FIGHT CLUB

INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - NIGHT

Jack lands a couple of jabs to HIS OPPONENT'S stomach, then brings up a

left uppercut that smashes the Opponent's jaw. Tiny spatters of BLOOD

adorn the walls, along with sweat.

JACK (V.O.)

Fight club was not about winning or losing. It wasn't about words.

The Opponent recovers, throws a headlock on Jack. Jack snakes his arm

into a counter headlock. They, wrestling like wild animals. The crowd

CHEERS maniacally.

JACK (V.O.)

The hysterical shouting was in tongues, like at a Pentecostal church.

The onlookers kneel to stay with the fight, cheering ever louder. The

Opponent smashes Jack's head into the floor, over and over.

JACK

Stop.

Everyone moves in as the Opponent steps away. They lift Jack to his

feet. On the floor is a BLOOD MASK of Jack's face -- similar to his

TEAR MASK on BOB'S SHIRT, seen earlier. Tyler pushes through the

crowd.

TYLER

Cool.

EXT. BAR - NIGHT

Everyone files out of the bar, sweating, bleeding, smiling.

JACK (V.O.)

Afterwards, we all felt saved.

PG 49

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Jack and Tyler walk through the pools of light cast by streetlamps.

They both drip blood and sport bruises. They each carry a 4x4 piece of

WOOD. As they pass parked cars, they SLAM the sticks against the front

bumpers, setting off the ALARMS and causing the AIR BAGS to INFLATE.

They come to a bus stop that has a large display ad for jeans. It has

a photo of a shirtless man.

TYLER

Is that what a man looks like?

JACK

Isn't it?

Tyler smears blood on the ad. They continue on their way. Tyler comes

to a "ROAD WORK" sign. Tyler kicks it into a deep HOLE. He and Jack

tightrope-walk on wooden beams over darkness.

TYLER

Guys packing into the gyms, all trying to look like what Calvin Klein

says. Fight club isn't about looking good.

As they step back onto solid pavement, Tyler kicks one of the beams,

causing it to come loose and fall. The whole temporary work structure

falls into the hole. Tyler and Jack continue walking. IN the

background, a car SKIDS and FISHTAILS, avoiding the hole.

Sound of a SIREN getting closer. Tyler hands Jack the 4x4 and runs,

laughing. Jack stands there a moment, then throws the stick and runs

after Tyler.

JACK (V.O.)

A guy comes to fight club for the first time, and his ass is a wad of

cookie dough. After a few weeks, he looks carved out of wood. He

trusts himself to handle anything.

EXT. ANOTHER STREET - CONTINUOUS

Jack and Tyler, panting, sweat mixing with blood, slow down and resume

walking. Tyler pulls his fingers, popping them -- his knuckles are

swollen. He grins at the pain.

TYLER

Self-improvement is masturbaation. Self-destruction is the answer.

PG 50

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON

The PHONE RINGS. Jack enters from the living room, buttoning his

shirt. He answers.

JACK

Hello?

INTERCUT WITH

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - SAME

She lies on the bed, twisting the phone cord around her neck like a

noose.

MARLA

Where have you been the last few weeks?

JACK

Marla?

MARLA

I haven't seen you at any support groups.

JACK

That's the idea -- we split them.

MARLA

You haven't been going to yours.

JACK

I found a new one.

MARLA

Really? Can I go to it?

JACK

It's for men.

MARLA

Like testicular cancer?

JACK

Like that. Look, this is a bad time.

MARLA

I started going to debtor's anonymous. You want to see *really* fucked

up people?

JACK

Look, I'm going out ...

PG 51

MARLA

I'm going out of my mind. I got a stomach full of Xanax. I took what

was left of the bottle. Might've been too much ... probably was.

Jack turns TO CAMERA.

JACK (V.O.)

Picture yourself watching Marla throw herself around her crummy

apartment, saying, "I'm dying. Dying. Dying. It could go on for

hours.

JACK

You probably want to die in peace. I'll let you go.

MARLA

Stay on the line. I want you to hear me describe death.

Jack puts the handset on top of the phone, still off the hook, and

walks out of the kitchen.

MARLA'S VOICE

I want to see if my spirit can use the telephone.

INT. BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

GRUNTS of PLEASURE and EXERTION. In dim light, we get glimpses of

TORSOS, ASSES, LEGS, ARMS, BREASTS, and BLACK FEMALE HAIR -- all

DRENECHED in SWEAT. Sheets RIP. CA-CHUNK! CA-CHUNK! Bodies hit the

FLOOR and roll. More insane GRUNTING. And LAUGHING -- CACKLING. A

flash of MARLA'S FACE. Then, groans of ecstasy approaching climax.

CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - SUNRISE

Jack sits up in bed, looks around the room.

INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING

Jack steps out of his room, looks down to the next door -- the door is

closed.

JACK (V.O.)

Tyler's door was closed. I'd been living here a month, and Tyler's

door never closed.

