The Sandman (Vertigo) Page #4

potential.

DAVID:

I'm not? Who are you?

CORINTHIAN:

I'm your friend. You can call me the

Corinthian. I want to show you something.

He gestures to the TV. The dog continues to BARK.

ON SCREEN:
what looks like the opening credits of a mid-

seventies cop show: studio backlot heroics and car chases. It

lingers on a POV shot: approaching a parked red Torino. Two

figures inside, one blond, one brunette -- both women. Their

hair is almost ridiculously long and straight.

David leans forward at the sight of the women. His fists

clench. The Corinthian smiles.

CORINTHIAN:

I've shown other people things like this,

David. All through history. But none as

special as you.

ON SCREEN:
the POV shot continues. A .44 appears in frame,

and FIRES. The windshield shatters, and the brunette's head

snaps back -- a bloodless, TV killing. The blond looks up and

smiles.

13.

The gun FIRES again.

David's eyes fill with tears of joy. The rhythmic BARKING

continues.

CORINTHIAN:

You see, David? If you can dream it --

you can be it.

David saddens.

DAVID:

That's all this is? This isn't really

happening? This is a dream?

CORINTHIAN:

Sadly, yes. That's the only way I've

ever talked to special people. But ...

(David brightens)

Something has happened, David. And now

you can help me. You can free me. As I

can free you.

DAVID:

How?

The Corinthian smiles, spreads his hands.

CORINTHIAN:

Wake up, David. Just wake up.

CLOSE ON:
David, sleeping fitfully. His eyes flutter open. He

looks at the TV. The bicentennial footage continues. NORMAL

SOUND has returned.

DAVID:

Just a dream ...

A hand drops on his shoulder. The Corinthian's hand.

CORINTHIAN:

Not any more.

He places something on the bed in front of David -- a .44

REVOLVER. David picks it up reverently. Heavy and real.

CORINTHIAN:

Good-bye, David. Thank you.

He rises, heads for the door.

DAVID:

Wait! Will I ever see you again? Will you

... talk with me some more?

14.

The Corinthian pauses.

CORINTHIAN:

I'll always be here, David. I'll always

talk to you. Just listen.

Once again, the SOUND fades away, isolating the BARKING DOG.

David listens, nods. The Corinthian nods back, then opens the

door and leaves. The door shuts quietly -- and NORMAL SOUND

returns.

David lifts the revolver. Spins the cylinder. POINTS it at

the CAMERA --

CUT TO:

INT. BURGESS MANOR - CELLAR - CIRCA 1980S - NIGHT

Burgess leans heavily on a cane. He is now a withered,

fragile old man. He stares at Sandman, who stares back.

Suddenly, Burgess is wracked by a violent coughing attack. He

gets himself under control.

BURGESS:

It's your fault! Damn you!

(resigned)

You aren't Death, but you live forever.

You haven't aged a day since I caught

you. You could have given me power beyond

my wildest dreams.

(chokes back tears)

I ... I didn't have to get so old. I

shouldn't have had to get old.

He has another violent coughing attack. Slips to one knee.

DEATH:

That's it, let it out.

Another person is in the cellar. She looks about nineteen.

Long black hair, pale skin. A kinda groovy, perky neo-punk

girl-next-door, dressed in black jeans and camisole. An ahnk,

the Egyptian symbol for life, hangs from her neck. She looks

genuinely concerned for Burgess.

And we recognize her face: it was the face of the angel of

death on the grave marker.

BURGESS:

Who are you?

She gestures. He looks down. Sees --

His own body. Lying on the ground near his feet. Dead.

15.

BURGESS:

Are you ... you aren't Death ... are you?

DEATH smiles, half-shrugs. She knows she's not what he

expected.

DEATH:

Hi.

BURGESS:

I tried to catch you once. Got him

instead.

DEATH:

I know.

BURGESS:

Am I ... are you going to punish me? Am I

bound for hell?

DEATH:

I'm just here to take you from this world

to the next ... Destinations are up to

you.

BURGESS:

Oh ... I am. I'm going to hell. I'm

Roderick Burgess. I'm the most wicked man

alive.

DEATH:

(a bright smile)

Not anymore.

She takes Burgess' hand. Looks up at Sandman.

DEATH:

(genuine sadness)

I'm sorry, little brother ... there's

nothing I can do. I ... I miss you.

She and Burgess fade into the shadows. We hear a SOFT

FLUTTERING SOUND, like WINGS.

She's gone. Just Burgess' body on the floor ... And Sandman,

watching. The water still DRIPS; the pool in the corner of

the room is quite deep now.

EXT. THE WORLD - VARIOUS

Images leading to the present day. A student stands defiantly

in front of a tank. An evangelist breaks down in tears. A

white Bronco moves slowly down the freeway. Demonstrators

join hands in a field of brightly colored quilts.

16.

INT. BURGESS MANOR - CELLAR - PRESENT - NIGHT

In the corner, a DROP of water slips from a pipe, courses

down the wall to the floor. Flows along the carved channel in

the stone, into the pool --

The pool OVERFLOWS. A line of water trickles its way across

the floor, across the faded chalk runes of the circle. It

wipes the line of chalk away --

The circle is broken.

With a cry of pain, Sandman falls forward, collapses outside

the circle.

He rolls over. Weak. In pain. His lips part. His voice is

filled with dark mystery, a voice that can inspire dreams and

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes