Gothika
                               by
                       Sebastian Gutierrez













                       REVISED SECOND DRAFT

                       December 8, 2002



The Woodward Forensic Institute (WFI) is a 175-bed Intermediate
Security treatment facility for male and female psychiatric
patients. Its primary clientele are those who have histories
of committing criminal offenses and are either committed to the
Department of Mental Health by the Circuit Courts of the State
or who are admitted under authority of an appointed guardian.




FADE IN:








OPENING CREDITS OVER QUICK CUTS:


INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S BEDROOM - DAWN




PUSH in on a sleeping couple in the dark. The ALARM
CLOCK reads 5:59 AM. The woman's eyes open a second
before the alarm beeps and turns it off. She grabs a
glass of water on her bedside table and drinks it.
Climbs out of bed past typical bedside photographs
(wedding, vacation, etc.). This is MIRANDA GREY: 30,
sharp and prettier than she knows.




INT. GYM SWIMMING POOL - MORNING

Miranda slides through the water. Swimming cap on,
goggles. Her STEADY BREATHING takes us in and out of the
water. Something unsettling about this sound. Something
slightly unsettling too about her detached manner. A
person on autopilot, recognizing only the water and the
perfectly aligned lap stripes leading her path. Like
graphic metaphors for her own conscience: flat. She
emerges from the pool and self-consciously wraps herself
in a towel.




INT. COFFEEHOUSE - MORNING

Miranda pays for a pair of coffees and a newspaper.




INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Miranda's husband DOUGLAS GREY (older, a superficial
analysis would suggest a father figure) serves breakfast.
Miranda smiles thank you and goes back to studying a case
file. He sips from his takeout coffee and reads the
newspaper. A pleasant domestic scene. It's 8:00 AM.




EXT. ST. ANNE'S HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - MORNING

Miranda's Volvo pulls in as students amble up the steps.
Doug kisses his wife and hops out. Exemplary carpoolers.
Students are already chatting him up as Miranda drives
off.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - ON A SURVEILLANCE MONITOR

Miranda's car at some sort of guard gate. A BUZZER lets
her in. As the car drives past we read the plate on the
wall:

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                         2.





CONTINUED:





"WOODWARD FORENSIC INSTITUTE"

The gate shuts behind her with a certain finality as
we...







INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - MIRANDA'S OFFICE - EVENING

Stark walls. Simple decor. Bookshelves packed with the
according psychiatric tomes and diplomas. Miranda faces
a troubled young mess of a woman, CHLOE: charismatic,
deranged and forever trying to provoke. Mid-session:

                           MIRANDA

             This is your stepfather who came
             to visit you?

                           CHLOE

             My stepfather?  No.   He's dead.
                     (beat)
             I killed him.
Miranda tries not to act surprised at this breakthrough.
Responds with the even keel of a trained psychiatrist.

                           MIRANDA

             That's the first time you admit
             it.

                          CHLOE

             So? There's a first time for
             everything.

                           MIRANDA

                     (jotting this down)
             It means you're finally past the
             denial stage. This is good,
             Chloe.

                           CHLOE

             I never killed anyone who didn't
             deserve it.

                            MIRANDA

             You only killed your stepfather as
             far as I know.

                           CHLOE

             I should've taken care of my
             mother. She knew all along.    You
             remind me of her.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        3.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             I remind you of your mother?

                           CHLOE

             Always so put together. Like you
             iron your underwear. Like your
             pussy is the apricot of the
             Promised Land and the bread of
             the --

                           MIRANDA

                     (getting her back
                     on track)
             Let's get back to your visitor
             last night.

                           CHLOE

             The Devil.

                           MIRANDA

             Alright, the Devil. Why would the
             Devil visit you? It's already
             hell in here, what would he have
             to gain?

                           CHLOE

             He came to fuck an angel.
                     (giggles at that)
             I'm his dirty angel.
Before Miranda can analyze that one, the room LIGHTS FLICKER
AND DIE. Darkness. Miranda's breathing speeds up.

                           CHLOE

             He grabbed me by the hair while I
             sucked him and usually I love
             that, I just do -- maybe you can
             tell me why I love it so much --
             but not this time, he was just too
             rough --
As suddenly as it went out, now the POWER RETURNS.      A
visibly uncomfortable Miranda checks the clock.

                           MIRANDA

             That's it until Monday. Try and
             get some sleep tonight, okay?

                           CHLOE

             Sure, Doctor.
                     (leans in)
             Crazy people hear messages from
             God. Not the Devil. You know
             that, right?

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                       4.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             I didn't say you were crazy.

                           CHLOE

             You don't have to say it.
She almost doesn't seem crazy when she says this.
Almost. TWO ORDERLIES appear at the door. Miranda nods
for them to escort Chloe. Chloe shakes their hands away
from her, strides off dramatically. The princess of the
asylum.




INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR - LATER

Miranda locks her office, armed with paperwork. The end
of another workweek. DR. PETE GRAHAM, a good ten years
older and Miranda's best friend on the job, approaches.

                           PETE

             Dr. Grey.

                           MIRANDA

             Dr. Graham.
They walk along with the easy confidence of colleagues
who not only respect each other, but enjoy each other.      A
lot.

                           PETE

             Power went out again in our wing.

                           MIRANDA

                     (knows what's coming)
             Same here.

                           PETE

             It's not shrink-appropriate to be
             afraid of the dark, you know?

                           MIRANDA

             You're not shrink appropriate and
             you're about to get promoted.
             Everybody's afraid of something.

                           PETE

             What am I afraid of?

                           MIRANDA

             Yourself. At least you should be.
             What are you up to this weekend?

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         5.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             Write a little country music,
             decline invites to grand social
             events, drink myself to sleep --
             the usual. You?

                           MIRANDA

             Doug wants to look at some Real
             Estate up at Willow's Creek.

                           PETE

             Again?

                           MIRANDA

             He thinks it's fun.

                           PETE

             So is golfing, I'm told.   Who was
             your six o'clock?

                           MIRANDA

             Chloe McGrath -- talk about trying
             to empty the ocean with a tea cup.
             She's a mess.

                           PETE

             I hear Manhattan's full of them.

                           MIRANDA

             Don't start with that. I already
             turned down the job. We're
             staying.

                           PETE

             Good girl.
They have reached an office marked "DR. PHILLIP PARSONS
DIRECTOR" and peer in to see Parsons (50's,
distinguished, commands respect from everyone) on the
phone. He gestures for Pete to sit. Miranda is about to
exit when he covers the mouthpiece --

                           PARSONS

             Miranda, my wife keeps wanting to
             set that dinner with you and Doug.
             Are you free tonight?

                           MIRANDA

             He's stuck at a school board
             meeting.
Parsons looks through his appointment book.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         6.





CONTINUED:





                           PARSONS

             You've been here a year already,
             Dorothy's starting to take this
             personal. How's next Wednesday?




                           MIRANDA

             Next Wednesday it is, Phil.
He nods at her with a smile and returns to his phone
call.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NIGHT

Miranda drives off, leaving the majestic grounds behind.
A GUARD waves her off.




END OPENING CREDITS.





EXT. ROAD - NIGHT

Miranda slows down at the sight of colored lights up
ahead. A knocked-down telephone post blocks the road.
EMERGENCY VEHICLES at the scene. A patrolman waves her
down.




INT. MIRANDA'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT

SHERIFF RYAN, 40'S, recognizes her and ambles over.

                           MIRANDA

             Anybody hurt, Sheriff?

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Nah, telephone post just decided
             to fall. It'll take us a while to
             clear this up so I'm afraid you're
             gonna have to take the long way
             home, Miranda.

                           MIRANDA

             If you say so.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             And tell your husband he owes me a
             phone call.

                           MIRANDA

             Will do. Wouldn't want him in
             trouble with the authorities.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                           7.





CONTINUED:





                           SHERIFF RYAN

             That a girl. The law never sleeps
             and all that. You take care now.



He taps on her hood and heads back to the site.      She
shifts into reverse and makes a U-turn.




EXT. OLD MAIN ROAD - NIGHT

Miranda drives down the curvy road toward an old bridge.
Something definitely creepy about this deserted place --







INT. MIRANDA'S CAR - MOVING

Miranda dials a number on her cell phone, gets the
machine.

                           MIRANDA

                     (into phone)
             Hi, it's me. Are you there? Pick
             up, pick up. I'm on my way but I
             just got detoured so I'm...
A bump on the road makes her drop the phone on the
passenger seat. She reaches for it and when she looks up
we see:




POV THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD

A TEENAGE GIRL stands smack in front of us.      Naked.
About to get pummelled by us.




BACK TO SCENE

Miranda swerves to avoid her and slams into the railing.
METAL SCREECHES as she struggles to regain control of the
car and finally BRAKES TO A HALT --
She looks in her rearview mirror: the girl is standing
back there. Drunk or high or in any case completely out
of it.

                           MIRANDA

                     (into phone)
             Stay on the line. Don't go
             anywhere. The weirdest thing
             just --
                     (the phone cuts out)
             Hello? Hello?

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                          8.





CONTINUED:




She stares at the dead phone.      Punches the buttons on it.
No go.

                           MIRANDA

             Wonderful.
She tosses the phone on the seat and hops out of the car.




EXT. ASHLEY BRIDGE - NIGHT

Miranda cautiously approaches the girl, who is now not
moving. Just standing there. Her back to us.

                            MIRANDA

             Hello?   Are you hurt?   Hello?
Nothing.     As we get closer we see she is covered in
bruises.     Clearly something horrible has happened to her.

                            MIRANDA

             Were you in an accident? Were you
             attacked? It's okay, I'm a doctor.
                     (beat)
             My name is Miranda Grey...
And now she turns. Young, seventeen tops. Busted lip,
black eye. Miranda pulls off her coat, wraps it around
the girl --

                           MIRANDA

             You're in shock right now, that's
             perfectly natural. I'm going to
             get you to the hospital. Okay?
The girl suddenly grips Miranda's arm.         Hard.

                           MIRANDA

             Don't be scared. It's going to be
             fine.
Now the girl is touching Miranda's face. Her movements
desperate, smothering. Like the movements of a drowning
person. Miranda tries to push the girl's hands back down.

                           MIRANDA

             Hands off me, okay? Tell me your
             name, do you remember your name?
The girl tries to speak but no words come out. Instead
she produces a strained, wettish sound. Creepy as hell.
And now she is prying Miranda's mouth open and she's much
stronger than expected and Miranda is panicking --

                                                 (CONTINUED)





                                                              9.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             What are you doing? I'm trying to
             help you --?!



The girl opens her own mouth wide like a snake. And as
Miranda muffles a scream, blood starts leaking out of the
girl's eye sockets and from wounds all over her body.

                                            SLAM CUT TO:





INT. BEDROOM - DAWN

Miranda wakes up in a cold sweat.         Just a bad dream.    A
beat.
FAINT at first but GROWING LOUDER, we hear a REPETITIVE
SOUND outside. Like an ECHO of some sort, but vaguely
familiar: THWIP, THWIP, THWIP.
Miranda takes a deep breath, reaches for the glass of
water on her bedside table. Except... it's not there.
She turns to her husband but he's not in the bed. And
now she glances around the room and realizes this is not
her bedroom.
She climbs off the bed and walks in the dark. Trips over
something. A TRAY that CLANGS LOUDLY. Her heartbeat
goes haywire. She feels her way along the wall to a
small opening in the door. A glass pane.
She peers through the glass at the empty corridor
outside, realizing what this must mean, realizing she's
inside a cell.
She jiggles the handle and pounds on the door, frantic --

                            MIRANDA

             Hello?   Somebody help me!







EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - ESTABLISHING - DAY

CAMERA SOARS through the tall iron gates, past the guard.
Now we spot the source of our continuing THWIP THWIP
sound: sprinklers watering the impressively-kept gardens.
The expansive complex is more Victorian campus than drab
prison, with separate wings (male and female), research
units, libraries, gym and volunteer outpatient center.




                                                    10.





INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - VARIOUS SHOTS




A bored group of female patients listen to a social
worker lecturing them. A janitor mops a long corridor.
Patients study at the library under the watchful eye of
orderlies.



A doctor and two orderlies hold down a patient having an
epileptic fit (we'll soon know her as SHELLEY). They
force a biting block in her mouth to avoid her swallowing
her tongue, prepare a syringe.
Institute director Phil Parsons at a meeting with other
doctors, discussing a patient's progress on a chart.
Now we are MOVING up the main building's wall and THROUGH
large windows into --




INT. FEMALE WING STAIRS

Pete rushes up two steps at a time, passing by a NURSE
WITH A CART OF MEDS, who nods respectfully as he goes --







INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MIRANDA'S CELL

An ORDERLY unlocks the door for Pete. Through the glass
pane he can see a visibly upset Miranda arguing with the
head nurse: a tough as nails woman in her 50's: IRENE.

                        ORDERLY #1

          Sleeping beauty is awake.
Peter forces a smile, enters --




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL


                        MIRANDA

          Peter, what the hell is going on?
Pete nods at Irene: it's okay, he'll take it from here.

                        PETE

          How do you feel?

                        MIRANDA

          How do you think I feel?    Is this
          a joke?
Peter is half-listening to her, half-signaling to the
nurse with the meds to come in. Miranda catches all of
this, growing more agitated. She wears the uniform all
patients wear: a white T-shirt and sweats. Her wedding
ring is gone.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                         11.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             What are you doing?

                           PETE

             Giving you something to calm down.

                           MIRANDA

             I don't need to calm down.   What I
             need is an explanation
Pete grabs the meds from the nurse. Irene and the
attendant step closer to help. Miranda feels them
closing in on her. Peter's tone is infuriatingly gentle:

                           PETE

             Just take this and we can sit down
             and chat.

                           MIRANDA

             Why here, why not in my office?
She looks at the silent faces around her. No sympathy.
Or maybe too much sympathy. Either way it's unnerving.

                           MIRANDA

             I don't want an anticonvulsant, at
             least give me Valium.

                           PETE

                     (nods at nurse)
             Fifty milligrams.

                           MIRANDA

             Jesus Christ, you're gonna knock
             me out? Ten milligrams.

