Misery Page #4

ANNIE:

(in the doorway)

Oh, like I could do that?

CUT TO:

THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AT THE SILVER CREEK LODGE

Small, neat, one window -- outside, snow covers all.

BUSTER AND LIBBY, THE MANAGER, are going over books and records.

Libby is an old guy, walks with a cane.

LIBBY:

Nothing unusual about Mr. Sheldon's

leaving, Buster -- you can tell by

the champagne.

BUSTER:

Maybe you can, Libby.

LIBBY:

No, see, he always ordered a bottle

of Dom Perignon when he was ready to

go. Then he'd pay up and be out the

door.

BUSTER:

No long-distance phone calls, Federal

Express packages -- anything at all

out of the ordinary?

LIBBY:

(head shake)

I don't think Mr. Sheldon likes for

things to be out of the ordinary.

Considering who he is and all, famous

and all, he doesn't have airs. Drives

the same car out from New York each

time -- '65 Mustang -- said it helps

him think. He was always a good

guest, never made a noise, never

bothered a soul. Sure hope nothing

happened to him.

BUSTER:

So do I...

LIBBY:

I'll bet that old Mustang's pulling

into New York right now.

BUSTER:

I'm sure you're right.

But you can tell he's not sure at all as we

CUT TO:

A SPOON FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH BEEF BARLEY SOUP.

CUT TO:

PAUL'S ROOM.

He lies in bed. Sun comes in the lone window. ANNIE sits on the

bed, a large bowl of soup in her hands, feeding him.

ANNIE:

(almost shy about this)

I know I'm only forty pages into

your book, but...

She stops, fills the spoon up again.

PAUL:

But what?

ANNIE:

Nothing.

PAUL:

No, what is it?

ANNIE:

Oh, it's ridiculous, who am I to make

a criticism to someone like you?

PAUL:

I can take it, go ahead.

ANNIE:

Well, it's brilliantly written, but

then everything you write is brilliant.

PAUL:

Pretty rough so far.

ANNIE:

(a burst)

The swearing, Paul.

(beat)

There, I said it.

PAUL:

The profanity bothers you?

ANNIE:

It has no nobility.

PAUL:

Well, these are slum kids, I was a

slum kid, everybody talks like that.

CUT TO:

ANNIE. She holds the soup bowl in one hand, the muddy-colored beef

barley soup close to spilling.

ANNIE:

They do not. What do you think I say

when I go to the feed store in town?

"Now, Wally, give me a bag of that

effing pigfeed and ten pounds of that

bitchly cow-corn" --

PAUL is amused by this.

CUT TO:

THE SOUP, almost spilling as she gets more agitated.

ANNIE:

-- and in the bank do I tell Mrs.

Bollinger, "Here's one big bastard of

a check, give me some of your Christing

money."

CUT TO:

PAUL, almost laughing as some soup hits the coverlet.

ANNIE:

(seeing the spill,

suddenly upset)

There! Look there! See what you made

me do!

CUT TO:

PAUL -- his smile disappears.

CUT TO:

ANNIE, and she is just totally embarrassed.

ANNIE:

Oh, Paul, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Sometimes I get so worked up. Can you

ever forgive me? Here...

She hands him his pills and starts to clean the soup off the

coverlet. Then she makes the sweetest smile.

ANNIE:

I love you, Paul.

(more embarrassed than

ever)

Your mind. Your creativity --

that's all I meant.

Flustered, she turns away as we --

CUT TO:

A ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS. Piles of snow all around but it's been

ploughed enough so it's driveable.

CUT TO:

A CAR coming into view. Up ahead is the sign we've already seen:

"Curved Road, Next 13 Miles."

CUT TO:

INSIDE THE CAR.

BUSTER AND HIS WIFE VIRGINIA: Virginia is driving while Buster

intently studiesthe terrain. He reaches fora large thermos, pours

some coffee, offers it to her. She shakes her head. He begins to

sip it.

VIRGINIA:

This sure is fun.

She puts her hand on his leg.

BUSTER:

(removing it)

Virginia, when you're in this car,

you're not my wife, you're my

deputy.

VIRGINIA:

Well, this deputy would rather be

home under the covers with the

Sheriff.

CUT TO:

THE CAR. Suddenly, it goes into a little icy spin -- she fights it

back under control.

CUT TO:

INSIDE THE CAR.

BUSTER:

(suddenly)

Stop -- stop right here.

VIRGINIA:

What? What is it?

CUT TO:

THE CAR, skidding, slowing, stopping. BOTH OF THEM get out, go to

the edge of the road. Mountains of snow. Nothing much else

visible. Then Buster points.

BUSTER:

Look at that broken branch there...

CUT TO:

VIRGINIA, seeing it, unconvinced.

VIRGINIA:

Could be the weight of the snow.

BUSTER:

Could be -- or a rotten branch or a

mountain lion could have landed on it.

Could be a lot of things.

He steps off the road, starts down.

CUT TO:

VIRGINIA, watching him, worried -- it's very slippery.

CUT TO:

BUSTER, graceful, in great shape, navigating down easily.

CUT TO:

THE TREE that the car ran into. BUSTER reaches it, studies it.

CUT TO:

VIRGINIA, staring out after him -- she can't see him because the

drop is both too steep and covered with trees and mounds of snow.

VIRGINIA:

Anything down there?

BUSTER'S VOICE (o-s)

Yeah. An enormous amount of snow.

CUT TO:

BUSTER. He's moved away from the tree now, going toward where the

Mustang is buried.

CUT TO:

THE MOUND OF SNOW with the Mustang inside.

CUT TO:

BUSTER, making his way closer to it, closer, staring around.

CUT TO:

THE AREA. Nothing to be seen -- everything is covered with

mountains of snow. You could have a house down there and not be

able to see it. Just glaring white.

CUT TO:

BUSTER, angry, frustrated, turning around and around and

CUT TO:

BUSTER from another angle, from behind the mound with the Mustang

inside -- and out of his sight, glistening in the sun, a bit of

the door protrudes. But, of course, Buster can't see it.

HOLD ON BUSTER, in a sour mood, staring around as the edge of the

door continues to glisten.

CUT TO:

VIRGINIA, on the road as Buster makes his way back up, still

ticked.

VIRGINIA:

(they move to the car)

You really think Sheldon's out there?

BUSTER:

Hope not -- if he is, he's dead. Let's

go to the newspaper office.

As they get in the car --

ANOTHER CAR DRIVING BY -- it's Annie in her Jeep -- neither she

nor Buster notice each other.

CUT TO:

PAUL'S ROOM.

The door opens and ANNIE enters.

ANNIE:

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to

wake you.

PAUL:

It's fine.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Paul's eyes fluttering awake to see the hardback copy of his

novel, Misery's Child, in Annie's hands. She's never been more

excited --

ANNIE:

They had it at the store, Paul, there

was a whole batch of them there. As

soon as I saw it, I slammed my money

down. I got the first copy.

PAUL:

Then the roads are open...

ANNIE:

The one to town is, but that's about it.

I called the hospital and talked to the

head orthopedic surgeon. I told him who

you were and what had happened. He said

as long as there's no infection, you're

not in any danger, and as soon as the

road to the hospital is open, they'll

send an ambulance for you.

PAUL:

The phones are working?

ANNIE:

Well, mine's still out. But the ones in

town were working just fine. I called

that agent of yours.

(soft now)

Oh, Paul, I peeked at the very

beginning.

(looks at him)

What a wonderful first page -- just to

read the name Misery Chastain...

PAUL:

My daughter must be going nuts.

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