THE OTHERS
"Pilot"
by John Brancato & Micheal Ferris
Revised 2-23-99
TEASER
FADE IN:
A CRESCENT MOON. CAMERA TILTS DOWN to reveal--
EXT. OLD CHURCHYARD - NIGHT
A 19th C. CHURCH with an adjacent CEMETERY. HOLD on the
church— suddenly, a STAINED GLASS WINDOW BLOWS OUT.
IN FG, a TOMBSTONE CRACKS and SHATTERS, as if dropped from a
height. CAMERA MOVES past more weathered, 19th C. GRAVE
MARKERS, through an IRON FENCE and across --
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
--an URBAN STREET, early FALL. Little traffic at this late
hour, a few NEON SIGNS in the distance. CAMERA keeps moving
through the city, OVER A WALL and into --
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
--a collegiate quadrangle in New England; a mix of PERIOD and
MODERN BUILDINGS. A banner: "WELCOME FRESHMEN." TRACK
TOWARD a modern HIGH-RISE, MOVE IN on a WINDOW
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
A large single room, cinderblock walls. BOXES and SUITCASES,
two BEDS on opposite sides. We hear URBAN STREET SOUNDS, a
passing SIREN... then the faint sound of a WOMAN SOBBING.
MARIAN KITT, 19, a college freshman, stirs in her sleep,
awakens, hearing the CRYING. She whispers--
MARIAN
Linda? You OK?
She squints in the half-light across the room toward LINDA,
sound asleep in her single bed. The SOBBING continues
FAINTLY, coming IN AND OUT as if on the breeze.
MARIAN squints toward --
--the half-open BATHROOM DOOR. Is it coming from there?
MARIAN gets out of bed in her nightgown, rubbing her eyes.
She's a country girl new to the urban landscape, petite and
pretty in a wholesome way, reserved and serious-minded. She
moves toward the bathroom.
INT. MARIAN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
ON THE LIGHTSWITCH as Marian reaches to turn it ON --
THE BULB OVERHEAD BLOWS with a CRACK. In the FLASH OF LIGHT,
we see that the BATHTUB is full of water. The CRYING STOPS.
MARIAN squints upward at the dead bulb. Lit by STREETLIGHT
through the frosted window, she moves to the tub, throws the
lever to DRAIN IT. We hear the DRAINING IN BG as she moves
to the sink for a glass of water.
As she's filling the glass, she notices--
THE MIRROR over the sink. There's vague, red WRITING-- as if
on the inside of the mirroring. MARIAN moves closer. It's
in a tight scrawl, indecipherable.
SHIFT FOCUS-- THE WATER draining from the tub seems to
GLOW... and it's revealing the BODY of a naked woman.
MARIAN whirls and SCREAMS, the glass SHATTERS on the tile --
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
LINDA sits up at the sound, flips on a LIGHT. She's also 19,
but more worldly and cynical than Marian.
LINDA
Marian?!
INT. MARIAN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
LINDA enters the room and lets out a CRY-- she's stepped into
the broken glass-- her BLOOD spills on the floor tiles.
We see the mirror... NO WRITING on it now.
MARIAN is crouched atop the closed toilet, knees pulled up,
FROZEN in terror. She stares at the tub... which is EMPTY
FADE OUT
END TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. DINING HALL - DAY
MARIAN moves out of the food line with a tray, looking for a
suitable place to sit.
LINDA sits at the end of a CROWDED TABLE, her bandaged FOOT
up on a chair. She GLARES toward Marian, then leans forward
to WHISPER to some other FRESHMEN at her table.
AS MARIAN moves past the table, one of the KIDS makes a SCARY
MOANING GHOST NOISE— "0-o-o-oh..." MARIAN is pained but
ignores this, finds a seat by herself against the wall.
CUT TO:
EXT. OLD CHURCHYARD - DAY
START ON OLD TOMBSTONES, several TOPPLED, CRACKED and BROKEN,
as if a sledgehammer had been taken to them.
MARK OSBORNE, SATORI, and a PRIEST walk among these graves in
the iron-fenced cemetery-- we see BOARDS over the BROKEN
WINDOWS of the church.
OSBORNE is in his 20's, preppily handsome, soft-spoken and
thoughtful. SATORI is a new-agey woman in her 50's or 60's,
with long, silver hair, draped with bangles and bells.
PRIEST
Senseless... we've put in alarms, I don't
see how they're getting past.
OSBORNE
Have you given any thought to the matter
of Aloysius Green?
PRIEST
This is an historic churchyard, there
hasn't been a burial in a hundred years--
SATORI
We're talking a mid-nineteenth century
corpse, it's not like he'd clash.
PRIEST
Why is this so important to you people?
ELMER
It's important to Aloysius.
ELMER GREEN is seated on a bench in the graveyard. He's
probably 90, black, in a neat dark suit, wearing coke-bottle
lenses so thick his eyes distort.
PRIEST
Excuse me?
ELMER
Eighty-odd years he been my spirit guide.
The man belonged here, was a sin they
planted him by the river inna first
place. Now he been dug up for an exit
ramp...
SATORI
Who knows, settling the karmic debt might
solve your vandalism problem.
PRIEST
I told you, I prefer not to hear any more
of that sort of mystical speculation--
OSBORNE
Father, she's just talking about, you
know, good p.r., community outreach...
The priest sighs, there's more going on here than he wants to
acknowledge.
PRIEST
I'll take up the Aloysius Green case with
the board-- purely as a matter of
historical propriety.
He heads back for the church. ELMER nods to himself and
rises. OSBORNE takes his arm, he and SATORI help him away.
ELMER
No one wantsa call a ghost a ghost...
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
A large READING ROOM, MARIAN at a table with a TEXTBOOK-- few
other students about.
JEROME BALLARD, carrying a notebook, wanders in, looks
around, WHISPERS to each of the FEMALES in turn. He gets
funny looks, shakes of the head-- bad pick-up attempts?
Jerome's 30, a serious dweeb with a quizzical manner. He's a
font of knowledge in every area, except perhaps the social
graces. He sidles up to MARIAN, whispers:
JEROME
Are you Marian Kitt? Homsworth 37?
(off her nod; delighted)
You're not easy to find.
MARIAN
I don't spend much time in the dorm.
JEROME
Can I talk to you for a second? It's
about Diane Stillman.
MARIAN
I don't know who that is.
JEROME
She died in your room last year.
MARIAN is taken aback, but curious.
EXT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
MARIAN and JEROME move down the steps of the library.
JEROME
I'm not surprised you hadn't heard, the
university covers up suicides pretty
efficiently--
MARIAN
How did she do it?
JEROME
P and B-- pills and booze, right before
Christmas break. They found her in the
tub a week later.
MARIAN
Oh, God.
JEROME
Yeah, I'd hate to've been working dorm
crew on that room. So listen, does stuff
like this happen to you a lot?
MARIAN
What do you mean?
JEROME
You know, psychic phenomena. 'Cause I
know some people you really should meet--
MARIAN
Who are you?
JEROME
Oh, sorry. I'm Jerome Ballard, folklore
and mythology. I wrote my doctoral
thesis on ghost stories, the paranormal's
sort of a lifelong passion--
MARIAN
I didn't see a ghost. I must've been
sleepwalking, I used to when I was
younger-- I was sleepwalking and I had a
bad dream--
JEROME
Come on. Sounds like a ghost to me.
MARIAN
You really believe in that stuff?
JEROME
When you eliminate all rational
explanations, the totally wacky is the
only alternative. Seriously, too many
people have seen spirits, there's all
kinds of evidence in the literature--
MARIAN
You ever see one?
JEROME
(a bit embarrassed)
Well, no... I've wanted to. I'm just not
attuned. But it sounds like you are.
You're not the only one-- there are
others like you--
MARIAN
You're talking about me like I'm a freak!
JEROME
That depends on your definition of
"freak..."
MARIAN
I'm just a freshman from Iowa, nobody is
more normal than me, I grew up on a corn
flakes box for God's sake. I had a bad
dream, my stupid roommate had to spread
it all over campus--
JEROME
Look, I just wanted to let you know,
there's a meeting on Thursday and it'd be
nice if you came by...
As he speaks, he's writing something on the back of a Xerox
copied news clipping.
MARIAN
A meeting?
JEROME
The Others. Gifted people. You know,
freaks like you.
He hands her the paper with a grin, waves and moves off.
Marian can't help but smile. She glances at the page --
INSERT PAGE-- "OTHERS," an ADDRESS and TIME in pen. She
flips it over... a NEWS CLIPPING, "STUDENT FOUND DEAD," with
a GRADUATION PHOTO of a beautiful, smiling DIANE STILLMAN...
MARIAN'S smile fades. She crumples the clipping and tosses
it into a TRASHBIN.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Now decorated: Marian's side of the room is neat, bookish;
Linda has a big stereo, rock posters. Both GIRLS are asleep.