                             PETE

                       (final offer)
             Twenty.
The nurse complies. Miranda stares at the meds, trying
desperately to put this into some kind of perspective.

                           MIRANDA

             How would you feel if you woke up
             in a goddamn cell, dressed like this?

                           PETE

             We can discuss it at length after
             you take your meds.
Awkward nods from Irene, the nurse and the attendant.
Pete holds Miranda's gaze. Miranda takes her meds.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                           12.





CONTINUED:





                             MIRANDA

             Okay.    This better be good.
Pete motions for the others to leave them alone.         One by
one they file out and lock the door behind them.




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - LATER

Miranda paces.       Alone with Pete, she is even more upset.

                           PETE

             Miranda, this is very awkward.
             Technically I shouldn't even be
             treating you but the court has
             granted us a waiver until you're
             transferred. So whatever is said
             here won't leave this room. I
             won't tell Parsons, I won't tell
             anyone.

                           MIRANDA

             I want to talk to my husband.

                           PETE

             You can't to that. Sit down,
             please. Try to relax.

                           MIRANDA

             Why would I pretend to be in any
             way relaxed?

                           PETE

             I understand you're upset. But we
             need to put some things in order.

                           MIRANDA

             Two massive understatements.
He hesitates, unsure where to begin.

                           PETE

             How long have you been here?

                           MIRANDA

                     (laughs)
             What is this? Why are you doing
             this to me?

                           PETE

             Just answer the question.    Humor
             me.

                                                  (CONTINUED)





                                                      13.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Hi, my name is Miranda Grey. I'm a
             psychiatrist. I transferred here to
             the Woodward Forensic Institute a
             little over a year ago. My job
             entails dealing with a ward of
             schizophrenic women between the
             ages of eighteen and fifty-fife --

                           PETE

             I don't mean how long you've
             worked here, I mean how long
             you've been staying here.
This stops her. Wanting desperately to whip out a
comeback but realizing she doesn't know the answer.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm a doctor, yes? Or was medical
             school just an elaborate dream?

                           PETE

             Of course you're a doctor. A
             great doctor in fact.
The hint of sadness in his voice alarms her.

                           MIRANDA

             Pete, how long have I been here?

                          PETE

             Five days.

                           MIRANDA

                     (barely audible)
             What?

                           PETE

             You were admitted to the
             neurosurgical unit seizing
             violently. That lasted three
             days. Scans revealed left-sided
             weakness, numbness and severe
             fontal lobe deficits.
Miranda shakes her head in disbelief, but we --




FLASHBACK - INT. NEUROSURGICAL UNIT

Miranda seizing violently FROM HER POV: Doctors
struggling to contain her. Arms thrashing, legs.
FLASHES of the wall, the floor. Head crashing against a
cart, out of control.

                                          (CONTINUED)





                                                       14.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE (V.O.)

             You came out of it and tested
             negative for PCP, underwent
             extensive hypnosis and received
             amytal injections.
FLASH: Miranda being tied down.      A nurse with a
syringe --




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION (PRESENT)

She looks down at her wrists with the reddish marks.

                            PETE

             You were tied down for a day and a
             half so you wouldn't hurt yourself
             and then you went into a state of,
             well --
                     (how to put this?)
             You've been pretty much catatonic.
                     (beat)
             This is the first time you speak.
Miranda, speechless.     Reality sinking in.

                            MIRANDA

             Doug must be worried sick.   I need
             to call him --
Pete shakes his head emphatically.

                           PETE

             You're the most logical person I
             know, bar none. Plus you have a
             photographic memory -- unconfirmed,
             but you do remember events and
             phrases more accurately than anyone
             around. Why am I telling you this?

                           MIRANDA

             You're establishing my personality
             as fairly intellectual, you don't
             consider me impulsive or emotional.

                           PETE

             And that's a fair assessment, no?

                           MIRANDA

             Yes, that's fair. And following
             this pattern of analysis, we're
             about to discuss a traumatic event
             that rendered this psychological
             profile useless, correct?

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                       15.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             Two hundred percent.
A pause here. He's waiting for her to continue. She's
not used to being on the other side of the therapist's
table.

                           MIRANDA

             You think I'm in denial. That I'm
             putting on a brave show -- that
             this is a 'cover' for some
             unbearable emotion I'm hiding.
             Why?

                           PETE

             Don't analyze yourself, just focus
             on remembering.

                           MIRANDA

             I remember Friday night after
             work, if you say that was five
             days ago --
                     (pushing on)
             Anyway, I asked you what you were
             doing for the weekend and you said
             the usual and you made a joke
             about writing country songs and
             drinking yourself to sleep and I
             told you I was going to look at
             some real estate in Willows Creek
             with Doug.

                           PETE

             And then what?

                           MIRANDA

             Then I drove home.

                           PETE

             And then what?

                           MIRANDA

             I got home, I guess, and had
             dinner by myself because --
                     (pauses, struggling)
             Because Doug had an alumni meeting
             at his school and he was going to
             get a ride back. He's the
             principal now, as you well know.
She stops here. Pete waits. The silence is deafening.
She pushes on, but her hands shake a little.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                          16.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             But wait -- there was an accident
             before that, wasn't there? A girl
             -- she had been beaten. I took
             her to the hospital, right?

                           PETE

             There was indeed an accident, you
             were detoured by the cops. But
             there's no report of any girl.

                           MIRANDA

             No, the cops weren't there. They
             were back on Main Road. A
             knocked-down telephone post,
             correct?
Pete nods.     Miranda is all foggy on the details:

                           MIRANDA

             I saw the girl after that.   She
             was bleeding.




FLASHBACK - ANTIQUE WIND CHIMES

sway in the night breeze with their gentle tinkling
SOUND, more menacing than joyful --

                                          FLASH CUT TO:








INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A breathless Miranda wipes her face, leaving a thick
streak of blood on it.

                                          FLASH CUT TO:





EXTREME CLOSEUP - MIRANDA'S EYE

Jittery, alert. We scour her every blood vessel, iris,
pupil. FILLING the SCREEN and now we distinctly make out
an eerie shape reflected inside of it. But just for a
sec --
The teenage girl.

                           PETE (V.O.)

             What about your husband, what can
             you tell me about him?




                                                       17.





INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION (PRESENT)




Miranda shakes the puzzling images out of her head:

                          MIRANDA

          Excuse me?




                        PETE

          What's the last memory you have of
          him that night?

                        MIRANDA

          My last -- ?
                  (frowns)
          Tell me nothing happened to Doug.

                        PETE

          Let's backtrack a second. You left
          your office, you were driving home,
          you got detoured by the police --
          Did you call someone on the phone
          that night?

                          MIRANDA

          I don't know.    I might have.

                        PETE

          Who would you call?

                        MIRANDA

          I might have called Doug to tell
          him something. Or checked my
          answering service.

                        PETE

          Were you seeing someone else that
          night?

                        MIRANDA

          I beg your pardon?

                        PETE

          There was some trouble in your
          marriage, wasn't there?

                          MIRANDA

          Of course not.
She shakes her head emphatically as we:

                                       FLASH CUT TO:


FLASHBACK - INT. LOFT - NIGHT

CAMERA PANS ACROSS the large space to find Miranda and a
MAN (whose face we don't see) kissing heatedly.

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                        18.





CONTINUED:





                             PETE (V.O.)

             Wasn't there?







INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION (PRESENT)

Miranda chases the disconcerting image out of her head.

                           MIRANDA

             No. There was no trouble in my
             marriage, I don't know what --
                     (stops herself)
             There is no trouble in my
             marriage. You just used the past
             tense; why?
His face says he doesn't know how to tell her.

                           MIRANDA

             Did something happen to Doug?

                           PETE

             You don't remember anything else.
             Anything at all?
Frustrated, she snatches his cell phone and starts to
dial:

                           MIRANDA

             This is preposterous.    What's
             wrong with Doug?

                             PETE

             He's dead.
This stops her cold. Time stands eerily still. She
stares at Pete as if by looking at him long enough, he
will contradict his statement.

                           MIRANDA

             No, he's not. Don't tell me that.
             Don't tell me that.
                     (sickened)
             Are you -- sure?

                           PETE

             I'm positive.
                     (painful beat)
             You killed him.







INT. CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

Irene and TWO NURSE rush to Miranda's cell.      WE HEAR her
hysterical CRIES from inside --




                                                        19.





INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT




Pete struggles to contain Miranda, who howls
disparagingly.

                         PETE

           It's going to be alright, Miranda.
           You just need to sleep. It's
           going to be alright --
Off Pete's nod, a nurse injects the syringe into
Miranda's arm. They hold her down with great effort as
she continues to cry, and we...

                                       FADE TO BLACK.





FADE IN:


FLASHBACK SEQUENCE - SERIES OF SHOTS

A blur of images and scrambled snippets of memories come
at us rapid-fire, like a drug-induced dream:







EXT. ASHLEY BRIDGE - NIGHT

Miranda's CAR SCREECHES to a stop and she jumps out,
glances around.




INT. ST. ANNE'S HIGH SCHOOL - GYMNASIUM - NIGHT

Graduation night. School principal Douglas Grey shakes
hands with proud parents and clumsily formal students.
Miranda grabs a drink from a nearby tray, bored.

                         DOUG

                   (re: her drink)
           Is that number three?

                         MIRANDA

           Yes, Mr. Principal. Special
           occasion -- I'm celebrating how
           proud I am of my husband tonight.
He smiles weakly at the compliment. Moves his hand
towards her, in an affectionate gesture (or so Miranda
thinks) but instead fixes her bra strap. Ever
methodical.




EXT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY

Miranda and a man exit the theater.    Giggling.

                                       FLASH CUT TO:





                                                     20.





INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE




Doug laying on the floor covered with bloodstains.
Bloodstained axe on floor in f.g. Walls covered with
bloodstains.







INT. LOFT - NIGHT

A flustered Miranda fumbles with her purse and keys,
heads for the door. She tries to fix her smeared
lipstick and messed-up hair. TURNS TO CAMERA:

                        MIRANDA

          I'm sorry. The fact is I'm
          married and I -- this is not me,
          this is a mistake.
First we hear our mystery man's voice, then we see him:
Pete. (Yes, the same person she kissed and went to the
movies with.) He places his hand on the door, blocking
her.

                        PETE

          Your marriage is the mistake and
          you know it.

                          MIRANDA

          Don't.

                        PETE

          I'm sorry. That was out of line.
          I feel like a school kid hiding
          from the Principal.

                        MIRANDA

          We are hiding from the Principal.
He smiles. Touches her face tenderly. Torn. A person
used to doing the right thing but not liking that at the
moment.

                         PETE

          I would just like to spend some
          time together.

                        MIRANDA

          We spend time together every day.

                        PETE

          I meant minus the schizophrenic
          women.

                          MIRANDA

          I have to go.    I need time to think.

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                         21.





CONTINUED:




He nods.     Opens the door for her.     She starts to walk
away.

                           PETE

             Don't be too hard on yourself, Dr.
             Grey. You haven't done anything
             wrong.

                            MIRANDA

             Not yet.   But I want to.




EXT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - MORNING

PUSH INTO a quiet house on a quiet suburban street. Two
Volvos parked in the driveway. Perfectly-kept front lawn.

                                               CUT TO:








FLASHBACK - INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE

Another near-subliminal glimpse of Doug laying on the
floor covered with bloodstains. Bloodstained axe on
floor in f.g. Walls covered with bloodstains.




EXT. CHAPEL - DAY

Miranda and Doug laugh at their wedding. It's clearly
hot, because she wipes sweat off his brow with a
handkerchief.




INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A breathless Miranda wipes her face, leaving a thick
streak of blood on it. She looks down at her hand,
noticing the blood -- and now we are back in --




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT (PRESENT)

Miranda wakes up with a start. The darkness renders the
room almost void of any color. Monochromatic. It takes
her a moment to orient herself. Her eyes wander across
the unfamiliar room, feeling like she's being watched.
We become aware of a RAGGED BREATHING sound. Like
somebody is standing over her bed. But we don't see
anything. Miranda gingerly crosses to the door and peeks
through the glass partition into the empty corridor. She
glances back at the room, stills seeing nothing -- and
bangs on the door.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                        22.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Can I get some assistance here?
             Hello?!



She waits.     Bangs on the door again.

                            MIRANDA

             Irene?!   Anybody!?
A beat. And now finally we hear FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.
A light is switched on down the corridor.
The FOOTSTEPS get CLOSER... and CLOSER...
Miranda tries to appear composed. Wipes sweat off her
forehead. Fixes her hair. The FOOTSTEPS now STOP right
out side the door. A KEY goes into the lock and JIGGLES
it.
Miranda waits for the door to open but nothing happens.
Confused, she steps up to the glass partition and
peeks --
The second her face touches the glass, she is met by a
pair of piercing eyes. The eerie teenage girl. Miranda
jumps back, screams.
And when she looks up again, the image is gone.      A beat.
Rational thought kicking in --

                            MIRANDA

                     (to self)
             Wake up, wake up...
                     (beat)
             You're dreaming. It's not real.
             An anxiety dream, that's all.
             That's all. This is dream logic.
             If it was real, they would have
             heard you scream. There are
             twenty employees on the night
             shift. Fact. At least twenty.
She props herself with her back against the wall. With a
view of the whole cell. Just in case. Staring at the
door.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm just dreaming.
And now, FAINTLY at first, but GROWING LOUDER --
FOOTSTEPS can be heard APPROACHING outside. Just like
before.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         23.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I'm
             dreaming, I'm dreaming.



Like her life depends on that mantra. The FOOTSTEPS get
CLOSER. And her voice begins to falter --

                           MIRANDA

                     (voice rising)
             I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming --
And now the FOOTSTEPS pause outside her door like before
and she holds her breath, horrified, when suddenly we are
hit with the sudden glare of returning light.
EVERYTHING FLASHES WHITE and then COLOR RETURNS --

                           IRENE (O.S.)

             Rise and shine, ladies!




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - DAY

Irene tries to shake Miranda awake.       An orderly and nurse
stand by.

