Nocturnal Animals Page #8

TONY:

I’m ready now.

36 EXT. MOTEL PARKING LOT, WEST TEXAS. DAY -- LATER. 36

A police car sits in front of the motel office. A tall slim

man in a western jacket and a cowboy hat is standing at the

back of the car smoking. This is BOBBY ANDES, late 40s,

weathered face, faded brown hair, with a mustache. He is

imposing.

ANDES:

Glad to meetcha. I’m Bobby Andes. I

look into things around here.

TONY:

You found my car?

ANDES:

They found it in a creek bed.

He takes a drag of his cigarette as he surveys Tony.

45.

ANDES (CONT’D)

Tell you what. If we take you back

to the house where we picked you up

from could you back track from

there?

TONY:

I could try.

ANDES:

Okay then, you try. Let’s go.

37 INT. POLICE CAR, WEST TEXAS HIGHWAY. DAY -- MINUTES LATER.37

The man in uniform drives fast. Clearly used to driving like

a cop. No one speaks. Bobby Andes is sitting in the passenger

seat and Tony in the back. The loudspeaker chatters with

radio police voices. Bobby turns the sound down.

ANDES:

It’s my understanding that these

fellas didn’t have any guns.

Tony looks down.

TONY:

No.

Andes stares at Tony for a moment.

ANDES:

Alright. Let’s get some things

straight. You say this fella named

Lou drove you into the brush and

left you there?

TONY:

He made me drive.

ANDES:

And when you started to walk out

you saw them coming in again.

TONY:

Yes.

ANDES:

Which car was it?

46.

TONY:

I think it was my car.

ANDES:

How do you know?

TONY:

The look of it. The sound of it. It

sounded like my car.

ANDES:

Could you see them in the dark?

TONY:

Not very well.

ANDES:

What did they say?

TONY:

They said, “Mister, your wife wants

you”.

ANDES:

Why didn’t you go to them?

Tony looks down at his lap.

TONY:

I don’t know why I didn’t go.

ANDES:

Do you think they were with them?

They drive by an old red billboard, glowing brightly in the

harsh sunlight.

TONY:

I don’t know. I didn’t think so

then. I thought if they were she

would have called out. I don’t know

why I didn’t go. Something held me

back.

ANDES:

Well, I think we had better find

that road, don’t you?

47.

They drive for quite a while and then stop in front of the

small adobe house just off the highway where Tony was picked

up. Bobby Andes lights a cigarette.

ANDES (CONT’D)

Okay. Can you take it from here?

TONY:

I came down the highway. I walked

for a long time. No one stopped for

me.

ANDES:

Sargent, back up slowly down the

shoulder. Put your signal lights

on.

They move against the traffic for only a few minutes.

TONY:

Stop the car! Stop the car! I came

out of that barbed wire fence.

Right there, next to the reflector.

I remember that.

The officer stops the car.

ANDES:

Let’s get out and walk. You said

you walked out here, right?

38 EXT. HIGHWAY, WEST TEXAS. DAY -- CONTINUOUS. 38

The men get out of the car and crawl under the barbed wire

fence. Tony surveys the desert landscape. Bobby puts out his

cigarette.

TONY:

I came up this way because I walked

along in that arroyo over there.

ANDES:

This is part of the old Valdes

place. There’s a cattle station

down that way a bit next to where

they burn their garbage. This road

leads to it.

48.

39

INT. MORROW RESIDENCE - SUSAN’S BEDROOM. MORNING --39

CONTINUOUS.

Susan is in her bed reading and is clearly engrossed. She is

nervously fondling the gold cross around her neck.

40

EXT. GARBAGE DUMP - OLD VALDES PLACE, WEST TEXAS. DAY -- 40

LATER.

Tony is standing stunned. His eyes are wet. In the distance

there is a three sided concrete pen filled with what is left

of burned garbage. In the middle of the garbage is a charred

and ripped red velvet sofa that someone has thrown out. Lying

on the sofa we see what seems to be a pair of naked lovers

intertwined. They do not move. Their white skin gleams in the

hot sun.

Tony begins to move slowly towards the lovers and lowers

himself to his knees in front of them.

The two of them look small. Like children. White and naked in

the bright daylight. Bobby lifts the girl’s head gently in

his hand. Tony sees her face from the side, her long red hair

tangled in the blood across her mouth.

Tony is in shock and can’t speak. Bobby lowers India’s head

carefully back onto the arm of the sofa and climbs over

slowly to the other side. He pushes the other body back

gently by the shoulders. Tony stares at the dark red hair.

He sees Laura’s mouth open like she is crying out, her cheeks

and eyes contorted with pain. Bobby Andes holds her head up

for him to see. Her small gold cross dangles from her neck

and catches the sun.

BOBBY:

Is this your wife?

TONY:

Is she all right?

The woman’s face is white. The eyes fixed. Bobby does not

answer.

49.

41

INT. MORROW RESIDENCE - SUSAN’S BEDROOM. MORNING --41

CONTINUOUS.

Susan gasps as she continues to fondle the gold cross around

her neck. She closes the book. Her breathing is rapid and she

slowly collects herself.

Susan picks up the phone on her night table and dials.

42

INT. BOARDING SCHOOL DORM ROOM, OJAI CALIFORNIA. MORNING 42

-- CONTINUOUS.

SAMANTHA MORROW, 16, pale white skin and long red hair is

lying naked on a bed. The white arm of a boy is draped across

her. They are still. Sam’s phone rings and she turns to

answer it.

SAM:

Mom? Is that you? Is everything all

right?

43

INT. MORROW RESIDENCE - SUSAN’S BEDROOM. MORNING --43

CONTINUOUS.

SUSAN:

I’m fine. I just wanted to hear

your voice. I miss you.

A rustling sound as Sam drops the phone and then picks it up

again. We hear movement in the background and a muffled

whisper.

SAM:

You woke me up. I’m still in bed.

It’s Sunday morning mom. Can I call

you later?

SUSAN:

Yeah. I’m sorry sweetheart. Go back

to sleep.

SAM:

You sound weird. Are you okay?

SUSAN:

I’m fine. It’s nothing. Go back to

bed sweetheart. (Pause) I love you.

50.

SAM:

Yeah. Me too. I’ll call you later.

Susan hangs up. She stares ahead but can only see the image

of Tony kneeling in front of the bodies on the sofa. She

closes her eyes.

44

FLASHBACK - EXT. 5TH AVENUE, NEW YORK. NOVEMBER 1996 --44

EVENING.

Susan at 22 is coming out of the door of Bergdorf’s and turns

to walk uptown. There is a young man lingering in the next

doorway watching her. He steps out just ahead of her and

walks in the same direction she is walking. He walks slower

than she does and they are now only a few feet apart. She

realizes that she knows him, or thinks she knows him. She

quickens her pace.

SUSAN:

Edward? Edward!

Edward turns around. He is handsome, beautiful in a boyish

way. It is striking how much Edward looks like Tony from

“Nocturnal Animals” although he has lighter hair, is younger

and clean shaven. It is beginning to snow and starting to get

dark.

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