I have been back 14 hours from a trip down home to see family and friends. If you have never been to the Carolinas, I do recco. it. There is more to it than religion, racing, 'rastling, and racism, I tell you what. Email me and I'll let you in on some tips for really enjoying the beautiful south.

For now however, here is an excerpt from my screenplay in progress, working-titled "The Father Suit." It's a cross between "Night of the Hunter" and "Paper Moon." In this scene, our father, who suffers from schizophrenia, has abducted his two young children and taken off down a dark river. Pardon the format problems. Until then.

INT. PORGY & BESS- SAME
Lee Wayne and the kids step into the cabin. There is a table, a few broken chairs, a dead sofa, a hot-plate, etc.
It is an unholy mess.
ADDY
Peeew! It stinks.
DILL
Looks like the janitor crew is lazy, Mr. Livingstone.
He turns to Lee-Wayne who does not answer. Lee-Wayne walks toward a dark hatch in the rear. Dill motions for Addy to wait and follows.
Dill steps quietly through the opening into a closet with a filthy bathroom on the right and another shadowy room ahead.
Dill stops and listens. He can hear Lee-Wayne moving around in there and muttering to himself.
A chair moves.
ADDY (V.O.)
Dill..?
Dill looks up. He’s sweating from fear and heat. Trembling,  he goes to peek inside the room but stops.
He hurries back to Addy.
DILL
You OK?
ADDY
Yea..
She looks odd.
DILL
What is it, Sister?
She motions for him to be quiet.
DILL (CONT’D)
What is it?
ADDY
Shhh..listen.
There is only the occasional lapping of water against the boat, of decaying wood creaking, a faraway bird chirping.
Sunlight comes down in shafts through the cabin.
Dill and Addy, covered in sweat, look around and at each other.
Suddenly footsteps are heard moving across the top of the boat.
Then the sound of an outboard motor being started.
It sputters to life and the boat begins to move. Dill and Addy rush up top to the deck.
They are moving away from the shipwreck dock, through the dark water.
No one is at the wheel.