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Ãëàâíàÿ>Êèíîñöåíàðèè>Êëàäáèùå äîìàøíèõ æèâîòíûõ I/ Pet Sematary I

Ñöåíàðèé ôèëüìà Êëàäáèùå äîìàøíèõ æèâîòíûõ I/ Pet Sematary I íà àíãëèéñêîì ÿçûêå áåñïëàòíî (÷àñòü 2)

Çäåñü âû ìîæåòå íàéòè ïðîäîëæåíèå ñöåíàðèÿ ê ôèëüìó: Êëàäáèùå äîìàøíèõ æèâîòíûõ I/ Pet Sematary I.

Êëàäáèùå äîìàøíèõ æèâîòíûõ I/ Pet Sematary I

INT. THE BATHROOM, WITH LOUIS

He starts to undress, still looking troubled. We should notice that the door behind him is firmly shut. The bathroom has no windows.

INT. THE BATHTUB SPIGOTS

The hot water is steaming. LOUIS'S hands enter the frame and turn off the faucets. SOUND of LOUIS climbing in.

INT. LOUIS IN THE TUB

A big sigh and an expression of exquisite pleasure. He relaxes in the hot water. After a few moments he puts a wet washcloth over his face.

INT. BY THE KITCHEN SINK, WITH RACHEL

RACHEL Don't shilly-shally, Louis. Give the little girl her promise.

INT. THE KITCHEN TABLE

GAGE is in his high chair. ELLIE is at her place, crying. In RACHEL'S place sits VICTOR PASCOW, bloody and wrecked. LOUIS sits in his place. On the platter of bacon and scrambled eggs is CHURCH'S mangled body.

PASCOW The door must not be opened. The barrier must not be crossed.

LOUIS You don't understand--

INT. THE BATHTUB, WITH LOUIS

The washrag is slipping, but it still covers his face.

LOUIS (mutters) --I'm a doctor.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN TABLE

In attendance: PASCOW, LOUIS, ELLIE, GAGE in his high chair. Lying in the middle of the table, clotted with dirt and blood, eyes staring, neck a gory mess of infected wounds, is SPOT. He's also dotted with clots of scrambled egg and bits of bacon.

PASCOW Sometimes the dead do more than speak. Remember, doc.

INT. RACHEL, AT THE KITCHEN SINK

RACHEL (with great force) Don't shilly-shally, Louis. Promise me. Promise me. Promise me.

INT. THE BATHTUB, WITH LOUIS

The washcloth has slipped enough so we can see his eyes are closed--he's dozing.

LOUIS Promise...

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN TABLE

To LOUIS, ELLIE, PASCOW, GAGE, and the corpse of SPOT enters JUD, his eyes shocked and staring.

JUD (to LOUIS) You do it for all the best reasons, but that ain't why. You do it because it gets hold of you...you do it because you have to.

INT. LOUIS, IN THE BATHTUB, CU

The washrag has worked its way down to his mouth by now. His doze is deepening; he's started to snore a little.

SOUND: A splash. Something has been dropped into the bath.

LOUIS opens his eyes. Looks puzzled. Looks down. Eyes widen in shock.

INT. THE BATHWATER, LOUIS'S POV

A very large and very mangled dead rat floats in the bath, actually brushing against LOUIS'S chest. Blood has begun to stain the water.

INT. LOUIS

Turns his head, preparatory to leaping out.

INT. THE TOILET LID, WITH CHURCH

Its mouth yawns open. It hisses, showing bloodstained teeth.

INT. THE BATHROOM

LOUIS leaps from the tub. Grabs a towel and begins to rub himself frantically. He's grossed out. The cat tries to arch against him and he hits it. CHURCH falls to the floor, hissing.

LOUIS looks at the closed door.

LOUIS How the hell did you get in?

He may not know that, but he knows how it's going to get out. He opens the door to the upstairs hall. If CHURCH doesn't go at once, LOUIS helps it with his foot.

Then he looks down at:

INT. THE BATHTUB WITH BRER RAT, LOUIS'S POV

INT. LOUIS

Staring at the rat. Over this: THE SOUND OF JET ENGINES.

EXT. A DELTA 727

Its landing gear unfolds preparatory to touching down at Bangor International Airport.

INT. A DEPLANING AREA DAY

Lots of people making their way up the jetway.

INT. LOUIS, OUTSIDE THE SECURITY POINT

He's looking anxiously for his people. In one hand he's got half a dozen roses. His face lights up.

INT. THE DEPLANING AREA, LOUIS'S POV

Here comes LOUIS'S family. ELLIE is a little ahead. RACHEL is pushing GAGE in his stroller. ELLIE sees LOUIS and lights up.

ELLIE Daddy!

She runs for him.

INT. JUST OUTSIDE THE SECURITY POINT

ELLIE comes belting up to LOUIS, weaving among the deplanees like a slalom skier. She leaps into his arms. LOUIS swings her cheerfully.

LOUIS Hi, sugar!

She smacks him noisily. He smacks her back just as noisily.

ELLIE Daddy, is Church all right?

LOUIS'S face changes. All at once he's watchful.

LOUIS Yes...I guess so. He was sleeping on the front porch when I left.

ELLIE Cause I had a bad dream about him. I dreamed he got hit by a car and you and Mr. Crandall buried him in the Pet Sematary.

LOUIS (trying to smile) That was a silly dream, wasn't it?

ELLIE Is he really all right?

LOUIS Yes.

ELLIE Because you promised.

LOUIS I know.

RACHEL reaches them. She's pretty tired. Hair hanging in her face, good travelling clothes now looking a bit wrinkled and a bit stale.

RACHEL Want to take your son, doc?

LOUIS does. GAGE is ecstatic.

LOUIS kisses RACHEL deeply.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN, NIGHT

CHURCH at the door, waiting to be let out. ELLIE does the honors. CHURCH oils out into the shed/garage. ELLIE closes the door. She looks distressed. She crosses the kitchen again.

INT. THE CREED LIVING ROOM, NIGHT

RACHEL, in a flannel nightgown, is watching TV. LOUIS is reading a medical tome and making notes. GAGE, zipped into a warm blanket suit, is sacking on the couch.

ELLIE (entering) Can cats have shampoos?

RACHEL Yes--you have to take them to someone who grooms animals, though. I think it's pretty expensive.

ELLIE (still upset) I don't care. I'll save up my allowance and pay for it. Church smells bad.

LOUIS I've noticed it, too. I'll cough up the money, Ellen.

ELLIE I hate that smell.

INT. LOUIS, CU

He looks both grim and sad--a man discovering that what you pay for you own, and what you own always comes home to you.

LOUIS Yes--I hate it, too.

BLACK. And on it, a fourth title card: MISSY DANDRIDGE.

SOUND: A pen scratching over paper.

INT. A STUDY DESK, CU

A single sheet of lined paper is spotlighted by the glow of the desk-lamp. On it, MISSY'S right hand is just finishing: "Dr. says Intestinal Cancer. Cannot face this Pain. Sorry."

The hand puts the pen down. It tears the paper in two, leaving just the half with the message.

INT. THE DANDRIDGE CELLAR, NIGHT

A light comes on and we see a hangman's noose strung over a beam. It dangles above a kitchen table which has been relegated to cellar duty.

SOUND: Descending footsteps.

INT. THE NOOSE, CU

SOUND of MISSY climbing onto the table.

Her face enters the frame. She looks very sick. She puts her head into the noose and rakes it tight at the hyoid bone.

EXT. THE DANDRIDGE HOUSE, NIGHT

One light on...a cellar light.

SOUND: Ree-ree-ree...then...

SOUND: Kick! THUMP!

SOUND: Ree-ree-ree...

INT. THE CELLAR, WITH MISSY DANDRIDGE

She hangs limply, hands dangling at her sides, above the table, which now lies upon its side. We can see the note clearly. She pinned it to the bodice of her housedress.

SOUND: Car engines starting up.

EXT. IN FRONT OF THE GRACE METHODIST CHURCH DAY

People are coming out and getting into their cars and turning on the headlights, even though it is only mid-morning.

In the immediate f.g. is a hearse. Four pallbearers are loading a coffin into it.

EXT. LOUIS AND ELLIE, ON THE CHURCH STEPS

ELLIE They're all turning on their lights! Daddy, why are they all turning on their lights in the middle of the day?

JUD, dressed in a rusty old black suit and a black tie, comes out and stands with them. He looks haggard and old.

JUD They do it to honor the dead, Ellen.

ELLIE Is that right, dad?

LOUIS Yes. To honor the dead.

EXT. THE CHURCH PARKING AREA

More cars start up; more lights come on; the back doors of the hearse swing closed.

EXT. LUDLOW CEMETARY DAY

[NOTE: In the book LOUIS finds it difficult to enter at night because of a high iron fence. Here we should see there's no such problem; there's only a low stone wall between the graveyard and the public road.]

The mourners are of course gathered around the grave of MISSY DANDRIDGE. The coffin rests above it on runners.

MINISTER (voice) May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and comfort you, and lift you up, and give you peace. Amen.

EXT. LOUIS, ELLIE, JUD

As the mourners begin to break up, these three start back toward LOUIS'S car.

JUD Rachel not feeling well?

LOUIS Well...a touch of the flu...

ELLIE She's in bed. She was throwing up. Ever since Mrs. Rogers called and said Missy--

LOUIS That's enough, Ellen.

They've reached the CREED station wagon.

JUD Out of the mouths of babes, Louis.

LOUIS This babe has said enough.

He opens the front passenger door.

LOUIS Hop in, Ellie.

She does, and LOUIS closes the door.

JUD Poor Missy. God, I was sorry to hear. I remember when she was no older'n Ellen there, walking down to the store with her Raggedy Anne doll draggin' behind her in the dust. I don't know why God takes someone like her, who should have a bunch of years still in front of them, and lets an old shit like me just go on and on.

LOUIS My father used to have a saying, Jud-- "God sees the truth, but waits."

JUD Ayuh...how is your cat, Louis?

LOUIS It's Ellie's cat.

JUD Nope. He's your cat now.

JUD opens one of the back doors as LOUIS goes around to the driver's side.

INT. THE BACK SEAT OF THE WAGON

JUD has tilted over in one corner and is snoring. His Walkman 'phones are on and we can hear the tinny sounds of Billy Idol. A little old man's drool trickles down from one corner of his mouth.

SOUND: ELLEN< crying.

INT. THE FRONT OF THE WAGON, WITH LOUIS AND ELLIE

Tears are spilling freely down ELLIE'S face.

LOUIS Ellie? What's wrong?

ELLIE No more chocolate chip cookies.

LOUIS Huh?

ELLIE Missy made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world--even Mom said so. Now there won't be any more because she's gonna be dead forever!

She cries harder. LOUIS reaches out and strokes her hair.

EXT. THE STATION WAGON, DAY

Moving up the country road toward home through blazing fall foliage.

INT. TV SCREEN, CU NIGHT

On it is a scene from "Night of the Living Dead."

NEWSCASTER Bizarre as it may seem, it now seems almost beyond doubt: the dead are returning to eat the living.

ELLIE (voice) Daddy?

INT. THE CREED LIVING ROOM NIGHT

There's a VCR on top of the TV; LOUIS has been watching "Night." Now he quickly uses the remote control to shut down the TV.

She's dressed for bed, and comes toward him slowly.

LOUIS What's up, sugar?

ELLIE Daddy, do you think Missy Dandridge went to heaven?

LOUIS

What?

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH RACHEL

She's putting away the last of the supper things. She hears this and moves toward the living room door to listen. She doesn't look at all well. Her eyes are red from crying and her face is haggard.

INT. THE LIVING ROOM, WITH LOUIS AND ELLIE

She's gotten up into his lap.

ELLIE At school Michael McDowell said she was gonna fry in hell. Michael McDowell says all sewersides fry in hell.

LOUIS Well, I think Michael McDowell is so full of shit he probably squeaks when he walks, my dear.

INT. RACHEL, AT THE DOOR

She smiles a little at this.

INT. LOUIS AND ELLIE, IN THE LIVING ROOM

LOUIS But don't you dare say that.

