The Sixth Sense Page #5

MALCOLM:

How do you draw now?

COLE:

I draw people with smiles, dogs

running, and rainbows.

(beat)

They don't have meetings about

rainbows.

MALCOLM:

(soft)

I guess they don't.

Malcolm looks down at Cole's feet. They're almost at the

doorway. One more step and he's there. Cole is very still. He

doesn't move at all.

COLE:

(whispers)

What am I thinking now?

Malcolm takes his time before speaking. He just stares. No

fingers to the temple. No games. He just stares. Beat.

MALCOLM:

You're thinking...

(beat)

I don't know what you're thinking,

Cole.

Cole quietly takes a step back into the doorway of the other room.

COLE:

(whispers)

I was thinking... you're nice.

(beat)

But you can't help me.

Cole's tiny figure steps away. Malcolm stares helplessly at the

empty doorway where his client used to stand.

THE DEN IS SUFFOCATED WITH SILENCE.

CUT TO:

INT. RESTAURANT - EVENING

Malcolm hurriedly enters a spacious, dimly-lit Italian

restaurant. He stops in the dining room and searches the many

candle-lit tables. He finds Anna.

Anna sits alone at a corner table. The remains of her half-eaten

dinner lay on the only place setting on the table. A small PIECE

OF CAKE WITH A CANDLE in it sits untouched.

Anna stirs sugar in her coffee as Malcolm sits in the seat across

from her. She gently stops stirring, but doesn't look up. Beat.

MALCOLM:

I thought you meant the other

Italian restaurant I asked you to

marry me in.

Anna isn't laughing. Not even close.

MALCOLM:

I'm so sorry.

(beat)

I can't seem to keep track of time.

Anna quietly takes a sip from her coffee.

MALCOLM:

It didn't go well today. Spent

some time after trying to get my

head together.

Anna looks around for the waiter.

MALCOLM:

They're so similar, Anna. They

have the same mannerisms. The same

expressions. The same thing

hanging over them.

(beat)

It might be some kind of abuse.

That makes Anna turn back. She glances across the table, then

looks down.

MALCOLM:

There are cuts on Cole's arms.

Fingernail marks, I think. Looks

like defensive cuts.

Malcolm demonstrates by holding up his arm to shield his face.

MALCOLM:

(beat)

Possibly a teacher, neighbor.

(beat)

I don't think it's the mother.

Just a gut thing. The way she

deals with him. It doesn't fit.

(beat)

Hard to say this early. Could

just be a child climbing a lot of

trees.

Malcolm loses himself in his thoughts. The waiter drops off the

check on the table. Anna grabs it before Malcolm and quickly

signs it.

MALCOLM:

I know I've been kind of out of it

for a long while and you resent it.

You do. I know you're mad. I know

it's put some distance between us.

Beat.

MALCOLM:

But I'm getting a second chance

here. I can't let it slip away.

Anna waits till he's done and rises from the table. She pushes

her chair in hard and walks away without a word. Malcolm sits

alone and stares at the piece of cake with a candle on it.

MALCOLM:

(soft)

...Happy Anniversary.

CUT TO:

EXT. FRONT STEPS - AFTERNOON

Cole is seated on the front stoop of his brownstone. On the

steps and on the landing are his plastic soldiers in the grips of

a war.

Malcolm sits with his bag and overcoat on the step next to him.

Malcolm just observes quietly. Beat.

Cole glances up as he plays. Sees Malcolm's expression.

COLE:

You want to ask me a question?

MALCOLM:

See, this is why I lose at poker.

Yes, I do have a question.

On the step are two rows of soldiers facing each other. To one

side are a couple soldiers covered by a tissue. Malcolm points

to them.

MALCOLM:

What happened to those two? Being

under tissue paper can't be a good

thing.

Cole removes the tissue.

COLE:

That's Private Jenkins and Private

Kinney. They got killed. Private

Jenkins has a baby girl that was

born seven pounds, six ounces.

He's never seen her. He wanted to

get back to Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

and hold her...

Cole points to the other soldier.

COLE:

Private Kinney's wife is really

sick -- she has something called a

brain anism.

MALCOLM:

(soft)

You mean aneurysm.

COLE:

Yeah, Private Kinney needed to get

back safe to take care of her.

Beat. Cole's face becomes emotional. Tears fill his eyes.

COLE:

It's sad they died, isn't it?

Malcolm falls into silence and stares at his client. Beat. Cole

wipes his eyes quickly.

COLE:

Don't look at me.

(beat)

I don't like people looking at me

like that.

Malcolm takes in Cole's gesture and expression.

COLE:

Stop looking at me.

Malcolm looks down.

MALCOLM:

Where should I look then, Cole?

COLE:

Look over there.

Cole points to the corner of the street. Malcolm slowly turns.

He sits in profile to Cole. Beat.

MALCOLM:

It's very unusual for someone your

age to understand the kind of

problems that Private Jenkins and

Private Kinney have or even to be

thinking about them at all...

Malcolm continues to stare at the street. Beat.

MALCOLM:

It is okay if I look back now?

Cole doesn't answer.

MALCOLM:

Tap the foot once for "No" and

twice for "Yes."

Cole taps his foot once.

Malcolm sits patiently. Beat. They don't say anything for a

while.

MALCOLM:

You wouldn't want to take a walk,

would you?

Cole looks up from his soldiers. Malcolm stares at the far side

of the street.

Cole taps his foot twice.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON

The two of them walk down a row of brownstones across from a park

where children Cole's age are playing.

COLE:

I walk this way to school with

Tommy Tammisimo.

MALCOLM:

He your best buddy?

Cole almost smiles.

COLE:

He hates me.

MALCOLM:

You hate him?

Cole shakes his head, "No.!

Malcolm thinks for a bit.

MALCOLM:

Your mom set that up?

Cole nods "Yes."

MALCOLM:

You ever tell her about how it is

with Tommy?

COLE:

I don't tell her a thing.

MALCOLM:

Why?

COLE:

Cause she doesn't look at me like

everybody and I don't want her to.

I don't want her to know.

MALCOLM:

Know what?

COLE:

That I'm a freak.

Malcolm stops walking. The words hit him hard. He stares at

Cole.

MALCOLM:

Listen to me. You are not a freak.

Don't you believe anybody that

tells you that. It's bullshit and

you don't have to grow up believing

that.

Beat. Cole is surprised.

COLE:

You said the "s" word.

MALCOLM:

Yeah. Sorry.

Malcolm's face is filled with emotion. Cole is suddenly hit by

Malcolm's passion. Beat. Cole nods slowly as he looks at

Malcolm with different eyes.

They start walking again in silence. They turn a corner and move

down another street. Cole spots an old man with a cane standing

at the gate of a brownstone.

COLE:

Is it okay if I do something? I

have to do something.

Malcolm nods "yes" as they continue walking. Cole slows as they

approach the old man. As we get closer, we make out the man can

barely see.

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