Room Page #6

MA (CONT'D)

-it used to have a lid, it was the

heaviest thing in Room. When he

came in I tried to smash it down on

his head. But I messed up, Jack.

He shoved the door shut and grabbed

me by the wrist - that’s why it’s

sore now.

JACK:

We could wait till he's asleep and

kill him dead.

MA:

Yes we could, but then we'd have no

more food - and we wouldn’t know

the code, on the door, to get out.

JACK:

The Grandma and the Grandpa could

come.

MA:

They don't know where we are, Jack.

Room's not on any map.

His eyes slide to the blank screen.

(CONTINUED)

29 CONTINUED:
(3) 29

JACK:

Can I have more TV?

MA:

Jack, I want you to listen to me.

Jack!

He looks at her.

MA (CONT’D)

You’re old enough now and we can’t

wait any longer ... Jack you are

going to help me trick Old Nick

like Jack in the stories is always

tricking the giant.

30 INT. ROOM - DAY 30

A little later, Water boils in a pot on the stove. Jack lies

on the bed.

MA:

I'm going to make your face so

scorching hot that Old Nick will

take you to the hospital in his

truck, and the minute you get there

you'll tell the doctors, 'Help!

Police!

JACK:

You can tell it.

(CONTINUED)

30 CONTINUED:
30

MA:

I'll write you a note to give them.

JACK:

You can give them.

MA:

I won't be in the hospital, I'll be

here.

Jack jumps up, rigid with panic.

JACK:

No. No.

MA:

It'll be OK.

JACK:

With you!

MA:

He won't take us both. You'll go

first, just to the hospital so you

can tell the police, and then...

Her conviction falters at this point, but she fakes it.

MA (CONT’D)

Then you'll come rescue me.

He shakes his head.

(CONTINUED)

30 CONTINUED:
(2) 30

MA (CONT’D)

We'll be free. Go on hikes, see

birds. Ride in cars and trains and

planes. I'll teach you to swim.

We'll have friends. And a dog -

we’ll call him Lucky. A party with

a cake with candles, our friends

singing.

Jack thinks.

JACK:

Maybe next year when I'm six.

Ma's face falls. Then hardens.

MA:

Tonight.

Jack starts shaking his head frantically.

MA (CONT'D)

It has to be tonight.

Jack flees to the wardrobe, to shut himself in.

MA (CONT’D)

Listen to me.

(CONTINUED)

30 CONTINUED:
(3) 30

She stops him before he can slam the louver doors.

MA (CONT'D)

I'm going to tell him the powercut

made you so cold, you got a fever.

We might not get another chance.

It’s a miracle he didn’t come last

night.

JACK:

Tomorrow.

MA:

I'm your Ma. Sometimes I have to

pick for both of us.

Slowly, she pulls, till his small hands release the doors.

31 INT. ROOM - NIGHT 31

Later. Jack is back on the bed, his face red. Ma holds a

cloth wrung out with hot water over his forehead.

JACK:

Ow!

MA:

You need to feel hot when he

touches you.

Jack starts crying at the prospect. Ma strokes him as she

presses the bag to his forehead.

MA (CONT’D)

Crying's good, it makes you look

sicker.

Then she moves the bag to each cheek in turn.

MA (CONT'D)

And stay floppy, remember? You're

too weak to move or say a word.

(CONTINUED)

31 CONTINUED:
31

She shoves her fingers down her throat to make her retch.

JACK:

What are you doing?

Ma manges to vomit a little.

She rubs it on the pillow beside Jack, which horrifies him.

MA:

Makes you smell sick.

Ma checks her watch, and presses the cloth to his face.

MA (CONT’D)

Remember when you get to the

hospital you give them the note.

Show me how you hold it out.

Jack fumbles in his pocket for the edge of the note.

Something falls out with it.

MA (CONT’D)

What’s that.

She picks it up. Her bad tooth. She gives it back to him.

MA (CONT’D)

See, that's a bit of me you have

with you all the time.

JACK:

I'm scared.

Ma strokes his face.

MA:

I know.

(CONTINUED)

31 CONTINUED:
(2) 31

The door beeps, startling them both.

Ma shoves the wet rag and the pot of hot water under the bed.

Jack hides his red face in the pillow, goes limp.

The door opens and Old Nick steps in with a grocery bag.

MA (CONT’D)

There you are!

He scowls at her, and shoulders the door shut.

OLD NICK:

You know the drill: not a peep out

of you till the door's shut.

MA:

Sorry, just - Jack's really bad.

Old Nick puts the groceries down, grimacing at the smell.

MA (CONT'D)

It was so cold.

OLD NICK:

You brought that on yourself.

MA:

I couldn't keep him warm, and now

he's burning.

OLD NICK:

Give him one of those painkillers.

MA:

I've tried, he pukes them back up.

Old Nick comes up close to Jack.

MA (CONT’D)

Don't -

He elbows her out of the way lays his hand across Jack’s

forehead.

Jack lets out a whimper of fear that passes for pain.

OLD NICK:

I'll get him something stronger.

(CONTINUED)

31 CONTINUED:
(3) 31

MA:

He's only five! Dehydrated,

temperature this high, he could go

into convulsions any minute.

OLD NICK (OVERLAPPING)

Shut up and let me think.

MA:

He needs antibiotics.

OLD NICK:

I'll bring something tomorrow

night.

MA:

Tomorrow night? You have to take

him to the ER right now.

OLD NICK:

Enough with the hysterics.

MA:

I'm begging you. Please!

Old Nick taps the code into the keypad, hiding his hand. Ma

clings to him.

MA (CONT’D)

If you're even halfway human -

As the door opens he thrusts her away and she stumbles.

When the door booms shut, Jack lifts his head. Their trick

didn't work... and he's relieved. Ma is crumpled against the

wall where she fell.

32 INT. ROOM - NIGHT 32

Jack sleeps sweetly and peacefully in Ma's arms in bed.

She stares into the dark.

33 INT. ROOM - DAY 33

Next morning, Jack is eating his cereal cheerfully. Ma,

hollow-eyed, hasn't touched hers.

(CONTINUED)

33 CONTINUED:
33

MA:

So Edmond pulls his friend's body

out of the bag and hides it, and he

climbs into the bag, and lies super

still until the guards come.

Jack nods, enjoying the familiar story.

MA (CONT’D)

And that's what you're going to do.

He stops eating.

MA (CONT’D)

See? It's even tricksier than

pretending to be sick: this time

you're going to be dead.

Jack looks over at the folded paper grocery bags.

JACK:

(with relief)

Our bags are too small for being

dead in.

Ma shoves the table and chairs away to one side.

JACK (CONT’D)

Is it time for Track?

Ma starts hauling up the rug, testing how it bends.

MA:

Rug's going to be the bag, see?

JACK:

I don't want to be dead.

MA:

Pretending to be dead, that's all.

Wrapped up so Old Nick can't see

that you're alive. But not floppy

this time. All stiff like a robot.

And not a sound. And I'll be in

your head, talking to you all the

time.

(she taps Jack's head)

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

33 CONTINUED:
(2) 33

MA (CONT'D)

He's going to carry you outside,

all rolled up in Rug, and he'll put

you in the back of his pick-up and

drive somewhere to bury you -

JACK (OVERLAPPING)

No!

MA:

It's OK. You'll wriggle free and

jump out of the truck. You'll -

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