ELLIE I won't...is Missy in heaven, do you think?

LOUIS I don't know, honey. Different people believe all sorts of different things happen to us when we die. Some believe in heaven or hell. Some think we're born again as little children--

ELLIE Sure, carnation. Like in that movie you rented, Audrey Rose.

LOUIS Well, it's actually reincarnation, but you get the idea. And some people think we just wink out...like a candle flame when the wind blows hard.

ELLIE Do you believe that?

LOUIS looks toward:

INT. THE LIVING ROOM SOFA, WITH CHURCH, LOUIS'S POV

CHURCH is sleeping.

INT. LOUIS AND ELLIE

LOUIS I think we go on. I'm not sure what happens after we die, but yeah-- I have faith in that.

ELLIE You believe in it.

LOUIS Oh, faith's a little more than just believing.

INT. RACHEL, AT THE KITCHEN DOOR

Listening intently.

INT. LOUIS AND ELLIE

LOUIS (continues) I'll tell you what faith is--it's the evidence of the heart; the assurance of things not seen.

ELLIE I don't get it.

LOUIS Well, here we are, sitting in my chair. Do you think my chair will be here tomorrow?

ELLIE Yeah, sure.

LOUIS Then you have faith in that. But we don't know it will be; after all, some crazed chair-burglar might break in while we're away and steal it, right?

ELLIE'S giggling.

INT. RACHEL, AT THE DOOR

She's smiling, too...but tears are running down her cheeks.

INT. LOUIS AND ELLIE

LOUIS But we plan on that chair. We believe in that chair. And I plan on going on somehow as Louis Creed, after I die. I believe I will.

ELLIE (awed) You have faith in that.

LOUIS Yes ma'am. Just like I have faith that it is now time for Ellen Creed to get ready for bed. So buzz.

He gets her off his lap.

ELLIE I'm not tired!

LOUIS I'm sure you're not.

ELLIE Then why do I have to go to bed?

LOUIS Because your mother and I need the rest, sugar. Now buzz.

She heads toward the stairs.

INT. LOUIS AND RACHEL'S BEDROOM

LOUIS is in bed, reading. RACHEL, wearing a robe over her nightgown, comes in.

RACHEL I heard you tonight.

LOUIS I thought maybe you did. I know you don't approve of the subject being raised--

RACHEL That's not true. The subject scares me. Because of Zelda.

LOUIS puts his book down and looks at her thoughtfully.

LOUIS Your sister, I know.

RACHEL sits down on the end of the bed. She's clasping her hands nervously together.

RACHEL Sometimes you're so good with her, Louis--so straight with her--that you make me ashamed of myself.

LOUIS sits up and scoots down the bed to her. He tries to put an arm around her. She rejects it--but gently.

RACHEL I'm sorry I couldn't go with you to Missy's funeral. And that I blew up when we went to that silly animal graveyard.

LOUIS That's forgotten.

RACHEL Not by me, it isn't. I know how badly I acted, how unfair I was. It's just that I..you know.

LOUIS Yes, I guess I do.

He makes a place for her beside him and hugs her. They lie silently together for awhile, taking comfort from each other.

RACHEL I'm going to try to do better.

LOUIS You're doing fine.

DISSOLVE TO:

BLACK. And on it, a fifth title card: GAGE.

SOUND: An idling truck motor.

EXT. THE GRILLE OF A TRUCK DAY

It looks monstrous...as high as a mountain.

EXT. THE TRUCK, A NEW ANGLE

It's an Orinco tanker. The driver, a young man in khaki fatigues and a baseball cap, climbs up into the cab. He slams the door and jams the truck into gear.

IRWIN GOLDMAN (voice) I knew something like this would happen.

EXT. THE ORINCO SHIPPING YARD DAY

The truck comes rolling slowly toward the main gate...stops so the driver can look both ways...and then pulls slowly out onto ROUTE 9.

IRWIN (voice continues) I told her when you were first married. 'You'll have all the grief you can stand, and more,' I said.

INT. A FUNERAL CHAPEL, WITH IRWIN GOLDMAN AND LOUIS DAY

There are others here, but they are in the b.g., and concentrating on the scene the old man is making. He's RACHEL'S dad. LOUIS is sitting in the aisle seat of a pew-like bench. He looks terribly shattered--they both do, actually. He's staring at the old man as if he cannot in the least comprehend what he's saying.

IRWIN (continues) And now look at this!

He gestures toward:

INT. THE FRONT OF THE FUNERAL CHAPEL DAY

Here, half-buried in floral tributes, is a child-sized coffin. GAGE'S.

INT. IRWIN AND LOUIS DAY

IRWIN (weeping) Run over in the road like a...a chipmunk!

EXT. ROUTE 9, W/TRUCK DAY

Getting up to speed.

EXT. A KITE, CU

There's a hand holding it--LOUIS'S. The kite begins to move and THE CAMERA TRACKS IT. It flaps and flutters.

EXT. THE FIELD BESIDE THE CREED HOUSE, WITH LOUIS

He runs with the kite beneath a gorgeous fall sky in which fat clouds move like airy ocean liners.

ELLIE (voice) Go, daddy!

EXT. A PICNIC TABLE DAY

The remains of a picnic lunch are spread here. Looks like everyone ate well. In attendance: RACHEL, ELLIE, GAGE, and JUD CRANDALL.

GAGE Go, dayee!

They all laugh--JUD ruffles the kid's hair.

EXT. LOUIS, RUNNING WITH THE KITE

He's paying out string--and the kite is going up.

LOUIS (voice) Where's Rachel?

INT. THE FUNERAL CHAPEL, WITH LOUIS AND IRWIN

IRWIN looks toward:

INT. THE BACK OF THE CHAPEL, WITH RACHEL AND DORY GOLDMAN

They are by the sign-in book. Both are dressed in black. Both look haggard. But RACHEL looks more than haggard; she looks damned near insane with grief and horror.

INT. LOUIS AND IRWIN

IRWIN (leaning forward) With her mother! Where she should be! As for you, I hope you rot in hell! In hell, do you hear me?

We should; by now he's screaming his head off.

INT. THE CAB OF THE ORINCO TRUCK DAY

The driver is whistling. A transistor radio hangs from the rear- view mirror on a strap. He turns it on. The Ramones. "Sheena." Hey-ho, let's go.

EXT. ROUTE 9, TRUCKER'S POV

Unrolling before us at a good clip--too good, maybe.

INT. THE TUCKER'S FOOT

Stamping the pedal closer to the metal.

EXT. THE ONCOMING TRUCK

Belting toward THE CAMERA. SOUND of the GROWLING ENGINE.

EXT. THE SKY, WITH THE KITE

LOUIS has clearly gotten it up okay.

EXT. LOUIS, IN THE FIELD

He's holding the string, looking up at the sky. Now he looks back at the picnic table.

LOUIS Hey, Gage!

EXT. THE PICNIC TABLE

GAGE gets down and runs toward his father.

EXT. ROUTE 9 WITH THE ORINCO TANKER

Belting along fast. SOUND of the Ramones.

EXT. THE FIELD, WITH LOUIS AND GAGE

GAGE runs to his dad, chubby legs working. He reaches him, and LOUIS transfers thee ball of string to GAGE'S hands.

GAGE Dat?

LOUIS String! You're flying it, Gage--you got the hammer, my man!

GAGE Gage fline it?

LOUIS Bet your boots. Look--

LOUIS puts his hands over GAGE'S hands and pulls them down.

EXT. THE KITE

It dips in the sky.

EXT. LOUIS AND GAGE

LOUIS See?

GAGE Gage fline it!!

LOUIS (tenderly) Bet your ass, little hero.

He kisses his son. They look up at:

EXT. THE KITE

Dipping and drifting in that gorgeous fall sky.

IRWIN GOLDMAN (voice) Where were you while he was playing in the road? Thinking about your stupid medical articles? You stinking shit! You killer of children!

INT. THE FUNERAL CHAPEL, WITH LOUIS AND IRWIN

IRWIN You--

But there is no way he can express his outrage with mere words. As LOUIS sits staring numbly up at him, IRWIN punches him in the nose. LOUIS sprawls backward, falling out of the pew onto the floor.

INT. THE REAR OF THE CHAPEL, FEATURING RACHEL AND DORY

RACHEL screams and starts forward. DORY pulls her back.

RACHEL Louis! Daddy! Stop it! STOP IT!

INT. LOUIS AND IRWIN

LOUIS is getting up groggily. Hs nose is pouring blood.

IRWIN How do you like that, you son of a bitch? I should have done it sooner!

IRWIN punches him in the stomach. LOUIS "oofs" and doubles over.

INT. ANGLE ON THE OTHER MOURNERS

Among them we see STEVE MASTERTON and MARCY CHARLTON.

STEVE (getting up) Hey!

INT. LOUIS AND IRWIN

LOUIS is slowly straightening up. IRWIN is in a sour frenzy of glee.

IRWIN How do you like that? How do--

LOUIS pushes the old man with both hands.

INT. IRWIN GOLDMAN

He goes stumbling and flailing backwards...strikes the coffin... knocks it off its bier. A SCREAM goes up from the mourners.

INT. RACHEL AND DORY

RACHEL screams. Her mother struggles to hold her but RACHEL easily breaks free and goes running down the aisle.

INT. ANGLE ON MOURNERS, WITH MARCY AND STEVE

MARCY Stop them. Right now.

STEVE gets up and goes toward:

INT. THE FRONT OF THE CHAPEL, WITH IRWIN

He's picking himself out of a tangled mess of coffin and overturned floral tributes. His suit is wet from spilled water. He's weeping.

LOUIS has just reached him, and that stunned look is gone. I think he intends to do the Cool Jerk all over IRWIN GOLDMAN'S puny little body. IRWIN strikes a Gentleman Jim Corbett pugilistic pose.

IRWIN Come on! I'm ready for ya! I'll take y'apart!

As LOUIS wades in, STEVE MASTERTON gets between them...at the last possible moment.

STEVE Stop it!

LOUIS swings. STEVE manages to block the punch with his body.

STEVE Stop it! Jesus, what's wrong with you, Louis? It's your son's funeral, not a boxing match!

That gets to LOUIS. He drops his fists. That stunned expression creeps over his face again--that look that says he doesn't have the slightest clue as to what's going on or how it could possibly have happened.

INT. LOUIS

PASCOW (voice) The soil of a man's heart is stonier, doc--

LOUIS turns toward:

INT. THE FRONT PEW, WITH PASCOW AND CHURCH

PASCOW, bloody and ruined in his jogging shorts and muscle shirt, has the pew to himself...except for CHURCH, who is sitting on his lap and PURRING.

PASCOW A man grows what he can...and tends it.

INT. LOUIS, CU

A sense of horrible awareness comes into his face...and then he covers it with his hands and begins to SOB.

SOUND, COMING UP: A TRUCK MOTOR.

INT. THE CAB OF THE TANKER

The trucker is singing along with the radio.

INT. THE GAS PEDAL

It's closer to the floorboards than ever.

EXT. LOUIS AND GAGE WITH THE KITE, IN THE FIELD

We are at some distance--far enough to see that the two of them have moved quite close to the road.

EXT. LOUIS AND GAGE, A NEW ANGLE (KITE'S POV)

We can see their faces upturned to us--we can hear the AMPLIFIED RATTLING SOUND of the kite itself.

THE CAMERA PANS TO THE LEFT--to the road. And we can see the truck, fairly close by now, and coming closer.

EXT. THE PICNIC TABLE, WITH RACHEL, ELLIE, AND JUD

JUD'S lighting a cigarette. His Walkman 'phones are around his neck.

ELLIE I want to fly it! Can I fly it now, mommy!

RACHEL In a minute, hon. Let Gage finish his turn.

EXT. LOUIS AND GAGE

This is the last moment of happiness in this man's life--so let's make it very happy. As he and GAGE stare up at the kite:

IRWIN (voice) Jesus. Louis. I'm sorry--

INT. THE FUNERAL CHAPEL

The fight has gone out of IRWIN and STEVE has backed away--but cautiously. He's ready to jump back in if one or the other goes mad again. But IRWIN is shuffling toward LOUIS, hands out-- everyone else has gathered in a knot near the front of the chapel. Among them is RACHEL and her mother, weeping in each others' arms.

