p>A Tricky Game
Seraphima Nickolaevna Bogomolova
© Seraphima Nickolaevna Bogomolova, 2018
ISBN 978-5-4490-8473-6
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
FADE IN:
In the light of street lamps, big fluffy snowflakes swirl down, covering ground with a thin layer of snow.
MALE VOICE/DMITRY VORONOV (V.O.)
Before you, silently I sway.
In vain, I feel this agitation,
In vain, I cast a glance your way:
I’m sure that I will never say,
What freely says imagination.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. NIGHTCLUB (MOSCOW) – NIGHT
A silver Bentley tears out of the night, WHIZZES along the curb and stops before the club, leaving an imprint of its tires in the new snow.
A stunning woman in her 30s, wearing an evening dress, – ANGELA – steps out of the car.
At the door to the club, a HOSTESS, a crimson-lipped smile attached to her otherwise expressionless face, welcomes Angela in.
INT. NIGHTCLUB (MOSCOW) – NIGHT
The insistent beats of MUSIC slam across the room.
Angela makes her way through the crowd of raving CLUBBERS and dancing STRIPPERS towards an elegant businessman in his late 40s, – KAZIMIR STANKEVITCH.
Seated at the table by the stage, Kazimir draws on his cigar, watching the movements of a STRIPPER#1, wrapping her tanned body around the pole.
Angela approaches Kazimir and extends her hand to him. He grabs it. His lips parted, Kazimir is about to impresses them on her hand, but Angela pulls it away.
KAZIMIR
(grinning)
Are you playing with me?
ANGELA
I think you enjoy being played with.
KAZIMIR
It depends.
ANGELA
On what?
KAZIMIR
On the game.
Angela sits down and lights up a cigarillo. Kazimir fixes his gaze on her rouge lips, encircling the chocolate tip of the cigarillo.
She draws on it, releasing a blow of smoke towards Kazimir.
He turns away and motions at a WAITRESS.
A silver ‘bucket’, filled with bottles of Krug champagne nestled in the crashed ice, is placed on the table.
Kazimir takes a bottle out and pours champagne into the glasses.
KAZIMIR
To our agreement.
ANGELA
As you wish.
KAZIMIR
Do you think it really matters what I wish?
ANGELA
It depends.
KAZIMIR
On what?
ANGELA
On your wish.
Kazimir leans forward and brings his glass to hers. The crystal glasses meet, releasing a CLINK.
Angela takes a sip of the champagne then puts her glass down on the table.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
I have to go.
KAZIMIR
Please stay.
ANGELA
Are you tempting me?
KAZIMIR
I’m indulging you.
Angela stands up. Kazimir grabs her hand, pulling her towards him. She pulls away. He tightens his grip, enjoying the sensation it produces, then lets her go.
Angela walks away, engulfed by the crowd of the CLUB REVELLERS.
Kazimir motions at the stripper#1, throwing some bank notes into her direction.
The stripper#1 slowly edges towards him, stripping as she goes in the throbbings of neon light.
EXT. MOSCOW – NIGHT
Pulsating with myriads of lights, the city pushes in and out sparkling flows of the night traffic.
INT. ANGELA’S BENTLEY (MOSCOW) – NIGHT – TRAVELLING
Angela sits in the back seat, looking out. Her head leans against the car window.
The DRIVER turns the radio on. A mellow JAZZ tune of Dream A Little Dream of Me by Doris Day flows out. It fills in the car, as the street-lights flash by, blurring into colourful smudges before Angela’s eyes.
EXT. ANGELA’S HOUSE (MOSCOW) – NIGHT
A street stretches out into the night.
On the one side of it, a seven-storey modern residential building stands. Opposite, a half-built building is coated in darkness. A crane towers over it.
INT. HALF-BUILT BUILDING/TOP FLOOR (MOSCOW) – NIGHT
A silhouette of a broad-shouldered man in mid 30s, wearing a military navy-blue jacket – PAVEL NEKRASSOV – is visible in a large window gap. Pavel stands, looking down onto the street. Next to him, on a pile of bricks a takeaway box is placed.
Pavel reaches for the takeaway box, fingers out a plump pirozhok and bites in.
INTERCUT
The silver Bentley pulls up before the residential building. The driver gets out of the car and opens the door.
Angela steps out, goes to the entrance and walks up the stairway of the brightly lit entrance.
INTERCUT
Playing with his gun, Pavel points it in the direction of the residential building. His finger on the trigger, he munches on the pirozhok and looks down.
A crow flies in, brushing Pavel’s face with its wings. A GUNSHOT shatters the night.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOSPITAL (MOSCOW) – DAY
Angela lies in bed, the golden waves of her hair spread on the pillow. Her eyes open, she takes in the surroundings: the blue bareness of the hospital walls, the white sheets, the transparent plastic of the bedside table.
A NURSE enters, places a vase with pink tulips on the bedside table and walks out.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MOSCOW – NIGHT – DUSK
The street lights come on, casting beams of light upon the snow-powdered streets of the city.
INT. HOSPITAL (MOSCOW) – NIGHT – DUSK
Angela gets out of bed, goes to the window and looks out.
INERCUT —
The windows in high-rises light up one by one.
INERCUT —
Angela goes back to bed. Lying, she stares out into the darkness for a while then closes her eyes.
The door opens noiselessly.
A young