Gothika Page #4

PETE:

I'm positive.

(painful beat)

You killed him.

INT. CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

Irene and TWO NURSE rush to Miranda's cell. WE HEAR her

hysterical CRIES from inside -

19.

INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT

Pete struggles to contain Miranda, who howlsdisparagingly.

PETE:

It's going to be alright, Miranda.

You just need to sleep. It's

going to be alright -

Off Pete's nod, a nurse injects the syringe intoMiranda's arm. They hold her down with great effort asshe continues to cry, and we...

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

FLASHBACK SEQUENCE - SERIES OF SHOTS

A blur of images and scrambled snippets of memories comeat us rapid-fire, like a drug-induced dream:

EXT. ASHLEY BRIDGE - NIGHT

Miranda's CAR SCREECHES to a stop and she jumps out,

glances around.

INT. ST. ANNE'S HIGH SCHOOL - GYMNASIUM - NIGHT

Graduation night. School principal Douglas Grey shakeshands with proud parents and clumsily formal students.

Miranda grabs a drink from a nearby tray, bored.

DOUG:

(re:
her drink)

Is that number three?

MIRANDA:

Yes, Mr. Principal. Specialoccasion -- I'm celebrating howproud I am of my husband tonight.

He smiles weakly at the compliment. Moves his hand

towards her, in an affectionate gesture (or so Mirandathinks) but instead fixes her bra strap. Ever

methodical.

EXT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY

Miranda and a man exit the theater. Giggling.

FLASH CUT TO:

20.

INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE

Doug laying on the floor covered with bloodstains.

Bloodstained axe on floor in f.g. Walls covered with

bloodstains.

INT. LOFT - NIGHT

A flustered Miranda fumbles with her purse and keys,

heads for the door. She tries to fix her smeared

lipstick and messed-up hair. TURNS TO CAMERA:

MIRANDA:

I'm sorry. The fact is I'm

married and I -- this is not me,

this is a mistake.

First we hear our mystery man's voice, then we see him:

Pete. (Yes, the same person she kissed and went to themovies with.) He places his hand on the door, blockingher.

PETE:

Your marriage is the mistake andyou know it.

MIRANDA:

Don't.

PETE:

I'm sorry. That was out of line.

I feel like a school kid hidingfrom the Principal.

MIRANDA:

We are hiding from the Principal.

He smiles. Touches her face tenderly. Torn. A personused to doing the right thing but not liking that at the

moment.

PETE:

I would just like to spend sometime together.

MIRANDA:

We spend time together every day.

PETE:

I meant minus the schizophrenic

women.

MIRANDA:

I have to go. I need time to think.

(CONTINUED)

21.

CONTINUED:

He nods. Opens the door for her. She starts to walk

away.

PETE:

Don't be too hard on yourself, Dr.

Grey. You haven't done anything

wrong.

MIRANDA:

Not yet. But I want to.

EXT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - MORNING

PUSH INTO a quiet house on a quiet suburban street. Two

Volvos parked in the driveway. Perfectly-kept front lawn.

CUT TO:

FLASHBACK - INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE

Another near-subliminal glimpse of Doug laying on thefloor covered with bloodstains. Bloodstained axe on

floor in f.g. Walls covered with bloodstains.

EXT. CHAPEL - DAY

Miranda and Doug laugh at their wedding. It's clearlyhot, because she wipes sweat off his brow with ahandkerchief.

INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A breathless Miranda wipes her face, leaving a thickstreak of blood on it. She looks down at her hand,

noticing the blood -- and now we are back in -

INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT (PRESENT)

Miranda wakes up with a start. The darkness renders the

room almost void of any color. Monochromatic. It takes

her a moment to orient herself. Her eyes wander acrossthe unfamiliar room, feeling like she's being watched.

We become aware of a RAGGED BREATHING sound. Like

somebody is standing over her bed. But we don't see

anything. Miranda gingerly crosses to the door and peeksthrough the glass partition into the empty corridor. She

glances back at the room, stills seeing nothing -- andbangs on the door.

(CONTINUED)

22.

CONTINUED:

MIRANDA:

Can I get some assistance here?

Hello?!

She waits. Bangs on the door again.

MIRANDA:

Irene?! Anybody!?

A beat. And now finally we hear FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.

A light is switched on down the corridor.

The FOOTSTEPS get CLOSER... and CLOSER...

Miranda tries to appear composed. Wipes sweat off herforehead. Fixes her hair. The FOOTSTEPS now STOP rightout side the door. A KEY goes into the lock and JIGGLESit.

Miranda waits for the door to open but nothing happens.

Confused, she steps up to the glass partition andpeeks -

The second her face touches the glass, she is met by apair of piercing eyes. The eerie teenage girl. Miranda

jumps back, screams.

And when she looks up again, the image is gone. A beat.

Rational thought kicking in -

MIRANDA:

(to self)

Wake up, wake up...

(beat)

You're dreaming. It's not real.

An anxiety dream, that's all.

That's all. This is dream logic.

If it was real, they would haveheard you scream. There are

twenty employees on the nightshift. Fact. At least twenty.

She props herself with her back against the wall. With a

view of the whole cell. Just in case. Staring at thedoor.

MIRANDA:

I'm just dreaming.

And now, FAINTLY at first, but GROWING LOUDER -FOOTSTEPS

can be heard APPROACHING outside. Just like

before.

(CONTINUED)

23.

CONTINUED:

MIRANDA:

I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'mdreaming, I'm dreaming.

Like her life depends on that mantra. The FOOTSTEPS getCLOSER. And her voice begins to falter -

MIRANDA:

(voice rising)

I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming -

And now the FOOTSTEPS pause outside her door like beforeand she holds her breath, horrified, when suddenly we arehit with the sudden glare of returning light.

EVERYTHING FLASHES WHITE and then COLOR RETURNS -

IRENE (O.S.)

Rise and shine, ladies!

INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - DAY

Irene tries to shake Miranda awake. An orderly and nursestand by.

IRENE:

(shaking her)

That means you, honey. Up -- !

No reaction.

IRENE:

Rise and shine now. Wake up.

She shakes her harder. And now Miranda's EYES SHOOT OPEN

and she grips Irene's arm. Hard. Like the teenage girldid.

IRENE:

Easy now, it's okay.

Miranda stares at her, coming back to. Starts to speakbut has no voice. Clears her throat -

MIRANDA:

I need to see Peter Graham.

IRENE:

And you have a session scheduledthis afternoon -

MIRANDA:

Right now.

(CONTINUED)

24.

CONTINUED:

IRENE:

He's not even in yet, now let gomy arm, honey.

MIRANDA:

Doctor Grey, if you don't mind.

IRENE:

Actually I do mind. I start

calling you 'doctor' and everybodyelse wants to be called 'doctor' -

MIRANDA:

Please. It's a bit different,

wouldn't you say -- ?

Irene reaches out her hand and the nurse places a cupwith meds on it.

MIRANDA:

What do you think you're doing? I

want to speak to my lawyer -wait,

what are you doing?

IRENE:

My job.

Irene shoves the meds into Miranda's mouth -

MIRANDA:

C'mon, Irene, don't do this. I'm

calm now, look -- I'm calm --!

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