Ring Page #13

ASAKAWA:

But, we don�t even know if it�s doing

any good...

Ryuji strides forward and slaps Asakawa painfully across the cheek.

He begins shaking her roughly for good measure.

RYUJI:

And what about Yoichi, huh? Is his

mother not coming to pick him up

after all?

He releases his hold on her. The two stare at each other a long time,

saying nothing.

CUT to an overhead shot of Asakawa being lowered into the well. CUT

now to Asakawa inside the well, her face and clothes covered with

grime, body simultaneously limp with exhaustion and tense with fright.

Unable to resist the impulse, Asakawa slowly looks over her shoulder

and down into the well. The dankness, the claustrophobia seeps in

and she draws in her breath in the first signs of panic.

RYUJI:

Don�t look down!

She returns her gaze, cranes her neck upward. CUT to Ryuji leaning

over the rim of the well, peering down at her. For an instant,

everything becomes monochrome. It�s not Ryuji looking down at her at

all; it�s Professor Ikuma, checking to see if she�s still alive or

if the blow to the back of her head has finished her off. CUT to

Asakawa, her eyes wide with fright.

Asakawa comes to rest at the bottom of the well. A FLASHLIGHT hangs

from another rope, but its beam has almost no effect on the darkness.

Asakawa crouches forward, hands moving searchingly through the water.

She calls out pleadingly.

ASAKAWA:

Where are you? Please, come out.

Asakawa straightens, unties herself from the rope. A full bucket

already awaits. She tugs on the rope and Ryuji pulls it up.

She scoops up a second bucket, but something stops her from sending

it up. Instead, she begins running her arms through the water again,

her voice close to tears.

ASAKAWA:

Please. Where are you?

Asakawa continues her blind fumbling, which sends up little splashes

of stagnant water. With a start, she realizes that her fingers have

caught something. Seaweed? Asakawa draws her hands close for a

better look... and sees that is HAIR. A thick clump of long, black

hair.

Suddenly a pale, thin ARM shoots out from beneath the water, catching

Asakawa just below the wrist. Asakawa�s ears are filled with a SOUND

like moaning as something slowly rises from its watery slumber. It

is a GIRL, her face completely hidden by long, black hair. CUT to a

shot of Asakawa�s face. Far from being frightened, her features are

oddly placid. She regards the fearsome thing before her with an

almost tender look. Asakawa reaches out, lightly strokes that long

hair.

ASAKAWA:

It�s you...

She strokes the hair again, and abruptly it peels right off the head

with a loud SQUELCH. Revealed is not a face at all but a SKULL. Its

sockets are at first menacingly empty, but then begin to ooze the

green SLUDGE it has pulled up from the bottom of the well. Like a

mother comforting a frightened child, Asakawa pulls the skeletal

remains to her breast, strokes the bony head comfortingly. Her eyes

begin to glaze.

CUT to Ryuji racing up to the rim of the well, leaning down intently.

RYUJI:

Hey! Asakawa! It�s already 10

minutes past seven! We did it!

Down in the well, Asakawa continues staring blankly ahead. Her body

suddenly falls forward, limp.

EXT. OUTSIDE COTTAGE B4 � NIGHT

Three POLICE CARS are parked outside the rental cottages, crimson

headlights flashing. A few COPS walk by, two of them carrying

something off in white PLASTIC BAGS. CUT to Ryuji and Asakawa

sitting on the curb. Asakawa is staring off at something, a BLANKET

draped over her shoulder.

ASAKAWA:

Why would Ikuma have killed her?

His own daughter...

RYUJI:

Maybe she wasn�t his daughter at all.

ASAKAWA:

What?

RYUJI:

Maybe her father... wasn�t even human.

The two exchange glances. Ryuji�s gaze falls to Asakawa�s WRIST,

which he suddenly takes and holds close to his face. The ugly

bruise where Sadako had grabbed her has disappeared.

RYUJI:

It�s gone...

He shakes his head, clearing his analytical mind of their ordeal.

RYUJI:

Enough, already. It�s over. C�mon.

I�ll take you home.

Ryuji stands, pulls Asakawa to her feet.

EXT. OUTSIDE ASKAWA�S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Ryuji�s white CAR pulls up into the parking lot. He and Asakawa

get out, regard each other from opposite sides of the car. There is

a long moment where neither of them says anything.

RYUJI:

Get some rest.

He flashes her the slightest of grins.

RYUJI (cont�d)

I still have a thesis to finish.

CUT to a shot of Ryuji and Asakawa, the car creating an almost

metaphoric distance between them.

ASAKAWA:

...thank you.

Ryuji nods silently by way of reply. He gets into his car and

drives off. Asakawa watches him go, and then walks towards the

entrance of her apartment.

INT. ASAKAWA�S APARTMENT � BEDROOM � MORNING

Asakawa walks into her room, sits on the edge of her bed. It is

now morning, and she sits dazedly watching the sun come up.

INT. RYUJI�S APARTMENT � MORNING

Ryuji sits busily scribbling into a NOTEBOOK. He stops writing a

moment to regard his notes while taking a sip of COFFEE. He

glances over at his BLACKBOARD for confirmation when a small scowl

crosses his brow. It�s gone a moment later as he chuckles wryly

to himself.

RYUJI:

That girl...

Ryuji stands, walks over to the blackboard. He fixes Mai�s little

prank with a single chalk stroke.

EXT. ASAKAWA�S APARTMENT � VERANDA � MORNING

Asakawa emerges, taking in the dawn. At first her face is calm and

tranquil... but her features change as the sun almost noticeably

darkens and a WIND begins to kick up her hair. She now looks very

anxious.

Caption-- �September 21st. Tuesday.�

NOTE:
This next scene is entirely visual. If you are reading this

translation before watching the movie, do yourself a favor; STOP

reading this now and watch the scene for itself.

INT. RYUJI�S APARTMENT � MORNING

Ryuji is busy scribbling away at his notes again. His hand suddenly

ceases, eyes dancing worriedly as he hears a faint...

No.

Breath rattling fearfully in his throat, Ryuji spins around to face

the TELEVISION SET. He gets out of his seat for a better look,

falling to his knees on the tatami.

The image that fills the screen is the last scene from the videotape;

the shot of the well.

The SOUND from before comes louder now, more insistent, a metallic

screeching that both repulses and beckons him closer. Ryuji crawls on

all fours towards the SCREEN, stares at its unchanging image with

terrible foreboding.

There is a flash of MOTION as something shoots out of the well. A

hand. First one, and then another, as Sadako, still in her grimy white

dress, face hidden beneath long, oily strands of hair, begins slowly

pulling herself out. The television screen jumps unsteadily, fills

with static as if barely able to contain her image.

CUT back and forth between Ryuji, who is beginning to visibly panic,

and the television, which shows Sadako lurching ever closer.

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