Law & Order Intro

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is how I introduced myself (and my longwinded writing style) on a forum I no longer belong to (not even sure if it's still around). I...honestly can't remember why I introduced myself like this. *shrug*

Original file dates to 2002. Extraneous (unfunny) stuff omitted, original double asterisks replaced with italics.

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"In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories."

CL-CLANG.

fade in on a busy NYC street, daytime; two young ladies are walking down the sidewalk chattering

LADY 1: ...and so I said to him, "If you ain't got the money honey, then you certainly ain't gettin' me!"

LADY 2: That is so lame.

LADY 1: Not as lame as yo' skanky ass!

LADY 2: Look, let's just get up there and get Maria. I need to get a chili dog in me or I'm gonna pass out. DON'T GIVE ME THAT LOOK!

cut to interior of building; ladies ascend the stairs to an apartment a couple of floors up

LADY 1: I bet she's not even in. You know how Maria is! Always out trying to get her some!

LADY 2: If she's not here then screw it, I'm still getting a damn chili dog!

LADY 1: What is it with you and chili dogs lately...?

lady knocks on door

LADY 2: Hellooo? Maria? HELLOOOO??

LADY 1: Told ya...

lady pulls out a bobby pin and picks the lock

LADY 1: I thought that only worked on TV!

they share a meaningful look and enter apartment

LADY 2: Maria? Mariiiiaaaaaa?

LADY 1: Oh for Gawd's sake, this isn't "West Side Story"!! MARIA!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YA, GIRL?--OHMYGOD!! *MARIA!!*

lady stops and screams; other lady joins her and also screams; they flee apartment

camera pans slowly to floor to show Maria lying dead with a very large book on her chest, and a surprised look on her face

CUT TO NEXT SCENE

interior of apartment--police have arrived; Det.s Briscoe and Green present

BRISCOE: And so what's on the menu for today?

GREEN: Lady dead over here near the bookshelves...it's an ugly one.

they move over to bookshelves and Maria's body; she's still looking dead and surprised

BRISCOE: HEL-lo!

GREEN: Cause of death?

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR: Can't say for sure until the autopsy, but I'm willing to bet this book has something to do with it.

hands book to detectives; Green takes it

GREEN: "Tehuti's Papyri," by somebody named Tehuti. hefts book Pretty weighty. Think we might have motive here?

BRISCOE: Maybe it fell off the shelf?

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR: Negative. It's got her fingerprints all over it.

GREEN: Which means she was likely picking it up, maybe to read it, but the thing was so damned big it did her in. Poor lady.

BRISCOE: Death by Tehuti? Well, I guess that means I can't say that somebody threw the book at her.

fade to black

cue music and credits