The Death Artist Page #6

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WALTER:

I was just straightening up the

place.

MRS. SWICKER

Straightening up indeed! Are you

sure you're not alone?

WALTER:

I'm always alone, Mrs. Swicker,

you know that.

Mrs. Swicker begins to snoop around the place -

MRS. SWICKER

Walter have you been talking to

yourself again?

WALTER:

(wringing his hands)

Well yes I guess I have been Mrs.

Swicker. Somebody's got to.

Mrs. swicker continues to snoop around - she then turns and looks at

Walter -

MRS. SWICKER

(exasperated)

Walter, you know what you need is

a girl!

Mrs. Swicker continues to inspect the place, with Walter following

close behind her -

MRS. SWICKER

She doesn't have to be pretty...

just as long as she takes good care

of you...

WALTER:

Uh, I can take real good care of

myself, Mrs. Swicker!

Mrs. Swicker continues to look around the cluttered room -

MRS. SWICKER

Yeah I can see that! Look at

this place!

At that moment Lou's BLOODY ARM drops into view in the background,

having been stuffed in a crawl space above the sink -

MRS. SWICKER

It's terrible! Why don't you

ever clean it up!

Walter notices the arm as Mrs. Swicker directs her attention in the

opposite direction, grabbing a sheet -

MRS. SWICKER

And when did you change these sheets

last! It looks like they're alive!

Walter panics, and gently leads Mrs. Swicker to the door -

WALTER:

Uh, Mrs. Swicker I got to meet some

friends later, and I have to take

a shower!

MRS. SWICKER

Well why don't you clean up this

dump!

Mrs. Swicker resists as Walter opens the door and pushes her out -

WALTER:

I will - good night Mrs. Swicker!

MRS. SWICKER

What's the matter with you!

Walter shoves her out the door and closes it behind him -

Pressing his back against the door he looks ahead -

Blood begins to trickle down Lou's arm -

Walter approaches the bloody arm, caught in a total panic -

Blood begins to drop on the floor -

Walter looks around frantically, and finds a big metal POT -

He places it under the dripping blood, lowering it to the ground -

He then steps back, listening to the rhythmic trickle of blood

hitting the pot -

Walter staggers back, grabbing a sponge -

He heads over to a PUDDLE of smeared blood on the floor -

He gets on his knees and begins to wipe up the blood -

WALTER:

(crying)

I didn't mean to hurt you, sir...

if you had shot me, you'd be

mopping up my blood now...

Walter continues to mop up the stain -

WALTER:

I couldn't help it if I got scared.

I didn't mean it!

Walter stops to listen to the trickling blood - something dawns on

him -

WALTER:

It's crazy...it's crazy...

(Beat)

I didn't think I had it in me...

How'd ya do it, Walter...

Walter gets up, faces Lou's off camera corpse and addresses it -

WALTER:

He said go home and make something

Walter! Make another cat...

Walter looks down at the pot filling with blood -

WALTER:

But I told him I didn't have

another cat...

Walter then gets an idea, and looks up toward Lou's body -

Walter's expression changes, from one of panic to one of new

inspiration -

EXT PAYPHONE - DAY

Art is on the phone -

ART:

No, nobody seems to know where

he went...

(Beat)

why don't you put an A.P.B. out

and I'll check on it from here...

(Beat)

Right...Ok, bye.

Art hangs up the phone -

DISSOLVE TO:

INT JABBERJAW - DAY

Leonard enters and closes the door - he begins lifting shades and

getting the place ready to open -

He heads over to the alcove, something catches his eye -

It is the Dead Cat sculpture -

Leonard stops to look at it, laughing faintly to himself - he then

picks it up and inspects it, shaking his head -

He puts it back, positioning it just so - as he turns his back the

cat leans forward and crashes to the ground -

Leonard turns around and sees what happened - he picks it up and

examines it -

There is a FRACTURE in the plaster - Leonard runs his finger over it

-

CLOSE on Leonard's face he notices something -

As Leonard traces his finger over the fracture, he discovers some

CAT HAIRS protruding from the sculpture -

Taken aback by the discovery, Leonard puts the sculpture

down -

He then pokes it, almost as if he expects a response -

Leonard slowly breaks into a knowing smile -

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT STREETS - NIGHT

A MONTAGE of police PATROL CARS driving down various

streets -

RADIO OPERATOR(V.O.)

...officer Louis LaRue...age 29,

five foot eleven, Caucasian, black

hair, last seen wearing jeans and

a dark jacket...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT JABBERJAW - NIGHT

The joint is jumping as the audience listens to a MUSICIAN playing

assorted GARBAGE from the scrap yard -

Several PATRONS examine the Dead Cat sculpture -

Cuff and Link sit at a table noticing the commotion wit contempt -

CUFF:

Look at that, man. Big deal.

LINK:

I know.

CUFF:

I mean it's like, you know, I do

my art because that's what I am,

you know? I'm an artist. I'm not

like a banker, you know. Like I

create.

LINK:

I know, man.

CUFF:

But it bugs me when someone rips off

our ideas, our concepts, and people

freak out about it, you know, and

tell us ours stinks!

LINK:

I know, man.

CUFF:

I mean, screw them, you know? I'm

just gonna go right on creating

'cause it comes from here -

(pounds chest)

you know?

LINK:

I know, man.

Just then Art enters the club -

Cuff and Link see him come in - Walter busses an adjacent table -

CUFF:

And, man who is this dude? He's

like always casing the joint.

A shady - looking couple behind Cuff and Link notice Art also, and

decide to hastily leave -

LINK:

I wonder what his deal is.

CUFF:

I think he's looking for you, man...

it's all finally catching up with you!

Link sees Walter -

LINK:

No I think they're looking for Walter,

'cause he's wanted for stealing -

Walter leaves with the tray pretending not to have heard the comment

- he nevertheless CRASHES into a Leonard, spilling the contents of

the tray -

CUFF:

Jeez, take it easy Walter!

Walter crouches and picks up the items -

Leonard looks down at him with disdain - Walter then stands

up -

WALTER:

Sorry about that Mr. De Santis!

Leonard says nothing for a beat -

LEONARD:

That's alright Walter...

Leonard then gestures to a table -

LEONARD:

Put the tray down...have a seat.

The comment takes Walter by surprise -

WALTER:

H-have a seat?

LEONARD:

Have a seat -

Cuff and Link watch as Walter sits down -

WALTER:

I thought I'm not supposed to

sit with the customers...

LEONARD:

Now why shouldn't you, Walter?

Things are different now...

WALTER:

They are?

Leonard sits down, facing him - he lights a cigarette -

LEONARD:

Of course they are, Walter.

Carla then makes her way toward their table -

LEONARD:

You've arrived. You've been

recognized. You're a talent,

a creative force to be reckoned

with.

CARLA:

Leonard, what are you doing?

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