Insomnia Page #13

CLOSE ON the cover of one of the paperbacks, Otherwise

Engaged by Walter Byrd.

PULL BACK to reveal Farrell lying in a hospital bed in

striped pajamas, reading it. A tear runs down his cheek as

he turns the page.

A SNICKERS BAR is tossed onto his lap. He looks up. Face

brightens.

FARRELL:

Detective Dormer!

Will stands by his bed. Farrell puts down the book. Picks

up the Snickers.

FARRELL (cont'd)

You don't seem like the bring-an-

underling-who's-in-the-hospital-a-

Snickers-bar kind of guy.

WILL:

I'm not.

He pulls up a chair. Nods to the paperback.

WILL (cont'd)

How's the book?

Farrell bites into the candy bar.

FARRELL:

Oh, a real tear-jerker. Brody, the good

guy, just got shot.

He stops chewing. Realises the association. Swallows

uncomfortably.

FARRELL (cont'd)

Oh. I'm sorry. About Hap. Detective

Eckhart.

WILL:

Thanks.

FARRELL:

I wish I'd had the chance to get to know

him better. Take him fishing or

something.

WILL:

He would have liked that.

FARRELL:

We just gotta catch the bastard, right?

WILL:

That's why I'm here. I need to know

exactly what you saw yesterday, Farrell.

FARRELL:

What I saw?

WILL:

Anything. It's important.

Farrell takes another bite of the Snickers. Like a little

boy. Furrows his brow, trying to remember.

FARRELL:

Pretty much nothing. That fog was so

thick. The bullet seemed to come out of

nowhere. I don't even remember seeing

any shapes. Then I saw you. But only

when you came up close. Then you

disappeared again.

(shrugs)

I guess I heard more than I saw.

Will sighs, rubs his eyes.

FARRELL (cont'd)

Sorry.

WILL:

No. No. Don't be sorry. It's not your

fault.

Just then a NURSE comes in with a Dixie cup. Pretty,

freckled face. Not much older than Kay Connell.

NURSE:

Time for your meds.

Farrell smiles at her, winks at Will.

FARRELL:

Lonnie and I went to high school

together.

Lonnie gives him the cup.

LONNIE:

Just take the pills, Farrell.

WILL:

How's the leg?

FARRELL:

Oh, you know. Don't feel that much.

Bullet went right through.

WILL:

Right. Got lost in the rocks.

FARRELL:

We'll get the other one, though.

Will looks up. Farrell pops the rest of the Snickers in his

mouth.

FARRELL (cont'd)

After the autopsy.

INT. HALLWAY - HOSPITAL - LATER

Will walks down the hallway. Light pouring in from a set of

high windows. He looks tired. Set-upon.

POV of SOMEONE

WATCHING HIM. From a doorway. Not close, not far. A HAND

comes into view. Small. Bruised knuckles. Holds on to the

door jamb. Watches as...

Will suddenly stops. Skin prickling at the back of his neck.

Turns and looks around.

A MAN in a wheelchair.

A LITTLE GIRL tugging at her hospital gown.

A couple of NURSES laughing at check-in.

An empty doorway.

Nothing.

EXT. ROCKY BEACH - OUTSIDE NIGHTMUTE - MORNING

Back at the beach. We see nothing but fog. A VOICE comes

through.

ELLIE (O.S.)

...and it was at this point that Detective

Dormer headed towards the noise...

Ellie emerges from the fog. Carrying the map and talking

into a small tape recorder. She's climbing over the rocks,

wearing a windbreaker a couple sizes too big.

A UNIFORMED OFFICER follows, carrying a camera. She turns to

him.

ELLIE (cont'd)

Remember, Kepp, shoot everything...

(back to the tape recorder)

...wherein he discovered the wounded

Detective Farrell Brooks, having been

shot in the vastus externus of the upper

left thigh...

She climbs over the same bank Will Dormer climbed two

evenings before. Finds...

ANOTHER UNIFORMED OFFICER, hanging out and smoking.

ELLIE (cont'd)

Francis!

He looks up. Pimples on his chin.

FRANCIS:

What?

ELLIE:

You're supposed to be Farrell. Shot in

the thigh and writhing in pain.

FRANCIS:

C'mon, Ellie. What's it matter?

ELLIE:

Accuracy. That's what.

(points to the ground)

Now get down.

Francis looks up at her. Flicks his cigarette away and gets

down amongst the rocks. Holds his thigh like he was shot.

FRANCIS:

Ow.

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