Thirteen Ghosts Page #5

23.

20 CONTINUED:
20

PULL IN TIGHT ON a short newspaper article, featuring aphoto of Cyrus:

"NOTED ADVENTURER DIES AT 57"

In the article, underlined in red pen, are the words,

"survived by one Arthur Kriticos..."

CUT TO:

21 EXT. BEN'S MERCEDES -NIGHT 21

Ben drives, he checks his rearview mirror for Arthur and

family, to see if they're keeping up.

22 INT. ARTHUR'S CAR -FOLLOWING 22

Arthur drives with Kathy beside him. Bobby and Maggieare in the back seat, playing hangman. His microphone's

lying on the seat beside him.

MAGGIE:

C'mon... you're taking too long.

BOBBY:

S... U... F... suffocate!

it! I win!

I got

KATHY:

Come on, you guys, we're almostthere.

Arthur can tell his daughter's anxious.

Excited?

ARTHUR:

KATHY:

Yeah, Mom would've freaked over

this.

ARTHUR:

(chuckles sadly)

You're right...

Kathy looks out the window.

between them...

An awkward beat passes

ARTHUR:

So you looking forward to goingback to school?

(CONTINUED)

24.

22 CONTINUED:
22

Dad.

KATHY:

I've been thinking...

What?

ARTHUR:

KATHY:

Maybe I shouldn't, you know, goback. I could skip a year, bewith you guys -ARTHUR

Kathy. C'mon, you can't do that...

remember how proud Mom was whenthat acceptance letter showed upin the mail.

KATHY:

I know, I just don't know whatyou guys are gonna do without me.

Kathy's face flushes with emotion.

ARTHUR:

Baby. Bobby and I will manage.

Besides, things look like theyjust got a little better.

KATHY:

Yeah, but that's not the point.

It's just that... every smile youhave is -Honey

-ARTHUR

KATHY:

It's... not real, Dad.

Arthur's affected by her words.

KATHY:

I loved her too. But sooner or

later you've got to stop blamingyourself.

22A EXT. CAR 22A

Arthur pulls up behind Ben's car in the f.g.

THIRTEEN GHOSTS -Rev. 10/27/00 25.

22B INT. CAR 22B

Bobby looks through the front window, between Kathy andhis dad.

BOBBY:

Cool!

Everyone reacts...

KATHY:

Dad, it's beautiful.

ARTHUR:

Oh my God.

EXT. HOUSE

An enormous and majestic house made of glass nestledamongst pine trees. Stark against the evening sky, thehouse is awe-inspiring.

Even for an English teacher, Arthur has a hard timefinding the words.

There's also a Power & Light truck parked in front.

23 EXT. HOUSE -FRONT PORCH -NIGHT 23

The group approaches the front door. It looks unusual,

yes, but it's also an undeniable architectural marvel.

BEN:

That's strange.

A young man appears, waiting in the solitary light of theporch, a clipboard in his hand and a tool belt slung overhis shoulder. He's dressed in a Power & Light uniform,

and ON CLOSER INSPECTION we see that it's Rafkin, in

disguise. He approaches the family.

RAFKIN:

'Bout time someone got here. You

the owners?

BEN:

Who're you?

RAFKIN:

The power guy. I don't know if

you're aware of it, but this place

keeps knocking out the power in the

tri-quad area. So if you don't

mind, I need to check the breakers

inside.

(CONTINUED)

26.

23 CONTINUED:
23

BEN:

Couldn't you come back tomorrow?

RAFKIN:

Well, I could --I mean, I could

--but, man, they frown uponthat sort of thing, my bosses.

BEN:

That's not our problem -

RAFKIN:

Look, I've only been doing this jobfor, like, three weeks. If youcould find it in your hearts -

ARTHUR:

Sure.

Ben turns to Arthur. After all, it is Arthur's house

now.

RAFKIN:

Thanks...

ARTHUR:

Arthur, Arthur Kriticos.

Rafkin hides his reaction.

RAFKIN:

Quite a place you got here.

KATHY:

Yeah... we're movin' in.

ARTHUR:

One step at a time...

24 EXT. HOUSE -ENTRYWAY -MOMENTS LATER 24

Outside the main structure is an entryway, with an innerand outer door, almost like an airlock. Arthur producesthe odd key and slips it into the keyhole. The lockingmechanism, visible within the glass, beckons.

Arthur turns the key. As it turns, we hear the MECHANISM

CLICK and WHIR. Then, oddly, the key is sucked into thekeyhole, and vanishes.

Everyone looks at the now-empty keyhole, then at eachother, then back at the keyhole.

(CONTINUED)

27.

24 CONTINUED:
24

ARTHUR:

Huh.

KATHY:

That's... odd.

ARTHUR:

Must've, um, slipped into the

mechanism. We'll have to get that

looked at.

RAFKIN:

That didn't look like it slipped

to me. I got a cousin who could

fix that -

BOBBY:

Dad, you broke it!

ARTHUR:

Bobby, go to a station break,

will ya?

BOBBY:

Huh?

ARTHUR:

Give it a rest.

Bobby reluctantly clicks off the recorder.

25 INT. CLOCKWORK ROOM -CONTINUOUS ACTION 25

In the basement of the house, in a dark space we see atiny pendulum within a delicate, antique set of gearscome to life. AS we PULL AWAY, runes of odd descriptioncome INTO VIEW, etched on ivory plates, the platesattached to levers and meters standing poised, waiting...

The lights in the room suddenly flicker on.

We PULL AWAY FROM the odd bits of machinery, seeing itfor what it is: a control panel of some kind. Our

RETREATING CAMERA then becomes engulfed by what looks tobe a huge set of gears, made of brass and steel, standingby. We PULL OUT the other side of the gears, viewing themachinery's massive size, the gears works nearly fifteenfeet high, dominating a room filled with pulleys andsteel cable.

THIRTEEN GHOSTS -Rev. 10/27/00 28.

26 EXT. HOUSE -CONTINUOUS ACTION 26

Lights flicker on from within the house, allowing us tosee inside. The most striking thing about it is that thehouse is entirely transparent. Even the interior walls

are made of glass, putting the furniture, fixtures andall the expensive-looking antique decorations on starkdisplay. Everyone stares at the alarming edifice,

fascinated.

BOBBY:

How. Weird.

ARTHUR:

Apparently Cyrus wasn't too keen

on privacy.

KATHY:

I hope the bathroom's in the

basement.

Arthur pushes the door open, and they enter...

27 INT. MAIN FLOOR -CONTINUOUS ACTION 27

The group comes into the entryway. Like an airlock, the

outer door closes before the inner one will open.

MAGGIE:

I did mention I don't do windows,

didn't I?

The walls of the entryway are lined with rare ancientdocuments in exquisite cases, archeological treasures,

recognizably priceless antiques. The group looks

around, amazed.

With fascination, Arthur studies the text on the walls.

ARTHUR:

(under his breath)

Latin...

KATHY:

Dad, this stuff must be worth

a fortune.

ARTHUR:

Yeah. That occurred to me.

With a huge smile Bobby reaches for an ancient samuraisword on display. Arthur catches him in mid act.

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