Ring Page #9

ASAKAWA:

Mr. Hayatsu?

HAYATSU:

Aah, welcome! You must be tired

after your long trip. Please,

this way.

Mr. Hayatsu leads Asakawa and Ryuji to an awaiting minivan.

Caption-- �September 18th. Saturday.�

INT. HAYATSU�S MINIVAN - DAY

Ryuji and Asakawa sit in the back. Mr. Hayatsu is behind the wheel,

chattering away.

HAYATSU:

Back in the old days, the Yamamuras

used to head fishing boats out in

Sashikiji, though they don�t much

anymore. You know, one of Shizuko�s

cousins is still alive. He�s just an

old man now. His son and his

daughter-in-law run an old-fashioned

inn. I went ahead and booked

reservations for y�all, hope that�s

alright...

Asakawa gives the briefest of nods in reply, after which the

minivan lapses into silence. Asakawa looks dreamily out at the

mountain-studded landscape, then suddenly snaps to.

ASAKAWA:

(to Ryuji)

Why did Yamamura Shizuko commit

suicide?

RYUJI:

She was taking a real beating

in the press, being called a

fraud and all sorts of names.

After a while she just lost it.

CUT to a scene of the minivan speeding along a country road.

INT. HAYATSU�S MINIVAN � DAY

RYUJI:

Shizuko was getting a lot of

attention around the island after

predicting the eruption of Mt.

Mihara. Seems that for some time

she�d had a rather unique ability:

precognition. It was around then

that she attracted the attention

of a certain scholar whom you may

have heard of; Ikuma Heihachiro.

ASAKAWA:

He was driven out of the university,

wasn�t he?

Ryuji nods.

RYUJI:

This Professor Ikuma convinces

Shizuko to go to Tokyo with him,

where he uses her in a series of

demonstrations meant to prove the

existence of ESP. At first she�s

the darling of the press, but the

next thing you know they�re

knocking her down, calling her a

fraud. Hmph. Forty years later,

the media still hasn�t changed that

much.

Asakawa continues, ignoring Ryuji�s barb.

ASAKAWA:

I�ve heard this story. But... I�m

sure I remember hearing that somebody

died at one of those demonstrations.

A strange look crosses Ryuji�s face. He looks away, ignores her

for a moment.

RYUJI:

After getting kicked out of

university, Ikuma just vanished,

and no one�s been able to get hold

of him since. He�s probably not

even alive anymore.

ASAKAWA:

But, why even try looking for him?

RYUJI:

Because he�s supposed to have had a

child with Shizuko. A daughter.

Asakawa freezes. In her mind, she sees a small FIGURE dressed in

white, its face hidden by long, black HAIR. It is the figure from

the video.

EXT. OUTSIDE YAMAMURA VILLA - DAY

Mr. Hayatsu leads Asakawa and Ryuji to the entrance.

HAYATSU:

Hello?

The INKEEPER, a middle-aged lady named KAZUE wearing a traditional

KIMONO, comes shuffling up. She addresses Mr. Hayatsu.

KAZUE:

Thank you.

She turns to Asakawa and Ryuji.

KAZUE (cont�d)

Welcome.

HAYATSU:

Well, I�ll be off then.

He gives a little bow and is off. Kazue, meanwhile, has produced

two pairs of SLIPPERS, which she offers to Ryuji and Asakawa.

KAZUE:

Please.

Ryuji and Asakawa begin removing their shoes.

INT. YAMAMURA VILLA � STAIRCASE - DAY

Kazue leads Ryuji and Asakawa up a shadowed, wooden STAIRCASE.

KAZUE:

And for your rooms, how shall we...?

RYUJI:

Separate, please.

KAZUE:

�Sir.

INT. YAMAMURA VILLA - 2ND FLOOR � DAY

Kazue gives a little bow.

KAZUE:

This way.

Kazue turns to the right. Almost immediately after reaching the

top of the steps, however, a strange look crosses Ryuji�s face.

He heads down the opposite end of the corridor, Asakawa close

behind.

KAZUE:

(alarmed)

Sir!

Ryuji flings open the SLIDING DOOR to one of the older rooms. There,

hanging from one of the walls, is the oval-shaped MIRROR from the

video, the one used by the mysterious lady to brush her long hair.

Ryuji stares at the mirror, almost wincing. He turns around as if

to look at Asakawa,but continues turning, looks past her. Asakawa

follows his gaze, as does Kazue. Standing at the end of the corridor

is an old man, MR. YAMAMURA.

Yamamura regards them silently, balefully. Breaking the silence,

Kazue gestures for Asakawa and Ryuji to follow.

KAZUE:

(softly)

Please, this way.

Asakawa races past the innkeeper towards the old man. He keeps his

back turned towards her.

ASAKAWA:

Please! If you could just answer

a few questions, about Shizuko...

YAMAMURA:

I got nuthin� to say.

ASAKAWA:

It�s about Shizuko�s daughter.

The old man says nothing.

ASAKAWA:

She did have a daughter, didn�t she?

Yamamura regards her for a moment, then turns to walk away.

YAMAMURA:

You�re wasting your time.

INT. YAMAMURA VILLA - DINING ROOM � NIGHT

The TABLE is laid out with an elaborate-looking DINNER. Asakawa

sits alone, knees curled up to her chin, eyes wide and frightened.

She is whimpering softly to herself. Just then, the DOOR slides

open and Ryuji walks in. He sits at the table and picks up a

pair of CHOPSTICKS.

RYUJI:

Aren�t you gonna eat?

ASAKAWA:

Umm...

RYUJI:

Hm?

ASAKAWA:

You�ll stay with me won�t you?

When it�s time for me to die.

RYUJI:

Oh, stop it.

Asakawa scoots across the tatami mats towards the table, grabs

Ryuji fiercely by the arm.

ASAKAWA:

You�ll stay, won�t you? If you

stayed, maybe you�d learn something

that could help Yoichi--

RYUJI:

I said stop it! Have you forgotten

There was a girl with Tomoko when

she died? That girl�s now in a

mental institution. Who knows what

could happen.

ASAKAWA:

But you could stay with me, Ryuji.

You�d be OK.

RYUJI:

(angrily)

Why, because I�m already not

right in the head?

Asakawa releases her hold on Ryuji�s arm, lowers her head. Ryuji

slams his chopsticks down angrily.

RYUJI:

If that�s the case, why not just

let things run its course, get rid

of father -and- son? Yoichi was a

mistake, anyway.

ASAKAWA:

Stop it!

Short silence. When Ryuji speaks up again, his voice is soft,

reassuring.

RYUJI:

We still have two days left...

Just then the VOICE of the innkeeper calls tentatively out from

the other side of the sliding door.

KAZUE (O.S.)

Excuse me?

RYUJI:

Come in.

Kazue slides the door open. She stands hesitantly in the doorway,

something tucked under one arm.

KAZUE:

It�s about Miss Shizuko.

Ryuji shoots a glance at Asakawa and stands up from the table,

walks towards the innkeeper.

KAZUE:

This is all that there is...

Kazue produces an old black and white PHOTOGRAPH. The photo shows a

WOMAN, seated, dressed in a KIMONO. A MAN in a Western-style SUIT

stands beside her.

RYUJI:

Is this Professor Ikuma?

Hearing this Asakawa leaps up, walks over to examine the picture for

herself.

KAZUE:

...yes. This picture is from before

I�d entered the household.

She pauses a moment.

KAZUE (cont�d)

I should go now.

The innkeeper scuttles off, leaving Asakawa and Ryuji alone with the

photograph. Unbidden, the VOICE from the video enters their

thoughts.

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