Tooth and Claw TV Script 1

COLD OPENING

FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM-NIGHT
(TALA, LEVANA, MARISOL, ANTONIO)

TALA, 18, AND HER BEST FRIEND LEVANA, 19, SIT ON THE COUCH STARING AT THE T.V. BOTH WOMEN ARE DRESSED IN ALL-BLACK PAJAMAS. A DOCUMENTARY ON EGYPT PLAYS FROM THE TELEVISION SET.

TALA
See, I don't get this. Since when did the Egyptians start drinking blood? I bet they stole the idea when you vamps decided to rule all of Egypt. Hmm. I wonder what would happen if Cleopatra was a vampire today?

LEVANA
Please. If Cleopatra was a vampire today, she'd be killing all of those who use the "Queen of Denial" jokes. And don't call us "vamps". Would you like it if we started calling you dogs?

TALA
Point taken.

MARISOL, TALA'S MOTHER, ENTERS, HOLDING A BASKET OF LAUNDRY. SHE STOPS AND STUDIES THE TELEVISION SCREEN.

MARISOL
That's just gross. Are you watching a scary movie again?

TALA
No, Mom. It's a documentary we have to watch for History class. It's quite entertaining, actually.

LEVANA
She's right. It's interesting to know that the Egyptians drank blood thinking that they could become immortal.

MARISOL
Well, I still think it's gross. What did they think they were, vampires?

MARISOL SHAKES HER HEAD. SHE EXITS.

TALA
Is it just me or is she starting to hate vampires?

LEVANA
Oh, I doubt that. She's probably just--

TALA
She's being racist, that's what it is! She's starting to think that you vamps are lower than humans! Oh my God! My mother's become prejudice…

LEVANA
Tala, shut up! She'll hear you! You know our parents have no idea what we are and I'd like to keep it that way.

TALA
Oh, sure. Like they don't notice that you're gone at night draining any living creature that you see in the neighborhood. When you're done, you always have blood stains on your carpet! What do you say to your parents about that?

LEVANA GRABS THE REMOTE CONTROL AND TURNS OFF THE T.V.

LEVANA
You really want to know what my excuse is to them?

TALA
Yeah, I do.

LEVANA
You really want to know?

LEVANA LEANS CLOSER TO TALA. HER EYES TURN RED AND HER TEETH ELONGATE INTO FANGS. TALA IS NOT PHASED BY THIS.

TALA
Yeah, I really want to know. And why are you turning vamp on me?

LEVANA CHUCKLES AND LEANS IN.

LEVANA
(WHISPERING) I tell them that I'm on my cycle.

TALA PUSHES LEVANA AWAY IN DISGUST. LEVANA'S EYES RETURN TO NORMAL AND HER FANGS SHRINK DOWN IN SIZE.

TALA
You're a disgusting vamp bitch, you know that?

LEVANA
At least I don't have fleas.

TALA
I do not have fleas! I just itch a lot!

LEVANA
(IN SINGSONG VOICE) You have fleas! You have fleas!

TALA
That's it! Come here!

LEVANA JUMPS OFF THE COUCH AND RUNS INTO THE KITCHEN. TALA FOLLOWS HER. THEY BOTH RUN AROUND THE KITCHEN COUNTER UNTIL ANTONIO, TALA'S FATHER, WALKS IN.

ANTONIO
(IN LOUD VOICE) Hey, what's going on here?

TALA AND LEVANA STOP.

ANTONIO (CONT'D)
All right. Why are you two chasing each other around like five-year-olds?

TALA
She's saying that I have fleas--uh, cooties!

LEVANA
We're just giving each other a hard time, Mr. Rodriguez. We're sorry we're being immature.

ANTONIO SMILES BIG AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.

ANTONIO
Okay, you two. As long as you're having fun, I don't care. Now keep on running. I want to see who wins.

BOTH WOMEN LOOK AT EACH OTHER QUIZZICALLY, SHRUG, AND RUN UP THE STAIRS, SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER. ANTONIO GOES TO THE REFRIGERATOR AND GRABS A CAN OF BUD LIGHT. HE TAKES A SIP AND SIGHS.

ANTONIO (CONT'D)
Well, at least they're not killing each other for the last slice of pizza like last week.

CUT TO:

MAIN TITLES



ACT ONE
SCENE A

FADE IN:
EXT. UCLA COLLEGE CAMPUS-MORNING (DAY 1)
(TALA, LEVANA, LEONARDO, YVETTE)

LEVANA IS SITTING UNDERNEATH A TREE READING A BOOK WHILE TALA IS SITTING ON A LARGE ROCK OBSERVING THE STUDENTS AND SNIFFING THE AIR.

TALA
Virgin. Slut. Virgin. Man-whore. Virgin. Virgin. Pregnant…

LEVANA PEEKS OVER HER BOOK.

LEVANA
Tala, what are you doing?

TALA
I'm smelling everybody to see who's a virgin or not. Virgin. Pregnant. Man-whore. Virgin…

LEVANA
Please stop that. You're invading other people's privacy.

