Constantine Page #20

VOICE OF MAN (O.S.)

Your ego is astounding.

John strains to see the shadow become the real thing -the

majestic wings of an angel.

JOHN:

Gabriel?

John is too weak to even be surprised anymore.

JOHN:

Figures...

Gabriel touches down in front of him. Spear in his hand.

JOHN:

And the wicked shall inherit the

Earth.

GABRIEL:

You presume to judge me, John.

JOHN:

Betrayal, murder, genocide? Call

me provincial.

GABRIEL:

I am seeking to inspire humankindto be all that was intended.

JOHN:

By unleashing Hell on Earth? Good

thinking...

Gabriel's wings fold behind as he walks around John.

(CONTINUED)

109.

CONTINUED:

GABRIEL:

You've had it too easy for toolong.

JOHN:

So what's a few thousand years ofpain, right?

GABRIEL:

You never deserved to be blessed.

You've all been born with a silver

spoon in your mouth, never reallyappreciating the gift you weregiven so freely --unconditional

love from your creator.

JOHN:

And that just bugs the sh*t out of

you.

GABRIEL:

It's not your fault. Like the

animals you are, you never learnunless sufficiently prodded.

Pleasure has no lasting effect.

But subject you to pain,

unpleasantness --suffering --and

you will take notice, you willfight to overcome, to earn yourredemption. That is when you'reat your best.

Angela's fingernails are starting to darken once again.

JOHN:

You're trying to teach us alesson?

GABRIEL:

No, I'm giving you the chance torise above the suffering and trulyearn the love of God.

(a beat)

The road to salvation beginstonight. Right now.

John just stares at this rogue angel, centers on theSpear in his hand. He makes a break for it. Gabriel's

wings beat once.

The GUST BLOWS John through the double doors, back intothe -

110.

CORRIDOR:

--where he smashes against a mesh-screened window, dropsto the floor in a heap with the other dying carcasses.

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM

Gabriel turns back to Angela. He approaches her --his

rippling wings sliding up around her, enveloping her -pulling

her in. Those eyes of his could melt Dracula.

CORRIDOR -JOHN

can't even stand, let alone save the girl. Or humanity.

It would be so easy to give up. To roll over and die.

But instead, he tries something he hasn't done in a longtime.

JOHN:

(whispering)

... I know I'm not one of your

favorites... I'm not even allowed

in your house these days... but I

could use a little attention...

John waits for nothing. His body crumples, his cheeklanding flat against the tile.

Glistening shards of mirror glass lie around him. As he

stares at his reflection in one, he gets the idea.

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM -ANGELA'S EYES

begin to quiver. The color drains. Blackness is waiting.

CORRIDOR -JOHN

slides his back up the wall as he reels in that shard ofmirror.

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM -ANGELA'S

posture begins to change. Mammon's form ripples throughher --starts to push out through her skin. Gabriel

stands behind her, his wings cocooned around her waist.

GABRIEL:

(whispering to her)

Cross the bridge to your destiny...

111.

CORRIDOR -JOHN

pulls up his sleeve, exposes his old scar. He pauses abeat, closes his eyes. STAY ON his face as he makes one

swift SLICE movement.

But he's in a rush here --makes that same motion across

his other wrist as well.

With both wrists purging his life away, John settles backinto the corner and waits for the inevitable.

JOHN:

Hurry...

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM -GABRIEL

reveals the Spear.

CORRIDOR -JOHN

is dying. Eyes are starting to close as...

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM -GABRIEL

Raises the Spear over Angela's chest.

HEAR the SOUNDS of a million DEMONS inside of her ready

to break free --

He holds the Spear high above her chest --readies for

the final thrust as --

CORRIDOR:

Bulbs flicker as current ramps down and TIME COMES TO ACOMPLETE STOP.

All we're left with is a distant METALLIC DRONE, like the

reverberation of a gong struck a thousand years ago.

John lies in that dim half-light. Motionless.

Something starts to swirl near him and just like that,

John is no longer alone. Shadow falls over his patheticform.

SATAN (O.S.)

The time has come at last to

collect your soul.

(CONTINUED)

112.

CONTINUED:

John pries his eyes open...

SATAN:

Hello, John.

JOHN:

You're early.

SATAN:

You're the one show I wouldn't

miss.

JOHN:

So I've heard.

Satan sees John's slit wrists.

SATAN:

I didn't think you'd make the same

mistake twice.

John looks up at him.

SATAN:

You didn't, did you?

JOHN:

... so how's your son?

SATAN:

And why would that matter to you?

JOHN:

... he's topside...

SATAN:

I know.

JOHN:

With Gabriel.

SATAN:

Your point?

JOHN:

He's helping your son create his

own Hell on Earth...

SATAN:

Well, boys will be boys...

JOHN:

He has the Spear of Destiny.

(CONTINUED)

113.

CONTINUED:

Satan didn't know that. Now he's concerned. He studies

this dying man.

SATAN:

This is another one of your cons.

JOHN:

Go look for yourself...

Satan is still suspicious.

JOHN:

You've waited twenty years for me,

what's another twenty seconds?

Satan contemplates his remark. Metallic reverberation is

overtaken as SOUND and MOTION ramp back to real time --

PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM -THE SPEAR

is about to be thrust into Angela's chest.

SATAN (O.S.)

Gabriel?

Gabriel looks up --spots him in the room. Gabriel

reacts --pulls the spear toward her with all hismight --but Satan is faster --Angela vanishes andGabriel has now pierced dead air.

Satan holds Angela tight --covering her mouth like Johndid. She struggles and the demon inside appears -reflected

in the huge chunks of tank glass scattered onthe floor. Hideous. The real MAMMON.

SATAN:

Say goodbye to the sun --both of

you.

Mammon SHRIEKS and Gabriel's beautiful wings ignite inFLAME --

GABRIEL:

No!!!!!!!!

CORRIDOR -JOHN

is rocked by a major jolt that shakes the entire buildingto its foundation. A moment later -

(CONTINUED)

114.

CONTINUED:

Satan is back. John looks up, gives him that look --you

owe me. Satan hates admitting it but knows it's true.

SATAN:

So... what do you want? An

extension?

John shakes his head, can barely utter a sound...

JOHN:

Isabel...

SATAN:

What about her?

JOHN:

... let her... go home...

SATAN:

You would give up your life so shecould go to Heaven?

John manages a nod...

SATAN:

Fine.

(closes, opens eyes)

It's done.

INT. PHYSICAL THERAPY ROOM

ANGELA gasps --her first real breath's a strain.

Adrenaline rushes through her and she quickly closes her

eyes --

EXT. THAT GORGEOUS SKY

Stretches out BEFORE us. And here come those two swings,

penduluming up in SLOW MOTION.

Young Angela and Isabel share that moment again. But

this time Isabel lets go and jumps out of her swing.

Her body sails up and away, her fingers reaching out forwhat seems so close... so close...

Isabel keeps going until she fades into the sky.

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