MARIAN suddenly throws off the covers and moves quickly to a
desk by Linda's bed. There's a vacant look in her eyes. She
grabs paper and pen, scribbles quickly in the dark. Suddenly
a HAND grabs her shoulder-- Marian spins, startled --
HER POV— in the dim light, for a moment we get the impression
of DIANE STILLMAN's tear-ravaged face looming out of the
darkness, her hand reaching for the DESK LAMP-- the sudden
LIGHT reveals the figure to be LINDA, not Diane.
MARIAN stumbles away from the desk, frightened, breathing
hard. LINDA blinks at her, annoyed and sleepy.
LINDA
What is wrong with you? It's four in the
morning and you're at my desk writing
What the hell are you writing?
ANGLE ON PAPER— a strange SCRAWL, weird letterforms on top of
one another amidst dark SCRIBBLES.
MARIAN, still rattled, can barely answer.
MARIAN
I-- I dunno, I must've been asleep.
Linda has picked up the paper, turned it over.
LINDA
Great. And you just scribbled all over
my English paper.
MARIAN returns to her bed while LINDA grabs a PRESCRIPTION
BOTTLE from a desk drawer and eats a pill-- then she turns
OFF the desk lamp and heads back for bed.
MARIAN
I'm sorry, Linda.
LINDA
So am I. How's that room transfer
coming?
MARIAN sighs, squeezing her eyes shut.
CUT TO:
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Early morning. MARIAN sifts gingerly through the TRASHBIN
where she tossed the flyer.
EXT. COMMUNITY CENTER - EVENING
An institutional brick building, like an elementary school.
MARIAN approaches, the crumpled FLYER in hand.
INT. COMMUNITY CENTER - NIGHT
MARIAN moves down a corridor, hears voices from a room. She
pauses at the windowed door, then enters quietly.
INT. MEETING ROOM - NIGHT
A DOZEN PEOPLE sit on folding chairs; most are WOMEN of
various ages, wearing ROBES; a middle-aged female LEADER in a
robe at the front of the room. MARIAN hovers in the back.
LEADER
--the key is to empty the mind, let the
spirit move inside you and through you...
please feel free to join in...
THE LEADER punches a TAPE PLAYER, slips off her robe to
reveal a HAREM GIRL'S OUTFIT-- we hear MIDDLE EASTERN MUSIC.
She begins to GYRATE HER HIPS. EVERYONE in the room sheds
their robes and does likewise, with varying degrees of skill
and enthusiasm.
A gyrating DANCER near the back notes Marian's confusion.
DANCER
This is Introduction to Belly Dancing.
Are you looking for the SAT course?
MARIAN
Um, no-- something called "the Others."
DANCER
The psychic support thing? Upstairs, I
think.
Marian nods her thanks and exits.
INT. OTHERS ROOM - NIGHT
ON THE WALLS are CHILDREN'S ARTWORK, leftovers from the day.
FOLDING CHAIRS around a TABLE, a COFFEE POT and DOUGHNUTS. In
addition to SATORI, OSBORNE, JEROME and ELMER, there are:
--ALBERT MARTINEZ, 40-ish, overweight and ill-tempered,
wearing dark glasses, a GUIDE DOG at his feet;
--DOT BUTERA, late 20's, all in black with dramatic Goth make-
up, a nose ring and dyed hair;
--SETH BUTERA, Dot's son, an autistic 10-year-old, rocking in
his chair-- he never speaks, looks up or makes eye contact
with anyone;
--WARREN DUNN, 20's, stubbly and disheveled but somewhat
puppylike, a street person or close to it.
SATORI
Initially it was a matter of objects
being moved and occasional mysterious
odors-- the cigars he used to smoke, et
cetera...
During this, MARIAN lets herself into the room, hangs back.
SATORI (CONT'D)
But one morning Mrs. Harmon woke up to
find her kitchen knives embedded in the
floorboards. That's when she came into
my studio, asked me to take a look.
JEROME smiles and gestures for Marian to take a seat beside
Elmer, as the discussion continues.
OSBORNE
What did you feel?
SATORI
A lot of energy-- not exactly hostile.
More... desperate. But I couldn't make it
focus. I could really use some help on
this, I'll split my fees of course--
Albert turns toward Marian, gestures at her.
ALBERT
Who is that?
JEROME
Oh-- everyone, this is Marian, I invited
her to stop by tonight.
Murmured "hellos" from the group. Satori studies Marian.
SATORI
You've seen something, dear-- something
that frightens you-- a mirror, water...
MARIAN
Yes-- how did you--
OSBORNE
Jerome told us. Satori can't resist that
crystal ball shtick.
Satori shrugs and smiles.
ALBERT
I don't recall taking a vote on this
girl.
JEROME
We never vote--
ALBERT
Maybe we should start.
DOT
Marian, ignore Albert, he's just pissed
off 'cause he's blind and his dog smells.
ALBERT
That's very sensitive, you little slut--
JEROME
Why don't we take a moment and introduce
ourselves? Me you know-- I just try to
document events, help any way I can--
right now I'm setting up a website.
JEROME looks toward WARREN, who's next around the table. He
speaks rapidly, stuttering.
WARREN
Oh. Me? I'm-- my name is Warren. I, um
I don't know, I guess I see things that
aren't there-- or are, maybe-- it's like,
I have all the information, right, but I
can't process it
ALBERT
Some say Warren is schizophrenic.
DOT
Shut up, Albert.
WARREN
No, he's right.
DOT
Well, quit hogging all the donuts.
(grabs the box, takes one)
I'm Dot. I'm sort of a weirdness magnet--
birds fly into walls around me and stuff
like that-- now and then I get these
lucid moments, I can see what's gonna
happen... This is my son Seth, he's--
ALBERT
--retarded.
DOT
Autistic!
SATORI
Seth has an extraordinary gift, we all
feel it. It's almost as if the spirit
world is more real to him than this
one...
The others nod. SETH, though, hasn't looked up during this.
Silently, he rises and moves his chair beside MARIAN. He
sits down close to her, without looking at or touching her.
OSBORNE
I'm Mark Osborne I-- I've had dizzy
spells and migraine headaches all my
life, but when I learned to get past the
pain I realized there was more to it...
SATORI
You pick up on other people's feelings.
(to Marian)
He's an empath.
OSBORNE
Makes me sound like a character on "Star
Trek." Anyway-- Elmer?
He turns to ELMER. The man is sound asleep.
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
Well, this is Elmer Green, he's a pretty
famous medium, been at it for most of the
last century... I don't want to wake him
up. Albert?
ALBERT
I'm Albert and I'm an alcoholic.
WARREN
Hi, Albert.
SATORI
I'm called Satori--
ALBERT
--nee Ellen Leibowitz.
SATORI
--and I'm a sensitive. I'm the only one
here who makes a living at it, so
naturally I get a lot of crap.
OSBORNE
(doing "Ghostbusters")
"Who you gonna call?"
SATORI
I only take money if I get results. Why
is it any different from hiring a plumber
to clear your pipes?
JEROME
Marian-- why don't you tell us a little
about your own experience?
Marian's very uncomfortable, stares at her lap as she speaks.
MARIAN
Well, I'm pretty normal, really. It's
just...when I got here to college a
couple months ago I saw... well, I
thought I saw...
HER POV-- PAN OVER the interested FACES of the OTHERS. Even
ELMER suddenly STARTS awake with a SNORT, staring at her
through his coke-bottle lenses.
MARIAN is losing her nerve, put off by these weird strangers.
MARIAN (CONT'D)
I'm sorry. I think maybe I made a
mistake coming here. I don't think I'm
like the rest of you--
ALBERT
You mean crazy, don't you?
OSBORNE
Albert, chill.
MARIAN
No, I just mean-- I don't really believe
in all this--
ALBERT
So you're calling us liars.
SATORI
Stop it--
MARIAN
No, I'm sure it's all very real to you--
ALBERT
What are you so afraid of, Suzy
Creamcheese? They gonna kick you off the
cheerleading squad for seeing spooks?
During the above, ELMER has reached out to TOUCH MARIAN'S
HAND, his expression intense, as if he were somehow absorbing
information from her. Freaked out at this, and infuriated by
Albert, Marian yanks away her hand and bolts from the table.
JEROME
Marian, wait--
She hurries out of there, slamming the door. JEROME starts
to get up, OSBORNE waves him down and goes out after her.
ALBERT
Did she at least flip me off? I'm
curious.
SILENCE in the room. They glare at ALBERT.
EXT. COMMUNITY CENTER - NIGHT
OSBORNE catches up with MARIAN as she hurries away from the
center, toward a BUS STOP.
OSBORNE
Marian! Hang on.
(she turns toward him)
I apologize for Albert. He's not good
with strangers.
MARIAN
I'll say.
OSBORNE
There's a pretty high flake quotient,
I'll admit... but they grow on you. Over
time.
