddenly, there's an unexpected knock on her window. She jumps with a small gasp, completely taken aback. Standing at her window is Shane (Derrick Pierce), a somewhat rugged-looking man. His face is stern as he signals for her to lower her window. She eyes him suspiciously and cautiously rolls down her window, though only a smidge. Uh...yes?, she inquires warily. Hey, he didn't mean to startle her, but he was returning home and noticed her car conking out on her, he explains, his voice steady and non-aggressive. Oh, uh, yeah, it...it just won't start no matter what she tries, she replies, her voice still tinged with caution. Ok, well, if she's comfortable with it, his place is just over there, he points out, gesturing to his nearby home. He offers to help push her car into his garage and see if he can diagnose the problem himself. That's kind of him, but she wouldn't want to bother him, she can just ring the tow service, she responds, still wary of the stranger but managing a polite smile. If she insists, he shrugs, but they'll likely take hours to arrive. And this isn't the safest place for a girl like her to be hanging around. She deliberates for another moment, uncertain about her next move. Then she glances at her phone and recalls it's dead. '...I suppose we could give it a go,' she says hesitantly. He looks at her, shrugging indifferently. 'It's your decision,' he says. After maneuvering the car into his garage, they talk about how dodgy the neighborhood is. Well, he should get cracking, he remarks, heading towards the garage door, his hand on top of it as he readies to pull it down. Oh um...what is he up to?, Anita asks timidly. The light from outside is blinding him, making it difficult to inspect the problem. He's just going to shut the door and attach a light to the hood so he can see better, he explains. That's cool...right?, he asks, his voice carrying a vague hint of menace. She gazes out of the garage towards the street, perhaps contemplating whether she should make a run for it. Um...yeah, absolutely, that's fine, Anita agrees, her smile nervous. He studies her for a moment, sizing her up. He yanks down the garage door. It slams to the ground, sealing them inside. CUT TO TITLE Shane is hunched over the car's open hood, tinkering. What brings her to this part of town?, he asks, continuing his work on the car. She was just passing through, actually, on her way back from visiting a new school, she replies. High school?, he queries, glancing over his shoulder at her, an eyebrow arched. No, no, she's 18, she's a college student, she corrects. 'Could you do me a favor. Hand me a screwdriver. From that toolbox over there,' he requests, pointing to a toolbox on the ground. Certainly, Anita responds, turning around. She bends over, opens the toolbox, and starts digging around. As she searches, Shane ogles her rear with a hungry gaze, licking his lips. Um, there's NO screwdriver in here, Anita informs him, confused. Ohhh, his mistake, the screwdriver is in THAT toolbox, he corrects with a sly grin. She immediately goes to the other toolbox he pointed out and retrieves the screwdriver, passing it to him swiftly. Thanks, he murmurs quietly, returning to the car. Ah damn, he exclaims aloud. What?, she asks, worried. This cable's frayed, he observes. She squints suspiciously, walking over to the hood. No need to worry, she doesn't need to come over, he's got it, he reassures her, trying to shoo her away. No, she wants to see it, she insists, peeking under the hood. He watches her closely, a wrench in his hand. Yeah, she sees it, but...it looks like it's been...she starts, her gaze falling on a pair of wire cutters next