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                                       THE JACKET              

               
                                       Written by 

                                     Massy Tadjedin

               
                                Based on a screenplay by 

                                       Marc Rocco


               
                                                             April 15, 2003



               
               A pure white screen. Idyllic stillness. All of it looking and
               feeling like the heavens are supposed to.

               
               After some seconds of calm, water seems to mist the screen
               and the slight shifts to the left and then the right suggest
               this is a man's P.O.V. Then, suddenly, the white screen is
               tugged and we see it was a sheet covering a presumably dead
               man.

               

                                     WILLIAM STARKS (V.O.)
                           I was 25 years old the first time I
                           died...

               

               INT. HOSPITAL, KUWAIT, DAY


               
               One more tug on the sheet and we see, and suddenly hear, from
               William Starks' P.O.V. the CHAOS of the hospital around him
               as DOCTORS and NURSES tend as best as they can to the injured
               soldiers.

               
               Our glimpse of STARKS reveals a red stretcher -- soaked in blood --
               and the severe head wound where a bullet's minced his skull.

               
               Then, slowly, steadily, a heartbeat is heard over the muffled
               sounds of the hospital and, as his pulse quickens, so does
               the pace of the world around him.

               

               INT. HOSPITAL, KUWAIT, DAY


               

                                     WILLIAM STARKS (V.O.)
                           I remember there was so much white
                           everywhere. And I felt peace...even
                           though there was war around me. And I
                           felt alive, even though I knew I was
                           dead.

               

                                     INTERN #1
                           Come on, come on, let's tag these
                           guys and get them out of here.

               
               An INTERN, clipboard in hand, stands above STARKS' unmoving
               body with another INTERN (2) beside him. INTERN 1 pulls
               the rest of the SHEET off of STARKS as the OTHER searches for
               his DOG TAGS and gently closes his EYES with her hand.

               
                                     INTERN #2 [Reading from the TAGS]
                           Starks, William. Born December 25,

                           1966.

               

                                     INTERN #1
                           Wait, so how old?

               

                                     INTERN #2

                           25.

               

                                                                               2.

               

                                     INTERN #1
                           [Searching through records] Here he
                           is. William Starks. Born in Vermont.
                           He hasn't got a family listed. The
                           naval hospital'll figure out what to
                           do with him.

               
               As the INTERN puts the TAGS back down, she meets STARKS' wide-
               open EYES -- now filled with surfacing tears, sadness, and life.
               She stares at them curiously and, after some seconds, STARKS
               blinks and a TEAR runs down his cheek -- jarring her.

               
                                     INTERN #2 [Calling out]
                           Oh my God! This soldier is ALIVE!
                           Code blue! CODE BLUE! This man just
                           blinked!

                                     INTERN #1
                           He's been tagged already. Worry about
                           the others... [then seeing STARKS
                           blink] Oh shit! Shit! CODE BLUE! We
                           need a doctor! Get a doctor over here
                           now!

               
               As the MEDICAL STAFF rush over to STARKS, preparing NEEDLES
               and OXYGEN MASKS, STARKS merely closes his eyes and we follow
               the now BLOODIED white sheet as it falls to the ground...

               

               EXT. IRAQI VILLAGE, DAY


               
               A NEWSANCHOR interviews CAPTAIN ROBERT MEDLEY (30s) -- a
               particularly photogenic and affable participant.

               

                                     CAPTAIN MEDLEY
                           The level of arms on the ground
                           really depends. [Answering a
                           question] But no, I'd have to say we
                           haven't had to engage on the ground
                           as heavily as we might have expected.

               

                                     NEWSANCHOR
                           Have you lost any men today, Captain?

               

                                     CAPTAIN MEDLEY
                           No. One of my Corporals took a bullet
                           to the head, but it looks like he
                           might make it. Looks that way...

               

                                                        FLASHBACK TO:

               

                                                                               3.

               

               EXT. IRAQI VILLAGE, DAY


               
               We see only the HAND, and not the man to whom it belongs,
               enter the frame and pull the TRIGGER on a gun. The sound
               pierces the air, and the bullet hits the side of STARKS' head
               in a FLASH, shaving the skin around it right off.

               

               EXT. AMERICAN NAVAL HOSPITAL, DAY


               
               STARKS convalesces in a navy hospital bed -- his head heavily
               BANDAGED and his arms suited with I.V.'s and dressings -- as a
               MAJOR, a LIEUTENANT and a DOCTOR stand above him.

               
               STARKS' face -- now cleaned of the blood that masked it before --
               is alert, and striking. Even with the bandages, he remains
               well-built and strong, like a shot straight to the head would
               have been the only way for an enemy to take him down.

               

                                     DOCTOR
                           Sergeant Starks was very lucky. A
                           little more to the right and it
                           wouldn't have wanted to come out...

               

                                     MAJOR
                           But he's never gonna be able to
                           remember what happened?

               

                                     DOCTOR
                           It's hard to say. Sergeant Starks
                           could have retrograde amnesia
                           or... [lowering his voice] any form of
                           psychological suppression. It's very
                           common with traumas like this.

               
                                     STARKS [Cutting him off]
                           Sergeant Starks is in the room,
                           [beat] and I want to know when I'm
                           going home.

               
               When he speaks, STARKS maintains the sharp, steady gaze of a
               man assured of himself, even if he is lost among his
               surroundings.

               

                                     LIEUTENANT
                           Sergeant, you have no surviving
                           family in the States. I'm sure you
                           have friends or distant relatives,
                           but unfortunately we have no record
                           of them yet.

               

                                     MAJOR
                           Captain Medley has recommended you
                           for the Purple Heart, Sergeant.

               

                                                                              4.

               
               STARKS lets the tribute roll right off him. He spots the
               CIGARETTES in the Lieutenant's pocket.

               

                                      STARKS
                            Can I have one of those?

               

                                      LIEUTENANT
                            Of course.

               
               The LIEUTENANT lights one for him.

               

                                      DOCTOR
                            There is help for you, Sergeant.

               

                                      LIEUTENANT
                            Of course there is.
               Their VOICES start to fade as STARKS smokes his cigarette,
               blowing the SMOKE upwards and following it with his eyes.
               He's finished with these men and everything they stand for.

               

                                      STARKS [V.O.]
                            I didn't know where my home was. I
                            just knew I didn't want to be there
                            anymore.

               

               EXT. HIGHWAY, RURAL VERMONT, WINTER, DAY


               
               STARKS -- recovered now -- walks by himself along a long
               highway. He seems to be walking away from things even if he
               can't remember what they are yet.

               

               EXT. HIGHWAY, RURAL VERMONT, WINTER, DAY


               
               JEAN PRICE (30s) -- a hippie who happens to be a mother -- and
               her daughter, JACKIE (8) tremble in the cold next to their
               stalled car. JEAN sits next to the car, holding her knees to
               her chest, more like a child than her daughter.

               
               JACKIE runs her little gloved hand over her mom's ski-hatted
               head as she cautiously watches STARKS approach them. He cuts
               an arresting figure against the empty landscape.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Come on, mom. Don't fall asleep...

               

                                      STARKS
                            You two ok?

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Our car won't start.

               

                                                                               5.

               
                                     STARKS [Looking at JEAN]
                           What's your mom's name?

               
                                     JACKIE [Cautiously]
                           Jean.

               
               STARKS takes off his backpack and kneels down.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Jean? Jean, can you hear me? I need
                           you to try to wake up, Jean.

               
               JEAN opens her eyes, stone red.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Your mom take anything before this
                           happened?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Yeah, but I don't know what.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] What's your name?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Jackie.

               
               JACKIE decidedly sticks out her gloved hand. STARKS smiles
               and briefly shakes it. STARKS rubs a hand over his chin and
               cheek as he thinks of what to do.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Nice to meet you, Jackie. Why don't
                           you wrap this scarf around yourself
                           and try to keep your mom awake while
                           I take a look at your car.

               EXT. HIGHWAY, RURAL VERMONT, WINTER, DAY


               
               As Starks works on their engine, JACKIE anxiously watches her
               mother throw up in the distance. STARKS sees her watching and
               tries to distract her.

               

                                     STARKS
                           What do you think of all this snow?

               
               JACKIE looks at him curiously.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           [Beat] Nothing.

               
               STARKS looks at her and smiles at her honest answer; Jackie
               turns her head back towards her mother.

               

                                                                               6.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           But I like it I guess.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Hey, can you reach the gas pedal?

               

                                       JACKIE
                           Yeah.

               
               JACKIE gets behind the wheel, crouching down in the seat just
               enough so her foot reaches the pedal.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Go ahead, turn it on. Keep pushing
                           it.

               
               JACKIE revs up the engine and, a few coughs and sputters
               later, the car settles into a nice, working hum.

               
                                       JACKIE [Smiling]
                           It works!

               
               JACKIE steps down. She looks like she could hug Starks and,
               unexpectedly, decides to. As STARKS awkwardly returns it, he
               sees JEAN lifting her eyes to see him holding her daughter.

               

                                     JEAN
                           Get your fucking hands off my
                           daughter!

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Mom, he just fixed our car.

               

                                     JEAN
                           Jackie, get in the car. NOW!

               
               JEAN reaches for a RIFLE in the back of the truck but
               stumbles from the nausea before she can pick it up.

               

                                     JEAN
                           Look, I don't want any trouble, so...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Neither do I, ma'am. I'll be on my
                           way.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Mom, you've got it wrong...

               
               STARKS motions for JACKIE to stop as he collects his bags.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           You're just gonna walk?

               

                                                                               7.

               

                                        STARKS
                              Yeah, I'll hitch a ride or something.
                              [Beat] Let her throw it all up before
                              she gets back behind the wheel.

               
               STARKS' DOG TAGS are tied to the ZIPPER of one of his bags.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              What're those?

               

                                        STARKS
                              Dog tags. [Off her blank look]
                              They've got your name and date of
                              birth for identification.

               

                                          JACKIE
                              What for?

               

                                        STARKS
                              [Beat] In case you get lost, or can't
                              remember who you are.

               
                                          JACKIE [Still looking at them]
                              Hm.

               
               STARKS unties them and gives them to her. She reads them.

               

                                        STARKS
                              I think I can remember what's on
                              them.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              William Starks. [Beat] Thanks.

               

                                                            CUT TO:

               

               INT. COURTROOM, SMALL TOWN VERMONT


               
               STARKS faces the screen with nothing but a cryptic BLACKNESS
               about him and a confused look on his face as a MENACING VOICE
               questions him.

               

                                        VOICE (O.S.)
                              "Jackie" and "Jean" are the only
                              ...things you know for certain about
                              that day?

               
               STARKS nods.

               

                                                                               8.

               

                                     VOICE (O.S.)
                           Are you aware we have no last name,
                           no place of residence, and no record
                           of any physical presence for these
                           "friends" of yours? How's that
                           possible in this day and age?

               
               STARKS nods as a muffled "Objection" flickers away in the
               background...

               

                                     VOICE (O.S.)
                           I may need to actually hear that
                           answer, Mr. Starks.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Yes.
               With Starks' answer, the background of the courtroom is
               suddenly illuminated and we see that THIS IS STARKS' OWN
               TRIAL. The VOICE belongs to a satisfied PROSECUTION who turns
               to face a medium-sized CROWD watching on...

               

               INT. COURTROOM, SMALL TOWN VERMONT


               
               There are three KEY WITNESSES called to the stand: CAPTAIN
               MEDLEY, Starks' commanding officer in the Persian Gulf; DR.
               HALE, a psychiatrist; and OFFICER NASH, the cop who first
               came upon the crime scene. Their three testimonies are
               intercut to present the case against Starks quickly and
               confusingly -- just like it appears to himself.

               
                                     OFFICER NASH [Emotional]
                           Eddie [correcting himself], Officer
                           Harrison, was lying in a pool of his
                           own blood -- on his back.

               

                                     DR. HALE
                           William Starks could be blocking the
                           incident. It would explain his well-
                           systematized scheme about the little
                           girl and her mother. A delusion as
                           complex as that can often replace the
                           reality of an incident like this.

               
                                     OFFICER NASH [Cont'd]
                           Officer Harrison'd been shot three
                           times. He was long dead by the time
                           we got there.

               

                                                                              9.

               

                                     DR. HALE
                           I have heard of Gulf War Syndrome.
                           The medical community is only
                           beginning to gather information about
                           it.

               

                                       PROSECUTION
                           Gulf War   Syndrome? What the...Why
                           don't we   start diagnosing Hard Life
                           Syndrome   while we're at it? I've
                           gotten a   lot of convictions we could
                           overturn   with that logic...

               

                                     CAPTAIN MEDLEY
                           Sergeant Starks was awarded the
                           Purple Heart. That award doesn't
                           applaud violence or murder. [Beat] It
                           applauds honor.

               
                                     DR. HALE [Cont'd]
                           His subconscious is blocking it, the
                           same way it began to in the Gulf,
                           particularly as something similarly
                           traumatizing happened to him then.

               
               The following summations are punctuated by the BLACK FADES
               between them and the simulated BLACK around them as they
               speak -- like STARKS, at the beginning of his own testimony.

               
                                     PROSECUTION [Disdainfully]
                           It's not a question of whether or not
                           he was sane when he did it?! He
                           absolutely was. Three bullets in one
                           man are three moral failings in
                           another.

               
                                     CAPTAIN MEDLEY [Incensed]
                           War isn't a CNN Special. Half the
                           shit that went on couldn't be tidied
                           into a top of the hour headline --
                           either 'cause it couldn't be said
                           neatly or 'cause it couldn't be said
                           at all. It was ugly. And they don't
                           put ugly on TV. [Looking at Starks]
                           If Starks did kill that officer
                           ... [Beat] You can't hold a man
                           responsible for a damaged mind.

               

                                                                              10.

               

                                     DEFENSE
                           For God's sake, my client said he
                           thinks he's already died once. He
                           doesn't know what's going on.

               

                                                           FLASHBACK TO:

               

               EXT. MURDER SCENE, HIGHWAY, VERMONT, DUSK


               
               STARKS lies bleeding -- eyes half open -- by OFFICER HARRISON'S
               dead, bloodied body as falling SNOW slowly whitens them both
               and covers any FOOTPRINTS that may have been left behind. We
               hear a distant gavel delivering a distant judgment...

               
                                     STARKS [V.O., nearly whispered]
                           I don't know how it happened.
               STARKS' eyes finally close as he lapses into unconsciousness.

               

               INT. COURTROOM, SMALL TOWN VERMONT


               
               The JUDGE nods as he hands the JURY FOREMAN back the verdict.

               

                                     JURY FOREMAN
                           On the count of first degree murder,
                           we find the defendant, William
                           Starks, not guilty by reason of
                           insanity.

               

               EXT. HIGHWAY, RURAL VERMONT, WINTER, DAY


               
               In his mind, STARKS is walking out of the woods as the sun
               sets and bounces off the snow all around him. We see JACKIE
               watching him walk away into the woods.

               

                                     JUDGE (O.S.)
                           I hereby sentence you to be committed
                           to a facility for the criminally
                           insane, where I hope that doctors and
                           the proper treatment can help you...

               

               INT. COURTROOM, SMALL TOWN VERMONT


               
               The JUDGE sentences STARKS, who stares back vacantly, like a
               man who checked out of his life long before this judge
               decided he had to.

               

               EXT. ALPINE GROVE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, DAY


               
               A white VAN pulls up to Alpine Grove Psychiatric Hospital -- a
               bleak, dated facility embellished only by the barbed wire
               that seems to be everywhere around it.

               

                                                                             11.

               
               STARKS' anatomy instantly and intensely separates him from
               the staff of the hospital and the infirm patients who might
               be in it. TWO MEMBERS of that STAFF lead him in.

               

                                     JUDGE [O.S.]
                           Mr. Starks, I hope that someday you
                           might be well so that we will have
                           lost only one life in this tragedy.

               

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, ALPINE GROVE MENTAL HOSPITAL


               
               DR. THOMAS BECKER (overworked, dogmatic, disenchanted), DR.
               BETH LORENSON (30s, unassuming, perceptive), and DR. GRIES
               (20s, green) are convened with other STAFF at a routine
               hospital meeting. These doctors deal in the currency of
               madness every day and wear the heaviness of that burden on
               their faces.

               

                                     CHIEF OF STAFF
                           I'd certainly say he should be
                           considered violent, just given his
                           case...

               

                                     DR. BECKER
                           How'd he dodge a conviction?

               

                                     CHIEF OF STAFF
                           His defense argued post-traumatic
                           stress and delusional disorder. He
                           evidently couldn't account for a
                           similar incident during his service
                           in Desert Storm.

               

                                     DR. BECKER
                           [Beat] So why isn't he just in the
                           psych ward of the county jail?

                                     CHIEF OF STAFF
                           Apparently, he's a decorated vet. And
                           had another one testify for him. Who
                           knows? [To DR. BECKER] Tom, do you
                           mind taking him?

               
               BECKER shrugs a nod as the Chief moves on to the next order
               of business...

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, WARD, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               STARKS is shown to his room by NURSE HARDING -- stern, senior --
               and her henchman, DAMON -- a BURLY ORDERLY who relishes his
               command, however diluted it may be.

               
               DAMON unceremoniously puts Starks' UNIFORM on the bed. He and
               NURSE HARDING wait at the door for Starks to change into it.

               

                                                                            12.

               
               DAMON looks at STARKS -- his eyes inadvertently conceding that
               Starks is more threatening than the common senile he
               marshals; STARKS stares him back -- deliberately conceding
               that he's right.

               
               STARKS turns around -- only then looking stunned in the
               sterile, cotton-white room, wondering where his life
               disappeared to.

               

               INT. DR. BECKER'S OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               STARKS sits opposite DR. BECKER in a harsh, tiled office.
               STARKS wears his blue uniform and BECKER wears a doubtful
               expression. From STARKS' P.O.V.: the DRUGS they've already
               started giving him BLUR his vision of Becker.

               

                                     BECKER
                           William? William, can you hear me?

               
               STARKS nods groggily.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I've given you some drugs to help
                           with your adjustment...

               
                                      STARKS [Cutting him off]
                            What kind of drugs? [Beat] 'Cause
                            these seem pretty...pretty serious.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Well, your condition's pretty
                           serious.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] So they say. [Off Becker's
                           steady gaze] What?

                                     BECKER
                           I'm just looking at you. Does that
                           make you uncomfortable?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Depends on what you're seeing.

               
               BECKER eyes STARKS mistrustfully.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You said you couldn't remember
                           killing Officer Harrison. Correct?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] You don't believe me, do you?

               

                                                                             13.

               

                                     BECKER
                           It's not my job to believe you.

               
                                     STARKS [Squinting to better see]
                           You're a doctor. I would think...

               
                                     BECKER [Cutting him off firmly]
                           It's not my job to believe you or to
                           understand you. It's my job to try to
                           cure you and if that's a no-go, then
                           to...take some kind of care of you.

               
                                       STARKS [Flatly]
                           Lucky me.

               
               BECKER looks at Starks -- his eyes casting shame upon the
               alleged murderer that sits before him.

               
                                     BECKER [Stupefied]
                           You shot a man three times: first in
                           his heart, then in his stomach and
                           then...point blank, in the back of
                           his head. And then you just...forgot
                           all about it. A whole life erased
                           with three easy little words: I.
                           Don't. Know. What would it be if we
                           could all not know what we didn't
                           want to have to face.

               
               BECKER glances at his WATCH and gets up -- still blurred in
               Starks' P.O.V. It's only as he's walking off that Starks
               notices he has a limp.

               

                                                         FADE TO:

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, DAY

               From STARKS' P.O.V., we follow him walk down the hospital
               halls, even hazier from the medication than before. FORMS
               blur into one another and, on either side of him is a crazy
               world with crazy patients who've lost their way in it.

               
               STARKS reaches for the WALL and runs his HAND over it, trying
               to keep his balance. He's walking towards BECKER who stands
               at the end of the hall, talking to other PATIENTS.

               
                                     STARKS [Softly]
                           I don't belong here. I don't...

               
               STARKS falters but stays up. He turns to see a shell of an
               OLD MAN looking right through him with wooden eyes. STARKS'
               eyes stay so completely fixed on the old man's haunting sight
               that he doesn't see what's ahead of him.

               

                                                                              14.

               
               He bumps right into a HYSTERICAL PATIENT whose sudden,
               earsplitting SCREAMS peal interminably through the air.

               
                                     STARKS [Mumbling]
                           I'm sorry. I didn't mean... I'm
                           sorry. I didn't mean it.

               
               STARKS' fumbled efforts to help the PATIENT only feed his
               hysteria more. The SCREAMING is intolerable.

               
                                     STARKS [Forced to yell]
                           Will you listen to me? I'm not going
                           to hurt you. Please. I didn't mean
                           to bump...I'm sorry.

               
               ORDERLIES and NURSES, followed by DR. BECKER, surround them
               now, violently pulling STARKS off the patient. BECKER,
               familiar with the PATIENT (HAROLD), tries to calm him.

               

                                     BECKER
                           It's ok, Harold. It's ok.

               
               STARKS searches their blurred faces and stops on Becker's as
               they restrain him and give him more drugs.

               
                                     STARKS [To Becker]
                           I don't belong here...

               
                                     BECKER [Angrily, to the ORDERLIES]
                           Get him to his room.

               

                                                          FADE TO BLACK.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT


               
               STARKS is slowly rebounding from the drugs when he hears
               disquieting FOOTSTEPS in the hall, coming closer and
               closer...

               
               What follows happens too quickly for STARKS to react.

               
               DR. GRIES, NURSE HARDING AND DAMON -- enter Starks' room.
               They close the door and deftly administer a TRANQUILIZER and
               a GAG.

               
               STARKS has no idea what's happening to him as they drag him
               out, and his STIFLED CRIES ensure no one else does either.

               

                                      NURSE HARDING
                            Come on, army boy. Time for some
                            therapy.

               

                                                                              15.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT


               
               The first face STARKS sees as the world comes into focus is
               NURSE HARDING'S. Around it loom those of DR. BECKER, DR.
               GRIES and DAMON.

