is the guitar magic?

Next installment! I'll have you know I have 77 pages now. :)

INT. PETER'S APARTMENT -- DAY

Peter sits at his laptop on a messy desk in a somewhat bleak, messy living room, The Beatles White Album playing on a record player on the floor near his feet.

A ROOMMATE (20's), heroine-chic thin with Strokes hair, saunters through the room with a bowl of cereal, as a cell phone rings.

Peter lifts some papers on the desk and picks up his phone.

PETER
Greta? Where are you?

GRETA
Well, I'm riding out to Albuquerque.

PETER
Nice. I'm assuming you're with the right band now and no longer hitching?

GRETA
Actually, it's something of a rescue mission now.

PETER
(delighted)
Did someone get kidnapped?

GRETA
No, just Sylus's guitar. Christian won't give it back so we're following them to Albuquerque, to take a stand with Albus, I think, and force him to give it up.

Peter is speechless, for once in his life.

GRETA
Hello?

PETER
...Please tell me you get some of that on tape. How long does your camera film for?

GRETA
About 30 seconds. You think you could call Willows Green and talk to that guy Maxwell about it?

PETER
So this is serious? Christian is trying to run off with Sylus's guitar? What, did they ditch you at Modified?

GRETA
Yes!

Peter sits up straight, eyes shining.

PETER
No fucking way.

GRETA
(annoyed)
Yes, fucking way. They said we were late and they couldn't wait for us, even though Albus stayed the night!

PETER
Greta! This is a story for the blog if I ever heard one! I mean, forget the blog, I could pitch this to Under The Radar!

GRETA
Peter, please call the label.

PETER
Got it, got it. Keep me posted!

GRETA
(as afterthought)
...Did my car get home safe?

PETER
(distracted, typing)
It's home, but I think some kind soul actually shot it.

GRETA
...Thanks.

INT. DINER - NEW MEXICO -- AFTERNOON

Long Wolf and Todd all sit at a large booth, ordering breakfast.

NEIL
What is this lingonberry shit people put on pancakes?

JOHN
It's Swedish.

NEIL
(disdainfully)
Oh well, you would know.

JOHN
My family's from Switzerland, ass.

Todd chokes and Anthony and Christian burst out laughing. Neil looks annoyed at first, but then smirks.

NEIL
Does it really matter?

CHRISTIAN
You amaze us with your skills at geography, Neil, along with everything else.

NEIL
Something like your antics on the stolen guitar last night.

Christian drops his menu on the table, unconcerned.

CHRISTIAN
Nothing wrong with a little experimentation.

NEIL
Playing a bit too much Guitar Hero these days?

CHRISTIAN
(irritated)
Maybe I'm just outgrowing you, musically.

ANTHONY
Yeah right.

Christian glares at him and the others look uncomfortable. Todd clears his throat and starts messing with his Blackberry phone.

CHRISTIAN
(shortly)
I meant Neil.

ANTHONY
(grins)
It was good anyway, I liked it.

JOHN
You gonna give the guitar back this time, Christian, or drag The Lake out to Texas?
(before he replies)
I'm all for messing around, but they do have our photographer.

CHRISTIAN
...They do, don't they? How did that end up happening again?

TODD
(staring at his phone)
Hey! Hey, dudes, check this out!

ANTHONY
What?

TODD
I just checked out that aggregator, Elbo, and the blogs are all buzzing about the "blistering guitar" last night! "So Much Silence" was at the show and shot some youtube footage. They're all reposting it!

JOHN
Nice!

CHRISTIAN
What are they saying?

TODD
"Lead guitarist Christian Waden deigned to speak the crowd this time, a shrewd move. He revealed some hidden chops on 'Twigs' and 'Light is Never Heavy'... Loved them before, but watch this clip from the Modified show..."

CHRISTIAN
(happily)
Let's watch it.

TODD
Nah, I can't get media to load on this thing. Waiting for that iPhone, dudes.

Neil sits back thoughtfully and undoes his scarf, as the WAITRESS approaches them with plates.

NEIL
(slowly)
...So Christian plays better on The Lake's Tele.

The guys all look at each other, Christian a bit sheepish.

CHRISTIAN
It's not like it's magic or anything. It's still me.

The Waitress sets their food down in front of them. Todd's Blackberry suddenly rings and he snatches it up.

TODD
Yeah? Hey, Maxwell, what's up?

JOHN
It's Maxie...

NEIL
I'm sure he saw the blogs.

TODD
Uh huh... Oh. Uh huh...

Christian watches him carefully and the other guys dig into their food.

TODD
Yeah. Yeah, he wants to keep playing it.

The guys all look up again. Christian looks worried.

JOHN
The Lake called the label?!

TODD
Uh huh, well, I think I should show you something, Max. Go online, and go to elbo.ws...

Christian smiles, relaxes, and starts to eat.

EXT. DESERT-LIKE HIGHWAY -- DAY

AERIAL SHOT of The Lake's bus driving along, Deerhoof's "Green Cosmos" playing.

