The Shape of Water Page #10

Eats candy. Drops a glass of water- on purpose. Presses an

intercom

STRICKLAND:

Sally- could you send Mrs. Espositoup to clean a spill?

81A INT. STRICKLAND’S OFFICE - NIGHT 81A

Elisa cleans. Strickland eats candy.

STRICKLAND:

You know...? I can’t figure it out

myself- you’re not much to look at,

but- go figure- I keep thinking

about you.

(beat)

And I’ve seen you, looking at me.

You’ve been- looking at me?

He peruses his bag of candy. Offers her some.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

When you say you’re mute... Are youentirely silent? Or do you squawk alittle? Some mutes squawk. Not

pretty, but-

She gathers her implements and gets ready to leave. He

catches her. He touches the scars on her neck.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

You should know this: I don’t mind

the scars. Don’t mind that you

can’t speak, either.

Uses his fingernail to scrape a small piece of candy from his

gum.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

(beat)

When you come right down to it- Ilike it. A lot. Kind of gets me

going...

(beat)

Thought you should know thesethings.

She walks away.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

Hey!

(beat)

Bet I can make you squawk a little.

He walks away.

82-83 OMITTED 82-83

83A INT. LOCKER ROOM - SAME 83A

Elisa (bucket in hand) enters the locker room- crosses Zeldaon the way out.

ZELDA:

Hurry up, Honey- I want to be home

early.

Elisa looks at her watch: 4:50

She steels herself and marches out.

84 INT. MEN’S BATHROOM STALL - SAME 84

Hoffstetler opens the metal case with the syringe. Readies

it. Puts it back in and into his pocket.

Thinks.

85 OMITTED 85

86 INT. LOADING DOCK - SAME

Elisa uses the broom to push the camera slowly.

86

87 OMITTED 87

88 INT. COMMAND CENTER - NIGHT 88

Hoffstetler marches towards Strickland’s office.

89 INT. STRICKLAND’S OFFICE - SAME 89

HOFFSTETLER:

We need to delay the procedure.

Strickland is reading a book by Norman Vincent Peale.

STRICKLAND:

Knock first.

What?

HOFFSTETLER:

STRICKLAND:

Knock before entering my office.

HOFFSTETLER:

This is urgent-

STRICKLAND:

Go back out. Knock. Then I’ll let

you in and we’ll talk. That’s theprotocol. Follow the protocol.

In spite of himself, Hoffstetler obeys. Knocks.

Come in.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

Hoffstetler enters. He is about to talk when-

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

Will you get the door for me?

Hoffstetler closes the door.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

See? That is the way. Now- Now wecan talk.

HOFFSTETLER:

I need more time.

No.

STRICKLAND:

HOFFSTETLER:

We shouldn’t kill this creature...

STRICKLAND:

Look- Don't let the fact that youfeel like a loser now, that yourcompetitive tendencies have beenengaged—

HOFFSTETLER:

I'm not competitive! I don't wantan intricate, beautiful thingdestroyed.

STRICKLAND:

Don’t let that cloud your judgement-

HOFFSTETLER:

You're like a child with a

transistor radio, you think if you

smash it open you can look at theinside, see how it works. But youcan't. It's smashed. It doesn’t

work. You kill the music.

STRICKLAND:

Bob- I don't hear you. Music? That

thing dies. You learn. I leave. Outof here. Settle down. My family

settles down. Somewhere. Nicer.

Real. A real city.

HOFFSTETLER:

This creature- and I am certain of

this- Is intelligent. Capable oflanguage, of understanding-

emotions.

Long beat. Minuscule shrug and then:

STRICKLAND:

So are the Soviets, the Gooks- and

we still kill them, don’t we?

Bottom line is, this is not a

petting zoo- And I don't want to bein this shithole any longer than I

need. Do you?

Hoffstetler sees the camera MOVE on the loading docks.

Strickland remains unaware.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

Do you?

