Hard Rain Page #6

SHERIFF:

How much money did you have?

TOM:

A little over three million.

They all exchange a look -- that's a lot of money.

TOM:

The bank was afraid of looters. They

had us cleaning out their branches

up and down the river.

WAYNE:

They stole three million dollars?

SHERIFF:

No, I don't think so.

They all look at the Sheriff. He looks at Tom.

SHERIFF:

You took the money, didn't you.

TOM:

I hid it in the cemetery. Tied it to

a crypt for a guy named Portman.

WAYNE:

What the hell'd you do that for?

TOM:

I don't like to carry around that

much cash.

SHERIFF:

Jesus, Wayne, use your head. If he

hadn't hidden it, they woulda killed

him, too.

The Sheriff looks at Tom -- is that it? Tom nods.

SHERIFF:

You got any ID?

TOM:

No, it was in my jacket and I --

WAYNE:

Color me surprised.

The Sheriff thinks for a beat, then tosses some keys to Phil.

SHERIFF:

Get out two rifles and a shotgun.

Phil nods and goes to it. The Sheriff opens a desk drawer,

pulls out an ankle holster.

WAYNE:

You believe him?

SHERIFF:

Well, yes, Wayne, I do. And even if

I didn't, I'd say we sure as hell

had an obligation to check it out,

don't you think?

The Sheriff starts strapping on the ankle holster.

TOM:

I'll go with you. I can show you

where --

SHERIFF:

No, I think you better stay put. But

that was --

WAYNE:

Yeah, all we need is an armored car

guy helping us out.

The Sheriff thwacks Wayne in the ear.

WAYNE:

Ow!

SHERIFF:

Wayne, what's the worst that's ever

happened to you? When old Mrs. Dugan

went after you with a knife? This

guy just got shot at!

(dismisses Wayne; to

Tom)

Smart move with the money.

Phil comes over with the guns.

SHERIFF:

(to Phil)

Wayne and I'll check out the cemetery.

You escort Slugger...

(nods at Karen)

...out of town. Get her to some high

ground, then come on back.

The Sheriff jams a small pistol into his ankle holster.

KAREN:

I have to fill the pumps --

SHERIFF:

(pulling her out)

Not any more you don't.

The Sheriff straightens up, grabs a rifle from Phil and pulls

Karen to the door. Wayne goes to Tom's cell door and pulls

it shut with a click.

SHERIFF:

Wayne...

WAYNE:

He could still be lying!

The Sheriff rolls his eyes and gestures for Wayne to come

along. He opens the door for Karen, Wayne and Phil to go

through.

TOM:

Sheriff -- they killed my partner

without any warning.

SHERIFF:

And they're gonna regret that, I

guarantee you. They're gonna regret

coming anywhere near this town

tonight. And out he goes.

EXT. SHERIFF'S STATION

Water is halfway up the four-foot high wall of sandbags around

the station. There are three outboard motorboats moored to

the sandbags.

SHERIFF:

Phil, take Karen's boat.

The Sheriff and Wayne climb toward their boats.

WAYNE:

You can do it, Phil. The men of

Huntingburg are counting on you.

PHIL:

Just bite me.

Wayne laughs as he and the Sheriff fire up their boat engines.

INT. SHERIFF'S STATION

Tom hears boat engines start up and move away. He lays back

down on the cot, listening to the rain.

INT. DAM CONTROL OFFICE

Empty. Light comes out from under the door to the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM

Hank is on the can reading a copy of "American Survivalist"

magazine. An odd reaction comes over his face. He feels

something weird. He looks down.

ON THE FLOOR:

Water is seeping in under the door.

HANK:

Holy sh*t!

INT. DAM CONTROL OFFICE

The bathroom door flies open and Hank waddles out, pants

around his feet. He shuffles fast to the control wheels and

starts spinning them.

EXT. RESERVOIR DAM

Two gates open fast, all the way, and water thunders out.

INT. DAM CONTROL OFFICE

Hank pulls up his pants as he gets on the radio.

HANK:

Sheriff! Sheriff!

EXT. PARK AREA

The Sheriff and Wayne are motoring in their boats, zooming

through the trees, engine noise obliterating anything coming

in over the radio.

INT. DAM CONTROL OFFICE

HANK:

(on the radio)

Sheriff, come in!

EXT. MAIN STREET - MOVING BOAT

Phil steers Karen's small boat down Main Street, past the

statue. The water is up to the rider's stirrups.

KAREN:

(pleading)

Did you see the stained glass windows,

Phil? Did you see what a good job

they did? I can't let anything happen

to the church, not after all I've

put into it.

PHIL:

Karen, you know I'd do anything for

you, but the Sheriff told me to get

you out of town. I'm sorry. It's for

your own good.

Karen stands up.

PHIL:

What're you doing?

KAREN:

If you're not going to take me back

to the church, then I'll swim.

Karen moves to get out of the boat.

PHIL:

No. Hey, hold on.

Phil lets go of the throttle and stands, moving toward Karen.

KAREN:

What am I saying?

Karen suddenly turns on Phil and pushes him out of the boat.

KAREN:

This is my boat. You swim.

Karen guns the engine and shoots off down a side street.

Phil stands in the waist-deep water and watches her go,

flabbergasted.

EXT. CHURCH

Karen comes around a corner and drives her boat up to the

church. The water is swirling quietly, still a good three

feet below the top of the wall.

EXT. ROAD OUT OF TOWN - WELCOME SIGN

Close on the lighted "Welcome to Huntingburg" sign. There's

a rushing sound and a two-foot-high wall of water hits the

sign. The lights explode in geysers of sparks and the water

rushes on.

EXT. PARK AREA

The Sheriff and Wayne are racing through a grove of half-

submerged trees. There's a rushing sound above the sound of

the engines. WHAM! and they're hit by the wall of water.

Wayne falls out of his boat and is lost in the swirling water.

EXT. ALLEYWAY

Jim and his men are motoring down an alleyway when...

THE WALL OF WATER

Rushes down the alley.

RAY:

The water hits him hard, knocking him off the jet-ski. He's

swept away by the water.

CLOSE ON A FENCE LACED WITH CONCERTINA WIRE

The surge water shoots through it. And suddenly there's...

RAY:

Slammed up against the fence, pinned to it, water rushing

over and around and by him. He yells as the wire cuts into

him.

EXT. CHURCH

Karen is pouring gasoline into the pumps.

She hears the rushing and looks up as the surge hits. Water

shoots over the top.

INT. SHERIFF'S STATION

Tom hears the sound and opens his eyes -- what the hell is

that?

EXT. SHERIFF'S STATION

The wall of water slams in hard, cascading over the sandbag

wall.

INT. SHERIFF'S STATION

TOM SITS UP, SWINGING HIS LEGS OVER THE SIDE OF THE COT. HE

REACTS, LOOKS DOWN. HIS POV

There's two feet of water in the station.

EXT. SHERIFF'S STATION

The building is like a rock in a stream, with the water

rushing up high against one wall, roiling and swirling around

the sides.

INT. SHERIFF'S STATION

Tom looks over, stunned, to see... THE DOOR

As a fine stream spits in through the keyhole.

THE WINDOWS:

Are heaving as the water rises up against them.

TOM:

Gets to his feet, woozy and goes to get out of the cell. He

remembers -- uh-oh: the cell door is locked.

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