Fight Club Page #12

WALTER:

Jesus, I'd hate to see what happened

to the other guy.

Jack keeps the smile frozen on his face.

JACK (V.O.)

Screw Walter. His candy-ass wouldn't

last a second Wednesday night.

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT

Out of silent darkness, HEADLIGHTS appear from all

directions. CARS PULL UP and park in the already-packed

lot. YOUNG MEN get out and march into the tavern...

INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME

The men, including Jack and Tyler, enter and stand against

the back wall, waiting. The bartender, IRVINE, calls out:

IRVINE:

Drink up people. We're closing.

Irvine flicks on the LIGHTS. Drunken customers squint and

get the message. They plop down money, leaving.

JACK (V.O.)

It was right in everyone's face.

Tyler and I just made it visible.

Irvine hits a button and the JUKEBOX loses power. Members

of the waiting army begins to share secret looks. Finally,

one buy locks the door. Two other guys close the blinds.

JACK (V.O.)

It was on the tip of everyone's

tongue. Tyler and I just gave it a

name.

INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - SAME

A BOMB-SHELTER. Concrete walls. One BARE BULB above, Tyler

standing directly beneath it.

TYLER:

Welcome to fight club.

The guys mill around, finding partners. Everyone brims with

eagerness, but tries to act cool. CHATTER gets LOUDER.

Everyone spreads out, forming a circle, Tyler at center.

JACK (V.O.)

Every week, Tyler gave the rules that

he and I decided.

PEAKING CHATTER, till Tyler raises his arms and the CHATTER

DIES. A couple of COUGHS, FEET SHUFFLING, then, SILENCE.

TYLER:

The first rule of fight club is --

you don't talk about fight club. The

second rule of fight club is -- you

don't talk about fight club. The

third rule of fight club is -- when

someone says "stop" or goes limp, the

fight is over. Fourth rule is --

only two guys to a fight. Fifth

rule -- one fight at a time. Sixth

rule -- no shirts, no shoes. Seventh

rule -- fights go on as long as they

have to. And the eighth and final

rule -- if this is your first night

at fight club, you have to fight.

Tyler steps back. A short guy, RICKY, and a GOATEED MAN

take off shirts and shoes and step to the center.

JACK (V.O.)

This kid, Ricky -- supply clerk --

couldn't remember whether you ordered

pens with blue ink or black ink ...

The two fighters circle, then begin throwing PUNCHES...

JACK (V.O.)

But Ricky was a god for ten minutes

last week when he trounced an actuary

twice his size.

Harder, faster PUNCHES between the two. SWEAT flies.

SHOUTS become DEAFENING. Ricky's getting the best of

Goateed Man, POUNDING him...

JACK (V.O.)

Sometimes all you could hear were

flat, hard packing sounds over the

yelling, or the wet choke when

someone caught their breath and

sprayed...

GOATEED MAN:

(spittle-lipped)

Ssssstop... !

INT. OFFICE PARK RESTAURANT - DAY

Jack, eating lunch, watches the BROKEN-NOSED WAITER with a

GOATEE -- from the above fight -- converse with a MAITRE D'.

JACK (V.O.)

Even if I could tell someone they had

a good fight, I wouldn't be talking

to the same man.

The Goateed Waiter approaches Jack and sets a refill soda

down on the table. The two of them briefly make eye contact.

JACK (V.O.)

Who you were in fight club is not who

you were in the rest of the world.

INT. PHOTOCOPY ROOM - DAY

Jack stands over a copy machine, hit by flashes of light.

He glances over his shoulder, watches Ricky, wearing an

apron, push a supply cart. Ricks nods at Jack.

JACK (V.O.)

You weren't alive anywhere like you

were there. But fight club only

exists in the hours between when

fight club starts and when fight club

ends.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY

Jack, playing SOLITAIRE on his computer, daubs blood from

his mouth with a handkerchief. Boss, passing by the

doorway, looks in at Jack, irritated.

BOSS:

What are you getting yourself into

every week?

Jack keeps playing Solitaire. Boss enters, folds his arms.

JACK (V.O.)

After fight club, everything else in

your life gets the volume turned

down. You can deal with anything.

BOSS:

Have you finished those reports?

JACK:

(handing him reports)

Yes.

JACK (V.O.)

The people who had power over you

have less and less.

Jack looks at Boss. Reflexively, Jack's tongue plays with

his teeth.

JACK (V.O.)

By this point, I could wiggle most of

the teeth in my jaw.

EXT. STREET - DUSK

Tyler and Jack walk, both smoking cigarettes.

JACK (V.O.)

A guy came to fight club for the

first time, his ass was a wad of

cookie dough. After a few weeks, he

was carved out of wood.

JACK:

If you could fight any celebrity?

TYLER:

Alive or dead?

JACK:

Doesn't matter.

TYLER:

Hemingway. You?

JACK:

Shatner. William Shatner.

They reach a BUS STOP as a BUS arrives, tossing their

cigarettes, getting on board...

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