Storm of the Century (31 page)

(takes the bag)

What is it? Let Mommy s-

(near hysterics)

Don’t open it! Don’t open it, it might be a bomb, it could explode!

Be quiet, Joanie!

Too late. A couple of the kids--HEIDI and SALLY, perhaps--start to sniffle. All the adults take a step backward. We are seeing the leading edge of an ugly, building hysteria here. But given all that’s happened, who can blame these people for being a bit hysterical?

CAT

Don’t, Molly--don’t.

MOLLY looks at the bag. Its bottom hangs down in a teardrop shape, weighted by whatever is inside it. Perhaps she touches its lowest-hanging curve.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

It’s all right, Mom--don’t be scared.

You know what this is, Ralphie? You’ve looked?

Sure! We even had a game, me and Mr. Linoge. He says those are special, the most special in the world. And he said I should share them, because they’re not just for me; they’re for everyone. Everyone on the island!

MOLLY takes the bag. As she starts to open the drawstring top, the man with the black shirt and turned-around collar under his sport coat steps forward and puts a hand on her shoulder. This is BOB

RIGGINS, the minister.

REV. BOB RIGGINS

I don’t think I’d open that, Mrs. Anderson. Given the dreams we all had last night, and the possible nature of this . . . this man . . .

No, I suppose you wouldn’t, Reverend Riggins. But since he’s had his filthy hands on my son twice . . .

She opens the bag and looks in. The others watch breathlessly. MOLLY sees a child’s cap nearby and dumps the contents of the drawstring bag into it.

(coming closer to peek)

Hey, neat!

Not surprising he thinks so; it’s a present any little kid would like. THE CAMERA MOVES IN for a
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

closer look. In the hat are almost a dozen stones as smooth and round as marbles. All of them are white except for one. The odd one is BLACK shot through with TWISTS OF RED, and should remind us of LINOGE’S eyes.

MOLLY looks up and meets MELINDA HATCHER’S eyes. Neither of them know what RALPHIE’S

“present” means, but MELINDA pulls PIPPA closer to her, needing to be comforted by her daughter’s presence.

14 EXTERIOR: THE INTERSECTION OF MAIN AND ATLANTIC--AFTERNOON.

Slowly, fighting for every foot it makes through the storm, comes the Sno-Cat, bound back to the town hall from the market.

15 INTERIOR: THE SNO-CAT--AFTERNOON.

The four men--MIKE, SONNY, HENRY, and KIRK--are wedged tightly into the cab. The groceries are in the cargo compartment behind them. The men are grim-faced, shaken by what they have seen. They ride in silence, jouncing through the drifts for a while. Then, at last:

Just ole Mrs. K. None of the others. Where do you suppose they are? George and Angie and Bill Timmons?

(no one answers)

How did he get her down there?

(no one answers)

Where’s the dummy? Anybody see that in the store?

(no answer)

How’d he get her down there in this?

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

Let it go, Sonny.

For a moment or two, SONNY does. Then he turns to MIKE.

Why is this happening? You’re lay reader for Reverend Riggins down at the Methodist church, always got a quote from the Good Book handy--you must have some idea why this is happening.

MIKE thinks about it, guiding the Sno-Cat through the desolate white driftscape that used to be Main Street.

You know the story about Job? In the Bible?

(SONNY and the others nod)

Well, here’s the part that never got written down. After the contest for Job’s soul is over and God wins, Job gets down on his knees and says, “Why did you do this to me, God? All my life I worshipped you, but You destroyed my livestock, blighted my crops, killed my wife and my children, and gave me a hundred horrible diseases ... all because You had a bet going with the devil? Well, okay . . . but what I want to know, Lord--all your humble servant wants to know is--Why me? So he waits, and just when he’s about made up his mind God isn’t going to answer, a thunderhead forms in the sky, and lightning flashes, and this voice calls down: “Job! I guess there’s just something about you that pisses me off.”

SONNY, HENRY, and KIRK look at MIKE, not knowing what to think. SONNY actually looks dumbfounded.

