Monkeybone Page #3

HERB:

...In some weird way I respect that.

JULIE's over by the punchbowl. She sees the two boys staring at her

conspiratorially - MAKES A FACE at them as she waves back.

HERB:

Okay then. If I get you out of here - you pop

the question - tonight. Or else. Get me?

STU nods gravely.

EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

STU, JULIE, and HERB in the parking lot. A small safari of FLUNKIES is

loading enormous boxes full of MONKEYBONE JUNK into STU's beat-up car -

stuffed dolls, action figures, board games, lunchboxes, beach towels,

team jackets and more! STU groans at the sight of it...

HERB:

They're just prototypes...take 'em home and look

at 'em before you say no...

(scanning the streets)

If you could just hold on a minute or two, we're

expecting a couple more trucks.

STU GLOWERS at HERB as he opens the car door for JULIE.

HERB:

Okay, okay! You're a beautiful couple. Go.

INT. CAR - NIGHT - MOVING

STU backs out of his space. The small parking lot is full of DELIVERY

TRUCKS from would-be merchandisers - all too large for the spaces

they're parked in. STU has to keep backing up because the exit lanes are

blocked. It's like negotiating a labyrinth.

STU:

Look at this! He won't let us leave!

JULIE:

Who?

STU:

The monkey!! He's everywhere! He'll take over

both our lives if we let him.

JULIE:

Stu - stop it. That monkey is good luck. You

thought him up, and everybody loves him, and

he's probably going to make you rich. So relax!

Enjoy it!

STU:

I'm trying. It's weird, that's all. I never had

any good luck, until I met you...what if it's

all just another bad dream?

JULIE:

What's the "bad" part?

STU:

I might wake up.

JULIE:

(laughing; taking his hand)

If you do, I'll be right there beside you. So

face it. You're just going to have to be happy!

STU:

I am happy. It just so happens this is the

happiest night of my life.

He says it so solemnly that she cracks up. After a moment he joins in.

EXT. PARKING LOT - THAT MOMENT - NIGHT

A PLASTIC BANNER stretches between two poles on either side of the entry

to the lot. It shows MONKEYBONE in a typical languorous pose:

It's His World. We Just Live in It!

MONKEYBONE:

Sunday Nights This Fall

TWO GUYS on EXTENSION LADDERS are taking the sign down as STU'S CAR

idles at the exit below. There's a strong wind tonight, and one guy

LOSES HOLD of his end of the banner just as he gets it detached...

INT. CAR - THAT MOMENT - NIGHT

As STU pulls into the intersection he sees a DELIVERY TRUCK approaching

in the opposite lane, with a cardboard likeness of MONKEYBONE mounted

atop the cab. He chuckles...

STU:

That damn monkey is everywh--

Suddenly his view of the street DISAPPEARS. The MONKEYBONE BANNER has

fallen DIRECTLY ACROSS HIS WINDSHIELD, like a huge SHROUD. All he can

see is a great, grinning MONKEY FACE!!

JULIE SCREAMS. STU SCREAMS. Unable to see, he slams on the brakes and

JERKS THE WHEEL RIGHT.

Off screen:
HORNS BLARING. TIRES SQUEALING. The horrible crunch of METAL

ON METAL.

But Stu's car comes to a halt untouched. After a moment he opens his

eyes...and JULIE opens hers...

STU:

Did we just - hit something?

JULIE:

I don't think so.

STU:

Are you okay??

She thinks it over, nods. STU takes a moment to catch his breath, then

opens the door gingerly. A HORN BLARES as a car speeds past in the

opposite lane, nearly taking STU's door off. He jumps back inside,

waits, opens the door again...

EXT. INTERSECTION - THAT MOMENT

His eyes widen in horror as he steps out to survey the scene. The

asphalt is strewn with MONKEYBONE MERCHANDISE - stuffed dolls, games,

lunchboxes. SKID MARKS show where the TRUCK which was carrying all this

SWERVED...

...and slammed into the rear of a BUICK REGAL, pinning it up against a

TELEPHONE POLE. STU races up to the Buick. Its front end is mashed up

like an accordion, but the occupants - a couple of TEENAGERS dressed for

the prom - seem to be okay.

STU:

Hey! Are you guys all right in there?

TEENAGE GIRL:

We're fine.

STU:

That stupid monkey banner! It fell on my

windshield - it practically killed us all!

(to JULIE)

God, Julie, if anything had happened to you -

JULIE:

I'm fine, baby. We're all okay. We were lucky.

STU:

I'd better go report this...

He spots a PHONE BOOTH and starts across the street. On the way there he

plucks a STUFFED MONKEYBONE DOLL off the pavement and CHOKES IT with

both hands.

JULIE stays behind with the prom kids. The TEENAGE BOY in his tux is

glassy-eyed, miserable beyond description.

JULIE:

Dad's car?

The BOY begins to SOB softly. JULIE nods in sympathy.

Then:
EVERYONE WINCES. The air is full of a horrible CREAKING noise,

like nails on a blackboard...

TEENAGE GIRL:

What was that? Did you hear that?

The horrible CREAKING NOISE continues. JULIE turns. Behind her, the

TELEPHONE POLE that the car slammed into is beginning to TEETER. Then it

TOPPLES. Directly toward...

JULIE:

STU!!

ON STU - IN PHONE BOOTH

He sees JULIE running toward him and holds up a single finger.

STU:

Operator? I want to report an accident.

Finally he glances up - just in time to see the TELEPHONE POLE coming

down toward the phone booth like a gigantic sledgehammer. His eyes

widen. The STUFFED MONKEYBONE slips from his grasp...

CLOSEUP - MONKEYBONE

A HORRIBLE CRASH. SCREAMS. CAMERA ZEROES IN on the MONKEYBONE DOLL which

STU was holding, surrounded by broken glass, its face twisted into an

insane, almost macabre grin.

The screen fades to PITCH BLACK for a few seconds...until we hear a

DISTANT SIREN, and an IMAGE comes swimming into focus...

STU'S POV:
ON JULIE

He's in the back of an ambulance, with PARAMEDICS all around him,

working feverishly. JULIE hovers above him, holding his hand.

JULIE:

Stu? I'm here, baby. It's me. It's Julie. I love

you. You're gonna be okay, baby, I promise -

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