英语剧本《死神来了2》
时间:2007-10-27 22:00:05来源: 作者:
Final Destination (2000)
by James Wong and Glen Morgan.
Early draft. January 15, 1999.
by James Wong and Glen Morgan.
Early draft. January 15, 1999.
Awaiting......each of us; a cold...dark...lonely place.
Deny its finality. Dride it's totality. Dread the enescapable
invitability......it will arrive.
The BLACK SILENT SCREEN senses this moment before a distant blues harp
introduces a contemporary band's cover of Blood, Sweat, and Tears' campy,
yet haunting, gospel, "And When I Die."
As the Introduction closes, RESONATES... A FLASH OF LIGHTING!
A CRACK OF THUNDER!
CUT TO:
Int. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CLOSE - BED
An airline ticket is tossed INTO FRAME beside a suitcase; "ERO-AIR. FLIGHT
#180. New York City (JFK) - Paris, Charles de Gaulle (CDG.) Departure:
Thursday 13May. 16H25 - Arrival: Friday 14May. 05H40."
"And When I Die" Continues throughout the MAIN TITLES:
AN OLD TABLE FAN
swivals beside and open window. Outside, a humid spring THUNDER STORM drops
warm, ominous rain. The figure of a seventeen year old boy, ALEX BROWNING,
packing for a trip, passing the fan...
THE BED
A Paris guidebook is tossed atop the plane ticket. CAMERA PUSHES IN ON THE
BOOK as the fans breezes flip throught the pages.
THE TABLE FAN
turns, head swiveling away from the bed.
TIGHTER - THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES
stop flipping, REVEALING A GULLOTINE from the Reign of Terror.
As an American passport is dropped beside the guidebook...
THE TABLE FAN
swivals, returning towards the guidebook on the bed.
THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES
FLIP. FLIP. FLIP. Alex's faint shadow continues moving about the room. The
fan head swivals away, allowing the pages to settle... upon a Louvre
masterpiece, Francisco de Zurbarans Lying-in-the State of St. Bonaventura.
CAMERA CREEPS IN, teasingly on the dark faced corpse. The pages begin to
turn once again.
TIGHTER, OMINOUS ANGLE - THE DESK FAN
There is more of a hint of conincidence as the blades whirl and head
swivels. The boys figure passes, blocking the breeze.
THE GUIDEBOOK PAGES
stop dead on... Jim Morrison's decorated tomb in the Cemetiere du Pere
Lachaise. A pilgrim has spray painted "This is the End." Which in fact, it
is... of the MAIN TITLE
BARBARA
Alex...
CAMERA ADJUSTS, to fully reveal Alex Browning as he turns toward the bedroom
door. Alex is an average kid; handsome. A high school "everyman."
One the wall amongst Yankee and Knicks posters, hangs a pennant;
"Mt. Abraham High School, New York. The Fighting Colonials!"
Alex's mother, BARBARA, 45, walks in, excited and a bit anxious.
BARABRA (Cont'd)
Tod and Georges dad just called,
he's picking you up at 10 in the morning.
Bus leaves the high school for JFK at
noon.
Barbara moves towards the suitcase to help him pack. Alex's father, KEN
BROWNING, 48 appears, leaning against the door threshold, smiling envoiusly
at his son.
KEN
My suitcase workn'out for ya
Alex nods and buckles it. Barbara reaches in to tear off an airline baggage
I.D. ticket attached from the previous flight.
ALEX
Whoa! Whoa! Mom, you gotta leave
that on. It's like... the tag
made the last flight without
crashin' or anything, right?
So, it should stay on, or with,
the bag for good luck.
BARBARA
Where would you get a nutball
idea like that?
EXTREAMLY CLOSE - THE AIRLINE BAGGAGE MARKER
is torn away from the suitcase handle.
RETURN
As Barbara picks up the suitcase to place it on the floor... a dozon old
baggage I.D. tickets spill from the outer compartment. She looks at Ken, as
if "you?" The guilty party shrugs.
KEN
I'm still here.
Barbara shakes her head as Alex smiles at his dad.
KEN (Cont'd)
Seventeen and on the loose.
Ten days in Paris. In the
springtime! Live it up, Alex...
CAMERA INCHES INTO KEN as he winks at his son...
KEN (Cont'd)
Got your whole life ahead
of you.
ALEX
CAMERA CREEPS IN as, oddly, the words strike him portentously...
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - LATER
The storm has ceased. The room is QUIET.
As if itself a presence, CAMERA CREEPS across the dark and motionless room
TOWARD Alex, sleeping soundly. CAMERA CRANES DOWN to the level of the bed
until Alex is in the f.g. and the room is visible behind him.
On the rear wall, the Fighting Colonials pennant begins to flutter slightly,
as if affected by the moving breeze. The path, of which is continues toward
the bed, rustling the sheets, subtly blowing Alex's hair and continuing OVER
CAMERA.
Even in his sleep, Alex shivers from the passing cold. His eyes open
surprised to be suddenly awakened. He considers for a beat, then looks
toward...
THE WINDOWS
which... are closed.
ALEX
puzzled, checks...
THE TABLE FAN
which is off.
ALEX
perplexed, rolls over toward his digital clock. It's 1:00 a.m., however...
the middle digit bar in the first zero faintly flickers so this time appears
to read... 1:80.
AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)
(overlapping)
Attention airline travelers...
CUT TO:
INT. JOHN F. KENNEDY AIRPORT - MORNING - TELEVISION MONITOR
FLIGHT 180 departs 4:25. Gate 39.
AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)
This airport does not
support solicitors...
CAMERA ADJUSTS FROM the "Arrival-Departure Schedule" to REVEAL forty high
school KIDS, and four TEACHERS and several PARENTS are gathered inside the
International terminal at J.F.K. Several of the students wear Fighting
Colonial leterman's jackets or hats and shirts displaying "Mt. Abraham High,
New York."
AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.) (CONT'D)
You are not required to give
money to solicitors.
Alex gathers his bags, as does his best friend TOD WAGGNER and his older
brother GEORGE WAGGNER, standing before their father, JERRY WAGGNER. For
Alex, any psychic tension from the night before seems forgotten in the fun
and excitement of the trip.
MR. WAGGNER
Alright, you guys got everything?
TOD
Yeah, we're all set Dad.
MR. MURNAU, the French teacher (any further description necessary?) and
leader of the class trip waves his arm.
MR. MURNAU
Les estudients, allons en France!
MR. WAGGNER
Does that mean "go?"
Tod shrugs, "I guess." as he moves to his father and gives him a warm hug
goodbye. Mr. Waggner then gives his older son a hug.
AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.
Atencion senores pasajeros. No
es necesario contribuir...
MR. WAGGNER
I'll miss you guys.
Tod and George gives a wave, as does Alex, who is slapped on the back by Mr.
Waggner.
MR. WAGGNER
Take care of those two, Alex.
ALEX
I will. Don't worry.
The group begins down the airport toward the check-in counter. In the f.g.,
before the boys, strides a girl, CLEAR RIVERS, 17, reading the TROPIC OF
CANCER. The loner in the group, Clear wears dark colors against the
insecerity of her sex appeal. She appears aloof and more wordly then the
other students.
Readying his ticket and documents, Tod flips open his passport, checking out
his photo.
TOD
I didn't think anything could
worse than my yearbook picture.
GEORGE
Now you know how I feel haven'
to look at you all the time.
AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)
Avis aux passagers...
Mr. Murnau stops the group. Excited, he cups an ear with one hand while
raising a finger toward the public address system.
MR. MURNAU
Entendez classe, qu'est ce que
c'est l'announce?
Everyone begrudgingly stops to listen.
AIRPORT P.A. (O.S. CONT'D)
Vous n'etes pas dans l'obligation
de contribuer aux demandes des quemandeurs.
CARTER HORTON
is the class dickhead who mix and matches his role models in the most
superficial manner. His hand is tucked into his girlfriend, TERRY CHANEY'S,
waistband...
CARTER
(re: MURNAU)
What the fuck's he want?
Terry, hot now, but with no idea what time will do to her in just five
years, smiles obsequiously and mouths "shh."
P.A. SYSTEM (O.S., CONT'D)
cher aeroport n'est responsable
pour leurs activities.
Mr. Murnau scans the group, his expression looking for an answer. Clear
Rivers keeps her head in her book as...
CLEAR
The airport doesn't endorse solicitors.
MR. MURNAU
Tres bien, Clear! Tout droit!
She doesn't react. Her expression remains cool as Murnau leads the
procession forward. The boys continue. Alex sighs...
ALEX
Fuh-ck, do we have to put
up with that shit the whole time.
A hand reaches out to gently detain Alex. He looks up to find a HARE
KRISHANA, dressed in everyday clothes, but head shaved and a mark on his
nose.
HARE KRISHANA
Death is not the end.
CAMARA PUSHES IN ON ALEX... unsettled by the soft spoken, yet ominous,
"Solicitation." The Krishana offers a small book, REALITY BEYOND THE MATTER:
VAISHNAVA PHILOSOPHY.
As he hands the book to Alex, a female form ENTERS FRAME between them. The
women is MISS VALERIE LEWTON, 30, a feisty English teacher whose figure
inspires all the boys' fantasies.
MS. LEWTON
It will be for you if you harass
my students.
She places a hand on Alex's shoulder, herding him to the group.
HARE KRISHANA
(pissy)
Hare Rama.
Ms. Lewton turns and, while walking backward, flashes a smile...
MS. LEWTON
(mouths)
Fuck off.
As she turns her back and continues down the terminal...
CUT TO:
INT. CHECK IN DESK - AIRPORT - DAY
Alex's passport and ticket are set INTO FRAME and picked up by a female
TICKET CLERK. Alex waits as she busily types into the computer and checks
his passport...
TICKET CLERK
I have a few questions to ask
you , this afternoon.
O.S., LOUD, EXAGGERATED plastic tiles rapidly CLICK and CLACK
TICKET CLERK (CONT'D)
Did you pack these bags yourself?
The CLACKING CONTINUES, demading Alex's attention. His eyes turn forward.
ALEX'S POV - THE FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD
Plastic tabs CLACK rapidly, settling on the word... "CANCELLED."
ALEX
CAMARA CREEPS IN on his dawning paranoia...
TICKET CLERK (CONT'D, O.S.)
Have your belongings remained in your
possession the entire time?
Alex absently nods. Again, O.S., CLACK CLACK CLACK. His eyes move to...
ALEX'S POV - (TIGHTER) - FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD
The plastic tabs FLIP and CLACK rapidly, stopping on... "DEPARTED."
TICKET DESK
Alex is still considering the "messages..."
TICKET CLERK
Have you recieved any packages
from persons unknown to you?
Alex quickly runs the day through his head and flashes her the REALITY
BEYOND MATTER book. She smiles, then leans over toward the baggage scales.
Alex's eyes turn toward...
CLOSE - (MOTION SLOWED)- ALEX"S LUGGAGE
a new airline I.D. marker is attached to his bag.
RETURN
Alex eyes the new tag hoping it's "good luck." As the clerk returns his
ticket and passport... CLACK, CLACK, CLACK.
TICKET CLERK
Same as your birthday.
Alex is puzzeled by the comment. He shakes his head if, "pardon me?" CAMARA
INCHES INTO the ticket clerk gesturing pleasantly to the passport and
ticket...
TICKET CLERK (CONT'D)
April 25th. Four-twenty-five...
your birthday is the same as your
departure time.
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. Alex's eyes flash toward...
ALEX'S POV - (Full FRAME) - FLIGHT INFORMATION BOARD
the title settles upon... "TERMINAL."
CUT TO:
INT. SECURITY AREA - AIRPORT - MONITOR
The ghastly green and reds of the X-ray monitors flash as carry on bags
flash through the machine. CAMARA MOVES COUNTER to the direstion of the
conveyor belt. The pace and excitement of the collective group escalates as
departure approaches.
Carter Horton and his girlfriend, Terry, take cuts in line with smug,
bullying expressions. Unseen by the chaperones, no student, has the nerve to
protest Carters action. Alex, Tod, George and BILLY HITCHCOCK, heavy set
with a New York Rangers jersey watches Carter and Terry with disgust.
BILLY
I can't believe they let that dickhead
on this trip.
GEORGE
His parents bought a ton of those trip
certificates we had to sell, just
to get him out of their hair for ten days.
Excited, Tod speaks in a convert tone over Alex's shoulder.
TOD
Dude, I so worked the ticket clerk
so your sittin' next to Christa and
I'm next to Blake.
Alex looks up ahead of the metal detectors...
ALEX'S POV - TWO GIRLS
Attractive and they know it, CHRISTA MARSH and BLAKE DREYER appear clearly
out of Alex and Tod's league.
TOD (CONT'D)
That's seven hours and most of
it is in the dark.
ALEX AND TOD
The boys dump their change in a plastic bowls...
TOD
Dude, if we don't get someone
going on thif flight, we should
just call Dr. Kervorkian and put
ourselves out of our fuckn' misery.
As Alex and Tod pass through the metal detector, their eyes performing
reconnaissance on Christa and Blake, the opening drum BLASTS of Boingo's "No
One Lives Forever" OVERLAPS...
CUT TO:
INT. AIRLINE GATE - AIRPORT - AFTERNOON - CLOSE - GATE 39
CAMERA ADJUSTS from the sign indicating GATE 39. The class is squirrely and
excited. Mr. Murnau, Ms. Lewton, and the parent chaperones are allowing kids
to burn off steam at the gate, hoping for a calm flight.
CAMERA MOVES ALONG the awaiting passengers... Carter and Terry are making
out, a step away from heavy petting...