MARIAN
What do you people do, anyway? Read
palms, or write astrology columns, or
maybe stuff fortune cookies--?
OSBORNE
I'm a first year resident at St. Joe's
hospital...
MARIAN
(surprised)
Oh...
OSBORNE
Come on, lemme buy you a cup of coffee or
something.
Marian thinks a beat, then nods.
EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT
OSBORNE and MARIAN walk through a PARK in the city center.
OSBORNE
...the Others started in the twenties,
part of the great spiritualist revival.
Back then everyone had a Ouija board and
held seances at parties. Elmer is the
last of the original members, he was sort
of a boy wonder as a medium...
They've reached a PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASS near a major STREET.
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
Let's cut down here.
MARIAN
Wouldn't it be faster to just keep--
Osborne is already trotting down the steps. Marian isn't
happy about it, but she follows.
INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT
FLICKERING FLUORESCENT LIGHT overhead, graffiti, dark
puddles. Osborne is a few steps ahead of Marian as she
enters the tunnel. Marian looks uneasy.
MARIAN
Mark...? I don't like this...
He turns, gestures casually, keeps moving.
She takes a few steps forward to catch up, then STOPS SHORT,
hearing a faint CHILD'S SCREAM.
HER POV— the TUNNEL starts to WARP, EXPANDING in front of
her, the WALLS begin to BREATHE.
MARIAN whirls, starting to hyperventilate. She DROPS to her
KNEES, looking down.
CLOSE ON A DARK PUDDLE, the REFLECTION of a DARK FORM RUNNING
PAST. THE PUDDLE SPLASHES as though a foot had landed in it,
even though there's nobody there.
MARIAN struggles to rise.
A SPRAY OF BLOOD appears on a wall before her, as if emerging
_from within the concrete. MORE FAINT SCREAMS.
She turns back the way she came, desperate to get out of
there, but finds herself confronting--
--a dark, mutating, nightmarish FORM, features distorted and
grotesque. The GLIMMER of METAL appears, a rapidly moving
knife blade, catching the flicker of the fluorescents.
MARIAN SCREAMS --
CUT TO BLACK
END ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT
MARIAN reels in the tunnel, SOBBING, hands over her eyes,
terrified, disoriented. OSBORNE comes to her side, pale and
concerned. He helps her to her feet and toward the
staircase, his face showing pain.
EXT. CITY PARK - NIGHT
MARIAN, getting a hold of herself, darts up the stairs, now
keeping her distance from OSBORNE--
MARIAN
You bastard, you knew what was down
there! You were testing me?!
OSBORNE
I'm sorry, I had no idea you were that
sensitive. I had to show you-- it's not
just in your head --
MARIAN
I'm sorry, I don't understand--
OSBORNE grabs her and spins her around.
OSBORNE
Nobody does!
(releasing her, more calmly)
Look, most people just avoid that place
now. Or if they have to use the tunnel,
they tend to walk a little faster without
knowing why-- maybe they just think it's
claustrophobia. For them, this sort of thing
doesn't exist. They may feel it, but they can
deny it, ignore it. But others-- people
like us-- we have to deal with it. Even
if it doesn't make sense. Because
whatever it is, for us-- it is real. It
is.
MARIAN, reeling, sits on a nearby bench. OSBORNE sits a few
feet away. After a beat, she almost whispers:
MARIAN
What happened down there... to the
children?
OSBORNE
It was a brother and sister, they were
out late. Some psycho murdered them in
that tunnel, about twelve years ago--
MARIAN
There was a knife--
OSBORNE
(nods)
They never caught him... you know, you
picked up a lot. As much as Satori-- and
the cops brought her in on the case a
month after it happened.
MARIAN
It's true... I really am a freak.
OSBORNE
You're not a freak. You're just seeing--
well, for lack of a better term, we call
it the Other Side.
Marian trembles, on the verge of tears. Slowly, he puts an
arm around her, holding her close to comfort her.
CUT TO;
INT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
OSBORNE and MARIAN sit at a small table, finishing coffee,
both of them calmer now.
MARIAN
...The scary part is, when it happens, I
feel like I'm not me anymore. Like she's
taking over. I don't get it, why is she
after me?
OSBORNE
Maybe she's not. It sounds to me like
she's caught in a trap-- that room where
she died, it's like the tunnel. A kind
of psychic quicksand... you just happened
to step in it. Could I see that note?
MARIAN fumbles in her backpack, pulls out the piece of paper
she scribbled on, passes it to him. He starts to read:
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
"...thus, when Prufrock ponders, 'Dare I
eat a peach?' is it really fruit that
he's talking about--"
MARIAN
Uh, no, that's my roommate's paper. The
writing's on the other side.
Osborne turns the paper over, squints at the scribbling.
OSBORNE
I can't make it out. Is it even English?
MARIAN
I have no idea.
OSBORNE
Can I hang onto this?
(off her nod, after a beat)
Has this kind of thing happened to you
before?
MARIAN
When I was a kid... there were times
when...like, I had conversations with my
grandmother late at night, only-- she was
dead.
OSBORNE
Then you got older, figured you'd just
imagined it...
MARIAN
I didn't want anyone to think I was
crazy. But I've always gotten, you know,
weird flashes-- like something you see
out of the corner of your eye--
OSBORNE
But you turn around and it's not there...
(off her nod)
When I was ten, our Golden Retriever ate
snail bait. When I found him, his heart
wasn't beating. I held him in my arms, I
could feel his life leaving him,
practically see it and-- and I willed him
back. Gave him my strength.
MARIAN
He lived?
OSBORNE
Uh-huh. Or... maybe we just got lucky,
got him to the vet in time.
MARIAN
And maybe I was just dreaming about my
grandmother.
OSBORNE
Maybe...
DISSOLVE TO;
EXT. URBAN BROWNSTONE - DAY
An older HOME with a FOR SALE sign.
INT. BROWNSTONE - DAY
CLOSE on a MATCH, as it LIGHTS a BUNDLE OF HERBS.
WIDER, SATORI waves the BURNING HERBS as she moves through
the place. The home is largely EMPTY, most of the furniture
moved out. JEROME approaches her, a VIDEO CAMERA to his eye.
JEROME
You really think that stuff works?
SATORI
Hard to say. But I like the scent.
Satori lays her incense down in an ashtray as MRS. HARMON,
sweet and ditzy, late 50's, enters with a TEA TRAY.
MRS. HARMON
I made some herbal tea-- it's supposed to
enhance spirituality, the box says so...
JEROME
(aiming the camera)
Mrs. Harmon, when did your husband pass
away?
MRS. HARMON
He didn't exactly "pass away." He was
hit by lightning on the golf course.
JEROME
(stifling a guffaw)
Seriously?
MRS. HARMON
I'm afraid so. It happens more often
than you'd think. I warned him not to
play in the rain, but the man was
obsessed.
A DOORBELL chimes.
MRS. HARMON (CONT'D)
I thought I gave the realtor the keys...
Mrs. Harmon moves to the door, opens it to DOT AND SETH--
DOT
Hello...
SATORI
Dot, Seth, come in...
(to Mrs. Harmon)
They're friends of mine-- I think they
might be able to help...
MRS. HARMON admits DOT and SETH. Dot looks around, Crying to
get a feel for the place.
DOT
Nice house.
JEROME
Why do you want to sell it?
MRS. HARMON
I don't want to, I love this house, we
had so many happy times here... it's
just. Bill took care of the finances
and... we were getting ready to retire
when...
(a forced smile)
The best laid plans, right?
SETH makes a strange NOISE and RUNS INTO THE HOUSE.
DOT
Seth? I'm sorry, ma'am--
She moves to pursue her son, but Jerome stops her.
JEROME
Let him go. Something set him off...
JEROME trots after him with the camera, as SETH runs through
the house at full tilt. DOT wanders into the house, SNIFFS.
DOT
I'm getting something too. A strange
smell. Like burning hair.
MRS. HARMON GASPS at this, puts a hand to her mouth. Satori
gestures toward the ashtray, embarrassed.
SATORI
Oh, that's my incense.
DOT
No, it's like... has there been a fire in
this house?
MRS. HARMON
No... Tea, anyone?
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - DAY
SETH suddenly stops his crazed running in this long hallway,
a CASEMENT WINDOW at one end. Seth stares straight ahead,
breathing hard. A GOLFBAG leans against the wall here-- SETH
runs his hand on its surface. JEROME hovers behind, taping.
DOT appears in the hall, cup of tea in hand, moving toward
the boy with a cookie--
DOT
Seth, hon, want a cookie--?
As she nears her son, he swings out his hand, KNOCKING the
china teacup from her grasp--
--it SHATTERS on the floor. A stream of LIQUID FLOWS down
the hallway.
INT. BROWNSTONE - DAY
MRS. HARMON reacts to the sound of breakage.
MRS. HARMON
What was that?
