part 2; the price of romance

INT. SCANNER’S POV, CHECKOUT - DAY
Black.
Sugary background music. Small grunts of effort. The squeak
of technology being installed.

MIKE (O.S.)
And don’t say I never give you
anything.

TINA (26) sweet cheerful shop assistant, plants a loud
giggly kiss and -

Light seeps into SCANNER - so much more than a mere reader
of bar-codes. Scanner sees retreating lips and a red
lip-print on his lens. Tina mists it with a spray and wipes
him gently with a cloth.
Scanner’s vision clears. Tina appears above him framed by
Valentine balloons. Scanner’s shutter begins a long sigh -

MIKE (30s) senior assistant, edges into view.

MIKE
You didn’t have to kiss it to turn
it on.

TINA
Worked though didn’t it?

Mike’s footsteps retreat. Tina’s saucy grin turns wistful.
She leans her ample chest forward. Scanner’s shutter bar
sounds a wolf whistle. Tina’s arms rise in surprise.
The shadow of a shopping basket passes over Scanner. Tina
calms and serves up a smile. She runs the Customer’s grocery
items over the lens.

TINA (CONT’D)
Enter your pin in now...Thanks.

MIKE (O.S.)
(via tannoy)
We have a number of Valentine gifts
available in store -

Tina forms an apologetic smile as she passes the receipt and
the card to the customer.
She rests her elbows either side of the Scanner bed, staring
into the middle distance. Her hands appear above Scanner as
if in prayer.

A pixellated heart forms on his screen - expands and bursts.
She misses it. Scanner scrolls through an array of codes,
getting faster and faster until -
A bunch of roses, plus price detail, SUPERIMPOSES in front
of his view of Tina. Scanner beeps.

TINA
Whoa. What’s happening?...Mike?
Mike comes into view. Tina points towards the cash register.

TINA (CONT’D)
Look - but there’s no flowers.

MIKE
That a hint?
He holds her gaze for a beat, breaking before real
commitment - to Tina’s slight frustration.
Scanner zooms through codes at lightening speed and selects:

SUPER: A box of chocolates - beep - SUPER: A soppy
Valentine’s day card - beep.

TINA
There, look. How, how are you doing
that?

MIKE
What makes you think it’s me?
Pixillated hearts dance on Scanner’s screen.
Mike peers into Scanner’s lens.
Scanner sends out a huge white smoky flash.
Mike squirms in blinking agony. Tina pulls him to her chest.

TINA
Shit, are you alright?
Red mist clouds Scanner’s screen. Mike sinks his head into
Tina’s embrace with a satisfied smile.
Mike gives Scanner a smug wink and lifts up a pointy finger
- it nears.
A switch clicks off.

Black.