The Baseball Killer

EXT. GRANDPA CLYDE’S BACKYARD – DAY

GRANDPA CLYDE sits on his porch, in a rocking chair, while JASON plays baseball with DEXTER. Jason pitches the ball to Dexter, very hard. It hits Dexter in the shoulder.

DEXTER

Ow! Damn you, Jason! That’s the last time that’ll happen!

He walks to Jason.

JASON

Hey, Dex, calm down!

Dexter smacks him with the bat. Jason falls. Dexter beats him.

Jason screams. Grandpa Clyde rushes to his side. Dexter hits Jason in the face.

Grandpa Clyde kneels beside Jason, while looking at Dexter.

grandpa clyde

What happened?

Dexter smiles.

DEXTER

He threw the ball, too hard, so I returned the favor!

GRANDPA CLYDE.

Dammit!

He picks Jason up.

GRANDPA CLYDE(CONT’D)

Call your mom, Dexter. We’re going to the hospital.

Grandpa Clyde walks to the front of the house.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM – DAY – NEXT

Jason lies on a gurney, unresponsive. He’s hooked to tubes and life support. Grandpa Clyde sits next to Jason. STEPHANIE’s in the hallway with Dexter, looking in.

STEPHANIE

Dexter, what happened?

Dexter stares at Jason.

DEXTER

Mom, I told you. He threw the ball, too hard. So I had to return the favor.

STEPHANIE

Dexter, you took it overboard. He might die.

DEXTER

He might die?

(Low toned)

Weakling.

Stephanie and Dexter look at Jason.

ALICE walks to Jason’s room, followed by two POLICE OFFICERS.

She points at Dexter.

Alice

He did it! He beat my son with a bat. He needs to be arrested.

POLICE OFFICER #1 walks behind Dexter, and hand cuffs him.

Police officer #1

Dexter, you’re under arrest for attempted murder against Jason Skit. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.

STEPHANIE

Hold on! You can’t take my son to jail!

ALICE

Yes, he can! Your son tried to kill my boy. I’m pressing charges.

STEPHANIE

Alice, they were playing baseball! Things just got a little out of hand.

ALICE

My son could die! You’re sons going to jail.

POLICE OFFICER #1

(To police officer #2)

Let’s get out of here!

The police officers exit, with Dexter in their custody.

STEPHANIE

I’ll be right there, Dexter! Don’t say anything!

DEXTER

(Smiles)

I’ll be fine, mom! Don’t worry.

Alice looks at Jason. Stephanie cries.

INT. POLICE CAR – DAY – NEXT

The police officers sit in the front, and Dexter is in the back. Dexter fidgets.

POLICE OFFICER #2

Why you moving back there? Be still!

DEXTEr

(Chuckles)

He deserved what he got! He threw the ball, too hard, AGAIN! I just returned the favor.

POLICE OFFICER #1

Look, buddy! Save it for the judge!

DEXTER

Can’t wait to see him!

INT. JAIL - DAY - NEXT

The jail cell holds five prisoners. The police officers take Dexter to the cell. Police officer #1 opens it.

He pushes Dexter inside the room, and closes the cell.

POLICE OFFICER #1

Get comfortable. You’ll be here for, awhile.

INT. JAIL CELL - DAY - Next

Dexter bends his head, as he sits in a chair. SAM, BEN, JAKE, and DEMETRI stand in a circle. JOHN sleeps.

BEN

Any of y’all know that guy?

JAKE

Never seen em before in my life.

BEN

He weird, man! Been over there looking at the ground since he got here. Yo, Demetri? Let’s go check this dude out.

DEMETRI

Bet!

Ben and Demetri approach Dexter.

BEN

(To Dexter)

Bro, what’s your problem?

Dexter’s silent.

Demetri

What’s your problem, man?

Dexter pulls two small blades out of his mouth, and stabs Demetri and Ben.

DEXTER

(Laughs)

There’s no problem.

He looks at Sam and Jake.

DEXTER(CONT’D)

Is there?

SAM

No. Not at all!

JAKE

Not a problem!

DEXTER

Good! Now, I think these guys are tired. Why don’t ya’ put em in their bed; cover ’em up.

JAKE

...ok.

Jake and Sam put Ben in a bed, and cover him up. They put Demetri in a bed, and cover him up.

DEXTER

Good job! Anybody ask, they’re sleep. They had a long day. You understand?

JAKE

Ok!

SAM

I understand.

INT. JAIL CELL - DAY - next

PRISON GUARD #1 walks to the cell, and opens it.

PRISON GUARD #1

Dexter, you got a visitor. Come on out!

Dexter walks out of the cell, and prison guard #1 handcuffs him. They walk to the visiting room.

Stephanie sits at a table, with two chairs.

STEPHANIE

Dexter!

Prison guard #1 walks Dexter to Stephanie. He uncuffs him.

Dexter sits.

STEPHANIE(cont’d)

Son, how you doing? Are they being easy on you?

