The Body Snatcher Page #31

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MacFarlane shakes his head as if to clear it of this

remembered voice; these well-remembered words.

CLOSE SHOT -- MacFarlane. His eyes are wide with

apprehension and fear. He glances down at the wrapped corpse

as it bumps against him. He draws away, shivering. Over the

sound track Gray's voice still sounds beating on the ear with

the same rhythm as the hoofs on the road. MacFarlane pulls

up on the reins.

THREE SHOT - as MacFarlane turns to Fettes the carriage comes

to a halt.

MACFARLANE:

(making an effort to

arrive at speech)

Fettes -- for Mercy's sake, let's

have a light!

Fettes looks over at his companion. He has never seen

MacFarlane in this state before and the younger man is

puzzled.

FETTES:

All right.

He climbs over the sill into the roadway.

MED. FULL SHOT - the carriage as Fettes tries to strike a

light in the pouring rain and howling wind. He finally gets a

taper going and touches it to the lamp wick. The lamp flares

for a moment.

TWO SHOT -- MacFarlane and the corpse.

MACFARLANE:

It's changed! I swear it!

It's changed, Fettes!

REVERSE SHOT - Fettes as he looks up puzzled.

FETTES:

Changed? Changed, to what?

HIGH ANGLE SHOT - MacFarlane and the corpse with Fettes at a

lower level.

MACFARLANE:

Let's have that lamp.

Fettes undoes it from the dashboard and lifts it up over his

head to cast a light on the corpse.

MACFARLANE (CONT'D)

(looking down at the

bundle)

This is not a woman!

FETTES:

(matter-of-factly)

It was a woman when we put her in.

MACFARLANE:

(somewhat wildly)

Hold that lamp up -- I must see her

face.

He tears open the sacking.

ANOTHER ANGLE - CLOSE SHOT of Fettes. He is looking up

holding the lantern high over his head, but is unable to see

anything over the high dashboard except MacFarlane's face.

Suddenly, MacFarlane pulls back and on his face there is such

a look of anguish and terror that Fettes cries out in alarm.

FETTES:

Dr. MacFarlane?

REVERSE SHOT - Now the face of the dead woman can be seen

with MacFarlane looking down at it in horror as slowly it

turns to the dark, well-moulded features and smooth-shaven

cheeks of the familiar countenance of Gray. A wild yell

breaks from MacFarlane's lips.

MACFARLANE:

Gray -- Gray --

MED. FULL SHOT - the horse and carriage. The nervous horse

bolts. Fettes tries to dodge out of the way. The lamp falls

and breaks and in the darkness the carriage goes bounding

past his and away. He stands looking after it, then breaks

into a run, following the runaway.

CLOSE SHOT - MacFarlane. He is fighting to control the

horse. But, as the carriage rocks, the thing against his

shoulder moves; either by reason of the violent motion or of

some frightful volition of its own.

The canvas wrapping slips, slides away and reveals again the

head and naked torso of Gray.

The pace increases even more. MacFarlane sees the dreadful

metamorphosis and a strangled cry breaks from his throat.

The carriage sways again and the arms come free from the

canvas. Another swerve, another lurch and they have fallen

limply around MacFarlane's neck.

EXT. HILLSIDE ROAD - NIGHT

FULL SHOT - a hairpin turn, with cliff-wall to one side, a

sheer drop to the other. The carriage, the horse beyond

control, cannot take it at the speed. It strikes the cliff, a

wheel breaks loose, the braces tear apart, the horse

staggers, runs on free, the carriage tilts sickeningly,

stands on end, rolls over the edge and plunges down to

destruction.

EXT. HILLSIDE ROAD - NIGHT

Fettes has managed to get the lamp going again and is running

along the road, following the wheel tracks in the rain-soaked

earth. He comes upon a bit of wreckage and stops. He listens,

then walks over to the edge of the cliff. He holds his

lantern well over the edge and peers down. Then he starts

down the cliff side.

EXT. THE CLIFF SIDE - NIGHT

MED. FULL SHOT - Fettes as he scrambles down, holding the

lantern at arm's length to protect it from the rough rocks

and the heather. He comes to a slightly more level space and

stops. He looks down.

MED. SHOT - SHOOTING DOWNWARD FROM Fettes' viewpoint.

MacFarlane's body, obviously without life, is lying flat on

its back, arms and legs outspread. And, lying against his

chest, is something wrapped in canvas.

The CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY DOWN UNTIL IT IS CLOSE, showing

beyond all doubt that not only has the canvas never been

disturbed, but also that it is the woman's body which it

covers.

FADE OUT:

THE END:

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