Escaping The Mafia | Teen Ink

Escaping The Mafia

March 28, 2016
By Anonymous

FADE IN:
FAVOR ON
ALFONSO RICCI, running through a crowded plaza and pushing past bystanders who look on at Alfonso in disgust. .
O.S.
Shouts of protest are heard as he runs by. Curses are thrown his way.
CUT TO:
MAN 1(joking)
Hey, where are you rushing off to?

Alfonso looks back to search for the enemy, still running into people, but the disrupted onlookers had regrouped.

Alfonso (whispering to himself)
  Are they gaining on me? I swear I had at least 3 meters
on them but they sound so close.

XLS - Four large mafia men in black suits, with dark tinted glasses and greasy, slicked-back hair pursue Alfonso, viciously thrashing the now terrified bystanders out of their way.   
MAFIA 1(pushing VENNIE forward)
Vennie, he’s causin’ a scene, Take ‘em out.

CLOSER ANGLE- To VENNIE, a younger Italian man who looks new to the mafia scene ready to prove himself.

Vennie
Whatever ya’ say boss
FREEZE FRAME- On Alfonso in mid run with Mafia members behind him. His face shows exhaustion and stress.          
O.S:
Alfonso
Aye, how ya doin’, names Alfonso “The Kid” Ricci, and
if you’re confused about what just happened, then allow me
to explain.
CUT TO:
A flashback to a very old-fashioned Italian family that appears to be very happy in the dining room, conversing over a large traditional meal. Alfonso’s mother, FLORIANA, goes down to ALFONSO’S level as if to tell him something.
FAVOR ON:
FLORIANA
  Alfonsino, go get your father, I think he’s in his office. Urgenza!

ALFONSO, around the age of 10, exiting the room to go to his father’s office. As he gets closer to the room, sounds of pain and struggle are heard from behind the door. Hesitantly, Alfonso knocks on the door.
Alfonso (shakily)
  P-Papa? Are you in there? Mama asked me to c-come get you…
(trailing off)

The sounds continue and Alfonso’s mother yells his name from downstairs, her voice growing impatient. Alfonso against his better judgment pushes the large mahogany door open to reveal his father, SILVIO, with four burly men torturing an unknown man tied to a chair with rope.
Silvio
Listen here Russo, I know you have the information me and my
guys are asking for. Now either you tell us what we want to know
or you get beat some more, your choice.
Valentino
  Uh boss, I think we should wait. Ain’t that your son at the door?
Silvio (alarmed)
  What the-? Umm Fonso, shouldn’t you be with the rest of the
  family?
Alfonso (nervous/scared he might be in trouble)
  I-I’m sorry, but mama asked me to come get you…

Silvio (Angrily whispering)
  Floriana, I thought I told her- (calming down)
  I’ll be there in a few minutes Fonso. Papa’s gotta finish business
  first.

Alfonso rushes out, slamming the door shut behind him. As he leaves, his father is heard again.
O.S.:
Silvio
  Which one of you idiots decided to forget to lock the door?
My poor kid can’t be seeing this kind of stuff so early on,
we gotta get him prepared, ya know his time is coming soon.

The men all begin to blame one another in uncontrolled banter while SILVIO listened patiently

Valentino
S-Sir it was Pepe
Pepe “Picante” Ranocchio (looking froggish)
Nuh-uh Boss, it was Luca, I swear!
Luca (looking straight thuggin)
Pepe, I thought we was on the same team. L-look boss
I didn’t do it neither. You know I wouldn’t do you like that!
But Marsellus would! (pointing to the shy yet alarmingly
large man standing off to the side)
Marsellus
  Oi, come on you guys, I would never scare lil Fonso like that.
Silvio
  If it was anyone, it wouldn’t be Marsellus. So one of you
  ‘fess up or the punishment goes to all of you.