IRWIN I don't know what happened to me. Louis, please--

LOUIS brushes by him with no acknowledgement that IRWIN even exists. He kneels down slowly by the coffin and puts his head against it.

LOUIS (weeping) I'm sorry, Gage--I'm so sorry, little hero.

EXT. LOUIS AND GAGE, IN THE FIELD

There's a strong gust of wind. The ball of string falls out of GAGE'S hand.

EXT. THE KITE, BLOWING AWAY

EXT. THE PICNIC TABLE

ELLIE It got away from him! That numb shit!

RACHEL (outraged) Ellen Creed!

EXT. THE BALL OF KITE TWINE

It is bouncing and unraveling. More importantly, it is being carried directly toward the highway.

EXT. GAGE

He takes off after the ball of twine.

GAGE Kite fline too fast!

SOUND: The oncoming truck.

EXT. THE TRUCK

Slamming toward us--a brutal leviathan on eighteen wheels.

EXT. LOUIS

He's looking--looking toward his people at the picnic table.

LOUIS (shrugs, good-humored) What can you d-

TRUCK SOUND CONTINUES.

EXT. THE PICNIC TABLE

TRUCK SOUND LOUDER.

Alarm hits JUD'S face. He rises.

JUD Don't let him go in the road, Louis!

RACHEL looks; registers terrible alarm.

RACHEL (screams) Get him, Louis!

EXT. GAGE

He's still scampering after the bouncing ball of kite-twine, which has now almost reached the road.

TRUCK SOUND LOUDER.

EXT. LOUIS

The SOUND is loud enough so he's having trouble hearing.

LOUIS (cups his ear) What?

EXT. THE PICNIC TABLE

RACHEL (shrieks) GET THE BABY!!

JUD is running toward the road, although he'll never get to GAGE in time; only LOUIS has a chance.

EXT. LOUIS

Horrible understanding dawns on his face. He whips around and sees:

EXT. GAGE, LOUIS'S POV

The kid's almost in the road; the ball of twine is in it.

RISING DRONE OF THE TRUCK.

EXT. THE ONCOMING TRUCK

EXT. GAGE, RUNNING INTO THE ROAD

GAGE (cheerful) Geddit-geddit-geddit!

EXT. EVERYONE, KITE'S POV

GAGE reaches the middle of the road as the truck comes around the corner. LOUIS is running across the field, getting close to the side of the road. RACHEL is clutching ELLIE by the picnic table. JUD is helplessly trying to wave the truck down as it passes him.

EXT. GAGE, IN THE ROAD

As he reaches the broken white line he grabs the ball of string.

SOUND OF THE ONCOMING TRUCK.

GAGE turns his head.

GAGE (not afraid) Druck!

EXT. THE ONCOMING TRUCK AND THE DRIVER, GAGE'S POV

Suddenly THE DRIVER'S face turns into a Halloween mask of horror. He BLASTS THE AIR-HORN.

EXT. LOUIS, ON THE VERGE OF THE ROAD

LOUIS (shrieks) NO!!

EXT. GAGE

BLARE OF THE AIR-HORN. A shadow falls over his face. There is an audible CLICK! and we FREEZE FRAME. What we have now is a tremen- dously winning photograph of a little boy, not quite two, with a ball of string in his hand...and a shadow lying across his face.

EXT. PHOTO MONTAGE

a.) LOUIS is pushing RACHEL out of a hospital door. RACHEL is in a wheelchair and looks radiantly happy (so, for that matter, does LOUIS). I think we may safely assume that the small blanketed bundle in RACHEL'S arms is GAGE.

b.) LOUIS, bare to the waist, is tubbing a two-month-old GAGE in a baby-tub. He's laughing. The infant looks confused but calm.

c.) The whole family by the Christmas tree, following an orgy of present-opening. ELLIE, about five, has a doll in each hand. LOUIS and RACHEL are in pajamas. GAGE, about five months, is lying in a drift of wrapping paper. He looks confused but calm.

d.) A child's sneaker lying in the road. It's splashed with blood.

e.) GAGE--he's about nine months old in this snap--is propped up in the angle of a sofa. There's a big white rabbit in his lap. GAGE looks c. but c.

f.) ELLIE and GAGE, bundled up against the Chicago winter. ELLIE is pulling a child's chair-sled. GAGE is propped up in the chair. He's about eleven months old in this snap. He's laughing.

g.) The Orinco tanker, overturned on the far side of Route 9.

h.) This one was taken at Gage's first birthday party. He's wearing a party-hat and looking at a birthday cake with a single candle on it while LOUIS kisses one cheek and RACHEL kisses the other.

i.) LOUIS, in the road. He's holding GAGE'S jumper, which is torn, blood-soaked, and inside out. LOUIS is looking up toward the sky and screaming.

j.) Here is a full-face studio portrait of GAGE. He is smiling at us, heartbreakingly lovely. CAMERA HOLDS ON THIS while:

JUD (voice) Sedative finally took hold. She's asleep.

INT. THE KITCHEN TABLE, WITH LOUIS

He's holding the studio portrait in his hands and looking at it fixedly. The other photos (the good ones, that is; not the screamers--those, we may assume, exist only in LOUIS'S tortured memory) are scattered on the table. We only saw a few; there are actually hundreds.

LOUIS puts the photo down as JUD comes in and crosses to the fridge. LOUIS'S nose is badly swelled. He also has a black eye.

JUD gets a couple of beers and comes back toward the table.

JUD Your father-in-law packs a wallop, for an old guy. He and his wife gone back to Chicago?

LOUIS No...squatting out there at the Holiday Inn like a couple of vultures. He really thinks Rachel's going to go back with them. Her and Ellie.

JUD Louis--

The swing door opens. They look toward:

INT. ELLIE

She looks dazed and shocked. There are brown circles under her eyes, but otherwise her complexion is much too white. She's wearing fuzzy pj's. She's carrying the picture of her pulling GAGE on the sled.

INT. JUD AND LOUIS, AT THE TABLE

ELLIE (coming to the table) I want to go back to my own room. I can't sleep with mommy. She keeps stealing the covers.

JUD What you got there, Ellie?

At first she doesn't want to show him, but JUD is very kind.

JUD (studying it) Why that's real nice...you pullin' him on a sled. Bet he liked that, didn't he?

ELLIE nods. She is starting to cry. JUD is also leaking at the eyes.

ELLIE (crying) I used to pull 'im a lot.

LOUIS, looking down at his hands, nods.

ELLIE I'm going to carry this picture, Mr. Crandall, until God lets Gage come back.

JUD reacts violently. And LOUIS looks up, dully curious...but hasn't the thought already passed through LOUIS'S mind? Yes--I think it has.

JUD Ellie...God doesn't do things like that. I know you loved y'brother, but--

ELLIE He can if He wants to. He can do anything, just like Inspector Gadget on TV. But I have to keep things ready for him, that's what I think. I've got his picture and I'm going to sit in his chair--

LOUIS Ellie--

ELLIE And I'm going to eat his breakfast cereal, too, even though it tastes like boogers. And...and...

She bursts into tears.

JUD Louis, take care of your little girl...she needs you.

INT. LOUIS, CU

His face is stricken.

INT. ELLIE'S BEDROOM NIGHT

LOUIS comes in with ELLIE in his arms. He puts her gently into her bed and pulls the covers up. She's already mostly asleep.

LOUIS (kisses her) Good night, Ellie.

ELLIE G'night daddy.

He starts for the door.

INT. ELLIE, CU

ELLIE God could take it back if He wanted to, couldn't He? If He really, really wanted to? Can I have faith in that?

INT. LOUIS, AT THE DOOR

He stands looking at her for a long time, apparently thinking about this quite deeply.

LOUIS Yes--I suppose you can. Good night, Ellie.

He steps out, closing the door.

INT. ELLIE, IN BED

In some sense comforted--it may be a poison comfort but she surely doesn't know this--she turns over on her side to go to sleep. We can see the picture of GAGE under her arm.

INT. THE UPSTAIRS HALL, WITH LOUIS

The light here is fairly dim. LOUIS goes down and opens another door. He pokes his head in.

INT. THE MASTER BEDROOM, WITH LOUIS

He reacts first with surprise, then a species of horrified disgust.

INT. LOUIS AND RACHEL'S BED, LOUIS'S POV

CHURCH is crouched on RACHEL'S sleeping form.

INT. THE BED, A NEW ANGLE

LOUIS comes in and swats the cat a damned good one.

LOUIS (low snarl) Fuck off, hairball!!

INT. CHURCH, CU

It hisses at him through a mouthful of fangs, its eyes big green balls...and then it flees. CAMERA FOLLOWS IT out the door.

INT. LOUIS, BY THE BED

RACHEL stirs and mutters thickly, then lies still again...she's doped to the gills. LOUIS bends over and kisses her gently.

He leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

INT. THE UPSTAIRS HALL, WITH LOUIS

He tries the door a couple of times to make sure it's firmly on the latch (his face wears an expression of "How'd he get in there in the first place?"). Then he walks down the hall to the stairs.

INT. ON THE STAIRS, CU

The cat is on one of the risers. LOUIS trips over it.

EXT. ON THE STAIRS WITH LOUIS, WIDER

For a moment he's pinwheeling madly for balance, on the verge of falling. He regains his balance as the cat goes shooting across the dining room toward the kitchen.

LOUIS regains his equilibrium after a bit and continues on down.

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH JUD AND LOUIS AND CHURCH

As LOUIS enters through the swing door from the dining room, JUD is just letting CHURCH out the back door. As JUD closes the door:

LOUIS (slightly antagonistic) I thought you'd be gone by now.

JUD I got you a fresh beer out of the fridge, Louis.

He indicates the table, where there is indeed a fresh beer.

LOUIS Jud, I buried my son today and I'm very tired. I wonder if we could just--

JUD You're thinking of things best not thought of, Louis.

LOUIS I'm thinking about going to bed.

But he begins pouring the beer into a glass.

JUD You never asked me if anyone had buried a person up there in the Micmac burying ground--

LOUIS'S hand jerks. Beer goes foaming across the kitchen table.

JUD --but I think the thought has crossed your mind.

LOUIS Shit! Look at this mess!

JUD Ayuh--it's a mess, all right.

As LOUIS goes to get a cloth to wipe up the mess:

JUD I know the Micmacs thought it was a holy place...and then they thought it was a cursed place. That's why they moved on.

LOUIS Because something called a wendigo soured the ground.

JUD And because the dead walked.

LOUIS stops sopping and looks at him.

INT. JUD, CU

JUD Oh, ayuh. It's been done. What you've been thinking of has been done.

EXT. A COUNTRY RAILROAD STATION/SEPIA DAY

The time is the late summer of 1944, although I don't believe we need to know that specifically. The sign on the station reads LUDLOW. There are a few 40s cars parked near the station--they have gas-ration coupons on the windshields. And a hearse.

A train is coming.

EXT. THE HEARSE, WITH UNDERTAKER AND BILL BATERMAN/SEPIA

We can see the UNDERTAKER is trying to talk to BILL BATERMAN, a man in his forties who periodically wipes his brow with a bandana. BILL walks away. He doesn't want to talk; he doesn't want comfort. He's a grief-stricken, bitter man.

JUD (voice over) Timmy Baterman was on his way home from the war with his Purple Heart when he got killed in some stupid car accident down in Georgia.

EXT. THE TRAIN, IN FRONT OF THE DEPOT/SEPIA

The door of the mail-car is open. The UNDERTAKER and three trainmen are unloading TIMMY BATERMAN'S coffin, which is draped in a 48-star flag. BILL BATERMAN stands by, watching balefully as they carry his son's final apartment to the back of the hearse and load it in.

JUD (v-o continues) Bill was bitter--his son had been in the thick of it two years and then got shot in the leg--a clean flesh-wound. He was supposed to be coming home safe and sound. Instead, he come home in a box after all.