PG 52

INT. BATHROOM - SAME

Jack stares into the toilet. CLOSE UP - SIX USED CONDOMS IN TOILET.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Jack sits at the table, sipping coffee, reading Reader's Digest. He

takes in a long yawn, rubs his eyes. He hears FOOTSTEPS approaching.

JACK

You're not going to believe the dream I had.

Marla walks in, straightening her dress. She looks like she's been

raped by a hurricane. Some of her hair is matted against her head,

some of it is sticking out wildly. Jack gapes at her in shock. She

cracks a coy smile and runs a finger across the back of his neck.

MARLA

I can hardly believe *anything* about last night.

She pours herself a cup of coffee. She takes a big gulp, GARGLES and

SPITS it out into the sink. She gives Jack a lascivious smile. Then,

she sips from the cup. She strokes his hair. He pulls back from her.

JACK

What the fuck are you doing here?!

Marla looks at him a beat, then throws the cup into the sink and it

SHATTERS.

MARLA

Fuck you.

She kicks open the door to the backyard and walks out. Jack watches

her stomp across the lawn to the sidewalk and down the street.

Jack turns and -- Tyler is at his shoulder, staring after Marla. He's

in his usual sweatpants. He grins at Jack, then moves away, pours

himself coffee. Jack, smoldering, slumps at the table and picks up

Reader's Digest. Tyler puts his foot on a countertop and begins to do

stretching exercises.

TYLER

That crazy bitch almost fucked me in half. Get this -- I come home

and the phone is off the hook ...

PG 53

MOVE IN ON JACK'S FACE as he pretends to read, but glances up at Tyler.

TYLER'S VOICE FADES as:

JACK (V.O.)

I already knew the story before he told it to me.

INT. KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)

Tyler enters through the back door and moves to the phone.

MARLA'S VOICE (from handset)

I'll tell you when I'm floating out of my body.

Gently, Tyler lifts the handset and listens, smiling.

JACK (V.O.)

I don't know why, but Tyler actually thought it was a *bad* thing that

Marla was about to die.

INT. 8TH FLOOR LANDING - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)

Tyler reaches the top of the stairs and heads for Marla's room. Before

he can knock, Marla's hand shoots out and grabs Tyler's arm.

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS (FLASHBACK)

Marla pulls Tyler inside and shuts the door. Her drugged eyes look him

over.

MARLA

You got here fast.

She staggers and sits on the bed. She slides off, along with the

blanket and sheets, to the floor.

MARLA

The mattresses here are all sealed in slippery plastic.

She tries to focus her eye on Tyler.

MARLA

Did I call you?

SIRENS and vehicles SCREECHING to a halt outside. Doors opening and

SLAMMING; running FOOTFALL. Marla scowls and RAMS Tyler with her knee,

knocking him off her.

PG54

MARLA

You called the cops?! Shit!

She gets to her feet, grabs Tyler, hauls him to his feet and pulls him

out the door.

INT. HALLWAY (FLASHBACK)

Marla LOCKS her door, then shoves Tyler toward the staircase. She and

Tyler suddenly flatten agains the wall as COPS and PARAMEDICS charge by

with oxygen.

COP

Where's 8-G?

MARLA

End of the hall.

The rescuers keep running. Marla and Tyler start down the steps.

Marla lingers a beat, hearing the cops bang on the door. She calls out

to them:

MARLA

The girl who lives there used to be a charming, lovely girl. But she

has no faith in herself.

Tyler yanks on Marla's arm. They continue down the steps, with Marla's

speech getting louder.

MARLA

And she's worried that, as she grows older, she'll have less options.

She's turned into a monster! She's infectious human waste! Good luck

trying to save her!

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Tyler makes coffee. Marla slouches against the refrigerator.

MARLA

If I fall asleep, I die. You have to keep me up all night.

Tyler smiles.

JACK (V.O.)

He was able to handle it.

PG 55

INT. TYLER'S ROOM - DAWN (FLASHBACK)

Marla and Tyler, in a wrecked bed. Tyler's eyes are closed. Marla

kisses his ear.

MARLA

According to ancient Chinese custom, you're responsible for me forever,

because you saved my life.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING - RESUMING

Tyler gulps some coffee, shaking his head.

TYLER

... And she's spouting this crap she got from watching too much

television.

JACK (V.O.)

If only I hadn't gone to a movie. If only I went to her stupid room to

watch her die.

Tyler sits opposite him, studies his face.

TYLER

You aren't doing her, are you?

JACK (V.O.)

I Am Joe's Raging Bile Duct.

JACK

No.

TYLER

I didn't think so.

JACK

You didn't think so?

TYLER

She's not your type.

JACK

How would you know what my type is?

TYLER

She's just a wild, twisted bitch.

JACK

Oh, and my pace is more librarians and den mothers.

TYLER

Kinky.

PG56

JACK (V.O.)

How could someone like Tyler get involved with someone like Marla

Singer? It was impossible.

JACK

Marla doesn't need a lover. She needs a case worker.

TYLER

This is sport-fucking. She's a hosebag.