Dirt

How deep are the ties of friendship?

Dirt

(It is early morning in a deserted meadow area. A car,trunk open, is parked near a shallow grave. In the shallow grave, Louie and Frank shovel dirt out in unison.)

Louis:

(He stops digging, and leans on his shovel. Turing to face Frank, half asleep) Man I don't know how you got me roped into this.

Frank:

Are you serious?

Louis:

I mean, what have I asked for that gives you a reason to wake me up at three in the morning,and drive two hours out of town to your uncle's farm. Please, tell me.

Frank:

Well, there's that time I lied to your fiance, saved ya' from marrying her. Helping you move out, the two grand worth of rent you owe me, that failed lemon-aid stand pyramid scheme, Operation “Halfway house hotties” -

Louis:

I get it, but that doesn't mean I have to help you with...this.

Frank:

Well the faster we dig, the faster we can leave. What the hell are you just standing there for?

Louis:

This is just not how I planned spending my Saturday morning.

Frank:

And how did you? Getting high, watching cartoons?

Louis:

Yea. Is this deep enough yet?

Frank:

Yeah I guess so. Come on, let's bury this thing. I'll take you to Mickey D's, my treat.

Louis:

But it's six in the morning.

Frank:

There's one open 24/7 near here.

Louis:

Let's bury this f****r then!(Louie enthusiastically grabs the body by the shoulders, underestimating the weight, thus the corpse slides pathetically from the trunk to the ground, scattering papers from inside the trunk to the ground.)

Frank:

Great, if any pieces fall off, it's your job now to throw them in with the rest of him.

Louie:

(he sees a few photographs that are scattered together close to the body)

Hey this fell out of his-Frank, what's this?

Frank:

That? Nothing, get your shovel.

Louis:

You fucked her.

Frank:

I don't know what you are talking about, get the shovel and help me.

Louis:

You lying b*****d. You. Fucked. Her.

Frank:

Would you just grab the goddamn shovel!

Louis:

How long?

Frank:

About a week after.

Louis:

What?

Frank:

About a week after you met her.

Louis:

So, you've been screwing my fiance for six months behind my back. What did you tell her to call it all off then?

Frank:

I don't know, I think it was something about herpes. Ah God, you weren't supposed to find out this way.

Louis:

No, I can't imagine that you would want to take me to the middle of nowhere, dig a f*****g hole and have this just fall conveniently out of whoever this sorry a*****e is. How the hell was I supposed to find out! It isn't her, is it?

Frank:

No, no she's fine, she's...she's great.

Louis:

Wait, wait wait; you're still seeing her?

Frank:

Look Louie, I...It just happened that-(Frank sees Louie pissed slowly walking towards him, fists clenched) S**t. Don't you get any damn ideas now! Louie, you aren't thinking straight; it's early, and I haven't even had my first drink of the day.(Louie stops, but only to pick up a shovel) I swear you hit me with that shovel and I'll..I'll be very angry, angry and hurt.

Louie:

Who the hell is this meat slab anyway?

Frank:

Remember that guy who came up to you one day telling you he's got something you may want to see?

Louie:

Yeah, I thought he was trying to lead me down that alley to take my cash, so I told him to f**k off. I also remember you leaving right after in the same direction that guy took off, looking pissed.

Frank:

Not bad, I was so wasted that day all I can remember is killing this here detective your b***h sister payed for to catch me with your- (Louie swings at Frank, who jumps back)F**k! Can't we talk it out?(Louie swings again, and frank blocks it with the shovel, the two pushing against each other) You know, one day we are going to look back on this and laugh.

(Louie pushes Frank off, and makes contact with Frank's stomach. Frank falls into the grave, on top of the corpse, unveiling the head, with a stab wound in the ear. Frank is momentarily surprised, but quickly casts his attention upwards, as dirt is thrown back in by Louie)

Louie:(while shoveling)

I can't believe that I thought I could trust you. Oh, don't worry, Louie, I'll keep her safe while you're gone Louie, We have a good time when you're not around; (Louie stops shoveling)I should have seen this coming.

Frank: (sitting up, blanketed by a layer of dirt)

I don't sound like that.

Louie:

It's scum like you that make me sick. How could you not stab me in the back. You work as a con artist; the s**t that the innocent shoe of society too often steps in. (While Louie says this, Frank looks at a bulge in the sheet. A gun had fallen out of the jacket. He maneuvers it behind him, without Louie noticing)

Frank:

Uh Louie, that's your job.

Louie:

Oh, right, right. Man I love my job. So, it ends like this. Funny we've always said we'd see each other to the end.(Louie raises the shovel, spade side in the air, to finish with a stabbing blow) Who knew it's be this-(Frank whips the gun out, aiming at Louie. Up in the air, the shovel falls back, as Louie's grip quickly relaxes.) Hey, buddy; Where the hell did you get a gun?

Frank:

(Shrugs)Found it.

Louie:

There are a few things I could say at this moment, but I prefer to be lead free.

Frank:

I really don't want to shot you, and that's saying something. I mean, you know how much I love pulling a trigger. It feels warm and fuzzy like around Christmas. But with less Santa and more blood.

Louie:

Alright, fine. What do you want?

Frank:

An apology.

Louie:

Really? You know what, just shoot me. Right here. Come on. (Frank shoots him in the foot.) Ow, Damn, that really bites. What the hell, you shot me.(Louie sits at the edge of the grave nursing his foot)

Frank:

What, you said go for it. Besides, now I feel better. You don't need to apologize now.

Louie:

What did I need to apologize about, again?

Frank:

You were being an asshat. All I did today was as for a small favor. And you get all worked up about something that happened in the past.

Louie:

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. You know a month, isn't a long time. Kinda still stings. I really was going to get so rich from her family. Right now I'd have been pissing silver and shitting gold.

Frank:

Yeah. Sucks. Sorry.

Louie:

No worries man. You know, I'd rather be stuck with you any day.

Frank:

You've lost a lot of blood, haven't you.

Louie:

Yep.

Fade to credits.

Reviews

[Gone]

It seems to lack something. The dialogue seems somewhat forced and unrealistic to the situation, and the situation itself seems. . . odd. It's also hard to figure out their personalities. Louie is described as an adult, but some how seems to get excited over McDonald's? I don't know if it was intentional, but Frank and Louie tend to talk a little too much, giving too many details at once, making the conversation too detail-heavy. I can tell there's some humor here, but most of it is a 'hit or miss' kind of thing, depending on the reader.