               
               A shot of the room shows a constraint-ridden apparatus
               hanging sternly on the wall. It is THE JACKET: an apparatus
               designed to encase a man's body. Made of coarse, sickly-
               stained red ands brown canvas and velcro restraints that would
               first chafe, then forever burn, the skin they're wrapped
               around, the JACKET looks medieval. Its appearance suggests
               its purpose: to slowly STRANGLE THE LIFE OUT OF A MAN.

               
               STARKS has been stripped of his blue uniform and is lying
               nearly naked on a burial slab in the cold of the basement.
               Even under the tranquilizers, STARKS formidably resists them
               as the ORDERLIES wrestle to strap him in. Then Starks,
               sensing as anyone would, that something bad is being done to
               him, wisely stops resisting long enough to petition them.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Wait. Wait a minute... Please.

               
               BECKER motions for them to stop with his hand. STARKS blinks,
               trying to bring the faces above him into focus...

               

                                     STARKS
                           I, I don't belong here.

               
               BECKER looks into Starks' eyes. Sanity stares back.

               

                                     BECKER
                           No. I don't think you do either.
                           [Beat] But neither of us can do
                           anything about that.
               BECKER barely nods and STARKS is trussed in the JACKET with
               METAL CLAMPS. BECKER writes some details down, presumably
               about Starks' treatment.

               
               A CADAVER DRAWER -- just barely deep enough for a body or tall
               enough for the height of a nose -- is slid open and STARKS,
               already dreadfully sheathed in the JACKET, is crammed inside.

               
               The ORDERLIES slam the cadaver drawer into the wall.

               

               INT. CADAVER DRAWER


               
               STARKS is literally entombed alive. Silence. Stolen breath.
               They bolt the drawer and the CLANG echoes through his body.
               The BLACKNESS and CLOSENESS of the space choke him as his
               heart beats the frantic rhythm of his struggle.

               

                                                                              16.

               
               We see only the WHITES of a pair of petrified EYES on a man
               who's losing it -- hyperventilating, suffocating... for all
               intents and purposes, dying the worst kind of a death.

               
               Combing the walls for any sign of an explanation of what's
               happening to him, STARKS sees a single white DOT -- almost
               like a fleck of dust -- flitting between undecided SHAPES in
               the blackness until, slowly, it grows bigger and bigger...

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               It's now a PATTERN of WHITE DOTS that changes the more STARKS
               stares at it. Beneath it seems to be a smaller pattern with
               formless shapes and figures that STARKS tries to discern
               before they change into something else. Only after STARKS
               blinks does he start to see the WHITE of the DOTS is SNOW
               from a picture that is slowly and terribly coming together in
               the following glimpses, each hardly longer than the time
               between BLINKS.

               
                1) A little river of RED marring the snow around it,
                spilling from...

               
                2) OFFICER HARRISON'S mouth just seconds before his last
                breath. His eyes close and STARKS sees and hears a FLASH...

               
                 3) From the barrel of a GUN fired near him.

               
               BLOOD sprays STARKS' hands as he looks down at them and
               realizes he's in the scene and not just watching it. He looks
               up from his hands and sees in similar flashes...

               
                1) The snow beneath the BLOOD changing to DIRT as STARKS
                stares at it. This time, the little river of RED comes
                from...

               
                 2) The BODIES of IRAQI villagers, all still except one...

               
                3) That of a IRAQI WOMAN. She unflinchingly lays her
                hand in the entrails of a CORPSE and smears its
                blood on her face just before she lies back down among
                the dead, content to be one of them.

               
               The only SOUNDS during these dreadful images have been a
               trapped man's anxious BREATHS and the BEATS of a HEART
               pumping so fast it could be a drum...

               
               The screen goes BLACK and QUIVERS as STARKS clenches his eyes
               shut.

               

                                                                              17.

               

               INT. CADAVER DRAWER


               
               Just then, as the MUSCLE beneath his eyes starts to VIBRATE,
               something terrible and wet falls from the ceiling of the
               drawer. PING! Right on his eye. The drop of WATER is enough
               to send this man right over the edge.

               
               STARKS' EYES roll back into his head and start to flutter,
               shaking the SCREEN right along them until...

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE


               
               STARKS stands outside his body, looking at the wall of
               drawers he is in. He bends down to look more closely at a
               STAIN on the floor -- DRIED BLOOD -- and as he runs his HAND over
               it and stands back up, he is back in the...

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               IMAGES RACE PAST HIM too fast for him to catch anything but
               fleeting clips of them. The IMAGES are his MEMORY and, no
               matter how badly he wants to slow them down, he can't...

               

                                                        FADE TO BLACK.

               

               INT. DINER, SMALL TOWN VERMONT


               
               STARKS sees JACKIE, 8, sitting by a window in the diner. She
               turns her head towards the ENTRANCE and, as she looks there,
               so does Starks. That is when he first lays eyes on a woman, a
               WAITRESS -- worn but still lovely -- leaving the diner. He is
               taken with her and, for the first time since he's been in the
               Jacket, seems calm. Just then, however, the reverie is
               shattered...

               

                                                        SMASH CUT TO:

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT


               
               The drawer is yanked open to reveal STARKS' still, drenched
               face. BECKER, GRIES and the ORDERLIES stand above him.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Take him out of it.

               
               The ORDERLIES unstrap the JACKET from his body. Blood from
               his chafed skin drips onto the burial slab. STARKS' eyes
               remain closed.

               

                                     BECKER
                           William. William, can you hear me?

               

                                                                              18.

               
               We hear BECKER's voice as it sounds to STARKS...MUTED.
               STARKS' EYES open only enough for him to see the PEOPLE'S
               FACES morph chillingly into one another's.

               
                                     DR. GRIES [Less muffled]
                           Pulse is 16, temp, just a hair under
                           90. 'Bout right for three hours of
                           psychosis.

               

                                     NURSE HARDING
                           That's not enough, is it?

               
               BECKER looks at STARKS' battered body.

               
                                     BECKER [Wearily, indifferently]
                           It's enough for now. Take him to the
                           infirmary and let him recover there.

               

               INT. WARD, ALPINE GROVE, NEXT MORNING


               
               STARKS sits, totally disoriented, in the ward with the other,
               more vocally INSANE patients. He runs his hand uncertainly
               over the SCARS on his arm from the Jacket and looks around --
               not knowing where his PARANOIA ends and REALITY begins.

               
               The OLD MAN from the previous day is moving slowly with the
               aid of his walker. He is far less threatening to STARKS
               today...just a senile man about to walk into a wall.

               
                                     STARKS [Getting up to help him]
                           Let's get you a destination other
                           than this wall.

               
               RUDY MACKENZIE -- 40s, smart eyes, fidgety, with an innocent
               face -- watches STARKS help turn the OLD MAN around.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           That's Kingsley. Old bastard hears
                           us, I'm sure. He just doesn't want to
                           bother answering so he makes us think
                           he can't talk. I know. I tried it on
                           my mother for two months once before
                           she fished out my tongue. Literally.
                           [Beat] You're the cop killer, right?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah, guess so. How'd you know?

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            TV. Helps numb [makes a "crazy
                            gesture"] any active mind. [Sticking
                            out a jittery hand] Rudy MacKenzie.

                                      (MORE)

               

                                                                              19.

               
                                     MACKENZIE (cont'd)
                           Welcome to the village, William
                           Starks.

               
               STARKS doesn't offer his hand, just looks back at MacKenzie.

               
                                      STARKS [Looking away]
                            I'm not really in the mood to talk.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           That's too bad. I don't believe in
                           disposable language either -- you
                           know, the small talk, the little
                           talk. Chit. Chat. Useless. The game's
                           something else though. Think about
                           it: What can we trade with each other
                           in the air between us? This...
                           [running his hand through the air] is
                           our court. [Beat, so eager it's sad]
                           I'm ready to throw the ball. Come on.

               
               STARKS looks at MACKENZIE and sees that the constant flow of
               words from his mouth only masks the tragic hesitation in his
               eyes. A dead arm hangs limply by his side, like a weight.

               
                                     STARKS [Relenting]
                           What are you in here for?

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           I tried to kill my wife.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Don't you go to jail for that?

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           I tried something like 30 times.
               There is, as STARKS rightly figures, no suitable response to
               that.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           She's bigger than me, and she's
                           stronger than me. And I never planned
                           on doing it. It was always in the
                           heat of the moment. I didn't beat her
                           or anything. Hell, she beat me. But
                           when we'd start fighting, I'd go for
                           the knife. Then she kept threatening
                           to have me put away, and [looking
                           around] she finally did.

               
               As he talks, MACKENZIE notes the SCARS on Starks' arms. Dr.
               LORENSON observes STARKS and MACKENZIE talking and starts
               walking towards them.

               

                                                                             20.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah, well 30 times probably would
                           make you seem crazy.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Or just plain stupid. You'd think by
                           the twentieth time, I'd have found an
                           alternative method. Maybe a more
                           effective one, if you know what I
                           mean.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           Morning, gentlemen. How are you doing
                           today?

               
               MACKENZIE winks discreetly at STARKS before he replies.

                                     MACKENZIE
                           It's a hard one for me, Dr. Lorenson.
                           [Finally turns to face her, grimly]
                           The world around me, it's shrinking.
                           There's not even room for light to
                           make its way in. [Beat] Da-da-bum! Da-
                           da-bum! I feel like the horseman of
                           doom is coming for me, Doc. Only
                           today, he's not carrying flowers.

               
               LORENSON reprimands MacKenzie by turning to Starks.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           What? It's better than fine.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           And you, Mr. Starks?

               
                                       STARKS [Already on the defense]
                           I'm fine.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           Mr. MacKenzie, do you think I could
                           talk to Mr. Starks privately?

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Of course you can, Doc. William, it
                           was an absolute pleasure. Thanks for
                           playing.

               
               Just before he walks away, MACKENZIE turns around nervously
               and uncharacteristically looks STARKS right in the eye.

               

                                                                             21.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Hey...when they talk you out to the
                           woods tonight and invite the wolves,
                           dance with them. [Beat] They don't
                           eat you when there's music playing.

               
               STARKS looks at MacKenzie briskly, wondering if his words
               were directed or just the meandering of a nut. But MacKenzie
               just nods his farewell and starts humming as he walks away --
               dead arm in tow.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           So you're ok?

               
                                     STARKS [Still distracted]
                           What?

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           I asked you if you're ok.

               
                                     STARKS [Suspiciously]
                           I don't know. You tell me, Doc. You
                           think there's anything wrong with me?

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           I don't know. You're not my patient.

               
               STARKS looks away. Lorenson gives him a once over.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           You look like you've lost some
                           weight. Are you eating?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I am. One of the few things I
                           remember doing is eating. So I guess
                           I must be exercising it off in my
                           dreams.

               
               STARKS looks at LORENSON, seeing if he'll respond. LORENSON
               looks back curiously at STARKS' pointed stare.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You done with your small talk?

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           Sure.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Good.

               
               STARKS walks away slowly and WEAKLY -- a fact that doesn't
               escape LORENSON's observation.

               

                                                                              22.

               

               INT. MEN'S ROOM, ALPINE GROVE HOSPITAL, DAY


               
               STARKS walks into the bathroom, keenly eyeing the thin slit
               of WINDOWS at the top of the wall. He walks closer to them,
               when he suddenly hears some STRAINED BREATHING from inside
               one of the stalls. He checks the first stall, pushing it
               open. It swings both ways since it doesn't have a lock.

               
               The sound continues. STARKS walks slowly past the second
               stall to the third and then... WHACK! The door swings all the
               way towards STARKS. BRUTALLY. He falls backwards -- his head
               just barely missing a fatal confrontation with the sink.

               
               DAMON, the ORDERLY, walks out.

               

                                     DAMON
                           I'm sorry, Starks. Must have not seen
                           you coming there.

               
               STARKS writhes in PAIN -- straining for his own breath now.

               
                                     DAMON [Leaning down close to him]
                           Were you worried about me? [Smiling]
                           That's so sweet. Thanks.

               
               With that, DAMON walks out, leaving STARKS on the floor.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               STARKS sits in his room, listening to the silence of the
               night interrupted by first faint, then approaching,
               FOOTSTEPS. Closer and closer...then harmfully near until
               DAMON and HARDING enter his room.

               
               They pause -- awaiting a reaction. STARKS doesn't give them
               one.

                                     NURSE HARDING
                           You gonna get the fuck up?

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               STARKS walks stoically down the cold corridors to his own
               torture -- flanked by HARDING and DAMON on either side.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               They're all in the room. STARKS seems pretty calm. Only in a
               C.U. do we see his eyes register the JACKET...

               

                                     BECKER
                           I'm glad to see you're cooperating
                           this time, Mr. Starks.

               

                                                                              23.

               
               STARKS looks at the WIDE, STURDY restraints on it. They would
               really hurt if you hit someone as hard as you could with
               them. They might even knock someone out...

               
               DAMON and HARDING move to undress him, when STARKS makes a
               move to do it himself. They look to DR. BECKER who NODS that
               it's all right.

               
               DAMON begrudgingly lets go of Starks but not before he steps
               on one of Starks' bare feet.

               
               STARKS doesn't flinch. He merely turns away from them and
               bends down to take off his pants. On his way up, he GRABS THE
               JACKET OFF ITS HOOK and, using it like a weapon, aims to
               smack it across Damon's face. DAMON deftly ducks and the
               JACKET hits BECKER instead. The force of the blow sends
               Becker down, and as he falls against the wall, DAMON and
               HARDING leap to restrain Starks.

               
               BECKER   opens and closes his eyes, trying to get them into
               focus.   His right cheek is cut pretty bad. DR. GRIES helps
               BECKER   to his feet and picks his BROKEN GLASSES up off the
               floor.   BECKER puts them on.

               

                                       DR. GRIES
                             Hold him while I get the
                             tranquilizer.

               

                                       DAMON
                             Fuck the tranquilizer! I got a foot.

               
               DAMON KICKS Starks hard in the back, nearly sending him down.

               

                                       BECKER
                             No. That's not necessary.

               
               BECKER looks down and sees his own BLOOD fall on the floor.
               He looks up at STARKS who, even in his pain, looks shocked at
               the force he just used.

               

                                       BECKER
                             Let him go. [More firmly] I said, let
                             him go!

               
               As soon as they let him go, STARKS lunges for BECKER --
               pushing him up against the wall. STARKS stops, presumably
               about to harm Becker but unsure, even to himself, of what
               he's capable of doing...

               
               BECKER looks fearlessly into Starks' eyes.

               

                                                                              24.

               
                                      BECKER [An inch away from his face]
                            What, Starks? What are you going to
                            do? End me just because I'm an
                            inconvenience to you? [Beat] Just
                            like you did with Officer Harrison?

               
               STARKS' face registers the meaning in Becker's words and a
               look of self-doubt crosses his face.

               

                                     BECKER
                           The only thing your mind is missing
                           is a conscience.

               
               STARKS lets go of him and, as soon as he does, DAMON and
               HARDING restrain him. BECKER calmly wipes the BLOOD from his
               face, looks at his hand, shakes his head and walks out.

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Wait...Dr. Becker, how long do you
                           want us to leave him in for?

               
               BECKER doesn't answer. He doesn't even turn around. DR. GRIES
               goes after him.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Just strap him in for now.

               
               And DAMON and HARDING start to...

               

               INT. BECKER'S OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS EVE, SOME TIME


               LATER

               
               BECKER turns around from the window and we see that his cheek
               is BANDAGED. He opens a drawer, takes out some SCOTCH and
               pours himself a SHOT. He swallows some pills with it.

               
               After he drinks it, he looks up to see GRIES standing
               opposite him, watching.

               

                                       DR. GRIES
                           You ok?

               

                                       BECKER
                           I'm fine.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           [Beat] Listen, I hate to bother
                           you...

               

                                     BECKER
                           Then don't.

               

                                                                          25.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           But... what about Starks?

               

                                     BECKER
                           What about Starks?

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Should we be...

               

                                     BECKER
                           Should we be what? Trying to change
                           him any way we can? [Beat] Yes.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           But the Jacket? I mean...should we be
                           leaving him in like that?
                                     BECKER [As if stunned by the question]
                           Leaving him in? [Beat] The medication
                           I'm given him is intended to adjust --
                           maybe even reset -- his violent
                           proclivities. You know, peel away
                           some of those layers of hate. The
                           Jacket's merely a safe place for that
                           to happen. The grounds and the halls --
                           where I can't monitor side effects I
                           can't predict -- aren't.

               
                                     DR. GRIES [Still doubtful]
                           But, but...what about...

               
                                     BECKER [Mocking Gries]
                           But...but what about the gun? I mean,
                           should he have been firing away like
                           that? [Shaking his head at GRIES] You
                           can't fuck up a life that's already
                           been fucked up. [Turning away] There,
                           there's the insurance you're looking
                           for.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           I'm not looking for anything.

               
               BECKER shakes his head, laughing inside at the world's
               stupidity.

               

                                     BECKER
                           [Beat] It's Christmas Eve, Justin.
                           Don't you have somewhere to be?

               

                                                                              26.

               
               BECKER doesn't wait for an answer, just turns back towards
               the window and takes another sip of his drink.

               

                                                           CUT TO:

               

               INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               NURSE HARDING turns on the television as DAMON sits in one of
               the lounge chairs.

               

                                     NURSE HARDING
                           Ah, man, look, It's A Wonderful Life.

               

                                     DAMON
                           You got any booze?

               
               HARDING takes out a FLASK from her BACKPACK.

               

                                     NURSE HARDING
                           'Course I do. [Smiling] And it is the
                           season for giving so let's get to it.

               
               DAMON smiles and rubs his hands together eagerly.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               A shot of the WALL OF DRAWERS, with no one in the room, just
               someone in the wall...

               

               INT. CADAVER DRAWER


               
               STARKS finds himself in the physically wrenching place once
               more. But nothing happens for some seconds. He breathes
               anxiously, not knowing what to expect. His heart beats
               steadily: THUMP...THUMP, until, finally, with each beat, a
               SMALL WHITE FLECK becomes two flecks...then, two
               dots...then, two circles...then, the WHITES of a pair of
               EYES with a terrific meanness in them.

               
               The EYES blink, then disappear like they were never there.

               
               The pace of STARKS' heart quickens, and the inexplicable
               madness surrounds him once more...

               

               EXT. MURDER SCENE, HIGHWAY, VERMONT, DUSK


               
               The SOUNDS of BOMBS RAGE around him but he's in the middle of
               the murder scene, watching OFFICER HARRISON lie on the floor.
               He turns to look over his shoulder and sees...

               

                                                                              27.

               

               EXT. IRAQI VILLAGE, NIGHT


               
               Through a PHOSPHORESCENT GREEN NIGHT-VISION CAMERA, we see FIRE,
               FLESH, and RUIN littering the sand. Slowly the
               terrifying images shift to a naturalistic, real-time
               documentation of the action -- the ruin -- as it's occurring.

               
               As STARKS blinks, TEARS fall and he hears, over it all, a
               counseling voice...

               

                                     MACKENZIE (O.S.)
                           When they take you out to the woods
                           tonight and invite the wolves, dance
                           with them.

               
               The TERRIBLE SOUNDS become less terrible as they fade away.

                                     MACKENZIE (O.S.)
                           They don't eat you when there's music
                           playing.

               
               The scene morphs slowly and the following IMAGES appear
               vaguely -- forming the walls of the TUNNEL around him.

               
                 1) C.U. A WOMAN'S NECK and a small child's HAND

               

                 2) INT. STAIRWAY, OLD HOUSE (STARKS' CHILDHOOD HOME)


               
                 3) C.U. A black and white PHOTOGRAPH

               
                 4) EXT. CREEK: A shot of clear water, not too deep...


               

                 5) EXT. A NEW ENGLAND BEACH


               
                 6) EXT. DESERT, IRAQ: A sublime sunset...


               
               STARKS walks up uneasily to the wall and touches the IMAGES.
               They move like they're liquid and, when they settle, the
               whole wall is replaced with one large IMAGE of a BEAUTIFUL
               WOMAN -- a waitress -- standing at the counter of a COFFEE
               SHOP, moving a STRAND OF HAIR out of her face with her hand.

               
               STARKS blinks slowly -- struck by this dream of her. He reaches
               out and closes his PALM around her like he might catch hold
               of the moment with this simple gesture.

               
               The whole WALL OF IMAGES twinkles marvelously, as we...

               

                                                        CUT TO:

               

                                                                              28.

               

               EXT. DINER, SMALL TOWN, VERMONT, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               The WAITRESS (early 20s) -- tired, with kind eyes, soft skin
               and a beautiful mouth that hasn't smiled in a long time --
               emerges from the diner. Even with no effort, she is
               remarkably pretty.

               
               From her UNIFORM, we know that her day was spent there.
               STARKS simply stares at this WOMAN who seems markedly removed
               from the world around her. The only fact she wears on her is
               that she's tired.

               
               She spots STARKS and can't help but do a double-take. Both
               are momentarily taken with each other, though she tries to
               hide any indication that she is.

               

               INT. WAITRESS' CAR


               
               She gets in her old car and starts it. As it warms up, she
               looks for STARKS in her REARVIEW MIRROR and sees he's still
               there.

               
               He starts to walk over to her when she jumps out of her car.

               

               EXT. PARKING LOT, DINER, VERMONT, CHRISTMAS EVE


               
               The WAITRESS treads angrily towards STARKS.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Where do you think you're going?

               
               STARKS looks at her. He doesn't know anymore than she does.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           You gonna answer me?

               
               STARKS just stares.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           If you're deaf, read my lips...I
                           don't need a psycho following me
                           today.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I'm not deaf.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Good.

               
               She turns and gets back in her car, slamming the door shut.
               She starts to drive and STARKS stares after her.

               

                                                                           29.

               
               After a few hundred yards, she SLAMS on the brakes and turns
               the car round, coming back. Then she jumps out of the car and
               heads back in the diner, without looking over at STARKS.

               

               EXT. DINER, SMALL TOWN VERMONT, SOME SECONDS LATER


               
               She comes out -- this time PURSE in hand -- and sighs at
               Starks.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           [As if she owes him an explanation] I
                           forgot my purse.

