Very Bad Things

127  INT. FISHER HOUSE – BATHROOM – DAY      127

TIGHT ON Liz, on her hands and knees, scrubbing around the toilet of what is clearly a filthy kids bathroom; soiled jockey shorts, Tonka trucks, mess everywhere.

O.S. we hear voices outside. Liz gets up off her knees, brushes a piece of hair from her sweaty face and peers out the bathroom window.

TIGHT ON FISHER

128  EXT. BACK YARD        128

FISHER: Okay let’s try it again.

Adam Jr. and Timmy, in ill-fitted Cub Scout uniforms, recite the “Scout Laws.”

TIMMY:                            ADAM JR.:

A scout is thrifty, saves         A scout is brave. A scout

For the future. A scout is        can face danger, even if

Clean, he keeps his body...       he’s afraid...

FISHER: Let’s see the salutes!

Timmy snaps out a fine salute. Adam balances on one crutch to salute but looses balance and falls flat on his face. He starts SCREAMING.

REVEAL Fisher, in a wheelchair, both legs amputated above the knee. He leans over, trying to help Adam jr. up and his wheel chair tips over. Fisher falls on top of Adam Jr. who SCREAMS even louder, flailing arms and legs like a turtle on its back.

REVEAL Moore, in an electric wheel chair he operated with a mouthpiece. As he is paralyzed from the neck down, he’s no helpa t all. Timmy suddenly snaps.

TIMMY: (to Adam Jr.) Shut up! Shut the fuck up!

FISHER: It’s okay, it’s okay.

129  THE BATHRROM WINDOW        129

Liz watches the pathetic chaos that is her life with the dull lifeless eyes of a concentration camp prisoner.

FISHER (O.S.): Timmy SHUT UP! Help your brother! ADAM! Let him help you!

TIGHT ON Liz as her mouth slowly opens in an anguished SILENT SCREAM.

130  OUT THE WINDOW – DOWN IN THE BACK YARD        130

Adam Jr. gets back on his feet, with the begrudging help of Timmy. As Fisher struggles to hoist himself up, back in his wheelchair...

FISHER: Remember a scout is helpful! A scout doesn’t scream in the face of adversity.

Suddenly, O.S. from the bathroom, Lis WAILS. Fisher looks up at the window...LONG BEAT...

FISHER (cont’d): (to the boys) Okay, let’s skip to the Scout’s Oath...

ADAM JR. & TIMMY: On my honor, I will do my best...

The boys recite the “Scout’s Oath” as Liz’s deep, heaving, wailing SOBS grow in intensity O.C.

ADAM JR. & TIMMY: ...to do my duty to God and my country...To obey the Scout Law, to help other people at all times...

SLOWLY PULL OFF Fisher, Moore and the kids...

ADAM JR. & TIMMY: To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

CRANE UP, past Liz at the window, out of the yard, over the house, WIDER to reveal the surrounding track-like homes, housing track-like families, with track-like nightmares as Liz’s plaintiff wails echo the communal despair of the human village.

 
CUT TO BLACK.

THE END