The Haunting Page #7

---

Theo, back to Mrs. Dudley, rolls her eyes at Nell.

MRS. DUDLEY (cont'd)

I leave, before dark. So there

won't be anyone around if you need

help.

NELL:

We couldn't even hear you.

Mrs. Dudley looks up at Nell who mimics her scary smile.

MRS. DUDLEY

No one could. No one lives any

nearer than town.

NELL:

No one will come any nearer than

that.

Mrs. Dudley smiles at Nell, but it's softer than before.

MRS. DUDLEY

In the night. In the dark.

Theo leans on the bed, musing at the exchange. And then Mrs. Dudley

backs out of the room, shuts the door.

NELL (cont'd)

My room is right next door. I

think we share a bathroom.

Theo has an interesting eye on Nell, she's studying her.

THEO:

Don't worry, I probably won't be

in here much. Light sleeper.

NELL:

That's why we're here.

THEO:

What do you do?

NELL:

I'm between jobs right now. My

last job... it... the person I was

working for... the job ended.

Over. So... And you?

THEO:

That depends.

Theo pops a dress bag on the bed, unzips it. Theo takes off her

coat, and is only wearing a black bra underneath. Nell reacts,

turns away. Back to the camera, Theo flicks off her bra, stretches.

THEO (cont'd)

I'm supposed to be an artist, but

I've been really distracted from

work by love. Do you know what I

mean?

NELL:

Not really.

THEO:

Don't tell me Boston is different

from New York.

NELL:

(she knows this

from magazines)

Ohh, sure, you have trouble with

commitment.

THEO:

My boyfriend thinks so, my

girlfriend doesn't. If we could

all live together... but... they

hate each other. It's hard to be

Miss Perversity when you're the

only one at the party. D'you know

what I mean?

NELL:

No.

THEO:

(delighted)

A blank canvas! I could paint

your portrait, directly on you.

Or maybe not. So, you? Husbands?

Boyfriends? Girlfriends? Where

do you live?

NELL:

I don't have anyone.

(beat, lying)

But I do have a little apartment

of my own. It has a little flower

garden. You can just see the

ocean. At night, when the wind

comes in just right, you can hear

the buoys in the harbor.

Nell peeks, sees Theo is decent, turns around.

THEO:

That sounds really nice. You're

lucky. But you know that.

Theo comes over, straightens Nell's seams; this is an intimate,

forward gesture.

THEO (cont'd)

(with meaning)

Come on, we've seen enough of the

bedroom for now.

INT. 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY - DUSK

The long hall is lost in shadow, its long rows of doors waiting in

the deadening silence. A lamp on a pier table casts a small pool of

light. The walls glow in rich tones, the low-relief carvings a

worm's-wood of shadow.

Nell runs her hand over a wall panel as Theo peeks into a

neighboring room.

NELL:

So much carving. It's everywhere.

On everything.

Theo starts down the hall. Nell follows.

INT. RED PARLOR - DUSK

Nell and Theo enter a room just off the landing, a lavish parlor

with the omnipresent panelled walls, lush red carpet, velvet

curtains sweeping floor to ceiling, heavy pieces of furniture. Nell

watches Theo explore. As Theo moves through the room, Nell's eye

lands on another painting of Hugh Crain. Inside it's ornate golden

framework, distinctive little cherubs are embedded. Cherubs of

Death... She runs her fingers over it.

THEO:

Maybe you shouldn't touch --

Theo twirls out of the room, Nell, anxious, behind her.

INT. MEZZANINE - DUSK

As they come out of Crain's study Theo stops at the top of the

stairs, Nell behind her.

THEO:

Jeez.

NELL:

I know.

They stare out at Hugh Crain, the cracking and shadowing of the

swirls of oil that compose his face. The figure is daunting, but

dead. Just a painting. Four different hallways lead into the

mezzanine, all dark and endless in the stray light.

NELL (cont'd)

Maybe we should wait for them

here.

Theo walks out, swings around.

THEO:

Which one? Pick any.

Nell looks from one to another. She doesn't want to. But she

forces a smile and points to one on the left. They both disappear

into the dark gothic hallway.

INT. SMALL PARLOR (CONFUSING ROOMS) - DUSK

Theo breezes into a small parlor with heavy green velvet curtains,

panelled walls, rich settees. Other doors lead off the room. Nell

follows.

THEO:

This is a serious question, but do

you think the Dudleys ever make

love in this room? They're alone

in the house, no one watching. No

one... no one watching. You can

do what you want.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes