int.
room
The room is dark. There is a single bulb
illuminating a chess
board that is sitting on a card table.
There are two
men chained
to chairs.
One is
VINCENT, 29. The other is GIOVANNI, 35. Vincent is examining the
chess board, while Giovanni is unconscious.
Giovanni wakes up. He looks dizzy.
Giovanni
Ugh, what happened?
Vincent
Good question. I don't know, I just woke up.
GIOVANNI
Where am I?
Vincent
That's another good question.
Giovanni attempts to get up, but finds he is chained to the
chair, and that the chair is bolted to the ground.
GIOVANNI
(Alarmingly)
What is this?
VINCENT
We are apparently locked to the chairs.
This sinks in to Giovanni for a second. He then looks
at Vincent.
GIOVANNI
Who are you?
VINCENT
I'm Vincent. You?
GIOVANNI
Giovanni.
VINCENT
It's a pleasure, Giovanni.
GIOVANNI
What's with the chess board?
VINCENT
Inquisitive, aren't we? I have been trying
to figure that out myself, it looks like we're supposed to play. I
would've moved, but, you're white.
Giovanni looks at the board. He is, indeed, white.
GIOVANNI
Hmmm, strange...
They sit staring at the board for a moment. Giovanni
then reaches toward his piece.
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
Good, you have awaken.
Giovanni jumps. Vincent whips his head around, looking
for the voice.
Vincent
What do you want?
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
I want you to play a game.
Vincent
Chess?
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
Yes, but this
won't be a normal game of chess.
Giovanni
What do you mean?
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
We are going to play my game. Let me explain my rules. Each piece of yours represents a friend or family member. If that piece gets taken, then that person dies. If your king gets taken, you die. If you get placed into check, you will have an allotted amount of time to get out of check. If you tip the king, everyone dies. Do you understand my rules?
GIOVANNI
Yes.
Vincent
Yes.
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
Good. If you attempt to wait it out, I will kill
your friends and family.
Vincent
How do I know that you have them?
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
I might have them, I might not have them.
Enough questions, let the game begin.
Vincent and Giovanni look at each other, than down at the board.
GIOVANNI
What do you think we should do?
VINCENT
There's not much we can do.
GIOVANNI
True...
Giovanni begins to reach toward his piece.
GIOVANNI
Maybe we shouldn't play his game.
VINCENT
Don't be foolish. Don't you remember what he said?
GIOVANNI
That if we wait it out...
VINCENT
He will kill our friends and family.
GIOVANNI
Yeah, but what if he's not telling the truth? People
lie about things.
VINCENT
(Under his breath)
Like yourself?
GIOVANNI
What was that?
VINCENT
I said you should forget about it. Just move, you're
chained to the chair anyway. Not like you'll be able to go anywhere.
GIOVANNI
I guess so.
Giovanni reluctantly moves his first piece, e4.
Vincent moves his pawn without hesitation, e5
GIOVANNI
You sure he's not going to kill us? Or our
family? Or friends?
Vincent
He sounds like a psychopath to me. I don't think he
will.
Giovanni moves his next piece in silence, Nc3.
Vincent moves. Nc6
GIOVANNI
Do you have any family, Vincent?
VINCENT
No, I never had a family.
GIOVANNI
Why's that?
VINCENT
I don't know. I grew up in an orphanage.
GIOVANNI
(Alarmed)
You mean, nobody adopted you?
VINCENT
Nobody adopts in the slums.
GIOVANNI
Oh, you're one of them.
VINCENT
One of them?
GIOVANNI
Never mind.
VINCENT
Tell me about your family.
Giovanni glares at Vincent, then moves, Bc4.
GIOVANNI
If you must know, I am married, two children, and am very
well to do. My
son just turned 8 the
other day. I remember we got him this game he'd been asking us for, all
year long, ironically enough.
Vincent
What was it?
GIOVANNI
It was a chess game made of glass. My son loves chess,
plus it helps the overall ambiance of the house.
Vincent
Is he good at it?.
Vincent moves. Nf6
GIOVANNI
Ambiance?
VINCENT
No...chess.
Giovanni
That's right, you don't know what ambiance means. My
son is good...for his age. It's not like it'll amount to anything.
Vincent
(under his breath)
I do too know what ambiance means you...
GIOVANNI
What was that?
VINCENT
It's your move.
GIOVANNI
I'll move when I please!
VINCENT
Under the circumstances, I don't think you have a choice.
Giovanni moves d3.
GIOVANNI
I wonder how he got me? I can understand you, but I
wonder how he got me.
Vincent moves Bc5.
VINCENT
You think it's that hard?
GIOVANNI
Of course. There's nearly no crime where I live.
VINCENT
I'm sure there is, you just don't see it.
GIOVANNI
Trust me, of all the people, I would know if there was
crime. Why don't you just keep playing.
VINCENT
(Under his breath)
You should know...
GIOVANNI
What was that?
VINCENT
Nothing.
Giovanni examines the board.
VINCENT
Aren't you going to move?
GIOVANNI
Hey, I'm still trying to come to grips about this. I
don't want to die.
Vincent
(Sighs)
I'm sure he's just bluffing.
GIOVANNI
But what if he is telling the truth? Or what if he just
kills us all?
(Angrily)
Why would someone do something like this? Especially to
me! Doesn't he know who I am?
VINCENT
Why? Are you special?
GIOVANNI
Yes, I am. I am a very, very rich man.
VINCENT
(Under his breath)
I'm sure you are...
GIOVANNI
What was that?
Vincent
I think we just need to
think this through...does this sound
like something someone would do to you?
GIOVANNI
I've seen strange things before...