                           IRENE

                     (shaking her)
             That means you, honey.   Up -- !
No reaction.

                           IRENE

             Rise and shine now.    Wake up.
She shakes her harder. And now Miranda's EYES SHOOT OPEN
and she grips Irene's arm. Hard. Like the teenage girl
did.

                           IRENE

             Easy now, it's okay.
Miranda stares at her, coming back to. Starts to speak
but has no voice. Clears her throat --

                           MIRANDA

             I need to see Peter Graham.

                           IRENE

             And you have a session scheduled
             this afternoon --

                           MIRANDA

             Right now.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        24.





CONTINUED:





                            IRENE

             He's not even in yet, now let go
             my arm, honey.




                           MIRANDA

             Doctor Grey, if you don't mind.

                           IRENE

             Actually I do mind. I start
             calling you 'doctor' and everybody
             else wants to be called 'doctor' --

                           MIRANDA

             Please. It's a bit different,
             wouldn't you say -- ?
Irene reaches out her hand and the nurse places a cup
with meds on it.

                           MIRANDA

             What do you think you're doing?    I
             want to speak to my lawyer --
             wait, what are you doing?

                           IRENE

             My job.
Irene shoves the meds into Miranda's mouth --

                           MIRANDA

             C'mon, Irene, don't do this. I'm
             calm now, look -- I'm calm -- !
She struggles as they hold her down and Irene sedates
her.




INT. REC ROOM - DAY

DRIFTING PAST the female patients at their usual activities.
Some watch TV, play dominoes, some pretend to read, some
stare out blankly. Here's Chloe at a table, engaged in
some sort of trivia game with a tattooed Southern redhead
named JENNA:

                           CHLOE


             M.


                           JENNA

             Mallorol, Matzine, Megaphen,
             Meallaril-S, Meleretten, Meleril,
             Mellaril, Mellaril-S, Mesoridazine,
             Methotrimaprazine, Mixidol, Moban
             Modalina --

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         25.





CONTINUED:





                            CHLOE

             Modalina?   Isn't that a band?

                           JENNA

             Trade name for Triflupoerazine.
             Look it up.
Chloe shrugs, if you say so.       Jenna resumes:

                           JENNA

             Moditen, Molindone, Moltipress,
             Motival. That's it for the 'M's.

                           CHLOE

             Not bad. High potency
             neuroleptics starting with 'J.'

                           JENNA

             Trick question. There's only
             Jatroneural.

                           CHLOE

             What do you wanna bet?

                           JENNA

             Bet you a soda.
Chloe checks a reference book.       Nods, impressed.

                           CHLOE

             Right on the money, cowgirl.
             Twenty points and a soda.
CAMERA FOLLOWS HER INTENT GAZE to another patient,
SHELLEY (the same patient we saw earlier mid-fit)
moseying across the room. Nervously takes a seat beside
Miranda.

                           SHELLEY

             Hi there, Doc.
It takes a moment for the heavily-drugged Miranda to
react. She looks up slowly: eyes glazed, painfully out
of it.

                           SHELLEY

             I never got shrinked by you but
             all I hear is nothing gets past
             you, I mean, that's just hearsay
             and I don't pay much attention to
             hearsay because now they say you
             hacked your husband with an axe
             but I say maybe it just slipped,
             right?

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        26.





CONTINUED:




Miranda notices Shelley is toying with a wrinkled
NEWSPAPER CLIPPING. Shelley catches this look and slides
it over to her. Without malice, like a child.




                           SHELLEY

             They put your picture in the
             paper.
It reads "SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SLAUGHTERED. WIFE UNDER
ARREST." Photos of Miranda, Douglas, their house.
Miranda stares at it in disbelief.      Growing sick.

                           MIRANDA

             How did you get this?

                           SHELLEY

             Chloe did. Who knows how? Not
             me. Around here I'm on a need to
             know basis about stuff and most
             stuff I don't need to know. My
             point is about people talking
             behind other people's backs. Like
             before I was here, everything I
             did I thought, 'this'll get them,'
             wanting their approval, wanting
             them to say good things behind my
             back. But now I'm more anonymous,
             more myself. I'm Shelley.
Miranda slides the clipping back to Shelley, clueless as
to how to get out of this conversation, but Shelley has
no problem holding a conversation all by herself --

                           SHELLEY

             You're not like, undercover here,
             are you? They pulled that at
             Spring Grove, had a bunch of
             doctors pretend they were
             patients, see if they could handle
             it. Most quit after day one.
             You're not, are you?

                            MIRANDA

             No, Shelley.   I'm not undercover.

                           SHELLEY

             Because if you were, I'm like the
             Fort Knox of secrets. Ask
             anybody.

                           MIRANDA

             That's good to know. But I'm not.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         27.





CONTINUED:





                           SHELLEY

             Say no more.
                     (sotto)
             I understand perfectly.



She hands Miranda paper and some crayons, whispers:

                           SHELLEY

             Drawing is a great cover.   Good
             luck to you.
With a wink, she's gone. Miranda looks at the room
around her: Chloe spying on her in the corner, Irene and
the nurse sharing a laugh, other patients ambling about,
arguing --
Life among the insane.




INT. LOCKER ROOM - DRESSING AREA - DAY

Patients undress in the bare-bones locker area. An
uneasy Miranda is handed a bar of soap and towel by
Irene.

                           MIRANDA

             I don't -- I think I'm alright.

                            IRENE

             You go in last because you're
             special.
                      (off Miranda's look)
             It's not a Mexican prison, toots.
             Everybody here minds their own
             business.

                           MIRANDA

             If it's all the same, I'd
             rather --

                            IRENE

             State law says we keep you ladies
             clean. And I'm a stickler for the
             law.
                     (beat)
             Now come on. If you go downtown,
             you gotta dance.
Miranda studies the patients already under the spray of
the shower. Something vaguely concentration camp-like
about institutional bathing.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                    28.





CONTINUED:




The shower, like everything else in this place, is
regulated by shifts, so that various groupings of
patients each get their turn. Miranda feels Chloe's gaze
on her across the room. She is stripping off her clothes
for Miranda's benefit, gleefully mangling the last
refrain from the Stones' "START ME UP."

                           IRENE

                     (checking watch)
             That's five minutes, group one.
                     (to Chloe's group)
             Alright, ladies, nice and easy.
The first group of bathers file out, dripping wet past
Miranda, in all shapes and sizes. She registers their
many scars and tattoos, like maps of troubled souls:
names of men, places, religious quotes. Burn scars,
cuts, needle marks. They begin to towel off as Miranda,
slowly and painfully self-conscious, begins to undress in
the corner.
A moment later Irene nods for her to go in.




INT. COMMUNAL SHOWERS - LATER

Miranda hangs her head under the spray and closes her
eyes, trying to shut it all out.
The SOUNDS slowly FADE OUT until all we have is Miranda
and her RAGGED BREATHING. Chloe and Shelley, the last
two out from the previous group, grab towels.
Chloe winks at Miranda when she catches her staring, but
Miranda is not staring at her. She is staring past her
at the tile wall.
More specifically at a hole in the tile where a busted
water pipe pokes out. Clearly at some point there was a
handle there, but now it is just a hole with a busted
pipe.
PUSH INTO the hole to see a perfectly-formed globule of
blood emerge, following by a GURGLING sound which seems
to come from deep in the bowels of the plumbing system.
The blood lingers tentatively, as if unfamiliar with the
laws of gravity, before tracing an upward line along the
tile. The GURGLING GROWS LOUDER, CLOSER, and now more
blood flows from the hole and spreads up the wall.
Miranda looks away, disturbed, and now realizes she is
the only one left in the showers. Panic. Shuts her
eyes.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                         29.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

                     (to self)
             It isn't real. It isn't real.



Opens her eyes.
Five letters are written in blood.       N-O-T-A-L.
Shaking, nauseous, she looks down at her feet and the
drain, too scared to look back up.

                            MIRANDA

                     (to self)
             It isn't real. You're
             hallucinating.
Perhaps. But now blood drips by       her ankle, DRIP, DRIP,
DRIP. And the shooting pain she       feels is coming from her
arm. What the hell -- ? WE SEE        SHARP SLASHES appearing
on her skin, like some invisible      knife is slicing her.
Hallucination or not, she bolts out of the showers --




INT. LOCKER ROOM - DRESSING AREA

Miranda wraps a towel around her bloody arm, too freaked
out to process anything. Fumbles for her clothes and heads
straight to Shelley, tying her shoelaces, muttering.

                           MIRANDA

             Shelley?

                           SHELLEY

             And pick up those damn cigarette
             butts. Jesus, TV is dumb --

                           MIRANDA

             Shelley, can you do me a favor??
Shelley fixes her with an intense conspiratorial look.

                           SHELLEY

             The housewives will find something
             better to do.

                           MIRANDA

             Can you go in the shower and tell
             me if you see anything on the wall?
Shelley doesn't respond. Simply crosses over and heads
for the showers. Miranda gets dressed when a hand on her
shoulder makes her jump --

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         30.





CONTINUED:





                           IRENE

             Enough privacy for you?

                            MIRANDA

             Yes.   Thank you, Irene.
But now Irene notices the blood seeping through the
towel.

                           IRENE

             What did you do?

                            MIRANDA

             Nothing.   It's nothing --

                           IRENE

             What the hell did you do to
             yourself?!
And now the other patients are curiously watching as
orderlies RUSH IN to haul her away.




INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR - LATER

THROUGH a glass pane we see a NURSE bandaging Miranda's
arm. Parsons and Irene confer just outside the room.

                           IRENE

             I looked away for a second. It's
             unacceptable, won't happen again.

                           PARSONS

             Not your fault. Patients always
             find a way to hurt themselves if
             that's what they want.

                           IRENE

             I just didn't peg her for a
             cutter, that's all.
Parsons watches Miranda through the glass.       She can't
look him in the eye.







INT. REC ROOM - LATER

Miranda (with her fresh new bandage) ignores the looks
from the other patients as she rejoins them. Spots
Shelley by the window furthest from the wardens. Scared.

                            SHELLEY

             Oh my God.   Oh my God.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                          31.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             You saw it?

                            SHELLEY

             Listen, Doctor. Some people, they
             have a gift. And in here, because
             they categorize us as a bunch of
             schizos, they refuse to
             acknowledge that. It's like that
             Hubble telescope that sees things
             a trillion miles away but what
             it's seeing is just reflected
             light of a star that died a
             thousand years ago? It's like
             that. Doesn't mean you're crazy.
             It only means your eyes open in a
             different way.
Miranda tries to follow the convoluted explanation, but
has a sinking feeling.

                           MIRANDA

             What did it say?

                           SHELLEY

             On the telescope?

                           MIRANDA

             Did you see anything, Shelley?
Shelley glances around to make sure no one can hear.

                           SHELLEY

             That's not tile that wall is made
             out of . It's a holographic
             screen. All part of your mission,
             isn't it?
Miranda shakes her head, feeling foolish.     Walks away.

                           MIRANDA

             Thanks anyway.

                           SHELLEY

                     (taps her forehead)
             This is all we have. The rest is
             dust.




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - DAY

Pete and Miranda stare at each other.     A tense beat.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                        32.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             It was you I called that night.

                            PETE

             Yes.

                           MIRANDA

             Did you mention that to the cops?

                            PETE

             No.

                            MIRANDA

             Why?

                           PETE

             I didn't think it would help you.

                           MIRANDA

             What does that mean?

                           PETE

             It means they wouldn't have let me
             treat you if they thought I had
             any kind of involvement in what
             happened.

                            MIRANDA

             And did you?

                            PETE

             Did I what?

                           MIRANDA

             Did I make it to your place?   Did
             I see you that night?

                           PETE

             No. We got disconnected and I
             couldn't get through to you. I
             sat there waiting all night.
             Figured you'd changed your mind.

                           MIRANDA

             Why didn't you tell me this before?

                           PETE

             Because the only way you'll be
             able to accept these events is if
             you remember them on your own. My
             job is to assist you in processing
             that information because you're
             not in a frame of mind to do it by
             yourself.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         33.





CONTINUED:




She stares at him.     Queasy.

                           MIRANDA

             You're changing the subject.




                           PETE

             The subject is you don't trust me.

                           MIRANDA

             Right now I don't trust anyone.
She tries to read his face. Reminds herself of who Pete
is and what he means to her. He points at her bandaged
arm.

                           PETE

             You want to talk about today?
She takes a resigned breath, slowly shakes her head.
Wishing she could wake up from this nightmare:

                           MIRANDA

             I want to talk to my lawyer.

                           PETE

             I think that's premature.

                           MIRANDA

             I can't help what you think.

                                             FADE OUT.





FADE IN:





EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE GARDEN - DAY

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS doing their thing: THWIP, THWIP,
THWIP... The female patients are out in the gardens for
their freshly dose of air. BOOM DOWN TO Miranda alone at
a bench. A cigarette appears before her, being offered
to her:

                           JENNA

             You a Marlboro girl?
Miranda sees Jenna looming above her, shielding the sun.

                           MIRANDA

             I don't smoke, thanks.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                          34.





CONTINUED:





                            JENNA

             All we have is our health,
             cupcake.
                      (sits beside her)
             What I do is quit constantly,
             start again. Drives them all
             crazy. One day I quit three
             times.

                          MIRANDA

             Huh.
Jenna lights her smoke, blows out the match slowly.
Miranda turns and checks the building entrance as Jenna
rambles on.

                           JENNA

             They allow me one match at a time
             and pretend they're not watching.
             Check it out: salivating goon
             number one at three o'clock, oh-
             so-inconspicuous goon number two
             at five o'clock.
Miranda follows Jenna's gaze. Sure enough, she's being
closely watched by two orderlies.

                           MIRANDA

             What did you set on fire to wind
             up here?

                           JENNA

             Very perceptive, Doc. I burnt
             down the building where I worked.
             I found a baby at the doorstep,
             called the cops -- of course the
             bottom feeding pricks never
             showed. It's beside the point,
             really.
Miranda shrugs. God knows what Jenna is talking about
but who is she to say? Once again, Miranda checks the
building entrance and now sees Parsons emerge. She
rises --

                          MIRANDA

             Phil.
He keeps walking.     Headed to the parking lot beyond.