SATORI is in a standing yoga pose, eyes shut, trying to
absorb energy, muttering a MANTRA to herself. Just then, an
enthusiastic female REALTOR in a business suit lets herself
in with a wealthy young COUPLE.
REALTOR
It's a very quiet neighborhood, but
convenient to every--
She takes in Satori; the realtor's smile FREEZES.
REALTOR (CONT'D)
Judy. I didn't know you were showing the
house to anyone today--
MRS. HARMON
Oh, no, this is--
The realtor charges across the room, taking Mrs. Harmon by
the arm and leading her out of earshot of the puzzled couple.
REALTOR
(a hiss)
I know who it is. Why do you persist in
letting these lunatics in here?
MRS. HARMON
The house is haunted--
REALTOR
It's not. And even if it was, there's no
disclosure law regarding ghosts.
As they speak, the realtor has walked Mrs. Harmon into--
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - DAY
--the hallway where DOT, SETH and JEROME stand over the
spill, fascinated; Jerome aims the camera at the floor. They
pay no attention to the REALTOR or MRS. HARMON.
REALTOR
There's more of them.
MRS. HARMON
(embarrassed)
Maybe you people should just go...
She moves off. The realtor gives the others a "beat it"
look, and moves back to deal with her clients. ANGLE ON
FLOOR, where the SPILLED TEA is still flowing slowly, in an
unnatural way.
It's branched into FIVE NARROW STREAMS, almost like a hand,
moving in PULSES towards a bend in the hallway.... almost as
if it were crawling. JEROME hands the camera to Dot, excited.
JEROME
Keep taping.
He moves to the GOLF BAG, UNZIPS a pocket, feeling inside and
coming up with a GOLF BALL. Jerome kneels by the liquid on
the floor, addresses the video camera.
JEROME (cont'd)
Clearly, the floors aren't level-- it's
an old house-- but...
He places the golf ball gently beside the far end of the
still flowing liquid, away from the broken cup, and releases
it. After a beat, the golf ball slowly rolls-- TOWARD THE
BROKEN CUP, the opposite direction from the spill's flow.
JEROME (CONT'D)
Ha! Since when does liquid flow uphill?
CLOSE ON SPILL as one TENTACLE moves more rapidly, almost
like a pointing finger, but only to run into--
MRS. HARMON with a SPONGE. She SOPS IT UP vigorously.
JEROME
What are you doing?!
MRS. HARMON
Cleaning up.
SETH begins to HOWL, PUNCHING THE WALL. DOT holds him
tightly, trying to calm him down. SATORI dashes in.
SATORI
I just got a tremendous wave of-- pain,
anger-- frustration--
REALTOR
That must've been me.
THE REALTOR appears from the opposite end of the hallway with
the HUSBAND and WIFE, who look confused by the group of
people staring at the floor. It's quite a crowd in this
narrow hallway now.
MRS. HARMON
(meekly, to Satori)
I'm sorry I made you all waste your time,
but... there's no point in continuing
this.
JEROME
We were just getting something, he was
trying to communicate--
SATORI
Please, Mrs. Harmon, these things are
unpredictable, you need to be patient--
MRS. HARMON
(losing it)
I've been patient all my life! Bill told
me we were safe, not to worry. He said
we'd grow old together without a care in
the world-- be patient, he told me, just
wait and see. And now... I'm alone and I
have nothing and... he's gone. He's
gone. I miss him so much and--
(fights back her tears)
I have to sell. Just to pay the bills.
Now please... leave.
Mrs. Harmon flees the hallway. The others follow a moment
later, somber. Alone with the realtor, the HUSBAND sighs,
then points at the floor.
HUSBAND
Are these the original baseboards?
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREET - DAY
MARIAN, book bag slung over one shoulder, walks with BOB and
JIM, jocky-looking fellow freshman.
JIM
--there's gonna be a major Halloween
party in Barker Hall tonight.
BOB
Those dudes are animals.
THE THREE STUDENTS instinctively give a wide berth to a
MUMBLING STREET PERSON as he passes, moving in the other
direction. A few paces on, he looks up, turns-- it's WARREN.
WARREN
Hey-- hey, you, uh, uh, blonde girl!
MARIAN takes a moment to register who this guy is. JIM and
BOB eye Warren as he approaches, move to protect Marian.
WARREN (CONT'D)
I was just heading over to the, um, you
wanna go with me?
JIM
Get lost, OK?
MARIAN
No, wait, I know him--
BOB
You're kidding.
MARIAN
I mean, I met him once...
WARREN points toward the OLD CHURCH a block up.
WARREN
I can't have already missed it-- damn, I
gotta get a watch. What's your name
again?
MARIAN
Marian. Missed what?
WARREN
You know, the ceremonial planting of the
r bones, laying to rest the restless--
JIM and BOB back away from Warren and Marian.
BOB
We, uh, gotta get to practice--
JIM
Later-
MARIAN is torn for a moment, looking from the young men to
the twitchy Warren. A note of regret:
MARIAN
Sure-- see you guys...
(to Warren)
What are you talking about?
WARREN
Aloysius Green, the reinterment. The
others are there, come on.
He turns and hurries off, MUTTERING to himself again. MARIAN
looks after him unsurely.
EXT. OLD CHURCHYARD - DAY
WARREN hurries up to THE OTHERS, milling and talking quietly.
MARIAN stands at the gates of the cemetery, peering in.
OSBORNE cocks his head at the sight of her and approaches.
OSBORNE
Marian... did you want to join us?
MARIAN
I was just walking by... what's going on?
OSBORNE escorts her closer to the others.
OSBORNE
Well, it's a project we've all been
working on a while. There's been some
vandalism here, tombs knocked over and
smashed...we're hoping this might put an
end to it.
They've reached an OPEN GRAVE with a CANVAS BAG beside it.
SATORI beams, gives MARIAN a hug, which she receives stiffly.
SATORI
I'm so glad you've come back to us, we
need your strength--
MARIAN
Well, I just happened to be—-
SATORI
Nothing just happens.
ALBERT
That you, Marian?
MARIAN
Yes.
ALBERT
They tell me I was a little hard on you
the other night.
MARIAN
I guess.
She waits expectantly with a half-smile for an apology. But
Albert is done speaking, reaches down to scratch his dog. A
s Marian's smile fades, THE PRIEST we met earlier approaches
nervously, ELMER beside him. Elmer moves closer to Marian,
staring at her intently, unnerving her a bit.
ELMER
Girl, I need a word with you.
CLOSE as he takes her hand in his gnarled fingers. He speaks
in a hoarse whisper:
ELMER (cont'd)
Some spirits is too strong to fight.
Their pain, it becomes a poison in the
air. Poison don't care what it kills.
MARIAN
What are you saying?
ELMER
Get outta that place. I can give you a
couch to sleep. I can help you...
navigate the spiritual waters a bit if
you know what I mean.
MARIAN eyes the shaky, elderly man-- he doesn't strike her as
a powerful protector.
MARIAN
Thank you, but-- I'll be fine.
ELMER looks disappointed in her, shakes his head.
ELMER
Just keep your wits about you.
THE PRIEST clears his throat; he obviously wants this
ceremony to be over with as quickly as possible.
PRIEST
Shall we get started...? Today we've
gathered because-- all of you care deeply
about Aloysius Green, a man who's been--
lost to us for a hundred and thirty
years... His great-grand-nephew Elmer
Green would like to say a few words...
ELMER totters to the graveside, beside the BAG. The priest
looks away during the following, uncomfortable.
ELMER
Aloysius has spent most of his time mad
at the world. It's hard to blame him.
He's born a slave, escaped and come to
what he thought'd be freedom... but his
soul never been free yet. Aloysius
helped build this church, but after that
they wouldn't let him in it, not alive
nor dead... and lately he's done a bit of
mischief here...
(hoisting the canvas bag)
Aloysius, you been with me mosta my life.
You showed me the ways of the Other Side--
and soon I'll be joining you there...
until then... God rest you.
Elmer OPENS THE BAG and pours the contents into the grave--
ANGLE IN GRAVE-- a pile of DUSTY, DECAYED BONES, with a SKULL
and RIB CAGE recognisable.
MARIAN GASPS at this grim sight. She looks up at THE OTHERS,
who stare calmly into the grave.
A SHOVELFUL OF DIRT lands on the pile of bones.
OSBORNE passes the shovel to JEROME. He looks up to see--
MARIAN, through the fence, walking away fast. MUSIC UP and--
CUT TO:
INT. DORM SUITE - NIGHT
POUNDING ROCK MUSIC, a packed PARTY, lit by BLACK LIGHT, some
Of the PARTIERS in HALLOWEEN COSTUMES. ON THE CROWDED DANCE
FLOOR, MARIAN, without a costume, LAUGHS as she dances
energetically with JIM. Both are sweating, Marian's "face is
red. As she swings her head to one side--
HER POV— amidst the throng of twisting bodies, we briefly
glimpse what looks like an unmoving DIANE STILLMAN. When the
dancing bodies move again, we see it's a different GIRL.