               
               STARKS nods slowly. The WAITRESS gets in her car and looks
               again at STARKS in her REARVIEW MIRROR. He has hardly any
               winter gear on him -- no gloves, no hat, no coat -- just jeans
               and a flannel. He looks lost among his surroundings, as much
               because he doesn't know where he is as because he doesn't
               look like he belongs there.

               
               She reverses towards him.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           In case you hadn't figured, it's
                           Christmas Eve. You're never gonna get
                           a cab here.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Thanks.

               
               She looks him over and then rests her hands on the wheel.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           All right. [Beat] You got somewhere
                           you need to go, Mister?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm not sure.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Let me ask you that again. This time,
                           look around and consider your
                           options.

               
               Being cold and freezing are his options.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           [Beat] You got somewhere you need to
                           go, Mister?

               
                                     STARKS [Nodding slowly]
                           Yeah, I do.

               

                                                                              30.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Great, get in.

               

               INT. WAITRESS' CAR


               

                                     WAITRESS
                           So, where do you want me to drop you?

               
               STARKS rubs his hand over his chin and cheek as he thinks it
               over. She watches him curiously.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm not sure.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           You don't have anywhere to stay?

                                     STARKS
                           I don't think so.

               
               The WAITRESS takes out a FLASK and a sizable SWIG from it;
               she swallows it smoothly, like someone used to doing so.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Well, where are you from?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm not sure. [Beat] I don't really
                           know.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Of course you don't know.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Why "of course"?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Because in my life, it wouldn't make
                           sense for me to pick up some normal
                           guy with a place where he's from and
                           a place where he's going to. It'd be
                           too simple. I probably wouldn't know
                           how to handle a situation like that.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Well, you definitely didn't pick
                           normal or simple this time either.

               
               She looks over at him -- momentarily suspicious. He looks back
               innocuously; there's something innately safe about him.

               

                                                                              31.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           At least you're honest. That's some
                           kind of start.

               
               STARKS sees her take another DRINK from the flask. She pulls
               out a CIGARETTE, and STARKS lights it for her with some

               MATCHES.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           That's great. You're not sure where
                           you're from or where you're going,
                           but at least you've got manners.

               
               She laughs, noticeably more relaxed now after the drink.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Well, you got a coat or something?

               
                                      STARKS [Looking down at his clothes]
                            No. Doesn't look like it.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Well, how'd you get here?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I was dropped off.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Do you have a motel or something?
                           Money?

               
               STARKS feels his pockets.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Well, don't you somewhere? Stuff?
                           Belongings?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. [Beat] Not around here.

               
               She casts a long sideward glance at STARKS, taking him and
               her circumstances in for herself. He looks back gently.

               

                                      WAITRESS
                            All right, we'll get to my place and
                            call around, see where I can take
                            you. [Beat] Just don't think of
                            trying anything.

                                      (MORE)

               

                                                                              32.

               
                                      WAITRESS (cont'd)
                            I have the biggest defense for gun
                            control living upstairs from me.
                            She's armed and angry even when she's
                            asleep.

               

               INT. WAITRESS' APARTMENT, EVENING


               
               She is on the PHONE, calling various shelters.   Her apartment
               has some pieces of mismatched furniture, along   with a string
               of lopsided CHRISTMAS LIGHTS strewn around the   WINDOWS in the
               room. They, more than anything else, light the   place.

               
                                     WAITRESS [Pleading tone]
                           I could have him there in 15 minutes.
                           [Beat, disappointed] Hmm. Yeah,
                           thanks. Merry Christmas to you, too.

               
               She hangs up the phone.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Great. That was our last option. What
                           am I going to do with you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Nothing. [Getting up] Thanks for
                           bringing me this far.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Where are you going? You'll freeze
                           out there. You don't even have a
                           coat.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'll manage.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           No, you won't. You'll die of cold out
                           there and then I'll have to feel
                           guilty. And I've already got more
                           guilt than I know what to do with.
                           [Beat] Do you want something to
                           drink?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No, I'm ok.

               
               She leaves to the KITCHEN to fix herself a drink and STARKS
               stares after her. Suddenly, a SMASHING SOUND is heard as
               something falls in the kitchen. STARKS' whole BODY TENSES UP
               as he wonders whether he's being taken out of the Jacket.

               

                                      WAITRESS
                           Shit! That was one of my good
                           glasses!

               

                                                                              33.

               
               As she presumably cleans it up, we stay on STARKS who slowly
               gains hold of himself. She comes back, DRINK in hand and
               pushes the STRAND OF HAIR in her face back the same way she
               did when he saw her in the tunnel. Even through her
               weariness, she looks radiant under the Christmas lights. She
               takes a long SIP.

               
                                     WAITRESS [Noticing he's shaken]
                           Hey, you ok?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Yeah, I'm fine.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           You know what? It's Christmas Eve.
                           And you look clean -- I mean, you're
                           normal-looking. [Resolutely, for her
                           own benefit] It's Christmas Eve, and
                           I have a couch.

               
               And sadly, no plans for the evening anyway. She looks back --
               her EYES even more tired from the liquor.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm not gonna hurt you.

               
                                     WAITRESS [Softly]
                           I know. [Clearing her throat] I'm
                           gonna go take a bath. Make yourself
                           at home. You know, fix yourself
                           something to eat if you're hungry or
                           anything. There's nothing to steal,
                           but don't be a jerk and take
                           something anyway. And don't snoop,
                           ok?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Ok. [Beat] My name's William by the
                           way.

               
                                     WAITRESS [Shakes her head]
                           No, no. Let's not do the name stuff,
                           'cause you see, I don't want to meet
                           you. I may want to help you tonight,
                           but I don't want to know you. Honest.

               
               STARKS nods as she walks out.

               

               EXT. YARD BEHIND WAITRESS' APARTMENT, EVENING


               
               STARKS, still without a coat, collects some WOOD...

               

                                                                              34.

               

               INT. KITCHEN, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, EVENING


               
               STARKS looks in her fridge. There's not much to work with --
               just some JARS and plenty of VODKA.

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, SOME TIME LATER


               
               STARKS has lit a FIRE and set out a feeble dinner for them
               when the WAITRESS comes out of the bedroom in sweats.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           What's this?

               

                                     STARKS
                           The best I could do with what was in
                           your fridge.
               She looks and sees a SANDWICH on a BUN in one plate and a
               SANDWICH on two different colors of TOAST on the other.

               
               Then she looks over at the fire; it's obvious from the way
               she looks at it that it's been years, if ever, since
               someone's done something like this for her.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I only lit it because it was so cold
                           in here. I'm sorry if...

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           No, it's fine. [Beat, swallow]
                           Thanks.

               
               She turns and goes in the kitchen, calling out to him...

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           You want a drink?

                                     STARKS
                           Sure.

               

               INT. KITCHEN, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               As she makes their DRINKS, a curious LOOK crosses her face,
               just for a second.

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, A LITTLE WHILE LATER


               
               They've sat down to eat under the blinking CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           This is pretty good. Considering...

               

                                                                              35.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Thanks.

               
               They eat quietly for a second. STARKS looks at her, then down
               at his food, still subtly stunned by it all.

               

                                     STARKS
                           So you're a waitress, right? I
                           mean...from the uniform you were
                           wearing.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Yup. That's me.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You like it?

                                     WAITRESS
                           [Beat] I do it.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Have you always been a waitress?

               
                                     WAITRESS [Remembering sadly]
                           No. I used to be a nurse.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Why'd you stop?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Shit happens, and your life changes.
                           'Bout the best explanation of a lot
                           of things that happen. [Beat] So how
                           come you don't know where you're
                           coming from?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know, but I think part of
                           it's...

               
               STARKS looks around as he decides to be honest with her.

               

                                     STARKS
                           That I don't really know what's real.

               
               She stares at him until a small sympathetic smile appears on
               her lips.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Well, good for you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Why?

               

                                                                              36.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           [Beat] Real is overrated.

               
               STARKS smiles back uncertainly.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You don't think that's crazy?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Maybe. [Beat] Maybe not.

               
               She holds up her glass somewhat sadly.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Sometimes I don't know the difference
                           myself. And, you know something? I
                           think I like it better that way.
                           [Finishes her drink] You want another
                           one?

               
               She goes to the KITCHEN, and STARKS clears their PLATES.

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, WAITRESS' APARTMENT


               
               STARKS goes in the KITCHEN as she comes out with their
               drinks. He hears her turn on the RADIO. She lands on an
               OLDIES station that's playing "Girl of North Country" by Bob
               Dylan.

               

               INT. KITCHEN, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               STARKS smiles a little, then realizes he remembers, and
               likes, the song. It's the first familiar thing for him in
               days.

               
               He walks out slowly to the living room, where the WAITRESS
               sits on the couch, drinking. STARKS moves closer to the
               radio, leaning into it, listening and forgetting, for a short
               while -- only as long as a piece of song -- everything else.

               

                                     BOB DYLAN
                           If you go when the snow flakes storm
                           When the rivers freeze and summer
                           ends.
                           Please see she has a coat so warm
                           To keep her from the howlin' winds...

               
               STARKS listens close -- smiling a small, sad smile. Over the
               HARMONICA, we pull back and see two very lonely people
               passing time together the way people sometimes need to be
               able to.

               

                                                                            37.

               

                                     STARKS
                           This is a great song.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           You remember it?

               
                                      STARKS [Nodding slowly]
                            It's like I feel like...I know who I
                            am. I just can't remember anything
                            that made me this person.

               
               When STARKS looks at her then, he's so close to a meltdown
               that it takes him a moment to fight his way out of it.

               

                                     STARKS
                           But hey, who can forget those words?
                           The man just wants simple and good
                           things for his woman -- that she be
                           warm and happy. How hard can that be
                           to remember?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           May be easy to remember, but not easy
                           to get. Being warm, maybe -- but,
                           look, you don't even have a coat and
                           I still have to chop wood to make a
                           fire. [Beat] And, being happy...you
                           tell me if that's simple.

               
               The CHRISTMAS LIGHTS flash drowsily to their own tempo.

               
                                      WAITRESS [re: the lights]
                            Why don't I try to get them to stop
                            blinking?

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, WAITRESS' APARTMENT, AN HOUR OR SO LATER

               She is visibly drained, after the day and the drinks.

               

                                     STARKS
                           They told me I joined the army when I
                           was seventeen. That's when my father
                           died and, before that, it was
                           apparently just me and him since I
                           was born 'cause my mom split.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           So you never knew your mother?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I guess not. But, as of now, I never
                           knew either.

               

                                                                              38.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           I'm sorry.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah. [Beat] How about you?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Never knew my father. I grew up with
                           my mother. Actually, I grew up around
                           my mother. She was great though. I
                           mean, the way she was with her
                           friends... She was this woman who had
                           so much life in her, she had to find
                           ways to kill some of it just to be
                           like the rest of us. [Beat] She died
                           young.

                                     STARKS
                           How?

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           She fucked herself up day after day
                           and then, one day, she fell asleep
                           with a burning cigarette. [Beat] I
                           came home from work and she was gone.

               
               The TEARS still run after all these years.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm sorry.

               

                                     WAITRESS
                           Yeah, me too. [Softly] Every day for
                           the last ten years.

               

                                     STARKS
                           That when you stopped being a nurse?

               
               She is surprised that he gleaned the connection -- and that he'd
               been listening so closely.

               
                                     WAITRESS [Exhausted]
                           Yeah, that's when I stopped being a
                           nurse. I never thought I could stop
                           being one, I wanted it for so long,
                           but... you just can't do it anymore
                           when you lose someone like that. You
                           can't take care of other people.

               
               She closes her eyes and finally passes out. STARKS watches
               her face, lit serenely by the FIRE and the Christmas lights.
               It bears her grief even in sleep.

               

                                                                              39.

               
               He covers her with a BLANKET then looks around and spots the
               only PERSONAL EFFECTS in the room on her mantle. He walks
               towards them, tripping slightly on a CORD from the LIGHTS. He
               stumbles but regains his balance by reaching for the wall.

               
               As he pulls himself up, he spots what is only inches away
               from where his hand landed on the wall: HIS OWN DOG TAGS,
               given to Jackie, only a couple weeks ago, hanging from a
               single NAIL tacked into the wall.

               
               Stunned, he stares at his NAME and BIRTH DATE scored on the
               metal. He looks back at the WAITRESS and then to the few
               PICTURES on the mantle: they are of JACKIE and her mother,
               JEAN. STARKS runs his hand through his hair, trying to
               swallow the improbability, and inexplicability, of the
               situation.
               STARKS' EYES search the room for ANYTHING that could help him
               figure out what's happening. On the console is an OLD PAPER
               and some MAIL. Totally disoriented, STARKS nearly STUMBLES on
               his way to the PILE.

               
               The label on the first BILL reads "Jackie Price." On the
               second, the same. And the third...until at the bottom of the
               pile, STARKS spots an OLD NEWSPAPER with the answer on its
               DATE: December 3, 2004.

               
               STARKS is absolutely stunned.
               STARKS looks over at JACKIE and, just then, the HARSH SOUND
               of the DRAWER being opened rings deafeningly in his ears and
               the image of her starts to DISSOLVE at this worst moment. He
               is being taken out of the JACKET...

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT


               
               It's DR. GRIES, racked with guilt, who pulls Starks out...

               
               He winces at the sight of the BLOOD and SWEAT streaked across
               Starks' face. DR. GRIES checks his pulse and cleans his face
               as best as he can with a WET TOWEL.

               

                                      DR. GRIES
                            William, can you hear me?

               
               His VOICE echoes in the morgue, sounding to Starks, as it
               does to us, faint and distant. DR. GRIES drips some WATER in
               Starks' mouth. As some of it trickles out, it runs into the
               JACKET, burning STARKS' chafed skin.

               
               STARKS' EYES flutter and DR. GRIES pushes the drawer back in,
               afraid of what they've done to this man...

               

                                                                              40.

               

               INT. CADAVER DRAWER


               
               STARKS clenches his face and pleadingly closes his eyes. FIVE
               SECONDS OF TOTAL BLACKNESS and SILENCE and he's back in...

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, WAITRESS' (JACKIE'S) APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               Only now, he's kneeling beside her sleeping FACE, just
               looking at it. STARKS doesn't know what's going on but her
               serene, sleeping face steadies him. He can only call out the
               name he thinks she might respond to...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Jackie? Jackie?

               
               Sure enough, she answers with a STIR in her sleep.

                                     JACKIE
                           Hm...

               
               We see, in STARKS' eyes, the unbelievable connection: she is
               the same little girl he met only a few weeks ago in 1992.

               
                                     STARKS [Swallowing, softly]
                           Jackie? [Beat] What year is it?

               
                                     JACKIE [In a drunken slumber]
                           What?

               

                                     STARKS
                           What year is it?

               
                                     JACKIE [Barely opening her eyes]

                           2004.

               
               STARKS looks around as JACKIE moves in her sleep, almost
               falling off the couch. STARKS picks her up and, in her sleep,
               she WRAPS her arms around his neck.

               

               INT. BEDROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               STARKS tenderly lays her down on the bed...

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               STARKS picks up his DOG TAGS from the console, looks around,
               spots the TELEVISION and fumbles a bit as he figures out how
               to turn it on. STARKS sits down, throws back the rest of
               JACKIE'S DRINK and another shot and looks around nervously,
               unable to explain what's happening to him...

               

                                                         FADE TO:

               

                                                                              41.

               

               INT. BEDROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, CHRISTMAS MORNING


               
               JACKIE sits in her sleep as she wakes up, clearly hung over.

               

               INT. BATHROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, CHRISTMAS MORNING


               
               As JACKIE closes the MEDICINE CABINET, she sees her hungover
               reflection in it.

               
               She puts her face under the WATER and lets it restore some
               color and life in her. As she comes up, that's when she
               remembers the night before and the voice she barely heard in
               her sleep.

               
                                     STARKS [O.S., echoing distantly]
                           Jackie? [Beat] What year is it?
               She SHOOTS UP from the sink, staring at her reflection.

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, SECONDS LATER


               
               JACKIE spots STARKS asleep on the couch -- newspaper strewn
               all around him and the TV still on. He's holding the TAGS.

               
               She kneels down close to his face and stares at him for
               awhile before STARKS is jarred. He defensively GRABS HER
               WRIST as his EYES BURST OPEN, startling her.

               
                                     JACKIE [Desperately]
                           Who are you?

               
               STARKS lets his GRIP loosen.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I'm William Starks.

               
               A short look of SHOCK cross her face before she leaps up.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Get the hell out of my house!

               
               JACKIE grabs the nearest object -- the IRON FORK from the
               FIREPLACE set -- and holds it, shaking, against STARKS. STARKS
               stays calm; he hardly expected a different reaction.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What'd you do? Snoop all over the
                           place? You had no right. You had no
                           right to go through anything.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I know it doesn't make sense.
                           It doesn't even make sense to me.

               

                                                                            42.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           If you don't get out of my house
                           right now, I'll call the police.

               
                                      STARKS [Remembering]
                            Your mom was passed out on the side
                            of the road when I found you. Her
                            name was Jean. [Beat] She was dizzy
                            the whole time...

               
                                     JACKIE [Trembling]
                           Why would you do something like this?
                           I tried to help you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Jackie, I'm William Starks. I can
                           prove it.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What? Now you're gonna show me some
                           kind of driver's license?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No, I don't have anything to show
                           you. I'm here from a mental hospital.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Well, you belong in one.

               
                                      STARKS [Solemnly]
                            [Beat] You and your mom were in a
                            truck and she kept a rifle in the
                            back of it...

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Stop it! Stop it!
               JACKIE covers her ears and looks at him, pleading with her
               eyes. STARKS' eyes plead right back.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm sorry for upsetting you, [beat]
                           but I'm not lying to you.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           You can't be William Starks. He's
                           dead.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] What?

               

                                                                              43.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           William Starks is dead... [Beat] I've
                           been to his grave.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] What?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           His body was found New Year's Day,
                           19...1993. At Alpine...

               
                                     STARKS [Finishing for her]
                           Alpine Grove. That's the mental
                           hospital. How do you know that?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I looked it up.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How?

               
               Then he remembers -- understanding with a chill that what she
               is saying could entirely be true.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I gave you my dog tags.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           No, you didn't. They found William
                           Starks' body dead in the snow.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How'd he die?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I don't know. But he did die.
               STARKS falters under the news. JACKIE looks around, through
               her now blurred eyes, like she might find some help in the
               apartment. She settles for the BOTTLE of VODKA on the table,
               lowers the iron fork and takes a long heavy drink, then
               laughs nervously as she looks up.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I know what this is...I picked you up
                           when I was drunk and you probably
                           thought I'm just fucked up enough to
                           fall for this. But the thing is I
                           know what I'm doing when I drink. I
                           just usually don't care. Right now, I
                           do though. And I want you out. Now.

               

                                                                             44.

               

               

               

                                     STARKS
                           It's December 25th, 1993 today.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           No, it's not. [Beat] It's December
                           25th, 2004.

               
                                     STARKS [Desperate]
                           That can't be. That's...just, I
                           mean... You're telling me I died in
                           less than a week in the time I'm in.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I'm telling you I don't care what
                           time you think you're in. You're not
                           William Starks. [Beat] I don't
                           believe in many things, but I believe
                           in death. And it doesn't give back
                           what it takes. So whoever you are...I
                           did a nice thing, you've made me
                           regret it enough already, so please,
                           just leave.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'll leave. But look at me. Look at
                           my face, Jackie. I'm not lying. I met
                           you and your mother. I told you then
                           that I'd lost my memory. [Beat] There
                           was no one for miles around so I know
                           you know there's no way I could have
                           known that from a pair of dog tags
                           you had lying around.

               

                                       JACKIE
                           Please...

               
               STARKS looks at her tenderly before he turns to leave.
               JACKIE, a little calmer, looks at the door like he's still on
               the other side of it and calls out softly, and sadly...

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Happy Birthday.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               STARKS looks around him and, we see, from bottom up, the
               exterior around Jackie's house melt away as STARKS suddenly
               faces the massacred village in Iraq. Shocked at what's
               happening to his body, he looks up, petrified. His body is
               wound as tightly as a knot.

               

                                                                              45.

               

               EXT. IRAQI VILLAGE, NIGHT, 1991


               
               Again, we're glimpsing the scene through PHOSPHORESCENT GREEN
               NIGHT VISION intermittently negotiated with real-time images.

               
               Opposite Starks stands a CRAZED IRAQI SOLDIER -- seething in
               anger and pointing his gun at a LITTLE BOY, presumably
               belonging to the MAN not five feet away. Next to Starks is an
               angry CAPTAIN MEDLEY, ordering STARKS to follow him. STARKS
               is watching himself in the scene.

               

                                     MEDLEY
                           You walk on. They pick up their guns
                           and fire at you, you stay. They pick
                           up and fire at each other, and you
                           walk on!

                                     STARKS
                           He's got his gun pointed at a kid.

               

                                     MEDLEY
                           That is not our problem.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah, well, none of this is our
                           fuckin' problem.

               
               STARKS turns and aims his gun at a CRAZED IRAQI SOLDIER
               threatening to shoot a child. We hear him YELLING in Arabic.

               
               What STARKS doesn't see is another IRAQI SOLDIER (2) aiming
               his GUN at STARKS.

               

                                     MEDLEY
                           We are leaving this site right now.

               
               STARKS doesn't hear him; he's busy perfecting his aim.

               
                                      STARKS [To the first Iraqi soldier]
                            Hey!

               
               At the force of the word, the SOLDIER lowers his gun and the
               LITTLE BOY flees.

               
               STARKS, who is now in the scene himself, lowers his gun
               slightly as he approaches the SOLDIER. Neither speaks the
               other's language but they're both saying everything with
               their eyes. Neither moves his off the other.

               
               Just then, though, we see the SECOND IRAQI SOLDIER get a
               clear aim at STARKS.

               

                                                                             46.

               
               He takes his SHOT before anyone else does. STARKS goes down
               as the skin off the side of his head is shaved off.

