The Shape of Water Page #5

expanding his gills!!

She recoils. Slowly she places it on the edge of the pool.

She offers the egg, signing “egg” toward it.

The creature grabs the egg with its webbed hand and swims

away with it.

She watches his swim.

IN THE CORRIDOR:

Zelda is in the corridor.

ZELDA:

Elisa.

Elisa signs.

ZELDA (CONT’D)

What am I doing here? What are you

doing here?

Elisa signs

ZELDA (CONT’D)

Okay. Cleaning. Hey honey, Mr. “Ipee with my hands on my hips” wantsto see us both. I don’t know why.

Lord it better be short, because it

is late and my feet are killing me.

34A OMITTED 34A

35 INT. STRICKLAND’S OFFICE - NIGHT 35

STRICKLAND’S sitting down in his office (his fingers coveredby clean bandages with a stain of blood and iodine)- he looks

pale and pissed. Behind him: a bank of security monitors.

STRICKLAND:

(reads a file)

Zelda D. Fuller. How long have you

two known each other, Zelda?

ZELDA:

About Ten years, Sir.

STRICKLAND:

No siblings, Zelda?

ZELDA:

No, Sir...

STRICKLAND:

That’s not common, is it? For your

people?

ZELDA:

Momma died after me- After I was

born.

STRICKLAND:

What does the “D” stand for?

Elisa and Zelda sit in front of him, like girls at the

principal’s office.

ZELDA:

My “D”? Delilah, Sir- on account ofthe bible.

STRICKLAND:

Dee-Li-lah. . .

ZELDA:

Beg your pardon?

Strickland takes a HARD GREEN CANDY from a plastic bag. Sucks

on it.

STRICKLAND:

Delilah- she betrays Samson- Lulls

him to sleep, cuts his hair-

Philistines torture him, humiliate

him- burn his eyes out. Turned him

into a thing

ZELDA:

Guess my momma didn’t read the goodbook close enough..

STRICKLAND:

And you

(reads Elisa’s file)

Elisa... Elisa Esposito. Doesn’tEsposito means “Orphan”?

She nods.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

(reads file)

Our Lady of Sorrows Orphanage inPutnam... Putnam?

ZELDA:

They found her- by the river- inthe water...

STRICKLAND:

That what they told you, uh?

Elisa nods.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

It was you that found my fingers?

She nods. Hands him back his ring. Puts it on the other hand.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

Three hours in surgery - Theyrebuilt the first phalanx- here-

sutured the tendons. Don’t know if

it’s going to take

(beat)

There was mustard on them.

(beat)

A paper bag. Best you could do?

ZELDA:

It’s all we had...

(beat)

I answer mostly, on account thatshe can’t talk.

Long pause.

STRICKLAND:

What do you mean she can’t talk?

ZELDA:

She can’t.

STRICKLAND:

She can’t? Is she deaf?

Elisa signs

ZELDA:

Mute, sir.

STRICKLAND’s ears prick up. He is suddenly interested-

animated.

STRICKLAND:

Mute.

(points at scars)

That what did it? Cut your voicebox?

Elisa signs. Zelda translates:

ZELDA:

She sez:
Since she was a baby...

STRICKLAND:

Who would do that to a baby? Thisworld is sinful. Wouldn't you say,

Dee-li-lah

(beat)

Well- lemme say this upfront.

He arranges the symmetry of his desk implements.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

You clean that lab. You get out.

Arranges the pens- turns towards Elisa.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

The thing we keep in there, is an

affront. Do you know what an

affront is, Zelda?

ZELDA:

Something offensive, Sir.

STRICKLAND:

That’s right- That’s right- And Ishould know.

(beat)

I’ve dragged that filthy thing- outof the river muck in South America

and all the way here

(beat)

And along the way we didn’t get to

like each other much.

He takes two- three pain pills...

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

You may think that thing looks

human- Stands on two legs, but-

we’re created in the Lord’s image.

And you don’t think that’s what theLord looks like, do you?

ZELDA:

I wouldn’t know, Sir. What the Lord

looks like.

STRICKLAND:

Well, human, Zelda. He looks like a

human. Just like me... Or even you.

A little more like me, I guess...

A RED PHONE rings. He picks up.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

General Hoyt. Thank you for callingme back.

Signals them to leave.

