Four Rooms Page #29

Okay.

The group cheers.

TED:

But when it's over, no matter what happens, I get the money?

CHESTER:

As long as you do your part, you can take the pile, walk out

the door, and not say another word.

TED:

Let's do it right now, before I change my mind.

NORMAN:

Here, here.

Everybody gets in their position by the bar. Norman lays his left hand on

the block of wood with his pinky sticking out.

In his right hand is his Zippo lighter, poised and ready to strike.

Chester hands Ted the meat cleaver.

Ted takes it, raises it up above Norman's finger, in position.

CHESTER:

Perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect! This is great! This is a

moment in time none of us will ever forget.

Everybody is crowded around the scene, on pins and needles.

CHESTER:

Norman, you ready?

NORMAN:

Ready!

CHESTER:

Ted, you ready?

TED:

Ready.

CHESTER:

Okeydoke. Norman, begin.

Norman looks hard at the Zippo in his hand. Ted, holding the cleaver,

stares focused on Norman's pinky.

Norman readies himself.

Places his thumb on the wheel in the Zippo.

Takes a breath.

And strikes.

It sparks, but doesn't light.

Without missing a beat, Ted brings down the cleaver, slicing off Norman's

pinky.

Norman lets out a scream.

Ted, in one move, lays down the cleaver, scoops up the money and walks out

the door.

INT. HALLWAY--AFTER DAWN

CAMERA is positioned at far end of hallway, looking down it at the elevator

at the other end.

Ted walks out of the penthouse in the f.g. In a MEDIUM SHOT, he takes the

thousand dollars in his hand, looks at it, smiles, and sticks it in his

pocket. It might've been a bad night, but it's been a profitable one. He

chuckles at the irony, and, whistling a happy tune, turns his back on the

camera and walks down the hall to the elevator.

All the while we hear PANDEMONIUM breaking out behind the door.

As Ted walks to the elevator, the CREDITS ROLL. He waits for the elevator,

it arrives, he gets in, the doors close.

As CREDITS CONTINUE TO ROLL, we hold for about two beats . . . then . . .

The door BURSTS open and everybody comes piling out. Everybody's screaming,

yelling different things to one another. Norman has a bloody towel wrapped

around his hand, he's screaming and crying.

NORMAN:

My finger, my f***ing finger!!

Chester has the bucket of ice with the finger in it. Leo's trying to direct

everything. Everybody's in frantic activity, except for Angela, who stands

back, drinks her drink, and watches the show. They all run down the hall,

toward the elevator. Somebody trips and they all hit the ground. The bucket

of ice with the finger goes spilling. They run around like crazy, looking

for the finger and picking up ice cubes. Norman lies on the floor and

screams. They pick it all up, get to the elevator, and push the button.

When it arrives, they all dive in except for Angela.

ANGELA:

You know, I'm gonna call it a night and go back to my room.

It's been fun.

The doors close on the screaming maniacs.

Angela walks through a door marked "Stairway."

INT. 4TH FLOOR HALLWAY--AFTER DAWN

MEDIUM STAIRWAY DOOR

CREDIT ROLL continues

Angela comes through the door; we STEADICAM in front of her as she walks

the halls, looking for her room. She finds it . . .

WE STOP CREDITS:

four rooms

Angela sticks her key in the door, then stops when she sees something

approaching. The look on her face combines strange awe and mild shock.

Almost floating ethereally, a mysterious Blond Bombshell, wearing Diana's

see-through negligee and slippers, armed with Elspeth's sword slung over

her shoulder, wanders toward her. She is in a daze, perhaps lost or drunk.

ANGELA:

You okay, lady?

The bombshell looks up at her dizzily.

ANGELA:

I said--you looking for someone?

DIANA:

(disoriented)

Uhhh . . . yes . . . my husband . . . I think. Have you seen him?

Angela and the girl have a strange moment as they connect through the eyes.

Having had enough emotional intensity tonight, Angela breaks their eye

contact.

ANGELA:

Lady, I haven't seen anybody.

Diana quietly says, "Ohhh," as she drifts on down the hall in a daze.

Angela puts her hand to her temples before opening her hotel door. She does

a double-take on the hallway--empty.

She pauses a beat, then walks into her room. After the door closes, we hear

Sigfried on the other side.

SIGFRIED:

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