Does that help you?

(no answer from the others)

Me, either.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

SOUND, FAINT: RHYTHMIC BLASTS OF THE HORN.

Still lookin’ for ‘em.

(thinking of Mrs. K.)

Good luck.

16 EXTERIOR: MAIN STREET, WITH THE SNO-CAT--AFTERNOON.

Slow but steady wins the race. They haven’t reached the town hall yet, but it’s starting to appear that they will make it.

SOUND: THE HORN.

17 EXTERIOR: BESIDE THE TOWN HALL, WITH THE ISLAND SERVICES

VEHICLE--AFTERNOON.

FERD is now in the passenger seat, while HATCH hits the horn in those LONG BLASTS. JACK

CARVER is lurching in frantic circles around the truck, tumbling into drifts, picking himself up, peering into the HOWLING BLIZZARD.

Angle! Angle, over here!

He has screamed himself hoarse, but he can’t give up. At last he stumbles back to the open driver’s side window of the vehicle, doubled over and gasping for breath. His face is red and running with sweat that
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

has already frozen to a cruel glaze from the corners of his lips all the way down to his chin.

Get in, Jack--warm up.

No! She’s out here someplace. Keep hitting that horn!

18 INTERIOR: ANGLE ON FERD, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT.

He sits up, eyes widening, as the conversation continues to his left. He can’t believe what he’s seeing.

You better sit down before you fall down.

(snarling)

My wife’s out there and she’s alive--I can feel it. So you just keep working that horn!

Jack, I really don’t think-FERD raises a hand that trembles with excitement. His face is incredulous.

Hatch . . . Jack! Look!

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

19 EXTERIOR: THE SNOWFIELD, FROM THE ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE’S POINT OF

VIEW.

It’s a SCREAMING WHITEOUT ... but a FIGURE is LURCHING AND STUMBLING around in the flying murk. It could be the figure of a WOMAN.

20 EXTERIOR: RESUME ISLAND SERVICES VEHICLE, WITH JACK, HATCH, AND

FERD.

Dear God. Oh, my dear God, is that one of ‘em?

I can’t tell.

(transported with hope)

He begins to STUMBLE toward the looming, indistinct figure. He falls, rolls in the snow, and lunges to his feet again. Behind him, HATCH gets out of the truck. In the background, FERD is doing the same on his side.

Jack! Wait! That might not be-But it’s useless. JACK is already melting into the snow himself, closing in on that WAVERING, STUMBLING FIGURE. HATCH starts after him. So does FERD.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

21 EXTERIOR: JACK CARVER--AFTERNOON.

He somehow keeps moving forward, CRYING HIS WIFE’S NAME over and over. HATCH can’t keep up, and FERD is running a dead last. But now we can see that figure is a woman. As JACK closes in, the WOMAN falls herself, going facedown in the snow.

Angie! Honey!

The WOMAN works to get to her feet, moving with the mechanical determination of a clockwork figure. And as she finally makes it, we see that it really is ANGIE CARVER ... but what a change!

BUSTER’S pretty mom is a thing of the past. This lurching, blank-faced creature looks seventy instead of twenty-eight, and the hair flying out behind her has GONE GRAY. Her eyes stare straight ahead through the snow, taking no notice of her husband. Her snow-coated face is PALE AND LINED.

(embraces her)

Angie! Honey! Oh, Angie, we been looking for you! Buster’s so worried, honey!

He covers her face with kisses as he talks, constantly giving her little strokes and pats and touches, the way a parent will do with a child who has just had a close call. At first, JACK is so relieved that he doesn’t realize she isn’t responding. Then it starts to get through to him.

Angie? Honey?

He draws back, really seeing her for the first time--seeing the glazed blankness in her eyes and seeing the gray hair that used to be black. He reacts with HORROR AND AMAZEMENT.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

HATCH comes stumbling up, badly winded. FERD is bringing up the rear. And now we hear the RUMBLE of the Sno-Cat, returning from its marketing expedition.

