An American Werewolf in Paris

CLAUDE (CONT'D)

"Simon ate of the heart of the beast and his soul was cleansed."

(he turns to Andy)

These pictures are not just myth, Andy. The scholars of the day used them to record facts and enlighten the public. This is the medieval version of a newspaper.

andy

(skeptical)

Yeah, well what if it's the Weekly World News...

amy

No. It's all true, Andy...

Startled, Andy turns to see Amy and Marcel, a little worse for wear, standing behind them.

amy (cont'd)

I mean, if by some miracle you can find the werewolf that bit you, and then manage to eat it's heart, the curse is lifted. I was gonna tell you but Marcel wouldn't let me.

marcel

Oh sure, it was all mean old Marcel's idea. Give me a break! We didn't tell you because it's a wild goose chase! Not to mention disgusting. Look...

Marcel reaches into his own chest cavity, rips out his own slimy purple heart, and thrusts it in Andy's face.

marcel (cont'd)

A little Grey Poupon and then Bon appetite, eh?

Andy grimaces and turns back to Claude.

claude

(to Amy)

I don't believe we've been introduced.

andy

What?...Oh, right, you can see these guys too. Jesus...

(he rolls his eyes)

amy

(smiles and extends her hand)

Amy. Nice to meet you.

Claude shakes her hand- SQUISH. Some sort of body fluid oozes out of Amy's hand. Claude frowns and discreetly wipes his hand with a handkerchief. Marcel smiles and extends his hand.

marcel

Marcel.

(Claude smiles politely, declining Marcel's rotting hand)

My wife has all your books.

Claude nods "thank you". Andy's had enough.

andy

Great. Later on we'll have to get together for cocktails. Right now I kinda have to hurry before I grow a lot of hair and eat people.

(to Claude)

Say this heart thing works. What's it got to do with ADM?

claude

It's chemistry, Andy. Nothing more. Mutated antigens concentrated in the heart of the infector unlock a vaccine-like chain reaction in the infectee. There were not many bio-chemists working in the twelfth century, but with today's technology it's possi ble to synthesize any chemical imaginable. When I discovered this ancient cure I knew who to go to.

andy

Uncle Terrence.

claude

Yes. I was able to decode the old texts and give Terrence the specifications. It took a lot of trial and error, but finally he got it: Adenine Di-Methyloxide. ADM. I call it ADAM. But just before he was attacked, he hid it...

andy

Because Gaston was after it.

claude

Yes, that sociopath. He's given himself over to the evil of lycanthropy. To him, ADAM is just a threat to the terror he holds over others. To us, it's salvation.

marcel

Yeah, well I don't know much about chemistry, but even if this stuff works, you better find it by midnight. Otherwise it's-

andy

Yeah, I know. Back to the Eiffel Tower.

(to Claude)

And what about you?

claude

Believe me, I won't go through another night of that hell. I have my contingency plan right here.

He removes a WHITE PILL from his coat pocket and holds it up.

claude (Cont'd)

Sodium cyanide.

The CHURCH BELLS ring. The group listens tensely as the solemn bells sound eight times.

andy

Eight o'clock. Shit. You'd think my uncle would have left a clue, a note, something...

claude

That's what Serafine is searching for. Without much luck, I'm afraid. If only we could speak with him. But alas, he's off in another realm, close to death.

The wheels in Andy's head are turning. He looks over at Amy and Marcel. He smiles. He's got an idea.

marcel

Andy, please. Don't smile like that. You're scaring me.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT

Andy and Serafine walk down the corridor of the Terminal Ward. Andy looks determined. Serafine looks upset.

serafine

What makes you so sure this will work?

andy

I told you. He already tried to contact me once. If you saw his face.. He was desperate to tell me something. I owe him this.

serafine

I don't know...

andy

Listen, either he wastes away as a pathetic vegetable or he can give what's left of his life to save hundreds of potential victims. He's a McDermott. I know what his choice would be.

serafine

I suppose you're right. But I still don't like it.

They stop at the door to Terrence's room.

andy

Fine. You don't have to watch. Stay out here and stand guard.

She nods. Andy goes into

TERRENCE'S HOSPITAL ROOM

The lights are off. Andy approaches Terrence's oxygen tent. In the dim light, he can barely make out Terrence through the plastic, lying motionless, barely making an impression under the sheets. He looks at the body wistfully and surveys the array of m achinery that's keeping him "alive". Most of the machines are plugged into a TRANSFORMER BOX on the floor.

andy

Hey. We meet again... Look, I know you understand what I'm about to do here. I think. But I hope you forgive me anyway.

Andy takes a deep breath. He leans down to the transformer and opens the safety cover, and flips the power switch. All the machines power down.

Suddenly the old man in the bed sits up, gasping, and clawing at the walls of the oxygen tent. Oh my God! It's NOT Terrence!! Andy nearly soils himself, diving down to fumble with the transformer, suddenly all thumbs. He switches the power on ag ain.

