The Sweet Hereafter Page #6

NICOLE smiles at MASON. JESSICA is already asleep.

CUT TO:

INT. BIDE-A-WILE MOTEL -- EVENING

Room 11 at the Bide-A-Wile. RISA is naked, sitting cross-

legged on the bed. BILLY has just gotten into the shower.

RISA stares at BILLY through the semi-transparent curtain.

RISA stands up and walks to the window. She looks across

the parking lot.

ANGLE ON:

RISA'S P.O.V. of the rain-glistened concrete.

CUT TO:

INT. BILLY'S HOUSE. -- NIGHT

NICOLE is in BILLY'S bedroom. She has some womens' clothing

laid out on the bed, and is staring at the selection of

blouses and summer dresses. The camera slowly glides to a

picture that BILLY has beside his bed.

ANGLE ON:

The photograph. It shows BILLY and his deceased wife,

LYDIA.

Back to NICOLE, selecting various items of LYDIA'S clothing,

and placing them over her body, seeing how she looks in the

mirror.

CUT TO:

EXT. BIDE-A-WILE MOTEL -- DAY

RISA'S DAYDREAM. A montage of various events, watched from

the window in Room 11. RISA is seen talking to BILLY on her

cordless phone (Scene 34), as well as going through various

activities. Finally, RISA is seen putting her son, SEAN,

into the schoolbus. As the bus pulls away, RISA waves

goodbye. RISA turns around and walks to the camera. She

stops in front of the lens and stares into it, her

expression calm and serene.

CUT TO:

INT. BIDE-A-WILE MOTEL -- EVENING

Present time. Night. RISA is sitting on the bed, naked,

her legs crossed. She looks to the side, lost in thought.

BILLY is behind her, putting on his clothes.

BILLY:

What are you thinking?

RISA:

Tomorrow I'm going to put Sean on

the bus. He won't want to go. He

never does. He'll cry and want to

hold on to me.

BILLY:

That's because he misses you.

RISA:

Yes.

BILLY:

It's natural.

RISA:

Your kids never cry.

BILLY:

Well, maybe that's because they know

I'm going to follow them. Behind

the bus.

RISA:

They can look forward to that.

BILLY:

Sure.

RISA:

Just like we look forward to this.

BILLY looks at RISA and smiles at her with affection. He

moves to the door.

RISA (CONT'D)

You're leaving.

BILLY:

I better get back.

RISA nods.

RISA:

Good night, Billy.

BILLY:

Good night.

BILLY leaves. RISA, still naked, moves to the washroom.

She stares into the tub, noticing that the white enamel that

WENDELL has applied has been washed away from BILLY'S

shower.

RISA picks up a tube of the enamel, and begins to re-apply

it.

CUT TO:

INT. BILLY'S HOUSE. -- EVENING

NICOLE shows BILLY the clothes she has chosen. BILLY stares

at the selection.

NICOLE:

Are you sure?

BILLY:

Yeah.

NICOLE:

It just seems...kind of weird.

BILLY:

Why?

NICOLE:

I don't know.

BILLY:

Nicole, I'm just going to pack all

this stuff and give it to the church

for charity. Don't feel bad.

Unless you feel strange about

wearing it.

NICOLE:

No. I mean, I remember Mrs. Ansel

wearing some of this stuff, but...I

don't feel funny about that. I

really liked her.

BILLY:

And she really liked you. She

would've given you all this if she'd

outgrown it, or...

BILLY trails off, suddenly consumed with sadness.

NICOLE:

What do you mean 'outgrown it'?

BILLY:

I'm not sure.

NICOLE:

Oh.

(beat)

Right.

NICOLE turns to leave, taking the clothes with her.

NICOLE (CONT'D)

Goodnight, Mr. Ansel.

BILLY:

Goodnight, Nicole.

NICOLE leaves the house and walks towards the car where her

father is waiting.

CUT TO:

INT. SAM'S CAR. -- DUSK

NICOLE gets into the car beside her father.

SAM:

What took so long?

NICOLE:

Nothing.

SAM stares at the bundle of clothes on NICOLE's lap.

SAM:

What's that?

NICOLE:

Mrs. Ansel's clothing.

SAM:

Does it fit?

NICOLE nods, staring ahead, as SAM starts the car and drives

away.

CUT TO:

EXT. BURNELL HOME -- NIGHT

SAM drives up the driveway to the Burnell home. He opens

the door, and takes a blanket from the back. NICOLE gets

out as well. The two walk towards the barn.

NICOLE:

(voice over)

Once more he stept into the street,

And to his lips again

Laid his long pipe of smooth

straight cane;

And ere he blew three notes

such sweet soft notes as yet

musician's cunning

Never gave the enraptured air -

There was a rustling, seemed like a

bustling

Of merry crowds justling at pitching

and hustling,

Small feet were pattering, wooden

shoes clattering,

Little hands clapping and little

tongues chattering,

And, like fowls in a farm-yard when

the barley is scattering,

Out came the children running.

All the little boys and girls,

With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls,

And sparkling eyes and teeth like

pearls.

Tripping and skipping, ran merrily

after

The wonderful music with shouting

and laughter...

Inside the barn, SAM and NICOLE are engaged in a sexual

embrace. The camera glides past them as NICOLE's voice

continues to read from the poem.

NICOLE (CONT'D)

(voice over)

When, lo, as they reached the

mountain-side,

A wondrous portal opened wide,

As if a cavern was suddenly

hollowed;

And the Piper advanced and the

children followed,

And when all were in to the very

last,

The door in the mountain-side shut

fast...

CUT TO:

INT. BUS -- DAY

CLOSE-UP of NICOLE in the bus as it makes it's way to

school. She seems to be listening to her own voice as it

reads from the poem.

NICOLE:

(voice over)

Did I say, all? No! One was lame,

And could not dance the whole of

the way;

And in after years, if you would

blame

His sadness, he was used to say,-

'It's dull in the town since my

playmates left!

I can't forget that I'm bereft

Of all the pleasant sights they see,

Which the Piper also promised me.

For me led us, he said, to a joyous

land,

Joining the town and just at hand,

Where waters gushed and fruit-trees

grew,

And flowers put forth a fairer hue,

And everything was strange and

new...

On this last line, NICOLE's lips begin to move, as she

repeats the line out loud to herself.

NICOLE (CONT'D)

Everything was strange and new.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROAD. -- MORNING

A HELICOPTER shot of the schoolbus making its way through

the winter terrain. DOLORES' voice is heard over this

sweeping panoramic shot.

DOLORES:

(voice over)

By the time I reached the bottom of

Bartlett Hill Road, I had half my

load, over twenty kids, aboard.

CUT TO:

EXT. WINTER ROAD -- MORNING

The bus comes to a stop where a couple of children in bright

snow suits are waiting by the side of the road. DOLORES

opens the door and the kids climb in.

OMITTED:

DOLORES:

(voice over)

They had walked to their places on

the main road from the smaller lanes

DOLORES:

and private roadways that run off

it. Bright little clusters of three

and four children - like berries

waiting to be plucked.

CUT TO:

INT. DOLORES'S HOUSE -- DAY

DOLORES is continuing her conversation with MITCHELL.

DOLORES:

(smiling to herself)

That's the way I thought of them

sometimes.

MITCHELL:

Berries.

DOLORES:

Yes. Like I was putting them into

my big basket. Clearing the

hillside of its children.

Pause. MITCHELL stares at DOLORES, disturbed by this image.

DOLORES looks back at him.

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