Blake and Christa are flipping through Parisian fashion magizines... Billy
Hitchcock lays into a Burrito Supreme...
CAMERA MOVES to an empty seat. Clear Rivers ENTERS FRAME and sits,
struggling with her Walkman, coffee, books, and a cassette box handmarked
"Boingo" (a cheat the We hear the song)
As she places her stuff on the unoccupied seat beside her, a Paris guidebook
falls on the floor, opened but face down. A passing, unidentified, student
reaches down and hands her the book, still open and face down.
CLEAR
Thanks.
The student continues down toward the observation deck. Clear looks at the
opened guidebook.
CLEAR'S POV - GUIDEBOOK
Princess Di's Mercedes is totaled in a Paris tunnel. Besides the photo are
two portraits of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed.
CLEAR
CAMERA INCHES IN as she shakes off a shiver down her spine. She looks up
from the book toward the student who handed it to her, the identity of which
is fully REVEALED to be Alex Browning.
He stands at the gate window, looking out at the plane.
ALEX'S POV - 747
It is raining. In the distance, MUFFLED THUNDER RUMBLES.
CAMERA CREEPS AWAY from the plane... huge, seemingly incapable of flight and
yet we unquestioningly trust our lives in this machine. Emotionless. Cold.
Lifeless, and yet soon full of life.
ALEX
Camera inches in on him
TOD (O.S.)
Dude, let's take a dump.
Tod MOVES INTO FRAME beside Alex...
ALEX
Man, that is one George Michael
notch from being gay.
TOD
Dude, get wisdom. We're about to
board a seven hour flight. The toilets
in coach are barely ventilated closets.
What if your body wants that airplane food
out of your system and you have to go torgue
a wicked cable and then right after you walks
in Christa or Blake? You want them
to associate with you with that reflexive gag
and the watery sting in your eyes?
Alex takes a beat to consider...
CUT TO:
INT. MEN'S ROOM - AIRPORT - OVERHEAD
CAMERA LOOKS DOWN on two stalls. Alex sits in one, Tod sits in the other.
O.S., OVER the airports P.A. SYSTEM John Denver's "Rocky Mountain High"
begins...
ALEX
John Denver...
Upon the mention, CAMERA CRANES DOWN, TURNING, TWISTING UNTIL FINDING ALEX
in a straight on CLOSE-UP. He listens, tense...
JOHN DENVER (O.S.)
He was born in the summer of his twenty
seventh year...
ALEX
He died in a plane crash.
A P.A. ANNOUNCMENT breaks into the song...
P.A. SYSTEM
Ladies and Gentlemen, thank-you for
your patience, at this time we would
like to begin pre-boarding of Euro-Air
Flight 180 to Paris through gate 39.
Really for the first time, Alex appears a bit tentative and pale. It is
intensified by the return of the song...
JOHN DENVER (O.S.)
It's the Colorado Rocky Mountian High/
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky...
CUT TO:
INT. BOARDING AREA - GATE 39 - CLOSE - ALEX'S BOARDING PASS
is torn along the perforated edge and handed back.
ALEX
looks down the paasenger ramp.
ALEX'S POV - RAMP TUNNEL
CAMERA CREEPS toward it... lit to cheat of feeling of no return.
O.S., distant THUNDER RUMBLES...
WIDER
There is something more emotionally tense about the moment of boarding than
take-off. CAMARA PICKS UP Ms. Lewton searching...
MS LEWTON
Anyone seen Billy Hitchcock?
How'd we lose him?
Tod nudges Alex toward the tunnel, the three boys start down the ramp,
passing Mr. Murnau who checks his list, counting heads...
MR MURNAU
Vingt huit, vingt neuf...
passenger ramp
Alex, Tod, and George catch up to Christa and Blake, excited. As always,
everyone becomes bottlenecked just at the point of entering the plane. Alex
looks out the ramp's side porthole window toward the back of the plane.
ALEX'S POV - THROUGH PORTHOLE
The enormous engine. The expansive wings. Behind the tail, distant, a bolt
of lightning FLASHES!
ALEX
looks away. Just ahead, in the plane, FLIGHT ATTENDANTS greet the
passengers. He is next to enter the plane.
CLOSE - FLOOR
a slice of opening from where the ramp meets the plane provides a sense of
how high up one actually stands.
ALEX
CAMERA PUSHES INTO HIM as he takes his first step into the plane.
CLOSE - AIRLINE CABIN FLOOR
Alex's Nikes land on the carpet.
INT. 747 - FIRST CLASS CABIN - AFTERNOON - CLOSE - BABY
SCREAMS! It's parents desperetly comfort the child.
CAMERA ADJUSTS, LEADING George, Alex and Tod through the aisles. Alex and
Tod wince at the screaming child. George, however feels comforted.
GEORGE
Good sign. Younger the better.
It would be a fucked up God to
take down this plane.
INT. ECONOMY CLASS CABIN - 747 - AFTERNOON
In the first row slumps a young man with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. A
cannula is set in his nostrils leading to an oxygon tank beside him.
The kid sneak sympathetic yet anxious glances at the man while continuing in
their seats. George whispers over his shoulder...
GEORGE
A REALLY fucked up God.
Alex's tension increases as he continues up the aisle.
ALEX'S POV - OVERHEAD COMPARTMENTS
CAMERA INCHES IN ON "Row 25. Seats H, I, and J."
ALEX
climbs into the row, carrying his backpack. He takes his window seat and
reaches up to the air flow valve.
CLOSE - AIR FLOW VALVE
turns, HISSING, air streaming full blast.
CAMERA INCHES IN ON HIM as he takes in deep breaths of the stale air. He
presses his face to the window.
ALEX'S POV - THE LEFT WING
Rain falls. GEARS WHIR as the ailerons are tested.
CLOSE - ALEX
CAMERA CREEPS TOWARD HIM, face to the glass; eyes scanning the plane and
outside area.
CHRISTA (O.S.)
Alex?
He turns toward the aisle.
ALEX'S POV -CHRISTA AND BLAKE
Man, they look great and they're workin' the sex appeal.
CHRISTA
Could you trade seats with Blake
so she and I can sit together? I
asked Tod, but he says he's got some
medical thing?
ALEX
sneaks a quick check with Tod.
ALEX'S POV - TOD
shakes his head. "NO! NO! DON'T DO IT."
ALEX AND THE GIRLS
He looks to them and knows he is just plain overmatched. Alex shrugs,
"Sure." In front of him Tod throws up his arms, disgusted. Alex climbs out
of his seats. The girls are touchy - feely thankful, but only know guys dig
that.
CHRISTA AND BLAKE
You're so sweet. Thanks, Alex.
Alex crames up into the aisles, making his way to Tod, sitting two rows up
in 22 H.
Alex climbs over Tod to take the window seat. Clear Rivers sits in the seat
directly behind Alex.
TOD
(mouths)
Fag.
ALEX
C'mon, man, like you really
thought you were tittie fuck 'em
over Greenland, or something?
TOD
Because of you, I gotta sit
here and watch fuckn' "Stepmom."
As Alex sits, the tray table falls from it's upright position.
He lifts the tray back up, but as he turns the latch, it BREAKS OFF in his
hand. He briefly tries to jimmie the tray into postition, then gives up.
CAMERA FOLLOWS ALEX'S HAND as it rises. CAMERA SWEEPS IN EXTREAMLY CLOSE to
the ATTENDANT CALL BUTTON. As Alex's finger engages the button, it lights up
orange.
ALEX
The jet lurches. He looks...
OUT OF THE WINDOW - ALEX'S POV
The 747 begins rolling out of the gate.
ALEX
As he looks back, searching for the nearst flight attendant...
ALEX'S POV - THROUGH THE SEATS - CLEAR RIVERS
reads her book. Another leans to look out the window.
ALEX
lifts a bit out of his seat, searching for any flight attendant O.S., A
PING.
CAPTAIN (V.O)
Flight Attendants prepare for
departure.
Looking fore in the cabin...
ALEX'S POV - NEAR THE FLIGHT DECK
The flight attendants strap themselves in for take-off.
ALEX
O.S., the ENGINE VLOUME INCREASES in PITCH and INTENSITY as the jet begins
to taxi. Alex sits back as the tray over his lap. He looks out the window.
ALEX'S POV - THE RIGHT WING
appears motionless in the f.g. as the tarmac and runway signs roll past the
window. THE ENGINE PITCH RISES...
ALEX
The ENGINES WHIR as the jet gathers SPEED. He checks the window.
ALEX'S POV- THE RUNWAY
is a blur. The airport terminals in the b.g. streak past. The wings lift,
angeled as the jets leaves the ground.
ALEX
O.S., hois classmates CHEER and "raise the roof." The trip has begun.
CAMERA PULLS AWAY FROM ALEX, as if reflecting his easing of annoyance with
the tray situation. He finally appears to notice the raucous reaction and
settles back in his seat, slightly pushed by mild-g force. The upwarding
angle increasing...
The cabin buffets, as if passing mild turbulance. Then...
The cabin sharply JOLTS! Everyone tenses, GASPS. CAMERA SWEEPS BACK TO ALEX.
And just as he clenches his backpack... the cabin BANGS, ROCKS. THE ENGINES
SPOOL TO A STALL. METAL TWISTS under extreme PRESSURE. The cabin dips,
angles, sharply to the right.
ALEX'S POV - THE CABIN
Passengers SCREAM! Unrestrained personal belongings fly across the aircraft
INTO CAMERA, which BUFFETS and SHAKES...
OXYGEN MASKS
deploy from the overhead compartments. A prerecorded message, like that
recorded by the black box of the crash of JAL# 123 August 12, 1985, BLARES
over the P.A., with erie calm...
MESSAGE (V.O.)
Fasten seat belts...put on
oxygon masks...
ALEX
his hand trembles as he reaches for the oxygon mask and places it over his
face. The ENGINES resuscutate. SCREAMING. WHINING. Alex checks out his
window.
ALEX'S POV - OUT OF WINDOW
The plane is on it's side losing altitude. A slow, sick spin.
ALEX
breaths deep into his oxygon cup.
The JET ENGINES GRIND AND WHIR, as if the craft were in the midst of a last
ditch effort to regain stability; the sounds DEAFENING over the PASSENGERS'
cruelly hopeless SCREAMS.
Then...
KA-BOOM
A DEVASTATING EXPLOSION ERUPTS across the cabin, blasting a five foot hole
in the fuseluge. Human limbs and blood sprays, craft and passengers torn to
shreds.
Dead students sit lifeless in their seats.
Every unrestrianed object on board flies to the hole and through the fire;
paper, books, luggage, pillows. A PARENT and a STUDENT clutch their seat in
terror, SCREAMING before they are pulled into the sky.
Wind. Screams. Dying Engines, a deafining blare.
ALEX AND TOD
SCREAM, pale, knowing there is no hope, no escape as the ENGINES DIE. The
cabin begins to tilt downwards... then straight down. Debris tumbles toward
the flight deck as if falling from a cliff.
OUTSIDE... the sick familiar SOUND of an aircraft going down.
ALEX is strapped to his seat, upper body facing downward toward the water.
FIRE, WIND, AND BLOOD WHIP across him. A BUILDING WHINE CRESCENDOES before a
second EXPLOSION RIPS ACROSS FRAME...
CUT TO:
CLOSE - ALEX'S TERRIFIED EYES
dilating rapidly, as the shock of what appears to be happening before him
washes over his every psyche.
CHRISTA (O.S.)
Alex?
ALEX
Drenched with sweat, trembling in his seat, his eyes dart toward Christa and
Blake. They look great and the're workin' the sex appeal.
CHRISTA
Could you trade seats with
Blake so she and I can sit
together? I asked Tod, but he's
got some medical thing.
Alex turns sickeninly disoriented. His eyes dart about searching for
evidnece of the catastrophe. There are none to be found. Alex blots from his
seat, startling the two girls. He scrambles toward Tod, who looks at his
friend, concerned.
TOD
Dude, what up?
Frenzied, Alex climbs over his friend, on top of the seat. Alex's panic has
alerted the other students and a MALE FLIGHT ATTENDANT who makes his way to
the row.
ALEX
grabs the tray table latch before the vacent seat. IT BREAKS OFF, JUST AS
BEFORE. CAMARA PUSHES INTO ALEX, terrified. He begins to hyperventilate.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Is there a a problem, sir?
Alex's wild eyes and expression convey "no fucking kidding there's a
problem." The flight attendant realizes this passenger is expiriencing a
serious episode.
Directly across the aisle, Carter Horton and Terry look at him with severe
expression.
CARTER
What's your fuckin' problem?
Mr. Murnau and Ms. Lewton unfasten their seat belts and rush toward Alex.
MR. MURNAU
Alex? Qu'est-ce se?
ALEX
Qu'est-ce se?! THE PLANES GONNA
EXPLODE!
Obviously, no one ever wants to ever hear that. The students tense.
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
immediatly turns to other attendants, sighaling for assistance with a quick
definite gesture. In the b.g., attendants hustle toward the economy class
cabin.
CARTER AND TERRY
CARTER TERRY
Shut up, Browning! You're not funny.
ALEX
frenzied, begins moving toward the aisle.
ALEX
We have to get out!
This frightens everyone. Not the " prophecy," but his panicky, irrational
behavior.
ALEX (CONT'D)
We have to get off this plane!
CLEAR RIVERS
CAMARA PUSHES INTO HER, hearing Alex's declaration.
ALEX (CONT'D)
Now! NOW!!
RETURN
Alex is desperately climbing over Tod, who is trying to calmly restrain his
friend. Across the aisle, Carter Horton stands ready to quiet Alex, with
force.
