The Cell Page #12

Briefly, he touches her hand. Catherine looks away from John

to Novak's hand, to the photographs on the wall. Stargher's

house, Valentine, the pick-up truck. Valentine...

CATHERINE:

I need something.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - CORRIDOR - DAY

A K-9 UNIT FBI AGENT escorts VALENTINE to the lab.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - LABORATORY - DAY

As the agent brings the frightened animal into the monitoring

area, Catherine and Valentine share a moment of "connection."

Slowly, confidently, she approaches the Shepherd, kneels, and

removes his leash and muzzle. She strokes him and the dog

instantly warms up to her.

FBI K-9 AGENT

Sure wasn't like that with me.

Novak signs a document and the K-9 Agent exits.

CATHERINE:

You're a good boy, aren't you,

Valentine?

The dog picks up a scent from the procedure room and moves

it, Catherine and Novak following.

IN THE PROCEDURE ROOM, Stargher lies face down on a gurney.

Now taped to the wall near Stargher are PICTURES from the

basement - his dolls, the hoist, etc. Miriam (in surgical

mask and gloves) carefully re-inserts the METAL RINGS (taken

from an FBI EVIDENCE BAG) into the eight straps of flesh on

his back. When he sees this, Valentine whimpers and hides.

Catherine comforts him. Miriam finishes her task and removes

her mask.

MIRIAM:

I hate to admit it, but there's

something perversely satisfying about

this.

HENRY:

I think that's the whole point.

Valentine runs to his "sleeping" master and barks at

Catherine as if asking for help. She encourages the animal

to lick and sniff Stargher's face and hands.

HENRY (O.S.) (CONT'D)

That's interesting.

IN THE CONTROL ROOM, he scrutinizes the monitor showing the

detailed "map" of Stargher's brain.

HENRY (CONT'D)

Increased neural activity in the frontal

lobes. Rising dopamine levels in the

basal ganglia. Ever since the dog

walked in.

IN THE PROCEDURE ROOM, Catherine readies herself in the

"receive" apparatus. As Stargher is lifted off the pedestal,

the doors HISS shut and Valentine curls up on the floor

beneath his master. As Catherine is lifted, she smiles at

the animal, then looks to Stargher.

NOVAK:

(comforting and coaching her)

Remember, Julia Hickson is priority

number one. Nothing else matters. Find

out where she is.

CATHERINE:

Okay, okay...

LIGHTS FLICKER. Catherine's eyes shut. FADE TO BLACK...

HENRY (O.S.)

Uh-oh...

LIGHTS FLICKER. We hear an ELECTRICAL HUM rise and fall.

Catherine opens her eyes and the LIGHTS blink on and off in a

weird pattern, making it difficult to see clearly.

CATHERINE:

Don't kid around, Henry...

Her suspension apparatus DESCENDS on the floor.

HENRY (O.S.)

I'm not. It's a power problem. I need

you to go to the circuit breaker and

check switches six through twelve.

Catherine moves toward the electrical panel.

HENRY (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Try to stay awake, okay?

CATHERINE:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not sleepy.

As she moves toward the panel, everything becomes larger. By

the time Catherine reaches the circuit breaker, it is the

size of a garage door. Curiouser and curiouser...

She turns around to see the LABORATORY IS EMPTY and DEAD

QUIET. And she sees herself - Catherine as small as a mouse

trapped in a giant walled space.

AT THE CONSOLE, Novak, Miriam and Henry observe the procedure

room. And Catherine. Suspended in the apparatus.

Motionless...

ENTRANCE TWO:

INT. STARGHER'S WORLD

Catherine turns to see... Catherine lying in the fetal

position, locked in a BOX made of thick clean glass. The

electronic HUM becomes RHYTHMIC, AMBIENT NOISE.. INSIDE THE

BOX, staying calm, she searches for and finds a TRAP DOOR on

the floor. She pushes out. The camera executes a complete

180-degree perspective change.

Catherine plummets. She tries to reach out, to stop her

descent, but cannot.

Catherine falls through a dark CAVERNOUS ROOM resembling a

mammoth hollowed-out rib cage. Below her is a DOME-LIKE

STRUCTURE "growing" out of the floor, a HOLE in the center of

its crest. Dozens of other such domes are visible in the

murky hell-hole, but Catherine has no choice. She's dropping

into this one.

Once she passes through the hole, INSIDE THE DOME,

Catherine's body looks as though it's moving through water,

but there is no water. Like an aerial artist, she reverses

her position so she's "heads up." Standing, stable, on the

floor. Sensing something with her. And knows it is...

CATHERINE:

Valentine?

Out from the darkness, moving in normal motion, comes the

white German Shepherd, but in the thick haze, his face is

indistinct and ghostly.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Hi sweetie...

And as she steps toward him, his face DISSOLVES into a STARK

LANDSCAPE. An ear becomes a hill, the nose a stone, mouth a

path, and the eye a HOUSE.

YOUNG STARGHER retreats towards the bleak structure as

CATHERINE ENTERS FRAME. Seeing the invitation, she presses

on.

INT. STARGHER'S WORLD - BOYHOOD HOME - KITCHEN

Young Stargher is at the sink WASHING DISHES, an anxious eye

on the clock.

CATHERINE:

Need some help?

As Catherine enters the claustrophobic house, the boy

hesitantly pushes a towel toward her, but doesn't look. She

reaches the counter and starts to dry, much to Young

Stargher's relief. As he washes, Catherine hands him a

MIRROR LOCKET just like Edward's.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Carl, I want to give you a present.

He's hypnotized by the thing, his eyes lighting up.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

If you need me, or if you feel that I'm

around but can't find me, just shine it,

like this.

She shines reflected light onto the walls. Carl hands

Catherine the wet plate and takes the locket. The dish slips

from her fingers and SHATTERS on the floor. The boy's eyes

fill with dread. The kitchen clock reads 5:30. He PUSHES

Catherine toward a broom closet and shoves her inside.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

What's wrong honey?

With a finger to his lips, he pockets the locket and shuts

the door. FROM WITHIN THE CLOSET, she watches the terrified

child through a CRACK in the door. IN THE KITCHEN, Young

Stargher desperately tries to hide the broken plate.

Startlingly, his father, Martin Stargher, is already in the

room. Cruel, imposing, manipulative man.

MARTIN:

What did you do know? You make a mess?

I hate a mess.

Young Stargher backs into a corner, fearing what will come.

MARTIN (CONT'D)

Don't lie, now, Carl.

IN THE CLOSET, Catherine pushes, but the door won't budge.

She POUNDS. IN THE KITCHEN, we hear no sound.

MARTIN (CONT'D)

Remember what I said about liars? Liars

will be punished.

INT. CLOSET - CONTINUOUS

Catherine hears the child SCREAM. But the scream comes from

behind and she spins around.

INT. STARGHER'S WORLD - LIVING ROOM

Young Stargher is forced to sit on the lap of an ugly MIDDLE

AGED WOMAN barely wearing a man's robe. On a nearby table

are whisky, tumblers, and an ashtray filled with butts.

WOMAN:

I got you a present, cutie-pie.

She gives him a TOY DOLL. Drunk, she hugs and kisses him.

Embarrassed, the boy tries to squirm away.

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