STRICKLAND (CONT'D)

I am, Sir- much better. Pain pills,

is all- Thank You. Two fingers, yes-

but still got my thumb, my trigger

and my p*ssy finger

(laughs)

Yes, Sir- That’s right- Looking

forward to your visit, Sir.

Decisions have to be made about the

asset, Sir.

From his window he watches as

-POV:
Elisa walks away.

36-37 OMITTED 36-37

38 EXT. STRICKLAND’S NEIGHBORHOOD -DAWN 38

Fleming is pulling in. He drives a bottle green, jet-finnedSedan. Strickland climbs out.

STRICKLAND:

Pick me up tonight. Nine thirty.

FLEMING:

Twenty one hundred and thirty hours-

yes, Sir.

Strickland gives him a look. Moves away.

The Milk Truck is going by. A UNIFORMED MILKMAN is leaving

cream and milk at his doorstep.

STRICKLAND:

I’ll take that.

Strickland picks it up.

INT. STRICKLAND’S HOME - EARLY MORNING 39

All around, however, half-open moving cardboard boxes. Noiseeverywhere. Breakfast chatter- the TV is on (A COOKING SHOW).

At the table:
Strickland- drinks milk straight from the

bottle, tense as f***- his wife ELAINE and their two kids,

TIMMY, 8 and TAMMY, 6.

She places, in front of him, a product-placement-picture-

perfect omelette.

STRICKLAND:

No pancakes?

TIMMY:

Dad? Guess what?

ELAINE:

I’ve gone through half the boxes.

Can’t find the griddle. But I made

you cheese and broccoli omelette,

Sweetie, your favorite.

Strickland clumsily-painfully- eats, grunts.

TIMMY:

Hey, Dad- Guess what? Guess what?

ELAINE:

Are you feeling any better? Does ithurt?

STRICKLAND:

Just a little. Pills help.

TIMMY:

Guess what? We are burying a timecapsule- at the new school.

(MORE)

TIMMY (CONT'D)

And I wanted to ask you- Do you

think we’ll all have jet packs, in

the future?

STRICKLAND:

That’s right, Son. The future isbright. You gotta trust in that.

This is America.

Grunt. Strickland wolfs down his food. Elaine leans in.

ELAINE:

Wash your hands real good sweetie.

And come upstairs...

40 LATER 40

Strickland throws the Omelette in the garbage. Takes a pillwith his milk. Grabs a cookie. He washes his hand at the

sink. Turns off the TV

Strickland climbs the steps.

41 INT. STRICKLAND’S BEDROOM - DAY 41

Elaine closes the curtains.

ELAINE:

I kinda like it here. The kids like

the lawn. Plus- DC is just half an

hour away, isn’t it?

He shows her his hands: clean. She smells one and kisses his

bandaged fingers. Pulls out a breast and allows the clean

hand to touch it.

STRICKLAND:

It’s still Baltimore, Elaine-

Strickland mounts ELAINE. Rhythmic. Mechanical. Like an

athlete training for a competitive sport. His face shows noemotion.

ELAINE:

Oh-

He sees her neck - touches it, traces lines

ELAINE (CONT’D)

Richard-

He covers her mouth. Keeps pumping. She tries to talk.

STRICKLAND:

Shh- Silence. Don’t talk. I want

you in silence.

ELAINE:

Honey- your hand’s bleeding- oh-

STRICKLAND:

Shh- Shh- in silence.

He interrupts her with a vigorous thrust. In and out like apiston pump. Presses his hand. She looks up at him, confused.

He pushes her face away from him. And pumps harder.

41A INT. LAB - DUSK 41A

Alone, the Amphibian Man tries to reassemble the broken

eggshells. Signs: “egg”

42 INT. ELISA’S APARTMENT - DUSK 42

Elisa takes 5 hardboiled eggs out of the pot of water.

Elisa readies a portable turntable. Grabs a record from a

collection of dozens.

43 OMITTED 43

44 OMITTED 44

45 INT. LAB - SAME 45

Elisa enters the lab. Starts cleaning a mess around the

operating table. Hoffstetler is changing in the B.G. Tosseshis lab coat into a tall and narrow laundry cart. Leaves,

along with the last lab assistant.

Elisa places the eggs by the edge of the pool.

Excitedly she takes some LP records (from a carrier) and a

portable player.

The creature emerges slowly from the water. Takes and egg and

starts peeling it.

Elisa shows him the record and signs: “record”

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