Jacob's Ladder Page #2

JACOB reaches the exit, a huge metal revolving door

surrounded by floor to ceiling gates. He is about to push

when he notices a chain locking it shut. He stares at it in

disbelief.

JACOB:

Goddam it.

He turns in a huff and hikes to the other end of the

platform. As he approaches the far exit, his eyes widen. The

gate there is also locked. His hands reach for his hips as

he studies an impossible situation.

CUT TO JACOB stepping cautiously onto the ladder going down

to the tracks. A rat scampers by and he gasps.

JACOB:

No way!

He starts to climb back up the ladder but sees that there is

nowhere else to go. He juts out his jaw and steps back down.

JACOB is not comfortable on the tracks. He cannot see where

he is stepping. His shoes slpash in unseen liquid which

makes him grimace. The steel girders are coated in subway

grime. The oily substance coats his hands as he reaches for

support.

JACOB:

Goddam f***ing city!

He wipes the grime on his postal uniform as he steps toward

the center track. He reaches for another girder when it

begins to vibrate. Two pinpoints of light hurl toward him.

Then the noise arrives confirming his fear. A train is

bearing down on him. JACOB looks frightened, not sure which

way to go. He steps forward, up to his ankle in slime. He

cannot tell which track the train is on. It is moving at

phenomenal speed. The station is spinning. The train's

lights merge into one brilliant intensity.

In near panic JACOB jumps across the track as the train

spins by. Its velocity blows his hair straight up as though

it is standing on end. He clings to a pillar for support,

gasping in short breaths.

A few PEOPLE are staring at JACOB from the train. Their

faces, pressed up against the glass, seem deformed. A lone

figure waves at him from the rear window. The train bears

them all away. Then it is quiet again. For a moment JACOB is

afraid to move but slowly regains his composure. He

continues to the other side of the tracks and stumbles up

the ladder to the UPTOWN PLATFORM.

CUT TO:

JACOB smiling. The smile, however, is one of irony, not

amusement. This exit too is locked. A heavy chain is wrapped

through the bars. JACOB stares at it with an expression of

total bewilderment.

A sudden muffled scream alerts JACOB that he is not alone.

His head turns but sees no one. He hears the scream again.

He senses its direction and walks toward the MEN'S ROOM. A

crack of light appears under the door. He can hear someone

moaning inside. JACOB knocks softly and the moaning stops.

The lights click off.

JACOB:

Hey, is someone in there?

There is no answer. JACOB stands silently for a moment, not

sure what to do. He can hear whispering. He chews his lower

lip nervously and then reaches for the door. It pushes open.

The light from the station penetrates the darkness. He

gasps. He sees a MAN tied naked to the stall with ANOTHER

NAKED MAN grabbing quickly for his clothes. The BOUND MAN

screams.

BOUND MAN:

F*** off! Mind your own business!

A THIRD MAN spins out of the shadows, pointing a kinfe at

JACOB's throat.

MAN:

You cocksucker! Get outta here.

The MAN's face is barely human. Before JACOB can even react

the door slams shut. The lock engages. The crack of light

reappears. JACOB can hear laughter coming from inside,

followed by a scream. He backs away from the door. His face

is white.

JACOB turns with full fury and storms the gate. The chain

gives wayto his anger. It flies apart and the gate flings

open. He stands in amazement, observing the chain as it

slides from between the bars and drops to the concrete

below. The gate squeaks loudly as JACOB pushes it aside and

clangs with an almost painful burst as he slams it shut.

EXT. WILMINGTON TOWERS - DAWN

JACOB walks toward the towering shadows of a massive PUBLIC

HOUSING PROJECT. It is dark and the moonlight silhouettes

the huge monolithic structures. JACOB passes through a vast

COURTYARD dominated by the imposing shapes. Aside from his

moving body everything is still.

INT. HALLWAY - DAWN

JACOB steps off a graffiti-festooned ELEVATOR into a long

impersonal hallway. He uses three keys to unlock the door to

his APARTMENT.

INT. JACOB'S APT. - DAWN

JACOB enters the darkness without turning on the light. He

tries to navigate his way to the BATHROOM, illuminated by a

tiny nightlight in the distance. His effort is unsuccessful.

He bangs loudly into a table. A WOMAN"s voice calls out.

JEZZIE (V.O.)

Jake, is that you?

JACOB:

What the hell did you do, move all

the furniture?

JEZZIE (V.O.)

Why didn't you turn on the light?

JACOB:

I didn't want to wake you.

JEZZIE (V.O.)

(sleepy but pleasant)

Gee, thanks a lot.

JACOB:

Where is the lamp?

JEZZIE (V.O.)

Where are you?

JACOB:

If I knew I wouldn't have to ask.

What did you do? I was happy the way

it was.

JEZZIE (V.O.)

I moved the couch. That's all.

JACOB:

Where to?

JACOB crashes into it. A light suddenly goes on. JEZEBEL

"JEZZIE" PIPKIN, 33, is standing in the BEDROOM door tying a

man's terrycloth bathrobe around her waist. Although sleepy,

disheveled, and not looking her best, it is obvious that

JEZZIE is a beefy woman, juicy and sensual.

JEZZIE:

That help?

JACOB:

(nearly sprawled over

the couch)

Thanks.

He pushes himself up.

JEZZIE:

What do you think?

JACOB:

What do you mean?

JEZZIE:

The room!

JACOB:

Oh God, Jezzie, ask me tomorrow.

JEZZIE:

It is tomorrow. Four A.M. How come

you're so late?

JACOB:

Roberts didn't show up. What could I

say? Besides, it's double time.

JEZZIE:

(seeing the grease on

his uniform)

What happened to you?

JACOB:

(unbuttoning his shirt

as he walks to the

BATHROOM)

Don't ask.

JACOB steps into the BATHROOM and pulls at his clothes,

leaving them in a pile on the floor. He reaches for the

faucet and sends a stream of water pouding against the

porcelain tub. JEZZIE enjoys JACOB's nakedness. She reaches

out to his chest and squeezes one of his nipples. His body

tenses slightly. JEZZIE drops her robe. They enter the

shower together.

EXT. VIETNAM - NIGHT

A DENSE RAIN falls on a dark night filling puddles of water.

JACOB is crawling through the underbrush in the Vietnamese

JUNGLE. His shirt is bloodsoaked. He moves slowly, creeping

on his right forearm. His left arm is holding his intestines

from spilling onto the grass.

JACOB:

Help me. Someone.

Suddenly a flashlight beam can be seen in the distance. It

dances around the bamboo trees and draws closer to JACOB. It

is impossible to see who is carrying it. The light darts

near the ground where JACOB is lying and then bursts

directly into his eyes.

INT. JACOB'S APT. - DAY

SUNLIGHT pours through the BEDROOM window. JACOB is sleeping

fitfully as a bar of light saturates his face. His hand

rushes up to cover and protect his eyes but the damage is

done. He is awake.

JACOB lies in bed for a few moments, dazed. Slowly his hand

gropes along the shelf at the head of the bed, searching for

his glasses. He has trouble finding them. As his hand sweeps

blindly across the headboard it hits the telephone and sends

it crashing to the floor. He sits up with a disgusted look

on his face and searches the out-of-focus shelf behind him.

Suddenly JEZZIE enters.

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