MARIAN stops dancing, disturbed, catching her breath. Jim
leads her to a PUNCH BOWL, fills two cups. She knocks hers
back, refills it, trying to chase away the ghost.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
MARIAN sways as she and JIM cross the campus, the sounds of
the PARTY RECEDING. Other PEDESTRIANS about, it isn't late.
She almost falls down, LAUGHING, Jim holds her up, his hands
lingering on her body.
MARIAN
I seem normal to you, don't I?
JIM
Actually, you seem kinda wasted.
MARIAN
I know that, but I'm not weird, or
freakish or anything, am I?
JIM
No way. You're a true babe.
MARIAN
(leans into him)
Can we go to your room? I don't wanna be
alone right now...
JIM
My dweeb roommate's up studying. How
'bout your place? Linda's at her
boyfriend's, right?
Marian's reluctant, but shrugs and nods.
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
JIM follows MARIAN into the room.
MARIAN
Look, Jim, thanks for the party... I'm
just, I gotta lie down.
JIM ignores this, he's all over her, joining her on the bed
and trying to make out with her. MARIAN makes a sick NOISE
and rolls over, face into the pillow. He strokes her hair,
rubs her shoulder, tries to rouse her.
JIM
Hey Marian, come on...
MARIAN snores-- she's out cold.
JIM (CONT'D)
Damn it...
JIM gets up, disappointed, straightens his clothes and heads
out the door.
HOLD ON the sleeping MARIAN for a beat. The SNORING STOPS.
She rolls on her back and opens her eyes, her face impassive
gaze far away. She rises, knocking the phone to the floor--
we hear a DIAL TONE.
MARIAN moves to Linda's side of the room, begins rummaging
through the drawers of her desk. She finds what she wants
and moves into the bathroom.
INT. MARIAN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
CLOSE-on the running BATHTUB. MOVE TO FIND MARIAN standing
at the sink. We see now that she has a PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE
of Linda's, pouring PILLS into her hand. She looks at these
blankly for a moment, then puts the lot of them in her mouth.
She bends to drink water from the tap. As she does this--
CAMERA MOVES to the mirror. In the. REFLECTION we see the
RED BACKWARDS WRITING. When Marian rises, SHIFT FOCUS to
show--
--it's no longer Marian, but a deathly pale DIANE STILLMAN.
FADE OUT
END ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT
OSBORNE, in a white coat, is making his rounds, sipping
coffee. He suddenly looks pained, puts a hand to his
forehead. He makes his way to a chair and sits, dizzy,
putting his head between his knees.
FLASH CUT-- ANGLE on an empty BATHROOM from the tub, the
CAMERA SLIDING UNDER the surface of WATER and back up again.
OSBORNE rises quickly, GASPING for air. He pulls a CELL PHONE
from his pocket, rising and moving from the ward.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - NIGHT
Moving down the hall, OSBORNE DIALS his phone, consulting a
scrap of paper from his wallet. We hear a BUSY SIGNAL. He
hangs up, in a cold sweat, picking up the pace. He sprints
past LOUISA, a female resident.
OSBORNE
Louisa, I got an emergency, cover my
rounds! He moves on before the surprised
woman can answer.
INT. COLLEGE DORM BATHROOM - NIGHT
ON A CEILING, as a MOIST SPOT appears, SPREADING rapidly.
EXT. URBAN STREETS/OSBORNE'S CAR - NIGHT
OSBORNE drives rapidly through the streets of the city. He's
on his CELLPHONE, we hear the FILTERED VOICE of an OPERATOR.
OPERATOR (FILTER)
--there's no one on that line, sir, it
must be off the hook.
He RUNS a RED LIGHT, DRIVING like a maniac now.
INT. COLLEGE DORM BATHROOM - NIGHT
A MALE STUDENT, in a bathrobe, regards a STEADY STREAM of
WATER from the CEILING, now SPLASHING on the floor of their
bathroom. IN BG, his ROOMMATE is on the PHONE.
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
OSBORNE pulls up in his CAR, jumps out, moves to the CAMPUS
GATE-- it's CLOSED and LOCKED. He hesitates only a moment,
then starts to CLIMB OVER.
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
We hear RUNNING WATER, KEYS in the lock, the DOOR OPENS. A
middle-aged CAMPUS SECURITY COP enters, the MALE STUDENTS
behind him. He follows the sound of the water into--
INT. MARIAN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
--the BATHROOM where he sees MARIAN, lying unconscious in the
OVERFLOWING TUB, her head below the water.
SECURITY COP
Ah Jesus!
He quickly YANKS her body out of the tub, SLOSHING WATER.
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
OSBORNE moves through the campus, a bit disoriented. He sees
the FLASHING LIGHT of a SECURITY CAR, hurries in that
direction, running into MARIAN'S BUILDING.
INT. MARIAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
The SECURITY COP kneels over Marian, performing CPR
uncertainly. The MALE STUDENT looks on, frightened, while his
ROOMMATE talks on the phone.
ROOMMATE
Yeah, Homsworth 37, send an ambulance--
MALE STUDENT
Is she dead?
The cop looks pretty helpless. OSBORNE, breathless, dashes
into the room, shoving past the students.
OSBORNE
Move it, I'm a doctor!
ROOMMATE
(hanging up)
That was quick...
The cop makes way for OSBORNE, who performs MOUTH TO MOUTH,
POUNDS Marian's chest.
CLOSE, as his hand SQUEEZES hers. His head is over her
heart, listening for signs of life.
OSBORNE
C'mon. live... live...
He closes his eyes, focusing all his strength on the
unconscious MARIAN, who--
--takes a tortured BREATH.
CUT TO;
EXT. COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
PARAMEDICS WHEEL the unconscious MARIAN on a stretcher into
the back of a waiting AMBULANCE. Osborne moves alongside, a
bit unsteady on his feet.
OSBORNE
Push the narcan on the IV, she swallowed
alprazalom, washed it down with vodka.
He hands over Linda's PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE.
As the AMBULANCE PULLS AWAY, SIREN BLARING, Osborne suddenly
nearly loses his balance, has to move to the building's
steps, where he sits heavily. His CELL PHONE RINGS, he
answers,it wearily.
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
Osborne.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. JEROME'S OFFICE - NIGHT
A tiny, incredibly messy office. OCCULT BOOKS fill the
shelves, stack to the ceiling; the decor is a hodgepodge of
scary NATIVE FETISHES and MASKS, VOODOO DOLLS, etc. JEROME
is sitting at his desk, running a VIDEOTAPE on his desktop
COMPUTER SCREEN-- his VIDEO CAMERA connects to the machine.
JEROME
Hey Mark, it's me. Listen, soon as you
get off your shift, you gotta come to my
office. You won't believe what I've got.
It's on the tape from the Harmon place--
As he speaks, we see what Jerome is watching--
ON SCREEN— the VIDEO IMAGE of the SPILLED TEA. As the video
camera PANS UPWARD to reveal the end of the hallway, what
looks like a vaguely HUMAN SHAPE, made of VIDEO SNOW, appears
for a second, then VANISHES.
JEROME (CONT'D)
--you can see the guy, it's Mr. Harmon,
clear as day...
Jerome SCANS the tape back and forth, IN SLO-MO, trying to
freeze the moment when the FORM is visible, but he can't
quite get it.
JEROME (CONT'D)
...well, not clear as day. Not exactly
proof positive of life after death maybe
but--
OSBORNE
Jerome, Marian Kitt just overdosed. I
don't know if she's gonna pull through.
Jerome blinks, stunned, rising from his seat.
JEROME
Oh no... you sound awful man— are you OK?
As Jerome murmurs into the phone, CAMERA MOVES to the
COMPUTER SCREEN— the STILL IMAGE of the HARMON HALLWAY.
DISSOLVE TO;
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - NIGHT
The same angle on the hallway, dark and quiet now. CAMERA
MOVES to FIND an OUTLET on the floor. A SPARK from within.
The WALLPAPER above the outlet turns BROWN and BUBBLES.
EXT. URBAN BROWNSTONE - NIGHT
IN FG, the REAL ESTATE SIGN with the notice "IN ESCROW" on
it. MOVE to FIND a BEDROOM WINDOW as a LIGHT GOES ON.
INT. MRS. HARMON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
MRS. HARMON sits up in bed, hand on the lamp, listening to
the sound of a SMOKE ALARM downstairs. She hurries out of
bed, moving for the stairs.
INT. BROWNSTONE - NIGHT
She comes downstairs, SNIFFING the air, moving toward SMOKE
coming from the hall.
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - NIGHT
The wall has ERUPTED IN FLAMES, some of the FLOORBOARDS bum
as well. Mrs. Harmon lets out a little CRY.
IN THE SMOKE AND FLAMES, a faint IMAGE is forming. For a
moment, we make out a HAND... then a FACE.. .
