The Sixth Sense Page #8

CUT TO:

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

STANLEY CUNNINGHAM is a teacher in his late forties. He writes a

question on the board.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Can anyone guess what city was the

capital of the United States of

America from 1790 to 1800?

Mr. Cunningham turns and stares at his class of eight and nine

year old private school students. They stare back at him blankly.

Cole rests his chin on his desk and watches the class with big

eyes.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

...I'll give you a hint, it's the

city you live in.

The class says the answer in unison.

CLASS:

Philadelphia.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Right... Philadelphia is one of

the oldest cities in the country.

A lot of generations have lived and

died in this city... Almost every

place you visit has a history and a

story behind it.

(beat)

Even this school and the grounds

they sit on... Can anyone guess

what this building was used for a

hundred years ago, before you went

here, before I went to this school

even?

Stanley Cunningham looks over the class of blank faces. He's

just about to answer his own question when he sees a hand go up.

Mr. Cunningham looks surprised to see who it is.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Yes, Cole?

COLE:

They used to hang people here.

Mr. Cunningham furrows his brow. Beat.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

That's not correct. Where'd you

hear that?

COLE:

They'd pull the people in crying

and kissing their families bye...

People watching would spit at them.

Beat.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Cole, this was a legal courthouse.

Laws were passed here. Some of the

first laws of this country. This

building was full of lawyers.

Lawmakers.

COLE:

They were the ones who hanged

everybody.

Mr. Cunningham chuckles. Cole's face turns cement grey.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

I don't know which one of these

guys told you that, but they were

just trying to scare you, I think.

Tommy Tammisimo leads the class in a wave of snickering.

Cole glances up. Sees all the eyes on him. He glances at the

teacher who is still staring.

COLE:

I don't like people looking at me

like that.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Like what?

COLE:

Stop it!

Mr. Cunningham sees the traumatized expression on Cole's face and

instantly stops smiling.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

I don't know how else to look--

COLE:

You're a stuttering Stanley!

Mr. Cunningham's face becomes still. So does the classroom.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Excuse me?

COLE:

You talked funny when you went to

school here. You talked funny all

the way to high school!

The class falls into stunned silence. Mr. Cunningham takes an

involuntary step towards Cole's desk.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

What--

COLE:

You shouldn't laugh at people. It

makes them feel bad.

Mr. Cunningham moves closer to Cole.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

How did you--?

COLE:

Stop looking at me.

Cole covers his eyes with his hands.

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Who have you been s-speaking to?

We see Cole's mouth under his covered eyes.

COLE:

Stuttering Stanley! Stuttering

Stanley!

MR. CUNNINGHAM

Who!

Mr. Cunningham is standing right over Cole's desk now.

COLE:

Stuttering Stanley!

MR. CUNNINGHAM

S-ssstop that!

COLE:

Stuttering Stanley! Stuttering

Stanley!

MR. CUNNINGHAM

S-ssssstop it!

COLE:

Stuttering--

MR. CUNNINGHAM

--Shhhhhhut upppp you fffffffreak!

MR. CUNNINGHAM SLAMS HIS HAND ON COLE'S DESK. Cole's hands drop

from his eyes. The teacher's face is burning red.

The children in the room are frozen. Completely startled.

Cole's eyes are filled with tears.

Mr. Cunningham's expression drains of anger as Cole Sear begins

to cry.

CUT TO:

INT. ANTHONY'S LIBRARY - SAME AFTERNOON

Cole is seated in the school library by himself. He sits at a

long center table near the windows. His head is laying on his

folded arms on the table.

Malcolm peeks his head in the door -- unsure if he's in the right

place. He spots Cole and enters the room. He silently takes a

seat across from Cole. The eight-year-old looks up. Cole's eyes

are hard -- filled with anger.

MALCOLM:

Hey, big guy.

Cole stares for a second.

COLE:

I don't want to talk about anything.

Cole lowers his head. Malcolm just sits and thinks.

THE SOUND OF BOYS PLAYING SPORTS ON THE FIELD OUTSIDE FILTER IN

THROUGH THE LIBRARY WINDOWS.

Cole turns his head and stares at the windows. Malcolm takes in

the sad vision of this boy. It affects him. Beat.

MALCOLM:

Do you like magic?

Cole's face softens a bit. He turns from the windows and looks

to Malcolm. Beat. Cole nods, "Yes."

Malcolm pulls out a penny from his pocket. He places it in his

right hand.

MALCOLM:

Watch the penny closely.

Malcolm closes his hand around the penny.

MALCOLM:

I do the magic shake...

Malcolm shakes his hand in circles. Cole watches his hand

carefully.

MALCOLM:

And suddenly the penny has

magically traveled to my left hand...

Cole looks to Malcolm's closed left hand. Malcolm doesn't open

it.

MALCOLM:

But that's not the end of the trick.

With another magic shake, the penny

travels into my shirt pocket...

Cole's eyes lock on Malcolm's shirt. Malcolm taps the pocket but

doesn't open it.

MALCOLM:

But that's still not the end!... I

do a final magic shake... and

suddenly... The penny returns to

the hand where it started from.

Malcolm opens his right hand. The penny sits quietly in the

center of his palm.

Cole looks at the penny and then up to Malcolm's face. Beat.

Cole cracks a smile.

COLE:

That isn't magic.

MALCOLM:

What?

COLE:

You just kept the penny in that

hand the whole time...

MALCOLM:

Who me?

Malcolm smiles a mischievous smile. He places the penny on the

table. Cole stares at it and then looks to Malcolm.

COLE:

I didn't know you were funny.

MALCOLM:

I forgot myself.

Malcolm and Cole share a warm look.

THE SOUNDS OF KIDS LAUGHING AND PLAYING OUT ON THE FIELD COME

POURING INTO THE ROOM AGAIN.

Cole's expression changes back to sadness as he looks to the

windows. Malcolm leans across the table and whispers.

MALCOLM:

Cole...

Cole looks at Malcolm.

MALCOLM:

One day...

(beat)

You're going to sound just like

them.

Beat. Cole's chin starts to tremble. His voice cracks.

COLE:

(whispers)

Promise?

Beat.

MALCOLM:

(whispers)

Promise.

Malcolm and Cole sit in silence and listen to THE SOUND OF

CHILDREN PLAYING.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - EVENING

Malcolm sorts through the many bills on the mail table.

WOMAN (o.s.)

Malcolm, sit your cute butt down

and listen up.

(beat)

Are you listening?

Malcolm turns AT THE SOUND OF THE WOMAN, and moves into the empty

living room where the T.V. is on. A blanket lays crumpled on the

sofa.

THE WOMAN'S VOICE IS COMING FROM A VIDEO PLAYING ON THE VCR.

IT'S A WEDDING VIDEO. A LARGE WOMAN IN A BRIDESMAID DRESS STANDS

HOLDING THE MICROPHONE. IN THE BACKGROUND, WE CAN SEE THE DANCE

FLOOR.

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