                          MIRANDA

             Phil!

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         35.





CONTINUED:




He turns. His first instinct is to smile. But he checks
himself, reminding himself of her new status. Slips into
his best professional face:




                           PARSONS

             Hello, Miranda.

                           MIRANDA

             I wonder if I could talk to you.

                           PARSONS

             Of course.
                     (checks his watch)
             Well, actually, I'm about to...

                           MIRANDA

             Your staff meeting's done and
             Thursdays you don't schedule
             sessions until the afternoon.
             This will just take one minute.
             Promise.
Impressive.    She remembers his schedule perfectly.

                          PARSONS

             True.
                     (points)
             But the Sheriff wants to ask me
             some questions.
She follows his look to the parking lot where Sheriff
Ryan emerges from his patrol car. Miranda nods.

                           MIRANDA

             It's about Pete.

                           PARSONS

             What about him?

                           MIRANDA

             Perhaps he's not the most
             qualified person to be treating
             me.
His tone is fatherly yet direct.

                           PARSONS

             Are you complaining about his
             methods or are you referring to
             the nature of your past
             relationship with him?
This surprises her.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         36.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             What did he tell you?

                           PARSONS

             He explained there might be a
             conflict of interest because he
             has feelings for you. You two
             engaged in a kiss at one point.
             Am I right?

                             MIRANDA

             Yes.

                           PARSONS

             I told him we're all grownups here
             and the fact is he's the best doctor
             on my staff. As such, and given the
             severity of the charges you face, I
             consider him the most qualified person
             to assist your recovery. Now, if
             you'll excuse me, Sheriff Ryan is
             not a patient man.
Stonewalled in the simplest of ways, she's left feeling
like an idiot. Watches Parsons join the Sheriff by his
car. The two men shake hands when suddenly Irene runs
past her, yelling --

                             IRENE

             Hey!   Chloe!
Now two ORDERLIES race past. Miranda looks over to see
what the fuss is all about. Chloe is on top of an
institute staff member we haven't seen before, a round
black woman named CONSUELO. Punching her --
Other patients have crowded around the scuffle.

                           CHLOE

             You fucking cow giving me the evil
             eye, huh? Fuck you, you fuckin'
             voodoo witch -- !
Irene and the orderlies yank Chloe off Consuelo. Chloe kicks
and screams like an animal. Consuelo meekly stands up.

                           CONSUELO

                     (heavy Cuban accent)
             Is okay, she's okay -- she don't
             mean nothing.

                           CHLOE

             You bet your goddamn fat ass I
             mean it, you're a witch -- !!

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        37.





CONTINUED:





                           IRENE

             McGrath, that's enough!
The orderlies start pulling Chloe away.      Chloe spits at
Consuelo, full of venom.

                           CHLOE

             Take your voodoo shit back to
             Cuba --

                           IRENE

             I said that's enough.

                           CONSUELO

             Irene, she's okay. Pobrecita, la
             infeliz. It's a misunderstanding.
             Pobrecita. I was only trying to
             help her --

                            CHLOE

             You wanna help me? You pity me?
                      (grabbing her
                       crotch)
             Suck me.
The orderlies haul Chloe off. Irene disperses the crowd.
Consuelo sighs, embarrassed, wipes a bloody lip. Her
manner says she just wants to get back to her duties.
Excitement over, the patients resume whatever it is they
were doing.
Miranda stares at her bleak surroundings when something
catches her eye: Pete watching her from his office
window. He quickly slides the curtain shut. Odd.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - DAY TO NIGHT (TIME LAPSE


PHOTOGRAPHY SHOTS)

A sunny sky grows dark as night envelops us with a SWOOSH --







INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR

SLOW PUSH DOWN empty corridors.      The air thick with dread --




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT

Miranda cries softly, unable to sleep. VOICES trickle in
from the corridor outside, wardens on their rounds, a
SOFT MOAN from another cell, a random SCREAM. She shuts
her eyes, repositions herself on her stomach.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                          38.





CONTINUED:




As before, somebody seems to be watching her.

                                              FADE OUT.








FADE IN:





INT. WOODWARD LIBRARY - DAY

Irene escorts Miranda into the library.       A warden
follows.

                           IRENE

             How are we feeling today?

                           MIRANDA

             'We'?

                           IRENE

             Sorry I asked.

                           MIRANDA

             Doesn't seem like the best choice
             of words when treating
             schizophrenics.

                           IRENE

             Fitting right in, aren't you?
The library is pretty    much empty at this hour except for
the LIBRARIAN and the    odd janitor tidying up. An
efficient-looking man    rises from a desk, briefcase in
place, glass of water    -- this is attorney THEODORE

"TEDDY" HOWARD.


                           TEDDY HOWARD

             Miranda.

                           MIRANDA

             Hi.
Irene checks her watch.       The warden hangs back, keeping
watch.

                           IRENE

             She's due back in the rec room in
             twenty, Counselor.

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             Thank you kindly.
Miranda sits.      Waits until Irene is out of hearing range.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         39.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Teddy, I know you knew Doug well
             and this is an extremely --




                           TEDDY HOWARD

             I'm here as your lawyer. So
             whatever my relationship was with
             Doug is no longer of consequence.
             First things first, how are they
             treating you?

                           MIRANDA

             Like I'm crazy.

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             You know this place better than
             anyone. Anything out of the
             ordinary?

                           MIRANDA

             Other than me being crazy?   No.

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             The DA is pushing for a hearing as
             soon as next week. They're eager
             to resolve this situation because
             -- well, crimes like this don't
             happen that often around here.
             Doug was a hometown boy who'd done
             good, beloved high school
             principal, a role model. Our best
             shot -- scratch that, our only
             shot -- is to claim temporary
             insanity.
As he speaks, she starts fidgeting with her itchy
bandage.

                           MIRANDA

             Wait, wait, wait -- Teddy, you
             know me. I wouldn't raise a hand
             at my husband for the life of me.
             Not even in self-defense. Isn't
             it remotely possible a burglar
             broke in or some crazed high
             school student attacked Doug and I
             went into shock?
Teddy shakes his head.

                           MIRANDA

             You're telling me there's no other
             suspects in anyone's mind?

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        40.





CONTINUED:





                           TEDDY HOWARD

             Frankly, no. Neighbors heard
             screams. They have you at the
             scene, they have the murder weapon
             and they have your prints everywhere.
             The only thing they don't have is
             motive.
She keeps absently playing with the bandage. The
adhesive is giving. The bandage starting to peel off.

                           MIRANDA

             Because there is no motive.

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             And that's what's confusing them.
             The fact that you're a brilliant
             psychiatrist doesn't help either.
             It fills their heads with ideas.
             They figure if you were to plan a
             murder you might know how to fake
             insanity to get out of it.
She pulls off half the bandage, back and forth. Not
looking. BUT WE SEE the beginning of a pattern in her
scarred skin --

                           MIRANDA

             I'm not faking anything.

                          TEDDY HOWARD

             Good. I pass no judgment either
             way. The point is --

                            MIRANDA

             The point is I'm the only person
             who doesn't believe I killed my
             husband. I never thought I'd say
             this, but I feel like I'm in the
             middle of a conspiracy.
                     (beat)
             Do you believe I'm crazy?
An uncomfortable Teddy takes too long before answering.
Miranda looks down, humiliated -- and now she sees it.
Perfectly carved into her arm, her scar reads:

"NOT ALONE."

Petrified, Miranda jumps back, knocks down Teddy's glass
of water all over his papers, her chair topples over.
The warden and janitor look up --
Teddy tries for delicate:

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                        41.





CONTINUED:





                           TEDDY HOWARD

             It doesn't matter what I believe.

                            MIRANDA

             Forget it.   Forget I asked.
PUSH INTO her face as involuntary tears roll down and we --




INT. PETE'S OFFICE - DAY

Miranda. Numb. Pete trying hard to get through. A
beat. We get a good look at the writing on her arm.
(The right arm.)

                           PETE

             I can't help you if you don't talk
             to me.
Silence from Miranda.     He is firm but not unkind:

                           PETE

             I can stand here all day. All
             week. You're the one running out
             of time.
Nothing.     He goes to touch her arm.   She jerks it away.

                           PETE

             What does it mean?
She shakes her head, at a loss. Torn between her
suspicion and the need to confide in someone. Finally:

                           MIRANDA

             I didn't write this.

                           PETE

             Then who?
They stare each other down. There's definitely chemistry
between these two. But the moment is far from romantic.

                           PETE

             You're going to have to trust me.

                           MIRANDA

             Why?

                           PETE

             Because no matter what's going
             through your mind right now, I
             haven't done anything wrong.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         42.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Then you know exactly how I feel.
He starts to speak, stops himself. Switches tactics.
Their banter escalates in speed as their terms get more
clinical:

                           PETE

             You admit you're having a hard
             time differentiating what's
             reality from what's hallucination,
             right? So isn't it at least
             possible that --

                           MIRANDA

             As a doctor I agree with you.
             Maybe -- and this is a big maybe
             -- all of this is just a deep
             epilepsy that extends to the
             limbic structures, but I'm telling
             you --

                           PETE

             How about this moment right now?

                           MIRANDA

             What about it?

                           PETE

             Is this a hallucination?

                           MIRANDA

             You tell me. But I do know what I
             sound like. Paranoia is the
             ultimate awareness, right?

                           PETE

             Which is why I suggest we simply
             increase your dose until --

                            MIRANDA

                      (venom)
             No!   Goddamnit! No!
He steps back at her blowout. She catches the look on
his face and forces herself to sit down.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm sorry. Is there any way we
             can pretend that didn't just
             happen?

                           (MORE)


                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         43.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA (CONT'D)

                     (beat; struggling)
             I want to believe you. I do. So
             I'll take your word for it --
             you're not involved in this -- but
             you take mine: I didn't write
             this and I didn't kill my husband.
He studies her.     Finally nods.   New tactic:

                           PETE

             Alright. Let's say you didn't
             write this --

                           MIRANDA

             Number one: I'm right-handed.
             Number two: I would have had to
             bring an X-Acto knife into the
             shower to do this, wouldn't I?
Pete tries to reserve judgment. Her argument has a
certain loopy logic to it. He hesitates, then pulls a
SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS from a manila envelope.

                           PETE

             I think it's time you look at
             these.
Miranda looks at the crime scene photos. Lurid.
Terrible. Here's part of Doug's body. Here's the axe.
And now she sees a closeup picture of the wall with words
on it. In blood, a la Manson family. And it says:

"NOT ALONE."

Miranda immediately tosses it away from her.      Repulsed --

                                         FLASH CUT TO:





FLASHBACK - INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Miranda furiously writes on the wall with blood. Wipes
her face breathlessly, leaving a thick red streak on it.







INT. PETE'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS ACTION (PRESENT)


                           PETE

             You wrote that. Any idea why?

                           MIRANDA

                     (panic rising)
             No, I didn't. No, I didn't!

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                       44.





CONTINUED:




Pete retrieves the photograph off the floor and holds it
up for her to study again.

                           PETE

             You're the only person who can
             figure out what this means. Try
             to remember. Stop holding back.
She nods meekly. Staring at the picture. Begins to
shake as all of it finally comes flooding in --

                                       FLASH CUT TO:





FLASHBACK - INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

A breathless Miranda wipes her face, leaving a thick
streak of blood on it. She looks down at Doug, crawling
on hands and knees. He moans horribly, in shock. She
grabs the heavy axe from the floor and follows him. He
reaches for the coffee table with the telephone on it and
makes a move to grab it. He has all the speed of a dying
turtle, and that's pretty much what he resembles.
Miranda bites her lip, lifts the heavy axe with both hands.
Doug's hand grabs the phone. Miranda SWINGS THE AXE over
her head and it comes down straight AT CAMERA.
Miranda wipes her face again, catches her reflection in
the mirror over the mantel and stares --
WE HEAR THAT SOUND. The WETTISH GURGLING sound. Miranda
stares at the MIRROR looking for the source of it. For
an instant we see the teenage girl's reflection there,
beckoning. But now she's gone and Miranda is left
studying her own demented expression and now FLAMES RISE
around her. She looks down at her feet: No fire. Blood
on her clothes, axe still in her hands. Looks back up
at:







THE MIRROR VERSION OF MIRANDA

shows a serene expression on her face. Fire enveloping
her. She slowly lifts her hands over her head. In place
of the axe there are CHAINS attached to SHACKLES on her
wrists. She is completely naked, as if purified -- like
an extreme version of Anima Sola. (A Biblical icon in
which a woman in fiery purgatory awaits her fate.)
Time stands still for a mesmerizing moment --
When the MIRROR SHATTERS TO PIECES and we're back to
reality. Miranda stares at the axe she's flung at it.




                                                     45.





INT. MIRANDA'S BATHROOM - LATER




Miranda tries to wash off the blood in the sink. This is
a daunting task, seeing as how she's covered in it. She
stares at her bloody footprints all over the floor, at
the marks on the door handle, towels and wall.



Gasping for breath, almost crying, she turns on the
shower at full blast and climbs into the tub. She
watches the blood wash off her. As if finally coming
back to her body and realizing what she's done, she
slowly slides down the shower wall and curls up in the
tub. Crying. Shaking.     She shuts her eyes as hard as
she can to make it all go away, and we --

                                    FADE TO BLACK.





BLACKNESS

Silence. And now, faintly at first, but GROWING
PROGRESSIVELY LOUDER, we hear the SOUND OF BUZZING FLIES.




FADE IN:





INT. MIRANDA'S BATHROOM - DAY

Miranda wakes up, still in the tub. How long has she
been there, hours? Days? Impossible to know.
But at some point she must have turned off the water.
She sits up, every muscle of her body aching, hair caked
with blood.
The first thing that hits her is the stench. And it's foul,
the putrid smell of decaying flesh. She steps gingerly out
of the tub onto the flooded floor and follows the trail of
blood, mortified at what she will find.




INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Soon enough the press will make the Manson Family
reference, but for now, only Miranda is here to witness
the fruit of her labor. She gasps for air.
Instead she is hit by a wave of nausea. She doubles over
to throw up when there is a FRANTIC RAPPING at the front
door.
She freezes. VOICES and YELLS trickle in. The HINGES on
the door RATTLE under REPEATED POUNDING and she still
stands there as the first FIREMAN breaks in. Sheriff
Ryan and his deputies right behind. A concerned Pete
Graham behind them.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                         46.





CONTINUED:




The cops take one look at the place and raise their guns
at her, but we can't hear what they're saying because
Miranda's ragged BREATHING has taken over the soundtrack.
Suffice to say that, at the sight of the guns, something
clicks inside her and she turns on her heel and flees --




INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS ACTION

She slips on blood, nearly falls as she scrambles to the
bedroom --







INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S BEDROOM

She locks the door behind her, hyperventilating in terror.
Instantly there are men POUNDING on it. SQUAWKING RADIOS.
ORDERS BARKED at her. She spots two officers through the
window in her backyard. About to smash the window.
A caged animal, completely surrounded, she covers her face
with her hands. Trembling. The doorknob jiggles violently,
about to give. And when she brings her hands down she is
staring straight into the teenage girl's face. And she
OPENS HER MOUTH WIDE and now we are back in --




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT (PRESENT)

Miranda gasps for air, drowning in sensory overload.

                           MIRANDA

             Oh God, oh God, oh God...
She rocks back and forth. Finally aware of what she's
done. She is the killer. No more doubts. And now that
she knows, everything is much worse.
A long, harrowing beat.
WE PUSH IN ON her devastated face.       NIGHT TURNS TO DAY.




INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - DAY

The locks are unlocked. Pete appears at the door.
Miranda glances up at him. She looks like a different
person. Completely destroyed. He crouches beside her.

                          PETE

             You okay?
She shakes her head slowly. He sets his hand on her
shoulder. She turns to him and hugs him tight, holding
on for dear life. Breaks down in sobs.




                                                     47.





INT. PHIL PARSONS' OFFICE - DAY




Parsons leafs through Miranda's file.   Pete stands by the
window, lost in thought.

                        PARSONS

          How much does she remember?

                        PETE

          It all came flooding back last
          night.

                        PARSONS

          Guilt?

                        PETE

          More like an uncontrollable
          reminiscence. Intense, over-
          cathected. She's not feeling
          guilty of her actions, not
          exactly. Sounds to me like last
          night she actually re-lived them
          in great detail.

                        PARSONS

          Hypermnesis following amnesia.
          Could a specific epileptic element
          be involved?

                        PETE

          That's exactly what she suggested.
          Even in her present state, her
          instincts remain impeccable.

                        PARSONS

          I'd like to talk to her.




INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR - LATER

Pete escorts a fragile Miranda down the corridor.    The
two orderlies walking ominously behind them.

                        PETE

          Standard procedure.

                        MIRANDA

          I didn't say a word.







INT. DR. PHIL PARSONS' OFFICE - DAY

Parsons on the phone, gestures for them to enter.

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                       48.





CONTINUED:





                           PARSONS

                     (into phone)
             Dorothy, I can't discuss this
             now --
                     (motions for
                      them to sit)
             I'm not taking it lightly, no.   We
             will talk about it at home.
Miranda and Pete sit across from him. Miranda trying
hard to appear composed -- acutely aware of her every
gesture, and of how different her last visit to this
office was. Nothing casual about it now.
She stares at the picture frames on Phil's desk (all
facing AWAY FROM us), the diplomas on the wall, the books
by noted fathers of neurology (works by Hughlings
Jackson, Kurt Goldstein, Henry Head, A.R. Luria). A
framed quote reads:
"'If You Do Know That Here Is One Hand, We'll Grant You
All The Rest.' -- Wittgenstein"

                           PARSONS

                     (into phone)
             Yes, dear. Me too.
He hangs up. Takes a moment to look at Miranda. Tries a
smile but to her it comes off condescending. Fact is --
there's nothing to smile about.

                           PARSONS

             I'm so sorry about this, Miranda.
She nods, dazed. Angles her head to look at a framed
picture on his desk. Parsons looks to Pete.

                           PARSONS

             Has Pete told you about the
             hearing?

                           PETE

             Teddy already filled her in.

                           PARSONS

             Teddy Howard is top notch. He's
             going to do everything in his power
             -- and he's quite resourceful -- to
             prove you're not fit to stand trial.
             Miranda, I know you have no family
             left, so we're your family now and
             we're all going down to the wire to
             protect you and help you in any way
             we --

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         49.





CONTINUED:




PUSH IN ON Miranda who stares intently at something on
the desk. Not listening to a word he's saying --

                            MIRANDA

             Who is that?
Parsons pauses here.      Exchanges glances with Pete.

                            PARSONS

             Excuse me?

                           MIRANDA

             The girl in the picture.
WE SEE what she is talking about: a framed photograph on
the desk is now FACING us. Eerie. It shows Parsons, his
wife Dorothy and a young girl. Our teenage girl.

                            PARSONS

             My daughter.
Miranda looks up at this, perplexed.

                           MIRANDA

             She's the girl I saw.

                           PARSONS

             You're obviously mistaken.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm positive. She was hurt,
             bleeding. Is she all right?
Pete and Parsons trade uneasy looks.

                           PETE

             Miranda, you've seen that
             photograph at least a dozen times,
             every time you've been in this
             office. You're just confused --

                           MIRANDA

             Not about this. Is she all right?

                            PARSONS

             No, she's not... all right.
                     (beat)
             Rachel committed suicide six years
             ago.
This shuts Miranda right up.      Mind spinning.

                            MIRANDA

             How?

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                      50.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             Miranda, that's none of your --

                            PARSONS

             That's okay.
                     (to Miranda)
             Rachel was a very troubled girl.
             Handicapped since birth. She was
             born mute. My wife and I tried
             everything to help her fit in
             but... but she ran away from home
             more than once, wanting to end her
             life.
                     (beat)
             And she finally succeeded. Jumped
             off Ashley Bridge. She was only
             seventeen years old.
Ashley Bridge. Mute. Ghost? Miranda hesitates here.
She is not the type to believe in ghosts, and knows full
well what even her suggestion of it will sound like.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm -- I'm terribly sorry, Phil.
Parsons doesn't want to talk about it anymore.    Rises.

                           PARSONS

             Peter, can I speak to you?
The men step outside. PUSH IN ON Miranda's face as she
stares at the picture of Rachel. We catch snippets of
the doctors' discussion outside, increasing her
paranoia --

                           PETE (O.S.)

             ... Textbook psychotic pattern...
             manifestation of guilt...

                           PARSONS (O.S.)

             ... much she knows about Rachel?

                           PETE (O.S.)

             I'm telling you she doesn't...
             Concocted alternate reality...

                           PARSONS (O.S.)

             I'm trusting you... crawling with
             cops.
A DARK SHADOW envelops Miranda's confused face, as we --




                                                    51.





INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT




Miranda's pale skin is visible in the dim monochromatic
light. We are MOVING TOWARDS her, seeing her as if from
the POV of someone approaching her. We become aware of
the RAGGED BREATHING sound. Miranda opens her eyes,
looks this way and that, then closes them again.
She is nearly asleep when she hears a sound we've heard
before. The strained WET SOUND. Miranda's eyes SNAP
OPEN. She slowly sits up, back against the wall.
Squinting to cover every inch of the room.
And now she sees it: a SHADOW crouched in the corner.
Roughly the size of a person. Miranda climbs off the bed
and slowly walks towards it. Scared, but determined.
She wrinkles her nose at the putrid smell coming from it.
She gets closer... closer... The RAGGED BREATHING GROWING
LOUDER as she reaches the shadow --
She stretches out her hand and finally touches...
NOTHING. She swipes her hand through the air, feeling
stupid.

                        MIRANDA

          This is not going to work. I'm
          sick of being watched, and I know
          this place well and it doesn't
          smell this bad.
She paces around the room, feels the wall, taps her head.

                        MIRANDA

          I'm awake, I'm not dreaming. I'm
          alive -- this is not some
          afterlife mumbo jumbo. So-called
          paranormal activity can be
          debunked a million different ways.
          So whatever you are, whatever it
          is I'm making up here -- I'm
          letting you go, I'm setting you
          free. I'm the wrong person. And
          I need to sleep. I'm not afraid
          and I don't believe and I'm fully
          aware that this is all in my mind
          -- fiction -- a concocted
          alternate reality -- and I
          acknowledge it. And now I'm done
          with it. I'm going to sleep now.
The moment is as brave as it is ridiculous. She has
psyched herself into verbally defeating the ghost. And
now she climbs back in bed.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                      52.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

                     (sleepy)
             Besides, if you really were the
             ghost of Rachel Parsons, you would
             let me out of this cell.
A beat. And now we hear the SOUND OF THE DEADBOLT SLIDE
OPEN. The door opens quietly. PUSH INTO Miranda's face.
Properly scared now.

                           MIRANDA

             Holy shit.
If proof is what she wanted, proof is what she got.   From
now on we'll refer to the teenage girl as RACHEL.




INT. FEMALE WARD - CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Miranda takes a tentative step outside her cell, feeling
the door with her fingers, feeling along the wall --
still making sure she isn't dreaming this.
She looks down the long, empty corridor, the glare of
neon lights making her readjust her eyes momentarily.
Nobody there. But when she looks down the other way she
sees a pair of bare feet disappear behind the wall. So
quick we're not sure we saw it for sure.
Miranda deliberately walks in the opposite direction.
At night the clinical corridor takes on an unsettling
quality. She silently strolls down the hall, tilting her
head at the various sounds from PATIENTS in their cells.
She turns to make sure Rachel isn't behind her and when
Miranda faces forward again, she realizes she is standing
right across from:







THE NURSES' STATION

Where two nurses are watching TELEVISION. Miranda tiptoes
past them, ducking at the window to remain unseen.




ANOTHER CORRIDOR

This one is wider. Miranda is startled by the sudden
sound of LAUGHTER behind her. The nurses laughing at
their late night show. Momentarily distracted, she
almost knocks over a mop and bucket resting by the wall.
She holds the mop in place and now opens the door to a

SANITATION CLOSET.


                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                      53.





CONTINUED:




She looks for something, a tool. Discards a pair of
brushes and finds a small screwdriver. Pockets it.







THE STAIRS

Miranda hurries up the stairs, hugging the wall to stay
clear from the SURVEILLANCE CAMERA sweeping the area.
She waits at the landing, times it just right -- and
scurries to the next floor.







INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR (OFFICE FLOOR) - CONTINUOUS


ACTION

Knowing her way around here, Miranda keeps a steady pace
as she heads towards her old office. She turns a corner
and stops in her tracks: another JANITOR making his
rounds. She waits until he's out of sight and rushes to
her office.
She pulls out the stolen screwdriver and brings it to the
lock. Starts unscrewing the screws. She does this as
fast as she can, but she's no professional -- so it takes
a few tries. She loosens one screw, then another -- and
clumsily drops the screwdriver. The METAL ECHOES against
the floor.
Miranda sucks her breath in, waits. No footsteps. She
bends down, retrieves it, and holds onto the knob for
balance. It easily turns in her hand. It was open all
along. She simply forgot to check.




INT. MIRANDA'S OFFICE

Miranda shuts the door behind her and slips behind her
computer. Shrouded in darkness. Hits a switch and a
SURVEILLANCE MONITOR comes to life. Now she has a view
of the corridors: two guards here, a nurse going for a
smoke, a janitor at the coffee machine and so on.
She switches on her computer and taps her fingers as she
waits for it to boot up.




ON SURVEILLANCE MONITOR

The JANITOR with his coffee cup now heading back towards
Miranda's office corridor --

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                       54.





CONTINUED:




Miranda glances at the door, can see the glare of the
computer screen reflecting against the glass pane. She
tries opening drawers but they're all locked. She
remembers something and digs a sweatshirt from beneath
the couch, uses it to block the light.
Computer powered up, she runs an online search for
"RACHEL PARSONS." Waits as the info appears --

                           MIRANDA

                     (to self)
             Alright. What happened to you?




ON COMPUTER SCREEN

Various listings: The archive news of her funeral,
something about her search and a LOCAL NEWS ARTICLE about
teen suicide. That's the one she chooses. Hits "PRINT."
She checks the surveillance monitor again:     the janitor
now mops right outside her door.







ON PRINTOUT

The heading says "WHAT DRIVES OUR TEENAGERS TO SUICIDE?"
A quick glimpse gives us ages (16, 18, 17) and names of
three local girls who have died. Rachel's name and
PHOTOGRAPH appears with two others: Jenny Dixon and
Andrea White.
Miranda pockets it, looks back at the surveillance
monitor: the janitor is walking away. She watches him
disappear down the hall. Slowly but surely. And now the
screen is empty.
But just for a second. Because suddenly Rachel is there.
Staring straight at her. Makes us jump.




INT. CORRIDOR/STAIRS - MOMENTS LATER

Retracing her steps, Miranda shuts her door and hits the
stairs. Playing off the sweep of the surveillance camera.




INT. FEMALE WARD CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS ACTION

As she reaches the landing, she hears VOICES coming her
way. She detours down another corridor and hides from
view. Waits for Consuelo and a nurse to exit down the
staircase.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                    55.





CONTINUED:




And now she turns at ANOTHER SOUND. Coming from inside
the room immediately behind her. Room 237. She steps to
the small glass pane on the door and peers inside.







INT. ROOM 237

It takes a moment to adjust our eyes to the darkness but
now we make out TWO FIGURES in the room involved in some
sort of struggle.
Miranda presses her face against the glass and now sees a
flash of metal. Something sharp. Not a knife, but a needle.
And now a blur of hair yanked up by a strong arm. In the dim
light we can make out Chloe, eyes glazed, drooling.
Just for a beat, because now she is slapped down on the
bed like a rag doll and the man with the needle ENTERS

FRAME.








INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Miranda flinches, confused. Glances down the corridor to
ensure she remains undiscovered. Then peers back in.