MRS. HARMON
Oh my God...
A WISP of SMOKE, almost in the shape of a FINGER, seems to
briefly caress her face. She closes her eyes, wanting to
feel something...
MRS. HARMON (CONT'D)
Bill...
But the smoke is getting to her, she COUGHS and hurries away.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ICU WARD - DAY
CLOSE on MARIAN, hooked to tubes and wires.
PULL BACK, we're in a CURTAINED AREA of the WARD. We hear
VITAL SIGN MONITORS BLEEPING.
INT. WAITING AREA - DAY
OSBORNE is stretched put on a bench, half-asleep, by a window
in this waiting area. JEROME is hunched over a piece of
paper, studying it. He looks up with a smile, rises and
addresses a young female NURSE at a desk.
JEROME
Excuse me, nurse? You're wearing make
up.
YOUNG NURSE
Um... yes...
JEROME
Do you have one of those little mirrors,
you know, a compact? Can I borrow it?
The woman fishes in her purse and passes him the MIRROR, a
bit reluctantly. He hunches back over the paper, holds the
mirror up to it.
JEROME (CONT'D)
Osborne! Check this out.
Osborne stirs with,a MOAN. Jerome moves to Osborne's bench,
squeezing in beside him, forcing his legs to the floor.
Osborne sits up wearily.
JEROME (cont'd)
Her message. It's not like Sanskrit or
anything, it's English-- it's just
backwards, written on top of itself.
CLOSE-- on the NOTE that Marian scribbled while sleepwalking.
IN THE MIRROR, the handwriting's still difficult to read.
OSBORNE squints.
JEROME
I can read lots of words now... let's
see... "love... pain... my death..."
OSBORNE
What's that say near the top?
CLOSE on the MIRROR WORDS, a scrawl that looks like:
JEROME
"Find Proof And Mercy...?" Proof And
Mercy-- it's capitalized, everything else
is lower-case.
OSBORNE looks impatient at this.
OSBORNE
Maybe ghosts have poor grammar.
JEROME
Maybe it's a name.
This gets Osborne's interest. He squints at the mirror. The
NURSE is interested too, she pauses by them as she moves from
behind her desk, looking over their shoulders.
JEROME (CONT'D)
Is that really a "Y?" It looks like it
could be two letters. "L--"
YOUNG NURSE
No, it's an e, and that'd be an r...
Mercer.
The two men look at her, impressed.
YOUNG NURSE (CONT'D)
I have to read a lot of prescriptions.
OSBORNE
That's not "And" then. It's Andy.
JEROME seems suddenly excited, getting it.
JEROME
Unh-huh, and there's only one "O" in
proof. Andy Mercer-- Professor Andy
Mercer. I know the guy, he used to teach
at the university!
OSBORNE
Used to? What happened to him?
JEROME
He resigned last year, rumor was he had
some kind of mental meltdown...
CUT TO:
INT. OSBORNE'S CAR/EXT. SANITARIUM - DAY
DRIVING SHOT, THROUGH FRONT WINDSHIELD as OSBORNE and JEROME
approach a high-end institution down a long driveway... it
looks more like a large Colonial home.
JEROME
Ritzy bin.
A few RESIDENTS sit on benches, stroll, accompanied by
casually-garbed NURSES.
OSBORNE parks the car near the front entrance.
INT. SANITARIUM DEN - DAY
ANDREW MERCER, a sad-looking man in his late 30's, sits in a
chair by a window. An EMPLOYEE points him out to JEROME and
OSBORNE. Other PATIENTS IN BG watch TV, play CHESS.
OSBORNE
Professor Mercer?
MERCER
I'm not a professor.
JEROME
Andy-- do you remember me? Jerome
Ballard, folk and myth department?
MERCER blinks and barely shrugs. This guy has disconnected
from the world.
OSBORNE
I'm Mark Osborne, I'm a doctor at St.
Joe's. I have a patient by the name of
Marian Kitt... do you know her by any
chance?
(gets no reaction)
She gave us a message-- we think it's
about you-- or maybe for you.
JEROME
It's from Diane Stillman.
MERCER
(suddenly alarmed, eyes wide)
Diane? What kind of message?
OSBORNE
She-- she wanted us to find you.
MERCER
No-- that's not possible. She didn't
tell anybody, nobody knew--
OSBORNE
Knew what?
MERCER
Why are you doing this to me? Get out of
here. Get out! Get out!!
He rises shakily, shouting at them. Other PATIENTS react,
OSBORNE and JEROME try to follow MERCER as he hurries away
from them, out of the room, but the EMPLOYEE intercepts them.
EXT. SANITARIUM - DAY
JEROME and OSBORNE exit, linger in front of the building.
OSBORNE
The man's guilty as hell.
JEROME
Even I felt that.
OSBORNE
Did Diane Stillman leave a suicide note?
JEROME shakes his head.
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
What if it wasn't suicide?
CUT TO:
EXT. ELMER GREEN'S HOME - EVENING
A funky, one-story home on the outskirts of the city, a bit
run-down-- it's painted in BRILLIANT COLORS.
INT. ELMER GREEN'S HOME - EVENING
TRACK OVER PHOTOS of famed SPIRITUALISTS, GURDJIEFF, PADRE
PIO, even KRESKIN, all signed, along with RELIGIOUS ICONS
from Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity...
FIND ELMER in a battered armchair, SETH on the floor nearby.
All the furnishings are fifty or more years old, most covered
in plastic. The old man and the child both stare at an
(unseen) OBJECT on the floor. Elmer points at his temple.
ELMER
Decide what it is you want to see.
(pointing at object) )
Then you put your finger there.
SETH hesitantly reaches out to do so and--
THE TELEVISION POPS ON.
Seth picks up the REMOTE CONTROL, pressing buttons, CHANNEL
SURFING with a look of wonder. DOT ENTERS from the KITCHEN
with a TV TRAY of FOOD, gives Elmer a look.
DOT
Elmer, I don't let him watch TV.
ELMER
It's good for him.
DOT
He gets agitated.
She places the tray in front of Elmer, then tries to take the
remote from Seth's hand-- he won't let go, makes angry
NOISES. She sighs, deftly passes him a RUBIC'S CUBE in
exchange for the remote. She turns OFF the TV, while Seth
begins twisting the cube in his hand, distracted. Dot turns
toward Elmer, pointing at the food.
DOT
Promise you'll eat that.
ELMER
What's the point?
DOT
Hm, let's see... staying alive?
Elmer shrugs, picks up a BITE of FOOD and pretends to put it
in his mouth with a satisfied expression.
ELMER
Mmmm... Mebbe you could give me a ride
to the hospital? Thought I'd pay that
Marian girl a visit.
DOT
Elmer, she's in a coma...
ELMER
Don't 'spose she'd object to the company
then.
DOT
Thing is, I gotta drop Seth at my
mother's and get to work...
ELMER
Never mind, then.
DOT
I'm just gonna bring the car around. You
be ready to go now, Seth.
She grabs her jacket and heads out the door. Elmer rises
creakily, helps Seth into his jacket.
ELMER
Look at me, boy.
Seth LOOKS INTO ELMER'S EYES, the first time we've seen him
make eye contact with anyone.
ELMER (CONT'D)
I got somethin' to do... I may not be
seein' you again for a while.
SETH shakes his head, upset.
ELMER (CONT'D)
Don't be like that. You got your own
path to follow... you're gonna be all
right.
He reaches out a hand to Seth-- the boy instinctively backs
away-- then moves forward and hugs the old man briefly. A
HORN honks outside and Elmer breaks the embrace.
ELMER (CONT'D)
Go now. Do what you gotta.
Seth looks up one more time and heads out the door. ELMER
sighs and looks around his room, as if for the last time.
EXT. URBAN STREETS/DOT'S CAR - NIGHT
DOT drives a battered compact, a plastic SKULL on a BEAD
CHAIN dangles from the rear-view mirror. ALTERNATIVE ROCK
plays on the car radio. SETH sits in the passenger seat,
absently twisting the CUBE, staring out the side window. AT A
STOPLIGHT on a crowded street, Seth suddenly drops the cube,
UNBUCKLES HIS SEATBELT and opens the passenger door-- "r
DOT
Seth-- no, what are you doing--
She reaches to grab him, but he BOLTS off into the city--
DOT, panicking, pulls out into the intersection, narrowly
avoiding a collision, SWERVING and HONKING. Leaving the car
half on the curb, she leaps out and tries to follow the boy--
but there's no sign of him. On her anguished CRY--
CUT TO:
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
CLOSE ON MARIAN as her EYELID is lifted, a PENLIGHT shining
in on her dilated pupil-- the DOCTOR we saw with Osborne
examines her, we hear the BLEEPING MACHINES.
INT. SPFX SPACE
MARIAN thrashes under the surface of a viscous, dark LIQUID,
bathed in eerie LIGHT, SCREAMING, her face a mask of terror--
she can't get out, it's like being trapped under ice.