Glances are passed between Luca, Pepe, and Valentino. Obviously, none of them want to rat out the other in fear of getting punished by the guilty party. The silence rings on until a throat is cleared.
Silvio
  Alright, guess that you guys will all get punished

Silvio quietly glances at MARSELLUS, making the others glare at him because they know his punishment will be far less severe than their own.
Silvio
  So, you three each have babysitting duty for a week straight.
Marsellus, you will have to help around the house for a week.
Now, if anyone wants to give up the guilty person in order to
avoid this punishment, you can come see me at any time.
FAVOR ON:
Silvio, walking out of the room, rushing down the stairs to the dining room. Floriana is scowling at Silvio as he walks in. Alfonso is seen sitting quietly next to his mother, he glances quickly at his father, an obvious look of terror planted on his young face.
DISSOLVE TO:
The previous scene. Alfonso is sprinting but then a large figure blocks his way, he looks up to see Vennie’s grinning face.
Vennie
   Hey Fonso buddy, where you heading off to?
JUMP CUT TO:
Alfonso, being forced to sit in a large armchair. Across from him is a silhouetted figure that can’t quite be made out. The 4 men from before are standing behind him, 2 with their hand on his shoulder, to stop him from trying to run, and the other 2 standing off to the side.
TIGHT ON:
The silhouette in the chair. As light filters through the room, you start to see a man with greying hair and a stern look on his face. As he stares at Alfonso, his stare softens and he slowly starts to smile.
Silvio
  Oh Fonso my boy, it’s been a while. How’ve you been?
  I know life’s been tough on you since your mother (coughing
violently) passed. But my day’s coming soon too, you probably
already know that. I know you don’t like what we do here, but
it’s necessary. And we need someone to continue this on, I want
you to be the one to do it.
Alfonso
  Papa, I love you, but I just can’t do it and you know that. This life
  isn’t what I want for me, I-I mean what if I want a wife and kids
one day?
Silvio
  Now Alfonso, you can’t just leave us like that buddy. You’re my
  only son, your sisters could never do it, you gotta take the business
out of my hands.
Alfonso
  Come on, Bella could easily rule the business! She’s a strong
woman!
Silvio
  Doesn’t matter, no one would take her seriously, she may be strong,
but she is a woman. She’d humiliate us! We’d be the laughingstock
of Sicily! Plus, she has her daughter to take care of all on her own.
Alfonso (getting frustrated)
Maybe you shoulda thought more about this before letting your wife die.

The men witnessing this grow tense at what Alfonso says, getting ready to see Alfonso get pummeled. A long, eerie pause was felt throughout the room, then Silvio gets up, grabbing his cane, and heads to a closet that is positioned on the far wall. He opens the door, threateningly presenting his weapons to his now fearful son.
Silvio (nostalgically)
  Ya remember this son? Your first compact handgun, I got it for you
when you just turned 11. (Short laugh) I can still see the look on your
face, that’s when I thought you’d be the one that takes over for me.
(Studies Alfonso) Clearly, I was wrong. What happened Fonso? When
did my tough little boy get away from me? When did this weak
disappointment of a man come instead?
       Tight Angle:
Alfonso (eyes watering)
(Turning to the men still in the room)
I would appreciate it if we continued this discussion in private.
Silvio (nodding)
   You heard him boys, leave.
The 4 awkwardly slumped out of the room, leaving Silvio and Alfonso to talk on their own.
Alfonso
  Pops, I just don’t know if this is the life for me. You said it yourself,
I’m weak and a disappointment. If you try to get everyone used to a
woman as the leader, Bella could easily take over!
Silvio
  No, Alfonso, that’s not happening. You are taking over this business,
  whether you want to or not. No buts.
Alfonso sighed resignedly and gets up, slamming the door shut. Tears well up in his eyes as he heads down the long hallway front door.
           FAVOR ON:
As he walked down the hall, he passed a picture of his mom.
Alfonso (to the picture, longingly)
  Mama, why did you have to go? He hasn’t been himself since you left
  us. We miss you (tearing up again) I-I miss you. I love you
mama.
Alfonso puts his hand on the photo shortly and then walks out of the house.
CUT TO:
EXT.
A half-lit bar in a worse part of Sicily. Yelling and cursing is heard from inside. A few guys run out of the building, laughing and roughhousing.
INT. - CONTINUOUS
A few booths filled with groups of men playing cards and chugging pints of beer. A lone man sitting directly in front of the bar on a broken barstool. He is seen knocking back drink after drink.
TIGHT ANGLE:
The man is slowly identified as Alfonso. There are dried tears on his face and most of the drinks he’s taken by now have ended up more on him and his clothes than in his mouth. By now, he’s drunk off his ass, yelling to the air about his father. He’s got a few curious individuals listening, his sob story intriguing them and making them stop arguing for a few moments.
Alfonso (slurring)
  And on top of that, the (hiccup) guy isn’t giving me any
choice at all! He told me I don’t have a (hiccup) choice! Who does he
think he is?
Curious Stranger
  Your father?
Alfonso
  And who, exactly, (hiccup) asked you, smarty pants?
Curious Stranger (sighs)
  I-I didn’t mean to be rude, just tryin’ to lighten up your mood
  bud, sorry. Seems like you got a tough situation to get through.
Alfonso
  Well, it’s not exactly fun if (hiccup) that’s what you mean
(laughing lightly) but thanks. I’m Alfonso, but people around
‘ere call me Fonso. What’s ya name?
Curious Stranger (smiling)
  Fonso, eh? I’m Ramiro. Ramiro di Luzzatto. Just came from
Campania, it’s nice there. You seem like you’ve got a lot on
your plate here.
Alfonso
  Nice to meet (hiccup) ya Ramiro. I do, it’s terrible for me here.
Ramiro
  Well I’m sorry ‘bout that.
Alfonso
  I just (hiccup) wish I could get away from all of this.
Ramiro
  I could take you back with me to Campania, get you away
  from all of this, if you want.
Alfonso
  Sounds tempting but (hiccup) my pops wouldn’t be too happy.
  He’s a tough guy to convince.
Ramiro (mischievously)
  Who says he’s gotta know?
Alfonso
  He’s got eyes everywhere, he’d (hiccup) know as soon as I left.
Ramiro
  Oi, who’s your dad? Some kind of spy or something (laughs)
Alfonso (sighing)
Ha, more like leader of the Sicilian mafia.
Ramiro (nervously)
  Ma, che sei grullo? (Are you joking?)  And you left that out, why?
Alfonso
  Most people knew it already, why piss ‘em off?