EXT. THE REAR OF THE HEARSE/SEPIA

The doors close. The hearse pulls away. THE CAMERA PANS TO BILL BATERMAN, who stands staring balefully after it and mopping his brow.

JUD (v-o continues) He wasn't able to get to the bottom of the truth, Louis.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS AND JUD NIGHT

LOUIS is now sitting down, drinking a beer, staring at JUD.

LOUIS I'll bite--what's the bottom of the truth, Jud?

JUD Why...that sometimes dead is better. That's all. Sometimes dead is better.

LOUIS (bitter) Tell that to my wife and little girl.

JUD It ain't your wife and little girl that's got me worried, Louis.

EXT. THE LUDLOW CEMETARY/SEPIA DUSK

We're featuring a fresh grave...that of TIMMY BATERMAN. A truck, showing only parking lights, turns into the graveyard and drives slowly up to it. It stops, and BILL BATERMAN gets out. HE looks at the grave and then goes to the back of his truck.

JUD (voice-over) Timmy was buried on July 22nd, as I remember.

EXT. BILL BATERMAN AT THE BACK OF HIS TRUCK/SEPIA DUSK

He reaches in...and brings out a pick and shovel.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MARGIE WASHBURN, ON HER PORCH/SEPIA DAY

She's a middle-aged woman dressed in mid-forties style. She's got a rug-beater in one hand; the other is up to her eyes to shade the sun. She's staring at something, horrified.

JUD (v-o continues) It was four or five days later when...

EXT. A COUNTRY DIRT ROAD, WITH TIMMY BATERMAN/SEPIA DAY

A young man dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt is shambling up the road. His eyes are vacant. His shirt is half untucked. His hair is sticking up in a wild crow's-nest thatch. There is an ugly mess of healed scars on his neck and one side of his face. I think one of his ears may be gone--torn off in the accident.

JUD (v-o continues) ...Margie Washburn seen him walking up the road toward Yorkie's Livery.

EXT. MARGIE/SEPIA

She's screaming--we hear her faintly.

EXT. TIMMY/SEPIA

He turns toward her and we see a green light like the St. Elmo's fire in the Little God Swamp glow dimly deep in his eyes. He grins at MARGIE.

EXT. IN FRONT OF THE LUDLOW TOWN OFFICES, WITH MARGIE/SEPIA

She hesitates for a moment or two and then walks up toward the door.

JUD (v.o.) Lots of people saw Timmy Baterman walking back and forth between the home place and the town line. But it was Margie...

INT. THE TOWN OFFICES, WITH MARGIE/SEPIA

She's in a hallway in front of a door with LUDLOW SELECTMEN printed on the frosted glass. After a moment she opens it and goes in.

JUD (v.o. continues) ...who finally got up enough guts to talk to the town fathers about it. She knew it had to be stopped, Louis.

INT. THE SELECTMEN'S OFFICE/SEPIA

MARGIE and four men are grouped around a desk. She's talking; they're listening. THE CAMERA LAZILY PANS the four men--one, of course, is JUD as a YOUNG MAN.

JUD (v.o. continues) She knew it was an abomination. George Anderson, the town postmaster, was there...and Alan Purinton...Hannibal Benson...and me. I was there.

EXT. THE BATERMAN PLACE/SEPIA SUNSET

It's a ramshackle old farm which looks remarkably like the estate of that gentleman farmer Jordy Verrill.

An old Ford pulls into the driveway, and the four men get out.

SOUND BLEEDS IN: Most of all the SOUND OF THE CRICKETS.

They go to the door, and JUD is wordlessly elected as the prime honcho. He knocks. No answer. Again. No answer.

SOUND: Crazy laughter.

BILL BATERMAN (voice) Stop that, Timmy!

The four men look at each other.

JUD Come on.

They start around to the back.

EXT. THE BACK YARD, WITH BILL AND TIMMY/SEPIA

TIMMY BATERMAN is staring directly into the setting sun, his eyes glowing with green fire. He's laughing like Goofy gone insane. BILL, scared, is trying to make him stop, to turn away from the sun.

EXT. THE BACK YARD, A NEW ANGLE/SEPIA

The four men come around the side of the house. They freeze when they see BILL and TIMMY.

ALAN Oh holy Jesus lookit that.

BILL whirls around and sees them.

BILL You men get out of here!

JUD I heard your boy was killed down Georgia.

BILL (agitated) That was a mistake!

HANNIBAL Was it?

BILL You see him standing there, don't you? Now get out! Get the Christ off my land!

Now TIMMY turns around and comes shambling forward.

TIMMY (laughing) Ge ow! Ge Cwise off eye an!

GEORGE (revolted) Oh Jesus, Jud! He's dead! I can smell him!

BILL He ain't dead! Give him a day or two and he'll be fine! Don't you say that!

JUD Bill, this ain't right--you can see that yourself--

BILL (screaming) GET OUT! YOU HEAR? GET OUT!!!

EXT. TIMMY BATERMAN/SEPIA

TIMMY (laughing) Dead! We love dead! Hate living!

Abruptly he reaches up with both hands and scratches down his cheeks, goring deep grooves in his flesh. Blood flows sluggishly out. Very weird blood.

EXT. THE ENTIRE GROUP/SEPIA

BILL grabs TIMMY, who's still laughing wildly, and gets him turned around. TIMMY shambles back to where he was originally standing. BILL goes with him like a man who has charge over a trained baboon. A stupid trained baboon.

BILL (over his shoulder) You want to get out of here before I get my shotgun! You boys are trespassing!

EXT. THE FOUR MEN/SEPIA

JUD God help you, Bill.

EXT. BILL AND TIMMY BATERMAN/SEPIA

BILL (snarls) God never helped me. I helped myself.

EXT. TIMMY BATERMAN, CU/SEPIA

Staring directly into the setting sun and laughing wildly, mindlessly.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS AND JUD

LOUIS What happened?

EXT. THE BATERMAN PLACE--MONTAGE NIGHT

a.) A car pulls up with its lights off and stops.

JUD (v.o.) There was a fire.

b.) We see legs as people get out of the car, and hands holding tin cans of gasoline.

c.) Hands splash gasoline from the cans along the sides of the house.

EXT. THE BATERMAN PORCH NIGHT

JUD (as a young man) rings the bell--an old-fashioned twist type.

BILL (voice) Who's there?

TIMMY (laughing, screeching voice) Ooo air? Ooo air?

JUD Get out, Billy--the place is going up.

He walks away. BILL BATERMAN, wearing a strappy tee-shirt, looks out the window.

BILL I seen you! I seen you, Jud Crandall!

EXT. THE BATERMAN PLACE--MONTAGE NIGHT

a.) A match is struck...and applied to wet boards. Whoosh!

b.) The other side of the house: The same.

c.) In the back yard, JUD lights a torch and heaves it through the kitchen windows. Ka-PLOOM!

d.) The men draw away toward the front, their faces grim and judgmental.

EXT. THE BATERMAN PLACE NIGHT

Burning. Going up fast.

EXT. THE MEN

ALAN You think Bill's gonna get out, Jud?

JUD (stony) If he don't, he don't.

EXT. THE FRONT DOOR

It bursts open. We see two men struggling at the forefront of an inferno--correction, one man and an undead monster. TIMMY is giggling and screaming, trying to pull his father back into the flames.

BILL (struggling) No! No, Timmy! Let me go!

TIMME (laughing) Love dead! Hate living!

He sinks his teeth into his father's arm. BILL screams.

A beam falls on TIMMY, lighting him afire. BILL breaks free and runs down the porch steps.

INT. THE FRONT HALL, WITH TIMMY

He's burning and laughing.

TIMMY LOVE DEAD! HATE LIVING!

And into the fire he goes, still shrieking and laughing.

EXT. THE FRONT YARD NIGHT

BILL BATERMAN is collapsed on the lawn as sparks drift down around him, his face hidden against his thighs, weeping.

CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY IN on the four men, who are grouped at the end of the driveway by the road and staring with awe at:

EXT. THE BLAZING FARMHOUSE NIGHT

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS AND JUD

JUD (softly) Sometimes dead is better, Louis.

BLACK. And on it, a sixth title card: THE DEAD WALK.

SOUND BLEEDS IN: JET ENGINES.

EXT. BANGOR INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL DAY

A jet plane rises into the sky from behind the building.

GATE AGENT'S VOICE This is the final call for United's flight 61 to Chicago...

INT. A BOARDING GATE, WITH LOUIS AND RACHEL

In the b.g. we can see IRWIN and DORY GOLDMAN waiting by the jetway with ELLIE as the last few passengers board. RACHEL looks confused and grief-stricken. She also looks punchy, doped up. I imagine she's floating on a sea of Valium, and that makes her easier to deal with. LOUIS'S battle-scars are fading a little.

The GATE AGENT is standing by the jetway with a mike in one hand and a bunch of boarding passes in the other.

GATE AGENT (concludes) All passengers should now be aboard.

LOUIS You better get going, hon.

RACHEL Oh Louis, I just don't know about this--

LOUIS I told you last night--this can be the start of patching things up with your folks. If something good doesn't come of Gage's death, I think I'll go crazy.

RACHEL Louis, are you sure?

LOUIS I'm sure.

INT. THE GOLDMANS, WITH ELLIE

ELLIE I don't want to go to Chicago, Gramma Dory.

DORY Why not, darling?

ELLIE I had a bad dream last night. A nightmare.

IRWIN (kindly) About what?

ELLIE About Daddy. (Pause) And Gage.

DORY and IRWIN exchange a knowing, sad glance over the child's head.

ELLIE And someone named Paxcow.

INT. RACHEL AND LOUIS

LOUIS guides her to the jetway.

LOUIS Come on, you guys--before you miss the boat.

He kisses DORY. IRWIN hugs him.

IRWIN Louis, I am sorry. What can I say? That I lost my mind? It's the truth, but no good excuse.

LOUIS (hugs him back) We all lost our minds, Irwin.

LOUIS kisses RACHEL. Then he kneels and hugs ELLIE.

LOUIS Be good to your mother, darlin'. She needs you.

ELLIE Come with us, daddy. Please come with us!

LOUIS I'll be there in three days--four at the most. I've got to get the electricity shut off and square things with your school so the truant officer ain't after you, and--

INT. ELLIE, CU

ELLIE (crying) Please, daddy! I'm scared!

INT. LOUIS AND ELLIE

LOUIS Of what?

ELLIE (crying harder) I don't know.

LOUIS (great emphasis) Everything's going to be all right, Ellie. Now go on--get aboard.

ELLIE Do you swear?

LOUIS I swear.

The Voice of Authority has spoken. We can tell by ELLIE'S face that while things are still not all right, they are a little better. She joins her mother.

The four of them--RACHEL, ELLIE, and THE GOLDMANS--start down the jetway. ELLIE looks back once, as if begging him to come...and then they're gone.

INT. LOUIS, CU

LOUIS'S face changes. Now it is a stony and contemplative face. Not, when you get right down to it, a very nice face.

He turns and strides away.

INT. THE AIRPORT PARKING LOT, WITH LOUIS

The family station wagon is in the f.g. We hear the SOUND OF JET ENGINES, and as LOUIS reaches the wagon he turns and watches:

EXT. THE TERMINAL,, LOUIS'S POV

From behind it a United Airlines jet lifts into view and banks away.

EXT. LOUIS, IN THE PARKING LOT

Face set, he gets into the wagon and drives away.

EXT. ROUTE 15 IN BREWER

The CREEDmobile pulls up across from the Brewer Tru-Value Hardware and LOUIS crosses to it.

INT. THE HARDWARE STORE COUNTER, CU

On it: A six-cell flashlight, Duracell D-batteries, a pick, a shovel, and a nylon drop-sheet in cellophane packaging. Now the CLERK'S hands come into the frame and drop a pair of heavy work- gloves into the pile.

INT. LOUIS AND CLERK (SMALL PUN, HEE-HEE)

CLERK Anything else for you today?

LOUIS (after a look) I think we got it all.

The CLERK starts to ring things up.

CLERK Looks like heavy work.

LOUIS It could be.

