Zodiac Page #4

Graysmith begins writing, trying different permutations of

the letters:
Robert Hemphill, Van M. Blackman, Robert Emmet

the Hippie...

AVERY (CONT'D)

You're pretty good at those.

(noticing)

"Robert Emmet the Hippie"?

Graysmith tries more. Avery watches. After a bit:

AVERY (CONT'D)

How'd you know he wasn't gonna

give his name?

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 18.

32 CONTINUED:
(2) 32

GRAYSMITH:

(to himself)

Man is the most dangerous animal

of all... Man is the most

dangerous animal of all...

He continues writing and mumbling. This guy is strange.

Avery walks away, intrigued. Passing Peck, who whispers:

PECK:

Paul, editorial now.

33 INT. EDITORIAL CONFERENCE ROOM -- MORNING 33

The EDITORIAL STAFF huddled, going through something.

pushes through them. Bumping into Hyman.

Avery

HYMAN:

Another letter, more of the same -

details about the murders. He

taped a flashlight to the gun,

that's how he hit them in the dark-

THEIRIOT:

But he gave himself a name.

Avery looks down as we push in on the NEW LETTER:

DEAR EDITOR,

THIS IS THE ZODIAC SPEAKING...

CUT TO:

34 EXT. FOREST ROAD -- AFTERNOON 34

VROOM! A VOLKSWAGEN KARMANN GHIA ROARS past camera, speeding

down a winding road carved out of the forest above LAKE

BERRYESSA. Two college kids, BRYAN HARTNELL at the wheel,

CECELIA SHEPHARD next to him. Young. Pretty. Smitten.

September 27, 1969 - Napa County, California

35 EXT. LAKE BERRYESSA -- TWILIGHT 35

The sun, creeping down. The light's gone golden. Bryan andCecelia lie side by side, on a peninsula. Two trees shade

them. No one else in sight.

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 19.

35 CONTINUED:
35

BRYAN:

This used to be a town. The

county decided the land would work

better as a lake, so they flooded

it. There's an entire-

CECELIA:

-hidden city under the water. We

were here last spring, remember?

He smiles. She smiles back but then SEES SOMETHING.

CECELIA (CONT'D)

Somebody else is here.

Bryan stays in his position. Not looking.

BRYAN:

It's a public park.

CECELIA:

He's watching us.

BRYAN:

Well, we're very good looking.

Cecelia playfully swats him. Looking back to the brush.

CECELIA:

Where'd he go?

She scans the landscape.

CECELIA (CONT'D)

There. He went behind a tree.

BRYAN:

(still not looking)

So? He's taking a leak.

A beat.

CECELIA:

Oh, my God, he's got a gun!

Bryan turning to see - The TREE only TWENTY FEET AWAY. A

MAN IN BLACK has emerged from behind it. Wearing A HOOD like

an EXECUTIONER'S MASK. Slits for eyeholes and over them,

sunglasses. The hood's front with a CROSS STITCHED into it

which QUARTERS A CIRCLE. A SHEATHED KNIFE hangs from his

left side and a GUN IN HAND. Bryan and Cecelia, beginning to

stand... The Man walks over, aiming the weapon at them.

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 20.

35 CONTINUED:
(2) 35

THE MAN:

Don't move, I want your money and

your car keys. Don't move.

BRYAN:

Whatever you say. We'll

cooperate, okay? What do you want

us to do?

The Man motions for them to stand. They do. Bryan is"water side" standing parallel to the man. Cecelia is to

Bryan's right. The Man keeps his distance. Bryan pulls out

the his wallet and tosses it. Searching his pockets for the

keys, motor-mouthing:

BRYAN (CONT'D)

You're welcome to everything I

have, but is there something more

I could do? Could I give you a

check or something?

THE MAN:

No.

BRYAN:

I could give you my phone number,

and, you know-maybe I could give

you more help than you think you

need-

CECELIA:

(explaining)

He's a sociology major.

THE MAN:

Sorry, I can't remember where I

put the keys, they might be on the

blanket, can I-

The Man motions with the gun - Bryan leans down to search on

their blanket.

BRYAN:

Can I ask you a question? I read

in Reader's Digest that thieves

don't always have their guns

loaded-

THE MAN:

It's loaded.

CECELIA:

Bryan, do what he says.

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 21.

35 CONTINUED:
(3) 35

BRYAN:

I am, I am.

(finding them)

Here's the keys.

Bryan tosses them.

THE MAN:

I want her to tie you up.

BRYAN:

Okay.

He pulls some lengths of hollow core clothesline from behind

his back. Hands them to Cecelia who immediately goes behind

Bryan and begins tying his hands behind his back, loosely.

Bryan, to Cecelia as she works:

BRYAN (CONT'D)

(whispering)

I might be able to get the gun-

CECELIA:

Bryan!

The Man points the gun at his head.

THE MAN:

Don't get any ideas-

BRYAN:

I won't-

THE MAN:

I killed a guard escaping from

prison in Montana.

BRYAN:

I'm not doing anything, okay?

THE MAN:

I'm not afraid to kill again.

BRYAN:

(after a bit; as sheties)

What was the name of that prison?

The Man doesn't respond. They stand in silence as Cecelia

finishes. The Man immediately goes to her and begins binding

her hands behind her back (he may have holstered the gun to

do this).

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 22.

35 CONTINUED:
(4) 35

BRYAN (CONT'D)

You said it was in Montana, right?

THE MAN:

I'm taking your car and going to

Mexico.

The Man finishes with Cecelia and steps behind Bryan.

THE MAN (CONT'D)

She tied you loose, didn't she?

He CRANKS the ropes around Bryan's wrists tighter.

THE MAN (CONT'D)

Get on your stomach so I can tie

your feet.

BRYAN:

Come on, man. I didn't complainwhen you tied our hands-

THE MAN:

On your stomach-

BRYAN:

It gets cold at night, we could

freeze-

The Man steps points the gun at him at point blank range:

THE MAN:

Get down! Right now!

Bryan and Cecelia do. The Man binds Bryan's feet to his

hands in silence. Does the same to Cecelia. Hog-tying them.

Then steps back, surveying his handiwork.

BRYAN:

Now that it's all said and done -

was the gun really loaded?

The Man pops the clip. Removes a SHINY BULLET. ShowingBryan. Then puts it away. Moving behind him, out of his

line of vision. Bryan, lying there, trying to figure out how

he's going to get himself untied once the Man leaves when-

The Man pulls the KNIFE from the scabbard and STABS BRYAN IN

THE BACK. It happens so quick, it takes a moment for Cecelia

to realize what's happening. And then she begins to SCREAM.

The Man pulls the knife out of Bryan. RAISES IT AGAIN...

And Dear God, we're actually going to have to watch this...

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 23.

35 CONTINUED:
(5) 35

Blood flowing. On Cecelia. Screaming. Crimson flecks on

her face. Bryan's face, in a daze. Jarred forcibly every

time the Man stabs down. He does it six times, then lurches

off him. He turns and STABS CECELIA. She tries to roll. He

just keeps stabbing. Her side. Her front.

Bryan's eyes. Finding Cecelia. Seeing what's happening to

her. And then looking away...

CUT TO:

36 EXT. LAKE BERRYESSA -- EVENING 36

Later. The screaming is done. The sun, almost down.

Cecelia has rolled to her side. Her bound wrists now up by

Bryan's mouth and he's trying to CHEW THEM FREE. He spits

out some rope. Pulling at the knot with his teeth between

sobs... Her hand comes free. She moves... and SCREAMS. We

can't hear it, because OVER THIS WE HEAR - More coins in a

pay phone. Dialing. Ringing...

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