An animated series "PILOT" WRITTEN BY BRANDO CONKLIN THE WORLD, 'UNDER THE STRIP': (Inspiration concept Art by Paul Lasaine, for Dreamworks animated film 'Flushed Away'; Copyright belongs to owner) THE CHARACTERS (TIM & EARL): EXT. HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT The sky is BLACK as DARK CLOUDS threaten a suburban home with desert landscaping. OFF-SCREEN: NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTES PLAY. SOOTHING VOICE (V.O.) Life...is suffering. Life...is chaos. INT. TIM'S BEDROOM - SAME TIM (16) lies on his bed with over-the-ear headphones on. He seems a bit unhinged. Sweaty. Movement under the eye lids. The AUDIO BOOK CONTINUES: SOOTHING VOICE (V.O.) Right now you are teetering on the edge of uncertainty. (beat) It feels like your life is ultimately meaningless; and most days perhaps you wish you had the balls to end it all. (then) That's the demons talking, friend. But, lucky for you, I (and only I) possess the solution! (then) ALL you have to do is-- The tape CHANGES VOICES: AUDIO BOOK If you'd like to hear more, please purchase the full version for-- Tim removes his headphones to the SOUND of his parents ARGUING. Annoyed, he SHOVES a pillow over his face. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY Downstairs, Tim's recently-separated parents, JOHN and LORI, stand at odds over the CHAISE LOUNGE portion of a sectional couch, while TWO POLICE OFFICERS stand by. 2. JOHN (to Lori) You don't get the house AND the chaise lounge, Lori. That's ridiculous! LORI As ridiculous as having a chaise lounge without a house to put it in? (annoyed) Fine. If you want it that bad--take it. John celebrates a silent victory. JOHN (to Police Officers) Would you be so kind as to lend a hand? POLICE OFFICER #1 We're not allowed to get involved. POLICE OFFICER #2 (leans in) UNLESS one of you attacks the other, OR if you surpass your fifteen minute allotment for the collection of the entirety of your life -- including: important documents; family keepsakes; clothes; electronics; vehicles; and all things personally purchased with your own money, that you, in fact, made solely of your own merits. Police Officer #2 smiles. JOHN Did you say--Fifteen minutes from when?! POLICE OFFICER #2 (checks watch) Twelve minutes ago. John becomes frantic as Tim cautiously enters the room. JOHN TIMOTHY! Come here and grab the other side of this couch. Hurry, boy! John starts trying to lift the chaise section. 3. TIM (to John and Lori) What's going on? JOHN Your mother kicked me out of MY house, and now she's trying to screw ME out of MY things! TIM (to Lori) I thought he was on a business trip. JOHN Business trip?! HA! THAT'S RICH! (to Tim) No, son. I got fired. (sneaks in) And your mother and I are getting a divorce. TIM Wait--what?! Lori steps forward. LORI Okay--you know what, John? Just take whatever you want now, and I'll deliver the rest once you're out of your office. John doesn't expect that. He looks around... JOHN Tim. I want Tim. LORI Fine. (to the Police Officers) Shut the door on your way out? POLICE OFFICER #2 Ma'am. LORI (to Tim) Here-- Lori throws Tim a ROBE she's been holding, and then leaves the room. 4. Tim looks at the ROBE: on the left breast is HARPER'S NAME, underneath "TAO NIGHT CLUB". TIM (calls after Lori) Mom? John grabs his shoulders. JOHN Forget her, son! Look at ME! Now do you see what she is! (then) Look: I didn't want it to come to this, but you have to choose! Like Leonardo in Catch Me If You Can-- (off Tim) DON'T LOOK FOR HER! Look at ME! I'm the one who's here! What's it gonna be, son? WHO'S it gonna be? (finally) This is the most important decision of your life! Tim swallows. TIM I- I- I... He looks around for help, but: - POLICE OFFICER #1 is extremely annoyed. - POLICE OFFICER #2 holds up his watch. - And JOHN crosses his arms as he leans into Tim: JOHN Well...? WE'RE WAITING! THE PRESSURE IS TOO MUCH: Tim turns and BOLTS out of the house, SLAMMING the door behind him. Confused, John turns to the POLICE OFFICERS: POLICE OFFICER #1 Happens all the time. EXT. TIM'S HOME - NIGHT Tim escapes out into the open air, using HARPER'S ROBE for cover as the LOOMING RAINSTORM finally unleashes its wrath. There's a CRACK OF LIGHTING and an EXPLOSION above. 