|
|
|
|
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
A MAN sits in the middle of the room on a chair. An INTERROGATOR stands off-screen, to question him. The INTERROGATOR has presumably yet to ask the MAN a question.
MAN
What am I doing here?
(Pause)
I didn't do anything wrong.
(Pause)
That credit card account was perfectly legit.
(Pause)
Are you going to tell me what I'm here for?
(Pause)
You guys sure know how to bore
the shit out of a fella.
INT. SMALL DINER
The COLD MAN sits in a booth eating his plain meal. After a while, a PERSUER sits down with his back to the camera, facing the COLD MAN.
PERSUER
You’re losing your touch.
COLD MAN
These eggs are cold.
PERSUER
You’re going to have to come with me.
COLD MAN
(dabbing his mouth
with a napkin)
Are you going to try to force
me?
PERSUER
(leans in and whispers
something unintellegible)
COLD MAN
(setting down napkin carefully)
I see. In that case, I think
this ought to be attended to.
PERSUER
I can turn you in. You’ll be safe,
at least while they ask you questions.
COLD MAN
I don’t take charity.
PERSUER
Consider it your last chance
get the truth out.
COLD MAN
No one is interested in the
truth. Especially not the people
you work for.
PERSUER
(mocking)
The truth always finds a way.
COLD MAN
Do you enjoy this?
PERSUER
Immensely.
COLD MAN
You never had the talent
to restrain yourself in
your work.
PERSUER
I lack organization, but
make up for it in enthusiasm.
COLD MAN
You’ll leave me with the dolts and then…
PERSUER
When you’re free, and you will be,
we’ll finish this conversation.
COLD MAN
I think I’ll end up killing myself in
the company of those idiots.
PERSUER
That would be a great tradgedy.
COLD MAN
I’m sure you would
be crushed.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
A MAN sits in the middle of the room on a chair. An INTERROGATOR stands off-screen, questioning him. The INTERROGATOR has presumably yet to ask the MAN a question.
MAN
(Sigh)
That I would see the sun streaked
meadows once more, 'fore my time
has come, and my earthly task
been done.
INTERROGATOR
Who are you quoting?
MAN
(with a curious look in his eye)
No one, I made that up. May I leave?
(Pause)
I can see this isn't about the credit card? No.
I suppose not.
(Pause)
Can I have a cigarette...before we get into all of this?
(A shuffling noise is heard, the screen blinks/flickers,
and the MAN now has a cigarette)
Thanks.
EXT. PARK (WINTER)
The CALM MAN sits on a bench observing serenity of the newly fallen snow. The CALM MAN blows into his hands to heat them up. A WOMAN is heard screaming off-screen.
WOMAN
AAAAH! Billy! Someone call a doctor!
Oh my God! Bill! Billy!
(Interesting shot of CALM MAN)
The CALM MAN rubs his hands together more vigorously and blows into them again.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
The COLD MAN sits in the middle of the room on a chair. An INTERROGATOR stands off-screen, questioning him.
COLD MAN
I lived in the middle class
in a decent, but by no means
'safe' neighborhood. I watched
the news a lot, but the news
wasn't interesting cause of
the regular scum, I liked
hearing about the powerful
politicians. I never much
liked people in general, and so
politics seemed like a good
career since it basically involves
professional deception and misdirection.
I was a cynical kid.
INTERROGATOR
What's this have to do with-
COLD MAN
(Interrupting)
Everything. It has everything
to do with everything. Tell me:
Do you know much about theology?
I find it absolutely
fascinating. Let me tell you something
I deduced about life:
A godless cynic will always have
proof for his cynicism, just
as a deistic optomist will always
have justification for his optimism.
Do you see what I mean?
INTERROGATOR
So aethiest’s have no conscience?...
COLD MAN
…because without any 'ultimate' good
everything devolves into evil?
No. That is moronic. Godlessness
does not lead to a lack of conscience.
It has nothing to do with cynicism.
