ACT ONE INT. BAPTISMAL CHAMBER OF ORTHODOX CHURCH Chanting and prayer in Romanian fills the room of nicely dressed people. Flowers abound throughout the church, second in number only to the amount of cameras taping everything. A 2 month old baby is naked in the air. He is held up by strong hands of an elder priest in traditional Orthodox costume and hat. The baby is dunked into a cauldron of water three times. "Amens" fill the room. The baby is handed to a woman holding a blanket to receive him. She is LARA. Lara is very pretty and smart. Her clothes are much more cosmopolitan than the others. She has a kind smile but seems sort of awkward with the baby. She holds it like you might hold a crystal vase. Next to Lara is JOHN. He is also well dressed, but slightly rumpled, and holds a candle with a floral base. John has a great big smile which sort of makes you laugh. He's attractive but not necessarily hot. After a bit more chanting the Priest cuts a lock of the baby's hair off and hands it to an elder woman. A large "Amen" is heard again followed by a round of Happy Birthday which makes Lara and John giggle. INT. THERESA'S HOUSE There is a large party in a moderately decorated home. Everyone is toasting and smiling. John and Lara are in a doorway away from the center of this action. They are obviously outsiders. LARA Should we exit discretely or say goodbye? JOHN Last one to the door drives. They turn around and there is THERESA. She is an attractive woman 24ish holding a bassinet filled with baby stuff. She has a Romanian accent but speaks perfect English. Besides her is an old woman holding the baby. THERESA Thank thank you. So much John! It's beautiful. JOHN It was nothing. THERESA No no. After the crib at the shower, I never expected this! (she shouts) Mama. This is Mr. Pieton my boss. Remember? Mama kisses John on both cheeks. MAMA Such a nice man. JOHN Thanks. Theresa gives him the "louder" sign. JOHN (continuing; louder) Thank You. The old woman grabs Lara by the face and kisses her too. MAMA Beautiful wife. You have baby? LARA (very loud) No. Heavens no. Too busy. MAMA Soon though yes? LARA Maybe. The baby is quickly taken by Mama and given to Lara. She declines but it is thrust to her breast. LARA (continuing) Yes. Pretty! She is uncomfortable. MAMA Hold the baby and you will want your own! Right here! She rubs Lara's tummy. Lara tries to hand the baby to John. He's like no way. Lara is like take the baby! MAMA (continuing) See? He's afraid. Ya. He needs his own. THERESA Now now Mama! Leave them alone. Mama doesn't understand young professional couples today. She can't believe I'm back to work! All in due time ya? Theresa takes the baby from Lara and leans in to whisper to John. THERESA (continuing) If you want to run, run now before the cake. I'll see you Monday morning. JOHN We'd love to stay and have cake. THERESA You are such a bad liar. Good thing for you ya? You know he'll never cheat on you. JOHN Hey! LARA I think I'm the one you have to worry about. John has never done a wrong thing in his life. It's kind of annoying. THERESA Try working for Mr. Perfect! JOHN That's enough note comparing, my ladies! Theresa walks away laughing. John and Lara slowly walk out of the party laughing. JOHN (continuing) Did it get your biological clock ticking? LARA Hell no. JOHN Liar. LARA He is a cute baby though isn't he? JOHN Uh-oh. LARA Don't worry. The look of complete fear on your face was enough to warn me. JOHN I just didn't want to hold it. LARA He's life itself, John. JOHN I probably would have dropped it. John gets in the car giggling. Lara mumbles to herself. LARA Him. Dropped "him", not "it." They drive away down the suburban street on an overcast afternoon. One of those days that begs to rain but holds everything back from you. INT. CHURCH OF CHRIST'S PAIN And large brown skinned man's hand enters the frame. It rests inside some sort of odd contraption. Candles glow in the background and shadows of people lean against the wall in observation and judgment. A silhouette of possibility. REVEREND (O.S.) And he will again. He will sin against God and himself. He will sin and be punished and woe is he who will not enter paradise for he is unclean and full of sin. KELLES (O.S.) I have sinned. REVEREND (O.S.) Atone for your crime again the Heavenly Father against Christ Almighty. KELLES (O.S.) Let Jesus Love me! A nurturing hand enters frame and caresses the exposed arm. REVEREND (O.S.) Jesus always Loves you my son. Jesus loves ALL of us. Pay for your sins in the here-and-now that you may not pay in the here-after so you may be with He that loves you. The man's second hand comes down onto the contraption holding the first hand. He turns a screw on it. An uhg escapes his lips. REVEREND Amen. ALL Amen. The free hand turns a screw again and another slight yelp is heard. The injured hands starts to tremble and shake. Turned