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
BACK TO SHOT as the DOCTOR lets her eyelid close. As he
leaves the room, we MOVE IN on MARIAN'S FACE. Her expression
seems quite peaceful... but faintly we hear her MUFFLED
SCREAMS, as if from underwater.
FADE OUT
END ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. SATORI'S STUDIO - NIGHT
DOT'S CAR screeches up to the storefront PSYCHIC STUDIO with
a neon EYE in front.
INT. SATORI'S STUDIO - NIGHT
TAROT CARDS turn— the HANGED MAN, the TOWER, DEATH...
SATORI
(wincing)
Hmm. I see a lot of... positive changes.
SATORI does a reading for ALBERT. Her studio is cozy, draped
with colorful fabrics. DOT rushes in, breathless.
DOT
Is he here?
ALBERT
Who?
DOT
Seth-- oh God, he didn't come here? He
ran out of my car about six blocks away
DOT is nearly hyperventilating, Satori rushes to her side.
SATORI
Just breathe. Dot. We'll call the cops,
he can't have gone far...
ALBERT
Give me something of his.
LATER, CLOSE ON THE CUBE in ALBERT'S HANDS as he turns the
colored surfaces.
WIDER, SATORI hovers over ALBERT, DOT is on the PHONE IN BG.
DOT
About twenty minutes ago... he's wearing
a blue jacket... yes, I'll hold...
SATORI
Getting anything?
DOT
ALBERT
(straining)
Lines, parallel lines. Black soot-- and
broken glass... blood...
(off her gasp)
Walls, a narrow space...
SATORI
(lighting up)
A hallway?
(to Dot) )
I think I know where he went.
SATORI is moving to grab a coat; Albert holds up the cube.
ALBERT
What the hell is this thing, anyway?
SATORI
Albert, we' re going over to the Harmon
house, watch the store.
ALBERT
Yeah, right.
As soon as THEY'RE GONE, the PHONE RINGS. ALBERT feels his
way toward it, answers.
ALBERT (CONT'D)
Psychic studio... she's not here... oh,
Mrs. Harmon, she's on her way over
there... I wish you'd called two minutes
ago, you coulda saved me a lot of effort.
He tosses the CUBE over his shoulder, disgustedly.
CUT TO:
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
MR. and MRS. KITT, a distraught-looking, middle-aged
Midwestern couple, hover over MARIAN, still unmoving. OSBORNE
is behind them. Mrs. Kitt strokes Marian's hair, Mr. Kitt
puts an arm around his wife.
MRS. KITT
When is she going to wake up?
OSBORNE
It's hard to say...
A NURSE shows WARREN into the curtained room; he looks
nervous. As soon as he sees Osborne, he starts babbling:
WARREN
Wow, I really hate hospitals. How do you
work here? The air is so thick, you
know? You can practically taste them,
all those souls in transit--
OSBORNE
(cutting him off)
Warren, this is Mr. and Mrs. Kitt--
Marian's parents.
WARREN is looking directly at Marian now, seeing something
the others clearly aren't. His eyes go wide.
WARREN (CONT'D)
Oh my God... help her, somebody help her!
He dashes to Marian, puts his arms around her, shaking her.
MRS. KITT freaks, OSBORNE and MR. KITT pull Warren away.
MR. KITT
What are you, crazy? Let go of her!
EXT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT
A CAB pulls up, ELMER climbs slowly out of the back seat.
pays off the DRIVER, then heads inside.
TNT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - NIGHT
An ORDERLY shepherds WARREN down the hall from the entrance
to the ICU, OSBORNE and the KITTS a step behind.
WARREN
She's, she's drowning, can't you people
see?!
OSBORNE
Warren, you really oughta take your
medication...
MRS. KITT
How did that man get in here?
The pass the ELEVATOR, which opens a moment later. ELMER
emerges from the elevator, looking in the direction of the
commotion, then heads toward the ICU ward.
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
ELMER lets himself into Marian's curtained room. He studies
her for a moment.
ELMER
Oh, girl. Wish you'd a listened to me.
He sighs and pulls a chair up by the bedside, sits heavily.
He takes her hand in his own.
ELMER (CONT'D)
Now we got no choice but to see this
thing through...
He bows his head and closes his eyes. An older NURSE enters.
OLDER NURSE
Uh, sir, you'll have to leave...
ELMER slowly opens his eyes, rises, steps close to her,
stares at her, unblinking. His voice is hypnotic.
ELMER
It's all right, now. There's nobody here
but that girl, sleeping peacefully. She's
all alone...
The older nurse just stares back for a few moments, then she
turns and walks out.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - NIGHT
THE OLDER NURSE pauses for a moment, blinks, shaking off an
odd sensation. Then she continues her rounds.
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
ELMER holds MARIAN'S hand, concentrating intently.
INT. SPFX SPACE
MARIAN struggles under the surface. Suddenly, she's pulled
upward-- as she breaks the surface, the environment MORPHS--
--she's sitting up on a hospital bed, in an altered version
of the ICU. ELMER is beside her, holding her hand-- the room
is strangely lit, the curtains translucent, wraith-like FORMS
moving beyond them. VOICES here are strange, distorted.
MARIAN
Where am I? Am I dead?
ELMER
You're on the Other Side...
INT. HOSPITAL LOBBY - NIGHT
MERCER is at the desk, facing a RECEPTIONIST, as WARREN moves
past with an unnerved expression, hurrying out the door.
RECEPTIONIST
Yes, she's a patient here, but I'm afraid
visiting hours are over.
As MERCER turns away, OSBORNE approaches quickly.
OSBORNE
Professor-- uh, Mr.-- how did you--?
MERCER
I'm a voluntary patient, I can leave when
I want. Listen, I-- I'm sorry about
today... I've been ill, I have some
trouble controlling my emotions...
I'd like to see this patient of yours, if
that's OK.
OSBORNE
(nods; to the nurse)
It's all right, I'll take him up.
INT. SPFX SPACE
ELMER AND MARIAN walk, hand in hand, down an eerie,
abstracted CORRIDOR. A DOOR ahead of them, LIGHT spills out.
ELMER
You can't fight her no more, you gotta
give her what she wants.
MARIAN
What does she want?
ELMER
To be free. You're the bridge... let her
take you.
He pushes the door open-- they don't so much enter the room,
as it envelops them. It's a distorted version of--
MARIAN'S BATHROOM. DIANE STILLMAN writes in lipstick on the
bathroom mirror. She turns, gestures at her writing.
ON MIRROR-- CLOSE SHOTS-- words like, "LOVE," "DESPAIR, "
"DEATH..." we don't get a chance to read the whole message.
IN REFLECTION, MARIAN appears directly beside DIANE-- both
stare INTO CAMERA, the red words now BLURRY and FADING.
DIANE
Help me...
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
OSBORNE leads MERCER into the now darkened WARD, opens the
curtain. We hear the BLEEPING of the monitors.
MERCER
What's wrong with her?
OSBORNE
She took sleeping pills and alcohol...
same as Diane Stillman.
ELMER sits beside the still-unmoving MARIAN, her hand in his.
He's deep in a trance.
OSBORNE
Elmer...?
ELMER opens his eyes, turns to face Osborne and Mercer. He
nods slowly, addresses Mercer.
ELMER
Touch her.
MERCER is disturbed and thoroughly perplexed.
MERCER
Who are you?
ELMER
A friend.
OSBORNE
Just do as he says.
Mercer looks at him questioningly.
ELMER
Please.
MERCER approaches the bed, very disturbed, looking at Osborne
and Elmer-- are these people even crazier than he is? He
tentatively reaches out to touch Marian's arm--
WITH MERCER-- his eyes go wide--
HIS POV— it's DIANE STILLMAN lying in the bed--
MERCER yanks his hand away, utterly terrified-- he shakes his
head and FLEES THE ROOM.
OSBORNE hurries after Mercer. ELMER clutches Marian's hand,
mustering a great psychological effort.
ELMER
Stay with me, girl.
INT. HOSPITAL ELEVATOR - NIGHT
MERCER hits the DOWN button.
OSBORNE
Wait!
OSBORNE squeezes in as the doors are closing-- throws the
EMERGENCY SWITCH to Stop it, the ALARM RINGS
OSBORNE
What are you afraid of?
MERCER
I saw a dead girl in there! Diane-- how
can this be happening?!
OSBORNE
Marian's channeling her, I don't know
why. You have to tell me-- what did you
do to Diane Stillman
MERCER
Nothing, she was a, a student of mine--
OSBORNE
The truth!
MERCER slides to the elevator floor, head in his hands.
MERCER
We had an affair... not for long, I told
her we couldn't see each other any more,
it wasn't right, it would ruin us both.
She just couldn't accept it, she wouldn't
let go--
OSBORNE
She still won't.