CARTER
Sit! DOWN! Browning!
TOD FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Alex. Alex! Easy, man. Take it Sir, if this is a joke, we
easy. don't tolerate such humor.
The flight attendant restrains Crter with an extended forearm.
ALEX
I'm not joking! I'm not joking!
Ms. Lewton and Mr. Murnau move to the seats. Flight attendants try
restraining Alex from reaching the aisle.
MS. LEWTON MR. MURNAU
Alex, Knock it off. It's alright. Settle down, Alex.
ALEX
Listen to me! This plane will explode
on take-off!
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Sir, we will remove you from the
aircraft if this continues.
CARTER
I'll remove him.
ALEX
Fuck you! I'll remove myself!
Carter reaches for Alex, who pushes back, trying to get out. Carter
responds aggressivly and now the flight attendant, Tod, and the two teachers
are in the midst of the melee.
The Co-Pilot arrives to secure the situation. He grabs Alex and begins
forcibly ushering him up the aisle.
A male flight attendant choke holds Carter from the back. Carter struggles
but the attendants postioning has the advantage. He begins removing Carter
from the plane as well.
TERRY
He didn't do nothin'!
She follows the attendant, hitting him to help her boyfriend.
Just arriving in the cabin, Billy Hitchcock tries to fight passed a
STEWARDESS to get to his seat. He is blocked by the mass of compatants as
they are escorted out.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
(he's had it)
Anybody in the aisle is off the plane!
BILLY
No, wait, I was late... that's
my seat right there!
Inder protest, Billy gets pushed back off the plane. Mr. Murnau and Ms.
Lewton follow the pack of students and airline personnel as they move toward
the exit, calling out to seated teachers and parents while hustleing up the
aisles.
MS. LEWTON MR. MURNAU
Everybody just stay where you Mr. Carpenter, keep an eye on
are. Just sit tight. things for a moment.
Tod watches, amazed and concerned for his friend. He looks across the cabin
to...
TOD'S POV - GEORGE
his brother gestures, mouths... "you should go with him."
TOD
starts off down the aisles. CAMERA COUNTERS... ADJUSTING TO CLEAR RIVERS.
Amongst the chaos, she considers for a beat, then grabs her backpack, stands
and moves into the aisle to exit the plane.
CUT TO:
INT. BOARDING AREA/TUNNEL - GATE 39 - DAY
Alex, the co-pilot, Carter, the attendant, Mr. Murnau, Ms, Lewton, Terry,
Tod and Billy proceed down the tunnel. Billy is confused by the chaos.
BILLY
I didn't do anything! I have
my ticket right here!
Arriving SECURITY OFFICERS quickly have control of the situation. Alex is
taken to a seat at the gate and dropped there by the co-pilot, who, winded,
eyes the officers.
CO-PILOT
You got this?
The officers nod. One moves toward Carter as he dropped in a seat away from
Alex. Terry sits behind Carter.
The co-pilot and attendants start back toward the plane. Ms. Lewton hustles
over to them and an airline representitive.
CO-PILOT
No one get's back on board.
That's my call.
MS. LEWTON
PLEASE... I've got forty
students going to Paris...
As these negotiations... CAMERA MOVES PAST Ms. Lewton and the Co-Pilot to
the boarding ramp door...
Clear Rivers exits and takes a seat away from the others, aware she is
unnoticed in the confusion. CAMERA INCHES IN as she looks up toward...
ALEX
CAMERA MATCHES THE MOVE TO HIM AS TOD and Mr. Murnau attemp to calm him
down.
TOD
It's alright. It's alright.
You're off the plane. You're
the plane...
Rattled, Alex is attmpted to compose himself. Ms. Lewton appears, hurriedly
pulling aside Mr. Murnau.
MS. LEWTON
Airlines not taking this very well.
They'll let one of us back on and
the rest can grab a six ten flight
Get's in two hours later at DeGaulle.
It's alright. It's not that big of a
deal.
MR. MURNAU
I'll stay.
MS. LEWTON
No, you know the whole French
thing. Get on the plane.
Murnau understands this point and takes off toward the boarding ramp door.
Pleading his case, Billy follows Murnau.
BILLY
I was in the bathroom.
The lock was stuck. I didn't
fight with anyone!
Hustling toward the door. Mr. Murnau gestures toward Ms. Lewton as if "talk
to her." He disappears down the ramp. CAMERA PUSHES IN as airline personnel
CLOSE THE DOOR...with an ominous THUD.
EXT. GATE 39 - AFTERNOON - CARTER, TERRY & BILLY'S POV
Flight 180 pulls out of gate, taxiing toward the runway.
INT. GATE 39 - OBSERVATION WINDOW - AFTERNOON
Carter turns over his shoulder, looking back angerily towards Alex. Terry
wraps a calming/restraining arm around Carter's shoulder, but he starts
towards Alex, seated with Ms. Lewton.
MENS ROOM ACROSS FROM GATE 39
Tod races out of the bathroom with a dampened paper towel.
CAMERA FOLLOWS as he hands it to Ms. Lewton seated next to Alex. The teacher
places it on Alex's forehead.
TOD
I called your mom and dad
and they're on their way.
MS. LEWTON
Alex, talk to me. What happened?
Alex looks at Tod, sho nods. His friend's expression is soothing and open.
With lowered tense tone, meant for only two people beside him...
ALEX
I... I saw it... like, I don't
know... the plane took off. I saw
it leave the runway... I looked down
and saw the ground...
Ms. Lewton and Tod exchange concered glances.
ALEX (CONT'D)
And then the cabin banged and the
left side exploded. The the whole
plane... blew up. It was so real.
Exactly how everything goes.
TOD
Been on many planes that blew
up, have you?
Good point. Alex looks away.
MS. LEWTON
You must have fallen asleep.
CARTER
We get thrown off the plane
and blow a half day in Paris
because Browning has a bad dream?
(Mocking Alex)
It's going to explode! It's
going to explode!
TOD
Fuck off, Horton.
MS. LEWTON
Tod...
A raw nerve, Alex stands.
ALEX
Only trip you're gonna take
is to the fuckin' hospital.
Carter scoffs while moving aggressively toward Alex.
Carter makes a quick move and grabs Alex. The two sicurity guards rush in to
break it up. Chaos erupts agian as the two boys wrestle in the terminal.
OBSERVATION DECK
CAMERA PUSHES INTO Billy Hitchcock, depressed as he watches the plane take
off...
BILLY
There they go and here we stay.
AIRPORT TERMINAL
One guard restrains Alex; another Carter. In the b.g. out of the observation
deck window... Flight 180 lifts off the runway.
CARTER
You're payin' for my trip
Browning!
ALEX
I wish you were on the plane!
In the b.g. the 747 head and taillights suddnely, violently, ERUPT into a
gigantic fireball of flame.
It takes a few seconds for the CONCUSSION to hit the terminal, but when it
does... BOOM! A window SHATTERS! Chairs rock! People are knocked off their
feet.
CAMERA SWEEPS INTO ALEX... stunned as he turns to the window...
ALEX'S POV - FLIGHT 180
The unceremonious speed of obliteration of hundreds of lives as cruel as
flaming debris plummets from the early evening sky.
CLEAR RIVERS
CAMERA PUSHES IN ON HER, rattled, afraid, but aware of Alex as she is first
to turn her eyes toward him.
GATE 39
Billy Hitchcock walks backward from the window, shocked by shocked step. Ms.
Lewton drops to her chair as her legs give out.
O.S., ALARMS BEGIN. The two security guards tear off toward more urgent
duties. O.S., OUTSIDE, SIRENS WAIL as emergency vehicles race to the
tragady.
CAMERA BEGINS TO MOVE toward ALEX... as Tod's head turns toward him, then
Terry's... then Carter's. In the chair, beginning to cry, Ms. Lewton eyes
Alex, as if afraid of him.
CAMERA CONTINUES. SIRENS PIERCING. The emergency vehicles' strobing red
lights reflect in Alex's eyes, now in TIGHT as he looks out, frozen with
shock... upon the doomed FLIGHT 180.
CUT TO:
INT. JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - PRESS ROOM #10 - NIGHT
SILENCE
A pair of Airline REPRESENTATIVES sit with the seven survivors, each numb
with shock. Everyone is too raw with reidual fear to show any emotion. They
sit on folding metal chairs in an empty room, too bright from the
fluorescent lights. Beneath their obvious trauma resulting from the
catastrophe... each feels uneasy by Alex's presance.
The others sit away from Alex and Tod. Alex appears wrought with guilt. He
checks the others out of the corner of his eye.
ALEX'S POV - THE ROOM
Ms. Lewton, Carter and Billy glare at Alex. Terry averts her eyes from Alex
to bury her face in Carter's shoulder.
ALEX
frightened as anyone over what has happened, tenses, defensive and scared.
With soft spoken strength...
ALEX
You're lookin' at me as if I
cuased it. I did not cuase this.
LEWTON, CARTER, TERRY, AND BILLY
maintain their uncertain expressions. With strained apprehansion, as if not
wanting to "dabble in the occult," but needing in immediate answer.
MS. LEWTON
Is everyone dead? Are there any
survivors?
WIDER
Alex is taken back by the question, yet even his best friends looks at him
for an answer.
ALEX
How would I know? You think I'm
some sort of...
CLEAR
He's not a witch.
CAMERA PUSHES IN ON Alex, relieved and thankful, as he turns to her...
CLEAR RIVERS - ALEX'S POV
CAMERA MATCHES the move INTO HER as she looks up at Alex, not with fear or
repulsion... but with knowledge of an unwanted but irrefutable connection.
WIDER
Causing a startle, the DOOR OPENS. Everyone's head whips reflexively toward
the entrance. The strange event of the flickering lights is quickly
forgotten.
A half dozen MEN and WOMEN enter the room, displaying official badges and
passes. All but two are dresses in casual clothing, having been called in
from home; the pair being F.B.I. Special Agents WEINE and SCHRECK. HOWARD
SEIGEL and DON HAWKS are representatives of the National Transportation
Safety Board. EILEEN WHALE and JACK ARNOLD are members of the Euro-Air
"Trauma Team."
The officials are sympathetic and calm, exuding the confidence and security
trauma victims look for at this time.
SEIGAL
Hello. I'm Howard Seigal, National
Transportation Safety Board vice
chairmen. We've notified your families
and they are on their way. Does anyone
feel they need medical attention or
spiritual counseling at this time?
Although the words are comforting, being in the position of having to hear
them macabre. Ms. Lewton reacts, snapping...
MS. LEWTON
Have they found any survivors?
What's going on?
Seigel is calm, yet honest... carefully honest.
SEIGAL
The cause of the explosion
is undetermined. Nassau county
authorities are on the scene. Naval
search and rescue are on rought.
He gestures... "and that's all we know." The group slips deeper into
despair.
WEINE
We understand how you must be
feeling at this hour... and although
we know it may be difficult, we must
ask you some questions... regarding
today's events, while it's still
fresh in your minds.
The survivors dread the thought of recounting the horrible experience, yet
collectively are ready to co-operate.
WEINE
It may be valuable to our rescue
attempts, or any potential...
criminal investigation.
The agents, F.B.I. badges displayed in their pockets, turn their eyes,
suspicioulsy, toward Alex.
ALEX
reacts, puzzled, as he realizes the Agents are focused on him...
CUT TO:
INT. A ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - CLOSE - SCHRECK & WEINE
are direct and professional, with no hidden agenda in searching for the
truth. Seigal and Hawks from the NTSB are behind them taking notes...
SCHRECK
You said...
(checks notes)
"Listen to me! This plane will
explode on take-off."
(to Alex)
How did you know that?
ALEX
CAMERA PUSHES IN as he looks up, nervous... not about suspicion toward him,
but trying to explain what even he doesn't understand.
ALEX
I got this... feeling... a weird
feeling... I can't explain it...
WEINE
Did you take any seditives before
boarding, or on the plane. Sleeping
pills?
ALEX
No. I saw it. I saw it!
Tears well as he grows frustrated trying to convey the unique experience.
Being trained, veteran officers, Schreck and Weine obsereve; allow him to
talk.
ALEX
Not like a dream... more than
that. I experienced the plane
exploding... it was so horrible...
I know what they all went through
tonight...
The officers remain quiet, gauging his explanation.
ALEX (CONT'D)
I'm not a pyschic... I've never had
this happen before...
The officers study him, unsure yet, carefully...
SCHRECK
Did this "weird feeling" have
anything to do with you saying
you wished Carter Horton was on the
plane... just before it exploded?
Alex looks up, stunned. He didn't even recall this until now.
ALEX
No!
SCHRECK
Why'd you say it?
He considers, owing them an explanation. The he realizes...
ALEX
Because... I... never thought
it would really happen.
Weine leans foward...
WEINE
If that's the case, Alex...
why did you really get off the
plane?
CAMERA INCHES IN as Alex considers, confused, emotional...
CUT TO:
INT. A ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - TOD
CAMERA CONTINUES THE MOVE on Tod... as if just realizing...
TOD
My brother... told me to keep
an eye on Alex. He stayed... and I
went to make sure Alex was okay.
(a whisper)
He told me to get off the plane.
INT. A SECOND ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - MS. LEWTON
displaying a similar sickened expression as Tod...
MS. LEWTON
Larry Murnau told me to get back
on... but I told him to go.
(pause, guiltily)
I sent him back on the plane.
INT. A ROOM - AIRPORT - NIGHT - WEINE
WEINE
No one forced you to get off the
plane. You told us you aren't friends
with any that did... so, why did you
leave the airplane?
CLEAR RIVERS
CAMERA INCHES IN as she looks up. With total resolve...