The quality of LOUIS'S reply is somehow unnatural. The CLERK looks at him, momentarily unsure and uncertain. Then he starts ringing things up again.

INT. A UNITED JETLINER, WITH ELLIE AND RACHEL

ELLIE is in the window-seat, asleep. RACHEL is holding a paperback but not reading it. Her eyes are red. She's looking into space.

CAMERA DRIFTS TO ELLIE. Her sleep is not easy. Her head turns from side to side, as if in negation. She becomes steadily more upset. She's starting to mutter. Suddenly her eyes flare open and she screams.

INT. JETLINER, SLIGHTLY WIDER

We can see the GOLDMANS in the seats behind the CREEDS. They are startled. So are other passengers. A stewardess comes running.

ELLIE Paxcow says it's almost too late!

RACHEL Ellie...Ellie...what...

ELLIE Paxcow says it's almost too late! We have to go back! Paxcow says it's almost too late!

EXT. LUDLOW CEMETARY DAY

The CREED wagon turns in and drives up one of the lanes. It stops and LOUIS gets out.

EXT. LOUIS

He walks to a fresh grave on which the first flowers are already starting to wilt. He sits down and takes a flower. He plucks it, looking at the grave steadily. He says nothing for a long time.

LOUIS It's wrong. (Pause) What happened to you is wrong.

EXT. GAGE, IN THE FIELD

He runs toward THE CAMERA, happy and laughing, in SLOW MOTION.

EXT. LOUIS, BY GAGE'S GRAVE

LOUIS is now weeping, but he seems calm just the same.

PASCOW (voice) Remember, doc.

LOUIS looks at:

EXT. A TOMB, LOUIS'S POV

PASCOW, bloody and mutilated, is standing by it.

PASCOW The barrier was not meant to be crossed. The ground is sour.

EXT. LOUIS, BY GAGE'S GRAVE

He is not put out of countenance in the slightest by PASCOW'S appearance; he probably knows PASCOW is just a figment of his conscience or imagination, and so do we.

LOUIS I'll tell you where the ground is sour--the ground in my heart is sour. Let me tell you something else, Vic-baby: Wrong is wrong.

EXT. PASCOW

PASCOW Timmy Baterman. That was wrong.

EXT. LOUIS, BY GAGE'S GRAVE

LOUIS Don't talk like an asshole even if you are just a bit of underdone potato or a blot of mustard.

EXT. PASCOW, BY THE TOMB

He stands mute, just looking.

EXT. LOUIS

LOUIS (weeping) He was my son! He wasn't even two and he was run down in the fucking road and he was almost in pieces, and if you don't think I'm going to try...

EXT. THE TOMB, SANS PASCOW

VIC has put on his boogie shoes.

EXT. LOUIS, BY GAGE'S GRAVE

He's crying harder. Abruptly he reaches out at the floral tributes and knocks a bunch of them over.

LOUIS If it doesn't work--if he comes back like Timmy Baterman--I'll put him to sleep. But I'm going to try. (Pause) And if it doesn't work...they don't ever need to know.

EXT. THE GOLDMAN HOUSE IN LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS NIGHT

INT. UPSTAIRS HALL NIGHT

THE CAMERA MOVES LEISURELY along this hallway, which is lined with pictures of RACHEL, ELLIE...and GAGE (there may even be a couple in which LOUIS is featured, but damned few). Near the end of the hall a door is open and light spills out.

RACHEL (voice) Honey, you just had a bad dream. You know that, don't you?

ELLIE (voice) It wasn't a dream. It was Paxcow.

THE CAMERA GOES THROUGH THE DOOR and into the room where ELLIE is staying. She's in bed, still badly upset. RACHEL is sitting on the bed beside her. There's a single lamp on the bedside table.

ELLIE Paxcow says Daddy's going to do something really bad. He--

RACHEL Who is this Paxcow? Is he like the boogeyman?

ELLIE He's a ghost. But he's a good ghost.

RACHEL turns off the bed-lamp.

RACHEL There are no ghosts, Ellie. I want you to go to sleep and forget all this nonsense.

ELLIE Will you at least call and make sure daddy's okay?

RACHEL Of course I will.

She kisses ELLIE.

RACHEL Now will you try to go to sleep?

ELLIE (turns over on her side) Yes, Mom.

RACHEL gets up and leaves the room.

INT. THE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

PASCOW is here, halfway down the hall to the stairs, bloody as ever. RACHEL doesn't see him. She looks perplexed, a woman trying to think of something. She stops very near him.

RACHEL (to herself) Paxcow, why do I know that name?

PASCOW Pascow.

RACHEL suddenly straightens. She looks startled and afraid.

RACHEL Pascow? Was she saying Pascow?

She suddenly heads for the stairs, fast.

EXT. THE CREED HOME IN LUDLOW NIGHT

SOUND: A car starting up.

The station wagon backs out and heads down the driveway. As it passes THE CAMERA, we see LOUIS driving. The wagon turns onto Route 9 and heads off.

CAMERA HOLDS ON THE HOUSE. A beat of silence. Then: the telephone starts ringing.

INT. THE GOLDMAN LIVING ROOM NIGHT

IRWIN and DORY are watching RACHEL with some anxiety. RACHEL is holding the phone to her ear. We can hear the FILTERED SOUND of one ring after another. She hangs up.

RACHEL He's not home.

DORY Why, he probably went out for a hamburger or a chicken dinner, dear. You know how men are when they're alone.

Good old IRWIN'S face says that maybe LOUIS went out for a couple of grams of coke and a whore in Nazi SS boots.

RACHEL is dialing another number.

EXT. THE CRANDALL HOUSE NIGHT

SOUND: Phone starts to ring.

INT. THE CRANDALL KITCHEN, WITH JUD

He shuffles to the telephone. His Walkman 'phones are around his neck. He's got a bottle of beer in one hand.

JUD (picks up) Hello--you got Judson.

INT. THE GOLDMAN LIVING ROOM, WITH RACHEL

RACHEL It's Rachel Creed, Jud. I'm calling from Chicago.

JUD (surprised voice) Chicago! Is Louis with you?

RACHEL No...we're going to be here awhile, and he wanted a few days to wind up our affairs there. I just wondered if he was with you.

INT. THE CRANDALL KITCHEN, WITH JUD

His face says this is very serious.

JUD No--but if he drops by, I'll tell him to call you.

INT. THE GOLDMAN LIVING ROOM

RACHEL Jud, do you remember the name of the student that died on Louis's first day at work? The one that was hit by a car?

JUD (voice) I don't--

RACHEL Was it Pascow?

INT. THE CRANDALL KITCHEN, WITH JUD

JUD Ayuh, I think 'twas. If I see Louis come home before I go to bed, I'll tell him to--

INT. THE GOLDMAN LIVING ROOM, WITH RACHEL

RACHEL Don't bother. I'm coming home.

JUD (alarmed voice) Rachel!

RACHEL Thank you, Jud. Goodbye.

She hangs up.

INT. THE CRANDALL KITCHEN, WITH JUD

JUD No! Rachel! Don't do that! Rachel--!

The buzz of an open line. Connection broken. JUD slowly replaces the receiver. The man looks very grim.

INT. THE FRONT HALL OF THE GOLDMAN HOUSE

RACHEL comes down the stairs, dressed for travelling. She's carrying a suitcase in one hand. Her parents meet her at the foot of the stairs.

DORY Rachel...darling...you're upset... a night's sleep...

RACHEL I have to go. The connections are tight, and I have to be at O'Hare in forty minutes. Will you drive me, daddy?

IRWIN You know something's wrong, don't you? You know. And Ellie does, too.

RACHEL Yes.

IRWIN I'll drive you.

ELLIE (voice) Mommy?

They all turn to:

INT. ELLIE, ON THE STAIRS

ELLIE Please hurry.

INT. RACHEL AND THE GOLDMANS

RACHEL I will. Come and kiss me.

ELLIE races into her arms.

EXT. LUDLOW CEMETERY NIGHT

SOUND Of a car engine, THROBBING AND LOW. It cuts off.

CAMERA MOVES IN on the low stone wall between the cemetery and the road. Beyond it we can see the roof of the CREED station wagon.

LOUIS appears, dressed in dark clothes. He looks both ways, then tosses a big duffle bag over the wall. Stuff clanks inside.

LOUIS climbs over the wall, grabs his bag, and checks out the scene.

EXT. LUDLOW CEMETERY, LOUIS'S POV

A quiet city of the dead. Spooky. SOUND of crickets: Ree-ree- ree...

EXT. LOUIS

He heads for GAGE'S grave.

INT. THE GOLDMAN CAR, WITH RACHEL AND IRWIN

IRWIN I'll come with you if you want, honey.

RACHEL (shakes her head) I've got three planes to catch and I got the last seats on two of them. It's like God saved them for me.

EXT. O'HARE UNITED AIRLINES TERMINAL, WITH IRWIN'S CAR

IRWIN'S car heads for it.

EXT. THE GRAVE OF GAGE CREED

LOUIS approaches it slowly and sets down his bag of grave-robbing equipment. He sets aside the remaining floral tributes and then opens the bag and takes out the spade. He looks down at the grave for a long second.

LOUIS (low) Gonna bust you out, son.

He starts to shovel.

EXT. THE SHOVEL, CU

Digging...throwing...digging again. Already the shape of the excavation is beginning to show. The work is easy; this earth is new and fresh.

EXT. JETLINER, IN A LINE-UP OF JETLINERS

INT. JETLINER, WITH RACHEL

Everyone looks impatient, but RACHEL looks half crazy.

PILOT (voice) This is the Captain speaking. I'm sorry about this delay, folks, but we've got a real low ceiling tonight and air traffic control's playing it safe. Looks like it's going to be about half an hour before we get on a roll, so I'm turning off the NO SMOKING sign.

SOUND: Bing!

There's a general groan. CAMERA MOVES IN ON RACHEL, who has closed her eyes. I think she's praying.

EXT. GAGE'S GRAVE NIGHT

Now it's pretty deep. Four feet, maybe. LOUIS is standing in it. We see his feet as the shovel goes up and down, up and down.

EXT. LOUIS NIGHT

He's sweating and dirt-streaked. He's tossing dirt on a big pile. Suddenly, as he takes another shovelful, we hear a SCRAPING SOUND. He tosses the shovel aside and squats.

EXT. IN THE GRAVE, WITH LOUIS

There's a white streak on the bottom of the grave--the top of GAGE'S coffin. LOUIS swipes his hand through the loose dirt, uncovering more, and then he begins to sweep off the top of the coffin with his hands.

EXT. THE CRANDALL PORCH

JUD comes out. He's wearing a light jacket. His Walkman 'phones are around his neck. He's got a six-pack. He looks at:

EXT. THE CREED HOUSE, JUD'S POV

It's dark.

EXT. THE CRANDALL PORCH, WITH JUD

He sits down.

JUD You done it, you stupid old man... now you got to undo it.

He puts his earphones on. Cracks a beer. Lights a cigarette. Pushes the PLAY button on the deck. Faint SOUNDS of The Clash buzz-sawing "Rock The Casbah."

JUD begins to watch.

EXT. LOUIS

He climbs out of the grave and opens his duffle bag. He starts to pull out the pick.

SOUND of an approaching car.

LOUIS freezes.

EXT. THE ROAD OUTSIDE OF THE CEMETERY

A police car comes cruising slowly along. The spotlight on the driver's side comes on and runs along the graveyard's stone wall.

EXT. LOUIS

Watching. Waiting. Hardly breathing.

EXT. THE POLICE CAR

It reaches the end of the wall. Everything looks jake. The spotlight goes out and the police car speeds up.

EXT. LOUIS

He relaxes perceptibly. He gets the pick and drops back into the grave.

EXT. THE TOP OF THE COFFIN, CU

LOUIS inserts the tip of the pick in the flange of the coffin and levers it. CRACKING SOUND. Again. More CRACKING. Again. And the lock breaks. The coffin lid comes up a little, dirt gritting in the hinges.

EXT. LOUIS, CU

Here's a man on the thinnest edge between sanity and madness.