GRETA
So why did you guys call yourselves The Lake?

MICAH
Why did you call yourselves The Lake?

INT. THE LAKE VAN -- CONTINUOUS

Greta laughs at Micah, who grins next to her in the backseat. Sylus is driving this time with Tim in the passenger seat.

TIM
You'll have to excuse him, he's not housebroken.

GRETA
We named ourselves after the Silver Lake reservior, thank you very much.

MICAH
Oh. Well, we named ourselves after... Sylus, why the hell did we pick that one again?

SYLUS
My family used to go fishing at this little lake on the edge of my grandparents' land. It was good times.

TIM
(magic of fact)
Sylus is very nostalgic.

SYLUS
(grinning)
I'm sure she's figured that out. None of us would be here if I wasn't...

GRETA
Better to be named after a real lake than a reservoir, I guess. Anne came up with it - she lives right near it.

SYLUS
How many people write for the blog?

GRETA
Four of us. That guy Peter you met and Simon and Anne, who both write for LAist sometimes, and LA Alternative. Peter doesn't really do much else... I think he lives on ramen and cereal.

TIM
He seemed like a nervous little guy...

GRETA
He's going to turn this whole trip into a big story. I should probably take some pictures to chronicle our "adventures".

TIM
A big story for the blog? You're going to write about it?

GRETA
Not just the blog, I guess. He's gonna pitch it to Filter or Pitchfork or something.

SYLUS, TIM
Really??!

GRETA
(startled)
I mean, they might not go for it...

TIM
But that's great! Even if no one picks it up, they'll still have heard of us.

GRETA
That's true. Yeah, actually...
(light dawning)
Actually, this is a good thing.
(slowly)
I mean..this might even be the best thing that could possibly happen...

TIM
We're "creating awareness".

GRETA
Even for me. I'd get photo credit.

SYLUS
No shit! That's true.

MICAH
So that's why this happened?? Is this Fate?

SYLUS
No, it happened because you gave away my damn guitar.

MICAH
But still, I'm totally and completely responsible if we get signed over this.

TIM
Right, you and Christian.

Sylus glances at Greta in the rearview mirror, and gives her a small, hopeful smile. She smiles back.

plan b

LATER

The Lake van turns down Roosevelt street and pulls into the parking lot at Modified. The Long Wolf bus is not there.

Tim shuts off the engine and they all look out through the windows, obviously sleepy.

GRETA
What time is it?

Micah looks at his watch and yawns.

MICAH
Almost 2.
(beat)
They probably left.

SYLUS
Damn.

He opens the door and climbs out. The other three watch as he walks up to the venue and goes inside.

MICAH
What do we do now?

TIM
(to Greta)
You think they're at a motel somewhere?

GRETA
(slowly)
No, they gotta be at The Launchpad the day after the tomorrow. In Albuquerque.

MICAH
Shit, we gotta go to Albuquerque now?

TIM
Wait, here he comes.

Sylus walks back across the parking lot, his head down, hands in his pockets. He gets back into the passenger seat and sits quietly for a second.

SYLUS
Bartender says they took off right after the show. Just loaded up and left.

Tim looks stunned.

TIM
They knew we were coming...?

Sylus says nothing.

MICAH
They did, right?

SYLUS
(flatly)
He said people kept saying Christian was on fire. He played better than he ever does.

GRETA
Really?

TIM
(to Sylus, sharp)
Give me your phone. I don't have reception.

Sylus hands him his cell phone and Tim jumps out of the car, marching off with the phone to his ear.

MICAH
...Is he mad? I've never seen him mad.

Sylus puts his elbow up on the window sill and rests his chin in his hand.

GRETA
You don't think they did this on purpose?

SYLUS
I don't know. I have a feeling.

They all watch Tim outside, now gesturing as he speaks into the phone. Greta's phone suddenly lets out a little melody and they all jump.

GRETA
Oh, sorry, it's a text message.

She digs out her phone and looks at it.

INSERT - CELL PHONE SCREEN

PETER

"Having the time of your life yet?"

Greta frowns. Tim opens the car door and gets back in with a sigh.

TIM
(pissed)
So here's the story. First I got voicemail. Then I called back twice, back to back, and that guy Todd finally answered. He wasn't too friendly. He said we were late and they didn't want to get behind schedule, so they had to take off.
(beat)
He said we could meet them in Albuquerque.

MICAH
What?!

TIM
I told him we picked up Greta and we hit traffic and we all had jobs and had to get back to work. Didn't make much of an impression. And then I said didn't that asshole want his own guitar back?? And he said...

He eyes Sylus carefully.

TIM
He said 'No, not really.'

There is a slight pause as this sinks in.

GRETA
(abruptly)
He can't steal your guitar! We can call the label. We can make them ship it to you.
(beat)
What about Albus? You guys can call them, right?

MICAH
What could they do about it? I mean, they're not gonna fight the guy.