CLEAR
Because I saw and I heard Alex.
And... I believed him.
CUT TO:
INT. JFK INTERNATIONAL BUILDING - PRESS ROOM #10 - NIGHT
The surviviors have all returned to the room. They may be a group, but they
are alone with their thoughts. The door is opened by Ms. Whale.
Alex's Mother and Father lead by a group of parents into the room. Each
moves with grief, yet relief, to their child.
Barbara Browning grabs hold of Alex and holds him tight. The mother begins
to cry. Ken Browning, eyes welling with tears, grabs his son's hand and
squeezes. Alex does not cry. While holding his mother, he watches the
others.
ALEX'S POV - CARTER AND TERRY
Their parents are concerned, but do not demonstratively show affection.
Carter appears as if he wants to hug his MOTHER, but he can't bring himself
to betray his self image.
ALEX
his eyes moves toward...
CLEAR RIVERS
alone, hurt that no one has come to take her home.
ALEX
his eyes find...
TOD AND HIS FATHER
JERRY WAGGNER holds his son, both of them releasing anguished tears. Through
his grief, however, Jerry stares at Alex with an expression of anger and
accusation.
ALEX
CAMERA PUSHES IN ON HIM as he holds his mother tightly. OVERLAPPING... A
CRACK OF THUNDER!
CUT TO:
INT. KEN BROWNING'S CAR - NIGHT
Alex sits in the back against the door, looking out the window at the storm.
Clear Rivers is pressed against the other door. Everyone is slient. Outside,
the STORM angerily rages.
Alex is unaware that Clear is watching him, searching for some answer that
she will not now find. She looks up.
CLEAR
Here's good.
The car pulls over.
CLEAR
Thank-you for the ride.
She opens the door and flashes one more look at Alex, but he appears
unaware. She exits the car and as the door SHUTS...
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The room is empty, but the CAMERA is SLOWLY MOVING, as if ITSELF a PRESENCE.
O.S., FOOTSTEPS move up the stairs. Alex appears, his parents behind him. He
clicks on the light, sending a soft, safe, orange glow across the room.
ALEX
stands in the threshold of the doorway. His mother places a comforting hand
on his shoulder.
ALEX'S POV - PENNANT
Mt. Abraham High School Fighting Colonials.
ALEX
and now, the tears arrive. He begins crying, SOBBING, as his mother and
father hold him. O.S., OUTSIDE... lighting FLASHES... THUNDER RUMBLES...
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - BROWNING HOUSE - NIGHT - TV
CNN broadcasts video footage of the disaster. Seat cushions and personal
belongings float in the harsh floodlights.
LIVING ROOM
It is late and dark. Only the pale light of the Tv spills across the living
room. Ken and Barbara have fellen asleep, but their son remains awake.
Alex's red eyes are locked on the screen, mortified. O.S., a VICIOUS CRACK
of LIGHTNING and immediate THUNDER... as if calling Alex to the window. He
remains fixed on the TV.
ALEX'S POV - TV
An image of Hell as jet fuel burns on the ocean. O.S., as if furious at the
slight, THUNDER BANGS...
ALEX
He turns, stands... and moves to the picture window, pulling the curtains
aside as CAMERA PUSHES IN ON HIM...
ALEX'S POV - THE STORM
It is as if Nature is angry. Lightning BOLTS spider web across the sky.
THUNDER BOOMS.
A shard of lightning breaks across the front yard. Oddly, it does not make
contact. In the split second strobe of lightning flash, the bolt abstractly
appears as if it were a hand pointing directly at Alex.
ALEX
horrified, lurches away from the window, considering what he has seen. Just
felt on the ROAR OF THUNDER...
CUT TO BLACK:
Over black:
MINISTER (V.O.)
Thirty nine days have passed since
we've lost our thirty nine loved ones,
friends, and teachers.
FADE IN:
EXT. MT. ABRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL - DAY - CLOSE - ALEX
wearing a dark suit and tie, sits beside his parents on white folded chairs.
His head is bowed, guilty and sad...
MINISTER (CONT'D)
As each day passes without a
determining cause for the accident,
we ask ourselves, "Why?"
Alex raises his eyes and looks across the ceremony...
ALEX'S POV - TOD
sits with his mother, LINDA WAGGNER and his father, Jerry. Destraught, Jerry
stares off blankly at the minister.
MINISTER (CONT'D)
Ecclesiastes tell us, "Man no
more knows his time than fish
taken in the fatel net...
ALEX
guiltily averts his eyes. Ken notes this and wraps a comforting arm around
his son.
MINISTER (CONT'D)
...or birds trapped in the
snare...
Alex checks over his shoulder.
ALEX'S POV - OVER HIS SHOULDER - LAST ROW OF SEATS
Special agents Schreck and Weine subtly survey the area, taking notes.
Although their eyes are beyond sunglasses, the tilt of their head indicates
they are watching Alex.
MINISTER (CONT'D)
...like these the children of
men...
ALEX
turns away, tense. He looks at the minister.
MINISTER (CONT'D)
...caught when the Time falls
suddenly upon them."
CAMERA PUSHES INTO ALEX feeling eyes upon them. He looks up...
ALEX'S POV - CLEAR RIVERS
is actually sxy and a bit scandalous in her black dress. Still, she is off
by herself, eyes burning at Alex as if challenging him to challenge the
words being spoken.
ALEX
self-consciously turns away, unable to face her, let alone the words being
spoken.
MINISTER (CONT'D O.S.)
And so before we can heal, before
we can escape the presence of Death
Time, we must mourn and celebrate
theirs' with this memorial.
WIDER
A student with a guitar and harmonica stands at the microphone. Without
intoroduction, he begins Neil Young's "Long May You Run."
Two other students remove a cloth, unvieling a memorial sculpture, etched
with the names of the departed. The gathered stand and begin paying their
respects to the memorial.
MEMORIAL LINE
Carter and Terry appear IN FRAME. Terry holds a rose. As they move slowly up
toward the memorial, Alex gets in line behind them. Carter knows Alex is
there, but will not look at him.
CARTER
Hope you don't think, Browning,
that because my name ain't on
this wall... that I owe you
anything.
ALEX
I don't.
CARTER
(re: victims)
All I owe is these people.
(turns to Alex)
To live my life to the fullest.
Alex winces from Carters breath...
ALEX
Then, maybe you should lay off
the J.D.
Carter has an angry reflexve reaction, grabbing Alex threateningly by the
forearm. Terry immediately tries to get Carter to release his hold.
CARTER
Don't ever fucking again tell
me what to do. I control me. Not
you.
Carter and Alex lock eyes, Alex refrainingfrom showing any pain caused by
Carter's grip. Terry fianlly gets him to release.
CARTER
I'm never gonna die.
He moves off. Terry, however, holds a beat, eyes Alex and gently rubs the
area of his arm, as if this is the only manner she can extend her gratitiude
in Carter's presence. As Alex pats her arm, Terry quickly moves off.
Shaken, Alex considers whether to move foward to the memorial. He steps
aside to let the others go ahead as Billy Hitchcock, who as finished paying
his respects, spots Alex and heads back up the line.
BILLY
I took my driver's test this
week at the DMV...
Alex turns to him, increudlously..
BILLY
Got a 70. Lowest score, but I
passed. When I was done with the
test, the guy who drives with
you, during the test, he goes,
"Young man, you're going to die
at a very young age."
(beat to Alex.)
That true?
ALEX
Not here, not now.
(beat)
Not EVER!
Billy sighs, and moves OUT OF FRAME, only to quickly RE-ENTER...
BILLY
If I ask out Cynthia Paster,
will she say "no?"
Alex flashes Billy and angry glare. He gets the message and moves off, for
good. Alex returns in line, moving toward the memorial.
Valerie Lewton places a rose at the base of the memorial then studies the
engraved names as the students move past behind her. Alex approaches,
watching her as she reaches out with a trembling finger, touching the etched
names...
CLOSE - MEMORIAL
Linda Krauss... Thomas Lewis... John McConnell.
RETURN
Alex stands near her, sympathetically, understanding her pain....
ALEX
Ms. Lewton...
Her eyes fill with tears and fear. Alex places a comforting hand on her
shoulder, but she reacts quickly, pulling it away from him, her eyes
piercing at him.
MS. LEWTON
Don't talk to me. You scare the hell
out of me.
Alex is shattered as the teacher moves away. Tod ENTERS and faces the
memorial.
TOD
(a greeting)
Hey.
Alex notices Tod is in line behind him. Alex looks around for Tod's father.
He is not in line...
ALEX
I don't want to sound gay, or
nothin, but... I miss you.
Tod subtly nods, reaching out to the memorial.
CLOSE - MEMORIAL
Tod's hand moves across his brother's name... GEORGE WAGGNER.
RETURN
As Tod longs for his brother, then looks at his friend.
TOD
Me, too.
(beat)
But my dad doesn't understand.
When he's better; you and me,
road trip to the City. Catch the
Yanks.
ALEX
That's a plan.
Tod nods. The two friends stand uncomfortably foar a beat before Tod
gestures to the podium.
TOD
I gotta go. This thing Ms. Lewton
showed me in her class, they're
gonna let me read it. It says what I'm
feeling.
Tod holds his friend's arm for strength as he passes. Clear Rivers appears
in line, holding a rose. She looks at the memorial, before her startling
eyes turn to Alex. Even away from these circumsatances, Alex would have
trouble handling her intense maturity. As he begins to step away, she
thrusts the rose to him. He looks up puzzled.
CLEAR
Because of you... I'm still
alive. Thank-you.
Alex takes the rose and she walks away. CAMERA PUSHES IN ON HIM as he
eyes... feels... the red flower.
TOD (V.O.)
We say that in the hour of death
cannot be forecast...
TIME CUT:
EXT. MT ABRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL - DAY - THE PODIUM
Tod nervously stands before the assembly, reading aload with a sad, yet
opimistic resolve. CAMERA PUSHES IN, at an ominous ANGLE and rhythm, to the
podium.
TOD (CONT'D)
But when we say this, we imagine
that the hour is placed in an obscure
and distant future.
As he speaks, the sunlight suddenly turns to shadow.
ALEX
looks up at the sky...
THE SKY - ALEX'S POV
Within the deep blue, a single black cloud blocks the sun.
ALEX
CAMERA INCHES IN as, troubled, he looks back to Tod...
TOD
as he continues to read...
TOD (CONT'D)
It never occurs to us that it
has any connection with the day
already begun or that death could
arrive this same afternoon.
CUT TO:
EXT. WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING
Storm clouds devour a waxing crescent moon above a modest home set amongst
the edge of the woods.
TOD (V.O., CONT'D)
This afternoon... which is so certain...
and which has every hour filled in
advance.
INT. LIVING ROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT
A lone light glows. Jerry Waggner has fallen asleep, perhaps passed out,
reclined in "dad's chair." Tod's mother is asleep on the sofa, balls of
tissue on the floor. Tod enters the room and stares sadly at his parents...
Tod picks up a glass and swigs the remainder of his father's scotch before
moving off and climbing the stairs.
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CLOSE - TABLE FAN
swivels as it distributes it's breeze.
ALEX
sits at his desk, dark circles beneath his eyes. Swamping the desk are
printouts of Internet Web pages and newspaper articles concerning the crash
of Flight 180, forensic engineering textbooks, NTSB reports on past airline
disasters and... REALITY BEYOND MATTER: Vaishnava Philosophy.
Alex studies his mountain of research, increasingly obsessed.
An O.S. paper FLUTTER draws his attention to the newspaper being blown by
the fan. He reaches out and grabs it. Headlines and photos report on the
memorial service.
CAMERA PUSHES IN as he sighs, troubled...
ALEX'S POV - NEWSPHOTO
Clear Rivers sits in her seat, legs crossed, alluring and sexy and
mysterious.
ALEX
closes the paper, puzzeled by his reaction. He shakes it off and throws the
paper on the desk. Alex considers for a beat, then pulls open a lower
drawer. Digging through the mess inside, he finds his stash... the April
1997 issue of Penthouse.
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT
Alight CLICKS on REVEALING an old, '20's built bathroom. The toilet is
beside the bathtub/shower, with just anough knee space to the counter
cabinets when one lifts the toilet.
Tod puts the lid down and UNSNAPS his jeans. As he turns, pulls his pants
down and sits, CAMERA MOVES to the CURTAINS... still... until a cold soft
breeze causes them to billow. CAMERA FOLLOWS the windas it CONTINUES into
the room, rippling across shower curtains.
As the breeze passes Tod, he pause... as if sensing, but not
understanding... this is more than a wayward autumn breeze. He moves to
close the window, however, CAMERA CONTINUES as the air makes ITS way to the
door.
The door is softly pushed closed by the breeze.
BACK OF THE TOILET TANK
Tod sits, back to CAMERA, which CRANES DOWN the tank, STOPPING behind the
locking nut and water line pipe.
As the toilet FLUSHES O.S., CAMERA NOW INTO the locking nut, which begins to
slightly rattle. Drips of water stream from the tank onto the floor.
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Alex flips the magizine open to a centerfold.
PENTHOUSE PICTORIAL
The model's pose and expression tempt Alex towards the momentary respite
form his troubles. The caption beneath the centerfold pictorial reads,
"Tymme Has Come Today!"
ALEX
considers the repsrts on the Flight 180 crash, then returns his attention to
the magizine. He unzips his pants, then pauses... his eyes returning
hesitantly to the newspaper photo of Clear...
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT- CLOSE- RAZOR BLADE
waits on the counter. CAMERA PULLS AWAY as Tod picks it up. He looks at his
face in the mirror, as if behind him... a black indiscernible form, like a
shadow, however, actually a presence incapable of reflecting light.