INT. ROOM 237

Chloe on her stomach on the bed. Her pale naked skin
marked with scratches and bruises. The needle is stuck
in her arm, which hangs off the side. Her mouth is open
but it is impossible to tell whether she is laughing or
sobbing. Abruptly the man climbs on her, pulling off his
T-shirt.
As he discards it we see that it is yellow.




INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Disturbed, Miranda turns away. Except now the corridor
isn't empty. There is a JANITOR at the end. Coffee cup
in hand. Staring at her, disconcerted.

                          JANITOR

             Hey!
Miranda turns and runs.




INT. FEMALE WARD STAIRS

Miranda bolts down the stairs. THUNDERING FOOTSTEPS and
YELLS can be heard right behind her.




                                                      56.





INT. FEMALE WARD THIRD FLOOR




Miranda races down the empty floor towards an emergency
exit door all the way at the end.
TWO ORDERLIES emerge from the staircase and give chase,
shouting for her to stop. PATIENTS holler from their
cells, awakened by the COMMOTION.
Miranda's heart is nearly bursting through her chest as
she gets closer and closer to the emergency door. Twenty
feet, fifteen, ten --
When a side door opens and a MAN IN A YELLOW SHIRT
appears, blocking her path. Miranda tries to avoid
crashing into him but carries too much momentum. Veers
left against the wall but the man easily tackles her and
pins her down.
The orderlies and an nurse arrive at the scene to find
her screaming, hysterical. They hold her down --

                         MIRANDA

           It's him! It's him! Jesus
           Christ, it's him!
The man in the yellow shirt acts as if he has no idea
what she's talking about. Ho-hum, just another psychotic
woman trying to escape. A nurse prepares a needle and
we --

                                          FADE OUT.





FADE IN:





INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

TRACKING ALONG a long desk where the staff finish their
morning meeting. Parsons, Pete and Irene among others.

                         PARSONS

           We've transferred her to a higher
           security room on the fifth floor.
           That's my final concession to any
           type of special treatment.

                         PETE

           And the night staff?

                         IRENE

           They insist her room was properly
           locked, what else could they say?

                                            (CONTINUED)





                                                        57.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             Could there be any truth to her
             claim?




                           PARSONS

             Peter, we have one hundred and
             forty employees. Thirty-five work
             maintenance. They all wear yellow
             shirts, it's their uniform. I'm
             holding a very discreet inquiry,
             sure -- but I don't want a news
             van parked outside day and night.
             It makes much more sense that she
             tried to escape and got caught,
             doesn't it?
Pete ponders this.     It certainly seems that way.

                           PETE

             I perused Miranda's files on Chloe
             McGrath -- they're damn
             comprehensive. Maybe she was a
             bit obsessed with her.
Irene and Parsons share a look.     He wraps it up:

                           PARSONS

             The scariest gift God gave us is
             our minds. And a bright person
             like Miranda -- she's grasping at
             straws here -- who knows what her
             brain is telling her, now that
             it's snapped.




INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - DAY

A better room, in fact. This one has a view. Heavy bars
on the windows, but still. Miranda paces. Pete is
seated, observing her deteriorating state.

                           MIRANDA

             Did you live here when Rachel
             killed herself?

                           PETE

             Yes. As a matter of fact, I was
             part of the search party that
             found the body.

                           MIRANDA

             Phil must have been a wreck.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         58.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             You can imagine. Actually, Phil
             was in Houston undergoing triple
             bypass surgery when it happened.



What was that?     Miranda reacts to this.

                           MIRANDA

             And this is confirmed. There are
             hospital records and so forth?

                           PETE

             I'm sure there are.   Can we get
             back on track now?
Miranda pulls out the folded printout from her pocket.

                           MIRANDA

             What about these other dates, was
             Phil here when the other girls
             went missing and found dead?
A disconcerted Pete looks at the article with the
pictures of Rachel and the others: Andrea White and
Jenny Dixon.

                           PETE

             Where are you going with this?
             First I'm a suspect in Doug's
             death, now what, Phil Parsons
             murdered his own daughter?

                           MIRANDA

             Rachel Parsons disappeared six
             years ago. A week later she's a
             suicide. Andrew White, four years
             ago, same M.O., and Jenny Dixon,
             two years ago. Don't you find
             that unusual?
He regards her. Maybe Parsons is right: she's
desperately grasping at straws now. Skims the article:

                           PETE

             What same M.O.? One jumped off a
             bridge, one hung herself and one
             crashed her car. Who gave you
             this?

                            MIRANDA

             Not one left a suicide note. In
             fact, how is anybody sure these
             were suicides?

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        59.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             You heard Phil, his daughter had
             tried several times before --




                           MIRANDA

             That's his story. I need to talk
             to the reporter who wrote that.
             Frank something.

                           PETE

             Well, you can't.

                           MIRANDA

             I beg to differ. I know my
             visitation rights.

                           PETE

             You can't because... he died.
Miranda snaps to attention here.

                           MIRANDA

             You're telling me the one local
             investigative reporter who connected
             three highly-suspicious deaths, just
             happens to have conveniently died?

                           PETE

             Frank Albright was an eighty-year-
             old retired sociology professor.
                     (re: the article)
             This is a fluff piece about
             teenage depression and the
             breakdown of the nuclear family.
             You can find one in any local
             paper, anywhere, any other week!

                           MIRANDA

             Don't be smug, Pete. That's one
             thing you've never been. Rachel
             is somehow connected to what I'm
             going through. I don't know
             how -- like you said, I'm not in a
             frame of mind to process the
             information without assistance.
             So I'm asking you for assistance.

                           PETE

             Listen to me. You are not well. I
             had hoped once you remembered the
             murder we could deal with your
             feelings about it but these
             fixations:

                           (MORE)


                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                       60.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE (CONT'D)

             Rachel Parsons, Chloe McGrath --
             are self-created distractions to
             avoid looking into yourself. And
             the longer you --

                           MIRANDA

             I know this lecture like the back
             of my hand!

                            PETE

             Good.   Saves me the trouble.
Discussion over. He raps on the door. Triple-locks come
unlocked and an ORDERLY is there. Peter exits.




INT. WOODWARD CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER

Peter hurries down the corridor, passing by a nurse. The
same one who bandaged Miranda earlier, so let's give her
a proper name: CLAIRE. She pushes her cart into the
elevator.







INT. THIRD FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY

Claire and her cart emerge from the elevator and she
heads down the long corridor, reaches a door and unlocks
it.




INT. MEDICAL SUPPLY ROOM

TIGHT ON a row of drug-filled shelves. Claire parks her
cart and kicks off her shoes. Digs a pack of smokes out
of her stashed purse when a pair of hands grab her.
Claire squeaks until she sees her attacker: a stoner
type named SIMON. Deftly unbuttoning her uniform, hands
all over her. She means to resist but he's got such
boyish charm.

                           CLAIRE

             Get off me, you dog --

                           SIMON

             Hell, don't go all bubbly with joy
             or anything.

                           CLAIRE

             You can't be in here and you know
             it. Nap in your car.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         61.





CONTINUED:




She finally twists herself out of his grasp. Points an
accusing finger, but she's grinning. Blushing, even.

                           CLAIRE

             Now get out before we get busted.
Properly reprimanded, Simon picks up his folded uniform
and prepares to leave, head hung low.

                           SIMON

             You slay me, Claire.    Honest.

                           CLAIRE

             Sure I do, Boy Scout.
He exits.    She shakes her head, slips her uniform back
on.




INT. ELEVATOR - MOMENTS LATER

Simon presses the button, waits. He checks inside his
folded uniform where we see several stolen vials of
sedatives. The doors begin to close when --

                           CLAIRE

             Hold it, Simon!
He hides the loot behind his back, busted.       She holds the
door open and tosses him his yellow shirt.

                           CLAIRE

             What do you think I am, laundry
             service?

                           SIMON

                     (relieved)
             Won't happen again, ma'am.
She turns and exits.     The doors slide shut.   Meet our
rapist.







INT. WOODWARD CAFETERIA - DAY

Bustling with activity. The room is divided into two:          a
large main area where the patients eat, plus a second,
smaller upstairs area for the staff.
BOOM DOWN to find Miranda eating at a long table.
Shelley beside her, playing with her plastic fork. Jenna
taps an unlit cigarette. As usual, Irene keeps watch
nearby.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                       62.





CONTINUED:





                           SHELLEY

             ... She'd get high on glue and
             make me help her try on my bras.
             Is that the strangest shit you've
             heard?

                           JENNA

             Heard stranger. But she's a case.

                           SHELLEY

             And she always put on a happy
             face. Man, what an optometrist.
Optometrist?     Miranda starts to correct her, but lets it
go.

                           JENNA

             You narced her out, didn't you?
             Boo-hoo. Bet you were a little
             buzzed yourself.
Miranda's gaze strays from this, um, most compelling of
conversations and comes to rest on Chloe. Alone at
another table. Heavily sedated. A wreck.
Miranda rises and walks over. Shelley waits until she's
out of hearing range, leans in to Jenna --

                           SHELLEY

             All work, that woman.   Work, work,
             work.

                           JENNA

             What are you talking about?

                           SHELLEY

             She's like an alcoholic.   But with
             work.

                          JENNA

             What work?

                           SHELLEY

             Not safe to tell you.   Wish I
             could.
Jenna rolls her eyes, returns to her food.




UPSTAIRS

Parsons watches intrigued as Miranda sits beside Chloe
and starts talking. From Parson's POV up above we can
see pretty much the entire dining area.




                                                     63.





BACK TO MIRANDA




Trying to get Chloe's attention. But Chloe just stares
at her untouched food, glassy-eyed.

                         MIRANDA

           I saw what happened. I'm sorry.
No reaction.

                         MIRANDA

           Have you told anyone?   Chloe?
Nothing.

                         MIRANDA

           Look, Chloe -- the person who did
           this to you is not the devil. And
           if you can identify him, I'll make
           sure the motherfucker is arrested.
Now Chloe looks at her, like something finally registers.

                         CHLOE

           Doctor, did you just say
           'motherfucker'?

                         MIRANDA

           Do you know his name? Maybe you
           saw a nametag on his uniform?
           Think.
Chloe simply stares.    Finally shakes her head.

                         CHLOE

           Man, you must really hate me.

                          MIRANDA

           What?   I don't hate you.

                         CHLOE

           You hate me because now you're
           just the same as me. You must
           feel so embarrassed.

                         MIRANDA

           I don't hate you. And I don't
           feel embarrassed.

                         CHLOE

           That's just a pat answer you have
           because you're new at this. Trust
           me, I know what I'm talking about.

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                        64.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

                     (rising)
             Forget it, alright? Forget we had
             this conversation.



Chloe abruptly grabs her arm.     Tightly.

                           CHLOE

             You know what happens next?

                           MIRANDA

             I get the distinct feeling you're
             going to tell me.

                           CHLOE

             The shock wears off and the guilt
             kicks in. And that guilt is the
             real motherfucker. You'll be
             watched 24/seven, because they're
             afraid you'll kill yourself. Dr.
             Graham will question every harmless
             gesture, every innocent comment, ever
             twitch you make and eventually -- and
             it's a fucking tedious 'eventually'
             -- you'll stop hating yourself for
             what you did. But what replaces that
             hatred is this unbearable sadness. And
             you don't lose that as long as you live.
PUSH IN ON Miranda.     Deeply affected by Chloe's words, as
we --




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY AND NIGHT


MIRANDA'S RESIGNED DAILY GRIND IN QUICK DISSOLVES --

A) Miranda and the other patients line up for meds in
the rec room.
B) Irene keeps watch in the garden as the women get
their daily fresh air.
C) Wardens watch as each patient enters their cell at
night and the lights go off.







INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - NIGHT

Echoing an earlier scene, we are MOVING TOWARDS her --
her pale skin visible in the dim monochromatic light.
Miranda flicks a look this way and that, alert. Sensing
something.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                    65.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Leave me alone. Go away.
Just like a crazy person. She listens for any further
noise, hears none and shuts her eyes. Exhausted.

                           MIRANDA

             I've lost my fucking mind.   Happy
             now?
Silence. But now the BEDSPRINGS CREAK behind her and she
whips around and starts to scream as a big hand covers
her mouth. Her eyes open wide at the sight of Simon, in
his yellow shirt. He shoves her against the mattress and
presses his full weight against her. She lets out a
muffled scream as he uncaps a syringe with his teeth and
brings the plunger to her throat. Straight into her
jugular.

                           SIMON

                     (sotto)
             This is gonna hurt you more than
             it hurts me.
She flails and kicks desperately but he pins her down.
The BEDSPRINGS STRAIN violently and now he's straddling
her, squeezing the plunger into her throat. Her eyes
welling up:

                           SIMON

                     (sotto)
             I've always wanted to do a doctor.
She manages to free one hand and yanks the syringe from
her throat. It flies to the floor. He grins, enjoying
this:

                           SIMON

                     (sotto)
             The more you fight me, the harder
             I get, pussycat -- so pretty
             please, with sugar on top -- keep
             still.
Simon paws at her clothes as she struggles to defend
herself. He finally slaps her free arm down. Presses
his knee against it, immobilizing her once more. Now he
produces another syringe from his pocket. Checks it.
Miranda shakes her head, pleading. A scream stuck in her
throat. But nobody can hear her.
Simon brings the syringe towards her when suddenly we
hear a LOUD CLANGING at the door. Shaking it off its
hinges.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                       66.





CONTINUED:




Simon looks up, confused. Nobody is there. The split-
second distraction is all Miranda needs to shove him off
the bed. She fumbles for the discarded syringe and STABS
HIS CHEST WITH IT -- squeezes the plunger --




                           MIRANDA

                     (sotto)
             Take that, son of a bitch.
Simon moans as the full dose hits his system and his body
goes limp. Miranda exhales, coming back to herself. A
beat.

                           MIRANDA

             Rachel?
No response.     Miranda grabs his keys, begins to undress
him.

                                             CUT TO:





SECURITY CAMERA POV

shows a uniformed janitor calmly walking down the
corridor. PULL BACK to see we are in --







INT. SURVEILLANCE BOOTH - NIGHT

A bank of monitors keep watch on the premises   after dark.
TWO GUARDS play cards (Uno), bored to tears.    A cursory
glance at the monitors produces no reaction.    Certainly a
janitor walking down the corridor is no cause   for alarm.




EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

Dead quiet. CRICKETS CHIRP or whatever it is    crickets
do. Miranda steadies her breathing, perusing    rows of
unfamiliar cars. She clicks Simon's key-ring    button
repeatedly until a set of headlights blink on   and off.




INT. SIMON'S CAR - NIGHT

Miranda slips behind the wheel, STARTS the CAR. The RADIO
KICKS IN at EAR-DEAFENING VOLUME. She nearly drops dead.




EXT. WOODWARD GATE - NIGHT

The gate GUARD reads a magazine as Miranda's stolen car
approaches. The guard barely registers the driver in the
booth mirror, immersed in his article. Hits a button to
open the gate for him. It opens SLOWLY. S-l-o-w-l-y.




                                                   67.





INT. SIMON'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT




Miranda, sweating, watches the receding image of the
institute behind her. Turns on the main road. Free.

                        MIRANDA

          Thank you, thank you, thank you.
She glances back, makes sure no one is following her.
Catches her own reflection in the rearview mirror: the
scared eyes, the haunted face. The new version of
herself.
She flips the RADIO dial: BAD NEW AGE MUZAK. BAD
COUNTRY. BAD DISCO. More BAD NEW AGE MUZAK. She finds
IGGY POP'S entirely appropriate "THE PASSENGER) and lets
it play.




ANOTHER ANGLE

Now we are seeing her as if from the POV of someone
traveling alongside the car. Peering THROUGH the
passenger window. Miranda becomes aware of this, slowly
glances over. Sees nothing but her own reflection.
Turns back forward.
We NOTICE the blue cigarette lighter key chain dangling
off the dashboard. Nothing but a long stretch of road
ahead.







EXT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE - NIGHT

The neighborhood perfectly quiet late at night. Miranda
parks in the driveway and stares at the empty house.
Steels herself, climbs out of the car and heads around
back.
She finds her SPARE KEY behind a potted plant, takes a
deep breath and lets herself in through the back door.




INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE

POLICE CRIME-SCENE TAPE everywhere. She turns on the
kitchen light only and scurries to her bedroom without
even looking in the direction of the living room,
avoiding the scene of the gruesome crime altogether.
Eerie as hell --




INT. BEDROOM - QUICK CUTS

Miranda stuffs clothes into a suitcase, finds her passport,
digs out some cash from a box. Quick change of clothes to
get rid of the rapist's uniform. Fast, fast, fast --




                                                       68.





INT. SIMON'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT




Miranda watches her house fade from view in the rearview
mirror as she drives down the block. Shudders. Flips
the RADIO dial with shaky hands.




                          RADIO DJ (V.O.)

            ... Weather forecasters predict
            heavy winds tonight as a major
            thunderstorm rolls in tomorrow.
            You're listening to KLPG, 101.4 on
            your dial. This next honky-tonk
            heartbreak classic is...
She looks in the rearview mirror once more.      Only this
time she is met by a piercing pair of eyes.
Rachel's.     Inside the car.
Rachel's mouth opens unnaturally wide, revealing a gaping
abyss of rotted teeth and flesh -- and lets out the wet
sound. A threatening howl this time, pure venom.
Miranda covers her face, jerks the car. It does a 180
and slides to a halt in the middle of the street --
Facing the direction of her house again.




EXT. STREET

Miranda jumps out, panicked. Glances around. Looks
inside the car: no Rachel. A beat to catch her breath,
making up her mind. Slides behind the wheel and makes a
U-turn.







INT. SIMON'S CAR - MOVING - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Miranda flips the rearview mirror so it faces the ceiling
and turns UP the RADIO. GUNS the pedal. Freaked.
She's driven maybe 20 feet when suddenly her ENGINE DIES --

                          MIRANDA

            No.
The CAR SPUTTERS to a stop. Miranda goes to turn the key
but suddenly freezes. Looks at the ignition oddly and
notices the key is gone.

                          MIRANDA

            Why are you doing this to me?
A dead-still beat. Glancing around, she is even more
startled to see the blue lighter key chain lying in the
middle of the street.




                                                      69.





EXT. STREET - NIGHT




Miranda opens her car door and walks down the empty
street to retrieve her suddenly magical keys.
We watch her reach the keys, all alone out here. The
moment she bends down to pick it up she is blinded by the
glare of HEADLIGHT and the ROAR OF AN ENGINE. Miranda
jumps out of the way, narrowly avoiding being flattened
by a ROAD SWEEPER, spraying water as it goes.
She watches the truck disappear down the block. Heart in
her throat. Calms her nerves and now walks over to the
pesky keys again. Smack in the middle of a puddle now.
BOOM UP the posts harnessing power lines which surround
the area until we STOP ON a pair of INDUSTRIAL BOLTS
fastened around the insulators of a thick power line.
From here we see Miranda bend down and pick up her keys.
And now the bolts suddenly shake off their hinges, coming
loose right in front of our eyes -- moved by some
invisible force --
Miranda tilts her head at the sound of a METALLIC SNAP
and turns. The bolts pop out of their sockets. The LIVE
WIRE uncoils like some gigantic serpent and swings
straight towards the paralyzed Miranda --
She looks down at her feet, ankle-deep in the puddle,
back up at the 11,000 VOLTS OF POWER about to fry her to
a crisp and jumps out of the way at the last second. The
wire hits the water and the monumental charge sends
SPARKS flying in every direction. It looks like
lightning.
A silent, sudden beat.   That was as close as close gets.

                        MIRANDA

                  (fighting tears)
          What do you want from me?
No sign of Rachel. Miranda yells at the air, glancing
over her shoulder, seemingly demented:

                        MIRANDA

          What is it you want me to do?!!
A moment. Miranda stranded. The stolen car in the
middle of the road. And now the SQUEAK of a GATE OPENING
abruptly. Miranda whips her head in the direction of the
sound.
It's the front gate to her house. And now the front door
SWINGS OPEN. And now the living room LIGHTS switch on.

                                            (CONTINUED)





                                                       70.





CONTINUED:




Clearly Rachel wants her back in the house.

                           MIRANDA

             I can't.
                     (softly)
             Please, please don't make me go
             back in there.
But even as she's saying this her feet are moving towards
it. She pauses, looks at the car in the middle of the
road. Looks at the fizzling puddle where she was almost
electrocuted. No neighbors have come out to investigate
yet, but how long can that last? She walks to the car.




INT. SIMON'S CAR

Miranda climbs in, not sure whether to laugh or cry here.
She's never asked a ghost for permission before:

                           MIRANDA

             Bear with me, I'm just parking it
             out of the way so it won't look
             suspicious in the middle of the
             road -- okay.
She STARTS the ENGINE and pulls over to the sidewalk.







INT. MIRANDA AND DOUG'S HOUSE

Miranda stands in her living room, staring at her
handiwork. Frozen with dread.
The blood has been cleaned up some, but the mess remains.
The upturned furniture covered in plastic, the chalk
outline of the body, the yellow crime-scene tape, the
shattered mirror above the fireplace, the muddied
footprints of dozens of cops, coroners, etc.
The faded writing on the wall:       "NOT ALONE."
Miranda takes it all in, not entirely sure what she's
supposed to be looking for.

                            MIRANDA

                     (piecing it together)
             Not alone. What happened to you
             happened to other girls.
                     (beat)
             I understand. And I'm sorry. But
             there is nothing I can do about it
             now. It has nothing to do with
             me.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         71.





CONTINUED:




Not knowing what else to do, she turns to exit when the
TELEVISION SET suddenly COMES TO LIFE, making her jump.
The unmistakable MUSIC from some old WB cartoon at FULL

BLAST.




She stares at the TV screen. Is there some sign here she
should be able to follow? She crosses to turn it off and
immediately doubles over in pain --

                            MIRANDA

             Shit.
She looks at her foot. A big SHARD OF GLASS is stuck
right through the flimsy hospital slipper into her skin.
Blood already seeping from the nasty cut --




INT. BATHROOM

Miranda seated on the edge of the tub, slowly pulls out
the piece of glass, drops it in the wastebasket. She
grabs a cotton ball and alcohol and starts cleaning the
cut.
And now, FAINT at first, but GROWING LOUDER -- she hears
the hollow WET SOUND we've come to associate with Rachel.
Inside the room with her --
Miranda stares at the medicine cabinet. Did the mirror
move? We watch her from the MIRROR POV as she holds
perfectly still, listening. The SOUND now seems to have
STOPPED. A silent beat.
She turns her attention back to cleaning her cut, grimacing
as the alcohol burns her skin. It looks painful.
And now the slow SQUEAK of the MEDICINE CABINET DOOR makes
her look up again. And she sees herself in the mirror like
the night of the slaughter: flames all around her. Naked
arms raised. Wrists shackled. Anima Sola.
She stares.     Mesmerized.    The sound of FLAMES GROWING

LOUDER.


                             MIRANDA

             No.   No.   No...
Miranda walks slowly to the mirror. Incredibly, the
image reflecting back at her also grows bigger. As if
the two versions of her are literally walking towards
each other. FROM A SIDE ANGLE WE SEE both their faces
mere inches apart. Miranda brings her fingertips to the
mirror and touches it. Immediately pulls her hand back.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                     72.





CONTINUED:




Miranda stares at her fingertips. The tips are burnt.
The skin sizzles softly. 200 percent scientifically
impossible. And when she looks up at the mirror again --
the image is gone.



It is now deathly quiet. And what she finds herself
staring at in the mirror is the reflection of something
just behind her. A folded newspaper discarded in the far
corner of the room.
She turns to look at it now. It's opened to the REALTY
LISTINGS page. Doug must have left it there. She picks
it up and looks closer: Focusing on a picture of a bank-
repossessed property.
The address is in Willows Creek.
Her brain wires start clicking. This must be what Rachel
wanted her to see. She stares at it.
PUSH IN ON the picture as we --

                                     MATCH CUT TO:





EXT. WILLOWS CREEK PROPERTY - DAWN

A "FOR SALE" sign still flapping in the wind.   The first
few rays of light break through the dawn sky.
Miranda's (Simon's) car approaches up the road until it
FILLS the FRAME and parks. Miranda steps out.
She studies the house before walking up the drive. We
watch her peek through windows and walk around back,
looking for something. What exactly, we don't know.
(Neither does she.)
She makes her way back to the starting point and fixes
her stare now on the barn. The one place he hasn't
looked.







INT. BARN

Dark, empty. The WIND outside causes the ALUMINUM SIDING
to FLAP NOISILY. It's slightly unnerving, but hey, it's
just the wind. Miranda covers the distance of the large
room, perplexed. There is something about this place.
Something she can't quite put her finger on. Beckoning
her.
With a last fruitless look, she heads towards the front
door when a glint of mental in the opposite corner stops
her. She moves to it.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                       73.





CONTINUED:




And here, where the walls should meet, there is a narrow
gap, leading to a passage, maybe five inches wide. A
padlocked chain has been threaded through a hole in both
walls, holding them together. Miranda inspects the heavy
padlock, the source of the glint. She tugs on the wall
and opens it to the limits of the chain, but that's only
a few inches more. Miranda peers into the darkness
beyond, but can't see a thing.
Hesitating only a moment, she turns sideways and slides
herself into the claustrophobic slot.
She moves forward cautiously a few feet until her face
brushes against something hanging in the air. She stops,
startled. It's a pull-string hanging from a naked light
bulb.
She tugs on it. And now she has 60 watts of reddish glow
to see the hatch on the floor immediately in front of
her. She pulls on the LATCH and it opens with a RUSTY
CREAK. She peers into the pitch-black basement below.
Feels around for the beginning of a stepladder and climbs
down.




INT. SECRET BASEMENT

Miranda emerges from the ladder into total darkness.
Whatever dim reddish light was provided by the bulb
upstairs does not reach here. She feels around the wall
for a switch. Nothing.

                           MIRANDA

                     (to self)
             It's not shrink-appropriate to be
             afraid of the dark, right?
Abruptly there's a sharp CLICK as she lights Simon's key-
chain lighter, and the wavery light illuminates the vast
space. Rats scurry for cover. It takes a second to orient
ourselves. Something metallic catches the lighter's
reflection way in back. Miranda walks towards it.

                          MIRANDA

             Hello?
She takes a few more steps until her foot hits a bulk on
the floor. She stops. Kneels down and in the dim half-
light we make out a backpack. She unzips it and rifles
through it (T-shirts, underwear, Walkman) until she finds
a wallet. Opens the billfold and brings the lighter next
to the ID: the picture belongs to a teenager named

"TRACY MARIE SEAVER."


                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                    74.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Is there anybody here?   Hello?
The lighter in her hand is getting hot, so she lets it
click off. When it comes back on we see she has wrapped
a ragged T-shirt around it for insulation.
Miranda steps deeper into the room. Up ahead, she can
make out the metallic thing that reflected light before.
It is a hook in the ceiling. And suspended from it are
several heavy chains.
Like a meat rack.
And now she catches a whiff of the terrible smell and
sees the body of the teenage girl: hanging upside down,
tied around the hands and ankles.
Medical training kicking in, Miranda quickly lowers the
girl to the ground, causing the angry rats to skitter
away.

                            MIRANDA

             Go away!   Fuck off!
(We see the following in between flicks of the lighter so
that we go from midnight black to wavery light in an
almost strobe-light effect:)
She checks for vital signs, pulse, heartbeat -- Miranda's
adrenaline at full tilt --

                           MIRANDA

             C'mon, c'mon, c'mon --
She strikes the flint and brings the lighter to the
girl's pupils. Inspects them. Slaps her repeatedly,
clinically.
The strobe effect also allows us glimpses of the
immediate surroundings:   household tools strewn about;
wire cutters, pliers -- a pool of dried blood.

                           MIRANDA

             Wake up, Tracy, wake up --
Nothing. She unties the wires around the girl's ankles.
The skin swollen grotesquely around them. She shakes the
girl. Slowly coming to the realization that it's too
late.




                                                          75.





