The Sixth Sense Page #12

BACKSTAGE, Mr. Cunningham cues the rest of the children.

THE AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AS THE FULL CAST OF THE ACTORS COME OUT.

Some are villagers, others are dressed as trees and animals.

Cole comes on stage holding a painted cardboard monkey.

MALCOLM APPLAUDS FROM THE BACK OF THE AUDITORIUM.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR - AFTERNOON

The arched halls of the private school are lined with posted

drawings and test papers.

Cole and Malcolm walk down an empty hall.

COLE:

Did you think the play sucked big

time?

MALCOLM:

What?

COLE:

Tommy Tammisimo acted in a cough

syrup commercial. He thought

everybody was self-conscious and

unrealistic. He said the play

sucked big time.

MALCOLM:

I know every child is special in

their own way, but Tommy sounds

like a punk.

(Cole smiles)

I thought the play was excellent.

Better than Cats.

COLE:

Cats?

MALCOLM:

Never mind.

Beat. They continue down the hall in silence. Malcolm takes his

time.

MALCOLM:

Cole, I was really interested in

what you told me in the hospital,

I'd like to hear more about it.

Malcolm stops at a set of doors at the end of the hall --

realizes Cole is no longer next to him. Malcolm turns to find

Cole frozen about ten feet back.

Malcolm walks to him. He notices Cole's expression as he gets

closer.

MALCOLM:

What's wrong?

Cole points to the doors.

MALCOLM:

Is something in there?

Cole doesn't say anything. Beat.

CUT TO:

INT. GYMNASIUM - AFTERNOON

It's a large shadowy GYM. Climbing ropes hang from the wood

beamed ceiling.

Cole is trembling slightly as he stands next to Malcolm.

MALCOLM:

What is it?

Malcolm follows the child's gaze to the ceiling of the gym.

MALCOLM:

I don't see.

Beat.

COLE:

Be real still.

Malcolm looks to Cole and then turns back to the ceiling.

Malcolm's body becomes very still. Beat.

COLE:

Sometimes you feel it inside.

Like you're falling down real fast,

but you're really just standing

still.

Malcolm looks at the wood beams and climbing ropes.

COLE:

You ever feel prickly things on the

back of your neck?

Beat.

MALCOLM:

Yes?

COLE:

And the tiny hairs on your arm.

Are they all standing up?

Malcolm glances at Cole. Surprise on his face.

MALCOLM:

-- Yes.

Beat.

COLE:

(whispers)

When they get mad, it gets cold.

MALCOLM:

Them?

Malcolm looks at the empty stairwell and then back to Cole.

Nothing is said for a few moments.

MALCOLM:

I don't see anything.

(beat)

Are you sure they're there?

(beat)

Cole?

Malcolm turns back to Cole, he finds the child with tears in his

eyes. Cole looks at Malcolm desperately.

COLE:

Please make them leave.

Malcolm stares helplessly.

MALCOLM:

(whispers)

I'm working on it.

Malcolm gently leads Cole away from the stairs.

COLE GLANCES BACK AS HE MOVES OUT OF THE STAIRWELL.

COLE'S P.O.V. -- The ropes and school banners dangling at the top

of the stairs sways a little... But so do THE THREE BODIES

HANGING BY THEIR NECKS FROM A WOODEN BEAM.

It's a truly horrific sight. A BLACK MAN in britches and no

shirt, face beaten to a pulp, hangs in the center. A WHITE WOMAN

in a torn white frilly dress -- tears soaking her face, hangs to

the right. A small MIXED RACE CHILD in half pants, hangs to

their left. The family stares at Cole. They follow Cole with

their tortured eyes as he exits the stairwell.

CUT TO:

EXT. HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA - NIGHT

Malcolm walks from the bus stop over the cobblestone streets in

front of Head House Square. The streets are quiet and dark.

Night time has fallen over the city.

He slowly comes to a stop in front of an old building. He holds

his arm up. Uses his other hand to gently touch his hairs on his

arm's surface.

Malcolm looks up slowly. Looks around. The dark shadows fill

the corners of the historic building...

Malcolm stares into the darkness... Beat.

MALCOLM:

(whispers)

...Is anyone there?

A long moment as he waits. The shadows seem to move, then

becomes still.

Malcolm shakes off the moment. He returns his hands to his

pockets as he moves through the dark streets of Philadelphia to

his home.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - NIGHT

The doorway to Malcolm and Anna's bedroom is open. STRAINED

VOICES SPILL OUT INTO THE HALLWAY.

MALCOLM (o.s.)

Look, he's an eight-year-old child.

He's my only client. If he invites

me to his play, I'm not thinking

about how late I get back... I go.

I have to go. You know that.

That's the only way I know how to

work.

(beat)

Vincent said I failed him.

(raising his voice)

I WON'T GIVE COLE A CHANCE TO SAY

THOSE WORDS TO ME! I WON'T!

Beat. THE PORTABLE PHONE RINGS OUT IN THE HALL.

MALCOLM (o.s.)

Please let it ring.

WE HEAR MOVEMENT. Anna emerges from the bedroom. Eyes raw. She

wipes her tears.

She picks up the phone and moves down the stairs.

Malcolm walks out into the hall. Stops at the top of the stairs.

ANNA'S VOICE CAN BE HEARD SPEAKING ON THE PHONE from downstairs.

ANNA:

I can't talk now.

Malcolm doesn't hear anything as Anna listens to the person on

the phone. She smiles as she wipes her tears. He starts for the

basement door again.

ANNA:

(whispers)

I thought about you too.

Malcolm turns. He stands frozen at the top of the stairs.

Anna's HUSHED WORDS RISING IN THE AIR LIKE A GUN BLAST.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Lynn adjusts the thermostat as she tries to keep herself warm.

LYNN:

I don't care what they say, this

thing is definitely broken.

Lynn fiddles with the dials. Cole is standing before the beat-up

twelve inch kitchen T.V.

ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN is Tommy Tammisimo. He stands in his

pajamas in a doorway. He coughs.

TOMMY:

(on T.V.)

Mommy, my throat hurts.

Cole watches as Tommy's T.V. mother and father give him a

spoonful of medicine.

NARRATOR:

(on T.V.)

Pediaease Cough Suppressant...

gentle, fast, effective.

Cole watches Tommy running around in his T.V. background, the

very next T.V. morning. He's not sick anymore. Tommy waves to

the camera smiling and healthy. The T.V. goes BLACK as Cole

throws his shoe at the power button.

He moves to the dinner table where Lynn is seated. Cole sits.

His hands go on the table. He's wearing a pair of his father's

extra large LEATHER GLOVES. Cole's small hands don't even fill

the palm area. Cole has difficulty trying to pick up his milk

glass with the gloves.

LYNN:

Take 'em off.

Cole removes the gloves from his hand and places them next to his

plate.

LYNN:

I don't want them on my table.

Cole moves them to the floor.

Lynn is irritated, this is a sore point between them.

Lynn and Cole eat quietly. Beat.

LYNN:

I saw what was in your bureau

drawer when I was cleaning.

Cole looks up. An anxious expression on his face. Beat.

LYNN:

You got something you want to

confess?

Cole just stares.

LYNN:

The bumble bee pendant. Why do you

keep taking it?

Cole looks down at his lap.

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