51. Bleed Softly - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. CAFE ROUGE - NIGHT


• MICHAEL ATWOOD slips through the open door of the cafe, and shuts the door to the cold breeze behind him.


• He is dressed in a rumpled suit, and he spins a detective badge between his fingers.


• He scans the room; the cafe resembles a miniature crystal palace, moonlight illuminating the space as it comes through the glass ceiling.


• The barista bar stands at the back of the room, surrounded by a sea of red, leather furniture.


• MICHAEL steps carefully around the tables, and stops suddenly.


• SHE lies stretched out on the floor, a dark red cloth wrapped around her torso. A trickle of blood colors her lips, and paints a red line down her chin.


• A breeze from an open window hits her body, and the cloth ripples. Jasmine and cherry blossoms scattered around her lift into the air, beautiful in the moonlight for a moment, before they fall back into shadow.


• The detective studies the body for a long moment, then turns to the large windows at the front of the cafe. His eyes are rimmed with liquid, but his face betrays nothing.


• He turns and begins walking to the door.


• Michael stares blindly through the glass, seeing nothing but the body burned into his mind's eye.


• He pulls his gun from his holster, cocks it, then pushes outside.


• MICHAEL ATWOOD
• I'm coming.


• FADE TO BLACK.