5. Tim looks up into the sky: A SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, tailinhg a BANNER ADVERTISEMENT: "1-800-CUTIE-4-U" descends on a SKYLINE OF NEON in the near- off distance. The LAS VEGAS STRIP. EXT. VEGAS STRIP - LATER Soaked to the bone, Tim navigates the TRASH-RIDDEN SIDEWALKS of the Strip through thickets of DIRTY HOOKERS; SLEAZY PROMOTERS; SHIT-FACED TOURISTS; and KNOCK-OFF MASCOTS. TIM (muttering to himself) Who do they think they are? Making you choose... (looks at robe) You don't need them. Look at Harper; she's been fine on her own. An ESCALADE LIMO drives by with a BACHELORETTE PARTY hanging out of the SUNROOF. WOO GIRL WOOOOOOO! VEGAS!!! She chucks a FAT TUESDAY CUP at Tim, who DUCKS, causing it ti EXPLODE on the glass window behind him. In the after math of the close call, Tim watches the limo drive away and the girl's "Wooo's" melt back into the cacophony of the strip. When he turns around, Tim comes face-to-face with a CRAZED HOMELESS MAN, dripping neon blue slush. HOMELESS MAN (stern) I invoke the Code of Hammurabi. TIM Um...Okay. Without another word, the HOMELESS MAN grabs the door of the shop in front of them: a SUBWAY SANDWICH franchise. HOMELESS MAN Hold this. Tim holds the door open and begins to nervously WHISTLE. 6. INT. SUBWAY - MOMENTS LATER The Homeless Man peers into the glass display: HOMELESS MAN Mmmm...Right. Lemme get a foot-long meatball on-- He scoops an armload of CHIPS from the rack. HOMELESS MAN (cont'd) (shouts to Tim) FALL BACK!!! The Homeless Man tosses Tim some of the stolen chip bags and bursts out of the store, leaving Tim FROZEN as he locks eyes with the PIMPLY "SANDWICH ARTIST" behind the counter... After a brief moment, Tim takes off too. SANDWICH ARTIST I hate my life. EXT. VEGAS STRIP - CONTINUOUS Tim chases after the Homeless Man. TIM Where are we going?! HOMELESS MAN To freedom, my boy! A DEAFENING CRACK OF LIGHTNING is accompanied by BLARING SIRENS as a POLICE CAR SCREECHES to a stop ahead of Tim. The TWO POLICE OFFICERS from his house hop out, guns drawn. Tim SKIDS to a halt; but the Homeless Man CHARGES FORWARD. HOMELESS MAN (cont'd) NOW I AM BECOME DEATH, THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS!!! He unleashes a WARRIOR CRY and rushes forward. The Police Officers quickly respond with a WARM BLANKET OF LEAD; blowing the Homeless Man to smithereens. His body collapses in a TAINTED PUDDLE OF RAIN AND BLOOD. 7. TIM (reacts) Whhhhhaat the FUCKING FUCK, man?! The POLICE OFFICERS now turn their guns on Tim. POLICE OFFICER #1 DROP the chips and put your hands in the air, scum sucka! Tim throws his hands up, dropping the chips. POLICE OFFICER #2 (to Officer #1) Scum sucka...I like it. POLICE OFFICER #1 (to Officer #2) Thanks. Libtard was feeling a bit uninspired. MEANWHILE: Tim has slowly started backing up...unaware, however, of the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONE guarding an OPEN MANHOLE COVER just a few feet behind. TIM (to himself) Okay, stay calm. The cops can't kill me if I live stream it As Tim goes to grab his cell phone-- POLICE OFFICER #1 (O.S.) FREEZE--! Tim STOPS walking; just inches from the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONE. TIM (to himself) Oh God, this is it. He closes his eyes. POLICE OFFICER #1 (to Officer 2, aiming at Tim) Should I shoot him? POLICE OFFICER #2 Geez...I don't know. Do you feel like we'll get in trouble? 8. As Tim silently resigns himself to his fate, another CRACK OF LIGHTNING suddenly crashes down and knocks him FORWARD. In a daze, Tim rolls over only to suddenly find himself face-to-face with the ORANGE TRAFFIC CONE that had been guarding the open manhole. Only now, it's ALIVE. TRAFFIC CONE (to Tim) You know: it's time's like these I really wish I had a hand to offer. TIM AGHH!!! Tim tries to KICK the CONE, but instead, he SLIPS on Harper's ROBE, which rips from his body as he FALLS into the open manhole, leaving it crumpled on the ground behind. Without hesitation, the CONE jumps in after him. SECONDS LATER: the POLICE OFFICERS peer into the open manhole, where a FLASH FLOOD of rain and sewage RAGES below. POLICE OFFICER #2 Should we go in after him? POLICE OFFICER #1 After who? POLICE OFFICER #2 (impressed) Gregory! INT. SEWER TUNNELS - CONTINUOUS Tim breaks the surface, GASPING for air as he heads deep into the dark abyss of the sewer tunnels, which split and snake like the roots of a mighty tree. He THRASHES about in an attempt to stay above water; but the current is too strong, and he's PULLED UNDER. UNDERWATER: Tim opens his eyes. The shapes of random objects swirl around him like the tornado of The Wizard of OZ. A SHOPPING CART. COUCH.