DEXTER

Yeah, ma! Everything’s good! How’s Jason?

STEPHANIE

It’s not looking too good for him.

DEXTER

It’s not? Mom, we got an issue.

STEPHANIE

What’s wrong?

DEXTER

I enjoyed beating him with the bat. I killed two inmates. Ma, am I crazy?

STEPHANIE

You killed two inmates? When?

DEXTER

When I got here. They were acting tough, so I sliced ’em.

Stephanie’s silent.

DEXTER(CONT’D)

Say something, mom!

STEPHANIE

Dexter, keep your mouth shut. I don’t want you talking to nobody, back there. I’ll figure something out.

INT. JAIL CELL - DAY - NEXT

Ben lies in bed, dead. Demetri lies in bed, dead. Jake and Sam are by the cell. Prison guard #1 walks to the cell, with Dexter in handcuffs.

He opens the cell.

PRISON GUARD #1

You had a good visit?

DEXTER

Yeah.

PRISON GUARD #1

Ok.

He uncuffs Dexter. Dexter walks in the room.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

(To Ben)

Hey! Hey!

He walks in.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

(To Ben)

Hey, you!

He lifts the cover off of Ben. He notices the wound, and blood.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

What the hell?

He rushes to Dexter, and puts him to the wall.

He buzzes his radio.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

I need two officers at cell G. We got a homicide.

He handcuffs Dexter. He looks at Jake and Sam.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

You two! On the wall!

Jake and Sam face the wall.

PRISON GUARD #2 and PRISON GUARD #3 walk in.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

(To prison guard #2 and prison guard #3)

Handcuff them!

They handcuff Jake and Sam.

PRISON GUARD #2

What’s the problem?

PRISON GUARD #1

That one on the bed is dead.

He looks at Demetri.

PRISON GUARD #1(CONT’D)

Check him!

Prison guard #3 raises the blanket off of Demetri.

PRISON GUARD #3

Damn! He’s dead.

PRISON GUARD #1

Damnit! All right, look. Let’s get these knuckleheads into segregation, and then let’s get this place cleaned up.

(To Dexter)

If it was you, we going to find out!

He takes Dexter out of the cell.

INT. VISITING ROOM - DAY - later

Prison guard #1, prison guard #2, and prison guard #3 stand by the door. Dexter, Jake, and Sam stand, facing the wall. WARDEN JOSHUA stands, facing Dexter, Jake, and Sam.

WARDEN JOSHUA

So... one of you killed two inmates, huh? I wanna know who did it. And let me say, the one who is convicted is getting twenty five to life! And that’s being nice. The judge might be having a bad day, if you catch my drift.

He walks to Jake.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

So, does any body know who did it?

JAKE

I don’t know nothing!

WARDEN JOSHUA

I bet you don’t.

He walks to Sam.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

How ’bout you? Who did this?

Sam looks at him, smirks, and looks back to the wall.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

You ain’t got nothing to say either, huh?

He walks to Dexter.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

How about you? You just got here. You the new ring leader? You trouble?

Dexter’s silent.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

Nothing to say? Ok.

He backs away from Dexter.

WARDEN JOSHUA(CONT’D)

We’re going to leave ya’ in here for awhile. When we come back, somebody better start talking!

He, and the prison guards exit.

DEXTER

Y’all keep y’all mouths shut, you understand?

JAKE

I done had ya back, too much, as it is. I’m not letting them put this on me.

DEXTER

They ain’t going to do that. As long as no one talks, we’ll be all right. Keep ya’ mouths shut. Or I will kill y’all! Don’t think just ’cause I’m locked in another room, I can’t get to you.

JAKE

Man, you expect me to keep quiet? And take on a 25+ bid? Hell no, I ain’t doing that, man!

DEXTER

Listen to me. I was able to take out your little, ”buddies,” back in the cell. Best believe, if I want you, I can get you.

The door can be heard opening.

DEXTER(CONT’D)

Make the right decision.

Warden Joshua stands, facing Jake, Dexter, and Sam.

WARDEN JOSHUA

So. Does anybody wanna talk?

DEXTER

I ain’t got nothing to say.

SAM

You barking up the wrong tree.

JAKE

...I ain’t do it! Dexter did.

WARDEN JOSHUA

Ok. Sam, Jake, ya’ can go back to y’all cell.

DEXTER

Wait! Sam helped me.

WARDEN JOSHUA

Is this true, Sam?

DEXTER

(Low toned)

Remember what I said, Sam.

SAM

...Yeah. I helped.

WARDEN JOSHUA

Ok. Jake, you can go to ya cell.

Jake looks at Sam, and exits.

WARDEN JOSHUA

All right. You two, hands behind your back.

Dexter and Sam put their hands behind their back.

INT. JAIL CELL - NIGHT

Jake sleeps. The cell can be heard opening. Dexter walks to Jake, and hits him in the head with a bat.

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