EXT. JETLINER LIFTING OFF FROM O'HARE

INT. RACHEL AND HER SEATMATE

SEATMATE Think you'll make your connection in Boston?

RACHEL I have to.

EXT. LOUIS, BY GAGE'S GRAVE

He's lying on his stomach, reaching in. We hear the SOUND of dirt grating in hinges again.

EXT. LOUIS, CU

We're looking up into his face. If GAGE had a POV, this would be it. LOUIS'S face fills with a terrible grief.

LOUIS Oh, Gage--oh, honey.

EXT. JUD CRANDALL, ON HIS PORCH

His chin slips to his chest, even though we hear Creedence on his 'phones and to him the sound must be at blastoff levels. There's a long round ash on his cigarette in the tray. A couple of empty beer cans on the table beside him.

A truck blasts by, startling him out of his doze. He jerks his head up suddenly...and slaps himself. He's okay...for now.

EXT. THE GRAVEYARD, WITH LOUIS

He is sitting on the edge of the grave, holding his dead son in his arms, rocking him. GAGE is back to us. We see only a small limp figure in a dark suit. Hair flops limply.

LOUIS It's going to be all right...I swear it's going to be all right...

The canvas tarp has been spread open to the right. LOUIS begins to lay his son down on it.

EXT. THE GROUND BESIDE THE TARP, CU

It's littered with flower petals. One limp hand appears among them.

EXT. LOUIS

He closes the tarp over GAGE, making a roll. He then produces rope from the duffle bag. He cuts the rope and begins to tie one piece around one end of the canvas roll containing the corpse of his son.

EXT. JETLINER IN THE NIGHT SKY

PILOT (voice) Good evening again, ladies and gentlemen...

INT. THE JETLINER, WITH RACHEL

Her seatmate is knitting something. Across the aisle sits VICTOR PASCOW, bloody but serene, hands clasped in his lap, looking straight ahead. RACHEL looks around tensely.

PILOT (continues) I'm delighted to tell you that we've got a strong tail-wind tonight and we expect to arrive at Boston's Logan Airport almost on time.

PASCOW clenches his fist in a "That's one for our side!" gesture.

RACHEL (softly) Thank God.

Her SEATMATE looks at her a bit strangely.

EXT. THE GRAVEYARD, WITH LOUIS

He's got the bundle containing his son and the duffle-bag with the tools. He runs bent over. He reaches the wall and there's the SOUND of another motor. He crouches at the base of the wall.

EXT. THE ROAD

Here comes that same police car. The spotlight runs along the wall.

EXT. LOUIS

Crouching against his side of the wall and sweating.

EXT. THE POLICE CAR

It stops. The COP gets out. He walks slowly toward the wall.

EXT. LOUIS

Crouched. Now we see the COP looking over the top. If he looks down...but he doesn't. Instead he turns around so we see his back. LOUIS looks up, miserably scared, pouring sweat.

Silence. Then: SOUND of the cop taking a whiz.

EXT. THE COP

Ah! Relief. SOUND of his fly being zipped. He looks back at the cemetery for a moment.

COP I ain't afraid of no ghost.

He walks back to his cruiser, gets in, and hauls ass.

EXT. LOUIS, BEHIND THE WALL

He collapses with relief. Then he gets up and looks cautiously over the wall. Nothing there but his car, parked a little way down on the other side of the road.

He tosses the duffle bag over the top of the wall. He puts the canvas roll containing GAGE on top of the wall. Then he vaults over.

EXT. THE STREET SIDE OF THE WALL, WITH LOUIS

He takes the roll, gets the duffle bag hooked over his shoulder by the string, and runs across the road like a soldier crossing enemy territory. He goes to the rear of the wagon.

EXT. THE REAR OF THE WAGON, WITH LOUIS

He puts the body down. He feels in his pocket for his keys. No keys. Mild consternation. He looks around, feeling exposed. The other pocket. Still no keys. More consternation. He begins to hunt feverishly through his pockets. Maybe in his jacket? Nope.

SOUND: An approaching car.

EXT. PASSING CAR

A civilian--not the ubiquitous cop.

EXT. LOUIS

He turns his pockets out, spilling change everywhere. Nothing. Suddenly a little light goes on in his eyes. He goes to the driver's side of the car and looks in at:

INT. IGNITION, LOUIS'S POV

The keys are in the switch.

EXT. LOUIS

He snatches the keys and returns to the back of the wagon. He uses the key to open the doorgate. He puts GAGE'S body in gently, then the duffle bag. He closes the doorgate and returns to the front of the car. He opens the driver's door and freezes.

LOUIS returns to the rear, gets his keys from the doorgate, comes back to the front, gets in, and drives away.

INT. A JETWAY AT LOGAN INTERNATIONAL

People are debarking into the gate area. Through them comes RACHEL, running fast, pushing some people, excusing herself incoherently. PASCOW is walking near her.

PASCOW There's just time. If you run.

Without looking at PASCOW, RACHEL takes off her shoes and runs.

INT. THE CONCOURSE, WITH RACHEL

She's sprinting down the concourse--look out, Joanie Benoit!

INT. GATE 27, WITH FEMALE GATE AGENT AND PASCOW

The FEMALE GATE AGENT is starting to close the jetway door.

PASCOW Don't do that, babe.

The GATE AGENT looks puzzled, as if she just had a thought (or maybe a gas pain). She stops closing the door. RACHEL runs into the area. She sees:

INT./EXT. THE JET PLANE, THROUGH THE GATE WINDOWS

It is just starting to swing ponderously away from the jetway.

INT. RACHEL AND FEMALE GATE AGENT (PASCOW IS GONE)

RACHEL Make it come back!

FEMALE GATE AGENT I can't--

RACHEL bolts down the jetway. The GATE AGENT stares after her, and then runs for her stand, where we can see FLIGHT 61 and BANGOR on the slide-cards. She picks up her mike.

EXT. THE JETWAY NIGHT

RACHEL stands all alone at the end of it.

AMPLIFIED SOUNDS OF JET ENGINES.

RACHEL (screams) COME BACK, MOTHERFUCKER!!

EXT. THE JET, RACHEL'S POV

It starts to swing back to pick her up.

EXT. RACHEL

PASCOW appears behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

PASCOW You're doing just fine.

EXT. JUD CRANDALL, ON HIS PORCH

He's fast asleep with the tinny sound of Graham Parker coming out of his Walkman 'phones.

SOUND: An approaching car.

EXT. THE CREED HOUSE

The station wagon turns in and parks. LOUIS gets out. He opens the back, removes the body in the tarp and the duffle bag filled with tools. He manages to get everything together and walks to the edge of the path. He looks at:

EXT. THE PATH TO THE PET SEMATARY, LOUIS'S POV

Off it goes, glimmering in the dark.

EXT. LOUIS

He holds the corpse of his little boy to him.

LOUIS Please God--let this work.

He sets off.

EXT. JUD, ON HIS PORCH

Zonked out. He missed the whole thing. Nice going, Jud.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE ARCH TO THE PET SEMATARY, WITH LOUIS

Louis passes under like a ghost.

EXT. THE PET SEMATARY, WITH LOUIS

LOUIS is crying. He crosses to the deadfall.

LOUIS Ain't gonna stop, Gage. Ain't gonna look down.

He begins to mount the deadfall.

EXT. LOUIS, A NEW ANGLE

He reaches the top. And woven into the deadfall, behind him, facing the Pet Sematary, is that snarling face.

LOUIS descends the other side.

EXT. THE FOOT OF THE DEDFALL, WOODS SIDE

LOUIS reaches the bottom and looks at:

EXT. THE WOODS, LOUIS'S POV

The path winds onward through those gigantic trees--it glows slightly.

EXT. LOUIS, MOVING UP THE PATH

EXT. LOUIS, AT THE EDGE OF LITTLE GOD SWAMP

That phosphorescent glow is a lot more pronounced. SOUNDS of CRICKETS and FROGS. The water is mucky and still. Hummocks stick up like knobs on the back of a creature best not seen. Fog drifts through the dead trees. LOUIS doesn't want to go in there. Smart man. I wouldn't either.

But he does.

INT. THE HERTZ DESK, AT BIA WITH RACHEL AND CLERK--AND PASCOW

PASCOW is lounging back against the rack of folders--and getting some of them bloody.

HERTZ CLERK I'm sorry...it's been very busy tonight. I really don't have anything.

PASCOW What about the Aries K with the scratch on the side?

The CLERK starts looking through her papers.

CLERK I do have an Aries K, but it came in sort of beat up--there's a long scrape up one side--

RACHEL I'll take it.

EXT. LOUIS, IN LITTLE GOD SWAMP

He comes walking toward THE CAMERA with GAGE in his arms and the duffle bag over his shoulder. Mist swirls around him. The landscape is weird, surreal. CRICKET SOUNDS, AMPLIFIED. In fact there are a lot of swampy, marshy SOUNDS--too many. It sounds almost prehistoric.

SOUND: HARSH, SCREAMING LAUGHTER

LOUIS stops. He looks slowly around at:

EXT. MIST-FACE, LOUIS'S POV

A demonic face takes shape in the mist and FLOATS SLOWLY TOWARD THE CAMERA. It runs out a tongue that's about nine feet long.

Its eyes blow out. Blood and thick, gooey stuff runs from the sockets.

EXT. LOUIS

He closes his eyes. After a moment he opens them.

EXT. LITTLE GOD SWAMP, LOUIS'S POV

Nothing there.

EXT. LOUIS

LOUIS See? Just imagination. Just--

EXT. LOUIS'S FEET

We can barely see them because they are thick in mist, but he is standing on a couple of low, marshy tussocks. Suddenly a thick tentacle slimes its way out of the standing water and slithers around his ankle.

EXT. LOUIS, LOOKING DOWN

LOUIS Nothing...there.

He turns around and begins to walk again.

EXT. LOUIS'S FEET

The tentacle falls away.

EXT. LOUIS, IN LITTLE GOD SWAMP

MYRIAD SOUNDS, none of them pleasant--laughter, gobbling howls, screams. Sounds like the swamp has been invaded by a pack of escaped lunatics. LOUIS continues on regardless.

EXT. WOODS

LOUIS comes into the frame. He's obviously tiring now, but he keeps moving along.

SOUND: Approaching footsteps. Big ones. Thudding ones. Something is coming which sounds approximately the size of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. And it just keeps getting louder and louder and louder. LOUIS looks plenty scared.

SOUND: A falling tree.

EXT. WOODS, LOUIS'S POV

Those SOUNDS keep getting closer and closer. Another tree falls-- we see this one. And now we see a SHAPE--just a SHAPE.

EXT. LOUIS

He's scared almost to death. His face turns up...up...up.

EXT. THE WOODS--AND THE SHAPE, LOUIS'S POV

It is vaguely manlike: perhaps sixty feet tall, perhaps eighty. We don't see it very well, nor do we have to--I'm not even sure it's flesh and blood. But there is a clear suggestion of a head. Now it turns and looks down...looks at LOUIS CREED. We see great yellow eyes the size of lighthouse lamps.

It makes a huge GRUNTING SOUND...and then walks on.

EXT. LOUIS

The SOUND OF FOOTFALLS is slowly diminishing.

LOUIS It was the Wendigo. Dear God, I think the Wendigo just passed within sixty feet of me.

Slowly he begins to walk again.

EXT. LOUIS, A NEW ANGLE

In the extreme f.g. is a tree which has just fallen--it is no small tree, either, but a great big old fir.

LOUIS approaches it. Stops. Looks at the tree. Looks down at:

EXT. THE FOREST FLOOR, LOUIS'S POV

Here is a gigantic animal track--if it was full of water, LOUIS could swim in it. It looks like no animal track we've ever seen before. Three big claws at the end of it.

EXT. LOUIS

Looks up again. His face is set and hard.

LOUIS It doesn't matter. Come on, Gage.

He starts to walk again.

EXT. THE MICMAC BURYING GROUND

SOUND: The wind, lonesome and keening.

THE CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY toward the slope, dreaming its way over those rocky cairns...most of them burst apart.

SOUND: Tortured breathing. Panting.

