115. Stories in Ink - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. TATTOO SHOP - EVENING


• ANDI lies, face-down, on a tattoo table, her shirt rolled up to her mid back.


• RAJ is tattooing an intricate design at the center of her back.


• It is composed of tiny symbols that trace her spinal cord.


• RAJ
• So Jay recommended me?


• ANDI
• Yeah, he really liked your work.
  


• RAJ
• Man, that's pretty high praise.


• ANDI
• It is; he's done all my other work.


• RAJ
• Really? That's awesome dude, I love the loyalty.


• ANDI
• We have history. But he's still recovering, and this one, it kind of needed to be done now.


• RAJ
• Yeah, that accident, man...bummer. You have some real beautiful work, he's done a great job. It's really not traditional either.


• ANDI
• Yeah, I usually design mine. Jay's done a few, or helped tweak some anyway.


• RAJ
• Very cool. And these symbols? I see them in a lot of your tats.


• ANDI
• My personal alphabet.


• RAJ
• Neato! What was your first?


• ANDI
• The one on my arm there, the flower.


• Raj traces down the half sleeve on her arm, and find it ends in a band of red symbols, wrapped around an abstract, purple flower.


• He exhales slowly.


• RAJ
• That's gorgeous.


• ANDI
• Yeah, they each have a story.


• Raj chuckles.


• RAJ
• That's the way it should be. So what's the story behind this one?


• ANDI
• I got it the morning after I was raped.


• RAJ
• Wow.


• He pauses.


• They sit in silence for a long moment.


• She looks over at him after a bit.


• ANDI
• Thanks.


• Raj nods silently, and then presses the needle against her skin, beginning again.


• FADE TO BLACK.