Misery Page #13

CUT TO:

THE SHELF OF PAUL SHELDON BOOKS. As before --

-- except the "My Life" scrapbook is gone.

CUT TO:

PAUL, glancing around --

-- and there it is, on a coffee table in the living room. Also on

the table are a roll of Scotch tape, a pair of scissors, and a

copy of Newsweek. Paul wheels toward thetable and the book, which

is as big as a folio Shakespeare play and as thick as a family

Bible.

CUT TO:

THE LIVING ROOM.

PAUL, opening the book.

CUT TO:

THE FIRST PAGE OF THE BOOK, as Paul opens it. It's a newspaper

clipping as is almost all of what follows. A small article: simply

a birth announcement for Anne Marie Wilkes.

PAUL turns the page. This headline reads: "Investment Banker Carl

Wilkes Dies in Freak Fall."

"USC Nursing Student Dies in Freak Fall." That's the headline on

the next page.

Now:
"Miss Wilkes is Nursing School Honors Graduate."

Paul turns the page.

Manchester, New Hampshire, Union Leader: "Ernest Gonyar, 79, Dies

After Long Illness."

Now that phrase seems to be what catches our eye -- "after long

illness" is from the next article. "Long illness" from the one

after that. Then, on the next page, a variation: "Short Illness."

Now we're in Pennsylvania: "New Hospital Staff Announced."

And here come those phrases again on page after page -- "After

Long Illness." "After Long Illness."

"After Long Illness."

CUT TO:

PAUL, transfixed; he keeps on turning the pages -- the states keep

changing, moving west. Pennsylvania to Minnesota, Minnesota to

North Dakota. And always the clippings reporting deaths and deaths

and --

-- and now we're in Colorado. "NEW HEAD MATERNITY NURSE NAMED."

And now the dead are young and helpless; babies. More and more of

them.

PAUL:

(stunned)

Holy sh*t.

Then a headline which reads:

"HEAD MATERNITY NURSE QUESTIONED ON INFANT DEATHS"

Next page:
"MISS WILKES RELEASED."

Next page:
"THREE MORE INFANTS DIE"

Next page, at last: "DRAGON LADY ARRESTED."

Then a photo:
the front page of the Rocky Mountain Gazette. Annie

on the courthouse steps. "DRAGON LADY CLAIMS INNOCENCE," under

which there is a statement by Annie Wilkes.

Paul turns quickly to the next page and a very large headline:

"DRAGON LADY FOUND NOT GUILTY"

PAUL just sits there, shaking his head in bewilderment.

CUT TO:

THE BOOK, as Paul turns the LAST page.

CUT TO:

PAUL, stunned and now we find out why, as we

CUT TO:

THE PAGE IN THE BOOK. It's an article from Newsweek magazine, a

picture of Paul's car being hauled up out of the snow. Above it

this caption:
"Presumed Dead -- Paul Sheldon."

CUT TO:

PAUL. Slamming the book shut, putting it back on the coffee table,

then quickly turning his wheelchair as we

CUT TO:

PAUL, steering his wheelchair toward the front door. He tries to

position himself for a surprise attack of ANNIE, but he can't find

a way to get close enough. The wheelchair is too cumbersome. He

looks around and decides to head back to his room. He is faced

with the same problem there -- so he struggles into bed and, lying

on his back, he rests the knife on his chest and stares up at the

ceiling.

DISSOLVE TO:

PAUL'S WINDOW, hours later. The rain has stopped.

CUT TO:

PAUL -- trying to stay awake. After a few beats, he hears

something. It's the sound of a CAR PULLING UP.

HEADLIGHTS can be seen flashing through the window. PAUL grips the

knife and hides it under the covers. The sound of a CAR DOOR

OPENING AND CLOSING, then FOOTSTEPS.

As the FRONT DOOR OPENS, PAUL girds himself for attack. THE FRONT

DOOR CLOSES, then a couple of FOOTSTEPS. Then silence. Then the

FOOTSTEPS continue down the hall and up the stairs.

After a beat, we hear the TELEVISION. Someone is explaining how

you can buy millions of dollars of prime real estate with no money

down.

PAUL, allowing himself to relax, slips the knife under the

mattress. As the TV DRONES ON, Paul lies staring up at the

ceiling.

DISSOLVE TO:

OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE. NIGHT.

We hear a clap of THUNDER and once again the rain pours down.

CUT TO:

CLOSE UP:
PAUL -- eyes closed. There is another loud THUNDERCLAP

which causes Paul to stir and open his eyes.

He turns his head and another CLAP OF THUNDER is heard, LIGHTNING

flashes and reveals ANNIE standing over his bed.

Before he can react, she jabs a needle into his arm, pulls it out

and starts out of the room.

PAUL tries to raise himself, but the power of the drug causes him

to collapse, unconscious.

CUT TO:

THE ROOM. EARLY MORNING.

It's stopped raining, PAUL lies asleep. Now, surprisingly, we hear

a VOICE we've never heard in the movie before -- loud -- for an

instant we don't recognize the voice, then we do: It's LIBERACE

talking to his audience on a record going, "Thank you, thank you,

what a wonderful thing it is for me to be back with you in

Paris..." PAUL stirs and awakens to discover that he is strapped

to his bed. He can move his arms, but that's it.

CUT TO:

ANNIE, standing in the room, and she looks very together; her eyes

are bright. Too bright. Way too bright.

She comes to the foot of his bed.

CUT TO:

PAUL, groggy from being drugged, tries to clear the cobwebs.

ANNIE:

(in a soft voice)

Paul, I know you've been out.

PAUL:

What?

ANNIE:

You've been out of your room.

PAUL:

No, I haven't.

ANNIE:

Paul, my little ceramic penguin in

the study always faces due south.

PAUL:

I don't know what you're talking

about.

PAUL looks up at her -- he is totally honest and sincere. As he

talks, his hand surreptitiously begins moving toward the mattress

edge.

CUT TO:

ANNIE, as she brings the fat-handled knife out of her skirt

pocket.

ANNIE:

Is this what you're looking for? I

know you've been out twice, Paul.

At first, I couldn't figure out how

you did it, but last night I found

your key.

(She holds up the

bobby pin)

I know I left my scrapbook out, and

I can imagine what you might be

thinking of me. But you see, Paul,

it's all okay.

CUT TO:

ANNIE, as she walks slowly back to the foot of the bed.

And now a THUMP comes from the foot of the bed. Something is out

of sight.

CUT TO:

PAUL, staring at her; waiting.

ANNIE:

Last night it came so clear. I

realize you just need more time.

Eventually, you'll come to accept

the idea of being here. Paul, do you

know about the early days at the

Kimberly Diamond Mine? Do you know

what they did to the native workers

who stole diamonds? Don't worry,

they didn't kill them. That would be

like junking a Mercedes just because

it had a broken spring -- no, if they

caught them they had to make sure

they could go on working, but they

also had to make sure they could

never run away. The operation was

called hobbling.

And with that, she reaches down out of sight and comes up holding

a 16-inch piece of 4 x 4 wood.

PAUL:

Annie, whatever you're thinking

about, don't do it.

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