The Cell Page #15

The FLICKERING LIGHT pinpoints a FIGURE emerging from the

darkness. It is Catherine. Altered to an image of

Stargher's victims. Her skin, face, clothing, eyes, are just

like the Victims'. It's a shocking, strange image, made even

more disturbing by the look of pleasure on her face. Novak

is staggered by the sight. His vision and hearing become

affected by blurred vision, sharp sounds - then focus to

clarity as he reminds himself...

NOVAK:

Not real...

Like an ethereal queen of the damned, she strides toward him,

narrowing her eyes.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

Catherine.

She exhibits no recognition of her name. Catherine

seductively moves closer to Novak, their bodies almost

touching, her hands caressing his hair, lips, neck...

NOVAK (CONT'D)

Jesus. Catherine. Listen to me...

She presses her finger to his lips and forces him down, onto

the floor, his back to the pedestal. Catherine straddles

Novak, and when he tries to stand, she holds him down,

forcing him to stay.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

LISTEN TO ME!

She steals a glance over his shoulder and glimpses a MALE

FIGURE coming toward them, coming into the light. Novak is

utterly unaware of what's happening. Catherine is keeping

him occupied. Waiting for the arrival of...

STARGHER KING:

Catherine LAUGHS. Novak catches only a fleeting glimpse of

the monster before Stargher King GRABS him by the throat and

SMASHES his head against a pedestal.

BLACKOUT.

INT. STARGHER'S WORLD - THE DEN

Eyelids rise and flutter. Novak becomes conscious. And

instantly realizes what's happened.

He lies on the pedestal, face up, spread-eagle, his wrists

and ankles bound to the cold stone surface with leathery

cords. Standing over him, in a pool of light, is Stargher

King. Wearing what could be seen as CEREMONIAL GARB, a

silent, solemn Stargher King prepares himself for execution

of a ritual by polishing and arranging an assortment of

shiny, sharp, macabre TOOLS.

Novak shuts his eyes and silently tells himself, Not real.

He opens them, breathes deeply and focuses on Catherine.

NOVAK:

You're Catherine Young. You majored in

Psych at UC San Diego. You work for

Sunerset Industries.

Stargher King's fingers pass over an array of horrific

instruments - the throat piercer/collar mechanism, a cleaver

knife, a misshapen hammer, a long slender needle...

NOVAK (CONT'D)

Your grandmother raised you after your

parents died in a car crash...

Stargher King lifts the blade-like NEEDLE. So far, Catherine

looks at Novak like he's speaking gibberish.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

When you were twenty-one, you were

arrested for possession and got off with

community service.

Stargher King SLICES through Novak's clothes, exposing the

flesh of his abdomen.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

(reminding himself)

Not real, Pete...This is not real...

(urgency)

You had to work at a center for abused

kids for three months. You stayed on

two years for no pay. You give half

your f***ing salary to the nursing home

your grandmother stays at...

Stargher King grabs his throat and traces the blade down the

center of Novak's torso. Novak struggles and pleads with

Catherine.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

I know this because I work for the FBI.

Peter Novak, remember?!?!

(a desperate request)

Remember. You are Cath-

Stargher King cuts his flesh and INSERTS the needle into his

stomach. NOVAK SCREAMS! This f***ing hurts!

NOVAK (CONT'D)

Help me!!!

Stargher King wiggles the needle, pulls it out, and digs his

finger into the wound. NOVAK CRIES IN PAIN.

NOVAK (CONT'D)

(tears forming, horrified)

F***ing FEELS real!

The intensity of Novak's cries hit Catherine like a

thunderbolt. There's a glimmer of life, of recognition in

her eyes.

STARGHER KING:

(finally speaking)

Me god gut you like a dear.

Although we don't see it, we HEAR something awful. Like

Stargher King fishing around inside the wound. A pale,

sweating Novak tries to stay conscious. He will not go into

shock...

NOVAK:

Not real. Not real. Not real.

A FEMALE HAND grabs the tool from the tray.

STARGHER KING:

(mimicking Novak, laughing)

Nod reel, nod reel, nod reel...

STARGHER KING IS SLAMMED FROM BEHIND! CATHERINE RAMS THE

THING THROUGH HIS THROAT! As Stargher King stumbles away

gagging, blood pouring form his neck, we see that she has

returned to normal. The "bride" persona is gone. As

Stargher King emits animalistic growls, Catherine turns and

sees an intact Novak standing next to her. As if nothing had

happened.

Catherine and Novak RUN out of the den, into the tunnel from

which Novak gained access. He stops, ready to press the

sensor, when a FLICKER OF LIGHT dances across Catherine's

face.

CATHERINE:

Wait...

NOVAK:

Like hell "wait."

But she won't listen and he's forced to play catch up as she

moves further from the den toward the cliff face. The

FLICKER OF LIGHT shines on the entrance to a specific TUNNEL.

CATHERINE:

He wants us to follow. The little

boy...

NOVAK:

Little boy?! That's him!

CATHERINE:

He brought you to me, didn't he? If you

want Julia to live, trust me. Trust

him.

INT. TUNNEL/CUBBYHOLE

On her hands and knees, she enters the TUNNEL, not waiting

for him to respond. She knows what he'll do... Catherine and

Novak crawl through the dark, grimy claustrophobic space,

playing with his mirror locket.

CATHERINE:

Carl...

He so desperately wants her affection, but fear prevents him

from reaching out to her.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

This is Peter.

Scared, he shakes his head "no."

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Don't be scared. You're my friend and I

would never hurt you.

She extends her hand. Oh-so-hesitantly he takes it.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Will you take us to her? To Julia?

Shyly, hesitantly, he nods. She smiles gratefully and

affectionately touches the boy's face. Clasping her hand,

Young Stargher leads Catherine and Novak into utter darkness.

INT. STARGHER'S WORLD - THE IDEALIZED CELL

More stylized than the actual cell, it's bigger and ornately

decorated, with the atmosphere of a church. Individual

IMAGES hang like SHRINES, each showing Julia Hickson from

different angles.

Central to the room is a WINDOW INTO THE CELL ITSELF. Where

we find a beautiful, mermaid-like JULIA HICKSON floating in

water. Peaceful, joyous.

IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, we find Novak and Catherine, she

holding the hand of Young Stargher, he stunned at the sight

of Julia. The child looks at Catherine with beatific, sad

eyes, regarding her as one would a saviour.

NOVAK:

Where the hell are we?

CATHERINE:

Carl, do you know? Like on a map...

He shakes his head and buries his face in her shoulder.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

It's okay, it's okay. You helped so

much already. I'm proud of you.

As a frustrated Novak searches for anything identifying,

Catherine comforts the boy and looks deeply into his sad,

haunted eyes.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Carl, I think I can help you. Would you

like that? Even if Peter can't find

Julia, I want to help you.

The boy leans against her and she caresses his face.

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