again. A spiritual song starts up. Its beautiful melody sooths the horrible image of mutilation as the hand shakes harder. The screw is turned again. Kelles screams. INT. PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICES John walks down the hallway of his office building. It is not a slick polished lawyer type of corridor we are used to. It's kind of a mess. It has boxes and boxes of files all stacked up in the hallway. There are magazine cutouts on the wall and computer made cheap-o signs labeling offices and departments. John whistles an up beat pop song as he passes STEPHANIE'S office. STEPHANIE Yo! John! John stops having been busted and spins around. INT. STEPHANIE'S OFFICE Stephanie's office is much neater than the rest of the building. She is a sharp, no-nonsense lawyer. She seems to always smile even when things are bad. Even when she is unamused. This is never mistaken for kindness rather for guile. JOHN Yo? STEPHANIE Sorry, my kids will wear off by lunch. JOHN I didn't know you were so down with it? STEPHANIE I'm not. John smiles waiting for further instruction. STEPHANIE (continuing) I am confused. You have a court appearance on Thursday morning? Explain. JOHN Well. I'm a lawyer and occassionally I have to go before this guy in a dress, we call him judge, and ask him for things. STEPHANIE Do I need a smart ass Monday morning? JOHN Sorry. STEPHANIE Thursday is the Demarge execution. JOHN Oh. STEPHANIE Weren't you going to go? JOHN Yes. Yeah I'm going. I just forgot. STEPHANIE You forgot? JOHN I got so busy with Juan... I mean Sabilla, the date slipped my mind. STEPHANIE I know you got close to Demarge, John. If you don't want to go.. JOHN And leave him there with reporters and the victim's family? I can't do that to Simon. Stephanie looks at him. JOHN (continuing) ...to Demarge. Um yeah of course I'll go. STEPHANIE If you think you're up to it after Sabilla? JOHN Different guys. I'm cool. I'll put it on my desk right now. Ok? STEPHANIE Ok. And make sure you hit therapy on Friday. 2 loses in a row is hard on anyone, John. JOHN Hard on the department you mean. Next time we're gunna cut that livesay committee in the ass! STEPHANIE Worry about your own ass, cowboy. JOHN Yes ma'm. John mutters to himself as he leaves... JOHN (continuing) She likes my ass? INT. JOHN'S OFFICE John walks into his half empty office with one affirmation poster on the wall and throws his briefcase onto a ripped up couch. He sits at his non-matching metal desk and flips his day-at-a-time planner to Thursday and draws a hangman stick figure complete with gallows. Creepy. INT. JOSEPHINE'S UNIT In a small utilitarian kitchen belonging to an orange economy motel room in the valley, a young man is pushed against a tall cabinet. BRIAN is blonde and handsome in cornfed midwest way. He looks and trembles like an innocent. BRIAN Please. An older woman's long fingers fall down his face to his lips. JOSEPHINE Shhhh. JOSEPHINE is older but beautiful in a very ordinary way. She seems at first like she's wasted but then we see she is acting seductive or how a woman attempts to be sultry. Her manner is with clear intention of what she knows is wrong. This darkness doesn't turn her on. She treats it more like her duty. BRIAN This.. I don't think.... JOSEPHINE Shhhhhhhhhhh. Brian is shaking in desire and fear. Josephine leans in to kiss him but he closes his lips. She takes his hand and puts in up under her blouse to her breasts. He gasps. He pulls his hand away. Josephine exposes her breasts and rubs them. Brian watches. BRIAN I.... JOSEPHINE I know. I know. We can't fight this. God has put us here. Together. Alone for a reason. BRIAN So we should be strong. JOSEPHINE We should give in to his will and sin. He wants us to sin so we can be forgiven. Don't you want to be forgiven, boy? Don't you want to be in the graces of Jesus? Kiss me and taste the fruit of punishment. Together we can be punished! Brian dives onto Josephine's breasts. Sucking them awkwardly, like child. She takes off her blouse and moans. JOSEPHINE (continuing) Yes! Yes! My savior! Yes! Take me! Brian lifts her up onto a counter and feels up her legs and up her skirt. He pulls at her panties. Pulls them half way down. He pulls back afraid. Josephine takes off her panties and spreads her legs. Brian looks at her at this naked woman. He is over come. He grabs at her and throws his body on top of her. JOSEPHINE (continuing) Never say it was me. Swear you'll never tell it was me. Me, who helped you see the light of salvation! Brian unzips his pants and pulls them down clumsily, over taken by passion and fear. Josephine stops him. JOSEPHINE (continuing) Swear it! Swear it boy! BRIAN I swear it. I swear it! Josephine throws her legs over his backside and thrusts her hips forward forcing him inside of her. He yelps as she moans. BRIAN (continuing) I swear it! Oh my god I swear it!