Watchmen Page #19

RORSCHACH:

None of you understand. I'm not locked up

in here with you.

Rorschach is placidly dragged off INTO DARKNESS

RORSCHACH (CONT'D)

You're locked up in here with me.

INT. DAN'S OWL-CHAMBER -.EVENING

CLOSE ON:
THE NITE-OWL UNIFORM, staring its blank, empty

stare. Laurie stares back, alone down here, fascinated with

the costume, the gadgets, the whole place. She wanders to the

OWL-SHIP, whose tarp has been pulled back. She runs her

finger through the DUST caked on the windshield.

INT. OWL-SHIP - EVENING

Inside the ship, Laurie pulls open a HATCH filled with

ALTERNATE COSTUMES; designed for underwater work, cold

conditions, heavy armor. She puts a cigarette in her mouth.

LAURIE:

All these gadgets and there isn't even a

dash lighter

She hits a BUTTON--the lights inside go DIM. Creepy. She hits

the button again to turn the lights back on but nothing

HAPPENS:

INT. DAN'S KITCHEN - EVENING

Dan returns home with some TAKE OUT FOOD . . when he hears

Laurie SCREAM downstairs.

(CONTINUED)

72.

CONTINUED:

DAN:

Laurie?!

Dan BOLTS for the basement door, thoughts of the mask-killer

on his mind.

INT. DAN'S OWL-CHAMBER - EVENING

Dan descends the stairs and sees FIRE.

DAN:

LAURIE!

Dan grabs a FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

DAN (CONT'D)

Where are you?!

Dan SPRAYS the fire. Laurie stumbles from the smoke, out of

the Owl-Ship. Dan's got the fire under control now.

LAURIE:

I'm so sorry--I hit the wrong button. I

was looking for the lighter in.there.

DAN:

I don't smoke. Are you hurt?

LAURIE:

I'm fine, but your ship--

DAN:

Ah, that's mostly just soot. Archie's

pretty resilient.

LAURIE:

Archie?

DAN:

(EMBARRASSED)

Short for Archimedes--Merlin's owl. I'm

just glad you're okay. I heard you scream

and well, you know, after the Comedian--

LAURIE:

Still with the mask-killer theory?

Rorschach is insane.

DAN:

Maybe, but the Comedian murdered; Jon

exiled; Someone tries to shoot Adrian;

Rorschach gets arrested. It makes me

uneasy.

(CONTINUED)

73.

CONTINUED:

Dan goes to a BANK OF SWITCHES on the wall. Flicking them,

the Owl-Chamber LIGHTS UP. Hidden FANS dissipate the smoke.

LAURIE:

How did you ever afford all this?

DAN:

My Dad was in corporate banking. He left

me quite a bit. Which always surprised

me.

LAURIE:

How did he die?

DAN:

Mugging. He was shot.

As Dan cleans up, Laurie watches him, like she's seeing him

for the first time.

LAURIE:

You really do worry about me, don't you?

DAN:

Huh? Well, yeah, of course I worry about

you, I mean, we're, y'know, friends--

Laurie takes off his glasses . and KISSES him. It's what

Dan's been wanting all this time . but he pulls away.

DAN (CONT'D)

Sorry, I

LAURIE:

What's wrong?

But Dan is already walking up the stairs, pathetic. Laurie's

left there, alone. The Owl-Costume looming in the background.

INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT

Rorschach sits in his cell, staring impassively at the wall.

BIG FIGURE (O.S.)

It's been a long time, Rorschach.

Rorschach turns to see TWO THUGS standing side by side, one

muscle bound, the other very fat, staring at him through the

bars. PAN DOWN:
To reveal a MIDGET between them--the

supervillain known as the BIG FIGURE--his silver hair combed

neatly back, a big CIGAR perched in his tiny mouth.

(CONTINUED)

74.

CONTINUED:

RORSCHACH:

Big Figure. Small world.

BIG FIGURE:

(chuckles through smoke)

I like that. But you know, it is a small

world in here. I've been in it for--how

long now, Billy?

DUMB THUG:

Twenty years, Mr. Figure.

BIG FIGURE:

That's right. Twenty years since you and

that owl fella put me away. Rorschach--

that guy you burned is dying. Could go

any minute now. And when he does, this

place is gonna explode. Then you die by

inches.

RORSCHACH:

Tall order.

FAT THUG:

(SLAMS into the bars)

I'm gonna tear this guy a new hole!

BIG FIGURE:

Relax, Lloyd. Soon.

Chuckling, Big Figure walks off down the long, shadowed

corridor. Rorschach continues staring, straight ahead.

INT. DAN'S NIGHTMARE - NIGHT

CLOSE ON:
Dan, naked, on his knees in the center of an

INFINITE FIELD OF BLACKNESS. No corners, no exits. In the

DISTANCE, he sees a FEMALE FORM. Desperate, he runs to her.

It's Laurie, waiting for him IN COSTUME. They kiss. She tears

at him passionately. His SKIN suddenly TEARS AWAY like

wrapping paper. Beneath the false skin, Dan wears his NITE-

OWL COSTUME. Confident, he touches her face. She smiles with

palpable heat. They kiss.

In the background, a NUCLEAR BLAST ERUPTS. Still kissing, the

BLAST BLOWS THEM INTO TWO EMBRACING SKELETONS.

INT. DAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Dan wakes with a jolt, sweat beaded on his forehead

75.

INT. DAN'S OWL-CHAMBER - NIGHT

The DOOR opens. Laurie stands in the SHAFT OF LIGHT.

LAURIE:

Dan? Is everything okay? I heard you

coming down the stairs

Descending the stairs, she finds Dan before his costume,

naked. He fiddles with an OWL-WING THROWING WEAPON.

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