Ring Page #14

RYUJI:

(almost frantic)

Why?!

The TELEPHONE rings, and Ryuji spins round towards it, breath catching

in his throat. He looks at the phone, over his shoulder at the

television, back to the phone.

RYUJI:

That�s it! Asakawa...

Ryuji scrambles wildly towards the phone. He takes the receiver but

is unable to do more than clutch it fearfully as his gaze is drawn

inexorably back to the television. Sadako�s shrouded face has filled

the entire screen... and then, television popping and crackling, she

jerks forward and emerges from the television onto the floor of

Ryuji�s apartment. Ryuji backs away, screaming in terror.

RYUJI:

Aaargh!

Sadako lies prone, collapsed, hair splayed out like a drowned corpse.

Only her FINGERS are active, crawling, feeling. The TIPS of her

fingers are little more than bloodied stumps, not a single fingernail

on them. She uses the strength in those fingers to pull herself

forward, coming jerkily to her feet. The joints of her body twist

unnaturally, more insect-like than human.

Ryuji flings the phone aside and begins scrambling about the apartment

as if looking for cover. The strength has already begun to fade from

his body, however, and his movements are clumsy, exaggerated. He falls

to the floor, panting heavily.

Sadako turns to regard him, and for just an instant we can see beneath

her impenetrable shroud of hair; a single EYE burns with manic,

unbridled hatred.

Its gaze meets Ryuji�s, and his face twists into a grimace as he

SCREAMS loudly.

FLASH:

EXT. KOUJI�S HOUSE - FRONT YARD � DAY

Yoichi sits on the lawn, doodling into a large SKETCHPAD. He

suddenly stops, eyes registering that he has somehow felt his father�s

death.

INT. ASAKAWA�S APARTMENT � DAY

Asakawa clutches the RECEIVER to her ear. She can still hear the

sounds of metallic SCREECHING coming from the video, though they are

now becoming softer.

EXT. OUTSIDE RYUJI�S APARTMENT BUILDING � DAY

Asakawa comes running down a side street, turning the corner and

making for the entrance to Ryuji�s apartment building. There is a

single GUARD posted at the entrance. He reaches out, catches Asakawa

lightly by the arm.

GUARD:

Are you a resident here, ma�am?

ASAKAWA:

I�m Takayama Ryuji�s wife!

The guard drops his hand, and Asakawa makes for the entrance.

GUARD:

I�m sorry ma�am, but they�ve already

taken the body away.

Asakawa�s spins around, eyes wide. Body?

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE RYUJI�S APARTMENT � DAY

Mai is there, slumped against one wall. Asakawa comes running up,

dropping to her knees and grasping Mai by the shoulders.

ASAKAWA:

What happened?

Mai shakes her head dreamily.

MAI:

When I got here he was just

lying there...

ASAKAWA:

Did he say anything to you? About

a videotape?

Mai shakes her head again, shakes it harder until the breath

catches in her throat.

MAI:

His face...

Mai falls into silence, curls up on herself. Asakawa leaves her

and crosses toward the door to Ryuji�s apartment.

INT. RYUJI�S APARTMENT - DAY

The front DOOR opens wildly, noisily forward. Asakawa comes

rushing in, eyes darting about the apartment. She thinks

frantically to herself.

ASAKAWA (VO)

Ryuji... why? Does this mean that

Yoichi will die, too? Is the curse

not broken yet?

Her gaze falls to the television set. She dives forward, presses

the eject button on the VCR. Sure enough, the TAPE is still in

the deck. She takes the tape and leaves.

INT. ASAKAWA�S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM � NIGHT

Asakawa walks slowly, dreamily forward. She drops the videotape

loudly onto the coffee table and slouches into a CHAIR. Her eyes

fall to the framed photographs of Yoichi on one of the shelves.

This snaps Asakawa out of her daze and she begins whispering

intently to herself, thinking.

ASAKAWA:

I was the only one to break

Sadako�s curse. Ryuji... why...?

Something I did that you didn�t...

Something I did that you didn�t...

Asakawa gives up, lowers her face into her hands. When she looks

up again, she happens to glance at the television screen-- and

its GLARE reveals that there is someone ELSE in the room with her.

It is the figure from the videotape, the silent accuser with the

cloth draped over its face. With a start, Asakawa realizes that

the figure is wearing Ryuji�s clothes.

ASAKAWA:

Ryuji?!

She spins around, but the room is empty. Asakawa�s mind races.

The figure had been pointing towards her BAG. She stands,

rummages in her bag to produce her copy of the cursed videotape.

She takes Ryuji�s COPY in her other hand, her eyes darting

between the two tapes.

ASAKAWA:

Something I did that you didn�t...

It suddenly clicks home as Asakawa looks full-on at Ryuji�s

version of the tape, plainly marked COPY.

ASAKAWA:

What broke the curse was that I copied

the tape and showed it to someone else!

CUT to Asakawa slowly pulling her VCR from the television stand.

A look of almost frightening resolve etches her face.

EXT. HIGHWAY � DAY

ARIAL SHOT of Asakawa�s car. We hear her VOICE on the cell

phone.

ASAKAWA (O.S.)

Dad? It�s me. I�m on my way over.

Look, dad, I�ve got something to ask.

It�s for Yoichi...

INT. ASAKAWA�S CAR � DAY

CLOSEUP on the VCR in the passenger side. CUT to Asakawa at the

wheel as time spirals forward, the decisions of the present

already become rumor of the future.

GIRL A (VO)

They say there�s a way you can stay

alive after you watch the video.

You�ve gotta make a copy of it, and

show it to somebody else inside a week.

GIRL B (VO)

But what about the person you show it

to?

GIRL A (VO)

Well, then they make a copy and show it

to somebody else. Again, inside a week.

GIRL C (VO)

(laughing)

Then there�s no end to it.

GIRL A (VO)

That�s just it. There -is- no end. But

if it meant not dying... you�d do it,

wouldn�t you?

Asakawa�s eyes begin to well. Her car speeds along the highway,

to the direction of menacing-looking STORM CLOUDS.

Caption-- �September 22nd. Wednesday.�

FADE TO BLACK as the CAPTION turns blood red.

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