The Leopard Man Page #11

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Looking desperately anxious, Consuelo turns. She looks across

the cemetery and then starts running back up the main avenue.

EXT. CROSSROAD OF CEMETERY - NIGHT

At the head of the avenue, several paths fan out in a half

circle. Consuelo stands looking from one to another. She

chooses the center oath and runs into the tree�thickened

darkness

EXT. PATH BETWEEN BOX HEDGES -- NIGHT

Consuelo runs at breakneck pace down a path. On either side

are box hedges taller than she is.

EXT FORKED PATH - NIGHT

The path Consuelo is on splits into two paths. In the V of

the fork is a single grave and over it hovers a tall shaft of

marble carved in the likeness of a brooding angel with folded

wings and bowed head. Consuelo locks about frantically and

then leans against the base of the statue, gasping for

breath. Suddenly a wind springs up and the silence is broken

into a thousand rustles and murmurs as the wind stirs through

the trees. Consuelo shivers and slowly lifts her head to look

up toward the tree tops. She looks directly up into the face

of the statue.

CLOSEUP of the angel's face is curiously sinister because

there is light touching its contours.

Consuelo whirls about to find the source of light. Through

the wind-stirred branches she sees the great, lop�sided moons

just rising into the night.

She stumbles away from the statue and down the right�hand

path, walking a few steps, then running a few steps, trying

to force herself to rush on.

Consuelo stands looking down into the old burial ground, a

depression filled with weed-grown graves and ancient wooden

headstones, either crazily askew or down entirely. It is

entirely surrounded by the tall trees of the cemetery �� and

the moonlight seems to fill the place with mist. Consuelo

starts down the slope.

EXT. OLD BURIAL GROUND IN CEMETERY - NIGHT

There are no paths here. The weeds grow solidly across the

ground � except where a grave, here and there, has fallen In

and its earth is broken into clods. Consuelo stumbles about

aimlessly. As she crosses one of the mounds, her foot strikes

a fallen wooden marker. It is rotten and the green light of

phosphorescene flashes across it,

EXT. PATH LEADING TO WALL IN CEMETERY - NIGHT

Moving again between tall trees, Consuelo moves on, no longer

able to run. But when she sees a whiteness between the trees

ahead of her, she does spur herself forward more rapidly.

EXT. WALL OF CEMETERY - NIGHT

Consuelo flings herself against the wall, her face alight

with hope.

CONSUELO:

(calling loudly)

Help! Help! Help!

There is silence. Slowly, keeping her hands pressed against

the wall and moving sideways, Consuelo goes alongside the

wall until she comes to a tree growing very close to the

wall. In fact, one massive bough extends out over the wall

and Consuelo looks up at it hopefully. Then her expression

changes � becomes tense.

CLOSE SHOT of Consuelo. Her eyes are wide and frightened.

From the other side of the wall comes a sound � a light,

scratching sound, exactly the same sound as that heard by

Teresa Delgado in her first trip through the underpass

tunnel. Listening intensely, Consuelo turns her head until

her ear is pressed against the wall. Now, we hear the sound

more distinctly � as she is hearing it � but it is still a

light, feathery sound. Then, suddenly, it ceases. And as

Consuelo strains to hear it again, there is the sharp, hollow

clap of a car door carelessly flung shut just outside the

wall. It is followed by the grind of a car starter. Consuelo

jumps up.

CONSUELO:

Wait �� wait!

The car motor starts. Pressing herself against the wall,

Consuelo screams again and again. Finally, as the unseen car

starts to slip away, the roar of its motor subsides and at

that moment Consuelo's scream sounds clearly. Brakes rasp.

AUTOIST'S VOICE

Hello -� who's that?

Consuelo is breathing in such convulsive gasps that she

cannot emit any sound for a moment.

CONSUELO:

(weakly)

Here! I'm in here behind the wall!

There is the sound of a car door being opened, and then

footsteps beyond the wall.

CONSUELO:

I've been locked in. Please get me

out -�

AUTOIST'S VOICE

Now, don't get panicky. I'll climb

over and get you --

Pressed tightly against the wall, Consuelo listens. She hears

running footsteps and then the thud of someone jumping up at

the wall, trying to get over it with a running start. Once,

twice.

AUTOIST'S VOICE

I can't make it. You wait there and

I'll get someone to lend me a

ladder - -

There is the sound of the car door banging shut again.

CONSUELO:

(frantically)

No, don't leave me! Don't go away �

AUTOIST'S VOICE

But you're all right now. It's just

a matter of a few minutes!

CONSUELO:

You won't forget �� you'll come

back?

AUTOIST'S VOICE

Stay just where you are...

The roar of the motor fills the scene again. Then it is quiet

AUTOIST'S VOICE

Be back before you know it.

There is the sound of the car drawing away. The sound of it

lessens, fades � is swallowed in renewed silence. Consuelo

stands against the wall, motionless. She turns fearfully, so

that her back is to the wall, and peers into the shadows.

Suddenly she stiffens.

CLOSE SHOT of Consuelo. Her eyes widen. She turns her head so

that her ear is close to the wall. And again we hear the

curious scratching sound, and with it, another sound �-- a

soft, living, breathing sound, as of animal nostrils

snuffling along the wall, searching the scent of prey. There

is a brief silence, and then Consuelo's head snaps up as we

hear a soft padding sound near the top of the wall. She sees

only the moon, just visible in the space between the tree

bough and the top of the wall. There is nothing to be seen ��

but a rustling sound comes from the top of the wall.

Consuelo's eyes are motionless, fixed on the bough overhead.

Very gradually, the great bough lowers, blotting the moon

from view. Consuelo presses her back against the wall, as if

she would push herself into it, escape through it. Her head,

thrown back, is motionless � her eyes watching the ominous

movement of the great bough, are motionless. And as she

stares, a spasm of terror contorts her face. The bough

suddenly springs back and the moon can be seen for one

instant. During that instant we hear simultaneously a low,

horrible snarl and a scream. Both are cut off as the whole

scene blacks out.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. CEMETERY WALL - DAY

A HIGH ANGLE SHOT through the branches of a great tree

overhanging the wall shows a scene of sad activity.

Consuelo's body, covered with a light canvas sheet, lies the

at the foot of the tree. Five ladders, three against the

outside wall, two against the inside wall, form a curious

pattern of bars and stripes in the clean morning sunlight.

Uniformed policemen and plain�clothesmen bustle about. One of

them is making a moulage of footprints, his little working

space roped off with twine and stakes Others are examining

the tree.

Two policemen, one uniformed, stand at the side and between

them stands a young man dazed and broken, almost hanging in

the grip of the officers. He is sobbing. This is Raoul

Belmonte. Suddenly he screams out hysterically.

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