               
               He falls to the ground. As the rest of the picture fades to
               black, all that is left is previously mysterious, still
               haunting PAIR of EYES that we now see belonged to the

               CRAZED IRAQI SOLDIER.

               
               And over it all is the now more distant CLANK OF METAL as the
               drawer is opened and the nightmare momentarily ended...

               

                                                          FADE TO BLACK.

               

               INT. MORGUE, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS DAY


               
               DR. GRIES, DR. BECKER, DAMON and NURSE HARDING enter the
               room.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You left him in all night?

               

                                     NURSE HARDING
                           Shit, he's probably dead.

               
                                     DR. GRIES [Defensively]
                           I tried to ask you if we should leave
                           him in yesterday...

               

                                     BECKER
                           Don't get all worked up, Justin. I
                           expected some common sense on your
                           part and clearly I was expecting too
                           much. [Beat] Just open the drawer.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           We never should have done this to
                           him...

               

                                     BECKER
                           Well, what are we gonna do about it now?

               
               Nothing is Gries' answer. Still, Becker seems to share the
               concern.

               
               BECKER motions for them to open the drawer. They pull him
               out. STARKS looks cold and wrecked.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Is he? [Impatiently] Is he dead?

               
               BECKER feels for a pulse and seems surprised to find one.

               

                                                                              47.

               

                                     BECKER
                           No. [To Harding and Damon] Get him
                           upstairs.

               

               INT. WARD, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS DAY


               
               DR. LORENSON walks into the ward to check on STARKS. The
               attending NURSE is walking around the ward.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Where's William Starks.

               

                                     NURSE
                           I'm not sure. Dr. Becker had him
                           moved.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               DR. LORENSON walks anxiously down the halls of the hospital,
               peering into every room, looking for Starks.

               

               INT. ANOTHER HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               DR. LORENSON spots BECKER walking out the DOORS of the
               hospital and RUNS after him, in only his white coat...

               

               EXT. PARKING LOT, ALPINE GROVE, DAY (CONT'D)


               
                                     LORENSON [Calling out after him]
                           Dr. Becker! Dr. Becker!...Tom, wait!

               
               DR. BECKER stops walking and waits a moment, registering the
               voice, before he turns around to face Dr. Lorenson.

               
                                     LORENSON [Out of breath]
                           Where's William Starks?

                                     BECKER
                           He's recovering on the third floor.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Are you kidding me? He's not
                           psychotic!

               

                                     BECKER
                           Then how would you describe him,
                           Beth? Merely rebellious?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           He'll be a zombie in a few days, Tom.
                           His behavior's hardly suggested he
                           needed neuroleptics.

               

                                                                            48.

               

                                     BECKER
                           And you know that from what, a couple
                           two-minute stares across a room?

               
                                     LORENSON [Firmly]
                           He didn't need anti-psychotics, if
                           that's even all you're giving him...?

               
               BECKER ignores Lorenson's insinuation and merely turns his
               CHEEK all the way round towards Lorenson so he can see the
               BANDAGE from the CUT Starks gave him.

               
                                      BECKER [Steadily]
                            After he slashed me with a hospital
                            instrument, I determined, in my
                            professional opinion, that Mr.
                            Starks, needed a little placating.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           [Beat] You sure he wasn't provoked?

               

                                     BECKER
                           You sure you want to begin making
                           that kind of insinuation? [Beat] I
                           took five stitches during a routine
                           therapy session.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I'm sure he took some, too.

               
                                     BECKER [Smirking, unphased]
                           Happens sometimes when you've got to
                           restrain them. You watch the rest of
                           us work. You know that.

               
                                     LORENSON [Appealing to him]
                           Our patients are sick.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Yes, they are.

               
               LORENSON looks at BECKER; he knows he's hiding something.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           He's not gonna end up like Casey,
                           Tom. Whatever happened to him is not
                           going to "happen" to Starks. I don't
                           know what you're trying to do here
                           ...but he's not a lab animal, Tom.
                           You can't reprogram him no matter the
                           drugs or the treatment.

               

                                                                             49.

               

                                      BECKER
                            Jesus, you really don't let up, do
                            you? Just because you failed your
                            patient doesn't necessarily mean the
                            rest of us did, too. [Beat] Sorry to
                            tarnish your war hero's image, but he
                            is psychotic.

               
               LORENSON looks back, starting to grasp Becker's misshapen
               beliefs.

               

                                      BECKER
                            Now, if you'll excuse me, it's
                            Christmas, and I have a family I'd
                            like to see.

               

               INT. ROOM, INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS DAY


               
               STARKS, IV in arm, lies asleep in bed, recovering...

               

               INT. HOSPITAL, VERMONT


               
               JACKIE walks in a hospital -- with many aspects parallel to
               the mental hospital. White on white and, for Jackie
               particularly, the presence of painful memories.

               

               INT. ROOM, INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, ALPINE GROVE, CHRISTMAS DAY


               
               LORENSON walks closer to STARKS and carefully examines the
               BRUISES and BURNS on a body that's been badly beaten. His
               eyes bear his guilt.

               

               INT. NURSE'S STATION, HOSPITAL, VERMONT


               
               JACKIE waits until a nurse, CLAIRE, greets her perfunctorily.

               
                                      CLAIRE [Not looking up]
                            How can I help you?

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Hi, Claire.

               
               CLAIRE looks up, astonished to see her. She smiles warmly.

               

                                     CLAIRE
                           Jackie, hi. How are you, honey?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I'm ok. [Beat] I need a favor.

               

                                                         CUT TO:

               

                                                                              50.

               

               INT. STARKS' HOSPITAL ROOM


               
               STARKS is asleep when a DARK FIGURE walks, like a GHOST, past
               the WINDOWED DOOR of his room. STARKS opens his eyes and
               snaps his neck in its direction -- fearful of everything at
               this point. When he looks, there's nothing there; he's not
               sure there ever was. The room starts to blue as he looks
               around it, not knowing if he is crazy...

               

                                                           RETURN TO:

               

               INT. OFFICE, HOSPITAL, VERMONT


               
               JACKIE peruses HEADLINES and ABSTRACTS pulled up on the web:

               
                   "ALPINE GROVE INVESTIGATION into the mysterious death of
                   William Starks..."

               
                   "The body of WILLIAM STARKS, the former war hero who was
                   charged with the murder of OFFICER EDWARD HARRISON, was
                   found on the grounds of ALPINE GROVE on January 1, 1993.
                   STARKS was believed to have died from a wound to the
                   head."

               
               The words and PHRASES that confirm Starks' story RISE from
               their couched places on the computer screen.

               
                   "Local Doctor charged with medical malpractice." "Dr.
                   Thomas Becker resigns..." "It involved the recreation of
                   a womb-like environment." "Former patients testify to
                   being put in instrument known as the 'Jacket'"...
                   "Patient Rudy MacKenzie testifies..."

               
                    "WILLIAM STARKS, laurelled war hero..."

               
               As JACKIE keeps scrolling, her face wears her disbelief that
               what STARKS was saying may have been true. Then, she sees,
               archived in a state newspaper, a mention of Dr. Lorenson and
               a particular patient, "Eugene Yazdi."

               
                   "Local Boy, Eugene Yazdi, Overcomes Absence Seizure
                   Syndrome to Win Mathematic Decathlon...with the aid of
                   Local Doctor, Dr. Loel Lorenson." "Panelists for
                   National Epilepsy Conference include Dr. Lorenson,
                   Alpine Grove Hospital."

               

               INT. STARKS' HOSPITAL ROOM, DECEMBER 26TH


               
               A NURSE is checking on STARKS as he slowly wakes up.

               

                                      STARKS
                            What the hell kind of drugs are you
                            people giving me?

               

                                                                              51.

               
               STARKS is asking the NURSE, but it's BECKER's voice that
               answers though Starks can't see him.

               

                                      BECKER [O.S.]
                            Just something to help you sleep.

               
               STARKS panics when he hears the voice. He looks around
               nervously but the BRIGHT SUNLIGHT pouring into the room is
               blinding. He swallows as he looks at the NURSE'S FACE as she
               continues adjusting his pillows.

               
                                      STARKS [Swallowing nervously]
                            Did you say something?

               
               The NURSE shakes her head lightly and just then BECKER steps
               out of the LIGHT.

                                      BECKER
                            I said the drugs were to help you
                            sleep. [Beat] Did you sleep well?

               
               Becker is remarkably calm, further confusing Starks' sense of
               reality.

               
                                      STARKS [Doubtfully]
                            But I wasn't asleep. Was I?

               

                                      BECKER
                            Yes. You were. You were asleep for
                            nearly a whole day. It's December
                            26th, William.

               
               STARKS sits up groggily, remembering what happened to him and
               wondering how much, if any of it, was real.

               

                                     STARKS
                           It's December 26th?

               
               STARKS examines himself -- looking at his arms, spotting the
               BRUISES on them.

               

                                      BECKER
                            That's right, William.

               
                                      STARKS [Slowly figuring it out]

                            1992?

               
               BECKER nods. STARKS sits up -- his predicament and the room
               slowly coming into focus.

               

                                                                              52.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Yes. [Caustically] And that's the sun
                           and you're on earth. [Beat] And I
                           know you know better.

               
               STARKS begins to piece if together. BECKER, as we begin to
               see, is right. It is 1992 in Alpine Grove.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know better. All I know is
                           that you left me in there.

               

                                       BECKER
                           In where?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Uncertainly] In that thing...the
                           Jacket.

               
               The NURSE gives Becker a knowing look -- suggesting Starks
               really is delusional. Becker doesn't even flinch as STARKS
               tries to get a better look at Becker's face.

               

                                     BECKER
                           We were forced to use restrains if
                           that's what you're referring to.

               

                                     STARKS
                           That wasn't a fucking restraint.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Actually, that's exactly what our
                           equipment is.

               
               STARKS' EYES widen with alarm as BECKER reaches for the I.V.
               in his arm, lingering on it long enough that Starks braces
               himself for an ATTACK of some sort. But Becker just looks
               back innocently as he adjusts it.

               

                                       BECKER
                           Relax.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Don't act like I don't know what's
                           real. [Beat] I'm not the one that's
                           crazy here.

               

                                     BECKER
                           [Pointedly] Of course you're not.

               
               Then he clarifies, wryly enough for Starks to catch it.

               

                                                                              53.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You're just suffering from delusions
                           that are unfortunately part of your
                           condition.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Don't give me that. I know what's
                           real, goddamnit! You strapped me in
                           something and stuck me in a drawer.

               
               BECKER nods diagnostically. The NURSE's nonchalance about it
               as she LEAVES the room further disquiets STARKS.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I didn't dream it. I may have been
                           asleep but it wasn't a dream.
               BECKER sits down in a CHAIR, half-shrouded in the light.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I had a patient a few years ago. His
                           name was Ted Casey...

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't give a shit about your
                           patient!

               

                                     BECKER
                           I wasn't pausing to see if you did.
                           [Beat] But, incidentally, you should,
                           because you're birds of a feather.

               
               STARKS squints as he searches out Becker's face.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Ted raped and sodomized a seven-year
                           old girl. [Beat] His lawyers asked me
                           to have a look at him because, after
                           his deeds were done... he climbed
                           into the trees of the forest where he
                           killed her and woofed like a dog. He
                           couldn't even remember his name when
                           I spoke to him, but, curiously
                           enough, he could speak back. [Beat]
                           Ted never went to prison because
                           everyone -- including me -- was
                           convinced he was sick. So he came
                           here.

               
               BECKER leans into Starks' view to make sure he's listening.
               STARKS is.

               

                                                                           54.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Then one day a little girl came with
                           her mother to visit a relative and I
                           caught Ted stealing looks at her --
                           the kind you really have to steal if
                           you know what I mean. [Beat] I asked
                           Ted then if he could remember what
                           the little girl who he had... slain
                           ...was wearing. [Beat] He gave me a
                           look I'll never forget, and, when he
                           answered, it wasn't with a color or
                           any sort of physical description I'd
                           expect. "Oh yes," he said. "I remember
                           it. I remember it well." [Beat] Those
                           were actually his last words I think.

               
               BECKER's expression bears a hunting mixture of anger and
               remorse as he recounts Ted's tale.

               

                                     STARKS
                           We are not birds of a feather.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Maybe not. [Beat] But I do think
                           you're in a tree... woofing like a
                           dog. And I'm just trying to help you
                           the only way I can think of.

               
               BECKER gets up and, as he moves out of the light, STARKS sees
               his BANDAGED CHEEK, reinforcing his memory of what
               happened...

               
                                     STARKS [Provokingly]
                           What happened to your cheek, Dr.
                           Becker?

               

                                     BECKER
                           I was careless. Happens sometimes.

               

                                                        FADE TO:

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, RECOVERY WARD, ALPINE GROVE, DAY, 1992


               
               STARKS looks out on the SNOW-COVERED GROUNDS from his room on
               the third floor. He seems pacified for the moment.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, RECOVERY WARD, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               Everything about the dingy hospital punctuates the sad
               mechanics of managing madness. CATATONIC PATIENTS and dated
               equipment litter the hall and, as we follow a NURSE who walks
               among them, we spot STARKS -- ARMS suspended in air and GLAZED
               EYES fixed on the ceiling -- pretending to be one of them.

               

                                                                                55.

               
               His ARMS fall and he wipes his dried MOUTH as soon as she
               passes. STARKS has successfully made it out of his room. She
               turns one corner as STARKS hustles to turn another...

               

               INT. DAY ROOM, ALPINE GROVE


               
               STARKS is almost   there. As RANDOM ORDERLIES pass him, STARKS
               lets his posture   collapse as he despondently hangs his head
               down so low they   can't see his face. They pass, and STARKS
               starts scuttling   towards the door to the outside.

               
               As soon as he reaches it and is outside in the cold -- with
               only his BLUE PATIENT UNIFORM -- Starks walks normally, like
               he no longer remembers the risks. Instead he remembers what
               Jackie told him.

               

                                     JACKIE [O.S.]
                           They found William Starks' body dead
                           in the snow.

               

                                     STARKS [O.S.]
                           How'd he die?

               

                                     JACKIE [O.S.]
                           I don't know. But he did die.

               

               EXT. GROUNDS, ALPINE GROVE


               
               STARKS leans down -- seemingly oblivious to the cold -- and
               lifts some snow to his mouth, TASTING it like a man who needs
               to affirm he is still alive. He's so rapt that LORENSON's
               VOICE takes him by surprise.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Hey. You're not supposed to be out
                           here.
               STARKS stiffens as he realizes he could be in the place where
               his body was found. The terrible question asks itself on his
               face: Is this when Starks is killed?

               
                                     STARKS [Turning around sharply]
                           What are you going to do to me?

               

                                       LORENSON
                           Well...

               
               As LORENSON reaches into his POCKET for something, STARKS
               anxiously holds his breath. It's BLACK when it comes out and...
               a SKI HAT when it opens up. STARKS lets out his breath,
               relieved.

               

                                                                           56.

               
                                     LORENSON [Nonchalantly]
                           I thought I'd just ask you to come
                           back inside with me.

               

                                     STARKS
                           And if I didn't want to come?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I guess I'd ask you why.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Because I don't think I'm crazy.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You're not crazy.

               
               STARKS is surprised by Lorenson's agreement.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You suffer from delusional disorder.
                           That doesn't mean you're... crazy. It
                           just means you're confused. And
                           you're here, instead of in jail,
                           because that was determined to have
                           played a role in your killing of a
                           police officer.

               
                                     STARKS [Correcting him]
                           Alleged killing of a police officer.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You were convicted of the crime.

               

                                     STARKS
                           That conviction doesn't convince me
                           of anything. Until I know that I did
                           it, I'm not going to accept that I
                           did.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You may never remember at all. [Beat]
                           Your mind's grasp of reality and the
                           real events that have happened to you
                           has been damaged.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. The real events that have
                           happened to me have been fucked up.
                           Not my mind.

               
               LORENSON seems to realize -- at least for an instant -- that he
               is looking at a desperate man who is persuasively, and
               cogently, staring back at him.

               

                                                                              57.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           [Beat] William, I'd like to ask you
                           something if I can.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Since when do people around here have
                           to ask permission to do anything?

               
                                     LORENSON [Suspiciously]
                           How's your treatment progressing with
                           Dr. Becker?

               
               STARKS still doesn't know how much Lorenson knows, and if he
               should trust him.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Fine. [Beat] Why made you ask?

               
               LORENSON answers first with his eyes looking over Starks'
               body. STARKS merely stares back tersely.

               
                                      LORENSON [Carefully]
                            I just hope you'd let me know if that
                            wasn't the case.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Why, what would you do?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I could try to...make it stop.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. I don't want it to.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           So it's helping?
                                     STARKS [Choosing his words carefully]
                           [Beat] It's making me feel like a
                           different person.

               
               LORENSON -- sensing she's not going to get any more from
               Starks -- turns around to go back inside. It's only as she
               turns her face away from STARKS that we see how nervous she
               is. But you'd never guess it from her tone...

               
                                      LORENSON [Casually]
                            You comin'?

               
               STARKS looks towards the FENCES locking him in from every
               direction. LORENSON waits until she hears STARKS' FOOTSTEPS
               following her. She waits until STARKS has reached her.

               

                                                                      58.

               

                                      LORENSON
                            You should be careful. You could be
                            killed if they found you out here.

               

                                      STARKS
                            Believe me, I know.

               

               INT. PATIENT CAFETERIA, WARD, ALPINE GROVE, 1992


               
               STARKS and MACKENZIE are eating opposite each other.

               

                                      STARKS
                            What were you talking about the other
                            day?

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            I wasn't talking about anything.

               

                                      STARKS
                            Yeah, you were. What you said about
                            them taking me out to the woods...

               
               MACKENZIE clams up slightly at the mention of it...

               

                                      STARKS
                            What do you know about the Jacket?

               
               MACKENZIE's eyes start to twitch nervously.

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            I know you need one when it's really
                            cold.

               

                                      STARKS
                            [Cutting in] MacKenzie, listen to me.
                            Listen. I'm going to die.

                                      MACKENZIE
                            Mortality's actually a great thing to
                            be familiar with. It means you're
                            sane on some level.

               

                                      STARKS
                            [Gravely] No, I mean in four days,
                            I'm supposed to die.

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            [Beat] How do you know?

               

                                      STARKS
                            The Jacket.

               

                                                                              59.

               
               MACKENZIE grows visibly more nervous at this second mention
               of it.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Oh no, you're pretty young. Your
                           body'll be able to handle a lot more
                           of it than you think...

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. [Beat] I mean I found out while I
                           was in it that my body's gonna be
                           found in four days.

               
               Just then, NURSE HARDING is upon them. She carries a ROD in
               her hand which she TAPS menacingly on the floor as she walks
               towards them.

                                     HARDING
                           What are you two yappin' about?

               
               STARKS tenses up as he sees only the ROD, which could inflict
               a GASH if hit across a man's head the right way. Nearly every
               object could be a threat to his life as this point.

               
                                     MACKENZIE [Spoken like a nut]
                           [Beat] We're talking about our
                           ability to go forward in time, to go
                           into the future. [To Starks] That is
                           what we're talking about here, right?

               
               STARKS is startled MacKenzie gets it.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah, it is.

               

                                     HARDING
                           You know something? You're two
                           fucking freaks is what you are.

               
                                     STARKS [Smiling]
                           Well, no shit, Einstein. What do you
                           think we're doing in this place?

               
               MACKENZIE tries not to laugh but a CHUCKLE slips out.

               

                                     HARDING
                           I want the two of you to shut the
                           fuck up and eat your food.

               
               HARDING walks away with a final stare that Starks returns.

               
                                     STARKS [Under his breath]
                           I gotta get back in it, MacKenzie.

               

                                                                              60.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           It's gonna be sticky.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Why?

               
               MACKENZIE's body betrays his discomfort talking about it in
               its sudden jerks accompanying every word.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           'Cause Lorenson's got her claws in it
                           now. When she started getting
                           suspicious about me was when they
                           stopped using it on me. Women!

               

                                     STARKS
                           So what am I supposed to do?

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           You could still always give Becker an
                           itch. 'Course you might get killed
                           when he goes to scratch it, but seems
                           to me you're saying that's about to
                           happen anyway. [Beat] Just be careful
                           not to walk yourself right into
                           something.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, 1992, DAY


               
               Dr. LORENSON and DR. GRIES are walking briskly to a meeting.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           We're late.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I wish they'd skip the formality of
                           this annual review and just cut our
                           budget. Our silence on the matter
                           should be enough to appease the civic
                           conscience without wasting an hour we
                           don't have.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Maybe it's not such a waste.

               
               LORENSON looks at GRIES askance before she sets the record
               straight.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           It's the ticking of a box on a sheet
                           of paper no one cares about.

               

                                                                             61.

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           They don't care about all the things
                           we do right. [Beat] But they might
                           ...they might care about what we're
                           doing wrong. [Beat] That's what they
                           should come here to look for.

               
               LORENSON can see GRIES is trying to tell her something.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           What should they be looking for?

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           They should just be looking harder.

               
               LORENSON grabs GRIES' arm, sensing the import of her words.

                                     LORENSON
                           Where? [Beat] It's Becker isn't it?
                           He's doing stuff, isn't he?

               

                                     DR. GRIES
                           Later. I'll tell you about it later.
                           We got a session to catch now.

               

               INT. WARD 3, ALPINE GROVE, 1992, DAY


               
               STARKS is in a different ward with PATIENTS who appear more
               threatening and disturbed. As he is anxiously looking around --
               presumably for a way out -- Starks hears one of the PATIENTS
               humming an eerily DISCORDANT MELODY. Looking to see who it
               comes from, STARKS happens to spot ONE PATIENT -- a young,
               fierce-looking guy -- eyeing a YOUNG NURSE, SALLY,
               administering medication from a dated CART.

               
               STARKS looks around the room and notes there are NO DOCTORS
               or ORDERLIES around. The YOUNG NURSE, meanwhile, is focused
               on the medicine -- oblivious to the BRUTE eyeing her.

               
               The BRUTE's not that far away when he starts walking towards
               the YOUNG NURSE. STARKS starts in their direction, picking up
               speed -- maneuvering through VARIOUS INCOHERENT PATIENTS -- as
               the BRUTE reaches the NURSE.

               
               He throws her TRAY down and pushes her against the WALL. She
               starts screaming as he pushes up against her. STARKS picks up
               the TRAY and strikes the BRUTE across the head with it.

               
               The BRUTE holds his head in pain as he tries to regain his
               balance. It's clear he's impaired. But it's also clear he
               understands pain.

               

                                                                             62.

               
                                      STARKS [To Sally]
                            You ok?

               
               As she NODS, her EYES dart above to the HAND about to strike
               him. Off her look, he ducks and turns around, punching the
               BRUTE in the stomach -- HARD -- but not before the piece of GLASS
               he held from one of the broken MEDICINE BOTTLES comes
               perilously close to STARKS' head.

               
               The BRUTE bowls over and STARKS looks at the GLASS terrified.
               Is this when he dies?

               
               The BRUTE -- incensed more than ever -- lunges at him a final time.
               STARKS gets him by the NECK, expertly applying PRESSURE
               POINTS and, after only a few seconds, subdues him. STARKS
               himself seems surprised that he knew how to use them. He lets
               out a suspended BREATH, instinctively touching his FOREHEAD
               to make sure he's not cut. He looks back at SALLY.

               

                                     SALLY
                           Are you ok?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah, Why are you in this ward alone?
                           Where is everyone?

               
                                     SALLY [Defensively]
                           There's a state rep visiting so
                           they've moved everyone around. But
                           I've been alone before...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Where are the other orderlies?

               

                                     SALLY
                           In the therapy session downstairs.
                           That's what the rep's sitting in
                           on...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Ok, listen. I want you to get out of
                           here and lock the door behind you.
                           I'll go get some doctors.

               
               SALLY looks at STARKS, wondering whether she can trust him.
               Her eyes shift to the BRUTE on the floor and she remembers
               that she can.

               

                                                                              63.

               

               INT. MAIN ROOM, WARD, ALPINE GROVE, DAY, 1992


               
               The STATE REP -- 40s, disgruntled, even drowsy -- is
               recognizable among a group that includes the CHIEF OF STAFF
               (Dr. Williams), BECKER, LORENSON and GRIES. They are
               presiding over a GROUP THERAPY SESSION when STARKS enters...

               
                                      STARKS [Calling out]
                            Sorry I'm late, Dr. Becker.

               
               BECKER is noticeably taken aback but tempers his response.

               

                                      BECKER
                            Mr. Starks, this session is for our
                            civil patients. Damon, please take
                            Mr. Starks back to his ward.
               STARKS cuts him off and threatens with his gaze.

               
                                      STARKS [Derisively]
                            No. Please, Dr. Becker. You can strap
                            me in a Jacket or even gag me, but
                            please don't leave me out of therapy.
                            This is where I feel like I make the
                            most progress.

               
               BECKER relents, seeing STARKS has the upper hand -- an
               AUDIENCE, deranged but eager no less.

               

                                      BECKER
                            Fine, Mr. Starks. You can pull up a
                            chair for yourself.

               
               As STARKS walks across the room, it's obvious to everyone -- as
               they turn their heads to watch him -- that he is a physically
               ailing man. Using all his strength, he walks up slowly to the
               group, dragging a CHAIR behind him because he doesn't have
               the strength to lift it. STARKS sits down.

               

                                      BECKER
                            Mr. Jensen, please continue.

               
               JENSEN -- a twitchy schizophrenic -- surveys the group
               seriously, determining whether it's safe to say what he's
               about to...

               

                                      JENSEN
                            Well, [beat] I've been approached by
                            the Federal Trade Organization.

               
               BECKER's not listening to a word JENSEN says. But STARKS is.

               

                                                                           64.

               
                                     BECKER [Calm as ever]
                           And what have they approached you
                           about, Mr. Jensen?

               

                                     JENSEN
                           They want me to head the Organization
                           for the Organized.

               
               The other PATIENTS look at him in wonder as the STATE REP
               listens limply.

               

                                     BECKER
                           The Organization...for the Organized?

               

                                     JENSEN
                           That's right. Have you heard of them?

                                     BECKER
                           No, Mr. Jensen. I have not.

               

                                     GROUP PATIENT 2
                           That's because there is no such
                           Organization, you idiot.

               

                                     JENSEN
                           That is categorically not true. Bl-bl-
                           blatantly and manifestly NOT TRUE.
                           I've been asked to lead them. But, if
                           you'd heard of them, then they
                           wouldn't be hush-hush, would they?

               
                                      BECKER [Wearily]
                            What do the rest of you think?

               
               The GROUP stares at one another silently.

               
                                      STARKS [Loud and emphatic]
                            Well, [beat] I know they exist.

               

                                     BECKER
                           And how is that?

               
               STARKS looks at JENSEN, who looks back avidly. MACKENZIE eyes
               Starks nervously, like he senses what he is about to do.

               

                                     STARKS
                           When I was in the Gulf, the
                           Organization was recruiting the
                           Organized.

               

                                                                             65.

               
                                     BECKER [Incensed]
                           Is that a fact, Mr. Starks? Because
                           if it's not, it doesn't help Mr.
                           Jensen.

               
                                      STARKS [Looking right at Jensen]
                            It is a fact. Bona fide, and
                            classified.

               
               LORENSON and MACKENZIE watch STARKS curiously.

               

                                     JENSEN
                           I knew it! I knew it! Those little
                           fuckers are everywhere.

               

                                     STARKS
                           They recruit only the best, Mr.
                           Jensen. [Beat] I didn't want to have
                           to say this...

               
               Not even the DOCTORS dare disrupt the silence...

               

                                     STARKS
                           But these people [pointing to the
                           Doctors] know about it. In fact, when
                           Presidents of this country and heads
                           of state leave office, they come
                           here, to Alpine Grove. They're among
                           us right now! [Looking right at
                           Becker] Isn't that right, Dr.
                           Thatcher? And Jensen, I'm proud they
                           picked you.

               
               JENSEN looks on nobly.

               

                                     STARKS
                           They're always ordering us to stay
                           calm, but how can we be calm?

               
               STARKS suddenly turns right at Becker, wrapping his message
               to him in the seemingly crazed theatrics of a nut.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Looking suddenly directly at Becker]
                           All they do is give orders. That's
                           all they have to do. And no one will
                           ever know. All it comes down to is an
                           order. [Beat] They've got hands
                           everywhere.

               
               STARKS stands up, ready to SALUTE Mr. Jensen. The OBSERVERS
               look to BECKER for order.

               

                                                                              66.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Long live the Organization for the
                           Organized!

               

                                     BECKER
                           Sit down, Mr. Starks! Sit down, Mr.
                           Starks!

               
               But, at that, Jensen's completely lost it. His excitement
               erupts in the form of him JUMPING out of his chair and
               eagerly and elatedly HITTING HIMSELF in the head.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Sit down, Mr. Jensen!

               
               Too late. OTHER PATIENTS are on their feet, HANDS jubilantly
               up in the air. And, in the midst of the havoc, the speechless
               order is soundly delivered in Becker's NOD to Damon.

               

                                     RANDOM PATIENTS
                           Dr. Thatcher! Dr. Becker!

               
               DAMON and HARDING grab STARKS while the other members of the
               STAFF slowly calm the other patients. LORENSON is too busy to
               notice them taking Starks out. STARKS winks at MACKENZIE, who
               smiles somewhat sadly back.

               

                                                        CUT TO:

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT, 1992


               
               HARDING and DAMON stand above Starks, who lies on the brutal
               slab, already hemmed in the Jacket.

               

                                     DAMON
                           Starks, you're like a mule. You're
                           real stubborn. But there's ways of
                           fixin' that. All you need is a good
                           stick. [Beat] Here's your stick.

               
               DAMON slams him in the drawer.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               STARKS' eyes dart about him; it sounds like something is in
               there with him. The sound stops momentarily and, then, out of
               nowhere, a DROP falls on his eye. PING! STARKS winces. He
               clenches his face, not knowing when the next drop will fall.
               His heart starts to beat more and more madly, punctuated by
               the DRIPS -- making a score fit only for hell. He closes his
               eyes and begins to die...

               

                                                                              67.

               

               EXT. CRIME SCENE, HIGHWAY, VERMONT, DUSK, 1992


               
               STARKS and TENNY -- 30s, shifty, a total stranger -- sit in
               silence in TENNY'S CAR. (We recognize the murder scene.) RED
               POLICE LIGHTS FLASH in the rearview mirror though STARKS
               doesn't see them yet.

               
               STARKS and TENNY are talking to one another. TENNY's voice
               takes a dangerous tone.

               

                                     TENNY
                           You ever been to jail?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No.

               
               TENNY nods, distracting STARKS long enough to slip a hand
               down his leg to the GUN he's hidden there.

               

                                     TENNY
                           It's worse than war. It's worse than
                           anywhere you've ever been.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I doubt it. [Beat] I don't think
                           prison's so bad you don't want to
                           remember it...

               
               TENNY carefully pulls over to the side of the road, assured
               and cautious with each word, each move.

               

                                     TENNY
                           Well, I've never been to war, but I'm
                           sure as hell not going back to
                           prison.

               
                                      STARKS [Finally spotting Harrison]
                            What's he pulling us over for?

               
                                     TENNY [Still preparing himself]
                           Recreation.

               
               OFFICER HARRISON walks up to their car.

               

                                     OFFICER HARRISON
                           Gentlemen, I'm gonna need you to step
                           out of the car, with your hands at
                           your side please.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Why?

               

                                                                              68.

               
                                     OFFICER HARRISON [Sternly]
                           Step out of the car.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Ok, sir. I was just asking what for.

               

                                     OFFICER HARRISON
                           This is a stolen vehicle you're
                           driving. Now put your hands in the
                           air, out where I can see 'em.

               
               That's the second when OFFICER HARRISON sees where TENNY'S
               HAND is. As he reaches for his own GUN, the situation
               explodes as TWO FLASHES eclipse all else. OFFICER HARRISON
               goes down, still holding his own GUN and STARKS jumps out of
               the car to check on him.

                                     STARKS
                           Jesus Christ, what'd you do that for?

               
               TENNY looks around, still holding the GUN. Starks swallows,
               assessing whether to back away or not. TENNY waves his gun as
               he half points it in Harrison's direction. Then, GUN still in
               hand, he smirks nervously and looks at STARKS.

               

                                     TENNY
                           Man, if you're so deaf and dumb, you
                           ain't even worth a fucking bullet.

               
               TENNY raises the gun, then aims it away from STARKS and
               shoots OFFICER HARRISON once more. From the ground, OFFICER
               HARRISON fires back and STARKS, now lunging at Tenny, TAKES

               THE HIT.

               
               STARKS falls, clearly unable to get up, let alone pursue
               anyone. TENNY smiles sardonically and slowly puts the GUN in
               his back pocket as he turns to leave. This SMILE was one of
               the eerie FLASHES that haunted Starks in the JACKET...

               
               STARKS struggles but can't move. That's when he passes out,
               looking at OFFICER HARRISON from the ground, as he did in the
               scene before.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               STARKS stands in the lighted tunnel, which only gets brighter
               as his heart races with fear in the first seconds that he's
               back in there. Then he sees an IMAGE of a WOMAN'S FOREHEAD
               that lulls him to a calm until his heart slows and the LIGHT
               gradually dims...

               

                                                        FADE TO BLACK.

               

                                                                             69.

               

               INT. DINER, SMALL TOWN VERMONT, 2004


               
               STARKS enters the diner, calming down even more as he spots
               JACKIE. She looks up, holding PLATES in her hand. She's
               understandably surprised and unexpectedly pleased when she
               sees him. She greets him with a small smile.

               
               She drops off her orders and then walks up to him.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I'll be off in 15 minutes. Can you
                           wait till then?

               

               EXT. RAVINE, VERMONT, DAY, 2004


               
               STARKS and JACKIE smoke in the cold, standing next to the
               hood of her car.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           The Jacket. That's what they call it,
                           right?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yeah.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           It was banned, you know... and it led
                           to an investigation of Dr. Becker's
                           mistreatment of some of his patients.
                           That's when they found out how badly
                           he was drugging his patients...

               
                                      STARKS [Starting to make sense]
                            So he was giving me all kinds of
                            drugs...

               
                                     JACKIE [Nodding]
                           Apparently. He was taking a lot of
                           them, too. It said he was trying out
                           behavior modification treatments that
                           were banned back in the 70s -- "womb
                           treatment" is the name he gave to
                           what he did to you...

               
                                      STARKS [Cutting in]
                            Womb? A fuckin' womb? What kind of
                            animal did he come out of?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           But no one knew until after...

               

                                     STARKS
                           After I...

               

                                                                           70.

               
               JACKIE nods.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              [Beat] You bled to death.

               

                                        STARKS
                              What?

               

                                        JACKIE
                              I don't know how you got the cut to
                              your head, but you died bleeding from
                              it.

               
                                        STARKS [Digesting]
                              And you're sure my body was found on
                              January 1st?
               JACKIE nods.

               

                                        STARKS
                              Do you really believe me?

               

                                        JACKIE
                              I don't know. [Beat] I thought I was
                              crazy after you left that day. I died.
                              I still think I could be crazy. But
                              then I replayed that night in my head --
                              the parts of it I could remember --
                              and it was like...I don't care if I
                              was, or am. I haven't felt that way
                              in a room with someone my whole life.
                              [Beat] And when you left, all I
                              wanted was...

               
               JACKIE looks around her; coupled with the cold, her sobriety
               is obvious. STARKS takes hold of her and holds her face close
               to his so that their foreheads touch.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              [Softly] I want to trust you. Should
                              I trust you?

               

                                        STARKS
                              Yes.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              Then we need to figure out what
                              happened to you. It's the only thing
                              we can do.

               

                                        STARKS
                              I know.

               

                                                                           71.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Alpine Grove still exists. I looked
                           it up on the net. We should go there
                           and see if there's still anyone
                           around who might have known what
                           happened to you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           If they don't take me out before
                           then. [As an afterthought] What's the
                           net?

               
               JACKIE looks at him and laughs.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2004, DAY


               
               They are driving through VERMONT to ALPINE GROVE. STARKS
               looks out the window and watches her drive.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I didn't kill Officer Harrison.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I know.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How? Did they figure it out after I
                           died?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           No. They never figured it out. I did.
                           Most murderers don't stop to help a
                           drunk woman and her little girl on
                           the side of the road. Not without
                           hurting them.

               

               INT. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               STARKS and JACKIE sit opposite DR. MORGAN, the current young
               face of the hospital. MORGAN has a boyish face and a matching
               gullibility.

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           I'm sorry I can't tell you more about
                           your father's death, Mr. Starks. Our
                           own medical examiners determined only
                           that he died from a blunt trauma to
                           the head but that was right around
                           the time the Alpine Grove's staff
                           changed and I'm afraid we didn't have
                           the best record system before then.

               

                                                                   72.

               

                                     STARKS
                           His body was found on January 1,
                           1993, but do you know if that was
                           long after he had died?

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           No, I don't. I'm sorry. I wish I knew
                           more.

               

                                     STARKS
                           What about Dr. Thomas Becker or Dr.
                           Loel Lorenson? There was also a Dr.
                           Gries, I think.

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           Well, Dr. Lorenson is still here at
                           the hospital. If she was here at the
                           time your father was, then I'm sure
                           she'd be of more help to you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           What about Dr. Becker and Mr. Gries?

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with
                           Dr. Becker and Dr. Gries passed away
                           three, four years ago.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Do you have any kind of forwarding
                           address for Dr. Becker?

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           Your father was here 12 years ago. I
                           doubt the hospital would have that,
                           if Dr. Becker is still even alive.
                           [Beat, a little suspiciously] Is
                           there a particular reason you need
                           to know how your father died?

               
               STARKS doesn't waver when he answers.

               

                                     STARKS
                           He was the only family I remember.

               
                                     DR. MORGAN [Nodding]
                           I'll see what I can find out about
                           Dr. Becker. And maybe Dr. Lorenson
                           will know something.

               

                                                                              73.

               

               INT. WARD, ALPINE GROVE, DAY, 2004


               
               Dr. MORGAN leads JACKIE and STARKS through a ward. STARKS
               looks around in disbelief; it's more like a hospital now than
               it ever was in 1993.

               

               INT. RECEPTION AREA, LORENSON'S OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               As they arrive outside Lorenson's office, MORGAN turns to
               them.

               

                                     DR. MORGAN
                           Let me just tell her we're here.

               
               DR. MORGAN goes inside and JACKIE takes STARKS' HAND as they
               wait. It's hardly more than a couple seconds when LORENSON
               appears in the doorway. She looks at STARKS curiously and the
               two share a very lengthy, intense STARE.

               
               DR. LORENSON -- now in her 50s -- walks closer to Starks
               suspiciously. For his part, STARKS doesn't look as unfamiliar
               with Lorenson as he should; this doesn't escape Lorenson.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Hello. I'm Beth Lorenson.

               
               She puts out a hand that is trembling slightly.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           It's nice to meet you, Mr. Starks...

               
               STARKS hesitates before he takes Lorenson's hand. There is
               something very eerie about the exchange. STARKS quickly lets
               go and LORENSON turns to JACKIE...

               

                                     LORENSON
                           And you are...?

               
               JACKIE looks back uncomfortably.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I'm just William's friend.

               
               LORENSON looks over both of them acutely and then calmly
               turns to Dr. Morgan.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I think we'll be fine from here.
                           Thanks, Stanley.

               

                                                                             74.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               LORENSON leans against her desk while STARKS and JACKIE sit
               in the chairs. As they talk, each seems cautious in his
               exchange -- not knowing what the other one does or doesn't
               know.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           My God you look exactly like him.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I never knew my father. Did you?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Yeah, I did. [Beat] He was my most
                           memorable patient.

                                     STARKS
                           Why?

               
               LORENSON considers her answer.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           At the end, he made me change my mind
                           about a lot of things.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You thought my father was crazy?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           No. I don't think he was crazy. He
                           needed help...but he wasn't crazy.
                           [Beat] Your father actually helped me
                           with a case of mine.

               
               LORENSON waits to see if STARKS knows what she is talking
               about.

               

                                     STARKS
                           What case?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I was working with a boy named
                           Eugene.

               
               STARKS shows no recognition but JACKIE does.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Who was Eugene?

               
                                     LORENSON [Peaked]
                           He was a friend's son. [Beat] Are you
                           familiar with the case?

               

                                                                     75.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Just a little, when we were looking
                           up information about William's
                           father. How did he help?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           It's complicated, but [looking at
                           Starks] in a way, your father let me
                           know how I'd get through to him.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           How?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           He just said...that I'd shock Eugene
                           and then things would change for him.

                                     JACKIE
                           I don't understand.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I still don't either, even after all
                           these years.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Do you know how my father died?

               
                                     LORENSON [Unconvincingly]
                           I don't know how much I remember but
                           I seem to think it was from a... cut or
                           blow of some sort or another.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How'd he get it?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           [Beat] I don't know.

               

                                     STARKS
                           But Dr. Morgan said you were around
                           when my father was...

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I was. But I saw a lot of cuts and a
                           lot of blows. I'm sorry I don't know
                           more about your father's. [Sincerely]
                           I didn't know about everything that
                           went on here.

               
               LORENSON says it like she's hiding something.

               

                                                                           76.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Well, do you think Dr. Becker would
                           have any idea?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           How do you know about Dr. Becker?

               

                                     STARKS
                           My dad wrote some things down before
                           he died.

               
               LORENSON looks like she's suddenly remembering something.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           That's right. He did.

               
               STARKS looks at Lorenson curiously; he doesn't know what
               Lorenson is talking about.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           So maybe Dr. Becker would know.
                           [Beat] But, as I'm sure you know, the
                           statute of limitations has run out
                           for charging the hospital with any
                           liabilities.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Why would we do that?

               
               STARKS just stares at LORENSON, not knowing if he died by
               this man's hands or not, not knowing who he can trust...

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Because Becker resigned after the
                           charges brought against him by State
                           Patient Advocacy Groups.

                                     LORENSON
                           I see you've done your homework.
                           [Beat] Alpine Grove's undergone a lot
                           of changes since then. At the time,
                           we didn't have the...resources to
                           help our patients the way we needed
                           to. [Beat] Now, we do. And things are
                           different.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I wouldn't be so sure. Like you said
                           about back then, you might not know
                           everything going on around here.

               
               DR. LORENSON looks right at STARKS.

               

                                                                              77.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           It's important for you to know who
                           your father was, isn't it?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Yeah, it is.

               
                                     LORENSON [Eerily]
                           It's almost as if your life depended
                           on it. Isn't it?

               

                                      STARKS
                           Exactly.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Well... [beat] let me know how your
                           search turns out.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] We will.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, DAY


               
               STARKS and JACKIE walk briskly down it, away from Lorenson's
               office.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't believe a thing she just
                           said.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Me neither. Who was the boy she was
                           talking about, Eugene?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I have no idea.

                                     JACKIE
                           You think Lorenson kills you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Maybe. I don't know. Seems more
                           likely Becker does, but at the very
                           least she knows how I died.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Let's see if they have an address for
                           Becker. I also want to figure out
                           more about the kid you helped her
                           with.

               

                                      STARKS
                           Why?

               

                                                                              78.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              Because that's the part I believe is
                              true. You probably did help her
                              somehow with the boy and Eugene's
                              name did come up over and over again
                              on the abstracts I pulled.

               
               STARKS nods.

               

                                        STARKS
                              [Beat] There's one more thing I want
                              to see.

               

               INT. CORRIDOR [LEADING TO BASEMENT], ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               STARKS, determined, now leads JACKIE. As they reach the end
               of the hall, we see DAMON -- now in his 50s -- look after them
               curiously before he goes back to his work with a PATIENT.

               

               INT. BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               JACKIE watches STARKS ignore the "Authorized Personnel Only"
               SIGN as he pushes the door open without so much as a pause.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               The morgue looks exactly as before.

               
               STARKS is momentarily jarred in the room. He looks to the
               wall on which the JACKET hung and sees only the BARE HOOKS
               that used to hold it up.

