ERIC
I think the parenting magazines always say, “Tell them the truth.” (a beat)
But speaking as a journalist, I doubt the writers have ever had this particular problem to deal with.
JANICE
Speaking as non-journalist and parent… thanks a lot.
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. — DRIVING THROUGH TOWN — MORNING
The storm damage is pretty extensive — trees down in the road, some power poles and phone poles tipped over. Many stores have plywood or plastic sheeting in place of windows and people are sweeping up the sidewalks. There’s no power anywhere, including the traffic lights. ERIC stops at an intersection where a COP is directing traffic. ERIC
Hey, officer, do you know if any of the pay phones are working?
COP
Not right around here. Besides the wind, we must have had a little electrical storm or something — there’s a lot of stuff on the fritz besides just phone lines. Screwing up our radios, too. And some of the power poles actually caught fire.
JANICE and ERIC for the first time look at each other, a dawning idea that something is not completely ordinary here. ERIC pulls out of the line of cars so he can continue talking to the officer.
ERIC
So… so where would the nearest working phones be?
COP
You’d practically have to get to the county line, I think, other side of the hills. PacBell’s got crews out though. They should have the service on in a couple of hours. Power might take a little longer…
CUT TO:
INT./EXT. — DRIVING — MINUTES LATER
There are repair crews out along the road. ERIC and JANICE are behind an ambulance and firetruck, which turn down a side road.
ERIC (slowing car)
That’s…
JANICE
They’re going to the convalescent hospital. Have to be. It’s the only thing down there.
ERIC pulls the car around and follows the ambulance as we CUT TO:
EXT. — HOSPITAL — MINUTES LATER
The front grounds of Las Lomas Convalescent Hospital are a surreal sight. Many of the windows are broken out, and a tree has crashed down on the front of the building, smashing the roof and damaging one of the walls. Several of the patients are wandering around the grounds, many still in nightgowns. Police and fire people are trying to clear some of them out of the driveway so the firetruck and ambulance can get in.
ERIC and JANICE park the car and walk across the front lawn. Some of the patients are just wandering. Others seem frightened or dreamy, but all turn to STARE fixedly at ERIC and JANICE as they walk past.
The ADMINISTRATOR is standing next to the fallen tree, talking to one of the police officers while the ambulance guys roll a stretcher in through the ruined doors. The ADMINISTRATOR looks up in surprise as ERIC and JANICE approach.
ADMINISTRATOR
Mrs. Moorehead? Did someone…? I mean, how could anyone have called you when the phones are out…?
JANICE
Called me? Why would anyone call me?
ADMINISTRATOR (flustered)
Oh. I just thought… because of your friend, Mr. Holland. (her look grows sharper)
If no one called you, how did you know?
CUT TO:
INT. — HOSPITAL — MINUTES LATER
ERIC and JANICE are walking fast down the hallway, across leaves and other debris which have blown in through the broken doors and windows. The NURSE is walking with them, talking fast and nervously.
NURSE
He’s the only one… it’s a miracle more didn’t wander away — it was terrible! Some of them were so frightened they hid under the beds and we missed them when we did the count this morning.
JANICE
But you said he couldn’t move — that he couldn’t even get into a wheelchair by himself!
NURSE
It’s so strange — I’ve never heard of anything like it. In a way, it’s a kind of miracle… oh, but I hope he’s all right! Poor Mr. Holland. Poor, poor Mr. Holland…
The OLD WOMAN that ERIC had met previously is standing in the hall, wearing a jacket over her nightgown. As they push through the door of TOPHER’S ROOM she calls after them:
OLD WOMAN
He’s gone home! I heard him when I was sleeping! Tell Mama I’m all right, ‘cause he’s gone home!
TOPHER’s empty “shell” is still lying on the bed.
JANICE muffles a noise of fear and disgust behind her hand. After a moment, ERIC steps forward and hesitantly touches it. He lifts the masklike skin of the face, staring at the hollow eyeholes. It breaks apart in his hand as we DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. — BRENT’S HOUSE — LATER IN THE MORNING
ERIC and JANICE are walking up BRENT’S walkway. There’s only one SUV in the driveway now.
JANICE
He can’t be more than a few hundred yards from there, Eric. He’s crippled! He’s been mostly bedridden for years!
ERIC
A chrysalis — that’s what the nurse said the first time I saw him. Like a cocoon. And now he’s hatched.
ERIC knocks at BRENT’s door.
ERIC (Cont.)
You don’t think all that’s a coincidence, do you? The power failures, all that shit, and Topher just sheds his skin and walks away? After all these years?
JANICE
What are you saying? That he did it, somehow? I thought you were supposed to be the rationalist.
ERIC
When the facts themselves are irrational, you still have to work with them. Just think about it for a second. Think! What night is it tonight?
JANICE stares at him in incomprehension as the door opens.
BRENT is standing there clutching his hand, with blood on his arms and shirt. He looks numb and half-dead.
JANICE and ERIC gasp.
BRENT
I was wondering when you’d show up. (Their expression finally penetrates; he looks down at the blood)
Oh. I broke a glass. Guess you might as well come in.
He turns as if he couldn’t care less and walks inside. After a moment, ERIC and JANICE follow him.
INT. — BRENT’S HOUSE — HALF AN HOUR LATER
BRENT is pretty drunk. He’s sitting on the couch with his head in his hands while ERIC and JANICE make coffee on a camping stove they’ve set up on the counter.
BRENT
I sent Tracy and Joanie away. Tracy didn’t want to go, but I think she thought I was going to get violent or something… Joanie wanted to take all her dolls. (fighting tears)
Oh, God, I sent them away…!
ERIC pours a cup of coffee for himself, sips it and burns his tongue. He blows and sips it again gratefully while JANICE takes a cup to BRENT.
BRENT (cont.)
I should have gone with them. I don’t want to be here. It’s all going to hell.
ERIC
Shut up and get some coffee into you. Jesus, Brent, do you always drink like this?
BRENT (indignantly)
What? Are you going to tell me everything’s normal? That it’s fucking inappropriate to be drinking in the morning? You think I should just sit here sober waiting for that… thing to come kill me?
JANICE (sharply)
You knew he got out of the hospital?
BRENT looks up with such SHOCK in his eyes that he clearly did not. His hands begin trembling so badly that coffee spatters the rug.
BRENT (looking down at the mess)
Jesus. Jesus, look at that.
ERIC
Give it to me.
He sets it on the table in front of BRENT. As he stares at haggard, shivering BRENT, his face softens.
ERIC (cont.)
You didn’t know he’d gotten out of the hospital?
BRENT
Christ, no. But I had dreams…
JANICE
We all had dreams. But he’s a sick man, catatonic — a cripple!
BRENT
He’s coming for us. He wants… he’s angry. Because of… of what we did.
JANICE
But that doesn’t make any sense! We were his friends! And why now, after all these years?