LOUIS toils his way into view, carrying his bundle. He reaches the top. He makes his way slowly into the burying ground. He stumbles over a rock. Falls down. Slowly gathers his things together and gets up again. He goes a little further and then stops and looks at:

EXT. A BROKEN CAIRN AND THE GRAVE BENEATH, LOUIS'S POV

We can also see the shredded remains of a green garbage bag.

EXT. LOUIS

He slowly kneels down. He puts the canvas tarp to one side and slowly takes the pick and shovel from the duffle bag. By now he is clearly a man approaching total exhaustion.

EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD, WITH AN ARIES K

It tracks past THE CAMERA.

INT. THE ARIES K WITH RACHEL AND PASCOW

Both of them look tense. RACHEL is bolt upright behind the wheel. Suddenly, BANG! as one of the tires blow.

EXT. THE ARIES K

It goes skidding and slueing across the road, the rear tire half off the rim. IT climbs the curb and hits a tree.

INT. RACHEL

She lurches forward, but she's wearing her seat-belt--good girl! She unbuckles it and gets out.

EXT. RACHEL

She looks at the car, which now has quite a bit more wrong with it than just a scratch up the side.

RACHEL slumps, near tears. LOUIS isn't the only one who's been through a lot tonight.

RACHEL Now what?

PASCOW comes from around the tree as RACHEL walks to the road, looking for cars, or something. He looks urgent and upset.

PASCOW It's trying to stop you. Do you hear me? It's trying to stop you.

RACHEL looks around uncertainly...a little afraid. As she scans the scene she looks at--and through--PASCOW.

RACHEL Is anyone there?

After a moment of silence she turns back to the road. Lights appear and brighten as a car approaches. RACHEL steps to the shoulder and after a moment she sticks out her thumb, surely for the first time in her life.

The car sweeps by her without slowing.

EXT. GAGE'S CAIRN, CU

LOUIS'S hands enter the shot and put a few more rocks on it. THE CAMERA PULLS BACK and we see him surveying his work. Beside him is the canvas tarp, now open and empty.

Absently, LOUIS stuffs the tarp into the duffle bag (where his tools have also been replaced) and stands up with a wince. One hand goes to his lower back. He looks down at the cairn.

LOUIS Come back to me, Gage. Come back to us.

He turns away toward the stairs.

EXT. RACHEL, ON ROUTE 9

She's walking down the shoulder with her high heels in one hand. Lights. An approaching car. She turns, thumb out. The car blasts by.

RACHEL (shouts) MAY THE SEWERS OF RANGOON BACK UP IN YOUR BEDROOM, ASSHOLE!

She starts walking again.

EXT. THE FIELD BESIDE LOUIS'S HOUSE

LOUIS is moving down the path. As he passes the tire swing he pushes it, setting it in motion.

INT. THE GARAGE

LOUIS slings the duffle bag wearily to one side and goes into the kitchen. CHURCH is under the table but LOUIS Doesn't see him.

INT. THE UPSTAIRS HALL

SOUND of LOUIS slowly plodding up the stairs. He comes into view, dirty and exhausted, his hair hanging in his face. He walks down the hall toward the master bedroom.

INT. THE BEDROOM

The clock on the bedtable reads 2:17 A.M. LOUIS falls face-first on the immaculate bedspread and lies still.

In this shot we should note the closet door is standing open.

EXT. THE MICMAC BURYING GROUND, FEATURING GAGE'S CAIRN

THE CAMERA MOVES IN SLOWLY. Holds. Nothing for a beat. Then:

A small white hand slams up through the rocks, hopefully scaring the living shit out of us.

CAMERA MOVES CLOSER as the hand begins to feel around. It takes one of the rocks and pushes it aside. Another. Another. Another.

The SOUNDS are not encouraging. It is GRUNTING and GROWLING. There is nothing human here.

Rocks begin to tumble as GAGE starts to come out of his grave.

INT. THE CREED BEDROOM, WITH LOUIS

Fast asleep on the coverlet in his dirty jeans and black sweater.

EXT. RACHEL

My babe is still takin' a hike. But here comes another vehicle.

EXT. THE DEADFALL IN THE PET SEMATARY

THE CAMERA MOVES IN on that snarling face.

SOUNDS: GAGE coming. Dead dry breath. Low snarling noises.

Now we see small feet in dirty black shoes walking down the deadfall.

EXT. RACHEL

Suddenly, as the lights appear, she does a Claudette Colbert, pulling her skirt up and exhibiting a very lovely leg.

Lights--it's an Orinco truck, naturally--spotlight her. The truck stops.

EXT. RACHEL AND THE TRUCK

The driver leans over and opens the door.

DRIVER Hop in, baby.

RACHEL Thank you.

She does.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN, WITH CHURCH

He's under the kitchen table, green eyes gleaming. I think he loves dead, hates living.

SOUND: The doorlatch. CHURCH MIAOWS.

INT. THE KITCHEN, A NEW (LOW) ANGLE

GAGE'S shoes grit slowly across the linoleum, leaving dirty tracks. CHURCH turns to watch GAGE'S passage, and then follows.

INT. THE BEDROOM, WITH LOUIS

CAMERA HOLDS ON LOUIS as those gritting footsteps approach. Then we pan to the closet. On the floor is LOUIS'S little black bag. We hold on this as the footfalls near. A small white hand enters the frame and pulls the doctor-bag out of the closet. Now another hand enters the frame and opens the bag. The hands search around inside and bring out a scalpel.

They hold it up. The GAGE-THING makes a contented SOUND.

EXT. THE ORINCO TRUCK, ON ROUTE 9 NIGHT

It sweeps past THE CAMERA

INT. THE CAB, WITH RACHEL AND DRIVER

RACHEL Can't you go any faster?

TRUCKER Lady, I got nine points on my license right now.

RACHEL I understand. It's just that--

She looks at him, pleading. The TRUCKER speeds up.

RACHEL Thank you. If you only understood how important this is--

TRUCKER That's all right, babe. Only if we get stopped, next time I'll be the one hitchin' and you can give me a ride.

EXT. JUD, ON HIS PORCH

More deeply asleep than ever. Suddenly, from inside, comes the sound of Quiet Riot singing/screaming "Bang Your Head." It's the stereo, and boy, is it cranked.

JUD straightens up so suddenly he almost falls off his chair. His hands go first to his earphones--his first thought on waking is that it's coming from there--and then he hurries inside.

CAMERA PANS DOWN to small muddy tracks on the porch floor.

INT. THE LIVING ROOM, WITH JUD

He hurries in, turns on the light, and rushes across to his stereo system, which is state-of-the-art digital--it looks like a flying saucer among the more traditional furnishings of the room. He shuts it off and looks around, frowning.

SOUND: Todd Rundgren, singing "Bang on the Drum All Day" at the top of his voice.

JUD'S head snaps toward the SOUND.

INT. A SONY RADIO, CU

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK as JUD hurries across the kitchen to the counter, where the radio is. He turns it off, looking around, more bewildered than ever.

JUD (sharply) Who's here?

He walks toward the door which gives on the hall.

INT. THE HALL, WITH JUD

It's dimly lit by light-spill from the living room and kitchen.

JUD Come on, stop playing games!

SOUND: Molly Hatchet, "Flirtin' with Disaster," being played top end, from upstairs.

JUD hurries up. Let me suggest that there is a certain psychology at work here--for the moment he's more concerned about waking the neighborhood with all this high-decible rock and roll than with the prowler...and he would certainly know who--or what--that prowler was, if he had time to think.

INT. JUD'S BEDROOM

He enters and turns on the light. We see a portable phonograph with the record, turning. JUD rushes over and turns it off.

He looks around, and we see by his face that he knows.

JUD Gage? (Pause) Are you the one playing games?

He goes to the window and looks out at:

INT./EXT. THE CREED HOUSE, WITH THE STATION WAGON, JUD'S POV

INT. THE BEDROOM, WITH JUD

He turns slowly and walks toward the bed.

JUD Gage? Come on out.

He reaches in his pocket and brings out a pocket-knife. He unfolds the blade.

JUD I want to show you something.

SOUND: Miaow!

INT. THE DOORWAY, WITH CHURCH, JUD'S POV

INT. JUD, BY THE BED

JUD (to the cat) How did you--?!

INT. JUD'S FEET

A small hand holding a scalpel shoots out from beneath the skirt of the coverlet and slashes JUD'S calf,

INT. JUD

He screams with pain and staggers backward.

INT. JUD'S FEET

The other hand shoots out. GAGE grabs one of JUD'S ankles and pulls.

INT. JUD

With a startled yell, he falls.

INT. JUD AND GAGE

This one's gotta be pretty rough. George will know what to do. We finally see GAGE, but it should be clear to us that it's not really GAGE at all. Some daemonic presence is riding inside the mouldering, disfigured shell of GAGE.

There is a struggle. JUD is repeatedly slashed with the scalpel. Perhaps he gets GAGE a time or two with the pocketknife.

GAGE screams and gibbers--nothing intelligible here; only sounds.

JUD expires.

GAGE sits on top of him...and then bites into his throat.

EXT. ROUTE 9, BETWEEN THE CRANDALL AND CREED HOUSES

Headlights. RACHEL'S truck has arrived. It pulls up.

RACHEL opens the passenger door, which is on JUD'S side.

EXT. ANGLE ON THE CAB

We can see PASCOW sitting in the passenger seat where RACHEL just was.

RACHEL Thank you so much.

TRUCKER I didn't get a ticket, so you're welcome, lady. (And, more seriously) Whatever your problems are, I hope they work out.

PASCOW It's the end of the line for me, too--I'm not allowed any further.

RACHEL (to the trucker) I'm sure things will be fine.

PASCOW I'm not.

She closes the door and steps down.

The truck starts off with a HISS OF RELEASED AIRBRAKES. As it pulls past her, RACHEL starts across the road, when:

GAGE (soft voice) Mummy!

She stops, startled. Her face wears a "did I hear that?" expression. She looks back toward JUD'S house.

GAGE (soft voice) Mummy!

RACHEL walks halfway up JUD'S paved walk and looks at:

EXT. JUD'S HOUSE, RACHEL'S POV

The one place in the whole world we do not want RACHEL to go.

EXT. RACHEL

She goes. Up the steps to the porch. All through this she's been travelling with two bags: her handbag and a light tote with her initials on it. Now she sets the tote down on the top step and opens the porch door.

She looks very uncertain. This is the wee hours of the morning, and someone else's house. But...that voice...

GAGE (voice) Mummy, I need you!

RACHEL looks stunned--rocked. She steps onto the porch.

RACHEL Who--

The door to the house swings open. After a moment CHURCH comes into the doorway and sits down.

CHURCH Miaow!

RACHEL Church!

GAGE (voice) Mummy, I need you!

She crosses to the open door.

RACHEL Gage? Gage?

No answer. RACHEL steps in.

EXT. THE CREED HOUSE MORNING

INT. THE CREED BEDROOM, WITH LOUIS

He's restless, having a very bad dream, from the look. He rolls back and forth. Closer and closer to the edge. Finally, with a wild yell, he goes over onto the floor.

INT. LOUIS, ON THE FLOOR

He comes awake. Sits up. Ouch! He's aches from top to bottom and side to side...but his back is worst. His hands go to it.

LOUIS Jesus!

He starts to get up very slowly, and this his eyes fix on:

INT. GAGE'S TRACKS ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR, LOUIS'S POV

They enter the house, go to the closet, then leave again.

INT. LOUIS

LOUIS Gage--?

He scrambles for the closet, his aches and pains forgotten. He stares in wildly.

INT. THE DOCTOR-BAG

It's open.

INT. LOUIS

He pulls the doctor-bag out. His original hope is now tempered with the first signs of fear. He begins to go through the doctor- bag. Suddenly he brings out a case and opens it. The case is empty, but the indented shape is clear. There was a scalpel in this case...but not anymore.

LOUIS Oh my God. (Pause) Gage!

INT. THE HALL, WITH LOUIS

LOUIS Gage!

LOUIS stands there, tensely listening, for a moment or two, but there's only silence. He rushes down the hallway and opens the door to GAGE'S room.