TALA
Fine. I'm just so bored. Why are we even on campus this early anyway? Class doesn't start for another hour.

LEVANA
I just wanted to read under the coolest, shadiest tree before somebody else came to take the spot.

TALA
And now you have it. Now can we please go to the café and get some coffee? I'm feeling caffeine-deprived right now.

LEVANA
(UNDER HER BREATH) Like I care.

TALA
Oh, come on Levana! We've been up hunting all night! You got to admit that you're a little bit tired…

LEVANA
Nope. I'm not. Besides, blood is my caffeine. I don't need coffee to keep me awake.

TALA
(IN MOCKING TONE) Blood is my caffeine. I don't need coffee to keep me awake. Bull crap! It's not like you're a full on vampire! You're half-human and you still have human needs.

LEVANA
Like what?

TALA
Well…for you, it's sex. You're such a slutty vampire.

LEVANA IS APPALLED BY THIS REMARK. SHE STANDS UP, WALKS OVER TO TALA AND SMACKS HER ON THE HEAD WITH HER BOOK.

TALA
Ow! What the hell was that for?!

LEVANA
For being a bad dog! Bad doggie! No treats for you!

TALA
You mean I can't go get coffee?

LEVANA
Nope.

ANGRY, TALA'S EYES TURN YELLOW AND HER CANINE TEETH GROW INTO FANGS. SHE LETS OUT A LOW GROWL AND IS ABOUT TO HOWL WHEN LEVANA PUTS HER HAND ON TALA'S MOUTH.

LEVANA (CONT'D)
(WHISPERS) Not in front of all of these people! What are you trying to do, get yourself into a dog pound?

LEVANA THEN CRIES OUT AND TAKES HER HAND OFF OF TALA'S MOUTH. IT TURNS OUT THAT TALA HAS LICKED HER HAND. TALA'S EYES RETURN TO NORMAL AND HER FANGS DISAPPEAR.

TALA
That's what you get! And enough with the dog jokes! (LOWERS HER VOICE) I'm half-werewolf, not just some puppy you can kick around.

LEVANA
Okay, okay. I'm sorry.

TALA
Yeah. Me too.

LEVANA
Come on, let's go get your coffee.

TALA
Yes!

LEVANA
How about I buy you a pastry with your coffee?

TALA
No thanks, I'm trying to watch my figure.

LEVANA
(LAUGHING) What figure? You're just a stick person with who grows fur!

TALA
Shut up.

THE WOMEN WALK TOWARDS THE CAFÉ WHEN SUDDENLY YVETTE, A FELLOW GOTH, APPEARS IN FRONT OF THEM.

YVETTE
Hi girls! How's school going for you so far?

TALA IS OBVIOUSLY ANNOYED WITH THIS GIRL. SHE GRABS LEVANA'S ARM AND FROWNS.

TALA
It's going great, but it would be better if someone wasn't annoying us 24/7.

YVETTE
(OBLIVIOUS) Oh…you mean Ms. De Winters? Yeah, she can be pretty tough sometimes.

TALA
No, I do not mean Ms. De Winters. I mean the most annoying girl from the whole school who doesn't her head from her--

LEVANA
(NERVOUSLY) Okay! We'd better go now...hopefully they are still serving chocolate chip cookies. Let's go, Tala.

TALA GLARES ANGRILY AT YVETTE FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN WALKS ON. IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THEY HATE EACH OTHER. YVETTE BEGINS TO WALK BACKWARDS AS SHE CALLS OUT TO THE GIRLS.

YVETTE
(IN A LOUD VOICE) Don't let the chocolate chip cookies go to your waist now, Tala, or else you won't be able to keep wearing your corsets!

TALA
(CALLING BACK) And don't you fall into the trash can!

YVETTE
What--

YVETTE TURNS AROUND AND FALLS HEAD FIRST INTO A TRASH CAN. SHE SCREAMS AND HER LEGS FLAIL AROUND. STUDENTS LAUGH AND POINT AT HER, WHILE OTHERS RUN TO HER AID. TALA AND LEVANA BOTH TURN AROUND AND TALA TRIES TO NOT TO LAUGH. SHE TAKES OUT HER CELL PHONE AND RECORDS THE RESCUE.

TALA
This is so going on Youtube!

LEVANA
Tala! Put that away!

IGNORING LEVANA, TALA KEEPS ON RECORDING. YVETTE IS NOW OUT OF THE TRASH CAN. PIECES OF PAPER AND ORANGE PEELS ARE STUCK TO HER HAIR AND CLOTHES.

LEVANA
Let's go before she comes after us!

TALA
(LAUGHING) Right behind you!

THE GIRLS DON'T NOTICE AS THEY RUN TO THE CAFÉ THAT LEONARDO, A MYSTERIOUS, YET HANDSOME MAN HAD BEEN WATCHING THEM THE WHOLE TIME. HIS EYES GLOW YELLOW.

FADE OUT:
END OF SCENE A