Co-written with my lil brother, Andrew Liu!
DENNIS(42) is wearing a grey shirt with dirt covered jeans. TIMOTHY(11) is wearing a graphic tee shirt with cargo shorts and some beat up runners.
EXT: DENNIS’S YARD — MID-AFTERNOON
DENNIS has his back faced toward the road, throwing dirt into a deep hole with his shovel. He does this while standing awkwardly far away from the hole. A large dirt mound can be seen right by the hole. TIMOTHY bikes along the road and sees Dennis working. He stops on a skid. He pulls out his camera and takes a photo of Dennis shoveling. Dennis hears the camera shutter and turns around, which startles both himself and Timothy. Timothy quickly puts his camera away.
DENNIS: Hey kid, do you mind deleting that picture?
Timothy grins at Dennis.
TIMOTHY: Oooo, why? Is it a secret?
Dennis smiles back and drops the shovel.
DENNIS: It’s something top secret. So secret that no one will ever know about it.
Timothy opens his eyes and mouth in excitement.
TIMOTHY: Wait mister. Can you tell ME at least? Please? Please?
He walks to the kid with a smile.
DENNIS: No can do buddy. Maybe when I finish the job you can. Boss wants it done by sundown.
Timothy tilts his head in curiosity. After a moment, Timothy gasps in fear.
TIMOTHY: Is it because you’re… burying a body?
Dennis drops his smile, but then chuckles.
DENNIS: Pssh, now do you think I’m that kind of guy? I don’t believe I’m burying a body. You’re not supposed to see the hole.
Timothy takes a step back, scans Dennis with an intense gaze, and thrusts his pointer finger at Dennis.
TIMOTHY: LIAR! There’s a body in there! I know it! Why else would you not want to tell me about this hole? How many people did you throw down there, YOU DIRTY DIRTY MURD-
Dennis quickly puts his hand around Timothy’s mouth and looks around to see if there’s anyone watching, and sees no one. He kneels down by Timothy while keeping his hand on Timothy’s mouth.
DENNIS: Listen, kid. If I let you see the hole, will you stop yelling and not get the cops called on me?
Timothy nods his head with his eyes wide in excitement. Dennis slowly releases his hand off of Timothy’s mouth.
DENNIS: Okay, just one peek. I think it should be ok if you glance at it really fast. Don’t look at it any more than that.
Timothy half-walks, half-skips to the hole while Dennis walks aside to grab his water bottle. Timothy kneels down to observe what’s in the hole. The edge of the hole collapses, and he slips, falling head first into the hole.
Dennis hears Timothy’s cry of surprise as he falls in. Dennis tenses up and turns around. He shakes his head at himself and softly taps his knuckles against his head. He walks to the hole and takes his first look inside. At the bottom, lay a motionless body. He sighs and proceeds to continue his work, burying the hole and the body.
Also published on my substack.