THE NURSE STATION

The fat, sour looking duty nurse sees the alarm from the failed life support system. She's about to call for help when the indicator stops flashing. She watches it intently for a few seconds, nothing. She decides to dismiss it.

TERRENCE'S ROOM

The old man is lying back down, asleep. He seems to be okay. His support machinery is functioning normally again.

With a sigh of relief, Andy turns and pulls back the curtain behind him. There's Terrence, sans oxygen tent, hooked up to another extensive support system.

andy

So. You moved...

He pulls the curtain closed behind him, and moves in close to his uncle. Terrence's expression looks unmistakably morose.

andy

You don't look happy... Um, I don't usually go in for this stuff, but..

(He crosses himself, and says a silent prayer)

Amen.

Andy leans down, opens the transformer box, and flips the power switch. The machines power down- all except the EKG monitor, which shows a flat line and emits the familiar steady tone. Andy switches off the monitor. Silence.

Terrence's body is completely still, peaceful. He leans down over its face and speaks in a soft voice.

ANDY

Uncle Terrence? Can you hear me?

Terrence's body remains motionless.

AT THE NURSE'S STATION

This time the nurse doesn't wait to respond. Seeing the indicators from Terrence's room, she presses the intercom.

nurse

Chambre 411. Code bleu! Code bleu!

IN TERRENCE'S ROOM

Silence. Andy's worried. He takes his uncle by the shoulders.

andy

Come on... Skip the undead orientation and get down here.

Nothing. He looks at the door nervously.

OUTSIDE THE DOOR

Serafine sees a squad of doctors and nurses pushing trolleys of emergency equipment her way from the far end of the hall. She leans her head in the door to warn Andy.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM

Andy is beside himself with stress. He shakes Terrence's bed a little to rouse him. Nothing. He tries a little harder shake... The door opens. It's Serafine, also in a panic.

serafine

They're coming!

andy

Shit. What have I done?

(to Serafine)

Stall them! I'll meet you out back.

She shuts the door, just in time. The emergency team are right there.

serafine

(feigning hysterics)

Stay away from him! You butchers! Haven't you done enough already!

They struggle to get past her.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM

Andy can hear Serafine arguing outside the door. He looks out the window to the three story drop into the alley below.

OUTSIDE THE DOOR

Serafine is finally shoved aside. They push the door open.

INSIDE

Andy rushes to the door and pushes it shut. He cranks the DOORKNOB all the over and bends it down, jamming it in the locked position. He steps away. The door holds, but for how long? He looks at the old man in the oxygen tent. Hmm. He pushes the old ma n's bed up against the door.

Andy forces the window open and steps out onto the ledge. He looks back at his uncle, and the old guy. He shrugs apologetically, then takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and jumps.

OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL ROOM DOOR

The fat nurse is getting impatient with the doctors, who are attempting to pick the lock "surgically". She pushes them aside and heaves her considerable heft against into the door. It opens a crack. She backs up and slams it again....

INSIDE THE ROOM

The nurse's jolts shake the old guy's bed, sliding it forward. He dozes happily like a baby rocking in the cradle.

EXT. THE BACK ALLEY BEHIND THE HOSPITAL

Andy runs behind a nearby dumpster to avoid being seen from the window above. He kicks the wall in frustration.

andy

Damn it!!

A voice calls out from behind Andy.

TERRENCE'S voice

Whoa! What an outrageous nightmare!

Andy spins around and sees Terrence, the undead version, perched atop some trash bags, scratching himself.

andy

Uncle Terrence?

TERRENCE

Andy? Andy is that you?

andy

Yeah. Look, uncle Terrence-

Terrence mutters distractedly, excitedly, and quickly...

TERRENCE

Andy, I have to tell you about the dream I had- or that I'm still having - it feels like a systemic, physio-tropic reaction to some drug, maybe a triptamine or phenethylamine derivative. But it is hyper-real. I'd swear my legs had been cut off or... wa it a second... I'm getting a strange meta-physical buzz. Shit. I'm, uh, dead, aren't I?

andy

Sort of...

BACK IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM

The doctors have clustered around Terrence's corpse. The nurse is lubricating the electro-shock paddles for the doctor. Serafine slips out the door into the hallway.

SOMEONE'S POV, spying from behind a supply cart in the hallway (we see a hand on the cart), watches Serafine walk away, unnoticed by the doctors.

BACK IN THE ALLEY

TERRENCE

Undead. Right. Sort of an ectocosmic manifestation. What a pisser. Tell you one thing though, Timothy Leary will be jealous as hell.

andy

Great, but listen, I need to know where you hid the ADM?

TERRENCE

The ADM! Be careful, Andy. It's very powerful. How do you know about it?

andy

I went to St. Severin church.

(Terrence reacts "I see...")

Now look-

IN TERRENCE'S ROOM

ZAP! The doctor jolts Terrence's chest with the paddles.