Beloved Page #10

DENVER:

Beloved? Beloved I'm here...what is it?

BELOVED:

Heavy..this place is heavy.

DENVER:

Would you like to sit up?

Beloved shakes her head no. She takes hold of Denver's arm

and wraps it around her own body. Denver sits up against the

pillow as Beloved snuggles her body into Denver's arms and

falls back asleep. Denver holds her, lovingly.

INT. BABY SUGGS ROOM - DAYS LATER.

Denver has not left her bedside. She places another quilt

upon her, tucking it in around the sides. As she does this,

Beloved's eyes open for a brief moment, catching the sight of

Denver over her. She smiles. Denver gratefully smiles back.

DENVER:

Can I get you anything? Are you hungry?

Beloved looks over to a plate of half finished food -

Denver's meal. Denver picks up a piece of sweet bread and

feeds her. Denver is thrilled.

THE FOLLOWING SCENES TAKE PLACE OVER SEVERAL WEEKS;

INT. KITCHEN - THE NEXT DAY.

Denver places sugar between two pieces of bread and gives the

sandwich to Beloved, who, no longer feeling sickly, accepts

it with a bright smile.

EXT. HEN HOUSE - ANOTHER DAY.

Denver explains how to pack mud in the cracks of the hen

house as Beloved listens attentively, eating jelly out of a

jar.

INT. HEN HOUSE - ANOTHER DAY.

Denver explains to Beloved how to warm the chicks with their

skirts as the latter eats something sweet. They both giggle

at the softness of the chicks.

INT. DENVER & BELOVED'S BEDROOM - ANOTHER DAY.

Denver is showing Beloved how to make her bed.

DENVER:

..then you fold it over like this see.

This here used to be where my brothers

and me slept. I was always at the top.

BELOVED:

How you get so smart?

DENVER:

I ain't so smart.

BELOVED:

Yes you are!

DENVER:

Well, I used to go to Lady Jones. She'd

teach us with songs how to spell and

count.

BELOVED:

You don't go no more?

DENVER:

No I...I had to stop going.

BELOVED:

You so smart. Tell me about your

brothers.

DENVER:

Well..they're names were Howard and..

As Denver continues, Beloved steps towards her and begins to

touch her face - examining her lips, her nose, her skin as if

it were a rose to admire. Denver drinks in the attention, her

heart expanding with love with every touch from this strange

creature.

DENVER:

..and....and Bulgar...At night, we used

to..crawl into bed together..I'd lay down

on Bul's lap and Howard would tell us die-

witch stories. He said they would protect

us...And if I learned them, they would

protect me if ever they were gone...

EXT. PORCH - EARLY EVENING.

Everyone is sitting on the porch after dinner.

Beloved, looking strong and fit, eats a cane stick - gnawing

at it to the flax, keeping the strings in her mouth long

after the syrup had been sucked off. It makes Denver laugh,

as she licks her cane stick. It makes Sethe smile, to see

them both happy.

It makes Paul disgusted.

INT. KEEPING ROOM - NIGHT.

Paul confronts Sethe as she sews.

PAUL:

You gonna just feed her, from now on?

SETHE:

Denver likes her. She's no real trouble.

PAUL:

But don't she have a home? Some place to

go?

SETHE:

Didn't mention one. I thought we'd wait

until her breathing got better. She still

sounds a little lumbar.

PAUL:

She breathe like she can eat, she could

blow this whole house down. And all those

sweets.

SETHE:

Sometimes the body needs that sugar for

strength when it's trying to recover

after an illness.

PAUL:

But that's just it. She don't seem sick.

Something funny about her.

SETHE:

Funny? How?

PAUL:

Acts sick, sounds sick but she don't look

sick. Good skin, bright hands and strong

as a bull.

SETHE:

She can hardly walk without holding onto

something.

PAUL:

That's what I mean. Can't walk but I

passed by Baby Sugg's room this morning

and saw her lifting the rocker with one

hand.

SETHE:

You didn't?

PAUL:

Don't tell me. Ask Denver. She was right

there.

At that moment, Denver passes by on her way to the kitchen.

SETHE:

Denver. Come in here a minute.

Denver enters the keeping room.

SETHE:

Paul says you saw Beloved pick up the

rocking chair in Baby Suggs room with one

hand. That so?

Denver looks at Paul with a hard gaze;

DENVER:

I didn't see no such thing.

From Paul's expression we can tell Denver is lying...and

whatever fragile connection they were building, is swiftly

destroyed.

INT. SETHE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT.

Sethe is getting ready for bed. Denver sticks her head in:

DENVER:

Have you seen her? I can't find her.

SETHE:

Who?

DENVER:

Beloved.

Sethe shakes her head. Denver exits anxiously. The mentions

of Beloved's name stir a MEMORY in Sethe:

MEMORY:

EXT. GRAVESTONE YARD - A DAY REMEMBERED.

Sethe talks to the HEADSTONE ENGRAVER as he works in the hot

sun. His YOUNG SON helps him.

SETHE:

She need a marker. Somethin' to tell me

where she is. But I ain't got no money.

The Engraver eyes her body.

ENGRAVER:

What you got then?

Sethe is embarrassed by his lascivious tone, especially in

front of the young boy.

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