Mimic Page #7

SIRI:

What is it?

SUSAN:

I have no idea. Are you ready?

Siri nods, pins in hand. Susan opens the lid and grabs the

nymph with the tongs. The creature goes berserk, flailing

its spindly limbs, BUZZING and CROAKING, a milky substance

FOAMING out of its body.

SIRI:

Oh my God...

Susan deposits the insect onto the corkboard.

Siri tries to get a hold of it; but it twists out of the

tongs and wraps its coarse legs around her hand!! A spider

trapping a sparrow.

SIRI:

Sh*t!! Get it! Get it!

SNAP! It bites her hand between index and forefinger.

Susan pins the insect into the corkboard. It spins furiously,

like a crazy LP record.

Susan gets a grip on it again with the tongs. Siri uses more

pins to secure it down.

SUSAN:

(Noticing Siri's hand)

It bit you.

SIRI:

No sh*t.

SUSAN:

leans to get a closer look at the NYMPH: Deep dark brown,

flat as a pancake, one rear leg broken, lower tail smashed.

It squirms helplessly now, looking pitiful under the harsh

overhead light.

SUSAN:

This wing configuration. I've

never...

SIRI:

(looking at her injury)

F***! It broke the skin...

SUSAN:

And they're not fully developed. This

thing's not even an adult.

The nymph continues to HISS and FOAM, struggling against the

steel pins. Susan looks closely at the insect's belly.

SUSAN:

My God.

SIRI:

What?

Susan gestures to look. Siri stares down at

THE NYMPH'S TORSO

where a SET OF VALVES on its underside click in and out.

SUSAN (OS)

It's breathing.

SIRI:

shakes her head.

SIRI:

That's impossible. Insects don't...

SUSAN:

I know.

(Picks up a SCALPEL)

Help me get a sample.

Susan touches her scalpel to the nymph's leg.

The nymph CLICKS nervously.

SUSAN:

Hold on, big guy, hold on...

She traps the nymph down and CUTS THE LEG OFF.

A painful, agonized BUZZ echoes around the room.

CUT TO:

MONITOR:

Susan attaches the insect's leg to a samll holder. It is

frozen in a swirl of dry ice.

The brittle leg is then mounted in a LASER MICROTOME. Bit by

bit, the machine executes MICROSCOPIC WAFER CUTS. Siri is

making slides out of each section.

A series of MICROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES flash onto the screen.

In the background we hear the high-pitched BUZZ-

We see the lights from the mounting room through a glass

brick wall.

INT. MOUNTING ROOM - NIGHT

We see the nymph slowly squirming in the FG, then RACK FOCUS

to the rain-spattered WINDOW.

Suddenly the OVERCOAT MAN is standing on the windowsill!

The window is lifted effortlesly from the outside.

SUSAN:

prepares a blue solution and places two drops on each smear

slide.

Reflected in the glass brick behind her we see the man moving

across the room.

THE OVERCOAT MAN

seen only through rippled glass and reflections, moves

through the lab.

His body STEAMS lightly from the rain. His movements are

quirky, spastic.

The man observes the imprisoned insects with curiosity.

He comes to the nymph, pinned and mutilated on the worktable.

The nymph CLICKS and CHITTERS excitedly, as if communicating

with the man.

He looks up at the worklight. It seems to bother him.

WHUMP!!! In a blur of motion, he SMASHES the light bulb.

SUSAN:

watches the smear slide. The blue droplets begin to CHANGE

COLOR once in contact with the leg section...

SUSAN:

Hold on a second...

...slowly turning a deep green.

SIRI:

What?

Then, THREE LARGE BEETLES fly into the room.

Siri looks at Susan. Susan gets up, hesitant, signals for

Siri to stay.

We FOLLOW Susan into the mounting room.

SUSAN'S POV

She walks in, barely able to see her hand in front of her

face.

The window facing the street is wide open, rain blowing in.

Something CRUNCHES under her feet. She bends down, looks.

She's stepped on the broken glass of the lightbulb.

The floor is alive with various INSECTS -- crawling, hopping,

flying away from their displays, which have been opened.

The nymph is gone from the board!

She looks under the work table the nymph was on.

We LOWER as we TRACK BACK with her. Something is folded up

in the corner of the ceiling behind her, camouflaged in the

shadows, clinging impossibly to the wall.

THE OVERCOAT MAN.

He lowers himself with silent grace.

Susan whirls.

WHOOSH! A GUST OF WIND! A FLUTTERING SHADOW OFF THE WINDOW!

Silence.

SIRI (O.S.)

Susan?

Susan GASPS, startled. We SHIFT to see Siri at the door.

SUSAN:

Call security.

CUT TO:

EXT. FLOPHOUSE - NIGHT

The last DOH van takes off under the heavy rain.

Across the street, Chuy looks down from his apartment window.

INT. MANNY'S APARTMENT - SAME

Chuy sits at the window, twisting wire into a human-like

figure. MOVING past him, we see a group of other WIRE

FIGURES on the table, backs of chairs, lamps, everywhere.

Manny sits at the kitchen table. He IGNITES a can of shoe

polish with a match, then lights a cigarette off the flame.

He puts the cigarette in his mouth and proceeds to polish a

pair of shoes. A SILLY SHOW plays over the TV.

MANNY:

Not too little, not too much. You rub it

in, around and around like this. Let the

leather take it.

Manny leans tiredly against the table. He looks fatigued

and in pain. He takes a small pill and places it under

his tongue.

MANNY:

You watching? You should learn to

work the shoes. You're good with your

hands...

Manny shoots a glance over to his grandson.

MANNY:

Chuy...you gonna get all wet.

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