Prisoners Page #11

feeling sorry for him.

Nancy and Franklin are stupefied.

KELLER (CONT’D)

We can’t hurt him any more without

killing him. This is the only

way.

FRANKLIN:

Are you out of your f***ing mind?

INSIDE THE PITCH BLACK CELL

Jones stops sobbing and quiets, listening to the muffled

timbre of their voices...

BACK TO:

98 CONTINUED:
98

(CONTINUED)

Keller, as he picks up a hammer and hands it to Franklin.

KELLER:

You have a better idea? Go ahead,

let him out if you want to.

I won’t stop you. If that’s

really what you want, go ahead.

Franklin considers with harried eyes...

KELLER (CONT’D)

You think someone is looking out

for our girls the way you’re

looking out for him? Five days

they’ve been gone now. We’re

running out of time.

FRANKLIN:

We don’t even know if he’s the

guy, Keller.

KELLER:

I do.

FRANKLIN:

I want my daughter back as much as

you do. I’d die for her -- but

this needs to end.

KELLER:

Then you better get to work.

I’d start with that wall there.

Franklin looks to Nancy, but her eyes are lost. He takes

a breath, then goes to the cell, starting to pry at one

of the walls with the hammer.

After a few moments Nancy puts her hand on his shoulder --

NANCY:

Don’t. Franklin, stop.

He shakes his head and keeps on prying at the wood,

BREAKING OFF A SMALL PANEL --

SUDDENLY JONES REACHES OUT AND GRABS HIM. Franklin drops

the hammer. NANCY SCREAMS as he yanks his arm from

Jones’ grasp.

Franklin levels a long accusing stare at Keller.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Let’s just go. Please.

99 CONTINUED:
99

(CONTINUED)

Franklin finally heeds his wife and they leave Keller

alone with his creation...

100 EXT. FRONT/BACK YARD - THE BIRCHES' HOUSE - NIGHT 100

An unseen person’s POV, the INTRUDER, creeping across the

Birches' moonlit backyard, moving towards...

THE BACK DOOR:

The Intruder’s hand jimmying the lock with a screw

driver...

101 INT. BATHROOM - THE BIRCH’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 101

Eliza is taking a bath, talking on her cell phone to

Ralph.

ELIZA:

(into phone)

I need to get out of here, Ralph.

Everything in this house makes me

want to throw up.

(listening)

Your Dad’s building? I’m not

staying in that crackhouse.

Gross.

102 INT. HALLWAY - THE BIRCH’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 102

Back to the Intruder’s POV, moving down the hallway: he

stops at the closed bathroom door, listening to Eliza’s

voice...

103 INT. MINIVAN - THE BIRCHES' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 103

Franklin pulls into the driveway, Nancy sitting in the

passenger seat. Both sit in silence for a moment, then:

FRANKLIN:

Keller’s gonna kill him. The guy

doesn’t know anything, Nancy.

He’s just some poor fool who

parked on our street...

(beat)

I’m gonna go back there -- without

Keller -- let him out...

NANCY:

You’re not going back to that

place.

99 CONTINUED:
(2) 99

(CONTINUED)

Franklin looks at her, not sure what she’s getting at.

NANCY (CONT’D)

If you do, I’ll call the police

and tell them everything.

(beat)

We’re not gonna help Keller -- but

we’re not gonna stop him either.

Let him do what he thinks he needs

to...

(beat)

We don’t know about it anymore.

And with that Nancy gets out and shuts the door --

leaving Franklin in shocked silence.

A:

103 CONTINUED:
103

104 INT. HALLWAY - THE BIRCHES' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 104

Nancy walks down the hallway, stopping at the closed

bathroom door. She knocks.

NANCY:

Eliza?

She knocks again.

NANCY (CONT’D)

Eliza? You in there?

She tries the door. It’s locked. Franklin comes up

behind her.

FRANKLIN:

What’s the matter?

Nancy turns to him, terrified.

NANCY:

She’s not answering.

Franklin’s eyes go wide. Nancy rattles the doorknob --

BANGS ON THE DOOR --

NANCY (CONT’D)

Eliza, honey open the door.

Open the door, sweetheart -- Oh

Jesus --

(screaming at

Franklin)

Break it down! Hurry up!

Franklin stands back, about to kick the door in when

Eliza opens the door in a towel, hand over her cell

phone.

ELIZA:

F*** you both. Next time you’re

going to leave me here alone --

maybe you could try at least

telling me where you’re going.

NANCY:

I’m sorry, honey, we thought you

were sleeping -- we were at the

police station --

Eliza slams the door in their face.

105 EXT. FAIRMOUNT CIRCLE - CONTINUOUS 105

Back to the Intruder’s POV: as he moves across the street

to the Dovers' house. Keller’s truck isn’t in the

driveway.

He moves around to the back of the house...

106 INT. HALLWAY - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 106

The intruder’s POV: as he moves past the closed door to

Ralph’s room. The muffled sound of him talking on the

phone.

107 INT. MASTER BEDROOM - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 107

Grace lies in bed, sleeping, suddenly awakened as she

hears a noise in the next room. She sits up.

GRACE:

Anna? Anna?

She gets out of bed...

108 INT. HALLWAY - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 108

Grace moves slowly down the hallway. She sees the door

to Anna’s room is open...

109 INT. ANNA’S ROOM - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 109

Grace walks inside the room and turns on the light.

Anna’s window is conspicuously open, curtains billowing.

GRACE:

Anna? I heard you. It’s Mommy,

honey. Come out and see Mommy.

She stands there in the middle of the room, zoning out,

her breath starting to show in the cold. Ralph appears

in the doorway, half asleep.

RALPH:

Ma, what are you doing?

It’s freezing.

Ralph goes to the window. He looks outside. Nothing

there. He shuts the window --

110 INT. ANNA’S ROOM - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - LATER 110

Loki follows a thoroughly drugged Grace into Anna’s room.

GRACE:

She was in here. I heard her.

And when I came in, the window was

--

She starts to get dizzy. Loki steadies her and sits her

down on the side of the bed.

GRACE (CONT’D)

She opened her window. Ralph

closed it, but it was open before.

(beat)

Aren’t you going to write that

down?

Loki nods, and trying to do so with as little

condescension as possible, pulls out his note pad and

jots down:

IN THE HOUSE? OPEN WINDOW

GRACE (O.S.) (CONT’D)

The basement. I need to check the

basement.

111 INT. BASEMENT - THE DOVERS' HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 111

Grace leads Loki down the stairs. Loki looks around, a

little taken aback by the floor to ceiling provisions.

While Grace searches for Anna, Loki notices a little

sketch on Keller’s work table: a stick figure in a box...

Then he sees something else, among the provisions...a

half used bag of lye. He lingers on it for a moment.

LOKI:

Where is your husband, Mrs. Dover?

GRACE:

I was going to ask you. He said

he’s been helping the police look

for Anna.

Loki looks dubious, thinking...

LOKI:

You think he’ll be back soon?

GRACE:

No. He’s never home until late.

(CONTINUED)

Loki looks at his watch: 3:45 am.

112 INT. BLACK SEDAN - PARKED - DAY 112

Frozen rain comes down -- Loki squints out his windshield

-- can’t see anything. He hits the wipers. Now he can

see again:
he's parked up the street from the Dovers'

house.

113 EXT. THE DOVERS' HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 113

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