Tod whips around...
a puddle forms, creeping toward the heel of Tod's stocking feet.
TOD
turns on the faucet and grabs this toothbrush, squeezing paste onto the
bristles.
CLOSE - FAUCET
the f.g. running water is out of FOCUS. In the b.g. sits an unplugged
radio.
TOD
notes the radio. CAMERA FLLOWS HIS HAND as he grabs the plug.
THE PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR
grows closer to his foot...
ELECTRICAL SOCKET
the radio plug is inserted.
TOD
turns on the radio...
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
And they say that he got crazy
once and he tried to touch the sun.
spooked, quickly turns it off, unplugs it and pushes it aside.
THE PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR
continues to grow...
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - NEWSPHOTO - CLEAR RIVERS
Odd, how one can appear so erotic at a funeral.
ALEX
studies the photograph, then notices the rose she gave him. Succumbing to
guilt, feeling like the freak of all teenagers believe they are, Alex sets
the paper back on the desk. He grabs the Penthouse and turns, opening the
desk drawer in order to return the magizine, however...
A LOUD BANG turns Alex's head to the window!
ALEX'S POV - WINDOW
An OWL has apparently smashed into the window, awkwardly flapping it's large
wings, then turns it's head toward Alex, large yellow eyes shining like an
alien creature.
WIDER
Startled, Alex reflexively throws the Penthouse across the room, pages
tearing as it hits the sill. The giant bird flies off.
THE TABLE FAN
swivels, a page catching in the whirling blades.
A PIECE OF PAPER
torn form the magizine flits across the room.
ALEX
CAMERA INCHES IN ON HIM as the piece of paper ENTERS FRAME, floating and
flitting until landing on his knee. He picks it up and turns it over...
ALEX'S POV - PIECE OF PAPER
is torn in such a manner that the only lettlers remaining from the
centerfold's caption are "...Tod..."
CUT TO:
INT. BATHROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT - SHOWER CURTAIN
is pulled aside REVEALING two pairs of Linda Waggner's nylons drying on a
retractable clothesline.
THE PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR
his foot slips...
TOD
fals foward.
THE RETRACTABLE CLOTHESLINE
retracts! WHIPPING wildly!
THE SOAP DISH
Tod's hand tries to grab anything to hold him. His hand slips, knocking over
a bottle of shampoo.
TOD'S NECK
the thin clothesline coils around his neck. The plastic anchor wraps beneath
the cord, essentially creating a noose.
PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR
He slips again.
TOD
falls against the back wall of the shower stall, pulled by the restracting
wire. He kicks with his feet, desperately trying to gain a footing.
SHOWER HEAD - TOD'S POV
quickly, reflected in the chrome... the dark shadow approaches...
BATHTUB
Tod's feet slip in the slick shampoo and water.
CLOSE - TOD'S EYES
flare. Blood vessels burst. He GROANS, attempting to call out.
THE BATHROOM DOOR
is closed
INT. LIVING ROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT
Tod's parents remain asleep. O.S., a FAINT MUFFLE can be HEARD.
INT. BATHROOM - WAGGNER HOUSE - NIGHT - CLOSE - TOD'S NECK
his hands tear at his flesh, desperately trying to pull the cord from his
neck.
TOD'S EYES
dart desperatlely toward the counter.
ON THE COUNTER
a pair of nose hair scissors.
TOD
CHOCKING, GASPING, face turning purple, reaches for the counter.
ON THE COUNTER
Tod's hand ENTER FRAME. The scissors, sadistically just out of reach.
TOD'S FACE
FALL INTO FRAME, suspended by the cord, propped against the back wall of the
shower stall, his bluish purple tongue grotesquely justs from his mouth.
TOD'S POV - DEATH
all four edges of FRAME appear to collapse as if by weight of the darkness
until forming a myopic center. Then, from within the center... appears Tod's
face. Although the expression is serene the pallor is grayish, until...
suddnely, shockingly... Tod's face decays, as if ten years of rot in the
grave is compressed into 72 FRAMES.
TOD
The moment of realization...
HIS FEET
kick upon the slippery basin. After a beat... they stop.
TOD
As his body settles... dies... CAMERA PULLS AWAY fully revealing his
lifeless form. Once behind the toilet tank, CAMERA CRANES DOWN to the floor.
The water eerily retreats from the floor, slipping back toward the base of
the toilet and like a murderer, slips out of the night.
CUT TO:
EXT. WAGGNER HOUSE - LATER - CLOSE - SIREN LIGHTS
whirls and flash INTO CAMERA. CAMERA CRANES DOWN, ADJUSTING to REVEAL a
Paramedics vehicle, a Sullivan County, N.Y. Sheriff's patrol car and
unmarked sedan.
CAMERA CONTINUES MOVING UNTIL REVEALING Alex Browning racing down the
sidewalk. He runs into a CLOSE-UP, sweating, out of breath, expression
horrified as he takes in the scene before him.
SPECIAL AGENTS SCHRECK WEINE
stand in the front yard. Scgreck subtly redirects Weine's attention
toward...
ALEX - SPECIAL AGENT'S POV
The boy franically moves to a paramedic.
ALEX
What happened? Is Tod alright?
SCHRECK AND WEINE
hearing this, they turn to one another, with an expression suggesting a
deepening suspicion.
ALEX
sees the officers. Assuming they are sympathetic to his concern, he starts
toward them, until...
CLEAR (O.S.)
Alex!
Alex stops, looks around. Behind the tree and in the shadows of the adjusent
house, stands Clear Rivers.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
(a warning)
Get outta here!
CAMERA PUSHES INTO ALEX, stunned, but before he can ask any further
questions, a METALLIC CLACKING draws his attention back toward the house.
ALEX'S POV - A COVERED GURNEY
is rolled out of the front door by paramedics and an official with a jacket
marked "CORONER," Behind the body follows Tod's father. He pauses in the
doorway as he spots Alex in the front yard.
ALEX
is pale, nauseous. His eyes follow his friends dead body as it is rolled
toward the paramedics vehicle. Tod's father approaches Alex, the agents
stand nearby.
ALEX
What... what happened?
Mr. Waggner glares at Alex, accusingly.
MR. WAGGNER
Didn't you... "see" it?
Alex is stung, guilty. He averts his eyes. Schreck and Weine note this
reaction.
MR. WAGGNER (CONT'D)
Couldn't you "predict" it?
Couldn't you read his mind?
Alex remains silent, hurt.
ALEX
Mr. Waggner...
MR. WAGGNER
You caused Tod so much guilt
over George staying on the plane
that...
(breaking down)
He tooks is own life.
Alex is stunned, defensive
ALEX
He wouldn't do it!
Mr. Waggner turns toward the paramedics van, as if "there's the proof."
ALEX
He... he told me we would be friends
agian after you got better. After you
got over George. Why would he make plans
for the future if he were planning on
killing himself?
MR. WAGGNER
All my wife and I will ever know is we
wouldn't have lost our youngest son... if
you told our oldest to get off the plane.
Alex is rocked as if having taken a punch to the face. Mr. Waggner begins to
walk toward the peramedics vehicle. Alex eyes the F.B.I. agents, who, after
studying beat, turn and move toward their vehicle.
The gathered spectators begin whispering to one another, clearly about Alex,
causing him to search for, what appears to be, his only ally, Clear Rivers.
ALEX'S POV - ADJACENT YARD
Clear is gone.
FRONT YARD
everyone has moved away from Alex, leaving him very alone. Alex's eyes
remained locked on the peramedics' vehicle. As the ambulance doors CLOSE on
the body of his best friend...
CUT TO:
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY - CLOSE - LEAVES ON TREES
A soft summer breeze passes through the leaves on a tree. A yellow leaf
drops from the branch and flutters to the ground. CAMERA FOLLOWS until it
falls upon an old cracked sidewalk.
A pair of worn Nikes ENTER FRAME just as the leaf drops before them. The
feet and CAMERA HOLD until CRANING UP to REVEAL Alex, staring at the leaf
with an expression reminiscent of the torn paper's message about "...Tod."
CLEAR (O.S.)
Almost Autumn.
Alex looks off toward a small unkept house, nestled at the edge of the
woods. In the open garage stands Clear Rivers amonst cluttered artwork,
supplies and tools. Her t-shirt's sleeves have been cut off and neck-line
cut low. Her jeans have a revealing hole at the spot which once was a back
pocket. She wears heav black work shoes. A dog rests nearby on the floor.
ALEX
It's only the end of June.
CLEAR
(shrugs)
Yeah, but everthing's always in
transition. If you focus, even
now, one week into summer... you
can feel Autumn coming.
(beat)
Almost like bein' able... to see
the future.
Alex reads her intention loud and clear. She returns to her artwork. The dog
GROWLS softly as Alex appraches the garage.
INT/EXT. GARAGE - CLEAR RIVERS' HOUSE - DAY
Entering the garage, Alex gets a closer look at her artwork. It's abstract
sculpture and canvas work and pretty bad, at that.
CLEAR
Know what this is?
She gestures to him to approach her. He tenses awkward, but moves closer.
Clear lifts a plastic cover off a canvas. Beneath is a mess of green and
brown and orange; teen angst poorly communicated. Glued to the center is a
twisted piece of metal.
ALEX
Like, um... you're mad about
something?
She sighs, "thanks a lot," then proud, but not enough to make her appear
foolish over her bad artwork, indicates the metal.
CLEAR
A piece of debris... from the
plane. I went to the shore off
the crash site and it washed up
the beach.
ALEX
You went there? I've wanted to
go there, but I thought It was
off limits.
CLEAR
It is. But that didn't stop me.
Shouldn't stop you.
Alex gently touches the piece of the plane, almost expecting to feel
something more than cold metal. He looks to Clear...
ALEX
Why were you there last night?
While she cleans brushes with a can of turpentine...
CLEAR
Look, I've seen enough T.V. to know,
the F.B.I. doesn't investigate teen
suicides. But they were there last night,
that means; one, they still don't have a
clue what caused the crash. Two, they haven't
ruled out anything. And the fact that seven
people got off the plane is probably weird
enough, not to mention, that one of those
people had a vision, or whatever, of it exploding
minutes before it did explode, is highly
suspicious. And it doesn't help that the
visionaries' friend just committed suicide.
Alex eyes her for a long beat. She turns away from him, returning the can of
turpentine to a shelf.
ALEX
Why were you there last night?
Clear turns to Alex. The two couldn't appear more different. She moves to a
sculpture, an ugly black and green globular sculpture with a white dot in
the center.
CLEAR
Know what this is?
Alex, cocks his eyebrow probably thinking, "a mess?" but tactfully shakes
his head "no."
CLEAR
It's you.
Remaining dry and stoned faced, Alex tenses, uncomfortable.
CLEAR
Not a likeness. It's how you
make me feel, Alex.
ALEX
I'm... really sorry.
CLEAR
Like you, the sculpture doesn't even
know what, or why, it is. Reluctant
to take form. And, yet, creating an
absolute but incomprehansible attraction.
Uncertain, and yet moved, Alex listens.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
Before that day, you were just another
suburban nothing that would never have
anything to do with my life. And I'm sure
you thought I was some Marilyn Manson body
pierced freak, or whatever.
(beat)
But at that moment... on the plane... I
felt what you felt. I didn't know where
all those emotions were coming from until
you started freaking out.
Alex sighs, embarrassed.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
I didn't see what you saw, but I felt it
Okay, I'm not into all that X-Files bullshit...
but it was a psychic connection. Why to me?
Why to you?
Jarred, he eyes her, frightened.
CLEAR
And you can still feel it, can't you?
Something, from that day is still with you.
I know, because I can still feel you.
Alex is increasingly uncomfortable by the subject, but eased by Clear's
apparent, somewhat, understanding. Lowering his tone...
CLEAR
That's why I was there last night.
ALEX
I've never dealt with death before.
I wasn't alive when my grandparents
died. I wish I could know. I mean, all
this... could just be in our heads. Now it
feels like I'ts everywhere.
CLEAR
"It?"
ALEX
What if Tod... is just the first...
of us?
The idea sends a shot of apprehension through Clear.
CLEAR
Is that something you're "feeling?"
ALEX
I don't know. I wish I could just see
him... one more time, then, maybe... I
would know.
CLEAR
Then, let's go see him!
Alex reacts, shocked and yet her impulsiveness is exciting...
CUT TO:
INT. FUNERAL HOME - FOYER - NIGHT
CAMERA is LOW, moving across the paisley carpet. Dim light, spilling through
the stained glass windows, falls upon the creepy decor, appearing as if
designed by a morose Laura Ashley, floor model coffins and urns. CAMERA
CONTINUES, TILTING UP to the CEILING, REVEALING a stained glass skylight.
Outside, on the roof, two silhouettes appear...
The skylight hinges CRACK open. Clear leads the way. lifting the frame, then
dropping it throught the skylight window.
Alex is not as smooth as his socius criminus. Using his knee to slow his
descent, he hangs from the sill for a moment before dropping to the carpet.
CAMERA MOVES WITH Alex and Clear through the unsettling reception area;
plastic flowers, gold candelabra, plaster cherubs and angels. A bronze
plaque identifies: "MT. ABRAHAM FUNERAL HOME. THE JOURNEY'S END. WILLIAM
BLUDWORTH - INTERMEDIARY."
CLEAR
(whispering)
Gives me a rush...
ALEX
This place?!
CLEAR
Doin' somethin' I'm not supposed to.
With a hot, mischievous smile, Clear proceeds toward the hallway. Alex
anxiously sighs... then follows.
INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - FUNERAL HOME - NIGHT
An elevator with collapsible metal door, lowers INTO FRAME. Pushing the door
aside, Alex and Clear proceed into the hallway, lined with morgue green
tile. Stainless steel gurneys and porcelain equipment holding yellow
surgical tubing and thick foot long needles sit in the corridor.
A faint light spills from beneath a doorway. Clear reaches out to the knob
but Alex quickly grabs her hand. From a cart behind them, he pulls a latex
glove out of a box and snaps it on.
ALEX
Good call. Very "Quincy"
Alex tries the doorknob. Locked. He looks at her, defeated. Clear quickly
points to some mortician's tools on the cart.
From it, Alex produces a thin six inch needle. He inserted the tool in the
lock and jimmies the doorknob. CLACK!
INT. MORGUE - FUNERAL HOME - NIGHT
A lone desk lamp shines. Across the room, laying on a porcelain table, fluid
draining tubes attached, lies Tod. A sheet is pulled up to his shoulders. He
carries the macabre appearence of corspe having been made up by a mortician.
Hair combed and sprayed, skin tone too orange, blush too rouge and lips too
red.
As Alex and Clear approach...
ALEX
That... him?
CLEAR
I think. But why'd they make him
up like... Michael Jackson?
ALEX
That's him, but... he's not
here. That... whatever... that
whatever made him Tod is gone.
Suddenly, Tod jerks; his hand lifting four inches...
ALEX CLEAR
Ahhh! fuck! You fucking Ohmygod! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD!
asshole. You think this He's not dead? Tod, if
is funny, you fucking dick! you're not dead I'm gonna
fucking kill you!
MR. BLUDWORTH (O.S.)
Please don't yell...
Both are joled again with shock, turning toward the voice...
MR. BLUDWORTH
CAMERA PUSHES, LOW ANGLE, INTO WILLAIM BLUDWORTH, an African-American man,
early 50's, dressed in dark suit and tie.
MR. BLUDWORTH
You'll wake the dead.
He flashes a dry morticians smile, pleased by his won pun. Alex and Clear
haven't recovered from the corspe's actions to calmly address Bludworth..
ALEX
Why..?
Alex comletes his question by raising his hand, ala Tod's dead body.
Bludworth nods, understanding...
MR. BLUDWORTH
Chemicals in the vascular flush
create cadaveric spasm.
As the startle of the situation settles, it dawns on Alex that they have
been busted. He nervously offers an explanation.
ALEX
I'm... a friend of his. His best
friend. See, his father...
MR. BLUDWORTH
(ominous)
I know who you are.
The mortician eyes Alex, understanding. Alex senses this and eases. Clear
moves toward Tod's body, examining the neck area.
CLEAR
They said he hung himself,
but there's no marks.
MR. BLUDWORTH
I crafted a reconstruction of
the Laryngeal prominence region
with Velvetone Surgical Wax and
Permaseal.
Clear moves in for a closer look, then calls Alex over to the body. After a
beat of reluctance, Alex looks at Tod's neck.
ALEX
What are all those tiny marks?
ALEX'S POV - CLOSE - TOD'S NECK
The wounds have been filled with wax and covered by greasepaint. At this
proximity, however, it is apparent tiny cuts line the area above and below
the large cut made by the wire.
MR. BLUDWORTH (V.O.)
Cuticle lacerations.
WIDER
ALEX
Why would he pull at the wire,
if he weren't committing suicide.
CLEAR
Why would they say it was a
suicide... if it weren't?
Because of the supernatural "message" he recieved, Alex is reluctant to
answer. He eyes Mr. Bludworth, who, with a wry half smile, eyes Alex as if
ware of the reason behind his hesitation.
ALEX
His father's pretty fucked up
with denial. Maybe he couldn't
deal with the thought of an other
accident... taking another son.
MR. BLUDWORTH
In Death...
CAMERA INCHES TOWARD the mortician. In this environment, lit with Fritz Lang
shadows, Bludworth's tone, appearance... he could easily be mistaken for
personificationof the subject.
MR. BLUDWORTH
... there are no accidents. No
coincidents. No mishaps.
(smiles)
And no... escapes.
ALEX
You saying Tod did kill himself?
Bludworth moves to Tod on the draining table, disconnecting the tubes
connecting the body to hte embalming chemicals.
MR. BLUDWORTH
Suicide. Murder. Plane crash.
What does it matter? He was
going to end someday. From the
minute you're cut loose from the
womb... it's a one way ticket on a
trip to the tomb.
Vile liquid oozes out of the body onto the porcelain table.
MR. BLUDWORTH
You may not realize it, but we're
all just a mouse that a cat has by
it's tail. Every single move we make,
form the mundane to the monumental...
the red light we stop at, or run; the
people we have sex with, or won't with
us; the airplane we ride, or walk out of...
is all a part of Death's sadistic design
leading to the grave.
ALEX
Design?
The mortician considers as he drains some yellowish green fluid from the
table. He shrugs then continues his work...
MR. BLUDWORTH
If Life is like a box of chocolates...
Death... Death is like a big Milton Bradley
game of "Mouse Trap." The day you're born is
just the boot, hanging from the streetlamp,
kicking the marble to get hings rolling. Growing
up is only the marble rolling down the curving
shute. You feel immortal having survived school,
sex, drugs 'n' rock 'n' roll, but you've really
only upset the big hand holding the steel ball
that falls into the bathtub. Marriage and kids
and career seem to make it all worthwhile until the
ball hits the see-saw and flips the diving man
into the big barrel. In the old folks home or the
hospital you just see the big cage rattling down
until it captures... the mouse.
(beat)
Game over.
Alex considers as Clear eyes him, conveying "this guys's whacked!" Alex
moves toward Bludworth...
ALEX
Maybe there's no way to win... but...
if you figured out the game... you knew
were the "steel ball was rolling" couldn't
you avoid the trap and extend the playing time?
Couldn't you... cheat Death at It's own game?
Mr. Bludworth looks directly at Alex. CAMERA MOVES IN ON EACH,
INDIVIDUALLY... this between the two of them.
MR. BLUDWORTH
You already did that by walking off
the plane. Now you gotta out when and
how it'll come back at you.
(beat)
Play your hunch, Alex. If you think
you can get away from it.
(beat)
But beware the risk of cheating the plan,
disrespecting the design... could inicate
a horrifying fury that would terrorize even
the Grim Reaper.
(beat)
And you don't even want to fuck with that
Mack Daddie.
Alex's eyes are locked on Bludworth's chilling, pleasant smile. The
mortician yanks on a tube, REVEALING a foot long needle removed from Tod's
spinal column. The horrific nature of death is vividly demonsrated to Alex.
ALEX
I'm sorry we broke in.
MR. BLUDWORTH
No harm. No foul.
Alex grabs her arm, starting toward the door.
CLEAR
We didn't find what we were looking
for.
Alex looks at Bludworth...
ALEX
Yeah, we did.
MR. BLUDWORTH
CAMERA PUSHES INTO the mortician, pleased the message has been recieved.
MR. BLUDWORTH
I'll see you soon.
CUT TO:
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY
BREAKING LOUDLY, startling, a public bus PULLS INTO CAMERA and stops. The
doors HISS open.
CLEAR (O.S.)
The mortician was whacked.
CAMERA ADJUSTS as Alex and Clear step off the bus and onto the street.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
He was trippin' on formaldehyde.
Clear starts up the street, but Alex grabs her arm and steps back, assuring
the bus moves off... saftly. He nods, "it's safe to go." Throughout the
fllowing, his eyes are searching for anything potentially deadly.
ALEX
He said Death has a design. Even
before he said that I had been
seeing patterns.
CLEAR
(sarcastic)
As in flannels and plaids?
Up ahead, scaffolds rise before a building being restored. O.S., HAMMERING
and CONSTRUCTION WORK POUND from above. In the f.g., tools and metal spikes.
After a "thumbs up" gesture, the rope is pulled UP AND OUT OF FRAME.
ALEX
How many dies on Flight 180?
From our group?
CLEAR
Thirty-nine.
ALEX
Remember the gate number?
As Clear takes a moment to consider, Alex steers them well around the
scaffolds, etes skyward during the move...
CLEAR
No.
ALEX
Thirty-nine.
This is a creepy fact. Even though past the construction, Alex checks over
his shoulder to assure they are out of harms way.
ALEX
Remember the departure time?
CLEAR
Like... 4:25.
Reaching an intersection, Alex pushes the pedestrian traffic light button,
then steps well away from the curb.
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC SIGNAL
the halting red had is lit.
ALEX (V.O.)
Do you know when I was born?
INTERSECTION
Clear sighs, growing impatient with Alex.
CLEAR
4:25
ALEX
Right. April 25th.
CLEAR
Wait. I thought you meant the time
of your birth. Four/Twenty-five, as
in, month and day... that's a reach.
PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC SIGNAL
the halting red hand turns to the little white walking man.
INTERSECTION
Clear takes a step off the sidewalk and onto the street. Alex tugs her back,
looking both ways while outraged by her challenge.
ALEX
My birthday is the same as of
the time I was meant to die!?
That's a reach!?
VROOM! A car indeed makes a right, TEARING through the intersection. Once
past, Alex takes Clear by the arm and hustles them across the street.
CLEAR
You're sounding like those people
who, you know... "Oswald shot Kennedy
from a warehouse and hid in a theatre
and Booth shot Lincoln in a theatre and
hid in a warehouse."
CAMERA HOLDS REVEALING an unmarked sedan parked across and down for
Starbucks with outdoor seating. Schreck and Weine sit in the car, eyes
coolly locked on Alex and Clear.
DOWN THE STREET - HEADING WEST
Billy Hitchcock rides toward the Starbucks on his bicycle.
EXT. STARBUCKS - DAY
sitting outside, Alex hunches over the table, increasingly anxious. Clear
listens; expressions skeptical.
ALEX
I'm not just layin' down a bunch
of math here, with this. I'm talking
about indications... omens... that
day, that we were meant to die. That,
if, we have been aware of... would have
saved everyone on the plane.
CLEAR
That's total bullshit. You can find
death omens anywhere you want to.
She picks up her paper coffee cup.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
Hey, look! "Coffee" starts with a "C"
and ends with an "E." So does the word
"choke!" We're going to choke to death!
Oh no! Starbuck was a whaler. We're going
to be harpooned!
Alex angerily glares at Clear. Clear drops her tone.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
You'll go nuts if you start with
that shit.
Ms. Lewton appears from around the corner. She starts toward the entrance,
but pauses, tensing when she sees Alex.
He cautiously flashes a greeting smile. The teacher, however, averts her
eyes and continues into the coffee shop. Alex sighs, guiltily. Clear
sympathizes with both of them.
CLEAR
She's leaving the school. Moving
away.
Alex studies, appealing to her...
ALEX
Clear, how do we know that by
just sitting here, breathing this
air or sipping the coffee, having
crossed the street... we havn't started
in motion the events that will lead to our
death? Fifty years from now. Ten years. Tomorrow.
(beat)
You son't unless... you're able to open
yourself to the signs I's willing to show you.
He leans foward, removing a peice of paper from his pocket.
CLOSE - ALEX'S HAND
slides across the table. Opening his hand REVEALS the piece of paper
reading, "... Tod..." Clear's hand ENTER'S FRAME to take the paper. CAMERA
FOLLOWS AS SHE raises it, he expression obviously puzzeled. As she eyes Alex
for an explanation, CAMERA CRANES DOWN QUICKLY to the empty paper cups on
the table...
... a slight approaching BREEZE knocks them over.
DOWN THE STREET - HEADING WEST
A somewhat cherry 70's muscle car speeds in the direction of the Starbucks.
Carter Horton is driving. Terry Chaney rides shotgun. Carter looks out the
window.
CARTER'S POV - MOVING ALEX AND CLEAR
She holds the paper as Alex, apparently, explains the story.
CARTER'S CAR
CARTER scowls, his anger rising as he slows, starting at the perceived
reasons for his problems.
ALEX AND CLEAR
Her eyes turned for the paper to Alex, concerned about him...
CLEAR
I don't understand... did you
see Tod die? Did it happen agian,
like on the plane?
ALEX
No, but it might as well be the
same thing. This was a message...
from someone, or something...
hinting... at the design.
CLEAR
Alex, on the plane... you must
have experienced... some kind of
hyper awareness. But here... you're
suggesting Tod's death... and maybe
our own... will happen because of...
an active Presance.
Alex nods, feeling she's understanding.
ALEX
The mortician said Death has a design.
Now... if you, me, Tod, Carter, Terry,
Billy, Ms. Lewton messed up that design,
because, for whatever reason, I was able
to see Death's plan... then we cheated it.
(beat)
But what if it was our time, what if we
were not meant to get off that plane? What
if it is still is our time? If... It... is
still not finished with us? We will all still
die; now, not later.
Troubled and deeply concerned, Clear studies Alex.
ALEX (CONT'D)
Unless... we find the pattern.
And cheat it again.
Clear sets the paper down, looking sadly at Alex.
CLEAR
After hearing you, just now...
I do believe...
Alex leans back and sighs, relieved...
CLEAR (CONT'D)
... that Tod killed himself.
Alex is taken aback, hurt and angery.
ALEX
Then there's no one left who can help me.
CARTER'S CAR
His eyes having never left Alex, Carter suddenly cranks the wheel hard to
the left to make a tight U-Turn.
BILLY HITCHCOCK
rides his bike. He reacts, startled by...
BILLY HITCHCOCK'S POV - CARTER'S CAR
barreling down towards him. The car cuts in front of the bicycle to complete
the U-Turn.
