Constantine Page #11

John watches, isn't sure how to help. He finally reachesout a single hand --slowly rests it on her shoulder.

The contact seems to open a floodgate of emotion andAngela falls right into his arms. John hasn't been this

close to anyone in a long time. Angela finally composesherself.

ANGELA:

How? How did you do this...?

John tries not to stare into those eyes too long. Fails.

INT. L.A. COUNTY MORGUE -NIGHT

Body drawer slides open --reveals Isabel. Lying in acold, sterile room of death. A Hell of a different type.

Hennessey stares down at her, looks around the roomagain, makes sure he's still alone.

He reaches in, rips open the protective plastic andlowers his hand inside. Places it first on her forehead.

Nothing. Then on her chest. Nothing. Wrist is last.

Hennessey shudders. This is it.

He closes his eyes and opens himself to the void --

JOHN (V.O.)

When I was a kid, I saw things...

FLASHBACK -EXT. STREET -DAY

A TEN-YEAR-OLD John comes out of a corner store with milk

in a bag. He slows, eyes a MAN at a mailbox.

JOHN (V.O.)

Things I wasn't supposed to.

The man looks right at young John as he passes. His face

is distorted and his feet have sprouted roots which aredug into the ground.

(CONTINUED)

58.

CONTINUED:

WAITRESS (O.S.)

Coffee?

Young John looks up toward the voice --

INT. DINER -NIGHT (PRESENT)

John looks up at the Waitress.

JOHN:

Tea.

She leaves. Angela sits across from him. They're at thetable by the window.

JOHN:

My parents sent me to a doctor, ashrink, a priest. I was in four

different institutions by the timeI was eighteen.

Angela notes him rubbing his wrist.

JOHN:

The last place they put me was runby a church...

A DOCTOR rushes past their table. PAN WITH him INTO...

FLASHBACK -INT. MENTAL INSTITUTION -HALLWAY

The Doctor rushes toward distant SCREAMING.

JOHN (V.O.)

The revered Father made the

brilliant deduction that I was

possessed, said I needed to beexorcised...

INT. ROOM -HIGH ANGLE

The Doctor runs in. Sees the revered Father below,

leaning over a bed where an 18-year-old John is held down

by three interns and that Doctor. John angrily screamsat them all.

JOHN (V.O.)

It was like someone trying to pullteeth that weren't there.

Young John clamps his eyes shut tight.

59.

INT. DINER -JOHN (PRESENT)

Present-day John does the same, remembering the pain.

JOHN:

So I took things into my own handsand I found a way out.

ANGELA:

You attempted suicide.

John sees she's looking at his wrist. The hint of a

jagged scar can now be seen under the sleeve.

JOHN:

I never attempt anything.

John's reflection in the window becomes --

FLASHBACK -TEENAGE JOHN

kneeling with a pair off scissors. He's inside a...

INT. CLASSROOM

Teenage John looks up at a room filled with people fromall walks of life. Teachers, doctors, lawyers, garbage

men. All somewhat different than normal. They sit inschool chairs and wait for John to do the deed.

He puts the blade to his wrist --one swipe and the worldaround him accelerates away in a STREAKED BLUR --

INT. DINER (PRESENT)

ANGELA:

But you're still here. Alive.

JOHN:

Not my doing.

His chest suddenly HEAVES forward --and we're on...

FLASHBACK -TEENAGE JOHN

as he's jolted by DEFIB PADS. He's in the back of a...

INT. AMBULANCE -MOVING

Paramedics are soaked in sweat. One looks a bit like a

young Dr. Archer. Heart monitor is FLAT LINE. There's

little hope.

60.

EXT. LOS ANGELES

The ambulance moves through a city that is transforming.

From this world's Los Angeles to a barren Hell version.

JOHN (V.O.)

Officially I was dead for sevenminutes. But believe me, sevenminutes in Hell is a lifetime.

Ambulance heads toward that dying RED SUN.

INT. AMBULANCE

FLAT LINE on the monitor suddenly SPIKES with a pulse --

INT. MORGUE (PRESENT)

Hennessey's hand jerks back from the plastic. His eyesfix on Isabel's wrist. That odd circular SYMBOL is back.

Hennessey's unsettled, quickly shoves the drawer closed.

He rushes out, slams right into a SECURITY GUARD comingin.

SECURITY GUARD:

Hey, what're you doing in here?

Guard looks back into the body room, sees a drawerpartially open. He walks over, pulls it out further -sees

the plastic cut away. Jesus.

The symbol has already faded from Isabel's wrist.

JOHN (V.O.)

When I returned I didn't just seedemons anymore, I could do the onething they couldn't --come and goas I please.

EXT. MORGUE -HENNESSEY

runs as fast as a very obese man can --aiming for thatPHONE BOOTH on the corner. He grabs the receiver,

punches numbers as fast as he can. RING --RING --

RING --

HENNESSEY:

Be there, John... please...

Something shivers up Hennessey's leg and into his body.

Eyes glaze over and Hennessey settles on a RESTAURANT.

(CONTINUED)

61.

CONTINUED:

JOHN (V.O.)

Heaven and Hell are right here,

behind every wall, every face -the

world behind the world. It's

crossing over that's the realtrick. That's why most demons canonly whisper in our ears. But

even a whisper can turn yourfavorite pleasure into your worstnightmare.

INT. LATE NIGHT RESTAURANT

HENNESSEY barges in, squeezes past the MAITRE D'.

MAITRE D'

Sir, you need a reservation!

But Hennessey is on a quest. For food. And it's

everywhere.

He starts grabbing meals right off of plates. Fish,

pasta, prime rib. Shovels it all in. Patrons are

yelling --screaming. He's eating as if his lifedepended on it. And even though he's devouring anythingin sight, this huge man is wasting away before our eyes.

In the middle of all this chaos is one customer calmlyeating his meal. Balthazar.

Hennessey hijacks a food cart --consumes everything onit yet his skin is getting looser and the body insidegets thinner.

He grabs a steak from a woman's plate but she jerks itback so he bites into his arm. She screams as her

husband pulls her away.

Hennessey's strength is withering away. Desperate, hegrabs a FORK, digs it into his own hand.

A Hispanic BUSBOY rushes into the room, grabs ontoHennessey.

JOHN (V.O.)

But the worst demons are the ones

that are allowed to be here --the

ones that are half-human so theyblend in...

Balthazar stands, throws a few bills on the table andstarts toward the back EXIT.

(CONTINUED)

62.

CONTINUED:

JOHN (V.O.)

... just like those with theangel's touch living alongside of

us. The half-breeds.

That Busboy lowers Hennessey to the floor. For a moment

we see him framed against the front doorway. And in that

instant we get a brief glimpse of --

ALTERNATE LOS ANGELES

An incredible pristine lake reflecting a city of light.

BACK TO SCENE:

BUSBOY looks up, meets Balthazar's eyes. Bitter enemies.

Balthazar grins, flips that coin between his fingers. He

leaves out the back exit.

JOHN (V.O.)

They call it 'the Balance.' I

call it hypocritical bullshit.

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