Elle Page #20

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Patrick’s skull makes a loud CRACK as Vincent bludgeons himwith a fireplace log. Before she can say boo.

Michelle kicks free of Patrick’s body as it collapses on topof her. BLOOD oozes through the ski mask like cream through asieve. Vincent gawks in horror as Patrick, in dying, spasms.

Pulling the tatters of her dress around her, Michelle’s firstand only thought is to hurry Vincent out of the room, toshield him from the horror.

VINCENT:

He’s... Is he...?

MICHELLE:

It’s alright. You’re ok. I’m

alright, everything’s alright.

Mother and son are both horrified as the masked figure nowrises, slowly pulling himself to his feet. Michelle positionsherself defensively in front of Vincent.

But Patrick doesn’t come toward them. He reaches up and pullsoff his mask. Vincent is astonished to see who it is.

Patrick looks as if he we trying to frame a question as bloodstreams down one side of his face. He turns, looking for thedoor. He takes a half-step, then collapses. Almost a pratfall.

VINCENT:

Is he dead?!

Patrick lies there, eyes open, blood spreading like a haloaround his head, across the parquet floor. He is dead.

109.

MICHELLE:

It’s alright. It’s alright.

She puts her arms around her son. He holds onto her, sobbing.

139 INT. MICHELLE’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM -- LATER 139

The home is a crime scene. AUTHORITIES surround the body,

taking pictures, making notes. Michelle watches the activityfrom where she’s being questioned by a DETECTIVE.

DETECTIVE:

What was your relationship with thedeceased?

MICHELLE:

He was my neighbor.

DETECTIVE:

A neighbor...?

MICHELLE:

A neighbor.

DETECTIVE:

Like have a cup of coffee, borrow alawnmower kind of neighbor?

MICHELLE:

There was never any exchange oflawnmowers - but I get what youmean and, yes, generally, we wereneighbors like that. Until, maybe,

recently.

DETECTIVE:

He had attended this party with youas a date?

MICHELLE:

Yes.

DETECTIVE:

You’re relationship had turnedromantic?

Distracted, Michelle’s eyes are drawn to the crime scene.

MICHELLE:

It was heading in that direction.

DETECTIVE:

You returned together?

110.

MICHELLE:

I told him I wasn’t feeling well.

That’s why we left the party. Hedropped me off out front... I’m

sorry.

She needs a moment. She watches all the police activity.

MICHELLE (CONT’D)

I’ve been here before. There’s dejavu and then there’s this.

A destroyed Vincent slumps on the couch, surrounded byofficers. One hands him a glass of water. He guzzles it.

Vincent notices the way the cop is looking at him. He doesn’trecognize the look, at first.

COP:

Don’t beat yourself up, son. Thetruth is you deserve a goddamnmedal for what you did.

Vincent now recognizes the look: approval, admiration, even.

That sinks in. Slowly, he smiles. Michelle watches Vincentfrom across the room.

MICHELLE:

I went in, started to get undressed...and he was there. This figure.

Standing there. Wearing a mask.

DETECTIVE:

And did you have any clue that itwas your neighbor, Mr. Forrester?

Looking at Vincent, she knows what she has to do.

MICHELLE:

Who could imagine such a thing?

140 INT. MICHELLE’S HOUSE -- DAY 140

Michelle walks through the house. Everything’s beenrepainted. Where Patrick died, new carpeting. She opens awindow to light a cigarette.

She sees MOVING VANS across the street.

111.

141 EXT. MICHELLE HOUSE -- DAY 141

Michelle comes out of the house. Rebecca, wearing black, isthere directing the movers. Her expression changes a littlewhen she sees Michelle approaching. Uncertainty.

REBECCA:

Michelle.

MICHELLE:

You found a buyer?

REBECCA:

I took a little bit of a hit but

not bad. My realtor did a wonderfuljob - I can give you his name, ifyou like. If you ever...

MICHELLE:

I’m not going anywhere.

Rebecca smiles, nods. A mover passes with a chair.

REBECCA:

So much crap piles up.

Michelle smiles politely, briefly.

MICHELLE:

I wanted you to know I’m very sorryfor what you’ve been through.

REBECCA:

I claim to have faith. What’s it

for, if not to get through timeslike this... Patrick was a good manbut he had a tortured soul.

Michelle nods again. She’s about to politely exit but Rebeccastops her, adding one more thing-

REBECCA (CONT’D)

I’m sincerely glad you were able togive him what he needed. For awhile, anyway.

Michelle looks at Rebecca. The realization that this woman

knows the truth of Patrick’s death chills her. Michelle nods

to the vans.

MICHELLE:

Good luck.

Rebecca nods back. Michelle leaves her.

112.

142 EXT. CEMETERY -- DAY 142

Michelle puts flowers in front of her mother’s little vaultbuilt into an onyx wall. She pointedly ignores the unmarkedvault next to it that contains her father. Vandals have

already scrawled “monster” and “burn in hell” on that one.

Michelle turns and finds she’s not alone. Anna’s there.

ANNA:

I heard you were here.

MICHELLE:

Physically, anyway.

They stand silently side by side.

ANNA:

We’re going ahead with Richard’sproject?

MICHELLE:

I’m going to let him fool around fora while... I expected him to throwmy charity back in my face but hedidn’t. Something’s gone out of him.

ANNA:

Robert showed up drunk at the

office this morning. Securityescorted him out... What did yousee in him anyway?

MICHELLE:

It was more about happenstance,

opportunity... I just wanted to getlaid.

ANNA:

That’s no excuse. It was veryshabby.

MICHELLE:

It was that and worse.

ANNA:

Vincent’s grown up. It’s just thetwo of us now. And I’m stuck with

that mausoleum of a house... I’m

going to sell it... I was thinkingI could move in with you, for awhile.

Michelle looks at Anna, unsure of the implication.

113.

MICHELLE:

Oh.

END:

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