The Knife Job

The Knife Job

TITLE CARD: THE KNIFE JOB

INT. COLLEGE BUILDING: DAY
Two lads, both 17 years old, wearing tracksuit pants and hoodies, sit in a corridor with their backs to a large window overlooking the college grounds. In a few moments, one of these may be a killer- an ASSAILANT. The other is already the INSTIGATOR.

ASSAILANT
I saw him ride off on it. There was a car boot sale last week as well… I only found out yesterday. There’s no way he didn’t sell it. I mean, it’s just a bike, but still…

INSTIGATOR
If people find out that you knew it was him and you just let him off, they’re going to think you’re a mug. And how are you going to push to all those people without a bike? You’re not old enough to drive. You gonna get on the bus with all that weed?

ASSAILANT
They could come to mine.

INSTIGATOR
And have queues of druggies outside your door? Will your mum like that?

ASSAILANT
The Dibble will. That’s why he took it. He wants all my… my customers. And if I can’t push weed I’ll have no money… McD’s doesn’t hire people like me. There is NOTHING out there.

INSTIGATOR
You've had benefits before. They give you coin for college, yeah? And you shouldn't be paying your mum keep til you're eighteen. You want to sort that shit out.

ASSAILANT
My bird will fuck me off if I’m not dealing.

INSTIGATOR
Ahh. I feel you know. Well. Don't be taken for a chump.

ASSAILANT
I won't. I’m gonna have to shank him, but I don’t know how to get away with it.

INSTIGATOR
I do.

Instigator hands Assailant a knife.

INSTIGATOR
It’ll have to be a knife job. It’s totally safe. For you, I mean.

ASSAILANT
What about cameras?

INSTIGATOR
There are none. Four computers got taxed from the media block last week; I don’t know nothing about that though.

ASSAILANT
Me neither.

INSTIGATOR
That's why they’re installing a shitload of CCTV next week. It’ll be all over the campus. So he's got to go now.

ASSAILANT
Okay. How are we gonna do this?

INSTIGATOR
Go in through- hang on, have you not been here before?

Assailant shakes his head.

ASSAILANT
I always push at the back gate. I never meet people inside.

INSTIGATOR
The guy lunches in the canteen. Wears a man bag. Bleached blond hair. Can’t miss him.

Over Instigator’s instructions, Assailant’s soon-to-be actions are played out. Note: The visuals have no sound other than Instigator’s voice.

EXT. COLLEGE CAR PARK
Assailant walks through the yard, looking around at the campus buildings.

INT. CANTEEN

Note: This scene should ideally be shot in a full canteen where the customers are unaware of any filming occurring. This should result in a realistic 'shocked' response from the other diners. Perhaps long-shots or wide-shots from a static high angle might give a CCTV feel.

A LAD stands up from his table. He has bleached blond hair and a man bag. He walks off.

Unsuspecting, another lad walks from the serving counter and takes his place. He sits down with a tray of food. He also has bleach-blond hair but is taller and older and looks nothing like the first lad. OLDER LAD doesn’t carry a bag of any kind.

Assailant steps into the lunch area wearing the same clothes, including a scarf wrapped around the lower part of his face. He looks suspicious, dangerous, but nobody will make eye contact with him.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
He’ll be eating in the middle table. He’s a boring bastard, as well as a fucking thief, so he sits in the same place every day eating the same scran.

Older Lad sits exactly where Man Bag Lad was sitting. Man Bag Lad walks out of the canteen.

Assailant strides up to Older Lad, drawing the knife from the hoody pocket. Assailant stabs Older Lad in the chest and neck several times in quick succession. Older Lad spits food and blood over the table and food tray.

Diners- not actors- will hopefully react in horror.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
Hold on to the shank, whatever you do. I’ll sort that out.

Assailant panics, dropping the blood-soaked knife. He looks at the diners nervously, then walks briskly off-frame.

Cut to a wall sign: ‘Courtyard Theatre’.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
Go right past the Courtyard Theatre.

Confused, Assailant strides hurriedly left past the sign.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
You should see a building with a big J on the front of it.

INT. COLLEGE ENTRANCE-DAY
Assailant is plastered in his victim’s blood. A RECEPTIONIST glances at him, shocked. She says nothing. Assailant looks around, nervously. He avoids eye contact with the woman. He realises he’s gone wrong somewhere.

POV SHOT- ASSAILANT
A whip-pan shows the automatic doors, a careers guidance room, a library, the reception area and the corridor back to the canteen.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
Get past that and you’re home safe, man.

STILL IN POV ASSAILANT
A SECURITY GUARD runs at Assailant- from the canteen to the end of the corridor, to the camera. When only his face fills the screen (just before the guard is able to arrest him), we CUT TO BLACK.

INSTIGATOR (V/O)
What could go wrong?

CREDITS ROLL.