INT. GAGE'S ROOM, LOUIS'S POV

Empty.

INT. LOUIS, ON THE STAIRS

He goes downstairs, yelling GAGE'S name.

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS

Nothing. The phone RINGS. LOUIS almost jumps out of his skin reaching for it.

LOUIS Hello!

IRWIN (voice) Hello, Louis--it's Irwin. I just wanted to be sure Rachel got back all right.

As IRWIN says this, LOUIS'S eyes fix upon something.

INT. THE FLOOR, WITH TWO SETS OF GAGE-TRACKS, LOUIS'S POV

One set comes in from the shed-garage and heads for the parlor and upstairs. The other comes out of the parlor and crosses to the kitchen door giving directly on the outside.

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS

In his eyes we suddenly see that he understands everything...or almost everything.

IRWIN (voice) Louis...are you there?

LOUIS (slowly) Yes--I'm here.

IRWIN (voice) Did she get there all right?

LOUIS Yes, she's fine.

IRWIN (voice) Well, put her on at that end and I'll put Ellie on at this one. Ellie's very worried about her mother. (Pause) She's almost in hysterics.

LOUIS She...Rachel's asleep.

IRWIN (an edge in his voice now) Then I suggest you wake her up. Ellie...I think she had a dream that her mother was dead.

LOUIS I'll call you right back.

IRWIN (voice) Louis--!

But LOUIS, whose last few responses have been almost trancelike, hangs up. He looks at the tracks, then goes into the parlor.

INT. THE CRANDALL LIVING ROOM, WITH THE PHONE

Tiny bloody hands lift it off the cradle. A tiny bloody finger dials.

INT. THE CREED KITCHEN

The phone starts to ring. After two or three ringy-dingys, LOUIS, looking extremely upset, comes out of the parlor and picks it up.

LOUIS Irwin, you'll just have to--

GAGE (voice) I'm at Jud's, daddy. Will you come over and play with me?

LOUIS is dumbfounded...slack-mouthed with terror.

LOUIS (a bare whisper) Gage?

GAGE (voice) Mommy already came. We played, daddy. First I played with Jud and then mommy came and I played with mommy. We had an awful good time. Now I want to play with you.

GAGE begins to giggle...a really awful sound.

LOUIS What did you do? What did you--

CLICK! The GAGE-THING hangs up, still giggling.

INT. THE CREED BED, CU

He puts the doctor-bag down on the bed and roots through it. He comes up with three syringes, still wrapped in paper, and puts them aside. Then he roots around some more and comes up with several ampoules. He holds one up for inspection and we can read the word MORPHINE on it very clearly.

INT. THE BEDROOM, WITH LOUIS

He carries the syringes and ampoules of morphine over to the window. His hair has gone partially white.

He fills all three syringes with morphine (using two ampoules for each syringe--i.e., enough to kill a polar bear) and puts them in the left breast pocket of his shirt. He puts the spare ampoules in the right breast pocket of his shirt.

LOUIS is slowly going insane. What remains of his rationality is like a rapidly fraying rope.

LOUIS What you buy is what you own, and sooner or later what you own comes home to you. Wasn't that what you said, Jud? Wasn't that pretty much it?

He leaves the room.

EXT. THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CREED HOUSE

LOUIS comes out the door. In one hand he's got a raw pork chop. In the other he is carrying a pair of Playtex rubber gloves. He walks to the soft shoulder and waits for an Orinco truck to pass. Then he crosses.

EXT. THE CRANDALL WALK, WITH LOUIS

He walks most of the way to the house, then stops.

EXT. CHURCH, LOUIS"S POV

He gets up, humping his back warily.

EXT. LOUIS

LOUIS Hi, Church. Want some grub?

He tosses the pork chop onto the grass.

EXT. CHURCH

He hurries down the steps, goes to the chop, sniffs it, and starts to chow up. He looks up at:

EXT. LOUIS

He is pulling on the rubber gloves.

LOUIS Don't mind me. Eat it while you can. Eat all you want.

EXT. CHURCH

He starts worrying the chop again. Smack-smack-smack.

EXT. ANGLE ON LOUIS AND CHURCH

LOUIS Eat all you can...all you want... that's right...today's Thanksgiving day for cats, but only if they came back from the dead...

He finishes with the gloves, gets one of the loaded syringes out of his breast pocket, holds it up, squirts a drop out of the tip, then moves toward CHURCH.

CHURCH looks up. LOUIS stops moving. CHURCH starts eating again, and LOUIS starts moving again as soon as he does. All the time he talks to the cat in that soothing voice. He bends down...and grabs him.

CHURCH begins to squall and fight. LOUIS holds onto him. He tries to get the syringe into the cat and CHURCH almost gets away.

LOUIS No, you don't!

EXT. CHURCH, CU

The syringe plunges into his haunch.

EXT. CHURCH AND LOUIS

The needle is still dangling out of CHURCH'S haunch. The cat looks dazed. It tries to walk and falls over on its side. It tries to get up...and then falls over again.

LOUIS Go on. Lie down. Play dead. Be dead.

He walks to the porch steps and picks up the tote-bag.

EXT. THE TOTE-BAG, LOUIS'S POV

Any doubt he might have allowed himself the luxury of having is erased by the initials--R.C., same as the cola.

EXT. LOUIS

Twang! One of the few remaining strands of sanity has now parted. He looks back at:

INT. CHURCH, ON THE PATH, LOUIS'S POV

Dead.

EXT. LOUIS

He climbs the steps and goes onto the porch.

EXT. LOUIS, ON THE PORCH

He strips off the rubber gloves. He tosses them onto the table beside JUD'S beer-cans as he goes inside.

INT. THE FOYER OF THE CRANDALL HOME, WITH LOUIS

It's dark in here, and spooky.

LOUIS Rachel? (Pause) Jud? (Longer pause) Gage?

No answer. He looks down and sees:

INT. A SHOE, LOUIS'S POV

One of RACHEL'S shoes. It lies by the foot of the stairs.

INT. LOUIS

He goes over and picks up the shoe. It's a three-quarter heel, and it's pretty badly scuffed. RACHEL, after all, did some pretty hard travelling to get here.

There's a spot of blood on it.

SOUND: A low giggle.

LOUIS looks up:

INT. THE STAIRS, LOUIS'S POV

Mighty dark. Mighty shadowy.

SOUND: Another giggle.

INT. LOUIS, AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS

LOUIS Gage?

INT. THE STAIRS

GAGE (voice) Let's play, daddy! Let's play hide and go seek!

INT. LOUIS

He takes one of the loaded syringes from his pocket.

LOUIS All right, Gage...let's.

He begins to climb the stairs.

INT. UPSTAIRS, WITH LOUIS

LOUIS arrives on the landing. We begin the nerve-wracking business of checking rooms. First, the bathroom...and the shower curtain is of course pulled. LOUIS yanks it back. Nothing.

He checks the linen closet. Nothing. Goes back to the hall. Looks down it. He walks slowly along it. He checks one room. It's a guest room. Shadowy and empty.

Down the hall. A closet door. A bag falls off the top shelf, and a bunch of ceramics inside it SHATTER LOUDLY. LOUIS flinches back.

Down the hall. Now he's at JUD'S room. He goes in.

INT. JUD'S ROOM, WITH LOUIS

He checks the closet. No go. He steps around the bed and sees:

INT. THE FLOOR, LOUIS'S POV

A bloodstain.

INT. LOUIS

He gets down on his hands and knees and examines the bloodstain. He sees the skirt on the bedspread. He lifts it. He is nose to nose with JUD, who is dead with his eyes open, an expression of incredible horror on his face.

The DOOR SLAMS.

LOUIS bolts to his feet as GIGGLES fade down the hall.

Slowly, he kneels down and speaks to the skirt of the spread, which has mercifully fallen back into place.

LOUIS I'm sorry, Jud. I'm so sorry. I'm--

There's a SQUEAKING, SQUEALING SOUND.

LOUIS turns around. He gets up again. He starts for the door. Then he turns back and speaks to JUD again.

LOUIS I'm going to set things back in order. I...I know just what to do.

He goes out.

INT. THE HALLWAY, WITH LOUIS

He takes one of the two remaining loaded syringes from his breast pocket.

LOUIS Gage?

Another SQUEAKING SOUND. And another GIGGLE.

LOUIS starts slowly forward. He gets about halfway down the hall-- and our nerves are tuned to the breaking point--when there is a SQUEALING CREAK and a GRATING THUMP from overhead.

INT. CEILING TRAPDOOR

This happens fast. The trap--which presumably gives on the attic with a set of folding stairs--rises, and RACHEL'S body plunges down through and then hangs, swinging: she has been bound around the armpits and as become a grotesque parody of MISSY DANDRIDGE.

Half her face is gone. Eaten.

INT. LOUIS

He SCREAMS and backs against the wall. Twang! The last silver thread parts.

INT. THE TRAPDOOR, WITH GAGE

He leaps down, crashes on the floor, and then picks himself up. He is waving the scalpel.

GAGE (screeching) Allee-allee-in-free! allee-allee- in-free! Allee-allee-in-free!

INT. LOUIS AND GAGE

I won't choreograph all the moves, but GAGE slashes his stunned father up pretty badly with the scalpel. He's screeching the whole time. LOUIS finally begins to react. He grapples with the little critter, and tries to get the syringe into him. No good. It's batted out of his hand just before he can do it. It breaks.

LOUIS and GAGE fall to the floor. LOUIS gets the other syringe out of his pocket, but it's also knocked out of his hand. Only consolation is this one isn't broken. It rolls off along the floor. LOUIS finally manages to get it again as the struggle goes on, and plunges it into GAGE'S neck.

GAGE No fair! NO FAIR!

He gets to his feet, clawing for the needle lolling out of his neck. He's lost all interest in his father. He goes staggering away. He's slowing down. He goes to his knees...and falls on his face.

LOUIS watches this... and then his vacant, half-catatonic gaze goes to:

INT. RACHEL, LOUIS'S POV

She swings slowly back and forth.

EXT. THE BACK YARD OF THE CRANDALL HOUSE

Time has passed. It's late afternoon. LOUIS comes out with a sheet-wrapped form in his arms. RACHEL, of course.

He sets the body down and goes back inside.

INT. THE KITCHEN, WITH LOUIS

He's splashing around a can of coal-oil. When he's got the room wetted down to his satisfaction, he goes to the door, lights a match, and tosses it.

Flame runs across the floor. The fire is slow at first, but then it begins to gain rapidly.

LOUIS goes out.

EXT. THE BACK LAWN, WITH LOUIS

He picks up the sheet-wrapped form of his wife and walks around the side of the house as flames shoot through the kitchen windows.

EXT. THE FRONT OF THE CRANDALL HOUSE, FROM ACROSS THE ROAD

LOUIS appears with his shrouded burden and approaches the road.

--- PAGE 134 MISSING FROM HARD COPY ---

EXT. THE SMOULDERING RUINS OF THE CRANDALL HOUSE NIGHT

CAMERA HOLDS FOR A MOMENT, then rises and looks toward the CREED house. There's one light on--in the kitchen.

TOLLING CONTINUES: Three...four...five...

INT. THE KITCHEN TABLE, WITH LOUIS

LOUIS is filthy, covered with dried blood. He is playing at Patience. He holds a handful of cards.

TOLLING CONTINUES: Six...seven...

SOUND: The back door opens.

SOUND: Crickets from outside. Ree-ree-ree...

SOUND: Gritting footsteps.

LOUIS looks up. He doesn't look behind, at what's coming. He looks straight ahead.

LOUIS And what you own always comes home to you.

He flips up one card.

TOLLING CONTINUES: Eight...

INT. THE CARD

It's the Bitch, the Queen of Spades, she who supposedly poisoned the laddies in the Tower.

LOUIS'S hand falls upon it.

TOLLING CONTINUES: Nine...ten...

INT. LOUIS, CU

A hand clotted with grave-dirt falls on his shoulder. A woman's hand.

TOLLING CONCLUDES: Eleven...twelve...

RACHEL (voice) Darling.

FADE OUT ON THE SOUND OF CRICKETS.

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