SYLUS
Actually, Scott might.
(to Tim)
Remember when he fought that kid with the headgear?

Tim starts to laugh. Sylus abruptly bursts into laughter too, both of them sounding exhausted. Micah and Greta look at each other, not finding anything funny.

The other two carry on for several seconds, getting louder, Sylus banging his arm against the window and Tim wiping at his eyes.

SYLUS
The biggest buzz band out there, the Willows Green band, the next fucking indie band to show up on Letterman, man - I bet you - just fuckin' stole my granddad's fuckin' guitar...

He knocks the van door open and leans his head out, letting out a hysterical-sounding WHOOP OF LAUGHTER. Tim thumps the dashboard and cackles, watching him. Greta starts to smile a bit.

Micah sighs, annoyed.

MICAH
Yeah, it's hilarious. Is anybody else really tired, at all? Can we find a place to sleep now?

Tim nods back at him and starts winding down, wiping his eyes again.

TIM
Let's find a motel.

GRETA
(quietly)
...It's nice to know they're concerned about me being there to take pictures.

Sylus stops laughing and sniffs loudly. He sighs, as Tim starts the van's engine.

SYLUS
Yeah, I think we all got screwed here.

Tim steers the van around and heads out of the parking lot. Greta looks back down at her phone and types in a reply to Peter's text:

INSERT - CELL PHONE SCREEN

"Time of life waylaid for now. Fill you in later."

EXT. MOTEL SIX - PHOENIX -- NIGHT

The Lake van pulls into the parking lot, the Motel Six sign flashing above them.

INT. MOTEL ROOM -- LATER

Sylus and Micah sleep in one double bed, Tim and Greta in the other, all four fully dressed. Tim snores a deep rumbling snore.

Sylus sits up slowly and peers out into the dark room. He picks up his phone and a crumpled pack of cigarettes from the nightstand between the beds, and walks outside.

EXT. MOTEL ROOM -- VERY EARLY MORNING

Sylus stands in the grass in front of their motel room door, looking quite disheveled, and smokes a cigarette. He pulls out his cell phone. It rings a long while.

SCOTT
(sleepy, gruff voice)
...Sylus?

SYLUS
Hey Scott. Sorry to wake you up, man, are you still in Phoenix?

SCOTT
...Yeah, yeah, what's goin' on?

SYLUS
Well, it's kind of weird, I guess... Did you hear about Christian taking my guitar at Spaceland?

SCOTT
Your guitar? No, is that what he was playin' last night? I saw he had a Tele.

SYLUS
Yeah, he took it by accident. I think.

SCOTT
Oh shit, wait, that's your old Tele? The one you always played?

Sylus blows some smoke in a huff.

SYLUS
Yep.

SCOTT
No way. Why'nt you come get it last night?

SYLUS
I did. We're all here, man, in Phoenix. We got here late cause we got lost and we hit some kind of accident, and then they took off, man, they didn't wait for us.

SCOTT
Yeah, they left right afterwards! I told 'em hell no, we were all wasted... We ain't got no driver.
(beat)
So what are you doin', man? You coming out to Albuquerque? You should have 'em ship that shit.

SYLUS
I don't think he would. I got his guitar, he doesn't want it shipped, and he likes mine. I think they ditched us on purpose to keep my guitar.

Scott laughs hoarsely and starts coughing on the other end.

SCOTT
That fucker's got another Gibson and a Martin at home, he don't want your Tele, man.

SYLUS
(intently)
Did you see him play last night?

SCOTT
Yeah, man, he was on fuckin' fire... He was wailing on all these riffs, for some reason...
(light dawns)
Oh shit.

SYLUS
(grins slightly)
My granddad always said it's magic. I never miss a note.

SCOTT
Man, you get your ass to Albuquerque and I'll make sure he sticks around. Can't promise much more'n that though.

He starts coughing again and Sylus smiles.

SYLUS
Thanks Scott. See you there.

SCOTT
Right on.

Scott hangs up and Sylus puts his phone in his pocket. He turns around to see Greta stepping out of the doorway, blinking in the oncoming daylight.

Her dead straight, white-blond hair is down for once and she has a blanket around her. Sylus stares, struck by how pretty she looks.

GRETA
We're making coffee if you want some.

SYLUS
Definitely.
(shyly)
Your hair is pretty.

GRETA
(surprised)
...Thanks. I didn't know you smoked.

SYLUS
Nah, only sometimes. If I'm down.

He drops the end of the cigarette and steps on it.

GRETA
Is it cause your grandfather's not around anymore?

SYLUS
Well, kind of. He was the only other musician in the family.
(beat)
But it's more like, he's the only one who believed in me.

Greta smiles.

GRETA
My parents wanted me and my brother to be doctors.

Micah opens the door and steps out, stretching dramatically.

SYLUS
(to Greta)
What does your brother do?

GRETA
Hair.

Sylus laughs and Micah looks at the two of them, expectantly.

MICAH
So what's the plan?