The Butterfly Effect Page #14

EVAN:

How long will I be in here?

ANDREA:

I don't know. These things take time.

EVAN:

How's Kayleigh doing? She all right?

Andrea's look tells him to look for hope elsewhere.

EVAN:

What about my journals, Mom? Did you bring the ones I asked for?

Andrea nods, holding up two comp books. "AGE 7" and "AGE 13".

ANDREA:

I found these. The others are still in storage.

EVAN:

Damn it, Mom. I told you I need them all!

ANDREA:

Fine. You'll get them, Evan. But I think it's far more important to focus on your case right now.

Evan looks as if he's about to disagree with her, but he closes his mouth and placates her.

EVAN:

Sure, Mom. You're right. Just try to tell Kayleigh I'm sorry.

And officer signals Evan and points to his watch.

ANDREA:

I'm not gonna lose you, kiddo. Promise me you'll hang on, Ev.

They look at each other and Evan slowly lowers the phone. He hangs up, Andrea still pressing her phone to her ear.

INT. MAVIS PENITENTIARY - DAY

Evan walks closely behind Carlos through a corridor, clutching his journals. As he passes Karl, the Neo-Nazi, Karl reaches over and firmly grabs Evan's crotch.

Evan, totally violated, turns white with rage.

KARL:

Sh*t on my dick or blood on my knife.

Evan stands there, stunned, unable to react when --

Another Neo-Nazi, RICK, swats Evan's journals out of his hands and onto the floor. Life springs back into Evan as he rushes for the journals. He and Rick grab the journals at the same time. A minor tug of war.

EVAN:

Let go! They're mine!

Rick tears them away, Evan coming up with only a few torn pages. Evan sees the damage and goes mental.

EVAN:

Motherf***er!

Evan swings at Rick and misses. INMATES CHEER! It's on! Rick lunges for Evan, a brief and painful scuffle ensues, the journals getting trampled. Suddenly -- The sounds of COCKED RIFLES echo through the air. The fight stops instantly as Rick and Evan look up to see --

ANGLE ON:

OFFICER STATION. Officers aim rifles at the pair. From an upper tier, even more officers with more rifles.

Their barrels sight directly at Evan. Rick steps away, quick to maliciously scoop up Evan's torn journals.

KARL:

We'll be comin' for you tonight, sister.

Evan catches his breath, then looks at the remaining few pages on the floor.

INT. EVAN'S CELL - DAY

Evan enters the cell with a few entry pages. HE looks through them. Nothing there.

Evan nods depressed, then sees the page from his "Age 7" journal, grabs Carlos' duct tape and tapes the page over his bed.

INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY

Evan, walking toward some White Supremacists, flinches whenever the occasional INMATE brushes against him. Evan is completely paranoid, waiting for an inevitable attack.

Karl makes himself visible among them, holding a journal. He reads:

KARL:

(from Evan's journal)

Today I found my grandfather's death certificate. HE died in a nut house, just like my father. Mom denies it, but she thinks I'm gonna end up the same way...

The other Supremacists start laughing and calling "looney" and "nut job." Evan rushes past them and they make chicken clucks at him.

EXT. PRISON YARD - DAY

Evan and Carlos sit on BLEACHERS that overlook the other prisoners working out.

Evan closely watches Karl and Rick who stare daggers at him from across the yard. A SKINHEAD PASSES SOMETHING with a white-taped handle to Karl but no officers seem to notice.

Evan slides closer to Carlos and stares at the Jesus Christ tattoos all over Carlos' back.

EVAN:

You're religious Carlos, you believe that bit about "the Lord works in mysterious ways?"

CARLOS:

Straight up.

EVAN:

Because I think he sent me to your cell on purpose. For you to help me.

CARLOS:

Sh*t. I knew you were crazy.

EVAN:

I ain't bullshitting. Jesus speaks to me in my dreams.

Carlos scoffs whatever.

EVAN:

Pack of smokes says I can prove it to you.

Carlos is suddenly interested.

INT. EVAN'S CELL - LATER

Evan holds a tattered journal entry in his hand and finishes up a conversation. Carlos looks dumbfounded.

EVAN:

So when I'm out, I need you to watch my face and hands closely.

CARLOS:

You need to see the prison shrink, man.

Their conversation stops when a convict rolls a mail cart by, Evan looking up expectantly.

EVAN:

Anything today?

CONVICT:

Yep. Just not for you.

Disappointed, Evan turns back to Carlos. Holds up his journal entry.

EVAN:

Just tell me if anything weird happens.

CARLOS:

Weirder than this?

EVAN:

Marks, scars, I dunno. Anything could happen I guess.

Evan studies the page.

JOURNAL ENTRY:

On Wednesday I got in trouble for a drawing that I didn't do. Mommy wont let me see it.

Then as he starts reading it to himself, the bars behind him almost imperceptibly VIBRATE --

SMASH CUT TO:

INT. FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM - DAY - 1989

Evan, seven, COMES TO in an old familiar place. WE are back in Mrs. Boswell's first grade class. All of the children draw colorful pictures.

Evan sees some paper spindles sitting on Mrs. Boswell's desk. AS he heads over to them, Mrs. Boswell firmly grabs his shoulders and steers him back to his own desk.

MRS. BOSWELL

No monkey business, Evan. Sit still and finish your drawing.

Evan, defeated, looks over at his blank piece of paper. HE smiles mischievously, and grabs some colored pencils.

MRS. BOSWELL

That's great everyone! Just imagine anything you want to be. There are no limits.

Soon enough, an image emerges: Evan holding a knife, stands over a heap of several dead inmates Karl and Rick.

When done, he sneaks over to Mrs. Boswell's desk, where the two paper spindles sit. The metal needles reach up and skewer a number of paper notes and messages. Evan looks over to see Mrs. Boswell holding up his drawing, horrified.

EVAN:

(musically)

Oh, Mrs. Boswelllllllll?

She looks over in time to see Evan using all of his seven-year old strength to WHIP his hands down toward the spindles!

The moment before his palms reach them there's a brief instant where SOUNDSCAPES COLLIDE and the world behind him VIBRATES.

AND WE'RE BACK TO:

INT. EVAN'S PRISON CELL - DAY - 2002

Evan comes to as ECHOES OF SCREAMING CHILDREN FADE. Alertness slowly creeps back up on him as he hears:

CARLOS:

Oh sweet Jesus. It's true. It's a miracle! A miracle!

Evan looks up to see Carlos staring at him with reverence.

CARLOS:

Your hands. The stigmata!

Evan looks to see two scars in the center of each palm.

EVAN:

What did you see? What did it look like?

CARLOS:

(laughing)

Signs of the Lord. They just appeared out of nowhere. I thought you were loco!

EVAN:

So you believe me?

Carlos simply stares at him, awestruck, and hands over a box of cigarettes.

INT. KARL'S CELL - CONTINUOUS

Evan nervously approaches. A CREW of Aryans block his path.

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