The Crow: City of Angels Page #12

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shop...

KALI:

Inside!

Kali leads the crew of killers into the porno shop. But Curve

stops, sensing something. He spins around...

THE CROW:

is sitting atop one of the cars, watching him.

INT. PEEP-O-RAMA, BACK CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Kali and Curve move down the dark corridor. The PORN ACTRESS

VOICES from the vid-booths continue their ORGIASTIC MOANS, but

one voice in particular stand out.

KALI:

Nemo?

DOLL'S VOICE

Ooh, oh baby, you're so good...

CAMERA FINDS NEMO'S BODY

at the end of the corridor, lounging in the arms of the sex doll

which is still repeating its tinny refrain. Nemo's neck has been

snapped and his head hangs at an awkward angle.

DOLL:

...oh! Oh yea, that's the spot. Do me, baby. Do me.

There's a folded piece of paper shoved into Nemo's mouth. Curve

pries it out. The paper unfolds like one of those snowflake cut-outs

we used to make in grade school - only this cut-out is of a crow.

Written across the paper crow are the following words:

" I KNOW WHY JESUS WEPT"

A phone on the wall is RINGING. RINGING and RINGING. Finally,

Curve leans in, snatches up he receiver...

ASHE'S VOICE

Do you know what they call a gathering of crows, Curve?

At the sound of Ashe's voice, Curve's eyes widen with fear.

ASHE'S VOICE

A murder. A murder of crows. Think about it.

CLICK! The line goes dead. Furious, Curve tears the phone from

the wall, HEAVING it across the porno shop.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET/CHURCH - NIGHT

Ashe exits a phone booth, leaving the receiver dangling. A DOG

BARKS nearby, followed by the sound of CHILDREN LAUGHING. Ashe

turns and sees...

A GROUP OF CHILDREN running away, giggling, their FOOTSTEPS receding

into the night.

A BLACK DOG trots toward Ashe. The children have tied a plastic

skull mask to the dog's head. The skull dog trots up the street

towards...

A SMALL, INNER-CITY LATINO CHURCH

sandwiched between two derelict buildings. The doors are open

- there's a path of marigold petals leading up the front steps.

The skull dog trots up the steps and enters.

INT. CHURCH - NIGHT

Ashe moves into the sanctuary. He watches from the rear, entranced.

PEOPLE are scattered amongst the pews.

At the altar is a lavish offrenda - an offering of food and drink

for the wandering dead decorated with sugar skulls and floral

garlands. Amidst the decorations are photos of departed loved

ones. There are tiers of candles surrounding these, scores of

them.

An ELDERLY PRIEST emerges from a confessional, looking to Ashe

with a raised eyebrow..."Next?".

PRIEST:

Can I help you?

ASHE:

I'm sorry, Father, I was just watching...

PRIEST:

Our doors are open.

The Priest moves to a candelabra and lights some tapers.

ASHE:

What is this for?

PRIEST:

Dias de los Muertos, the Days of the Dead. We light the candles

for our loved ones - so that they might find their way back to

earth and share in the pleasures of the living.

Ashe watches an OLD WOMAN place a toy motorcycle in front of

a picture of a child.

PRIEST:

Tomorrow night we will celebrate. The people will dance, sing...

(indicating Ashe's makeup)

...many will wear masks.

ASHE:

Why?

PRIEST:

Some spirits linger here too long. They become confused, mistaking

themselves for the living. They have to be frightened away.

The priest nods to Ashe and moves down the aisle to the next

candelabra.

A LITTLE BOY:

is watching Ashe from one of the back pews. He clutches a striped

ball. He drops it.

The boy rolls the ball across the floor to Ashe. Ashe kneels

and catches it, rolling it back. The boy smiles.

BOY:

Santa Muerte.

Unnerved, Ashe retreats out of the sanctuarly, letting the night's

shadows swallow him up once more.

CUT TO:

INT. SARAH'S LOFT - NIGHT

Sarah sits by her paintings. Gabriel suddenly stands, arching

his back, hair standing on end.

ASHE:

appears on the ledge of the broken window, crouching there like

a gargoyle in silhouette.

SARAH:

(hesitant, but relieved)

You came back...

ASHE:

Heaven wouldn't have me and Hell was afraid I'd take the place

over.

Ashe drops into the loft.

ASHE:

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