Dark City Page #12

ON WALKER - who glances around to see Mei is sitting next to him.

She points to herself.

WOMAN:

(a whisper)

Mei.

He nods slowly, looks at her. She waits for him to respond with his

name. He remains silent. Then he puts his hands back in the light.

WALKER:

That's me. I'm a shadow.

She smiles, not understanding.

INT. TENEMENT BUILDING CORRIDOR - NIGHT

LOW ANGLE TRACKING SHOT - feet walk along a tattered rug, approach

a door. Bumstead's shoes, shiny as always.

INT. KOWOLSKI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

KATE, KOWOLSKI'S WIFE, is feeding ONE OF HER CHILDREN in the

kitchen.

BUMSTEAD O.S.

Mrs. Kowolski?

Kate turns, to see Bumstead standing in the doorway behind her. He

steps forward, smiles at the child.

BUMSTEAD:

How old is the little girl?

KATE:

Seventeen months.

BUMSTEAD:

She's so pretty.

(looks to Kate)

The door was open. I'm Frank

Bumstead, I work with Harry. How is

he?

KATE:

Oh, the same...

She glances to a closed bedroom door.

KATE:

(Cont.)

He won't even come out to go to the

bathroom now...

She starts to cry. Bumstead touches her shoulder, a little

embarrassed by the display of affection.

BUMSTEAD:

Let me see what I can do.

INT. KOWOLSKI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

KOWOLSKI'S unshaven, haunted. Clutching a shotgun, is mumbling to

himself with his eyes tightly shut.

An knock on the door O.S. startles Kowolski.

BUMSTEAD O.S.

Kowolski! Open up, it's me,

Bumstead.

Kowolski steps to the door, opens it a little bit.

KOWOLSKI:

Bumstead? What are you doing here?

BUMSTEAD:

Let's talk.

Kowolski wipes the sweat on his forehead.

BUMSTEAD:

(Cont.)

C'mon, let me in Kowolski.

Kowolski stares at Bumstead, then silently opens the door and lets

him through.

BUMSTEAD:

I'm on the serial killer case.

KOWOLSKI:

Oh?

The room is very dark. Bumstead is assailed by a wave of putrid

smells. It's a mess - rotten food, overturned furniture, dirty

clothes.

Kowolski's face is heavily bruised, covered in sweat.

BUMSTEAD:

You don't look so hot...

KOWOLSKI:

Yeah? Well I'm having a really bad

day. Come to think of it, I've

been having several of them all in

a row...

Kowolski laughs at this, a little out of control.

They sit down, face each other in the gloom. A RAT scuttles past

Kowolski. With lightning reflexes he throws a shoe at it. The rat

runs under the bed. He looks back at Bumstead, smiles, more than a

little insane.

KOWOLSKI:

I don't know anything, Bumstead. As

long as you understand, that's all.

BUMSTEAD:

Can I do anything to help?

KOWOLSKI:

No.

BUMSTEAD:

Your wife, she's worried about you.

KOWOLSKI:

She's the reason I'm in here.

BUMSTEAD:

What do you mean?

KOWOLSKI:

You don't want to listen to what I

have to say...

(leans forward -

whispers)

It'll give you nightmares.

BUMSTEAD:

I'll listen to anything you want to

tell me.

Kowolski scuttles nearer Bumstead now, glares into his eyes.

KOWOLSKI:

My family are impostors, Bumstead.

What would you if you found out

something like that?

Bumstead doesn't know how to answer.

KOWOLSKI:

(Cont.)

You'd probably lock yourself away

too, right?

Kowolski sits back like that's all there is to it.

BUMSTEAD:

You're going to have to explain this

one to me, I'm afraid...

KOWOLSKI:

Nothing to explain. It's a...

feeling. I justr suddenly realised

my life is a lie. Oh, sh*t,

Bumstead, you think I'd be in here

if I could explain this stuff? Ah,

sh*t!

(holds his temples)

Hell, my head hurts so much! God,

Bumstead, I'm rotting away inside

and there's nothing I can do about

it.

BLOOD starts running from Kowolski's nostrils. Bumstead hands him

his hanky. Kowolski takes it, wipes his nose.

BUMSTEAD:

You need a doctor...

KOWOLSKI:

No. You should go now. There's

nothing more I can tell you that

will make any sense. Please just

go.

INT. UNDERWORLD/LABORATORY - NIGHT

Metal scrapes against metal and WE'RE LOOKING DOWN - through an

OPENING hatch. A dim laboratory IS REVEALED - a maze of

scientific instruments.

Elongated shadows move about.

PULL BACK FROM a diagrammatic chart depicting the evolution of the

human brain - TO REVEAL STRANGERS hunched over something.

STRANGER 1 bends across to a CONTROL PANEL, works a switch. A small

speaker in a metal box crackles to life. SOUND OF DISTANT SURF...

Electricity arcs across electrodes.

STRANGER 2 steps forward and pulls a bloodied sheet from their

handiwork.

It's MISTER SLEEP. The top of his bald head is an open hatch.

Wires lead to HIS BRAIN.

TIGHT ON MISTER SLEEP'S EYES - glancing about the room.

STRANGER 1 shines a torch into his eyes.

INSIDE HIS HEAD - illuminated by the beam of the light. REVEAL a

small writhing INSECT screwed to a metal plate.

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