WIDER
Billy SWERVES to the left, directly in front of an oncoming car. The car
SWERVES right, as does Billy, avoiding a certain fatal collision for the
cyclist. The oncoming car HONKS!
Carter's car pulls up to the curb. Oblivious to the accident he almost
caused, Carter get's out strutting toward the tables outside the coffee
shop. Inside the car, Terry sighs...
TERRY
Baby, come on... not now.
But her boyfriend continues. She gets out and hustles after him.
ALEX AND CLEAR
Their attention drawn by the commotion, Clear and Alex watch Carter Horton
approach them, followed by Terry, who stops, irked, near the curb at the
crosswalk.
TERRY
Carter...
At that moment, Ms. Lewton exits with an ezpresso drink. Sensing trouble,
she has no energy or desire to involve herself.
CARTER
Kind of have a reunion, here.
TERRY
Let it go!
Carter steps before Ms. Lewton, blocking her exit...
CARTER
When are you moving?
MS. LEWTON
A couple of weeks.
She can't wait to leave. While trying to walk around Carter...
CARTER
We're losing our favorite teacher.
ALEX
Look, there's something you should
all know.
CLEAR
Alex...
Carter eyes Alex, continuing the taunt. He raises the volume of his words to
drown out Alex's words and incite conflict.
CARTER (CONT'D) ALEX (CONT'D)
Lived here her whole life. This'll be hard to believe.
Ms. Lewton's eyes flash to Alex, afraid of him.
CARTER (CONT'D) ALEX (CONT'D)
And now she has to move. Listen to me, we may all
All because of Browning. be in danger...
TERRY
Shut up! The both of you!
The two boys stop their heated exchange.
TERRY (CONT'D)
They died! We lived!
(beat)
Get over it! I won't let that plane
crash be the most important thing in my
life. I'm moving on, Carter, and if you're
gonna waste your life beating the shit out of
Alex everytime you see him, then you can just
drop fucking dead!
Head and shoulders remaining angrily in Carter's direction Terry takes a
blind step off the curb and into the crosswalk, WITHOUT A CUT... a bus
suddenly speeds INTO FRAME and, THUD! plows directly right into her...
ALEX, CLEAR, CARTER and MS. LEWTON
are SPLATTERED with BLOOD before they can even recoil.
CUT TO:
INT. BROWNING LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - CLOSE - ALKA SELTZER
FIZZLES in the glass, while O.S., a PHONE RINGS...
ALEX
has crashed, watching CNN. It's a tense recline. Red circles rim the lids of
his eyes. He sips from the glass to settle his stomach. Ken appears from the
kitchen, hand over the reciever.
KEN
It's that girl... Clear.
No response from Alex. Ken sighs, then into the phone...
KEN
He's in the shower, Clear. Can
I have him get back at ya?
Sure... bye.
Ken returns to the living room, concerned about his son. Alex averts his
eyes, stressed and ashamed. Ken sits nearby.
KEN (CONT'D)
She's concerned about you.
(beat)
I'm concerned about you.
Alex turns his eyes to the glass.
KEN (CONT'D)
Why don't you want to talk to her...
or me?
ALEX
Dad... you and mom have helped me
out, so much. But there's... some
things I need to understand before
I can talk... to anyone about it.
The father respects this young man's wishes. Ken nods "fair enough." In the
silent moment, O.S., from the television...
CNN ANCHOR (O.S.)
The National Transportation Safety
Board has a new theory tonight on the
possible cause of Euro-Air Flight 180...
Alex quickly grabs the remote and turns up the VOLUME...
TELIVISION
A computer graphic illustrations the area of the lower fuselage.
CNN ANCHOR (CONT'D, V.O.)
Deterioration of silicon insulation
on an electrical connector to the
scavenger pump, may have leaked
combustible fluids.
ALEX AND KEN
Alex remains riveted to the screen.
CNN ANCHOR (CONT'D, V.O.)
A spark in the fuel switch...
TELEVISION
The graphic ZOOMS into the area in the rear right side, nearly above Tod's
seat.
ALEX (O.S.)
That's Tod's seat...
ALEX
CAMERA PUSHES IN as he listens...
CNN ANCHOR (CONT'D, V.O.)
... may have ignited the fuel line. And
proceeded to the fuel pump.
TELEVISION
The high teach computer image traces the path of the explosion through the
plane. A red line representing the fuel line zigs through the body of the
plane, making a sharp turn forward to the fuel pump, which explodes. Jagged
lines show the direction of the explosion moving backwards toward the rear
of the plane.
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S BEDROOM - DAY - 747 SCHEMATIC
drawn in Alex's hand, and hundreds of steps down from CNN computer image,
yet accurate as Alex's finger traces the path, away from the seats marked
"ME" and "CLEAR." The path starts over "TOD," then moves to "TERRY." The
line moves forward away from "CARTER" toward the fuel pump.
The corresponding jagged picture of the explosion back is reminiscent of the
"hand of Death," seen earlier in the lightning. It is a graphic demonsration
of the arbitrary nature of Death.
ALEX
is amped, intensely more frightened as he believes...
ALEX
The path of the explosion...
(a whisper)
That's Death's design.
It instantly frightfully, occurs to him, he now knows who will be next...
CLOSE - SCHEMATIC
Alex's finger quickly moves along the fuel line. After "TERRY," the seat
intersecting the path of the fule line, over the fuel pump, is marked "MS.
LEWTON."
CUT TO:
INT. VALERIE LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT - VALERIE LEWTON
ENTER'S FRAME, on the phone, wearing a t-shirt and sweats.
MS. LEWTON (O.S.)
Some nights I'm woken up by the sound
of my own voice, you know, inside my
head, goin, "No, you know the whole
French thing. Get on the plane."
Moving boxes are stacked in the living room; organized disarray of
relocating. The house is old, been in the family forever. Dust marks the
walls where the framed photos and artwork were once displayed.
MS. LEWTON (CONT'D)
Everything here reminds me... of sending
Mr. Murnau back on the plane... Right, I'm
hoping a change will help... I lived here
my whole life and wherever I looked were great
memories, you know... but now all I can see
Mr. Murnau... those kids. Just looking out
my own front yard... makes me feel mothing but
fear.
She peeks out of the front curtains and looks sadly upon her front yard. Her
expression alters... alarmed...
EXT. LEWTON"S HOUSE - NIGHT - MS. LEWTON'S POV - FRONT YARD
The figure is Alex Browning.
INT. MS. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Ms. Lewton steps away from the curtains.
MS. LEWTON
(quickly)
Laura, I gotta call you back.
She immediately hangs up and speed dials.
MS. LEWTON (CONT'D)
This is Valerie Lewton. I need Agent
Schreck...
TIME CUT:
EXT. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Alex has moved closer to her house, remaining in the shadows. He checks for
any passers-by. Being there are none, he creeps toward Ms. Lewton's car. He
visually inspects the exterior. As he kicks the tires... an unmarked sedan
SCREECHES up. Doors open...
Startled, Alex turns to find...
Special agents Schreck and Weine standing in the street, backlit in the
strong headlights of their car.
SCHRECK
What are you doing?
ALEX
is nervous but determined. He tells the truth...
ALEX
Checking the air in her tires to
make sure their safe.
SPECIAL AGENTS SCHRECK AND WEINE
after a beat of incredulity...
SCHRECK
Get in the car.
INT. MS. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT - VALERIE LEWTON
is watching, peeking out her front curtains. O.S., CAR DOORS CLOSE. The
vehicle ROARS OFF. She releases the curtains and moves back, feeling
somewhat better, but still rattled.
Then...
The curtains billow as if blown by a breeze. Ms. Lewton appears puzzled as
she moves the curtains aside to find the windows closed. As CAMERA PUSHES IN
ON HER, tensing and uneasy...
CUT TO:
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Alex sits behind a tabel in the cinder block room painted police station
green. Sitting across form him, with a good cop tone, is Agent Weine, while
Schreck stands with a hard-ass posture.
ALEX
I believe that... Ms. Lewton's next.
WEINE
"Next?"
ALEX
Yes... see, there's this... pattern...
that's occuring.
WEINE
(sarcastic)
Oh, you've noticed it, too?
CUT TO:
INT. MS. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Ms. Lewton moves to a closet door, opens it and CLICKS on an overhead light.
Kneeling down, she tugs on a heavy box and opens it to check the contents.
Her expression warms, as if recalling a far off memory.
MS. LEWTON
Oh... mom's favorite.
She slides a vinyl record album out of the sleeve and moves to the turntable
on a shelf, thick with dust.
Valerie places the record on the stereo and sets the needle on the album.
CAMERA SWEEPS IN CLOSE TO THE TURNTABLE, although spinning around and
around... the bold letters of the center label can be read... JOHN DENVER...
the opening acoustic guitar of "Rocky Mountain High" has never sounded so
eerie...
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
He was born in the summer of his
twenty seventh year...
Please with the feeling of a pleasant memory, Lewton moves off.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Schreck moves closer to Alex.
SCHRECK
Where'd you get this "pattern"
from? You have another "vision?"
Maybe saw it in some T.V. static?
Alex is insulted by the condescending tone.
ALEX
I didn't ask for what happened to me
on the plane. You can make fun of me.
You can think I'm a nut. I'm used to it.
I saved six lives but the entire school
acts like I'm a freak. Fine.
Alex takes a nervous breath...
ALEX
I'm not suffering from Post Traumatic
Stress. I haven't developed a
narcissistic deity complex. I'm not going
Dahmer.
(beat)
This just is. There's a pattern in place
for you. And you. There's a design for
everyone.
The agents study Alex...
ALEX
(sighs)
And I'm not sure yet how... but I
intend to break this one.
CUT TO:
INT. MS. LEWTON'S KITCHEN - NIGHT - SET OF CUTLERY KNIVES
held in a wooden block, sits atop the kitchen counter.
In the b.g., Valerie removes the chrome teapot from the stove and moves it
to the sink. JOHN DENVER CONTINUES in the next room. Ms. Lewton turns on the
faucet, pours water into the kettle. Some water spills on the side of the
kettle. As she wipes the pot with a blue checked hand towel, a dark shadow
appears to cross behind her.
Lewton turns. CAMERA FOLLOWS, CIRCLING as she looks about the room only to
find she is alone. Unsetteled, she absently tosses the towel on the counter
the edge which, catches a knife blade held in the cutery block.
STOVE
Ms. Lewton turns on the gas, adjusts it, however... the flames blow out. She
pauses, nerves on edge. Her eyes cautiously move about the room and find
nothing. She grabs a pack of nearby matches and strikes one.
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
He left yesterday behind him/
You might say it's born again...
CAMERA PUSHES INTO the burner as the flames re-ignite and FILL THE FRAME...
CUT TO:
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Weine sits across from Alex, symapthetic, but professional...
WEINE
Alex, you got our attention, at
first, because you were under
suspicion in the plane explosion.
Alex tenses, but Weine shakes his head.
WEINE (CONT'D)
I know you didn't blow up that plane.
Alex sighs, eases.
WEINE (CONT'D)
I don't believe you have magical powers.
No one has any... control over life and
death... unless... that person is taking
lives and causing death.
Weine leans forward toward Alex...
WEINE (CONT'D)
Alex... can you promise me that no one
else will die?
ALEX
No... I can't. As long as I'm in here,
it's outta my control.
The agents are taken aback by his answer; unnerved by his sincerity. Weine
sighs and looks to his partner, who sighs, frusterated and turns away.
WEINE
Alright, go on. Get outta here.
Alex stands and, with no urgency, moves off. He exits the room.
SCHRECK
Kid gives me the creeps.
WEINE
We got nothing to hold him.
SCHRECK
I don't mean that...
(beat)
There's a couple of times, there...
I almost believed him.
Weine considers, yet remains skeptical.
WEINE
Sometimes, you give me the creeps.
CUT TO:
INT. MS. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT - CLOSE - TEAPOT
Whistles
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
When he first came to the
mountains, his life was far away...
COFFEE MUG - OVERHEAD
two tea bags are dropped inside, then the steaming hot water.
MS. LEWTON
picks up the cup, raising it toward her lips, She pauses her expression
turning tragic.
On a reflex, she spins toward the sink and throws the hot contents into the
drain. She sats the mug down...
A COFFEE MUG
ENTERS FRAME... displaying the logo of the Mt. Abraham Fighting Colonials.
MS. LEWTON
Trembling. She takes a deep breath, getting a hold of herself.
MS. LEWTON
You gotta stop this! Stop this!
It's just a stupid mug.
(composes)
You're outta here. Pretty soon...
you'll be gone.
Opening the refrigerator frezzer, she grabs some ice and bottle of pure
Polish Vodka then deliberately turns back toward the same mug...
COFFEE MUG
the ice cubes PLUNK. The cold alchohol pours into the hot mug. CAMERA PUSHES
INTO THE MUG as... it slightly CRACKS, Vodka dripping out of the base.
Lewton's hand picks up the mug, oblivious to the crack. She moves off toward
the living room, leaving a trail of alcohol.
CUT TO:
EXT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT
Alex exits the police station, walking. He checks over his shoulder to see
if he is being watched and increases his pace, legs whipping across FRAME...
CUT TO:
INT. MS. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Valerie Lewton tears off a piece of plastic bubble wrap. She stands over her
desk, placed against the wall. On the desk is her desktop computer monitor.
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
It's the Colorado Rocky Mountain
High...
She pauses to swig from her cup of vodka.
EXTREMELY CLOSE - COFFEE MUG
alcohol drips from her mug...
EXTREMELY CLOSE - COMPUTER MONITER VENT
... fluid drips inside the circuitry.
