Sphere Page #4

CUT TO:

INT. DESCENT PLATFORM

A porthole hatch to the DESCENT SUB unlatches loudly. A SUB-OFFICER

help Norman lower himself through the hatch.

INT. DESCENT SUB

Norman steps down the ladder into the sub compartment. Seated in a

circle area:
Ted, Beth, Harry, and Arthur. Ahead of them, Captain

Barnes sits with the pilot in the sub's cockpit, separated by a wall

of plexiglass.

Norman takes a seat between Beth and Ted.

BARNES (O.S.)

(through the intercom)

Our descent will take 13 minutes.

Descending at a speed of 80 feet per

minute.

Across from Norman, Harry is WHISPERING something quietly into

Arthur's ear.

BARNES (O.S.)

Pressure adjustments will cause the

sub to lurch at times, but don't be

alarmed. It's perfectly normal...

Arthur's face drips with sweat, as Harry continues to whisper into his

ear.

BARNES (O.S.)

The sub's interior atmosphere will

experience moisture as we descend,

and the temperature will drop

rapidly. Just relax and remain

seated during the descent.

Norman watches Arthur, dripping with sweat.

BARNES (O.S.)

We have clearing from the base.

Red interior lights flicker on in the compartment, and WE HEAR the sub

make a HISSING sound. The sub lurches, and begins to lower in the

water.

NORMAN:

Arthur?

Harry has gotten to Arthur. Arthur is on the verge of panic.

NORMAN:

Arthur? You alright?

ARTHUR:

Open the hatch door, please.

Harry continues to whisper in his ear.

ARTHUR:

Captain, open the hatch door, please

...the hatch door, Captain. Open it,

please.

BARNES (O.S.)

Calm down, Dr. Levine.

ARTHUR:

Let me out, Captain. Open the door!

BARNES (O.S.)

Please, Dr. Levine.

Arthur leaps violently out of his seat, scrambles to the plexiglass

wall.

BARNES:

(through the plexiglass)

Sit down, Dr. Levine! You're in a

military operation now --

Arthur bangs on the plexiglass wall with his fists.

BARNES:

...Your civil rights have been

overridden!

ARTHUR:

Open it, Captain!

BARNES:

Dr. Levine, please! Return to your

seat!

Arthur VOMITS, violently, heaving, splattering the plexiglass wall.

ARTHUR:

Open the f***ing door!

The sub LURCHES again, coming to a stop. The compartment is totally

silent, as they begin ascending to the surface.

ON HARRY smiling a sly, evil grin directed right at Norman.

The sub lurches again, and WE HEAR clanking metal. The hatch door

opens.

And Arthur, wiping the vomit from his mouth, climbs up the ladder and

out the hatch door.

BARNES (O.S.)

Anybody else?

Silence.

The hatch door LOCKS, loudly. The sub lurches, and begins descending.

TED:

P*ssy.

BETH:

What's that -- mistake number two,

Norman?

NORMAN:

He wasn't feeling well.

TED:

He's a p*ssy.

Harry is still staring at Norman...

HARRY:

How are you feeling, Norman?

NORMAN:

What?

HARRY:

You holding up alright?

NORMAN:

Fine. I'm fine.

HARRY:

Don't be defensive.

NORMAN:

I'm not being defensive.

HARRY:

You sound defensive.

NORMAN:

I'm fine.

TED:

(to Harry)

What'd you say to him?

HARRY:

To who? Arthur? Nothing. Nothing

that Norman doesn't already know.

TED:

What does Norman already know?

HARRY:

Norman thinks we shouldn't be going

down. Thinks it's a mistake.

Norman looks over at Beth.

HARRY:

She told me what you said, Norman.

TED:

What is it, Harry?

HARRY:

Just one of Norman's many secrets.

ON NORMAN, saying nothing.

EXT. OCEAN

WE SEE the sub descending into darker waters.

EXT. DH-8 HABITAT - ARRIVING DOCK

The SUB descends into the AIRLOCK, metal clanks against metal. Around

it, the DH-8:
interwoven cylinders lit up with lights.

INT. AIRLOCK - PRESSURIZING ROOM

CLOSE ON THE HATCH DOOR closing tightly, locking.

OFFICER (O.S.)

One moment for pressurizing.

A SOFT WHIRR.

ANGLE ON - Barnes and the four remaining team members standing in the

small, claustrophobic pressurizing room. Like sardines. Nobody says

anything. A long beat.

THE DOOR:

in front of them, opens. TEENY FLETCHER, 30s, a big-boned female

officer, stands before them. She wears a black plastic PAD, a

"talker", around her neck.

She hands each member their own "talker". Norman takes his.

INT. DH-8 HALLWAY

Fletcher leads Barnes and the team members down the hallway. Each of

them wears the "talkers" around their necks.

BARNES:

They pressurize us with helium.

NORMAN:

What's wrong with oxygen?

BARNES:

It's a corrosive gas. On earth, it

makes a half-eaten apple turn brown

and puts the ugly, iron rust on an

Oldsmobile. At a pressure this low,

oxygen becomes toxic. Breathe it

down here, and it'll do to your dick

what it does to the Oldsmobile.

TED:

Important safety tip. Thanks

Captain.

Fletcher listens through her radio earpiece, turns to Barnes...

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