The Cell Page #2

EXT. CAMPBELL CENTER - DAY

Situated in a corporate/industrial area north of San Diego,

California, a series of well-secured buildings form a mini

compound. A sign near the gate reads CAMPBELL CENTER - A

DIVISION OF SUNERSET INDUSTRIES.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - EDWARD'S ROOM - DAY

Although this is a hospital room filled with medical

equipment, its sterility has been camouflaged with toys,

posters, photographs, and drawings to make it more "homey."

(Some hint at aspects of Edward's fantasy world). Every

comfort has been provided and no expense spared.

Henry, Miriam, and Catherine, now wearing funky/casual

clothes under a lab coat, stand opposite Cooperman. Sitting

on the bed with Edward is ELLA BAINES, an elegantly dressed

woman in her mid-40's. There is a soulfulness to her, but

the husband, LUCIEN BAINES, 60's, possesses the icy demeanor

of a corporate tycoon. One might write him off as cold, but

we sense a genuine love for his wife and child. Ella smiles

and caresses Edward's hair.

ELLA:

He needs a haircut.

CATHERINE:

I'll tell the nurse.

(sensing something in Edward)

God, he loves when you visit.

ELLA:

My husband wonders if that's true.

(delivering bad news)

He wants to place Edward in a hospital.

Seeing an unfunded future, Henry's ready to disassociate

himself from Miriam and Catherine...

HENRY:

There are other applications for the

scanner, Mr. Baines...

LUCIEN:

I realize that, Henry...

(to Miriam)

And I know your work, Dr. Kent, is

invaluable to this company...

CATHERINE:

You don't know about me, though, do you?

LUCIEN:

Catherine, we've waited eighteen months

for signs of progress...

CATHERINE:

There's been progress.

LUCIEN:

Yes, but there is no proof the procedure

works. All I have is a belief that your

interaction with my son is not a

hallucination.

Catherine is hurt and vulnerable due to exhaustion and the

intensity of her experience with Edward, but feels she must

defend herself.

CATHERINE:

(to Cooperman, Miriam, Henry)

You picked me, remember? And I took the

job. Gladly. This is the next wave and

I want to be part of it...

COOPERMAN:

No one is doubting your ability.

CATHERINE:

Then what is it?

Introspective and solemn-eyed, Lucien takes a moment, then:

LUCIEN:

I've invested millions of dollars in

this study... And I've convinced others

to do the same. I suppose I should feel

responsible to them, but I don't. I

could care less if they see a profit.

I'm responsible to my boy, that's all

that matters.

(looks her in the eye)

You tell me... Am I doing the right

thing?

OFF CATHERINE'S FACE...

INT. WHITE ROOM - DAY

At first, we're not sure where we are or what's happening.

It's too bright, the space confining. As our eyes adjust, we

seem to be in a bathroom or shower stall. We HEAR a WOMAN

CRYING and the camera finds ANNE VICKSEY. Dark circles

beneath eyes red and puffy from crying. Hair wet and ratted.

Sweater and pants damp and stained. Barefoot, she shivers

from cold and fear...

PULL BACK to show more of her surroundings. The white-tiled

10' x 8' room features a SHOWER HEAD, TOILET, and a push

button SPIGOT for drinking water. Two walls are SOLID, the

other two MIRRORED, the glass covered by thick clear plastic.

The floor is littered with empty food wrappers - candy bars,

juice boxes. In the center of the floor is a DRAIN and above

her, on the ceiling, a FLUORESCENT LAMP, also encased in

clear plastic.

There is no door.

A mechanism CLICKS. Then a RUMBLING... Anne seems to know

what's coming. She presses against the wall, removes her

arms from the sleeves of the sweater, hunches down, and

raises the garment over her head, forming a tent.

WATER ERUPTS from the shower head. There is no steam, so

this water must be cold. Shaking, Anne whispers a count to

herself - "One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three..." and

so on. The spray hits everything in the room - mirror,

toilet, floor - and a food wrapper drifts toward the drain.

ANNE:

Thirty.

She peeks up from the tent, but the water has not stopped,

and that isn't what she expected. We hear a soft SUCKING

NOISE and a CLICK. The wrapper rises on a puddle of water.

Anne POUNDS her fist on the wall.

ANNE (CONT'D)

(angry, scared)

THIRTY!

A puddle forms around her feet and she realizes the drain has

somehow been sealed shut. Her panic intensifies as we hear

another CLICK and the water pressure increases.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - LABORATORY - DAY

In the darkened procedure room, Miriam finds Catherine

standing between the two suspension devices, alone.

MIRIAM:

You okay?

Catherine turns, nods, and tries to smile. Has she been

crying? Miriam steps further into the room.

CATHERINE:

He hates me.

MIRIAM:

Lucien Baines?

Catherine nods.

MIRIAM (CONT'D)

I wouldn't say "hates." Dislikes,

distrusts, maybe.

Catherine laughs. Exactly what Miriam wanted.

MIRIAM (CONT'D)

She adores you.

CATHERINE:

She thinks I can bring Edward back.

MIRIAM:

Someday you can. We all believe that...

Catherine halfheartedly nods, but her mind is elsewhere,

focused on the two apparatuses.

CATHERINE:

I want to try it. Please.

Miriam knows what this is about.

MIRIAM:

We've been over this a dozen times. No.

CATHERINE:

Why not? Just once. A trial run. What

harm could it do?

MIRIAM:

I don't want to find out.

Ever the doctor, Miriam finds herself surreptitiously

examining Catherine's eyes, flesh tone, a slight trembling in

her fingertips.

CATHERINE:

Why is it taking so long for us to reach

him? Because we've been reactive,

that's why. And we need to be active.

Miriam reaches for Catherine's wrist and takes her pulse.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

(annoyed)

Miriam...

MIRIAM:

Shush.

As Miriam examines her, Catherine continues:

CATHERINE:

He creates the obstacles, he decides

which games to play.

MIRIAM:

I've heard this argument before. It's

not happening.

CATHERINE:

(frustrated)

It could take years for me to get past

the barriers he's created.

MIRIAM:

If we reverse the feed and bring Edward

into your mind, it could be devastating

for him. Imagine the shock of suddenly

existing in a whole other world.

CATHERINE:

I do it all the time!

MIRIAM:

Yes, but, you're a willing participant.

Picture Edward in a strange place, lost,

frightened...

CATHERINE:

I'd be there for him.

MIRIAM:

And he might blame you for terrifying

him. That one moment could erase all

you've accomplished. And if that

happened, the trust he has in you is

gone.

CATHERINE:

(defeated)

Okay, okay...

Miriam takes a penlight and examines Catherine's eyes.

MIRIAM:

Besides, I don't know what it might do

to you. You're already exhausted.

(concerned)

Have you been sleeping?

Catherine nods.

MIRIAM (CONT'D)

I can prescribe something...

Catherine shakes her head no. Miriam shuts off the penlight

and looks at Catherine with professional and personal

concern.

MIRIAM (CONT'D)

You're sure? Any more nightmares?

CATHERINE:

(defensively)

No.

MIRIAM:

Good. We need you healthy and relaxed.

You're going to eat well, meditate,

exercise, and watch mindless television.

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