Ramiro leans in closer to Alfonso, keeping his voice quiet.

Ramiro
  What if I told you I could still get you out of here, permanently?

Alfonso’s eyes widen at the prospect of being able to leave, he suddenly begins to sober up.

Alfonso (whispering)
  How?
Ramiro
  Just leave it to me kiddo. Meet me back here tomorrow night, alone.

Alfonso wildly nods, and sitting there as Ramiro rushed out of the bar. Alfonso softly smiles.
Alfonso (thinking)
  I-I could leave. I could get out of here.
CUT TO:
INT.
The next afternoon. A room in a rundown hotel on the countryside. Ramiro walks in the bedroom, furiously tossing things in his bags. He seems anxious, a few drops of sweat dripping down his face.
Ramiro (to himself)
  Is this the right thing to do? My old boss would kill me.
He walks over to a small mirror hanging on the wall and looks at himself slowly
Ramiro
  Basta! (enough!) You will get him out of here, it’s the
  right thing to do and you know it Ramiro. Your old boss
will have to deal with it. If anything, Alfonso can tell
him what’s been happening, the boss always had a soft
spot for kids like Alfonso. (Breathing deeply) You’ll
be fine, Fonso will be fine.
CUT TO:
INT.
The Ricci house, Alfonso’s room. Alfonso is rushing around his room to find his belongings and place them in his suitcase. As he finishes up, he sits on his bed, sighing in content.
Alfonso (giddily)
  I finally get to get out of here, get to see the world. All
  thanks to Ramiro, I get to live.
CUT TO:
EXT
Nighttime. The same bar from the night before. Alfonso is pacing quickly next to the bar, beginning to worry that Ramiro won’t show up. He perks up as he hears someone call his name. Ramiro is seen running towards Alfonso, his suitcase in his hands.
Ramiro (out of breath)
  I-I am so sorry, I had some business to take care of with
  an old pal of mine to get us out of here, and he was taking
  his time helping me out.

Alfonso nods and looks in the direction of the nearby train.

Alfonso
  I’m just glad you made it. Thank you again for this, I’ll
  never be able to repay you for this!
Ramiro
  It is no problem, my friend. Now, let’s try to get to the station
  before my friend rethinks his offer to take us both.

Ramiro and Alfonso speed off, swerving down alleyways and uncrowded streets in order to keep themselves unknown. As they near the station, Ramiro pulls Alfonso into a more crowded street with an open market.

Alfonso (shocked)
   Ay! What’re ya doing? The station is that wa-
Ramiro (whispering)
   Someone is following us. I think one of your dad’s boys.

END OF PART 1



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