The Petrol Station

EXT. PETROL STATION - NIGHT

It's raining, pouring down, the neon lights from the 'BP' sign overhead reflect off a puddle. Around the petrol station are residential houses, all lights are turned off as it is very early in the morning. This street is very quiet, the only noise is the rain. The car park and pump stations are deserted, not a car insight. Through the glass we can see only one attendant working, a female, she is reading a magazine behind the counter with her feet up on the cash register. The neon green and yellow lights from the pumps glow as a black figure walks onto screen. The figure is dressed completely in black. He wears a woolly jumper with long pants, his balaclava has two holes cut into it. His dark green eyes pierce through the holes staring through the petrol station, angry. He is soaked through and is breathing heavily. In one hand held at waist hight away from his body is a pistol. He walks with meaning towards the door, stops, looks up. Black sky with rain tumbling down. He tucks the gun into his pants. He looks at the women inside. She seems to be singing or talking to herself loudly.

ROBBER
(agitated)
This, this is a stickup!
(stops)
Give me your money! Now!
(stops)
Open the till! Now! I want your money! This is a stick up!

He sighs and paces back and forth. He looks up again.

ROBBER
Stupid arse rain, go away!

He again paces. He starts mumbling to himself.


INT. PETROL STATION - COUNTER - NIGHT

Next to the register a phone is on speaker. A girls voice emits from it.

GIRL ON PHONE
(O.S, jolly, sleepy)
It's three o'clock in the morning let me go to sleep!

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(jolly)
Oh I’m sorry am I keeping you up!

GIRL ON PHONE
(O.S, jolly, sleepy)
Yes! Yes you are! I'll see you tonight at the party.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(jolly)
OK. Bye.

GIRL ON PHONE
(O.S.)
See ya!

She pushes the speaker button with her foot. She goes back to her reading with a big smile on her face. He holds the pistol on his hip. He walks fast swinging his free arm, breaking into a run almost as he enters through the sliding glass doors. The attendant does not see him. She wears a green and yellow 'BP' attendant shirt. He strides right up to the counter making the attendant jump. Her legs come down and she sits upright. He holds the gun below the counter.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(scared)
Oh, you scared me!

ROBBER
(nervous)
Can I have a, a, a...
(looks at the tictacs)
tictac, box, container, packet. Please.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(confused)
OK. Do you want it in a bag?

ROBBER
(nervous, out of control)
Don’t ask questions, fill the bag, get out! Fill the bag get OUT!
(beat)
Open the money get OUT! This is a robbery! Open the till!

She brings her hands to her chest clasping them. She takes two steps back from the counter.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(scared, confused)
What?

ROBBER
(crazy)
OPEN THE TILL!

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(scared)
Sorry sir, I, I can't.

ROBBER
(very angry)
Open the till now! Get the money! Then get out!

She starts to cry, she feels like falling over and curling into a ball.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(scared, crying)
I can't. I can't open it. Please don't hurt me. Please.

ROBBER
(very angry)
Open it now bitch...

He brings the gun over the counter and points it at the now very frightened women.

ROBBER
(continuing)
before I shoot you in the face!

She bursts into tears and slides down the wall and to the ground. She brings her hands together at her chest. The robber sighs.

ROBBER
(agitated)
Why? Why do you make me so angry?

The security camera is situated in the corner of the wall and roof. It points straight at him but he fails to see it. In frustration he tucks his pistol into the front of his pants. He reaches across the counter and grabs the cash register. It doesn't budge, its bolted to the counter. He moves quickly around the side of the long counter knocking a stack of muesli bars off onto the ground. As he rounds the bench the attendant covering her face kicks herself into the corner, she curls up into a ball and continues to cry. The robber picks up the chair and hurls it over the counter; it makes a springy metallic noise. He sees the lock on the cash register draw. He looks around for a set of keys. He knocks over tictacs, lollypops and breath mints. He turns to face the attendant.

ROBBER
(angry, out of breath)
Where the; where is the key?

She still cry's and pulls her self further into the corner. The robber advances on her, she flinches.

ROBBER
(angry)
WHERE IS IT BITCH?!

She shakes her head.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying, inaudible)
I don't know. I don't know.

He still looks at her.

ROBBER
(angry)
What did you say? I don't understand cause you are crying. Stop crying. Stop crying bitch!

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying, yells)
I DON'T KNOW!

The robbers eyes looks confused.

ROBBER
(confused)
Well then how do you get into the till?

She faces him. The tears stream down her face.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying, inaudible)
The ma...

ROBBER
(Shouts, angry)
I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying)
THE MANAGER HAS IT!

She cry's harder.

ROBBER
(amazed)
Are you for real? You're fuc... What if I wanted to buy petrol? Huh you stupid bitch.
(beat)
ANSWER ME!

She jumps, and faces him.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(scared, crying)
He's in the toilet.

