Next Page #9

LIZ:

And I’m in charge of science fair.

CRIS:

They can pick up the slack.

His unbridled enthusiasm brings out her inner adult.

LIZ:

It disturbs me, Cris, that you

think it’s okay just to duck your

responsibilities.

He’s taken aback by her sudden shift.

CRIS:

I - I don’t think it’s okay. I’m

not that kind of person. But I

have this feeling, this very strong

feeling, that it has to be now. We

have to leave soon, or it’s not

gonna work out.

LIZ:

I don’t believe that. If it’s meant

to be between two people, somehow

it’ll happen.

CRIS:

Yes, but sometimes you have to make

it happen. You have to seize the

opportunity before it’s too late.

He tries to keep his desperation from showing, but she sees

right through him.

LIZ:

What are you afraid of, Cris? Why

are you running away from yourself?

(MORE)

56.

LIZ (cont'd)

Whatever it is you’re looking for,

I don’t think you’re going to find

it on some island, cut off from the

rest of the world.

He adores her more than ever, and fears losing her even more.

CRIS:

Your students are very lucky.

She puts her hand on his.

LIZ:

Now I’ve got to grade papers.

Ext. Church - day

Liz and Cris file by the PASTOR after the service and mill

about on the lawn with the other congregants. Kids release

pent up energy in the adjacent park.

Randy approaches Cris.

Randy

A religious fella, are you? Ready

to turn the other jaw?

Cris offers his profile for hitting.

CRIS:

But then you have to sign the

divorce papers.

LiZ

Randy, don’t you dare.

She drags Cris towards a YOUNG COUPLE WITH KIDS.

Liz

Paul, Janice. Have you met Cris?

RANDY:

approaches RICK, a young LOCAL POLICEMAN who’s not the

sharpest knife in the drawer.

Randy

There’s something weird about that

jerk. Have you checked him out?

Policeman RICK

I’m not dragging the Law into your

romantic squabbles, Randy.

57.

Randy

C’mon, Rick, help me out here.

Ext. church - day

Paul and Janice are chatting with Cris and Liz.

Paul

Cris, are you free on Tuesday?

Cause I’d like you to be my guest

at the Rotary luncheon.

Janice

I’m the first female member.

Cris grows distracted. Out the corner of his eye, he sees a

SPORTS CAR gunning it down the street, passing a SUNDAY

DRIVER to beat a red light. At that moment, a kid misses a

catch and a BASEBALL rolls into a street, where a twenty-ish

WOMAN JOGGER runs over to get it, just as the sports car

passes the Sunday driver, sees the jogger, and skids, forcing

A BUS to swerve and plow into a GROUP OF PEOPLE standing at

the corner.

SNAPBACK TO:

A FEW SECONDS EARLIER

Paul

Cris, are you free on Tuesday?

Cause I’d like you to be my guest

at the Rotary luncheon.

Janice

I’m the first female member.

Cris is spaced out.

LIZ:

Cris.

Ignoring them, Cris turns toward the street where he saw the

accident take place. He sees kids, but they’re jumping rope.

Wrong group. He scans around and finds the kids who are

playing softball. Someone misses a catch. The ball rolls

toward the street. The sports car is now coming fast. The

woman jogger sees the errant ball and runs to fetch it.

CrIS

Miss! Lady! Don’t!

58.

She’s wearing earbuds and can’t hear him. He’s too far away

to grab her. He’s closer to the approaching sports car. Cris

picks up a rock, prepares to throw, hesitates a beat,

squints....

He throws. Misses. Snapback. Throws. Misses. Snapback. Again.

Again. Scores a hit. Snapback. Opens his eyes and hurls the

stone.

Liz and the bystanders watch, appalled, as the rock SHATTERS

the driver side window of the sportscar, which instead of

skidding, screeches to a halt. The bus drives by without

incident, injuring no one.

The Driver of the sportscar bursts from his car and furiously

charges Cris.

CrIS

I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’ll pay for

the damages.

The Driver curses Cris and tries to grab and hit him. But

Cris deftly deflects the blows so that they seem harmless.

CRIS:

I said I’ll pay.

Realizing he can’t land a punch, the Driver changes tack.

DRIVER:

You’re damn right you’ll pay! I

wanna talk to the cops.

CRIS:

No need for that. I’ll give you

cash. Okay? Will you take cash?

He pulls out his wallet.

CriS

Two thousand? That should cover it.

DRIVER:

Make it three.

CRIS:

Okay, three.

He digs in his pocket and pulls out the stack of hundreds.

59.

ON RANDY and POLICEMAN RICK

Who have seen the whole incident.

POLICEMAN riCK

I’ll run him through the computer.

ext. Park - a minute later

Away from the crowd. Liz, concerned and alienated, walks a

step to the side of Cris.

criS

People shouldn’t drive that fast

around kids. They shouldn’t get

away with it.

LIZ:

So you throw rocks at them?

CRIS:

What do you want me to do? Wait for

people to die?

Liz is torn.

LIZ:

Cris...I think you should move on.

Today.

Cris looks at her, almost bereft, and makes a tough decision.

CRIS:

Look, there’s something I’ve been

wanting to tell you.

LIZ:

It doesn’t matter.

CRIS:

It does.

She’s afraid to hear it. He’s afraid to say it.

ext. another church - day

Cavanaugh is milling around after services when his cell

phone chirps. He answers, peeved.

60.

CaVANAUGH

Cavanaugh...No, you were right to

call...Ring Ferris and have her

meet me there.

He closes his cell phone. Turns to his WIFE.

CaVANAUGH

They’ve located him near Tahoe.

CaVANAUGH’s wife

If you let him get away again, you

may not have a job.

CAVANAUGH:

I know.

Cavanaugh takes his leave.

EXT. PARK - DAY

Liz reacts to Cris’ confession with disbelief.

LIZ:

What are you saying, you’re some

sort of prophet?

CRIS:

It’s not religious. I just happen

to see my life before it happens.

LIZ:

Cris, it’s sweet that you feel

responsible for people. But I think

you need help.

She looks down.

LiZ

And I’m...I’m not the one to help

you, right now. I’ve got too much

going on in my own life.

Cris can’t let her go. He takes a quarter from his pocket and

hands it to Liz.

CRIS:

Flip it.

LIZ:

Why?

61.

CRIS:

Just do it.

She takes the quarter and flips it. Cris calls it in the air.

CRIS:

Heads.

She looks. It’s heads.

CRIS:

Flip it again.

(calls it in the air)

Tails.

Tails it is, but so what. She flips again.

CRIS:

Tails.

(she looks;flips again)

Heads.

(she looks, flips again)

Tails.

She looks. Amazed. Disturbed.

CRIS:

Now you believe me?

She stares at him like he’s the devil.

LIZ:

Yeah. And I don’t want to have

anything to do with you.

She walks away.

CRIS:

Liz.

(follows)

Don’t you see? I can get us all the

money we need.

She turns abruptly.

LIZ:

Don’t follow me. Don’t talk to me.

Get out of my life!

She walks on, leaving Cris bereft.

SNAPBACK TO:

62.

WALKING IN THE PARK - fiVE MINUTES AGO

Cris

What do you want me to do? Wait for

people to die?

LIZ:

Cris...I think you should move on.

Today.

Cris squints, then chooses his words carefully.

CRIS:

Why? Because I care so much about

kids that sometimes I overreact?

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