HOFFSTETLER:

No, Sir, I don’t.

63

STRICKLAND:

A-ha- So I made it so we both win.

You can thank me later.

SING, SING, SING by Benny Goodman starts

90 OMITTED 90

91 INT. LOADING DOCK - SAME 91

Hoffstetler sees the broom and the camera. He gets it. He

hurries

92-93 OMITTED 92-93

93A 93A

INT. LAUNDRY AREA - SAME

Elisa packs a laundry cart with wet towels.

93B INT. HERDING AREA - DAY 93B

End of shift. Throngs of WORKERS heading out. Everybody elseis punching in. Zelda looks around.

YOLANDA:

Hey- what are you waiting for?

ZELDA:

Have you seen Elisa?

Yolanda rolls her eyes. The elevator starts beeping. Zelda

signals her to “go.”

She looks at the “OUT” cards- Elisa’s still in.

She punches it and-

heads back into the complex.

93C OMITTED 93C

94 OMITTED 94

95 INT. LAB - SAME 95

Elisa- with the laundry cart- approaches the holding pool.

Quietly. The Amphibian Man is half in, half out.

When it sees her, it retreats. Scared.

She removes her shoes- enters the water.

The Amphibian Man raises its head above water, looking at

Elisa with huge, pained eyes. He hates mankind, but not her.

He approaches her.

Hoffstetler quietly enters the room.

HOFFSTETLER:

Did you move the camera? On the

loading dock?

Elisa turns and spots him: Caught! She freezes. He holds up a

hand-

HOFFSTETLER (CONT’D)

Is that where you are taking him?

Through the service tunnels?

(beat)

That’s very smart-

Stunned, she nods. He hands her the keys to the manacles andiron collar.

HOFFSTETLER (CONT’D)

Who do you work for?

(beat)

Please tell me you’re not doing

this alone.

Elisa shakes her head: “No.” He pulls out a set of skeletonkeys and drops them.

HOFFSTETLER (CONT’D)

Good. Listen to me- there are

certain things you need to know...

96 OMITTED 96

97 OMITTED 97

98 INT. LAB - SAME 98

Hoffstetler helps Elisa get the creature in the cart.

HOFFSTETLER:

Water must be kept at seventy-five

to eighty-five percent salinity.

Hands her a bottle of pills and a few scientific measuring

trinkets.

HOFFSTETLER (CONT'D)

His water must be kept at seventy-

five to eighty-five percent

salinity. Mix one of these in-

every three days- Raw protein diet

is a must.

(Beat)

In five minutes- I'll meet you atthe loading dock-

The lights will go out, so beprepared...

She opens aside door and enters

98A INT. NARROW CORRIDOR - SAME 98A

The narrow service corridor. She pushes the cart. Fast.

POV:
Her watch: 4:57 AM

98B INT. CORRIDOR “B” 98B

Hoffstetler exits the lab- cautiously. Then runs down the

length of the corridor.

99 INT. STRICKLAND’S OFFICE - SAME 99

Strickland turns to the monitors and sees Hoffstetler running

down the corridor. He frowns but gets distracted by-

FLEMING:

Sir, you need to sign this week’srelease forms...

Offers him a pen.

99A INT. UTILITY INCLINED HALLWAY - SAME 99A

Hoffstetler pulls out the “popper” and sets it for THREEMINUTES He attaches it magnetically to the MAIN FUSE BOX. He-

-STARTS IT. tic-tac-tic-tac

100 EXT./INT. RAMP SECURITY BOOTH, LOADING DOCKS - SAME 100

Giles pulls up in the van. The Guard (eating soup) steps out.

GUARD:

This is a restricted entrance, sir.

GILES:

Laundry pick-up.

GUARD:

Turn on the light-

Giles obeys, turns on the interior light in the van.

GUARD (CONT’D)

You don’t look like laundry.

GILES:

Thank You.

GUARD:

Have your pass?

Giles produces his forged ID.

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