Apt Pupil Page #27

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DUSSANDER:

I had to protect myself from you, boy.

Todd drags a screen over to prevent Ben from hearing. Long pause.

DUSSANDER (CONT'D)

I suspect that we shall never see each other

again.

TODD:

No, I don't think we will.

Dussander looks almost hurt to hear Todd say it. Pause.

TODD (CONT'D)

Well, I better go.

DUSSANDER:

Wait, boy... There is something I want to ask

you.

TODD:

What?

Dussander waves him over with his finger. Reluctantly, Todd

brings his ear an inch from Dussander's mouth.

DUSSANDER:

...Was it like you thought?

Todd pulls his head back, stands up. He contemplates the

question, ...confessing. He touches Dussander on the shoulder.

TODD:

I should go.

He turns for the door.

DUSSANDER:

Perhaps... perhaps I could persuade you to

wait here just until I fall asleep. This

medicine makes me quite woozy... please.

Todd resigns himself to stay. He picks up a magazine and begins

to read, not even looking at Dussander.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY - LATER

Todd emerges from behind the screen toward the door. Dussander

is asleep.

BEN:

Excuse me, young man.

Todd is startled.

BEN (CONT'D)

You're a fine boy to visit your grandfather

like that.

TODD:

Thanks. But he's just a friend.

BEN:

Is that right? Well, you are a good friend

to him. Tell me, is he bad off? He doesn't

talk much.

TODD:

The doctors say he'll be out soon.

BEN:

That is good news, indeed. Tell me, from the

way he speaks I'd guess he's been

naturalized, like me. Is he?

Todd is starting to be wary of where this is going.

TODD:

He's from Germany... From Essen. Do you know

that town?

BEN:

I was only in Germany once. I'm Polish.

Originally, I mean, I'm from Radom. I wonder

if he was in the war.

TODD:

I really couldn't say.

BEN:

It doesn't matter, I suppose. It was a long

time ago, the war. Soon in this country we

may have a president born after the war was

over. How about that?

Todd starts to leave.

TODD:

I'm sure you're right.

BEN:

Your friend is lucky to have you. A great

man once said, 'No man is an island entire of

itself.'

TODD:

John Donne. Take care, sir.

Todd heads for the door. He stops, turns back to Dussander's

bed. He contemplates something... waking him. He decides

against it.

TODD (CONT'D)

Good-bye.

BEN:

Good-bye.

Todd exits. Ben sits quietly for a moment, thinking. He turns

on the television-- "The Price is Right". We hear it over the

following. Ben glances over at the screen which separates him

from Dussander. Slowly his eyelids begin to get heavy. He

starts to nod off. But as sleep begins to envelope him, his

eyes suddenly fly open. A surge of terror burns across his

face.

He sits up frightened. A single crutch stands next to the bed.

He grabs it. He strips away his covers and the restraints on

his leg, once or twice shoving his hand over his mouth to quell

a painful scream. He gets to his feet awkwardly, hobbling,

half-dragging his bad leg. Every step he takes is a study in

agony.

ANGLE on the screen. It slides out of the way, revealing Ben

staring down at the sleeping Dussander. In the pained struggle

to keep silent, he brings his face right up to Dussander's,

close enough to smell his breath.

INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - CONTINUING

Ben stumbles out of his room into the hall. The crutch falls to

the ground. He slides against the wall toward the nurses'

station. Tears stream down his face. As he clutches the wall,

we glimpse the faded green numbers on his forearm.

He reaches the nurse's desk. She is on the phone. He grabs her

by the shoulder and pulls her face up into his. She lets out a

startled SCREAM. But Ben's emotion stops her from resisting.

He is sobbing uncontrollably. Orderlies appear and pull him off

of her. He collapses to the ground, consumed by grief.

BLACK.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

Dussander slowly wakes up for the first time since his surgery.

A large black man, DARREN, stands above him changing the IV bag.

He notices Dussander is awake. Dussander's voice is low and

hoarse from hours of sedation.

DUSSANDER:

Where's the nurse?

DARREN:

My name is Darren. I'll be taking care of

you from now on. I'll tell the doctor you've

woken up.

Darren finishes with the IV unit and goes to the door.

Dussander watches him, a bit puzzled, but his eyes are closed

again before Darren is out of the room.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY - LATER

Dussander wakes up again. Something is different in his room.

He looks to the table next to him. All his magazines are gone.

He looks to the other side of the room. Ben is gone, his bed

stripped of all linen. Finally he looks to the door. It is

cracked open. Two men in suits are talking in the hallway. One

we will come to know as Detective GETTY. The other is a

subordinate. Dussander is clearly bothered by what he sees. He

reaches over for the call button and rings it several times.

A moment later Darren comes in. Getty sees this and stops

talking. He watches Dussander from the hall.

DARREN:

Did you need something?

DUSSANDER:

What is going on here? Where is Ben?

DARREN:

Mr. Krauss has been moved. I'm going to give

you something. It will help you sleep.

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