Six Feet Under Page #7

She pulls him around the corner. Ruth stares up at Brenda.

RUTH:

So how did you and my son meet?

BRENDA:

(without missing a beat)

In cooking class.

AROUND THE CORNER, Claire backs Nate up against a wall.

CLAIRE:

(whispers urgently)

I have to tell somebody. I'm tweeking.

NATE:

Yeah, we're all upset--

CLAIRE:

No, I'm high on crystal. I smoked some

with some friends before David called

me.

NATE:

(aghast)

You did what!?

CLAIRE:

Don't worry, it's the first time. But

I'm having kind of a meltdown, and I

can't tell if it's the crystal or Dad

being dead, but... I'm really scared.

Nate stares at her, then grabs her by the shoulders.

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19.

NATE:

You cannot do this to me right now.

CLAIRE:

Don't be such a narc, we smoked pot

together at Thanksgiving--

NATE:

Look! I have to go identify our dead

father's body! I'm sorry you're having a

bad drug experience! But deal with it!

Nate walks away, leaving her shaken. She starts tapping her

front teeth with her fingernails.

36 INT. MORGUE - MOMENTS LATER (NIGHT ONE) 36

Fluorescent lights, a bank of refrigerated BODY LOCKERS, etc.

An ATTENDANT in a white lab coat enters, followed by a nervous-

looking Nate. The Attendant opens a locker and pulls out a

TRAY on which lies a dead body in a BODY BAG. The Attendant

unzips the bag to show Nate the corpse's face (which remains

unseen to us). Nate tries to be strong, but there's a sharp

intake of breath.

HIS POV:
NATHANIEL FISHER lies in the bag, his neck broken,

multiple lacerations on his face.

NATHANIEL (O.S.)

Well, well. The prodigal returns.

TILT UP to reveal the Attendant has been replaced by another

(living) Nathaniel, dressed in the Attendant's clothes. He

smiles, amused.

ON NATE, stunned.

BACK ON NATHANIEL, seeming to really enjoy this.

NATHANIEL (CONT'D)

This is what you've been running away

from your whole life, buddy boy. Scared

the crap out of you when you were growing

up, didn't it? And you tried to escape,

but guess what? Nobody escapes.

CLOSE ON NATE, terrified.

The Attendant stands over the dead Nathaniel.

ATTENDANT:

Well?

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20.

NATE:

(a whisper)

Yeah. That's him.

37 INT. MORGUE CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER (NIGHT ONE) 37

Ruth is still slumped in her chair. Claire paces manically.

Brenda leans against the wall, wondering what the hell she's

doing here. A shaken Nate rounds the corner.

NATE:

Okay, let's get out of here.

RUTH:

How'd he look?

NATE:

Dead.

RUTH:

Will there need to be a lot of

reconstruction? David's not that skilled

at the really hard stuff. Federico usually

does that, he's quite gifted--

(alarmed)

You don't think we'll have to have 4

closed casket, do you? Oh dear. I would

hate to send that message...

NATE:

What message?

RUTH:

That we're not equipped to handle a major

restoration, or that we're not proud of

our work...

CLAIRE:

(nervously)

Mom! Can we talk about this later? We

should get Nate home, he's gotta be

exhausted. Let's go.

She grabs Ruth's hand and pulls her away down the corridor.

Nate turns to Brenda. He suddenly is exhausted.

NATE:

Uh... thanks. For driving me here.

BRENDA:

Please. I'm just avoiding my own hell.

I'm a big coward.

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21.

NATE:

Me too. I don't know if I can handle

this.

BRENDA:

Well, you're about to find out.

She studies him for a moment. Finally:

BRENDA (CONT'D)

I wish you the best, Nate.

(kisses his cheek)

Goodbye.

He watches her as she disappears down the corridor.

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