OSBORNE hits buttons to kill the alarm and open the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. BROWNSTONE - NIGHT
SATORI and DOT hurry toward the brownstone from Dot's car. A
FRONT WINDOW is BROKEN. The front door flies open. MRS.
HARMON stands there, in her robe, very upset--
MRS. HARMON
I was about to call the police-- what in
God's name is he doing here?!
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - NIGHT
DOT AND SATORI hurry in with MRS. HARMON to find SETH
crouching on the floor in the sooty hallway, POUNDING the
surface, making STRANGLED NOISES. His hands are BLOODY.
DOT
Oh baby, baby— what's the matter, what's
the matter?
She runs to the boy, he won't stop what he's doing, she pulls
him away, he squirms. SATORI moves toward the spot--
ANGLE DOWN-- bloody HANDPRINTS cover the FIRE-DAMAGED strips
of wood flooring.
SATORI
There's something under there...
CUT TO:
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
ELMER still holds MARIAN'S hand, he seems exhausted. OSBORNE
and MERCER stand by the bedside-- Mercer is inches from
Marian, but he can't bring himself to touch her. Quietly:
MERCER
I still can't believe it happened. I
quit the university afterwards, checked
myself into the hospital... I can't
sleep, but I can't get out of bed-- that
image of her, underwater-- I can't get it
out of my head...
OSBORNE
You did it, didn't you? You killed her.
MERCER trembles, nods, opens his mouth to speak. Suddenly
MARIAN'S HAND reaches out for his, grasps it. HER EYES OPEN.
MARIAN
No. No, Andy, you didn't.
Mercer kneels by the bed, holding her hand tightly, staring
into her eyes. Although Osborne sees Marian there, clearly
she's someone else in Mercer's eyes.
MERCER
Diane... I'm so sorry...
MARIAN
It's not your fault.
MERCER
It is... it is.
MARIAN
No, it's not. You were trying to do the
right thing-- and I punished you for it.
I killed myself to hurt you... Andy, I
was " wrong. Forgive me... forgive me
and get on with your life.
MERCER
What?
MARIAN
You have to. Don't you see, by torturing
yourself you're keeping me here.
Please... forgive me and forgive
yourself.
MERCER nods, understanding, tears rolling down his cheeks. He
lays his head on her chest.
MERCER
Thank you. God, I love you...
MARIAN
You loved me. Now let me go.
After a few beats, he releases her hand and rises, wiping his
eyes. Marian seems to be resting peacefully, then...
THE HEART MONITOR goes haywire, ALARMS SCREAM
OSBORNE
Elmer, what's happening
ELMER is deep in his trance, unable to answer. MERCER backs
away, freaked. OSBORNE goes to MARIAN, shouting as NURSES
and DOCTORS enter--
OSBORNE (CONT'D)
She's going into vefib, we're gonna need
a crash cart!
INT. SPFX SPACE
TIGHT ON MARIAN, under the DARK LIQUID again. Her HANDS
reach above the surface, ELMER holds onto them.
ELMER
No! Stay with me!
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
FRANTIC ICU PEOPLE with resuscitation equipment push Mercer
out of the room. They yank the seemingly unconscious ELMER
away from MARIAN, disentangling his hand from hers, his
GLASSES tumble to the floor and crack. OSBORNE rushes to
Elmer's side, holding him upright in his chair.
A DOCTOR fixes PADDLES over Marian's heart and ZAP! Her body
JERKS upward--
INT. SPFX SPACE
ELMER and MARIAN together in the dark liquid, their bodies
twisting in the vortex--
ELMER
She's free now! You've got to go back!
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
ZAP! as MARIAN'S BODY jerks again.
INT. SPFX SPACE
ELMER holds MARIAN, pulling her toward the surface--
ELMER
Hold on to me, I'll show you the way.
INT. ICU WARD - NIGHT
ZAP! MARIAN jerks again. THE MONITORS suddenly STABILIZE
into a steady HEARTBEAT.
DOCTOR
We've got her!
OSBORNE
Oh God. Elmer.. .
ON ELMER, his open eyes stare straight ahead, sightless.
Osborne hugs the man's lifeless body.
CUT TO:
INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY - NIGHT
CRUNCH as a CROWBAR peels up CHARRED FLOORBOARDS.
WIDER, DOT wields the crowbar as SATORI, MRS. HARMON and
SETH, his hands now bandaged, look on. DOT gets the last of
the floorboards up.
DOT
These boards are already loose...
ANGLE ON FLOOR as a chunk of WOOD comes away to reveal--
A METAL STRONGBOX. DOT reaches in to haul it out.
MRS. HARMON rushes over, they gather around as she undoes the
latch and LIFTS THE LID--
ANGLE IN STRONGBOX-- a large BLACK VELVET BOX with a
handwritten NOTE attached.
MRS. HARMON stares at this, pulling out the note and reading
in an increasingly quavering voice:
MRS. HARMON
"Judy my love, you've put up with me for
25 years now, missing birthdays and
Valentine's Days, snoring and stealing
the bed covers, working overtime when I
should've been by your side. I just want
you to know that nothing in this world is
precious to me... but you."
She opens the box and removes a large DIAMOND NECKLACE,
clearly worth a fortune.
MRS. HARMON (CONT'D)
Oh my God... Bill...
SATORI reaches in to remove a small BLACK BOOK.
SATORI
This is a Swiss bank account... no wonder
he couldn't let you sell the house.
She passes it to Mrs. Harmon who opens it and nearly faints.
Satori steals a look over her shoulder, raises an eyebrow.
Mrs. Harmon stares into the middle distance, thinking, a TEAR
rolls down her cheek. THE WINDOW down the hall SWINGS OPEN.
MRS. HARMON
The wind...?
DOT
I think Elvis has left the building.
MRS. HARMON
I don't know how to thank you...
SATORI
(smiling)
I'll send you my bill.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. WAITING AREA - DAY
MR. and MRS. KITT wait expectantly, talking to OSBORNE. i
OSBORNE
Your daughter came to around dawn. She's
a little weak, but she's fine, we can
release her shortly.
MR. KITT
Thank God... why did she do it?
OSBORNE
She wasn't entirely herself... I don't
think it'll happen again.
MRS. KITT
Marian's a lot like my mother was. She
feels things so deeply... it scares me
sometimes, it's almost other-worldly--
MR. KITT
Oh, hon, none of that mumbo-jumbo...
MRS. KITT
Marian!
Their faces light up at the sight of MARIAN, in a wheelchair,
as the ORDERLY pushes her toward them. She looks tired, but
relieved. Her PARENTS rush over to hug her.
MRS. KITT
Honey, we were so worried.
MARIAN
I'm so sorry to've put you both through
this.
MR. KITT
You're all right. That's what matters.
MARIAN
Mark-- last night, was Elmer here?
(off his slow nod)
I want to see him.
OSBORNE
Marian, I'm sorry, he... he passed away.
MARIAN takes this in. Her eyes widen.
MARIAN
He's dead?! No... because of me...
OSBORNE
Listen to me-- he was 92 years old
MARIAN
He saved me. I wasn't strong enough to
make it back on my own. And now I can
never thank him.
OSBORNE
Maybe you can... excuse me a moment.
He moves away from them, talking with the ORDERLY.
MRS. KITT
Honey, we've talked to the dean's office,
we're going to take you right home.
MARIAN
No, dad... I--
MR. KITT
You need time to rest. Take a semester
off.
MARIAN
I don't want to, dad. It was hard at
first, scary-- but .1 think I belong
here... I want to stay.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ROCKY SHORELINE - DAY
WAVES CRASH on a rocky New England coast. MOVE TO FIND all
the OTHERS— OSBORNE, JEROME, SATORI, ALBERT, WARREN. DOT,
SETH and now MARIAN-- standing on a rocky PIER. All are
dressed in black funereal clothes. They pass a CERAMIC URN,
painted in RAINBOW COLORS, from one to the next, saying their
private good-byes.
JEROME
Elmer once told me, "Life is just a drop
of rain. Death is the ocean. Don't be
afraid to return from whence you came."
He passes the urn to Warren, who stares at it a beat:
WARREN
"Whence?
ALBERT
Elmer would never say "whence."
JEROME
I was paraphrasing.
Warren gives the urn to DOT, who in turn hands it to SETH.
DOT
OK, honey.
Seth steps to the edge of the pier and HURLS THE ASHES into
the breeze-- they DRIFT AWAY onto the waves.
SATORI
The end is the beginning...
MARIAN IN FG; on the beach behind her stands ELMER. She
glimpses him from the corner of her eye, turns.
REVERSE ANGLE-- OSBORNE notes Marian's distraction, she
BLINKS. He speaks quietly:
OSBORNE
Is something wrong?
MARIAN'S POV— ELMER is gone. MARIAN has a slight smile.
MARIAN
No. Nothing.
WIDE SHOT as the group starts to leave the shore...
FADE OUT
END ACT FOUR