Jacob's Ladder Page #7

JACOB:

Sh*t!

He stoops down blindly to pick them up. Shoes just miss his

fingers as he digs between dancing legs trying to recover

them. Miraculously, he grabs the spectacles just before they

are crushed and slips them back on. Instantly his world

comes back into focus.

As he stands, JACOB is surprised to find JEZZIE facing him,

gyrating in wild abandon. There is a huge, satisfied smile

on her face. She grabs his hand as if encouraging him to

dance but it is obvious that she is dancing to her own

rhythm. JACOB stares at her, confused. It takes him a moment

to realize that her smile is not for him.

Standing behind JEZZIE is another DANCER, his hands around

her waist. They are moving together, locked in erotic

embrace. It appears that he is mounting her from behind.

Looking down we see that the DANCER's feet are deformed.

They have a bizarre clubbed appearance and look very much

like hooves. They skid and careen amidst the dancing feet.

Something horrible and winglike flaps behind JEZZIE's back.

We cannot make out what it is, but it elicits a primal

terror. Before JACOB can react, JEZZIE opens her mouth. With

a roaring sound, a spiked horn erupts from her throat. It

juts menacingly from between her teeth and thrusts into the

air. A CIRCLE OF DANCERS scream out in excited approval.

CUT TO JACOB's face as it registers terror and disbelief. He

stares at the DANCERS who are crowding around him. They have

become perverse, corrupt aspects of their normal selves.

JACOB grabs his eyes as though trying to pull the vision

from his head but it won't go away. The music throbs. His

actions become spastic, almost delirious.

JACOB is out of control. His frenzy becomes a kind of

exorcism, a desperate attempt to free himself from his body

and his mind. WE MOVE IN ON HIM as his eyes pass beyond

pain. The dark walls of the APARTMENT fade away.

EXT. VIETNAM - NIGHT

Strange faces in infantry helmets appear in the darkness,

outlined by a bright moon that is emerging from behind a

cloud. The faces are looking down and voices are speaking.

VOICE:

He's burning up.

VOICE:

Total delirium.

VOICE:

That's some gash. His guts keep

spilling out.

VOICE:

Push 'em back.

JACOB (V.O.)

Help me!

His eyes focus on the moon. Rings of light emenate from it

filling the sky with their sparkling brilliance. The rings

draw us forward with a quickening intensity that grows into

exhilarating speed. The rush causes them to flash

stroboscopically and produces a dazzling, almost sensual,

surge of color. The display is spectacular and compelling.

Music can be heard in the distance, growing hard and

insistent, like a heart beat. Heavy breathing accompanies

the sound. The stroboscopic flashes are replaced by intense

flashes of red and blue light. The music grows louder and

reaches a thundering crescendo. Then silence.

INT. DELLA'S APT. - NIGHT

The APARTMENT reappears in all its normalcy. The neon sign

is still flashing outside the window. DANCERS are smiling

and sweating.

Cheers and applause ring out for JACOB and JEZZIE but JACOB

barely hears them. JEZZIE hugs him tightly. PEOPLE smack him

on the back.

ADMIRER:

You are out of your mind, man. Out of

your f***in' mind.

WOMAN:

Jake, you little devil. You never

told me you could dance like that.

MAN:

Jezzie, what did you put in his

drink?

JEZZIE smiles while pulling JACOB to a corner chair. He

plops down. His chest is heaving and he is grabbing hold of

his stomach. Hie face is frightened and distorted.

JEZZIE:

You okay?

JACOB:

I wanna leave. Get me out of here.

JEZZIE:

Oh, come on. It's early.

JACOB:

(pulling JEZZIE close to

him, his voice filled

with paranoia)

Where are we?

JEZZIE:

(surprised by the

question)

We're at Della's.

JACOB:

Where?

JEZZIE:

What do you mean? Where do you think?

JACOB:

Where's Della? Bring her here?

JEZZIE:

Why? What for?

JACOB:

Show me Della!

JEZZIE:

(confused)

Hey, I'm here.

JACOB eyes her with a pleading look. Annoyed, JEZZIE leaves

JACOB and crosses the room. He watches her as she goes.

JACOB is holding his stomach and rocking painfully. Moments

later JEZZIE returns with DELLA.

DELLA:

Hiya Jake. That was some dance.

JACOB:

(staring at her closely)

Della?

DELLA:

(feeling the

strangeness)

You want to see me? Well, here I am.

JACOB:

I see.

DELLA:

What do you want?

JACOB:

Just to see you. That's all.

DELLA:

(a bit uncomfortable)

Well, how do I look?

JACOB:

Like Della.

Suddenly JACOB breaks out in a dense sweat and begins

shaking. His entire body is convulsive.

JEZZIE:

Are you feeling all right? Sh*t,

you're burning up. Feel his forehead.

DELLA:

(checking his forehead

and cheeks)

Damn, that's hot. Maybe from dancing.

JEZZIE:

I think you should lie down.

JACOB is shaking uncontrollably. People are gathering

around.

JEZZIE:

(continuing)

Can't you stop it?

JACOB:

If I could stop it, I'd stop it.

WOMAN:

Is he sick?

DELLA:

He's on fire.

ELSA:

Let me help you.

She reaches out to JACOB. Unexpectedly he recoils, jumping

to his feet like a wild man. He begins to scream.

JACOB:

Stay away from me! Don't you come

near me! All of you. Go to hell! Go

to hell, goddamn you! Stay away!

JEZZIE stares at JACOB with a confused and embarrassed look.

A MAN whispers to her.

MAN:

I'll call a cab.

INT. JACOB'S APT. - NIGHT

JACOB is lying in bed in his own BEDROOM with a thermometer

in his mouth. JEZZIE is pacing the floor with great

agitation.

JEZZIE:

I've never been so mortified in my

whole life. Never! Screaming like

that. I don't understand what's

gotten into you, Jake, to make you do

a thing like that. You're not acting

normal. I've lived with too many

crazies in my life. I don't want it

anymore. I can't handle it. I'm tired

of men flipping out on me. Sh*t,

you'd think it was my fault. Well you

picked me, remember that. I don't

need this.

The NEIGHBOR pounds on the wall.

JEZZIE:

(continuing)

All right! All right!

JEZZIE jabs her finger at the wall.

JEZZIE:

(continuing)

If you go crazy on me you're goin'

crazy by yourself. You understand?

JEZZIE reaches for his mouth and pulls out the thermometer.

She looks at it closely and then squints to see it better.

JACOB:

What's it say? A hundred and two?

JEZZIE:

I don't believe this. I'm calling the

doctor.

She runs out of the room. JACOB calls after her.

JACOB:

What does it say?

JEZZIE (V.O.)

It's gone to the top.

JACOB:

How high is that?

JEZZIE (V.O.)

The numbers stop at 107.

JEZZIE is on the phone to the doctor in the next room.

JACOB begins shaking again and reaches for the extra blanket

at the foot of the bed. He pulls it up around his shoulders.

The whole bed vibrates with his shivering. Suddenly JEZZIE

rushes through the BEDROOM and into the BATHROOM. SHe turns

on the bath water.

JACOB:

What the hell are you doin'?

JEZZIE:

Get your clothes off.

JACOB:

What are you talking about? I'm

freezing.

JEZZIE:

Get your clothes off!

JACOB gives her a confused look as she rushes back to the

KITCHEN.

JACOB:

What'd the doctor say?

JEZZIE (V.O.)

That you'd die on the way to the

hospital. Now get into that tub.

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