               

                                        STARKS
                              This was the room. They used to hang
                              the Jacket there. [Turning to Jackie]
                              This is where it happened. This is
                              the room I'm actually in right now.

               
               JACKIE isn't doubtful, but it's also hard to be
               convinced...

               

                                        STARKS
                              I can show you. It's probably in
                              there.

               
               STARKS walks to the CADAVER DRAWERS and rests his hands on
               the one they put him in. Then, with great difficulty --
               physical and emotional -- he opens it to see if there is
               anything left.

               
               He pulls it out, and there's nothing in there.

               

                                                                             79.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

               
               STARKS leans closer, locating all the proof he needs: the
               stained metal -- still reddened and browned with DRIED BLOOD --
               and the part of the morgue slab he CLAWED his NAILS into when
               he was in it. JACKIE looks at it in disbelief.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yes, it was. [Softly] My fingers were
                           the only things I could move. [Beat]
                           Dead bodies don't bleed. And they
                           certainly can't claw so hard they
                           dent metal.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE

               STARKS and JACKIE are leaving the MORGUE, when STARKS spots
               DAMON, now hardly a hair of the bully he was before. DAMON
               stares at him curiously; STARKS glares back furiously.

               

                                     DAMON
                           You folks ain't supposed to be down
                           here.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           We were just leaving.

               
               DAMON doesn't take his eyes off Starks.

               

                                     DAMON
                           Do I know you from somewhere?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You may have known my father, William
                           Starks.
               DAMON smiles, remembering...

               

                                     DAMON
                           That's right! Goddamn, you're the
                           spitting image. I didn't know he had
                           a son.

               

                                     STARKS
                           He didn't either.

               
                                     DAMON [With a dirty laugh]
                           I'll be damned. He musta been 12 when
                           he had you. [Beat] You could be his
                           ghost.

               

                                                                           80.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Did you know my father?

               

                                     DAMON
                           Oh yeah, sure. He killed a cop,
                           right?

               
               STARKS looms strangely over DAMON in this exchange.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You wouldn't happen to know how he
                           died, would you?

               
                                     DAMON [Slightly apprehensive]
                           No, I don't. I just remember them
                           finding his body.

                                     STARKS
                           You don't know any more, Damon?

               
                                     DAMON [Shocked]
                           How'd you know my name?

               

                                     STARKS
                           My father used to talk about you.

               

                                     DAMON
                           Oh yeah, what'd he say?

               
               Damon's eyes betray his unease.

               

                                     STARKS
                           He said you were a sadistic fuck that
                           belonged in jail.

               
               DAMON is shocked, and cowed. So much that he shakes as he
               looks for his bearings.

               

                                     DAMON
                           Look here, I don't like you getting
                           in my face and saying this bullshit
                           to me...

               

                                     STARKS
                           That's too bad.

               

                                     DAMON
                           I thought you said you never knew
                           your father.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I didn't. [Beat] Did you have
                           anything to do with his death?

               

                                                                              81.

               

                                     DAMON
                           I don't know what you're talking
                           about, man. I swear. This is some
                           weird shit you're telling me... and I
                           don't know how come you're doing it.

               
               STARKS starts to see a shaking man who stands confused and
               distraught before him.

               

                                     STARKS
                           He died because he bled to death from
                           a blow to his head. Someone had to
                           have given him it.

               

                                     DAMON
                           I never touched your father! I swear!
               Damon's eyes are filled with dishonesty, tears and a craven
               FEAR. STARKS leans in closer to DAMON as he remembers...

               

                                     STARKS
                           You know something, Damon? You're
                           like a mule. You're real stubborn.
                           But there's ways of fixin' that. All
                           you need is a good stick. [Beat]
                           Here's your stick. Live with it.

               
               STARKS looks like he could easily bash Damon's head against
               the wall, but instead he lets it go and walks away.

               

               EXT. CEMETERY, ALPINE GROVE GROUNDS, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS is standing above his own headstone: WILLIAM STARKS,
               December 25, 1967 - January 1, 1993. Next to his grave is that
               of RUDY MACKENZIE. STARKS looks down sadly at both. JACKIE
               comes up behind him.

                                     JACKIE
                           How long do we have?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           They told me Becker's in Shelbourne
                           now. I looked him up and he was
                           listed.

               
               STARKS looks scared and lost -- like it's all catching up to
               him. And like he might be being taken out of the Jacket.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How far away is that?

               

                              82.

               

               

               

               

               PAGE MISSING

               

                                                                           83.

               
               JACKIE kisses his SCARS -- from the war and the Jacket -- and
               STARKS lifts her higher so he can look at her as they make
               love for the first time.

               

               INT. BEDROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               JACKIE is lying in STARKS' arms, running her FINGERS over one
               of the SCARS on his chest. STARKS strokes her hair.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What about Captain Medley? He never
                           told them what happened to you over
                           there. His testimony...that coward
                           wanted them to think you were crazy.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I know. It was perfect. [Beat] Erase
                           my sanity and you erase anything I'll
                           ever say.

               
                                     JACKIE [Frustrated]
                           Well, doesn't what he did to you make
                           you mad?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Of course it makes me mad. It makes
                           me more than mad. Just like
                           remembering the face of the man who
                           killed that officer and knowing
                           nothing more about him. But what's it
                           gonna do for me to find them now? I
                           can't fix everything in three days.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           You've got to get yourself out of
                           that place. They're going to kill you
                           if you don't.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I might not be able to.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           It's not a prison, it's a hospital.
                           There's got to be some way out of
                           there and you've got to find it...

               
               She doesn't finish because it's too hard to. STARKS nods,
               wiping her tears and kissing her.

               

                                                         FADE TO:

               

                                                                             84.

               

               INT. BEDROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, NIGHT, 2004


               
               The sore sound of the DRAWER being opened stirs Jackie --
               awakening her as if she heard it in her sleep. She reaches
               across the bed, but STARKS is no longer there. She runs her
               hands over the bed like he's alive in the sheets.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, 1992


               
               DR. LORENSON is administering medicine to a patient in the
               ward, when she sees -- almost like a shadow -- a STRETCHER
               being wheeled down the hall. She finishes with the patient
               and runs to the end of the hall in search of it...

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU, ALPINE GROVE, LATE NIGHT, 1992


               
               STARKS lies recovering under a small light above his hospital
               bed. His body bears marks of the brutalization. As we pull
               back, we see DR. LORENSON standing guard over him at the foot
               of his bed.

               

               EXT. WARD, ICU, ALPINE GROVE, NEXT MORNING


               
               STARKS sits by a window -- I.V.'s in his arm -- smoking feebly,
               still severely weak from the Jacket, while DR. LORENSON
               observes him for a bit from the hall before she goes inside.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You'll die if you keep smoking those
                           in your condition.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'll die either way.

               
               LORENSON pulls up a chair and sits opposite him.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I can't try to help you unless you
                           let me. [Beat] I know about the
                           Jacket.

               
               STARKS waits to see what this means.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I'm sorry for what you were put
                           through, and I'm sorry I couldn't
                           stop it earlier. But I promise you
                           that I will from now on...

               
                                      STARKS [Cutting him off]
                            I don't want you to.

               
               LORENSON doesn't understand.

               

                                                                           85.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           What do you mean?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You have no idea what's going on.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           No, I do. That's what I'm saying to
                           you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Listen to me! You don't! The Jacket
                           is my only chance in this place.

               
               LORENSON just thinks it's another delusion.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           How can you say that in your physical
                           condition? Do you realize that it's
                           because you were put in it that
                           you're as...weak as you are now?
                           Becker's a man who's not well
                           himself.

               
               STARKS searches for words that won't sound as crazy as he
               knows he appears. They don't exist.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You don't understand.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Then help me understand. You know,
                           you're not alone. A lot of Gulf Vets
                           have begun to experience curious
                           symptoms. What you have might well be
                           a syndrome and, if so, it's not one
                           we know enough about to be treating
                           it this vigorously.

               

                                     STARKS
                           This has nothing to do with that.

               
                                     LORENSON [Exasperated]
                           Then what? What? [Beat] I can't guess
                           it. You have to help me.

               
               STARKS fixes his eyes on Lorenson. He has nothing to lose but
               still he treads carefully. The words that follow come almost
               unwittingly.

               

                                      STARKS
                             ...What you do not know is the only
                             thing you know.

                                      (MORE)

               

                                                                           86.

               
                                      STARKS (cont'd)
                             [Beat] And what you own is what you
                             do not own...
                             And where you are is where you are
                             not.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           [Beat] Where is that from?

               
               It's as though STARKS hears his words for the first time.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know. [Frustrated] Remember?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Come on. Tell me what you do know.

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I've seen a time that's not
                           this time. And I'm only able to see
                           it when I'm in the Jacket.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Well, what time is it?

               

                                     STARKS

                           2004.

               
               LORENSON nods, trying to mask his dismay but failing.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You don't believe me.

               
                                     LORENSON [Testing him]
                           Well, what year do you think it is
                           now?
                                     STARKS [Exasperated]
                           I'm not delusional. I know it's 1992.
                           Same as every sane person.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Ok fine. Tell me about it. Tell me
                           about the future. 2004. What does it
                           look like?

               

                                     STARKS
                           It doesn't look all that different.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           The future doesn't look different?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. Not for people like me. [Beat]
                           Not in the places I come from.

               

                                                                              87.

               

                                        LORENSON
                              What about the world?

               

                                        STARKS
                              I didn't see that much of it -- same
                              as now. I only saw it as part of my
                              own life.

               
               LORENSON looks at STARKS, unintentionally patronizing.

               

                                        LORENSON
                              Do you think you're traveling in
                              time? Is that it?

               
               STARKS shakes his head and momentarily challenges Lorenson
               simply with his air of calm resolve.

                                        STARKS
                              Not everyone in here is crazy, Doc.

               
               LORENSON searches for another approach.

               

                                        LORENSON
                              [Beat] Like who? Like MacKenzie
                              maybe?

               

                                       STARKS
                              Maybe.

               
                                        LORENSON [Matter-of-factly]
                              Did he tell you he tried to kill his
                              wife?

               
               STARKS nods.

               

                                        LORENSON
                              MacKenzie locked himself up in his
                              house for two months and nearly
                              starved himself to death before he
                              was brought here. All because his
                              wife left him for another man.

               
               STARKS moves to put his cigarette out and his I.V. almost
               falls out of his arm. LORENSON makes a move to adjust it and
               STARKS flinches perceptibly, startling LORENSON.

               
                                      STARKS [Adjusting it himself]
                            Maybe that just makes him weak, not
                            crazy. Or maybe he is crazy. [Beat]
                            Still doesn't make me think I am.

                                      (MORE)

               

                                                                              88.

               
                                     STARKS [Adjusting it himself]
                           And, judging by the fact that you
                           just told me about another patient,
                           it doesn't even make you think I am,
                           so what don't you work on persuading
                           yourself first.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Why don't you help me?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Because I don't have time.

               

                                      LORENSON
                           Why not?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm about to die unless I do
                           something to stop it.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           And how do you know that?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Because of the future. I know what's
                           going to happen.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           William, that is just another facet
                           of my delusions.

               
               Then, STARKS remembers the only thing that might help him. He
               pauses, trying to recall as much of it as he can.

               

                                     STARKS
                           And what about your work with Eugene --
                           the kid? Is that another facet of my
                           delusions?

               
               LORENSON -- having prepared to continue -- is bowled over at
               the mention of her patient. She loses all color and calm in
               her features.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           How do you know about Eugene?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You told me about him. I saw you and
                           I think you thought I knew something
                           about him. So you told me.

               
               LORENSON doesn't know what to say.

               
                                     LORENSON [Somewhat angrily]
                           How do you know about Eugene!?

               

                                                                              89.

               
                                     STARKS [Shaking his head in disbelief]
                           You told me. It's like two parts of
                           you talking through me. Look, judging
                           from your reaction, there's no other
                           way I could know about him.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           There obviously is, so what don't you
                           just tell me how you found out about
                           him.

               
               STARKS looks at her convincingly.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Some part of you suspects -- even if
                           you don't know for sure -- that what
                           I'm saying is true.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I don't know how you know about
                           Eugene, but these ideas are part of
                           your delusions.

               

                                     STARKS
                           NO! They're not my delusions! Look,
                           just leave my business with Becker to
                           me!

               

                                     LORENSON
                           One thing's got nothing to do with
                           the other.

               

                                     STARKS
                           One's got everything to do with the
                           other. So unless you want my blood on
                           your hands...leave what's between me
                           and Becker between me and Becker.

               
               LORENSON backs off, jarred by Starks' assertions and fearful
               of his debilitating vehemence.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, DAY, 1992


               
               MACKENZIE sits idly on one of the hallway benches until the
               hallway is clear of the STAFF. Then he scuttles quickly -- all
               the time close to the wall -- to Starks' room.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, DAY, 1992


               
               MACKENZIE gets inside, ducks as a NURSE passes and then taps
               lightly on the wall, announcing himself gladly.

               

                                                                              90.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Hey, I brought you some smokes.

               
               STARKS doesn't waste any time.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Lorenson said your wife left you for
                           another man and that's when you lost
                           it.

               
               MACKENZIE almost imperceptibly winces -- confirming the truth
               for Starks -- before he has to sit down.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Geez, how's that for a fucking "thank
                           you"?

                                     STARKS
                           Is it true?

               
               MACKENZIE tosses him the CIGARETTES and lights himself one.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           She left me, I tried to kill her, I
                           tried to kill myself. She was mean, I
                           was weak, I was cruel so she left, I
                           didn't plan it, didn't see it...FINE!

               
               MACKENZIE suddenly stops, distraught. When he resumes, it's
               in an oddly more normal tone than he's ever used before.

               
                                     MACKENZIE [Softly]
                           I didn't want to see it. I'm in here
                           because they say I have a nervous
                           condition. [Beat] Well, here's my
                           question, who wouldn't be nervous if
                           they really looked at their life?
                           [Beat] Whose life is that good?

               
               STARKS doesn't have an answer.

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           Not this luckless little mammal's.
                           What difference is it to them? [Beat,
                           slows down] You believe what you want
                           to believe. One version is easier
                           than another so you make it your own.

               
               As MacKenzie runs his hand over his forehead, he looks hurt,
               and sad, but strangely not a bit crazy.

               

                                                                              91.

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            I'll tell you this though. However
                            nuts I am, I wasn't nuts enough not
                            to know how wrong it was to put a
                            human being in something like that.

               
               MACKENZIE's twitching continues as he recollects it.

               

                                      STARKS
                            MacKenzie, [beat] what if we are
                            crazy?

               

                                      MACKENZIE
                            [Shrugging] What if we are? There're
                            crazier things than thinking up
                            fictions for yourself. [Beat]
                            Everyone does it, don't they? Even
                            Becker. That roller coaster car pops
                            more pills than all of Ward 3.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Becker does? Are you sure?

               

                                     MACKENZIE
                           I've been here for 11 years. It's my
                           neighborhood. 'Course I'm sure. He's
                           as drugged up as the rest of us...I
                           guess he has to be to put up with all
                           this.

               
               STARKS nods and MacKenzie puts his head down, suddenly
               vulnerable and embarrassed. STARKS lights TWO CIGARETTES.

               

                                      STARKS
                            Thanks for the cigarettes. You
                            still got a lot of problems,
                            MacKenzie, but you're ok.

               
               MACKENZIE and STARKS smoke together quietly.

               
               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, DECEMBER 29th, 1992


               
               STARKS is trying to see if the windows open through the bars
               covering them. It's especially hard with the I.V. still
               connected to one of his arms.

               

                                      BECKER
                            At least it's some kind of bars we've
                            got you behind.

               
               STARKS turns, startled.

               

                                                                              92.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Hello, William. I understand you've
                           been asking for me almost every hour.
                           I would've been here sooner but you
                           gave our little state visitor quite a
                           bit to talk to me about.

               

                                     STARKS
                           That's too bad.

               

                                     BECKER
                           It is. But when it comes down to it,
                           you just have to patient with them.
                           They'd rather have their vacation,
                           too, so they just push dealing with
                           our "practices" off to the New Year.

                                     STARKS
                           They make it hard for you to get away
                           with your business, huh?

               

                                     BECKER
                           Temporarily.

               
               STARKS lights a cigarette and, with that gesture, adopts the
               unscrupulousness of a criminal so convincingly it bears
               little resemblance to his usual demeanor.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Makes it a little easier for me to
                           get away with mine.

               
               BECKER looks at STARKS seriously.

               

                                     BECKER
                           And what's that?

                                     STARKS
                           My business?

               

                                     BECKER
                           Yes.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Getting away with things. Like
                           whatever I may or may not have gotten
                           away with Officer Harrison.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You killed him?

               
               STARKS simply delivers one slow nod.

               

                                                                              93.

               

                                     STARKS
                           And wound up in a better cage. [Beat]
                           But I still want to make a deal.

               
               BECKER looks understandably disgusted and STARKS proceeds
               with the calculation of someone who is guilty.

               

                                     STARKS
                           See, the deluxe lab animal treatment
                           I've been receiving -- well, I don't
                           think it's worked. I woke up today
                           and realized... [eerily lowering his
                           voice] ...I don't think I'm cured. So
                           really, what was the point? Torture?
                           I think that's still sort of illegal
                           in some states -- though we'll have to
                           check on Vermont. And, how's this for
                           the cherry on top: it seems my
                           physician is a pill-popping freak.
                           [Beat] Last time I checked, that
                           makes some pretty good copy for a lot
                           of these news shows. [Humbly, deftly]
                           "I don't remember everything they did
                           to me. I just remember the worst
                           parts." I think I should be sitting
                           down when I say it, don't you think?

               
               It takes BECKER some seconds to swallow this.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I think...I have to think about it.

               
               BECKER cocks his head to one side as he does. Then he slowly
               makes his way over to STARKS and leans in closer to him.
               STARKS instinctively raises his hand to his HEAD -- prepared
               to be defensive if he has to be. If this is the moment when
               he's killed.

               
               But BECKER only YANKS the I.V. angrily out of Starks' arm,
               tearing his skin with it.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I think your story needs a little
                           fleshing out before it's ready to go.

               
               BECKER turns to leave as STARKS bleeds onto the floor.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I'll say a prayer for you in Church
                           today, Starks. Maybe the Gods can
                           pick up where the medicine left off.

               

                                                                            94.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You sure you know where to find one?

               

                                     BECKER
                           I've managed to every Sunday of my
                           life. [Beat] Some of us are God-
                           fearing men, Starks.

               

                                     STARKS
                           And what does that mean?

               

                                     BECKER
                           Means we believe in doing his work
                           and fear what the world would be like
                           if we didn't at least try to.

               
               STARKS smirks at the hypocrisy he sees.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Becker, how do you sleep at night?

               

                                     BECKER
                           You in here. [Beat] Works like a
                           drug.

               
               BECKER leaves without looking back and STARKS closes his
               eyes, breathing a sigh of relief that it's over.

               

               INT. NURSE STATION, ALPINE GROVE, 1992, EVENING


               
               LORENSON, dressed to leave, stops to talk to NINA, one of the
               evening nurses.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Nina, William Starks is to stay in
                           ICU all night. If anything is
                           supposed to change, I want to be
                           called about it.

               

                                     NINA
                           Sure, Dr. Lorenson.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S HOME, VERMONT, 1992


               
               LORENSON comes home to an unremarkable apartment to find a
               thin, young mother, TALIA YAZDI, and her eleven year-old
               mute, and seemingly retarded son, EUGENE, waiting for her
               outside her door.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Hi. [Beat] Sorry I'm late.

               

                                                                              95.

               

                                     TALIA
                           It's ok. [To Eugene] Hi, Eugene.

               
               EUGENE returns her greeting with a blank stare.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S HOME, VERMONT, SOME TIME LATER


               
               LORENSON sets her things down on the kitchen table as TALIA
               starts to tidy things around the apartment.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Talia, I need to ask you something.

               
               TALIA looks at LORENSON.

               

                                     TALIA
                           What is it?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Have you told anyone about my
                           sessions with Eugene?

               
                                     TALIA [With an accent]
                           Of course not. [Off Lorenson's still
                           doubtful look] I swear I haven't. I
                           wouldn't do that to Eugene, or you.
                           You know that.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Has anyone been asking about him?

               

                                     TALIA
                           No. I would have told you.

               
               LORENSON nods. She believes her.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, 1992


               
               STARKS spots DAMON standing cautiously in the hall.

               

               INT. NURSE STATION, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, 1992


               
               We see (but don't hear) HARDING speak to NINA as DAMON slips
               into STARKS' ROOM. NINA seems sufficiently distracted.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, SECONDS LATER


               
               DAMON flashes a KNIFE at STARKS.

               

                                     DAMON
                           No funny business or we can make this
                           a lot fucking harder for you.

               

                                                                              96.

               
               One look at the KNIFE and the SAME QUESTION burns once more...

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Weakly] No funny business.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, 1992


               
               DAMON hustles Starks down the hall as fast as they can before
               the NURSE or any other staff member spots them.

               

               INT. OFFICE/LIBRARY, LORENSON'S HOME, NIGHT


               
               EUGENE sits opposite LORENSON, who quietly observes him,
               jotting some notes down on her pad. She is intermittently
               holding up PICTURES for Eugene, asking him to repeat their
               names as if she were teaching him to read.

                                     LORENSON
                           Eugene, this is a "TRAIN."

               
               EUGENE starts to pronounce the word when abruptly, and
               without any warning, he looks like he's unconscious, only
               with a blank stare. Lorenson quickly moves beside Eugene and
               watches him from up close, apparently not altogether
               surprised at what's happening.

               
               EUGENE doesn't even blink. The only sounds we hear from him
               are a couple, barely audible guttural noises. LORENSON --
               exhausted -- takes off her glasses wearily and gently
               addresses the boy.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Come on back down here. Wherever you
                           are...try to come on back. You'll
                           like it, I promise.

               
               Just then, TALIA walks in with TEA, JUICE and COOKIES for
               Eugene and Lorenson. She spots her son in his absent, staring
               state and forces her face into a small, sad smile to avoid
               tears as she sets the tray down and the cookies before them.