Justifications, my friend. Justifications.
INTERROGATOR
So you don't believe in God?
COLD MAN
Wrong again. You are zero
for two, and slow people
get on my nerves. I believe in God.
A deistic optimist is always justified.
(Pause)
(Sigh)
EXT. OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL
The CALM MAN sits on the steps, he is reading a small green book. A person or two walks past while he is sitting there.
CALM MAN
(looking up to see an ambulance pass by
with it's lights flashing and siren going)
Here we are.
The CALM MAN rises slowly, stowing his book in the inside pocket of his long black coat. He puts his hands in his pockets and walks slowly and resolutely after the ambulance. He whistles a wandering tune as he walks. Winter flurries blow about him as he walks away from the camera.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
A MAN sits in the middle of the room on a chair. An INTERROGATOR stands off-screen, questioning him. He has presumably just asked the MAN a question.
MAN
…Who?
INTERROGATOR
Bill Collins. His occupation…
MAN
I know what he did, just not
what he has to do with me.
INTERROGATOR
Isn’t it true that…
MAN
I didn’t do anything wrong, you know.
INTERROGATOR
We’ll determine that, Mr. Sullivan.
EXT. GROCERY MARKET
There are many food stands about. Much is being sold. A SALESBOY shouts to a BEARDED MAN.
SALESBOY
Eh!Art!
You hear about the
Collins murder?
BEARDED MAN
No, what happened?
SALESBOY
Someone knocked him off!
BEARDED MAN
You’re kidding.
SALESBOY
No, it’s all over the
papers.
BEARDED MAN
So, somone finally bumped off
old Colon Collins the Crucifix eh?
SALESBOY
(attempted whisper whilst shouting)
I wouldn’t be saying that, Art.
The Catholics have made him
some sort of goddam martyr.
They’ll crucify you if they
hear you talking about him
like that.
BEARDED MAN
Is that so?
SALESBOY
You know it. Don’t want to get
between them Catholics and their
martyts eh?
BEARDED MAN
Eh.
BEARDED MAN
How much for five tomatoes…?
SALESBOY
Five? Lemme think about that
one a second.
INT. HOSPITAL
The CALM MAN approaches the counter where the NURSE is sitting doing paperwork.
CALM MAN
I’m from Mr. Collins office, and
I need to deliver some paperwork
to his room. Which is it?
NURSE
I can’t tell you. He’s under
police protection.
CALM MAN
(smiling slightly)
Mr. Collins would not be
pleased to…ahem…miss out
on these reports.
NURSE
(biting lip)
I suppose I could…
CALM MAN
(winning smile)
Thank you so much. What’s your name?
NURSE
Clarice.
CALM MAN
That’s a lovely name.
NURSE
(obviously flattered)
Oh, thank you.
CALM MAN
Can I take you out to dinner somtime?
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY
Two police officers lay dead on the floor at the side of the doorway. Much blood. The COLD MAN is holding a gun and pointing it into the room. The shot limits the view of the doorway to simply the doorframe. He fires two shots into the room, the first one followed by a scream and a dying sound and the second similarly followed. Footsteps are heard approaching. He stows the gun, and walks past the camera out of sight. The screen goes black
UNKNOWN MAN
Mr. Collins? OH MY GOD!!
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
A MAN sits in the middle of the room on a chair. An INTERROGATOR stands off-screen, questioning him. He has just related the story of Bill Collins death to the MAN.
MAN
Shot dead in his own hospital room?
Wife too huh? Terrible, terrible.
INTERROGATOR
Why are you here?
MAN
That’s what I’ve been asking you
for the last half hour if you haven’t
noticed.
INTERROGATOR
I mean, why were you caught.
MAN
I didn’t know I was hiding.
INTERROGATOR
Why are you wasting my time?
MAN
You’re time lost is another man’s gained.
INTERROGATOR
Is that so?
MAN
Time is a precious commodity, my friend.