MS. LEWTON
sets the mug out of the way on the back edge of her desk.
CLOSE - COFFE MUG
The remaining vodka oozes from the crack, pools, then drips off the edge of
the desk...
JOHN DENVER
I've seen it rainin' fire from the
sky...
CAMERA CRANES DOWN to REVEAL the moniter cabel inserted into an electrical
wall socket. The vodka drip... drip... drips PAST FRAME. Then, Lewton's hand
ENTERS and pulls the monitor plug, creating tiny SPARKS at the connection...
ON THE FLOOR
the alcohol ignites...
MS. LEWTON
her back is to the desk, while pouring styrofoam peanuts into the box. In
the b.g., FLAMES, nearly supernaturally, leap up the walland toward the
computer monitor.
CLOSE - COMPUTER MONITOR - THROUGH THE VENTS
the interior catches fire causing an electrical POP!
MS. LEWTON
turns, holding her sheet of bubble wrap, shocked by the flames.
THE COMPUTER MONITOR
On the screen, the reflection of the approaching shadow passes before the
monitor... EXPLODES!
MS. LEWTON
a large jagged shard from the monitor flies into her throat. Blood squirts
from her neck onto the bubble wrap. Her stunned expression is sickeningly
numb from shock.
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
Rocky Mountain High/ Colorad-oh.
She reaches up to reflexively pull the glass from her throat, creating a
flood of spurting blood.
She drops the glass and quickly stumbles toward the kitchen, blindly banging
the turntabel as she passes. The needle skips, BUMPS... and settles...
umercifully at the start of "Rocky Mountain High."
CUT TO:
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET - NIGHT
Alex walks quickly up the street. Smoke wafts before him. He turns to see
the man burning leaves in the backyard.
The breeze intensifies, lifting the burning debris. The smoke swirls around
him. CAMERA PUSHES INTO ALEX as he senses the Presense. He looks ahead.
ALEX'S POV - TWO DOZEN LEAVES
mystically float past him, each on fire.
ALEX
senses the taunting message and breaks into a full sprint, passing through
many of the burning leaves that break up into the bright orange cinders
against the black sky.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT - THE FLAMES
reach the coffee mug, igniting the trickling stream leading to, and away
from, the crack in the cup.
FLOOR
Flames ride the small trickle of vodka back toward the kitchen...\
INT. KITCHEN - LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Valerie Lewton, races in desperately pressing her hand to her throat as she
GURGLES and CHOKES an the blood from the wound. She leans over the now red
sink. She turns pale from the blood loss.
THE STOVE
the flaming stream shoots up the stove, lighting the burners.
MS. LEWTON
behind her, the stove ERUPTS in FLAMES. They jump, leap like a tiger,
landing on her shoulders and hair, which catch on fire...
CUT TO:
EXT. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Alex approaches the front of the house. From here, nothing appears to be
wrong. As he catches his breath, sweating, visually examining the house.
From INSIDE, a hoarse, macabre SCREAM! CAMERA PUSHES IN ON ALEX, stunned,
before he races off toward the house.
INT. LEWTON'S HOUSE - NIGHT - MS. LEWTON
DROPS INTO FRAME ON HER KITCHEN FLOOR, hair and sweatshirt aflame. She
desperately rolls on the floor and manages to extinguish the flames.
On her back, on the floor, she is badly burned. Her open neck wound
continues to bleed. Blood pools on the floor. In shock and moving on pure
survial instincts, she reaches up...
LEWTON'S POV - (LOOKING UP) - THE HAND TOWEL
the lower third of the towel dangles over the edge of the counter top. Her
hand grabs it, and pulls.
COUNTER TOP
the draped edge of the towel pulls over the ctlery block. The knives spill
out, entangled with the hand towel.
ALEX (O.S.)
Ms. Lewton!
KITCHEN DOORWAY
Alex rushes across the threshold as Ms. Lewton pulls the knives over the
counter.
MS. LEWTON
a half dozen knives, from small, but sharp, cutting blades to large butcher
knives, cascade into her body.
JOHN DENVER (V.O.)
They say that he got crazy once
and he tried to touch the sun...
Her hand trembling, her expression horrified, Lewton grabs the handle of the
largest blade, trying to pull it out. Alex quickly kneels next to her. She
looks at him, in shock, her eyes pleading. Alex gathers his courage, places
his hand on the handle of the largest blade. As he's about to remove it...
THE STOVE
a gas line ERUPTS, creating a small EXPLOSION.
THE COUNTER TOP
the cutlery block is knocked off of the counter...
MS. LEWTON
the block lands directly on the butcher handle, driving the blade further
into Ms. Lewton's body.
LEWTON'S POV - THE SHADOW
descends, the FRAME COLLAPSING until her face, eerily peaceful, but lifeless
gray, horriflically decays... flesh rotting, worms feeding on muscle until
only a skull remains.
MS. LEWTON
as Death arrives, her eyes are macabrely focused above her.
ALEX
Even as blood squirts on him from her open wound, he appears to realize she
is "seeing" the moment of death.
ALEX
Ms. Lewton!
Flames leap from the stove to the curtains, which catch fire.
Alex grabs the knife blade and pulls it out. He quickly removes another and
another... yet there is no reaction from the woman.
Knowing she is dead, Alex pauses with guilt. He looks at the knife in his
hand, then realizes how incriminating this could appear. In that moment,
another small EXPLOSION from the stove, brings Alex quickly to his feet. He
drops the knife to the floor and races from the house. CAMERA TILTS DOWN to
the shoe prints left in the pool of blood.
CUT TO:
EXT. LEWTON'S STREET - NIGHT
Alex runs with all his strength away from Valerie Lewton's home. Billy
Hitchcock is riding his bicycle in Alex's direction. He stops and gets off
his bike.
BILLY
Hey, Alex...
Alex appears unaware as he simply runs past Billy, who curiously turns his
head to watch Alex race up the street. O.S., the CRACKLING OF FIRE. CAMERA
MOVES INTO Billy as he turns back, reacting with shock to Ms. Lewton's
house.
THE HOUSE
from inside, an intense EXPLOSION propels glass from the windows. Flames
engulf the entire house.
ALEX
even down the street, he is knocked to his feet by the blast. In the
distance, SIRENS from approaching POLICE AND FIRE trucks are HEARD. He
stands, looks to the now suspicious Billy... then opts to run off away from
the scene. Escaping, into the dark backyards of the neighborhood.
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. GARAGE - CLEAR RIVERS' HOUSE - DAY - CLEAR RIVERS
Tense, her eyes look left, then right...
CLEAR
I don't know where he is. He's not
talking to me.
WIDER
Agents Schreck and Weine stand before Clear in her garage.
WEINE
Why?
She studies the men before averting her eyes.
CLEAR
Because I didn't believe him.
The agents study her. Weine accepts the explanation. Schreck's eyes take a
walk around the artwork in the garage, pausing on a piece of twisted metal
from the crash. Clear tenses, however...
SCHRECK
If he should contact you, it
would be in the best interest
of your own safety to contact us.
Schreck hands his card. She takes it and nods. Schreck pauses, once again
eyeing the painting before moving out of the garage on their way to their
car.
CAMERA PUSHES IN ON CLEAR as she looks at the buisness card.
CUT TO:
EXT. MT. ABRAHAM HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT
CAMERA PUSHES IN ON Flight 180 Memorial, lit for dramatic effect at night,
but only achieving an eeriness. Carter Horton and Billy Hitchcock ENTER
FRAME, moving toward the monument. Billy is riding his bicycle, wearing a
New York Rangers jersey with "Hitchcock" across the back of the shoulders.
Nearing the shadows, the two boys stop looking at the monument.
Carter pulls put a heavy pocket knife and starts attempting to cut into the
stone.
Clear Rivers appears from the shadows.
CLEAR
What are you doing?
CARTER
Terry's name should be on
this wall.
Clear is touched by the action.
CARTER (CONT'D)
So, why'd you want us to meet you
here? Now?
CLEAR
They're watching me, see if I
go to Alex.
BILLY
Are you?
CLEAR
They'll follow my car.
(beat)
That's why you're taking me.
CARTER
Why would I want to see him?
Clear eyes the two of them. With the memorial standing behind them...
CLEAR
Because he knows which one of us
is next.
As Carter and Billy feel the chill of their inner fears...
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
The muscle car ROARS onto U.S. 17 on ramp. A sign near the road indicates:
"Middletown - 25 mi. New York City - 105 mi."
INT. CARTER'S CAR - NIGHT
Carter checks the rear view mirror. Clear looks out the front passenger
window. She shakes her head, as if "no one's following us." Billy leans
forward from the backseat...
BILLY
Um... okay... drive the speed limit,
right?
He sits back, OUT OF FRAME, but quickly darts forward.
BILLY (CONT'D)
And don't pass on the right.
CARTER
Billy! I'm gettin' a vision!
You're the next one...
BILLY
(nervous)
Hey, man, why'd you say that?!
CARTER
'Cause if you say another word,
I'm gonna fuckn' kill ya!
Billy sits back, gesturing, "hear ya. Got it." Clear pays no attention to
their exchange as she stare out into the darkness, her thoughts a million
miles away.
EXT. SEASHORE - JONES BEACH SATE PARK - NIGHT
A posted sign indicates "ACCIDENT SITE. ANY DEBRIS FOUND SHOULD BE REPORTED
TO THE NTSB (212)555-NTSB." CAMERA FINDS Carter's car pulling up to a stop.
Clear opens the passenger door and pauses in the car a while...
CLEAR
He could be anywhere from her
to a mile down the shore. You guys
drive down there, start this way
and we'll meet around the middle.
It'll take half the time.
Clear closes the door. Carter and Billy drive off. As she looks to the
beach.
CUT TO:
EXT. BEACH - NIGHT
CAMERA, FACING the ocean moves along the shore revealing a lone image
sitting on the beach, looking into the Atlantic.
The waves are small bur rhythmic, an enternal metronome. Numb, Alex Browning
sits in the sand searching for an answer somewhere in the darkness of the
evening sea.
Behind him, O.S., approaching in the sand, SOFT FOOTSTEPS. He listens, notes
them. Yet rather than turn around... he looks up into the sky.
ALEX'S POV - THE SKY
The shore line lights cast an orange haze on the stars, breaking through,
infinitely above.
ALEX (O.S.)
Are they up there?
WIDER
Clear Rivers approaches, barefoot in the sand. He neddn't turn to know who
is behind him.
ALEX (CONT'D)
Somehow... is 180 still in flight?
Somewhere... are they still safe?
Clear hasn't met eyes with Alex, but she sits nearby, looking into the sky.
CLEAR
When I was a kid, like, six or seven...
I used to worry so much about my parents
dying. Like lying awake at night... just
worrying. I loved them so much. I didn't
them to hurt. And what would happen to me?
What would life be like?
(beat)
Every night... it seemed.
She looks out at the stars. He down't eye her, either...
ALEX
Most kids do, I guess.
CLEAR
Most kids never have it happen.
Alex hangs his head...
CLEAR
When I was ten... my dad went into a
7-11 for cigerettes. I guess he heard
somebody say "Don't turn around." So on
reflex, or thinkin' a friend was jokin'...
he did. And the guy blewhis head off.
She has lives this so many times, she is long beyond crying...
CLEAR (CONT'D)
And, let me tell ya, I had every reason to
worry before... because life became shit. I
don't blame her, I guess, but my mom couldn't
deal with it at all. She married this asshole,
who my mom with my real dad would cross the street
to avoid this guy. He really didn't want a kid.
And so my mom didn't either anymore, I guess.
(beat)
If that was the design for my father... and my
family... then fuck Death, FUCK IT!
The waves continue to shore. Clear looks up at the sky.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
And so, anyway... I've thought of that
"somewhere," Alex. It exists, that place.
He looks at her.
CLEAR (CONT'D)
Where my dad is still safe. Where he had
a full pack of cigerettes and kept driving.
A place where me and my dad and my mom...
are still together....and have no idea about
this second life, here.
(beat)
A place where our frineds are still in the
sky... where everyone gets a second chance.
She looks at him...
CLEAR (CONT'D)
But that place might only exist in my heart.
And maybe, now... yours. I haven't experienced
too many second chances in my life. I havn't
seen any. But because of all of this, I believe...
because of you... I will get a second chance.
Because of me, you will. With you in my life...
that place, right now existing in our hearts, will
spring out... and become a real part of this life.
Alex looks within her, as a soft ocean breeze blows through Clear's hair.
CLEAR
And that is the only way we can beat Death...
by making something special out of Life.
His eyes well with tears. Only as she looks at Alex, does Clear become
emotional... thay move closer, and kiss the desire for each other, to defy
the events around them; darkness; the isolation...
They dive into a deep feverish kiss. Embracing, as if the tighter, the
safer. She pulls him back down to the beach and lifts his shirt over his
head.
ALEX
This won't be safe.
Clear looks down the beach, checking for any sight of Billy and Carter.
CLEAR
Those guys are probably fifteen minutes away.
ALEX
No.. I mean, I don't have anything on me.
This won't be safe.
CLEAR
(sadly)
Nothing is... anymore.
Alex looks to Clear, then kisses her with passion that reflects the defiance
of death. He pulls open her shirt and falls into her arms. CAMERA CRANES UP
as the young man and woman make love in the sand... consciously and
defiantly oblivious, to anything around them... including the stars,
possibly Flight 180, up above.
CUT TO:
INT. CARTER'S CAR - NIGHT
Carter drives. Billy rides shotgun. Alex and Clear are in the back. Everyone
anxious, looking for cops.
ALEX
I can't go home. After Lewton's,
they'll