Ring Page #3

ASAKAWA:

Sorry I�m late. Oh, you�ve already

changed.

YOICHI:

Yup.

He points over to his mother�s right.

YOICHI (cont�d)

I got your clothes out for you.

Asakawa turns to see a DARK SUIT hanging from one of the living

room shelves. She reaches out, takes it.

ASAKAWA:

Aargh, we�ve gotta hurry!

She runs into the next room to change.

INT. BEDROOM � DAY

Asakawa has changed into all-black FUNERAL ATTIRE. Her hair is

up, and she is fastening the clasp to a pearl NECKLACE. Yoichi is

still in the living room.

ASAKAWA:

Did grandpa call?

YOICHI (O.S.)

Nope.

Yoichi walks into the room and faces his mother.

YOICHI:

Why did Tomo-chan die? *

>* �-chan� is a suffix in Japanese that denotes closeness or affection.

>It is most often used for young girls, though it can also be used for

>boys.

ASAKAWA:

Well... it looks like she was really,

really sick.

She takes a seat on the bed.

ASAKAWA:

Will you do me up?

Yoichi fastens the rear button of his mother�s dress and zips her up.

YOICHI:

You can die even if you�re young?

ASAKAWA:

If it�s something serious... well, yes.

Asakawa turns to face her son, puts an arm around him.

ASAKAWA:

As hard as it is for us, what your

auntie and uncle are going through

right now is even harder, so let�s

not talk about this over there, OK?

Yoichi nods.

ASAKAWA:

(remembering)

You and her used to play a lot

together, didn�t you?

Yoichi says nothing.

EXT. OUISHI HOUSEHOLD - NIGHT

RED PAPER LANTERNS mark this place as the site of a wake. Several

GIRLS in high school uniforms are standing together and talking in

groups. Asakawa and Yoichi, walking hand in hand, enter the house.

INT. OUISHI HOUSEHOLD - NIGHT

There are many PEOPLE milling about, speaking softly. A MAN seated

at a counter is taking monetary donations from guests and entering

their information into a LEDGER. Asakawa and Yoichi continue walking,

down a hallway.

INT. OUISHI HOUSEHOLD - NIGHT

Mother and son halt before the open DOOR to the main wake room, where

guests may show their respects to the departed. The room is laid in

traditional Japanese-style tatami, a kind of woven straw mat that

serves as a carpet. Two GUESTS, their shoes off, are kneeling upon

zabuton cushions.

Kneeling opposite the guests is KOUICHI, Asakawa�s father. The two

guests are bowing deeply, and Kouichi bows in response.

ASAKAWA:

Dad.

Kouichi turns to see her.

KOUICHI:

Ah!

ASAKAWA:

How is sis holding up?

KOUICHI:

She�s resting inside right now.

She�s shaken up pretty badly, you

know. It�s best she just take

things easy for a while.

Asakawa nods.

ASAKAWA:

I�ll go check on auntie and them,

then.

KOUICHI:

OK. Ah, Yoichi. Why don�t you sit

here for a little while?

He grabs the young boy and seats him on a cushion next to the two guests.

As the guests resume their conversation with Asakawa�s father, Yoichi�s

eyes wander to the ALTAR at the front of the room set up to honor the

deceased. It is made of wood, and surrounded by candles, flowers, and

small paper lanterns. At the center is a PICTURE of the deceased, a

teenage girl. A small wooden PLAQUE reads her name: Tomoko Ouishi. It

is the same Tomoko from the first scene.

Yoichi continues to stare at Tomoko�s picture. He makes a peculiar

gesture as he does so, rubbing his index finger in small circles just

between his eyes.

INT. HALLWAY � NIGHT

Asakawa walks down the hallway, looking for her aunt. She walks until

finding the open doorway to the kitchen. There are a few people in

there, preparing busily. Asakawa sees her AUNT, who rushes into the

hallway to meet her, holds her fast by the arm. The aunt speaks in a

fierce, quick whisper.

AUNT:

Have you heard anything more about

Tomo-chan�s death?

ASAKAWA:

No, I...

AUNT:

But the police have already finished

their autopsy!

ASAKAWA:

Well, they said there was no sign of

foul play.

AUNT:

(shaking her head)

That was no normal death. They haven�t

once opened the casket to let us see

the body. Don�t you think that�s

strange?

Asakawa looks away, thinking.

INT. HALLWAY � NIGHT

Yoichi has wandered off by himself. He stops at the foot of the

steps, looking up-- and catches a glimpse of a pair of BARE FEET

running up to the second floor.

A guarded expression on his face, Yoichi walks slowly up the

stairs.

INT. OUISHI HOUSEHOLD - TOMOKO�S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Yoichi has wandered into Tomoko�s bedroom. The lights are all off,

and there is an eerie feel to it. Yoichi�s eyes wander about the

room, finally coming to rest on the TELEVISION SET. Suddenly, he

hears his mother�s voice from behind him.

ASAKWAWA (O.S.)

Yoichi?

Yoichi turns to face her as she approaches, puts an arm around him.

ASAKAWA:

What are you doing up here? You

shouldn�t just walk into other

people�s rooms.

Without replying, Yoichi�s gaze slowly returns to the television

set. Asakawa holds him by the shoulders, turning him to meet

her.

ASAKAWA:

You go on downstairs, OK?

YOICHI:

OK.

He turns to leave, and Asakawa follows.

INT. OUSHI HOUSEHOLD - TOP OF THE STAIRS � NIGHT

Just as Yoichi and Asakawa are about to descend the steps,

Asakawa�s CELL PHONE rings. She opens the clasp to her PURSE.

ASAKAWA:

(to Yoichi)

You go on ahead.

YOICHI:

�K.

He walks down the steps. Asakawa brings out her cell phone,

answers it.

ASAKAWA:

Hello?

OKAZAKI:

Uh... this is Okazaki. I�ve got

some more info on that article for

you. The girl was a student of

the uh, Seikei School for Women in

Yokahama City.

Asakawa blinks at this, looks disturbed.

ASAKAWA:

(softly)

Thanks.

She hangs up the phone.

EXT. OUISHI HOUSEHOLD - NIGHT

Asakawa stands now at the entrance of the house. Dazedly, she

walks toward a large, hand-painted PLACARD. The placard reads

that the wake is being held for a student of the Seikei School

for Women.

Asakawa stares at that placard, making the mental connections.

She turns abruptly, walks towards a nearby TRIO of HIGH SCHOOL

GIRLS.

ASAKAWA:

Excuse me. This is, um, kind of a

strange question, but by any chance

were you friends of that young girl

that died in the car as well?

The three girls turn their faces to the ground.

ASAKAWA:

Please. If you know anything...

GIRL RIGHT:

They all died the same day. Youko.

Tomoko. Even Iwata, he was in a

motorcycle accident.

GIRL LEFT:

Because they watched the video.

ASAKAWA:

Video?

GIRL LEFT:

That�s what Youko said. They all

watched some weird video, and

after that their phone rang.

ASAKAWA:

Tomoko-chan watched it, too?

Where?

Girl Left shakes her head.

GIRL LEFT:

She just said they all stayed

somewhere.

GIRL RIGHT:

There was a girl with Tomoko when

she died. She�s had to be

hospitalized for shock.

GIRL MIDDLE:

They say she won�t go anywhere

near a television.

INT. NEWS STATION - VIEWING BOOTH � DAY

Asakawa and YOSHINO, another news reporter, are watching scenes

from the Yokohama car death. In the footage there are lots of

POLICEMEN milling about, one of them trying to pick the door to

the passenger side. Yoshino is giving Asakawa the blow-by-blow.

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