               
               TALIA gently touches LORENSON'S hand. LORENSON looks at her
               warmly. TALIA knows how hard she's trying.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, NIGHT, 1992


               
               BECKER soundlessly watches as HARDING and DAMON finish
               strapping Starks in the Jacket.

               
               DAMON slams the DRAWER shut, sending STARKS back in.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL


               

                                                                              97.

               
               What STARKS lacks in strength, he counteracts with his
               OVERWHELMING WILL. The SCREEN TREMBLES with it. One TERRIFIC,
               WHITE LIGHT and we...

               

                                                        CUT TO:

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, SHELBOURNE, VERMONT, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS sits by himself in Jackie's car, parked in a gas
               station. He looks around, trying to make sure it really is
               her car. He looks in the back and sees a pair of sneakers and
               an empty BOTTLE of VODKA.

               
               He looks outside and sees a few people walking into the FOOD
               MART of the gas station. He trembles with cold as he looks
               down at his plaid shirt.
               Then, JACKIE unexpectedly appears outside the DRIVER'S WINDOW
               opening the car door and nearly spilling her COFFEE when she
               spots STARKS next to her.

               
               Seeing it's him though, she smiles warmly.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           You just scared me, that's all.

               
               She leans over to him and gives him a kiss, handing him the
               coffee.

               

                                      STARKS
                           Me, too.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Here, drink this. I'll get the heat
                           going.

               

               EXT. MAIN STREET, SHELBOURNE, VERMONT, 2004


               
               JACKIE speeds through the streets of Shelbourne, presumably
               on their way to Becker's house.

               

               EXT. BECKER'S NEIGHBORHOOD, SHELBOURNE, VERMONT, 2004


               
               They've slowed down a little.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2004, DAY


               
               JACKIE reads from some directions on a PAPER as their CAR
               slows down on one particular street, towards one particular
               house.

               

                                                                              98.

               

               EXT. BECKER'S HOUSE, SHELBOURNE, 2004, DAY


               

                                        JACKIE [O.S.]
                              I think this is his house.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS looks at the house, bedecked with a lopsided SNOW MAN
               on the front lawn.

               

                                        STARKS
                              You're sure?

               

                                        JACKIE
                              Yeah. I called the number yesterday
                              to make sure. Thomas Becker, retired

                              M.D.

               
               STARKS gets out of the car.

               

               EXT. BECKER'S HOUSE, SHELBOURNE, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS knocks on the door. No answer.

               

               EXT. BECKER'S HOUSE, SHELBOURNE, 2004, DAY


               
               JACKIE tries to look through the windows to see if anyone's
               there. No one is. It looks small and dark inside.

               

               EXT. BECKER'S HOUSE, SHELBOURNE, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS knocks again, looking down anxiously at his feet.
               JACKIE walks up to him from around the side of the house.
               They don't have the time to wait.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              They're not here.

               

                                        STARKS
                              They're not.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              [Beat, lost] No.

               
               JACKIE notices how COLD Starks looks.

               

                                        JACKIE
                              Maybe they're out.

               
               STARKS nods.

               

                                                                              99.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS rubs his hands together as he looks out the windows
               and sees NO CARS or PEOPLE on the street. JACKIE watches him
               despairingly.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           How much time do we have?

               
                                      STARKS [Distracted]
                            I don't know.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What? What are you thinking?

               

                                     STARKS
                           There're no cars on this street.

               
               JACKIE looks around; there really aren't.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Yeah, you're right. But wait, how can
                           that be?

               
               STARKS turns to JACKIE, thinking.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know. Maybe that's because
                           this whole thing is a dream. How can
                           you have a street with no cars on it?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I don't know. But this isn't a dream.
                           I'm real, and so is where we are.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Then why isn't there anyone around?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           [Beat] I don't know.

               
               STARKS runs his hand over his head and closes his eyes in
               desperation.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What are you doing?

               
               STARKS doesn't answer.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           William! William!

               
               STARKS opens his eyes. She sighs in relief.

               

                                                                             100.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Maybe he's gone somewhere. He'll have
                           to come back.

               
               STARKS starts to shake his head in disbelief, when suddenly,
               he realizes...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Of course he will. [Beat] What day of
                           the week is it?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           It's Sunday.

               
                                      STARKS [Nodding]
                            It's Sunday.

                                     JACKIE
                           So?

               
               STARKS looks ecstatic with hope.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Look where these people live.

               
               A small, beautiful, removed place.

               

                                     STARKS
                           They've got lives to be grateful for.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           William, you're not making sense.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] They're at Church. And I bet
                           that's where Becker is.

               EXT. STREETS, SHELBOURNE


               
               JACKIE and STARKS head back to the only MAIN STREET in the
               town. As they approach the town church, they start to see a
               ROW of cars parallel-parked on the street.

               
               JACKIE pulls up to the entrance of the CHURCH.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2004, DAY


               
               STARKS watches JACKIE get out of the car and walk up to the
               doors of the CHURCH.

               

               EXT. CHURCH, SHELBOURNE, 2004


               
               JACKIE boldly opens the CHURCH door.

               

                                                                            101.

               

               INT. CHURCH, SHELBOURNE, 2004


               
               JACKIE sees the town seated in the Church. The PRIEST looks
               up at her briefly and some people turn around, but she closes
               the DOOR before she causes a major interruption.

               

               INT. CHURCH, SHELBOURNE, 2004


               
               We move to the third or fourth row, where, from behind, we
               see a head of GREY HAIR. He slowly turns around, casting a
               look towards the door and revealing a glimpse of his face.
               Though it's aged slightly, it hasn't softened.

               

               EXT. CHURCH, SHELBOURNE, 2004


               
               JACKIE and STARKS watch as the people file out of Church.
               They are leaning against her car when STARKS spots him.

               
               DR. BECKER walks beside a SMALL CHILD -- presumably his
               GRANDSON. JACKIE registers his formidableness with some
               surprise; Becker's maintained a strong physique and is hardly
               a shade less intimidating than he was before. Only his hand
               has a permanent shake now.

               
               STARKS doesn't waste any time. He heads straight for him.
               Almost sensing him, BECKER looks in his direction. The casual
               look on his face is instantly supplanted by one of DISBELIEF.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You still go to Church. How's that
                           work? Your God just doesn't notice?
                           That it? [Beat, serious] How you
                           doin', Dr. Becker?

               
               BECKER stops walking and looks at Starks. His GRANDSON looks
               at him.

                                      BECKER'S GRANDSON
                           Grandpa?

               
                                      BECKER [Still looking at Starks]
                            Sean, why don't you wait for me by
                            the car? I'll be there in a minute.
                            [Turning to the kid] Ok?

               
               His grandson, momentarily appeased, heads for the car.

               
                                     BECKER [To Starks]
                           Can I help you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know, Dr. Becker. Can you?

               

                                                                             102.

               
               That's enough to confirm for BECKER who STARKS is.

               
               All around them, people leaving Church socialize routinely --
               unaware of the haunted history being made between them.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Who are you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I think you know. Your eyes say you
                           do.

               

                                     BECKER
                           [Beat] You're his son?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. I'm not his son. I'm him. [Beat]
                           What? You look like you've seen a
                           ghost. You can come here and touch
                           me, old man. I'm the real thing.

               

                                     BECKER
                           How...how are you here?

               
               STARKS looks at Becker -- each a terrifying reminder of the
               other's past.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You died, Starks. Years ago, in the
                           hospital.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I know. [Beat] You killed me, didn't
                           you?

               

                                     BECKER
                           No. I didn't. I swear I didn't. I
                           probably helped push you to kill
                           yourself, but I didn't do it.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I didn't kill myself. I died from a
                           blow to the head. How'd it happen? I
                           have to know.

               
               BECKER looks at him, nearly too stunned to speak.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I don't know how you died. The last
                           time I put you in the Jacket was just
                           after you told me you remembered
                           killing that police officer...

               

                                                                   103.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I didn't say I remembered killing
                           him. I just repeated some words to
                           get myself back in there.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I know. [Beat] I knew that when you
                           came out.

               

                                     STARKS
                           How?

               

                                     BECKER
                           Because...because you came out and
                           said something you couldn't have
                           possibly have known. You came back
                           and repeated three names...

               
               BECKER falters as he recalls his offenses.

               

                                     BECKER
                           Of people like you. People I was just
                           trying to help. They couldn't get
                           worse so I thought, with medication,
                           they might get...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Medication? What kind of meds do you
                           chase with nights in a cadaver
                           drawer?

               

                                     BECKER
                           It was part of the treatment I
                           intended...I didn't know what the
                           effects would be...

               

                                     STARKS
                           So, what, you guinea pig sick people
                           to find out?

               

                                     BECKER
                           The three of you weren't regular
                           patients. You were criminals that
                           ended up at Alpine Grove.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No, we were patients.

               
               BECKER concedes after all this time.

               

                                     BECKER
                           You and the others didn't seem that
                           way then.

               

                                                                          104.

               
               STARKS is quiet as he comes to understand how it's about to
               work out: if Becker tells him those names now, he essentially
               indicts himself.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Who were the others?

               
               BECKER remembers with a hint of remorse.

               
                                     BECKER [Racked with remorse]
                           Nathan Piechowski, Jackson
                           MacGregor, and Ted Casey. [Beat] I
                           didn't ask for you -- for any of
                           you. You were all sent to me.

               
               STARKS looks at Becker, in astonishment.

                                     BECKER
                           What is it?

               
               STARKS just stares at Becker, waiting for the realization to
               hit him, too.

               

                                     BECKER
                           How did you come to know their
                           names?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You just told me. The last time I
                           was with you was when I was in the
                           Jacket. I'm in it right now, Dr.
                           Becker.

               

                                     BECKER
                           I don't understand...

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm in it as we speak. [Beat] You're
                           haunting yourself right now. [Beat]
                           I guess sometimes we indict
                           ourselves if no one else does. You
                           didn't make history like you wanted
                           to, huh, Dr. Becker. It turned out
                           different, didn't it?

               

                                     BECKER
                           I didn't put you in Alpine Grove.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. [Beat] You put me on drugs and
                           then you put me in the Jacket.

               

                                                                            105.

               
                                      BECKER [Stoically]
                            I was sorry when I heard you died.
                            I was, but...how was I to know you
                            didn't shoot that police officer?

               

                                     STARKS
                           The same way you just said I didn't
                           without my ever telling you. [Beat]
                           And that still doesn't excuse what
                           you did. Just because you had keys
                           to a cage didn't mean you had
                           animals inside. [Beat] You've
                           earned your guilt, Becker.

               
               STARKS shares a last look with Becker before he walks away
               towards the car.

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, DAY, 2004


               
               JACKIE and STARKS sit inside the parked car as STARKS touches
               his head.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           That's all you got from him? That
                           bastard helped take your life away
                           from you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No, he didn't.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What? How can you say that? He's
                           the one that put you in that
                           goddamn medieval...Jacket. He's
                           probably the one who killed you.

               
               And with those words, JACKIE starts to break down.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No one's killing anyone.

               
               STARKS takes her hand and runs it over his head.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Touch me. I'm okay.

               
               STARKS looks at her with love, understanding and, for the
               first time, a sense of peace. He strokes her hair to calm her
               down.

               

                                                                          106.

               

                                     STARKS
                           If everything hadn't happened the
                           way it has, then I wouldn't be here
                           right now, sitting in a car with
                           you, touching your face.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Why are you saying that? [Beat] We
                           don't have long, do we?

               
               STARKS looks at her without answering. JACKIE wipes her eyes,
               fastens STARKS' seat belt, and seeing that Starks' EYES have
               started to flutter, starts driving. In the distance, the
               barely audible sound of the DRAWER opening, and their time
               ending, is heard.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Where are we going?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           To the hospital.

               

               EXT. HIGHWAY, VERMONT, DAY, 2004


               
               JACKIE and STARKS speed on the highway. As STARKS sleeps,
               JACKIE keeps looking over at him like it's a way to make sure
               he stays with her.

               

               INT. HOSPITAL, VERMONT, DAY, 2004


               
               JACKIE helps STARKS -- who's severely weakened at this point --
               to the nurse's station. CLAIRE is there.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Claire, I need help.

               
               CLAIRE helps JACKIE, and they take him into a room. From
               afar, we hear CLAIRE asking about him.

               

                                     STARKS
                           What's happening to me? Why am I
                           getting so much weaker?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Because your body can only take so
                           much of what they're putting you
                           through.

               

                                     CLAIRE
                           Jesus, what's happened to him?

               

                                                                             107.

               

               INT. ROOM, HOSPITAL, VERMONT, DAY, 2004


               
               JACKIE helps CLAIRE do for STARKS what they can; it doesn't
               seem like much at this point.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Lorenson's the only one that could
                           let me out of there. I need something
                           to persuade her that I was there. Get
                           me something to take to her.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Ok. Ssh. Rest.

               

               INT. OFFICE, HOSPITAL, 2004


               
               JACKIE stands above a PRINTER as it prints the information
               she's looked up about Dr. Lorenson. The PAPER gets jammed,
               and that's when JACKIE completely loses it. She WRESTLES with
               the printer as if it were responsible for what's happening.

               
               Then she realizes she's not alone. She looks back and sees
               CLAIRE, watching from the doorway, with a sympathetic look in
               her eyes.

               
                                      JACKIE [In a panic]
                            He's not...?

               

                                     CLAIRE
                           No, no. [Beat] Not yet. But he
                           doesn't have long. Are you sure you
                           don't want a doctor to look at him?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           No! It won't do any good. [Beat]
                           Please, Claire. They won't
                           understand.

               
               CLAIRE acquiesces with her eyes.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL PASSAGE


               
               STARKS is trapped: back on the day when Officer Harrison was
               murdered.

               

                                                         FLASHBACK TO:

               

               EXT. HIGHWAY, RURAL VERMONT, WINTER, LATE AFTERNOON, 1992


               
               (Cont'd from the scene after STARKS left Jean and Jackie's
               place):

               

                                                                          108.

               
               STARKS is walking back on the same highway just after the sun
               has set, and just after he helped JEAN and JACKIE, on that
               fateful day...

               
               This time we see a CAR stop for him from a much closer
               distance. TENNY pulls up towards STARKS and rolls down the
               window on the passenger side. STARKS bends down to be able to
               see the driver.

               

                                     TENNY
                           Hey, Mister, you need a ride?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Where are you going?

               

                                     TENNY
                           I'm going to Canada but I can let
                           you ride with me up to the border.

               
               STARKS considers this.

               

                                     TENNY
                           Can you drive?

               

                                        STARKS
                           Sure.

               

                                     TENNY
                           Great, get in. We'll switch off in
                           a bit.

               
               We pull back and see the same SHOT, from a distance, of
               STARKS putting his BAG in the back and getting in. As he
               opens the CAR DOOR, we hear the MUSIC playing inside. As they
               drive off, the MUSIC fades further and further in the
               distance as we...

                                                         CUT TO:

               

               INT. BEDROOM, JACKIE'S APARTMENT, NIGHT


               
               It's the night that they slept together, and the departure we
               never saw. We see, from Starks' POV, JACKIE sleeping
               serenely in the bed.

               
               We catch one glimpse of STARKS in the moonlight, standing
               naked in the doorway, before he turns and then...disappears --
               having been taken out of the Jacket at that point.

               

               INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, VERMONT, 2004


               
               JACKIE is by STARKS' side, lying on the hospital bed, next to
               him, smoothing his sweating head.

               

                                                                           109.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           William, please, honey, wake up.
                           For me.

               
               STARKS' eyes flutter open.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Can you hear me?

               
               STARKS nods; JACKIE tries to continue without choking up.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I found out about Eugene. The little
                           boy. He's the key. That's who you
                           have to tell her about when you get
                           back there. It's the only way to
                           prove this to her.

               
               JACKIE's VOICE fades as we...

               

                                                        CUT TO:

               

               INT. LORENSON'S HOME, VERMONT, NIGHT, 1992


               
               LORENSON watches EUGENE continue to look unresponsively
               in the distance.

               

                                                        RETURN TO:

               

               INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, VERMONT, 2004 (SOME TIME LATER)


               
               STARKS is awake, watching JACKIE sleep wearily on his chest.
               He sees the TOLL this has taken on her, just as he senses he
               is about to be taken out of the Jacket. He nudges her gently.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Jackie?

               
               JACKIE stirs her eyes to look at him.

               
                                      STARKS [Somewhat urgently]
                            Where do you live?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           What?

               

                                     STARKS
                           When we first met, when you were 7,
                           where was the house you lived in
                           with your mother? Do you remember
                           your address?

               

                                                                               110.

               

                                       JACKIE
                             112 Orchard Way. [Realizing, in a
                             whisper] You're not coming back,
                             are you?

               
               STARKS, faint, struggles to get out of the bed.

               

                                       STARKS
                             You gotta stop thinking like that.

               

                                       JACKIE
                             Then, where are you going?

               

                                       STARKS
                             Nowhere. [Beat] I just think I'm
                             gonna be sick.
               STARKS   moves towards the bathroom of the hospital room.
               JACKIE   moves to help him and he motions for her to stop.
               STARKS   falters in the doorway when he turns to look back at
               Jackie   -- like it might be for the last time.

               
                                      JACKIE [In a whisper]
                            You come back to me...

               
               STARKS nods, then goes in and closes the door behind him.
               JACKIE stares after him -- alone in the total silence of the
               room. She listens for the slightest noise and that's when she
               actually hears the sound of the DRAWER being opened for
               herself.

               
               She realizes he's gone. She RUSHES after him, opens the door
               in a fit, and then, sees what she feared most: no sign of
               Starks. JACKIE falls to her knees, right there, on the
               bathroom floor and cries out like a woman only beginning to
               realize how unfathomably deep her heart is...

               INT. ALPINE GROVE, 2004


               
               STARKS is suddenly in the waiting area outside Lorenson's
               office -- still severely weakened.

               
               He walks slowly to the OFFICE DOOR and feebly knocks.
               LORENSON answers and STARKS falls into her arms.

               
                                       LORENSON [Stunned]
                             Oh dear God.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S OFFICE


               
               LORENSON has laid STARKS down on the COUCH in her office.
               STARKS can barely talk. He spews as much of it as he can out
               in his feverish state...

               

                                                                             111.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm William Starks. I'm not his son.
                           And...and the kid you work with.
                           Your friend's son...Eugene...

               
               LORENSON is stilled by the words STARKS just spoke.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I know. I know it all. Save your
                           strength. I already know everything
                           you're going to say. [Beat] You're in
                           the Jacket right now, aren't you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           How...how do you know?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You told me this was how it
                           happened.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I did?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Yeah.

               
               STARKS clutches his side in pain as they prepare to take him
               out.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Who...who kills me?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You have nothing to fear, William.

               
               But when we look to see STARKS' reaction, he's not there...

               INT. BECKER'S OFFICE, ALPINE GROVE, EVENING


               
               BECKER is dressed to leave the hospital when he suddenly
               decides not to. He takes off his coat and his gloves, but not
               his SCARF, and walks out of his office with a decided
               urgency.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, 1992


               
               BECKER pulls STARKS out of the drawer and looks down ruefully
               at STARKS' scathed face. STARKS, drenched in BLOOD and SWEAT,
               seeks the outline of Becker's face in the light.

               
                                     STARKS [Whispering]
                           Becker, I know about you. [Beat] I
                           know what you did to your patients.

               

                                                                             112.

               
               BECKER looses the straps around Starks' neck to help him
               speak.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Nathan...Piechowski. [Beat] Jackson
                           MacGregor...Ted Casey. [Beat] You
                           didn't cure them. You killed them.

               
               BECKER momentarily loses color and his forever cool mien.
               After some seconds, STARKS passes out and BECKER -- hands
               trembling -- looks as though he might stick him back in when,
               instead, he starts to remove him from the Jacket himself. He
               silently and carefully unties each of the straps -- taking
               unusual care for Starks' flesh as he prepares to put him on a
               stretcher.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU, ALPINE GROVE, EARLY MORNING


               
               As the SUN starts to rise, we see STARKS -- now cleaned up --
               recovering in his bed. He is unconscious. From his window, we
               look down and see Dr. Lorenson's car pulling into the lot...

               

                                                          FADE TO:

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU, ALPINE GROVE, EARLY MORNING


               
               LORENSON, still wearing her winter gear, walks into Starks'
               room, anxiously checking his VITALS. Her anxious expression
               reveals Starks' frailty. She looks to the window then and
               sees an empty chair with only Becker's SCARF on it.

               
               LORENSON goes to the window in time to see BECKER getting
               into his car.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU WARD, ALPINE GROVE, LATER THAT MORNING


               
               STARKS lies unconscious in the bed. The NURSE, SALLY, stops
               by the room to check on Dr. Lorenson.

               

                                     SALLY
                           Would you like anything, Dr.
                           Lorenson?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           A cup of coffee would be great,
                           Sally. Thanks.

               

                                     SALLY
                           Is he gonna be ok?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I hope so.

               

                                                                          113.

               

                                       SALLY
                           Me, too.

               
               LORENSON looks after her as she leaves.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU WARD, ALPINE GROVE, MORNING, 1992


               
               LORENSON wakes up as STARKS stirs in his sleep, slowly waking
               up.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You're going to be ok, William. We
                           just need to get your fever down
                           and we'll be able to hopefully
                           stabilize you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Who are you kidding, Doc? You or
                           me?

               
               LORENSON doesn't answer.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Can I get some paper and something
                           to write with.

               

                                       LORENSON
                           What for?

               
                                      STARKS [Solemnly]
                            I'm starting to think I'm really
                            gonna die soon. So I'd like to write
                            some things down.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I'm not gonna let that happen.

                                     STARKS
                           You still don't believe me, do you?

               

                                     LORENSON
                           I do believe you...

               

                                     STARKS
                           No. Listen to me...the kid, Eugene...

               
               LORENSON still gets taken aback by Starks' knowledge of
               Eugene.

               

                                     STARKS
                           No one knows you're working with him
                           so how would I have found out? He's
                           your friend's son, right?

               

                                                                             114.

