Queen of the Damned Page #10

LESTAT:

Is it? And what else do you thinkyou know?

(CONTINUED)

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JESSE:

(desperate,

stalling)

I... I think you're a lot likeMarius, Lestat.

LESTAT:

(staring into hereyes, probing)

Am I? Tell me all about it.

JESSE:

You're... you're both artists. He's

a painter. You're a singer...

As she speaks, Lestat guides Jesse over to a pile of

crates. She stares at some beer bottles shattered on

the top of one. He guides her hand downward, closer tothe shattered glass.

LESTAT:

Is that so? What I do is art, is

it?

JESSE:

Yes... From nothing... you try tocreate... something beautiful...

(shaking now as herhand gets closerand closer)

... out of the... the cold, dark

wasteland of eternity...

He stares at her, the words oddly familiar, then scrapesher finger along the bits of broken glass, gravel. She

gasps with pain...

Lestat gazes at the drops of blood that appear,

glistening on Jesse's finger...

LESTAT:

(softly)

Something beautiful...

JESSE:

(quickly)

But... but Marius isn't a rebel.

You're different in that way. You

don't want to hide, follow the

laws, concealed in the shadows

like some insect. You... youstill want to walk with the

living, don't you, Lestat?

(CONTINUED)

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He stares into her eyes, slowly brings her bleedingfinger toward his mouth.

LESTAT:

Well, I'm not hiding now, am I?

As her bleeding thumb gets closer and closer to hismouth...

JESSE:

No, but the only time you're notreally alone is when you kill...

But, Lestat, you can't help it...

it's not your fault... He madeyou this way...

LESTAT:

(with her blood onhis lips, shakeshis head)

Ah. Poor, poor me...

As he brings her finger closer and closer to his mouth.

Their eyes bore into each other, he stares at her rosycheeks, the cold sweat on her forehead, taking in herremarkable, if foolhardy daring. Her eyes gazingstraight into his...

He brings her bleeding finger into his mouth. She may

swoon.

Lestat's eyes burn as he tastes her for mortality, herfragility a brief second, listening to her blood.

there's something there that surprises him as he gazesat this mortal girl. He feels something. Desire...

Then her blood speaks to him as Lestat's eyes fall on herrucksack. He sees the journal. It all falls into place.

Lestat's lip curls in anger. He shoves Jesse away.

Wipes his mouth. The mood suddenly changes.

LESTAT:

Well, Talamascan, you're certainlya very clever librarian, aren'tyou?

She stares at him, found out. He turns from her,

laughing, but not the kind of laugh to make Jessethink all's well.

(CONTINUED)

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LESTAT:

(shaking his head)

How sad, you people always tryingto know the unknowable... So, was

it a good read? My diary.

Jesse slowly nods, admitting to all. He shakes his head.

LESTAT:

Talamasca's been following me for

years. I've never known one to be

so brave. Or is it just foolish?

JESSE:

I... I'm only an apprentice.

He waves her off, dismissive.

LESTAT:

Go. I'm through with you. Your

kind never satisfies my thirst.

He turns, walks away. Jesse lets out a sigh of relief,

then stares after him. She hesitates, then suddenlycalls out:

JESSE:

Does anything, Lestat?

A pause in his gait. But he keeps walking away. Jesse

hesitates again, but still calls out.

JESSE:

I mean, what's the point of cominginto the light if not to havesomeone really know you?

But he keeps going. She takes one last chance -

JESSE:

You want the world to see you'rereal, don't you, Lestat? Don't

you? Well, here I am!

Suddenly Lestat spins. Stares at the fragile mortal girlrisking everything. Flash. Jesse gasps.

He now stands right before her. He grabs her, pulls herto him close, tight, hard. He could just snap her neckand be done with it.

(CONTINUED)

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LESTAT:

You better just stick to yourbooks, Talamascan. 'Cause youhave it all wrong. I love all

this. I delight in it. The

dark, dreary world I went tosleep in has burnt itself out andbeen replaced by the 20th Century-- can you imagine my joy atwaking up to discover such aworld? It has outdistanced mywildest dreams of it. I scream of

good and evil, and mortals standand cheer. I adore being back inaction... every moment, everysingle drop of it! Now consider

yourself exceedingly lucky and go!

He pushes her away. She gasps, humbled by his physical

power.

She retrieves her rucksack. Starts away. As she

reaches the end of the alley, she pauses, takes a breath,

turns back, daring everything.

JESSE:

Lestat!

He turns back, stares at her, astonished.

JESSE:

There's something you left out ofyour diary.

LESTAT:

(amazed)

What?

JESSE:

(stares right intohis eyes)

You kept her violin, didn't you?

A beat, then Lestat shakes his head, laughs at theabsurdity of what she's saying. But Jesse is undaunted.

JESSE:

Hey, it's okay. I understand...

(softly)

After all, it's only human.

(CONTINUED)

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That stops him. Their eyes bore into each other again.

Electric. Then Lestat hisses at her, the inhuman sound

filling the alley. Lestat lunges, fangs bared. Jesse

screams. Turns. Runs. Finds herself -74

EXT. BUSY STREET - CONTINUOUS ACTION

In the midst of traffic on a busy street.

by.

JESSE:

Jesus Christ.

People walking

She stands there a moment, happy, amazed to be alive.

Then it sinks in. She realizes -- Lestat let her go.

She glances back at the alley, but Lestat is gone.

She brings her finger to her mouth, slowly sticks it in,

tastes her own blood, shivers with fear -- and somethingelse -- desire.

What she doesn't see is...

Lestat in the shadows, silently watching her. He gazesat her youth, her bright eyes, her daring, her mortalpassion. She has affected him.

He watches as she turns and runs away.

CUT TO:

75 INT. LESTAT'S HOUSE (LONDON) - NIGHT

The CAMERA TRACKS WITH two young GROUPIES as they walkthrough the lavish palace.

GROUPIE #2

I heard that Lestat keeps allthese girls in all his winecellars, and it's really nice,

and they give you food andcable and weed.

75

GROUPIE #1

Oh, please...

GROUPIE #2

That's what I heard. But you haveto let him suck you on your neckwhenever he wants. Doesn't sound

too bad.

(CONTINUED)

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GROUPIE #1

(grins)

We've done worse.

GROUPIE #2

(giggling)

Damn straight... Hey, do youremember that cute guy's name atthe Kid Rock concert? The one

behind the bathroom.

GROUPIE #1

Oh yeah. Let me think... his

first name was Blow. And his

second name was Me, I think.

They crack up.

76 INT. LESTAT'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 76

Lestat enters the bedroom. Behind him, Lestat's dressingroom stretches off into the distance, rows of beautiful

suits made from the finest wools and silks. The

gradation of colors is spectacular. Peering out at thenear-dawn light, a look of loneliness clouds his face.

He crosses to the closet. Opens a panel to reveal asafe. Stares at it a moment. Punches in the code. It

swings open to reveal something wrapped carefully inblack velvet. Lestat unwraps it delicately. It's the

ancient violin.

LESTAT:

(softly)

Clever, clever librarian.

He quickly puts the violin back, closes the safe door.

He shakes his head, tries to laugh it off. But a shadow

remains on his face. Lestat hears a gasp. Turns. Rogerhas just entered.

ROGER:

I didn't see you come in.

LESTAT:

No, Roger, you wouldn't have.

ROGER:

So this house is fine I assume.

To your liking?

Yes.

LESTAT:

For the moment.

(CONTINUED)

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