Dark City Page #18

He notice A GRILL on a wall ABOVE HIS HEAD. He pulls it off, climbs

into an incredibly tight duct.

INT. AIR DUCT - NIGHT

ON WALKER - as he crawls frantically.

He sees a LIGHT ahead. An opening. He kicks the grill off. A

sudden gust of wind.

HIS P.O.V.

The duct has led him to the outside of the building - nowhere to go

except twenty stories STRAIGHT DOWN. He turns to start crawling

back.

SWISH PAN REVEALS - MISTER SLEEP at the end of the duct - he's

followed Walker in and is crawling forward, clutching a knife

between his teeth.

No choice - Walker looks out the hole. SEES A PIPE on the outside

of the building, running vertically near the opening. It looks

impossible but it's his one chance.

EXT. AIR DUCT/KARL'S BUILDING - NIGHT

Walker climbs out, balancing himself on the lip of the opening,

REACHES for the pipe.

INT. AIR DUCT

Mister Sleep is almost upon him.

EXT. AIR DUCT/KARL'S BUILDING - NIGHT

Walker swings across, gets a HAND on the pipe. He slips, DANGLES

holding on - one hand on the pipe, one on the edge of the hole.

The pipe is greasy, slippery, he can't get a grip.

O.S. A MECHANICAL CLICKING - WALKER TURNS to see Mister Sleep

PERCHED on the edge of the hole, inches from his hand. A soft noise

reverberates in Mister Sleep's throat. He's holding the knife in

his hand now, BRINGING IT DOWN on Walker's fingers.

TIGHT ON WALKER'S EYES - sweat beads and runs down his forehead.

TIGHT ON THE BLADE - as it cuts into flesh. BLOOD runs down his

arm, spatters Walker's face as he grimaces with pain. He lets go...

...AND FALLS, PLUMMETS thtough space.

TIGHT ON WALKER'S FACE

His eyes are shut tight. He's ready to die, but the ground never

comes. He opens his eyes, slowly LOOKS AROUND...

EXT. CANAL - NIGHT

WIDER ANGLE:

Walker FLOATS IN MID-AIR, hovering ten feet or so above a dark body

of water. He looks frightened.

Still floating.

He TENSES his body and slowly he starts to MOVE FORWARD, hovering at

an even height over the water.

WIDER STILL:

SEVERAL ANGLES of Walker levitating across the harbour, past half-

sunken buildings and rusted ships.

TIGHT ON WALKER - He comes to a stop. Smiles in utter amazement.

Then he PLUMMETS into the water, like a trap-door has opened beneath

him.

ANGLE ON BUBBLES floating to the surface. Walker's FACE breaks the

surface.

He swims across to the bottom of A PIER, climbs a rotten ladder.

THE CAMERA CRANES UP with Walker as he climbs to the top of the

pier. Walker runs off, leaving a trail of wet foot-prints behind.

INT. STAIRWELL/MEI'S BUILDING - NIGHT

A small annoying dog is yapping frantically in a doorway. Cops move

past, and up the stairs to the NEXT LANDING, as an overly-made-up

WOMAN pulls on the dog's leash trying to stop it from nipping cops'

ankles.

Bumstead is standing beside the woman.

WOMAN:

She always had strange types visit

her, but I didn't see or hear

nothing this time. Poor, sad,

creature...

BUMSTEAD:

Thank you.

He is about to walk up the stairs but the dog is in his way.

TIGHT ON THE DOG - it bares its teeth and growls.

INT. MEI'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

A HIGH ANGLE on the slain body of Mei. COPS wander about the dark

room. Bumstead walks up to Capek who is examining the body, with

Husselbeck standing beside him.

CAPEK:

All the same wounds. It's

definitely him.

(indicates Mei's corpse)

But there's something else.

Capek points to a small wound on Mei's neck.

CAPEK:

(Cont.)

These have me stumped. The other

girl we found had one just like it -

see the way the edges are

perforated?

BUMSTEAD:

Yes. It looks like a bite.

CAPEK:

Only there was no trace of saliva -

and the diameter of the wound is too

narrow to have been made by a normal

adult.

(looks at Bumstead)

Know who she is?

BUMSTEAD:

A prostitute. She lived here.

A YOUNG COP steps up to Husselbeck, glancing at Bumstead.

YOUNG COP:

She won't come out.

Husselbeck leads Bumstead behind a WOODEN PARTITION.

INT. MEI'S APARTMENT/AN ADJOINING ROOM

A small area neatly arranged - a double bed, various possessions.

Dozens of CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS are pinned to the walls. Someone

obviously lives here. The room is empty however.

HUSSELBECK:

We found a young girl. We think

it's her daughter.

BUMSTEAD looks at Husselbeck: Where is she?

Husselbeck nods towards THE BED.

Bumstead steps over, bends down and lifts the bed-spread. In the

shadows underneath, he can make out A FACE.

TIGHTEN ON A LITTLE GIRL - hiding, clutching a bundle.

Terrified, she edges away from Bumstead.

Capek steps into the room.

BUMSTEAD:

(to little girl)

Come on. I won't hurt you.

Then Bumstead gets a better look at what she's holding. Bumstead

looks around at Capek.

BUMSTEAD:

(Cont.)

She's got a baby with her.

Then Bumstead notices something, past Capek.

HIS P.O.V.

The wooden screen. The CAMERA MOVES IN steadily, into a crack

running along the length of the screen - we can see the room on

the other side, with cops moving about.

BUMSTEAD:

(Cont.)

My God, Capek. She saw

happened here.

EXT. BUILDING - NIGHT

MOVE IN ON a doorway. Above it a small illuminated red sign: DOCTOR

D.P. SCHREBER.

REVERSE ANGLE ON WALKER - standing on the street, under the sign.

His clothes are still wet.

INT. CRENSHAW'S CAR - NIGHT

PULL BACK OFF Walker entering the door beneath Schreber's sign TO

REVEAL Crenshaw parked in a car across the street.

INT. SCHREBER'S WAITING ROOM - NIGHT

A white room, bare, dirt stains the walls near the air-vents. A

NURSE is typing behind her desk.

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