               
               It's true; no one could have known about Lorenson's private
               life. STARKS coughs, clearly in great pain.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           William, I can't indulge these
                           delusions, even when you're in this
                           state.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Listen to me. That's all I ask.

               
               LORENSON has no choice.

               

                                     STARKS
                           He's having absence [pronounced
                           "absance"] seizures when he stares
                           off into space like he does. He has
                           them so often that that's why he
                           hasn't learned to speak properly.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Who told you this?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You did, in the future. You figured
                           it out because a part of you already
                           knows this. That's how it works.
                           [Beat] I'm just telling you something
                           you already know, even if you haven't
                           realized it.

               
               STARKS closes his eyes, gathering what strength he can.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I don't know when it'll happen but
                           soon I think, you'll shock the boy
                           and it'll wake him up.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           What are you talking about?

               

                                     STARKS
                           You'll figure it out and you'll do
                           good by him.

               
               That's all STARKS can manage before LORENSON sees he's about
               to pass out again.

               

                                                         CUT TO:

               

               INT. LORENSON'S APARTMENT, NIGHT, 1992


               

                                                                             115.

               
               LORENSON answers the KNOCK at her door. It's EUGENE and

               TALIA.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Hey.

               

                                     TALIA
                           What is it?

               
                                      LORENSON [Finding it hard to explain]
                            Nothing. [Beat] I don't know. I
                            thought of something I could try.

               
               LORENSON looks at TALIA helplessly. TALIA nods and leads
               Eugene inside. LORENSON can't help but look down the hall to
               make sure no one's there.

               INT. STUDY/OFFICE, LORENSON'S APARTMENT, NIGHT, 1992


               
               LORENSON sits across from EUGENE, holding up a picture of a
               DOG. Between them is a tray of MILK and COOKIES.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Come on Eugene, try to say it with
                           me. This is a "DOG".

               

                                     EUGENE
                           D--d---d----.

               
               But Eugene can't hold the sound of the letter long enough to
               make the word. An absence seizure takes hold of him as he
               looks out unconsciously into space.

               
               LORENSON moves closer to him.

               
                                      LORENSON [Softly]
                            What's happening to you?

               
               LORENSON checks Eugene's pulse and leans in close to the
               boy's unconscious face like the answer is there if she just
               looks hard enough.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Are you having a seizure? Is that
                           really what's going on?

               
               LORENSON spots a corner of Eugene's EYE twitching slightly,
               and, rushing to get a better look, takes the shade off of the
               nearby LAMP and holds it above his head so she can get a
               better look at him.

               

                                                                             116.

               
               Just then, TALIA opens the door, startling Lorenson. She
               knocks over the MILK and, as it spills on the LAMP CORD -- now
               on Eugene's lap -- it causes an ELECTRIC SHOCK. Eugene catches
               it. TALIA gasps and Lorenson watches the boy in fear.

               
               The moment passes and Eugene -- more responsive than he has
               ever been before -- looks at his mother and Lorenson. He
               doesn't know what's happened but he is aware, and awake,
               like never before.

               
               EUGENE picks right up where he and Lorenson left off.

               

                                     EUGENE
                           Dog. [To Talia] Hi.

               
               TALIA and LORENSON look at him and each other at shock.
                                     STARKS [O.S., distantly]
                           You're going to...shock the boy and
                           then things will change for him.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You ok, Eugene?

               
               EUGENE holds Lorenson's gaze steadily for a few moments.

               
                                      LORENSON [Stunned himself]
                            Yeah, you are ok.

               

                                     TALIA
                           What's happening?

               
                                     LORENSON [Putting the pieces together]
                           He got a little shock. [To himself]
                           And it's reset him. Not permanently
                           probably...but at least for a little
                           while. They use it on epileptic
                           patients sometimes...

               

                                     TALIA
                           But he's not epileptic.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           No, but he is having seizures.

               
               TALIA looks at LORENSON. She's still confused. LORENSON's
               merely surprised.

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ICU UNIT, ALPINE GROVE, 1992


               
               STARKS looks up from his PAPER -- now covered in WORDS -- to
               see Dr. Lorenson in the doorway. STARKS still looks weak but
               much better than before.

               

                                                                           117.

               

                                     STARKS
                           It worked, didn't it?

               
               LORENSON nods.

               

                                     STARKS
                           This is really happening, isn't it?

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           [Beat] What do you need me to do?

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] Thank you.

               
               STARKS folds the LETTER.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I need to get this letter to
                           someone.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           I can't take you out of here in
                           your condition...

               

                                     STARKS
                           And I can't stay here in my
                           condition. I am going to die
                           tonight. It's already been decided.

               

                                     DR. LORENSON
                           No, it hasn't.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Yes. [Beat] It has. Everything up
                           'till today is done. Everything
                           starting with tomorrow is up for
                           grabs.

               

               EXT. PARKING LOT, ALPINE GROVE, 1992


               
               LORENSON helps STARKS into the parking lot as it snows.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S CAR, DAY, 1992


               
               LORENSON and STARKS are driving on the same, now familiar
               highway.

               

                                     STARKS
                           You know how to get there?

               

                                                                             118.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           Sure. It's an easy address. A
                           little far out there, but easy
                           enough.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Good.

               
               Bob Dylan plays on the RADIO. STARKS smiles as he hears him
               and turns the music up; the act is sad because, as LORENSON
               notices, it belongs to someone with an interest to live.

               

               EXT. JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, DAY, 1992


               
               DR. LORENSON and STARKS drive up to Jean and Jackie's house.

               

                                     LORENSON
                           You want me to come with you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           No, I'll be ok.

               
               STARKS slowly makes his way to their front door and knocks on
               it as best as he can. The sound, however, is still
               understandably soft.

               
               STARKS waits and then reaches for the knob on the door. He
               opens it and looks inside. We first see his face, and the
               devastation on it, as we guess the sight he's laid eyes on.

               
               JACKIE is sitting at the kitchen table, still only 7 years
               old. Though STARKS expected it, he falters under the
               disappointment of seeing a girl he liked instead of the woman
               he loved. As she looks up at him, it's all he can do not to
               break down.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Hi.

               
                                     JACKIE [Surprised]
                           Hey. [Beat] I remember you.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I remember you, too.

               
               STARKS shakes his head, looking at her. She looks beautiful,
               and still hopeful. Her life lays ahead of her and her fate --
               when he found her in 2004 -- remains as distant as possible
               from this innocent, still promising image.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Jackie, how have you been?

               

                                                                             119.

               
               JACKIE smiles; she doesn't get asked that often.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           I've been ok.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Good. How's your mom?

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Ok, I guess.

               
               STARKS nods. JACKIE smiles. It's all he can do not to
               crumble.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Do you think I could see her?
               She looks at him and senses, like kids do, the desperation in
               his eyes.

               

                                       JACKIE
                           Sure.

               
               JACKIE calls out for Jean, then runs up the stairs to get
               her. LORENSON has gotten out of the car and is waiting
               outside on the porch. STARKS remains in the doorway.

               
               Some seconds later, JEAN appears -- gaunt but in a slightly
               better state than we saw her before.

               

                                     JEAN
                           Can I help you?

               

                                     STARKS
                           Hey, Jean. Nice to see you.

               
               JEAN looks a little confused.

               

                                     JEAN
                           I'm sorry? Your face looks awfully
                           familiar, I just can't quite place
                           it...

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Mom, this is the guy that drove us
                           home that afternoon we were stuck
                           on the highway. The guy you yelled
                           at for no good reason...

               

                                       JEAN
                           Oh, yeah.

               

                                                                             120.

               
               She gives him a once over, and, seeing how weakened he looks,
               decides intuitively he can't be much harm. She also notices
               LORENSON waiting by the car.

               

                                      JEAN
                            There something you need?

               

                                      STARKS
                            You could say that.

               
               STARKS looks at JACKIE, hesitating because of her. Sensing
               this, JEAN asks Jackie to leave.

               

                                      JEAN
                            Jackie, go play in the snow.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Why?

               

                                      JEAN
                            Just do it.

               
               JACKIE leaves and walks to the yard. STARKS watches.

               

                                      STARKS
                            I can't stay long. [Motioning to
                            Lorenson] That's my doctor and I
                            gotta get back to the hospital.
                            Everything I want to say is in this
                            letter. [Beat] You can check as
                            much of it as you can.

               
               STARKS hands her the LETTER.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I won't be around when you read
                           it...but I hope you believe it.
                           It'd be a real shame if you didn't.

               
               JEAN looks baffled but, seeming to grasp his urgency, nods.

               

                                     STARKS
                           [Beat] I should be on my way.

               
               JACKIE has been watching this exchange from the shed. When he
               looks over there, he catches her eye and CALLS OUT, with what
               strength he has left...

               

                                     STARKS
                           Bye, Jackie.

               

                                                                             121.

               
               These are the hardest words STARKS has probably ever had to
               say. JACKIE just stares after him, as does JEAN, as he shows
               himself out.

               

                                      STARKS
                            Happy New Year to both of you.

               

                                      JEAN
                            Thanks. You, too.

               

               EXT. JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, DAY, 1992


               
               As STARKS is walking away, we see his eyes begin to tear in
               the cold -- but not from it.

               

               INT. JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, DAY, 1992

               JACKIE abruptly runs after him.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Hey, wait!

               
               STARKS stops in his tracks; he clears as much sadness from
               his face as he can before he turns around to face her.

               

                                      STARKS
                            [Beat] You be good to yourself,
                            Jackie.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Ok.

               
               Then, suddenly, she sticks her hand for him to shake, as she
               did that day on the roadside; only now, it trembles slightly
               in the cold.

               
               STARKS takes JACKIE'S HAND and holds it in his own softly and
               affectionately. JEAN and DR. LORENSON look on curiously as
               STARKS looks in her face, at her hand in his, and then to the
               heavens for the means to get through this.

               
               As STARKS lets go at last, JACKIE looks back at him, sensing
               the connection even if she doesn't know it yet.

               
               STARKS turns and stumbles as he walks back to his car.
               LORENSON moves to help him, but STARKS tells her not to with
               his eyes. He makes his way to the car on his own.

               

               MONTAGE:

               

               INT. LIVING ROOM, JEAN AND JACKIE'S HOUSE, DAY, 1992


               

                                                                             122.

               
               JEAN sits down and starts to open the LETTER. Starks' voice,
               as we hear it now, is presumably from parts of the LETTER
               he's written to her.

               

               INT. LORENSON'S CAR, DUSK, 1992


               
               LORENSON looks over to STARKS, who stares painfully out the
               window. They drive on in silence.

               

                                     STARKS (V.O.)
                           I was 25 years old the first time I
                           died. It didn't end anything though.
                           [Beat] Sometimes I think we live
                           through things only to be able to
                           tell them, to bear witness, to say
                           this happened.

               INT. ALPINE GROVE, NEW YEAR'S EVE, 1992-1993


               
               STARKS walks back through the gates of the hospital,
               despondently returning inside, with LORENSON at his side.

               

                                      STARKS (V.O.)
                            And it wasn't to someone else. It
                            was to me. And I lived despite it.
                            Sometimes I think we live to beat
                            the odds. And sometimes I agree
                            that life can only begin with the
                            knowledge of death. That it can all
                            end, even when you least want it
                            to.

               

               INT. WARD, ALPINE GROVE, EVENING


               
               MACKENZIE looks up from his game of solitaire as LORENSON
               helps STARKS down the hall. He holds up his hand in the
               gesture of hello, or goodbye.

               
               STARKS raises his hand back with an earnest smile.

               

                                      STARKS
                            I'm telling you my story because
                            it's the only way I can try to help
                            your daughter, and you, have a
                            better one of your own.

               

               INT. BECKER'S HOME, SHELBOURNE, 1992


               
               We see BECKER taking his DRUGS. In his dark den, on his worn
               desk, is a bottle of WHISKEY. He closes his eyes as he
               administers to himself whatever aid he can...

               

               INT. JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, DAY, DECEMBER 31, 1992


               

                                                                            123.

               
               JEAN is reading each page avidly, affected by this man's last
               words.

               

                                     STARKS (V.O.)
                           It's scary...and lucky...how much we
                           can forget. Scary because we think
                           the past gives us our bearing, and
                           lucky because in those moments I'm
                           talking about, you realize it
                           doesn't. And it never had to.

               

               INT. SMALL BAR, CANADA, NIGHT, 1992


               
               TENNY (Officer Harrison's murderer) is at the bar ordering a
               drink from the BARTENDER. As he gets his DRINK, he slaps a
               BILL down on the counter and turns around to survey the bar...

               INT. JACKIE'S ROOM, JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, EVENING, 1992


               
               JACKIE rummages in a box of her personal belongings, looking
               for something specific in them. She stops finally when she
               finds STARKS' DOG TAGS. She takes them out slowly and puts
               them around her neck.

               

                                     STARKS (V.O.)
                           I am not a crazy man, even though
                           they mistook me for one. I live in
                           the same world as the rest of you.
                           Only I saw more of it.

               
               Then, after a moment of staring down at them, she tucks them
               under her sweater.

               

               INT. CAPTAIN MEDLEY'S HOME, NIGHT, 1992


               
               CAPTAIN MEDLEY holds a beer as he stares blankly at a TV
               broadcasting news about MIKE TYSON'S RAPE CONVICTION.
               Medley's barely watching the footage...

               

               INT. STARKS' ROOM, ALPINE GROVE, 1992


               
               Dr. Lorenson helps Starks back to bed. STARKS looks up at
               Lorenson, thanking her without words but with his eyes.
               LORENSON smiles as she looks back sadly at Starks' even more
               weakened self.

               

                                     STARKS (V.O.)
                           And the seeing is the only way you
                           can hear what the truth around you
                           is saying: you can always start
                           believing in things you don't
                           already believing in. And, while
                           you're alive, it's never too late.

               

                                                                             124.

               
               Then he turns and walks out, closing the door so that Starks'
               room and the screen darken at the same time.

               

               INT. HALLWAY, ALPINE GROVE, NEW YEAR'S EVE, 1992


               
               TWO PAIRS of legs walk down a corridor, darkened by the
               night, through the now familiar passage to the basement...

               
               STARKS is not restrained this time though we don't see who is
               walking down the hall with him. He runs his hand over his
               forehead and looks at it when he's done. STILL NO CUT.

               
               They slow down their pace as they round the corner, as STARKS
               appears dizzier and dizzier. He doesn't stop and the PERSON
               beside him doesn't see how weak he is... until STARKS TRIPS.

               
               In slow motion, we hear a DISTANT, GARBLED VOICE CALL OUT...

               

                                     DISTORTED VOICE
                           No! Wa...atch out!

               
               But STARKS' head hits the GLASS CASE of the FIRE EXTINGUISHER
               on the wall, as it was destined to. In the terrific SHOWER OF
               GLASS, one PIECE cuts a neat, deep, fatal GASH in Starks'
               head.

               
               BLOOD starts to flow. As STARKS' eyes struggle to regain
               their focus, we see the BLURRED, indiscernible FACE of the
               PERSON leaning over him to see if he's all right.

               
               The details start to make sense, even to Starks. This is the
               WOUND they said he died from.

               

               INT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, ALPINE GROVE, NEW YEAR'S EVE, 1992


               
               STARKS collapses on the familiar slab, ready to be strapped
               into the Jacket one final time. BLOOD pours from his head
               onto the floor.

               
               The PERSON with him struggles to get all of Starks' weight
               onto the metal slab. She's doing it as carefully, and gently,
               as she can -- taking observable care with every strap of the
               JACKET, almost as if the act itself is a humane one.

               
               When the HANDS finally reach the straps around his neck and
               the hardest part of the struggle has passed, STARKS smiles
               kindly, and thankfully, into the single overhead LIGHT in the
               room that obscures the face of the person strapping him in.

               
               As the drawer is pushed in, one of the STRAPS gets caught on
               the side, CUTTING STARKS' ARM. We hear a small CRY in the
               room. Then the HANDS adjust the strap and slowly push STARKS
               in.

               

                                                                             125.

               

               INT. JACKET/TUNNEL


               
               It's more beautiful and serene inside than it's ever been
               before. This time, as he travels through the tunnel, it's as
               though he's traveling in a heaven of his own. The IMAGES he
               sees are the best moments of his past -- connected in a
               tranquil, fluid narrative that suggest STARKS has finally
               retrieved his memory without it haunting him...

               

                                      STARKS (V.O.)
                            I promise you, Jean. No matter how
                            bad the days and things around you
                            look, they look better awake than
                            they do asleep. I can offer you
                            some proof: when you die, there's
                            only one thing you want to have
                            happen...sometimes so badly it
                            comes true, I guess. [Beat] You
                            want to come back.

               

               PANELS:

               
               The PANELS we saw briefly are completed further now.

               
               1) C.U. A WOMAN'S NECK as a small child's HAND touches it.

               

               2) INT. STAIRWAY, OLD HOUSE (STARKS' CHILDHOOD HOME): STARKS,

               aged 9, running up the stairs, knocking a PICTURE on the wall
               with his elbow...

               
               3) C.U. A black and white PHOTOGRAPH of Starks' father, a
               much older version of himself.

               
               4) EXT. CREEK: A shot of clear water that's not to deep and,

               on its surface, the reflection of a TEENAGE BOY'S FACE before
               he touches it and sends it rippling...
               5) EXT. A NEW ENGLAND BEACH: STARKS (20s) dressed in a black

               suit, holding an URN, letting the ASHES fly into the water...

               
               6) EXT. DESERT: A SANDSTORM WHIRLS round before it's replaced

               with... EXT. VERMONT: A FIELD of snow.


               

               EXT. MORGUE, BASEMENT, MENTAL HOSPITAL


               
               We see now that it was DR. LORENSON who put Starks in.
               Exhausted from the physical strain of getting him in there,
               she stares at the closed drawer, like looking at it is one
               way to look after Starks.

               

               INT. JACKIE AND JEAN'S HOUSE, VERMONT, 1992


               

                                                                             126.

               
               JEAN puts down STARKS' LETTER and walks out of the kitchen
               and watches JACKIE sitting absently on the couch, looking
               past the TV.

               
               JEAN kneels wordlessly beside her daughter and looks her
               daughter in the eye. JACKIE looks back curiously as JEAN
               wraps her arms around Jackie's LEGS and rests her head in her
               lap, holding onto her with the dearness of having narrowly
               missed a tragedy.

               

                                                        FADE TO BLACK.

               

               EXT. DINER, SMALL TOWN VERMONT, 2005


               
               Over the sounds of CARS slushing in the snow, an IMAGE fades
               up slowly on the screen, until we see it's STARKS, standing
               in the parking lot outside the diner once more.

               
               This time he seems situated, and hopeful. After a slightly
               longer wait than the first time, JACKIE walks out -- in the
               same way as before except that she wears a NURSE'S UNIFORM
               and an unmistakable air of vitality.

               
               Jackie looks directly at Starks and we see the same
               attraction between them teeming even more than before. Even
               as a physically injured man in jeans and a flannel, with a
               BLEEDING CUT on his head and no coat in the cold, STARKS is
               someone we see she wants to be near.

               
               Then we see JACKIE as STARKS does: she looks beautiful,
               alive, happy and just like the woman he never wanted to
               leave. She approaches Starks warmly, less suspicious of the
               world -- and less devastated by it -- than we remember her
               being.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Hey there. [Beat] You ok?

               
               STARKS revels in the moment. In their reunion.

               

                                     STARKS
                           I think so.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           You're bleeding pretty bad there.

               
               STARKS touches his FOREHEAD in a panic and, seeing the BLOOD
               on his hands, looks up at her, terrified. Sensing this, she
               moves closer to calm him.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            It's ok. It's ok. Relax. It's just
                            a cut. We can get it fixed.

                                      (MORE)

               

                                                                             127.

               
                                      JACKIE (cont'd)
                            But we need to get you to the
                            hospital now. How'd you get that?

               

                                      STARKS
                            I fell down. [Beat] But I'm alive.

               
               STARKS looks at her -- immensely relieved and grateful.

               
                                      JACKIE [Laughing a little]
                            Yes, you are alive. But, listen, it's
                            New Year's Day. You're not going to
                            get a cab. Especially not here. And
                            you're gonna freeze if you stand out
                            here in the snow much longer. I'm on
                            my way back to my shift at the
                            hospital...

               

                                      STARKS
                            You work there?

               
                                      JACKIE [Gesturing to her uniform]
                            Yeah, I'm a nurse. Why don't you let
                            me give you a ride...

               
               STARKS falters slightly as he walks. JACKIE helps him make it
               to the car, much like before...

               

                                      STARKS
                            Thanks.

               

               INT. JACKIE'S CAR, 2005


               
               STARKS can hardly keep his eyes off her when her CELL PHONE
               suddenly rings.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Sorry, one sec.

               
               JACKIE answers it, smiling.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Hey! How are you? [Beat] Thanks. I
                            was just thinking about you, too.

               
               STARKS listens nervously to her conversation and the
               affection in her voice.

               

                                      JACKIE
                            Listen, I gotta go, mom, 'cause I'm
                            late... but, thanks. Happy New Year to
                            you, too. I'll call you later. [Beat]
                            Ok, bye.

               

                                                                            128.

               
               JACKIE hangs up and looks at Starks -- feeling a little
               awkward after the call.

               

                                     JACKIE
                           Sorry about that. It was my mom.

               
               STARKS smiles back warmly at her; he gets it more than she
               knows.

               

                                     STARKS
                           Nothin' to worry about there.

               

               EXT. OVERHEAD, VERMONT HIGHWAY, 2005


               
               Jackie's car pulls onto the highway, alongside the other,
               more modern cars on the highway.

                                     JACKIE (O.S.)
                           How you doin'?

               

                                     STARKS
                           I'm doing fine.

               
               The happy sound of their engine on the highway continues,
               uninterrupted, for some seconds, before, first faintly then
               louder, we hear a racking, all too familiar sound: the DRAWER
               creaking as it's opened once more...

               

                                         THE END

               
 


Jacket, The



Writers :   Marc Rocco  Tom Bleecker  Massy Tadjedin
Genres :   Thriller  Drama  Fantasy


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