The Grudge Page #12

The place is quiet, completely deserted. Except for -

-- Alex. He’s behind his desk in the reception area, staring

off into space. Alex finally glances up at a clock -- it’s

almost ten o’clock.

He gets up, turns off his computer, switches off the lights,

and walks around the reception desk towards -

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 57.

THE FRONT DOORS. He hits a final light switch and is almost

to the exit, when ---

he suddenly SLIPS. Almost falls. Saves himself by

throwing a hand up against the wall.

He looks down. What the hell did he slip on?

A pool of liquid. Right by the front doors, where the ladder

stood earlier. It’s too dark to make out what the fluid is.

Alex looks down at HIS HAND -- it’s covered in the liquid.

And there’s a dark HANDPRINT where he grabbed the wall.

HIS POV:
a trail of FOOTPRINTS lead from the pool of liquid,

around the base of the stairs.

His eyes on his dirtied hand, Alex slowly reaches for the

nearby light switch. The overheads come on ---

the liquid is deep red. Blood.

Alex looks across the room. Shaking, he starts to walk

forward, following the footsteps.

He pauses at the bottom of the stairs, seeing ---

the BLOOD TRAIL has stopped. Right by the bottom step.

Alex looks up the staircase. No blood.

After a moment, Alex starts to walk up. As he reaches the

first landing -He

freezes. Sensing something behind him. He turns to see -YOKO.

Head lowered, clothing is torn and bloody. She’s

slowly climbing up the steps, but she’s MOVING JERKILY, like

a marionette, her limbs making a strange CREAKING as if

tendons and muscles are being pushed to their limits.

And there’s BLOOD DRIPPING DOWN, splattering on her shoes.

ALEX:

Yoko?

She keeps moving, straining, climbing... towards him.

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 58.

ALEX:

What... What happened, Yoko?

Now she finally stops, two steps away. A long beat.

ALEX:

Say something, please...

Yoko slowly raises her head towards him ---

the lower half of her face is missing. Her jawbone has

been ripped out, her tongue hanging limply on her chest.

Alex stumbles backwards... and his foot lands right in a

puddle of blood. His legs fly out from under him and he

CRACKS HIS HEAD AGAINST THE GROUND.

HIS POV:
everything goes blurry, and canted 90 degrees. But

it looks like there’s A FIGURE standing in the hallway,

watching the scene...

...a small boy holding a black cat...

Dazed, Alex plants a hand on the ground and pulls himself

into a seating position ---

and coming face-to-face with YOKO, kneeling down directly

in front of him. Her bloody tongue dripping, lolling...

ON ALEX:
eyes wide, he opens his mouth to scream -HARD

CUT TO:

93 INT. POLICE STATION - NAKAGAWA’S OFFICE - DAWN 93

Nakagawa sits at the desk. Exhausted, dark circles under his

eyes, he’s staring down at -

THE FILE on his desk. As if he’s afraid to even open it.

But he does. He flips through the photos, pausing on that of

TOSHIO, but continuing on to THE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO of The

House from three years ago (the one Karen saw), with the

THREE DETECTIVES.

Nakagawa turns to a FRAMED PICTURE on his desk -- it’s

YOUNGER NAKAGAWA at a bar with THREE FAMILIAR DETECTIVES.

They’re off-duty, grinning at the camera. Buddies.

The two photographs share THE SAME THREE DETECTIVES.

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 59.

As Nakagawa looks at the crime scene photo, he realizes

something. He slowly stands, in shock, trembling.

The phone RINGS, startling him.

Nakagawa walks over, picks up the phone.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

Hello?

He listens.

His face goes blank. He slowly lowers the phone.

94 OMITTED 94

95 OMITTED 95

96 OMITTED 96

97 OMITTED 97

98 OMITTED 98

99 INT. MORGUE - DAY 99

The CORONER sits on a stool, staring at the floor. TWO

BODIES lie under bloody white sheets on two STEEL TABLES.

Between them is a small cart -- a bloody cloth on top.

Nakagawa and Igarashi enter. The Coroner stands, nervous.

He walks to one of the tables and pulls back the sheet.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

Have you determined a cause of

death?

CORONER (IN JAPANESE)

Not yet. The blood on his body --

isn’t his. It belongs to her.

He points to the other table. But doesn’t look at it.

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 60.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

I don’t understand. He killed

Yoko, before he died?

The Coroner shakes his head. Nakagawa looks to Igarashi,

then walks up to the second body, pulling back the sheet.

IT’S YOKO. Still missing her jawbone.

Nakagawa and Igarashi stare down at her in disbelief.

The Coroner walks to the small table, removing the cloth.

Yoko’s JAWBONE is underneath it.

CORONER (IN JAPANESE)

The jawbone you found in the attic

yesterday with the American couple

belongs to this girl. I estimate

it was -- removed -- from her body

two or three days ago.

IGARASHI (IN JAPANESE)

But I thought you said her body was

found with this man, tonight.

The Coroner nods. Eyes on his shoes.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

Then how did she get from the house

to the Health Center? *

The Coroner, lost in his imagination, answers quietly:

CORONER (IN JAPANESE)

I have no idea.

A beat. Nakagawa walks to the jawbone. Stares at it.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

She survived for two days without

this?

CORONER (IN JAPANESE)

It would seem so.

NAKAGAWA (IN JAPANESE)

How is that possible?

The Coroner looks up at him, his face pale.

CORONER (IN JAPANESE)

I don’t believe it is.

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 61.

100 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY 100

Doug sits on the bed, next to a DRESSING CURTAIN. Karen’s

silhouette is visible behind it, pulling on her clothes.

He watches the curtain for a beat, concerned. Then:

DOUG:

I got us a guidebook to Kyoto. I

thought maybe we’d leave tomorrow -

The curtain suddenly SLIDES BACK. Karen, dressed, stares at

him. She looks angry.

KAREN:

Why didn’t you tell me?

DOUG:

Tell you what?

KAREN:

About the bodies they found in the

attic.

DOUG:

You were recovering from a shock.

I didn’t want to -

Karen turns away, picking up her backpack and slinging it.

She walks past him, disappointed, and leaves the room.

DOUG:

Karen -- wait -

He quickly grabs his coat and bag.

100a INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - DAY 100a

Karen paces down the hall towards a RECEPTION AREA. Doug

catches up with her, turning her towards him.

DOUG:

Look, I’m sorry. I was just

worried about you, and -- I know

you, Karen.

Karen turns to him. A sober look on her face.

Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 61A.

KAREN:

The same thing happened three years

ago, Doug. To a Japanese family,

who lived in that house. They were

all found dead.

Doug studies her for a moment.

DOUG:

So you think the events are

connected?

KAREN:

How would you explain it?

She watches Doug as he thinks. Carefully.

DOUG:

Okay. How about this: the

American family knew about what had

happened there before, and this

knowledge subconsciously caused

them to repeat the same events.

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