INT. NICE RESTAURANT
The NURSE and the BEARDED MAN sit at a table together. They are having a nice dinner.
NURSE
What a wonderful evening!
BEARDED MAN
It was no trouble.
NURSE
So…why did you ask me out?
BEARDED MAN
I think you’re pretty, interesting,
fun, and you have a great sense
of humor.
NURSE
That’s what all men say.
BEARDED MAN
But for you, it’s true.
NURSE
You’re such a flatterer.
BEARDED MAN
(thoughtfully, in another world)
Clarice…
NURSE
Hm?
BEARDED MAN
What? Sorry…It’s just you
remind me of a girl I knew.
A long long time ago.
NURSE
Why did you lose touch?
BEARDED MAN
She…well…she was murdered.
(Screen flashes)
INT. KITCHEN
The MAN paces around the kitchen. It is in disarray along with the rest of the house. LEAH is tied to the chair and gagged. She is never quite fully in the shot. She whines/cries through the gag throughout the scene.
MAN
(pacing with gun in hand)
You’re not making this easy.
I don’t want to do this.
I really don’t.
This isn’t me you know?
I don’t like this anymore than you.
Fuck.
FUCK!
How can I be doing this?
(He puts his head down on the counter)
(Pacing again)
Maybe I should just let her go.
Maybe, maybe, maybe.
No gaurantees, you know what I mean?
No guarantees.
Fuck me.
The MAN steps behind LEAH and shoots her.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
The COLD MAN sits in the middle of the room in the chair. He is continuing to explain his views on theology to the INTERROGATOR.
INTERROGATOR
I think you had best
explain this to me
if it has any relevance.
COLD MAN
The ignorant always desire
an explanation, though they
never understand the reason
the explanation is useful.
Here it is plain and simple:
Someone who believes in God
can always be justified in optimism.
It is always possible that the
world is actually a place
filled with flowers and edible
candy grass.
But: nothing is for certain.
God did something interesting
in that garden of his.
INTERROGATOR
Eden?
COLD MAN
It’s nice to know my audience
is so quick on the uptake.
Yes, Eden.
He planted there a certain tree
which granted knowledge of life and
death, but which also brought about
suffering and sin. He told his
creations not to eat the fruit of this tree.
But they did.
INTERROGATOR
So God is bad because he planted it?
It’s his fault there is suffering.
COLD MAN
No. No, no, no.
God is neither Good nor Bad,
becaues he gave us Choice.
The point is not the planting
of the tree it’s that he allowed
Adam to eat the fruit. He allowed
him to bring about his own suffering.
In man, God made his greatest achievement,
the achievement of autonomy and choice,
but in doing so he made himself meaningless.
Because for Choice to really exist
he can’t interfere with evil human decisions.
Therefore there are no certainties.
No assurances. God does indeed exist,
but the world is ruled by the whims of evil
men, and God can never do anything about it.
INTERROGATOR
What does this have to do with Collins?
COLD MAN
You have only proven my point. You do
not see the usefulness of the explanation.
This is everything. The truth. Fuck the big bang
you stupid cocksucker, this is what the world is.
A big chaotic mess because God refuses to interfere
and stop suffering from happening. He isn’t bad,
he just ignores us. God does not care about you
or me or anyone, because he will not stop us
from destroying ourselves.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM
The MAN sits in the middle of the room in a chair. The INTERROGATOR has just asked him a questions.
The screen flickers, becomes indistinct, now the COLD MAN is sitting in the chair.
The screen goes black, we here the sounds of struggling, then of
gunshots. We finally see the rest of the INTERROGATION ROOM, the
INTERROGATOR and three other police officers dead and extremely
bloodied. The door is open and is banging against the wall because it
was thrown open very forcefully. The CALM MAN breaks out in the street,
panting as if he has been running. He pauses in the street and looks
around. The screen flickers and we transition between all the MEN.
Montage of audio clips.
bravenet.com