Angie, what happened to you? What’s wrong?

He looks at HATCH, but there’s no help there. HATCH is also stunned by the change in her; so’s FERD. JACK turns back to his wife and takes her by the shoulders.

What happened, Ange? What did he do to you? Where did he take you? Where are the others, do you know?

A large YELLOW EYE looms out of the snow--the headlamp of the Sno-Cat. ANGIE sees it, and as MIKE pulls up, it seems to break her loose from the deep daze she’s been in. Her gaze moves to her husband and begins to fill with frantic FEAR.

We have to give him what he wants.

What, honey? I couldn’t hear you.

(he heard just fine)

Linoge?

The doors of the Sno-Cat open. MIKE and the others get out and begin floundering toward HATCH, FERD, and the CARVERS. ANGIE takes no notice. She stares only at JACK, and when she speaks,
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

she does so with RISING HYSTERIA.

Linoge, yes, him. We have to give him what he wants, he sent me back to tell you. That’s the only reason he didn’t let me fall--so I’d tell you. We have to give him what he wants! Do you understand? We have to give him what he wants!

MIKE takes her by the shoulder and turns her toward him.

What does he want, Angela? Did he tell you?

At first she doesn’t answer. They cluster around her, waiting, anxious.

He said he’ll tell us tonight. He said we’re going to have a special town meeting, and he’ll tell us then. He said that if some folks don’t want to go along . . . don’t want to do what’s best for the town . . . that they should be reminded of the dreams we had last night. That they should be reminded of what happened in Roanoke. That they should remember Croaton, whatever that is.

(perhaps to himself)

His name, maybe. His real name.

(turns back to JACK)

Take me inside. I’m freezing. And I want to see Buster.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

Sure.

He puts an arm around her and leads her slowly back toward the town hall. MIKE goes to HATCH.

Any sign of Bill Timmons or George Kirby?

No. Janie Kingsbury, either.

Jane Kingsbury’s dead.

(to SONNY)

Take it in, would you?

SONNY climbs up into the cab of the Sno-Cat and revs the engine. MIKE and HATCH start to walk toward the town hall, MIKE telling HATCH about MRS. K.

22 EXTERIOR: THE SIDE OF THE TOWN HALL, HIGH ANGLE--AFTERNOON.

From here, we can barely see the line of ISLANDERS; trudging slowly back to the buildings through the drifts, they look like ants on safari across a desert of sugar. The Sno-Cat, piloted by SONNY

BRAUTIGAN, drives slowly past them toward the building. We hold on this, then:

FADE TO BLACK. THIS ENDS ACT 1.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

Act 2

23 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN DOCK--VERY LATE AFTERNOON.

Well . . . where the town dock used to be. The tide is rising again, and MONSTER WAVES pound at the shore. We see overturned boats, splintered lobster traps, shattered chunks of piling, tattered skeins of netting.

24 EXTERIOR: THE HEADLAND--VERY LATE AFTERNOON.

The ocean ebbs and flows over the FALLEN LIGHTHOUSE. One wave ROLLS IN and deposits something beside the shattered circular window of the control room.

25 EXTERIOR: OUTSIDE THE CONTROL ROOM--LATE AFTERNOON.

It’s the waterlogged body of old GEORGE KIRBY. There’s a GROWING ROAR as the next wave comes in and pulls the body away.

26 EXTERIOR: THE BUSINESS SECTION OF TOWN--LATE AFTERNOON.

The storm is still howling away, and now the business buildings are buried halfway to the tops of their show windows.

27 INTERIOR: THE DRUGSTORE--LATE AFTERNOON.

The show windows are all shattered, the holes filled with avalanches of snow that stretch halfway down the aisles.

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

28 INTERIOR: THE HARDWARD STORE--LATE AFTERNOON.

Like the drugstore, the aisles are full of snow. Near the cash registers is a display of lawnmowers buried to their gas caps in snow. The sign in front of them is barely readable: LAWNMOWER SALE! GEAR