Gothika Page #19

INT. CAFETERIA - MOMENTS LATER

The DOOR CRASHES open and Chloe shoves the Sheriffinside. She has a gun pressed hard against his ear.

(CONTINUED)

99.

CONTINUED:

SHERIFF RYAN:

Young lady, I don't know how youthink you can get out of here,

but -

CHLOE:

You're very polite for a piggy.

Now take off your uniform.

Sheriff Ryan hesitates. Chloe presses the gun againsthim.

CHLOE:

Do it quick. I won't make fun of

you.

The sound of the UPSTAIRS DOOR BEING THROWN OPEN makes

her glance up. She trains her flashlight at the secondlevel, stepping behind the Sheriff to use him as cover.

CHLOE:

Nobody better f***ing move upthere or I'll blow this piggy'shead off!

Her FLASHLIGHT BEAM searches the section. Catches the

reflection of a police shield hiding behind a table.

CHLOE:

That means you, fucko. Up on yourfeet or I'll start by shooting hisear off.

A beat. Officer Turlington rises. Slow and deliberate.

CHLOE:

(to Sheriff, sotto)

Tell junior the grownups aretalking now and he's not allowedin here. Do it.

SHERIFF RYAN:

Turlington, it's alright. I

can -- I'm just going to -

CHLOE:

The grownups are talking. Don't

paraphrase me.

SHERIFF RYAN:

The grownups are -- are talking

now. Just leave.

(CONTINUED)

100.

CONTINUED:

A voice startles Chloe from behind, at floor level.

MIRANDA:

Chloe? Can I talk to you?

Chloe flicks the flashlight to see Miranda by the door.

CHLOE:

Dreadful timing, I'm real busy.

MIRANDA:

You have to let him go. I'm sorry.

Chloe flinches at that. Like all this multitasking isaffecting her. She digs the gun deeper into the Sheriff'sneck, making him cower to his knees, execution style -

CHLOE:

Look -- let's not confuse things.

I like you. But this is my onlychance.

(to Sheriff)

Now take off that goddamn uniformbefore I get really pissed.

The Sheriff glances at Miranda. Miranda nods. The

Sheriff begins unbuttoning his shirt -

MIRANDA:

What are you going to do? Put on

his uniform and walk out of here?

Think about it, Chloe. They knowyou have him. The place iscrawling with cops.

CHLOE:

What are my options? To grow oldin this place? It's clear they willnever let me go. Never. Ever.

MIRANDA:

That's not true. You have less

than a year left here.

CHLOE:

That's a lie! I'll never stopbeing sick, they'll just findsomething new that's wrong with

me. No wonder you doctors can'thelp anyone -- all you have aredeficit columns and stupid testsdesigned to point out what part ofthe puzzle you think we're missing!

(CONTINUED)

101.

CONTINUED:

She starts sobbing. Letting everything go -

MIRANDA:

You're right, doctors neverconcentrate on the things patientsare actually capable of. But I

know you, Chloe, you've beenthrough things that most peopledon't survive. And you have awonderful future in front of youif you choose it. It's up to you.

This gets through to Chloe. Her grip loosens on the gun.

MIRANDA:

No more guilt, no more hatred, nomore unbearable sadness. You have

no use for any of that anymore.

Your life begins this very second.

CHLOE:

I'm so tired. So goddamn tired --

Miranda walks over and embraces her. Chloe hands her the

gun.

And that's when the power returns.

Miranda and Chloe frozen in their embrace. Sheriff Ryanon his knees. In the sudden, shocking glare of returninglight, color abruptly re-enters the world and everyRADIO, PHONE, FAN and MACHINE that were left on HUM TO

LIFE.

Miranda finds herself staring at Sheriff Ryan, bathed inthe glow of the flashing red and blue lights from thecruisers outside. The image a replica of the AndreaWhite and Jenny Dixon visions.

Peeking from his half-unbuttoned shirt is the beginningof a chest TATTOO. Miranda slowly trains the gun on theSheriff, finally struck with the realization:

MIRANDA:

It was you, wasn't it?

SHERIFF RYAN:

What are you talking about?

She opens his shirt to reveal the tattoo: a 1950s pinup-

style WOMAN SURROUNDED BY FLAMES, ARMS RAISED, SHACKLED.

Anima Sola. Miranda's recurring vision from the night ofthe slaughter.

(CONTINUED)

102.

CONTINUED:

MIRANDA:

'Not alone.' That's what Rachel

has been trying to tell me allalong. Doug was not alone. You

were with him. This whole time

it's been you. You covered uptheir deaths to look like

suicides.

The Sheriff throws his jacket on, starts walking -

SHERIFF RYAN:

You've lost your mind.

MIRANDA:

Don't f***ing move.

The CLICK! of a SAFETY being released makes him pause.

He turns to look at her. A tense beat.

PETE (O.S.)

Miranda, don't do it!

She glances at Pete's pleading face and the room aroundher: cops everywhere. All guns trained on her.

Sheriff Ryan speaks low so only she can hear thefollowing:

SHERIFF RYAN:

And just exactly who would believeyou? No proof, no living witness.

Everybody knows you're crazy.

Miranda's finger itches on the trigger as they face off.

Her hand starts to shake. Sheriff Ryan turns and stridesoff. Getting away. Further. Further...

But as much as she wants to, she can't bring herself todo it. Finally brings the gun down. The armed policemenrush over and disarm her, shove her to the floor and cuff

her.

SHERIFF RYAN:

I want that woman in custody. She

has a judge to face in the morning.

EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NIGHT (HEAVY RAIN)

Turlington escorts a cuffed Miranda to a waiting cruiser.

He jumps behind the wheel and starts to pull out whenPete suddenly taps on Miranda's window, startling her -

(CONTINUED)

103.

CONTINUED:

PETE:

I'll call your lawyer and -- !

OFFICER TURLINGTON

Sir, not now -

PETE:

I'll meet you at the station!

She shakes her head. Mouths something Pete can't make out.

OFFICER TURLINGTON

Sir, please -

PETE:

What?

Turlington hits the gas. Miranda presses her faceagainst the window so only Pete can see her say thefollowing:

MIRANDA:

The girl in the hospital.

Pete locks eyes with her, nods -- as the cruiser leaves.

INT. JACKSON HOSPITAL - RECOVERING ROOM - NIGHT

Tracy Seaver lies unconscious, hooked up to a series ofmachines. PULL BACK to find Pete with a young DOCTOR.

DOCTOR:

Her condition remains the same.

Basically that ventilator iskeeping her alive. We have no

reason to think she'll ever wake

up. I'm sorry.

Pete nods, disconcerted. Stares at the girl.

PETE:

You mind if I stay here tonight?

DOCTOR:

Hey, it's a big place. The more

the merrier. If I can just askyou to wait outside.

INT. WAITING AREA

The Doctor gestures for Pete to make himself comfortable.

(CONTINUED)

104.

CONTINUED:

HOSPITAL LOUDSPEAKER (V.O.)

Dr. Brooks to ER. Dr. Brooks -

DOCTOR:

That's me. Excuse me.

The Doctor rushes off.

INT. RECOVERY ROOM #2

Like Tracy Seaver, Simon Reynolds is hooked up to a bunchof machines and cables. Suddenly his EYES SHOOT OPEN andthe CARDIAC ALARM SQUEALS -

Two NURSES rush in. The young Doctor right behind.

NURSE #1

V-tach.

The EKG whipsaws. The Doctor feels for a pulse, then slapson the defibrillator pads, places the paddles on the chest -

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