FADE IN
EXT. - RURAL ROAD - NIGHT
Beside a rural road, somewhere in western Missouri, a convertible Mustang sits motionless, its front end wrapped around an old oak tree.
INSIDE THE MUSTANG
Reflected in the mirrored sunglasses of one of the passengers, flames burst from the hood of the Mustang. A police siren sounds in the distance.
A fly lands on the wide collar of a second passenger. The siren grows louder.
Then, drowning out the siren's whine, the Mustang EXPLODES into a bright, orange fireball. Flames reach up and singe the high branches of the oak.
A police car arrives at the scene. Two POLICE OFFICERS emerge from the car, guns drawn. A secondary explosion keeps them back from the Mustang.
OFFICER
(returning his gun to his holster)
Look's like we got 'em.
The other officer sifts through debris next to the car. He picks up a burning twenty dollar bill and gestures toward the bodies burning hideously in the wreckage.
SECOND OFFICER
Read 'em their rights.
The officers share a small chuckle.
FIRST OFFICER
Damn shame, if you ask me. Look here.
He holds a smoldering, melted, but readable I.D. card, picked from the rubble. On it, BEDFORD HIGH SCH...SOPHIE ELL...a picture of a smiling high school girl.
FIRST OFFICER
She's pretty, see?
SECOND OFFICER
Yeah...if you like your meat well done.
More chuckles. The sound of the burning car rises and fades as we--
HOLD ON THE I.D. and
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. - PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - DAY
...the I.D., unmelted, before the fire.
MS. GREEN, the principal's bespectacled and balding secretary, copies the number from the I.D. into a record book, then hands the I.D. back to SOPHIE ELLIOT. Sophie is fifteen, tough, prettier than on the I.D., and very much alive.
MS. GREEN
...If you behave this way at work, you get fired. We're trying to prepare you for the real world.
Sophie slips the I.D. into her jeans pocket.
MS. GREEN.
We're going to have to call your parents again.
SOPHIE
(correcting her)
My father.
MS. GREEN
No more tardies, no more disruption in class, respect for school property. Am I understood? We're not here for your amusement.
Ms. Green waves Sophie away and motions to a long line of STUDENTS--
MS. GREEN
Next!.. And no talking!