Vincent
On the television, right? This is real life, psychopaths are
just
that, psychopaths. They have some strange reason for doing what they do, we
just have to play their game like it's no big deal. Now go.
GIOVANNI
Fine.
Giovanni moves, Nge2.
Vincent moves d6.
GIOVANNI
I really think he's gonna kill us.
Vincent
Trust me, he's not going to kill us. It's your move.
GIOVANNI
Why aren't you worried?
Vincent
Because, the last thing I need to worry about in life is
being locked up in a room, playing chess for our lives.
GIOVANNI
Well, yeah, but we have to make a plan. I don't want to
die.
Vincent
Just move.
Giovanni examines the board, then moves Bg5.
Vincent moves Bxf2+.
GIOVANNI
(Alarmingly)
You just took my piece! And put me in check!
Distorted Voice (V.O.)
Giovanni, your friend, Jane, is going
to die. You have 1 minute to move out of check.
GIOVANNI
(Nervously)
He's not serious, right? I mean, he's just bluffing.
Vincent
Right, it's probably just a scare tactic.
GIOVANNI
(Still nervously)
But how did he know her name?
Vincent
He's probably a stalker. By the way, you've only got a
minute
Giovanni
(Nervously)
Oh, right
Giovanni moves Kf1.
GIOVANNI
(To himself)
Just a scare tactic, he's not going to murder anyone.
VINCENT
Right. Who is she, tell me about her.
Vincent moves Bb6.
Giovanni glares at Vincent.
GIOVANNI
If you must know, she's a friend of my wife's.
VINCENT
But not your friend?
GIOVANNI
Well, yeah, sort of.
VINCENT
What's that mean?
GIOVANNI
I mean that she's my wife's best friend. If he actually
did kill her, then...my support...
VINCENT
He's not going to kill her. It's your turn again,
Giovanni.
GIOVANNI
(Ignoring him)
I mean, my program would lose money...
VINCENT
(Loudly)
Giovanni Detau!
GIOVANNI
Hey, how did you know my name?
VINCENT
You told me.
GIOVANNI
I told you my last name?
VINCENT
Yes.
GIOVANNI
Oh. What did you want?
VINCENT
It's your turn.
GIOVANNI
Oh, right.
Giovanni examines the board, then moves Ng3.
Vincent moves h6.
GIOVANNI
He's probably got my wife!
VINCENT
I don't know...he might.
GIOVANNI
And my children...
VINCENT
He's bluffing, remember?
GIOVANNI
What would I look like if I didn't have a family anymore.
VINCENT
What?
GIOVANNI
I mean...I would no longer be the "Family man"
VINCENT
What are you talking about?
GIOVANNI
(Spitefully)
That's right, you're one of them.
VINCENT
Yeah, so?
GIOVANNI
Nothing.
Giovanni moves his bishop, Bd2.
Vincent pauses, examines the board, then moves
Ng4.
GIOVANNI
You're pretty good at this.
VINCENT
I guess so.
GIOVANNI
You look like you've played this a lot.
VINCENT
I used to play with my brother. It's your turn again.
Giovanni examines the board, then moves his queen, Qf3.
Vincent castles kingside. O-O.
Giovanni examines the board.
VINCENT
Why do you suppose they're called pawns, Giovanni?
GIOVANNI
I don't know...maybe because they're the lesser pieces?
VINCENT
Are they really, though? They say that the pawn is the
greatest piece.
Giovanni looks up at Vincent.
GIOVANNI
I doubt that. The pawns are simply there to move out of
the way.
VINCENT
Really? I don't think so.
GIOVANNI
(Angrily)
Why don't you just move already? Nobody cares what you
think.
VINCENT
(Smiling)
And that's what the problem is, Giovanni. Nobody
cares. Nobody cares about the pawn.
GIOVANNI
(Angrily)
Just go!
VINCENT
That's the other problem, Giovanni. It's your move.
Giovanni looks back down at the board. He moves Nf5.
Vincent moves h5.
GIOVANNI
Why did you even bring it up, anyway?
VINCENT
(Shrugs)
Just wondered what you thought, that's all
GIOVANNI
But, why should it matter?
VINCENT
Look, I'm sorry I brought it up. Why don't you just go?
Giovanni looks at the board, then looks up.
GIOVANNI
Why don't we just flip over the board?
VINCENT
Because then he'd probably kill
us.
GIOVANNI
Not if we got him. Besides, this game is messing with
us too much. Especially you.
VINCENT
What's that mean?
GIOVANNI
Well, you'd think you were planning a revolt with all
your talk.
VINCENT
I was just curious.
GIOVANNI
Haven't you heard the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'?
VINCENT
So what, you say he's going to kill us both no matter what?
GIOVANNI
(Angrily)
I've been saying that all along!
VINCENT
But he's not going to.
GIOVANNI
And how do you know this?
VINCENT
I don't. But sometimes in life, you have to give up
control. Give someone else the reins.
GIOVANNI
(Angry)
Oh, so now you're siding with this guy? We don't even
know who the hell he is, and you just want to give him control.
VINCENT
He's already got the control. You just don't want to
give it up.
GIOVANNI
(Angry)
That's the thing, he doesn't have the control.
Giovanni flips over the table. The chess board and
pieces fly everywhere.
VINCENT
The problem is, Giovanni, he does have control.
Vincent stands up, the chains fall off him. He pulls a
gun from his pocket, levels it at Giovanni's head, and FIRES.
VINCENT
Game over, the pawn wins.
Vincent turns around and exits.
fade out
CREDITS
This Screenplay is Copyright © 2007 by Nick Taylor
My Fiction