The robber stands and looks out the window. The pumps are deserted and the rain still pelts down. He looks to the back of the store. Nothing. He pulls out his pistol as he walks to the isles and checks each one. Down to the end. He finds a door marked 'MENS'. He kicks the door in. Sure enough the manager is asleep on the toilet. The large man sits on the bowl with his pants still on. He wears a green and yellow 'BP' manager shirt. He wakes to see the robber towering over him. He jumps when he sees him.

CUT TO:


INT. PETROL STATION - COUNTER - NIGHT

The attendant sits curled up in the corner. She sobs and sniffs. She looks at the big red silent alarm button under the counter. It seems to call her. She goes to get up but BANG BANG BANG. She curls up again. More tears flow.

CUT TO:


INT. PETROL STATION - TOILET - NIGHT

The robber has shot the wall beside the manager. He faints, his head flopping onto his chest.

ROBBER
(frustrated)
Shit shit shit! You're all talk you are; shit.

The robber begins searching his pockets. Nothing. He pushes him over against the wall, his face smudges. The robber can't hold him up so he pulls the manager onto the floor. The keys lie on the floor at the base of the bowl. He sighs.

ROBBER
(mockingly)
And she though I couldn't find 'em.


INT. PETROL STATION - COUNTER - NIGHT

He marches down to the counter where the attendant is still cowering in the corner. He looks at her and smiles.

ROBBER
(mockingly)
Huh! Found 'em.

He try's a bunch of keys but none fit. He looks at her. She is staring at him. He stops.

ROBBER
What are you looking at? Do you think I’m stupid?

She cowers again and looks away. The robber try's another key.

ROBBER
(to himself)
Bitch, why don't you get a real job.

The key fits. He twists and pulls. The draw comes out.

ROBBER
(cheering)
Yes! I got it.

He gives her a look; then grabs the large bills first and stuffs them into his pockets. After clearing the trays out he slams the draw shut.

ROBBER
(gloating)
See bitch, I got it.
(laughs)
You know what I’m going to do with the money? Huh. Would you like to know?

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying)
Please don't hurt me.

ROBBER
(scary)
I'm not going to hurt you. I'll tell you what I’m going to do with the money. I'm going to buy myself a Taranna and drive around where no pigs can find me.He walks over to the attendant and bends down real close, he places the gun against her head. She starts crying again.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying, almost inaudible)
Please don't kill me.

ROBBER
(scary)
I'm going to bring you with me. Yes. You'll be my women.
(beat)
Let's go bitch. Get up, NOW!

She cry's more now then ever before. He grabs her by the hair and pulls her up. As soon as he lets go she sits back down and cowers.

ROBBER
(angry)
Don't make me kill you bitch, don't make me.

The attendant summons some courage.

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying)
Go on... shoot me... I dare you.

The robber rips his balaclava off and throws it on the floor. She looks in amazement. He looks really angry. His breathing gets heavier. He tilts his head and stairs straight through her.

ROBBER
(strangely calm)
What did you say?

FEMALE ATTENDANT
(crying, gaining confidence)
Shoot me. Go on... shoot me.

He points the gun at her but raises it and shoots the window out. Glass shards fall on the attendant as she covers up. An alarm sounds. The robber looks up at the flashing blue light.

ROBBER
Shit shit shit! You're all talk, just like I said!

He runs around the counter and stops.

ROBBER
See you 'round bitch.

He smiles, and then takes for the door. They slide open and he runs out into the rain.


EXT. PETROL STATION - NIGHT

The rain pounds while the robber runs holding his arm over his head. He stops at the driveway of the petrol station looking for a way to run. The siren is almost drowned out by the rain. He runs away from the building rounding a small fence to the right.


EXT. RESIDENTIAL AREA - NIGHT

The robber runs along the footpath following the road. He jogs slowly looking all around him. This place is desolate. Not even a security light. We can see his deep breathes in the cold air. He comes to another footpath that runs between two houses and stops. His breathing is heavy. He jogs down the new path. He stops halfway down the new path and throws his pistol over the fence. He jogs the rest of the way down the path. He stops just before the hedge and fence line. Across the road is a park. To the right a towering aluminium fence blinds him. To the left a big bushy hedge. Headlight beams reflect off the road but the robber doesn't see them, only the park across the road. The robber runs past the fence and onto the road. He is hit by the car. In a blur of colours his body is bent sideways pivoting at the knees. The side of his heads smashes into the bonnet of the car. The car begins to break. The robber is flung the other way into the pavement.The money flies into the air from his pockets. Blood streaks from his face. He hits the ground bouncing a little. The money floats down from the sky with the rain.
The car is an old, white, Torana. Blood has been sprayed over a section of the bonnet as well as a dent.

The robber is still breathing, shallow breathes. His legs are bent and disfigured, his right arm is also broken, a streaking scar across his head.

The driver of the car gets out slowly. He wears a green and yellow striped 'BP' attendant shirt. (he is on his way to work, he didn't come looking for the robber!)