EXT. BARN - LATER




Miranda comes crashing out of the barn, doubles over and
throws up. The bright light outside blinding her
momentarily. Her bloodshot eyes taking a moment to
register --







THE PATROL CAR

parked in front of the house. A POLICE OFFICER
cautiously peering inside her stolen car. He looks up
and notices her.
Miranda hesitates. Nowhere to run.      The officer waves.
His name is TURLINGTON.

                         OFFICER TURLINGTON

          Howdy there.
He says this while already strolling over.        Miranda's
mind races a mile a minute --

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

          Everything okay?

                         MIRANDA

          Y-yes.

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

          That your vehicle, ma'am?
She stares at the young, friendly cop. His left hand
resting on his belt. Right next to his gun. But it
seems as if he has no idea who she is. At least not yet.

                        MIRANDA

          Yes -- I -- I just pulled over.     I
          was -- looking for a bathroom.
          Morning sickness, you know...

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

          Congratulations. But I'm afraid
          this is private property -- you
          can't just waltz on in. You
          understand that.
She nods, nerves shot to hell.     Starts walking.

                        MIRANDA

          I'll be on my merry way now. My
          husband will never forgive me if I
          get a ticket for trespassing.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         76.





CONTINUED:




The cop nods at that, seeming to have a fair grasp of
marital dynamics. He flashes a smile but suddenly stops,
whips out his gun and trains it on her --




                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Holy shit.
                     (clicks the safety
                      off)
             Lady, stay right where you are.
Miranda shuts her eyes, busted.     Freezes.

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Hands up where I can see them.
Miranda awkwardly raises her shaky hands.

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Nice and slow, start talking to
             me. And make it good. Tell me
             just exactly who that is.
A confused Miranda slowly turns in the direction he's
looking to see Tracy Seaver at the barn door. Dragging
herself in agony, clearly in a severe state of shock.
Battered, yet somehow -- incredibly -- still alive.
But just barely.




EXT. JACKSON HOSPITAL - DAY

A car pulls up to the chaotic ER area.       Phil Parsons and
Pete step out, rush inside.







INT. HOSPITAL ER - MEN'S ROOM - DAY

Sheriff Ryan is busy at the urinal. But even here he
can't find any peace because Teddy Howard is on his
case --

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Mr. Howard -- let me simply list
             the events your client was
             involved in last night. First she
             drugs a janitor, steals his car
             and escapes a mental
             institution --

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             Hold on, there isn't even any
             substantial evidence --

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        77.





CONTINUED:




Sheriff Ryan zips up his pants, flushes and runs the sink
to wash his hands --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Mr. Howard -- there isn't evidence
             because the overdosed janitor
             hasn't woken up, that's why -- and
             when your client was questioned on
             the matter she admitted to
             injecting a full syringe of --

                           TEDDY HOWARD

                     (handing him a
                      paper towel)
             You had no right to question my
             client without my presence --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Mr. Howard, this is not a courtroom.
             Your client was read her rights and
             she still insisted --

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             -- Let me ask you this, Sheriff:
             what exactly was a janitor doing
             with several vials of sedatives
             inside my client's cell? And is
             it not possible he had taken some
             drugs himself before my client --
Sheriff Ryan discards the paper towel and walks out to
the waiting room, Teddy following closely --




INT. ER WAITING ROOM

Paramedics and nurses doing their thing. The young
officer who arrested Miranda hands the Sheriff a cup of
coffee.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             I'm not a drug expert. I'm simply
             stating the frigging facts.
Sheriff Ryan burns his tongue on the coffee, notices
Parsons and Pete approaching. Relief crosses his face.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Phil, thank God -- this guy's
             driving me nuts!

                           PARSONS

             What happened?

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                          78.





CONTINUED:





                           SHERIFF RYAN

             An 'incident' -- for lack of a
             better frigging word -- involving
             Miss Grey and a teenage girl who's
             been tortured and is in critical
             condition and chances are slim
             she'll even utter another word.

                           PETE

             Who's the girl?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             A runaway from Portland, Tracy
             Marie Seaver. Reported missing a
             couple weeks ago. We found Miss
             Grey in some barn off Willows
             Creek with the girl all messed up.
             I'm just now waiting for the
             surgeon to give me an update.
                     (to Teddy)
             Notice, Counselor, how I'm not
             even mentioning her trespassing or
             lying to a police officer.
Teddy waves him off in frustration.     Goes to talk to
Turlington.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Christ, the woman's got the entire
             hospital busy --
Sheriff Ryan notices Teddy talking to Turlington --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Why are you harassing my deputies?

                           TEDDY HOWARD

             I'm only asking him where he got
             the coffee -- ?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             He's not at liberty to answer
             that. You've had enough goddamn
             coffee already.
The Sheriff leaves Pete and Parsons. They walk over to
the water cooler where they can talk more privately.

                           PETE

             We need to get Miranda back to the
             institute. She needs psychiatric
             care, not a prison cell.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                          79.





CONTINUED:




Parsons nods, lost in thought.        Sheriff Ryan returns.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Phil, how well does your wife know
             the suspect?

                           PARSONS

             Why do you ask?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Because she's at the station right
             now, demanding to speak with her.
Parsons frowns at this, concerned.        Pete studies him.




INT. COUNTY STATION HOLDING CELL - DAY

Bare room. A desk and two chairs. Glass window         panes to
insure no privacy. DOROTHY PARSONS (50s) waits,        seated.
The door opens and a DEPUTY escorts Miranda in.        She sits
across from Dorothy, looking as lost as can be.        A long
beat.

                            DOROTHY

             How are you?
Miranda doesn't answer. Her mind elsewhere.         Namely back
at the barn and how it connects to Rachel.

                           DOROTHY

             I needed to see you, but I'm not
             sure where to begin. I don't know
             you well, I certainly have nothing
             but fond feelings for you. Phil
             always keeps me posted on his
             colleagues and his work and -- in
             any case, I have always thought of
             you as a very bright, very
             perceptive doctor. Even though I
             don't know you well.
She pauses here. Miranda looks up now. Her face hollow
and exhausted. Bags under her eyes. A person who has
seen too much. Wondering where the hell this is going.

                           DOROTHY

             My point is, my point being --
             when Rachel died I had, um, I
             suffered through these spells,
             these recurring dreams.

                           (MORE)


                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                          80.





CONTINUED:





                           DOROTHY (CONT'D)

             And eventually, once I came to
             terms with her death, they went
             away. Losing a child is the
             hardest, most inconceivable event
             a mother can --
She drifts off.     Takes a beat to collect herself and
resume:

                           DOROTHY

             The past few days I have been
             having the same dream. A
             nightmare.
Miranda can't help but smile to herself at that.

                            MIRANDA

             That word.   Nightmare.   Welcome to
             my life.

                           DOROTHY

             This nightmare involves Rachel but
             it also involves you. In the
             nightmare Rachel holds a box in
             her left hand. A small box. And
             she repeats a series of numbers.
             Now, Rachel never spoke, from the
             time she was born -- she had a
             condition -- I often asked God why
             he punished this child in such a
             way -- she couldn't speak, but she
             was extremely bright. She wasn't
             autistic as the doctors claimed --
Dorothy Parsons starts to cry. A moment passes like
this. It seems she won't recover enough to continue her
tale.

                           MIRANDA

             Mrs. Parsons, you need a
             therapist. Normally I would
             encourage you to schedule a
             session with me but as you can
             see --
Dorothy shakes her head, determined to finish.       She pulls
out a folded piece of paper.

                           DOROTHY

             Every night the same box in her
             hand and the same numbers. I
             wrote them down.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        81.





CONTINUED:




She slides the paper over. Miranda watches her
carefully, then looks at the piece of paper. The numbers
are:




1-0-2-2-0-1.

A long beat.

                           DOROTHY

             It's a message. It's a code for
             something. I don't know what.
             But she wants you to have it.
Miranda studies it. Studies this woman, who quite
frankly seems to have completely lost her mind. Then she
looks back at the numbers and is slowly hit with a
realization.

                           MIRANDA

             October 22nd, 2001. It's my
             wedding date.
She stares at Dorothy, stunned. Brain click-click-
clicking. Her wildest fears confirmed: Doug is behind
this somehow.

                            MIRANDA

             That code belongs to a safety
             deposit box my husband kept in a
             bank up in Newcastle, that's where
             his parents live.
                     (beat)
             Dorothy, I need you to drive up
             there and open it.
Dorothy stares at her, scared.     And finally nods.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - DAY

Pete hurries down the front steps of the main building as
TWO POLICE CRUISERS pull up. Miranda is brought out of
one of the cruisers by two OFFICERS.

                           PETE

             We can take those off now.
Sheriff Ryan leans out of the other cruiser.

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Don't push it, Doctor. She's
             cuffed until your people secure
             her in a cell.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                           82.





CONTINUED:




Pete sighs, gestures for the officers to bring her in.
Irene and two heavy-duty orderlies will also be part of
the escort. Miranda locks eyes with Pete as she
approaches.




                           PETE

             Are you alright?

                           MIRANDA

                     (quietly)
             I was wrong. It wasn't Phil
             Parsons. It was Doug.

                           PETE

             Can we talk about this later?
                     (to Sheriff)
             Thanks, Sheriff.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Tomorrow morning first thing my
             deputies are here.

                           PETE

             I know, I know. We'll see you
             then.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             And my offer still stands if you
             need added security.

                           PETE

             Thank you. She won't go anywhere.
             I guarantee it.
The Sheriff waves, whatever. Knocks twice on the hood
and the officer behind the wheel shifts into drive.

                           MIRANDA

             That's why Rachel picked me.    It
             was Doug. I'm so stupid.
Pete regards her now, has no idea what she's going on
about this time. Tries to remain professional.

                             PETE

             Inside, okay?




INT. CAFETERIA - MOMENTS LATER

Lunch time for the female wing. An excited Shelley
rushes over to a table where Chloe and Jenna are,
whispers something to them. They glance at the door.

                                                  (CONTINUED)





                                                        83.





CONTINUED:




A moment later, Miranda walks in with her police escort.
Taking her across the cafeteria towards the back door.
An uneasy Pete leads. Irene and the wardens at the rear.



Miranda glances at the women staring at her like a
specimen. Like somehow she's even more dangerous than
them. Top dog, as it were, of the crazies.
And then, halfway across the room, one of the women
stands up. Chloe. She claps her hands together.
Slowly. Miranda watches her, confused. And slowly
Shelly, Jenna and others rise as well. All of them
joining Chloe in clapping.

                             PETE

             What is this?

                           IRENE

             She's a hero. Little Red Riding
             Hood put the big bad wolf in a
             coma.
Pete nods.     Just what he needed.   The OFFICERS trade looks.

                           OFFICER #1

             They're not gonna start something,
             are they?
Irene shakes her head, amused.

                           IRENE

             You ain't scared of a bunch of
             women now, are you, Officer?
The entire cafeteria is on their feet showing their
solidarity for Miranda. Chloe locks eyes with her,
mouths the words "thank you."
And Miranda is hauled out the side door.




INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL

White. Surveillance cameras in every corner. Two
separate doors with elaborate locks. High security all
around. The officers undo Miranda's cuffs and excuse
themselves.
Pete gestures for Irene and the Orderlies to leave as
well.

                           ORDERLY #1

             We'll be right outside, Doctor.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         84.





CONTINUED:




Once the doors are locked and they're alone, the
conversation jumps straight into frustrated high gear:

                           PETE

             I pulled a lot of strings to get
             you transferred back. The best
             case scenario you're looking at
             right now is five years here.
             Five. Under my --

                           MIRANDA

                     (interrupting)
             Peter, I didn't believe in ghosts
             before this. And neither do you.
Pete is at the end of his rope. Can't hide his sadness
when he looks at her. Still, he tries to get her back on
track:

                           PETE

             But you know that the brain is
             fully capable of tricking you into
             seeing all sorts of things. The
             simplest chemical deficiencies
             can --

                           MIRANDA

             Chemical deficiencies can't get
             inside of you and make you do
             terrible things you don't remember
             doing!

                            PETE

             I'm a very open-minded person, but
             as a doctor --

                           MIRANDA

             No, you're not. You're a close-
             minded academic, just like me.
             You told me once that I was the
             most logical person you knew,
             remember? Well, everything that's
             happened has an explanation but it
             has nothing to do with psychiatry
             or science. Rachel Parsons was
             abducted and she was murdered six
             years ago -- tossed off the Ashley
             Bridge by my husband. My
             harmless, righteous 'community
             leader' husband -- that's how
             pathetically blind I've been.

                           (MORE)


                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                       85.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA (CONT'D)

             Andrea White and Jenny Dixon were
             also abducted and murdered -- now
             this was before I met Doug but I
             bet you anything that they both
             went to his school. Then he
             obviously stopped for a while:
             fear, guilt, distractions --
             namely me -- delayed him from
             reverting to his sickness. That's
             why I didn't notice anything. I
             believe he really tried to lead a
             normal life, for me. Then along
             comes Tracy Seaver and he can't
             resist. Locks her up and tortures
             her in some abandoned property --
She shows him the crumpled newspaper listing.

                           MIRANDA

             Here's Doug's interest in real
             estate, Pete.
Pete stares at the realty listing for Willows Creek.

                           MIRANDA

             Rachel Parsons is a pissed-off
             ghost with an agenda, furious at
             her parents for giving up on
             her -- she's been trying to
             communicate with them for years
             but they're too goddamn logical to
             pay attention -- and she picked
             me, she sought me out that night
             and sent me home to fix her
             problem. Made sure I killed Doug
             because he was going to do the
             same thing to Tracy Seaver as he
             did to her. And she will get rid
             of anyone who stands in her way.
Pete takes all of this in.     Dumbfounded.

                           PETE

             Is that a threat?

                           MIRANDA

             To whom?

                           PETE

             To me.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                        86.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             To you? I'm telling you she
             nearly electrocuted me when I
             tried to leave town and she led me
             to that barn and if I don't do
             what she wants -- she's going to
             kill me.
Pete can see that she's petrified. He starts to speak,
but she hushes him by gently placing her finger on his
lips. The gesture is tender, almost romantic. A
reminder of their very real connection.

                           MIRANDA

             I need you to at least consider
             the possibility that I'm not
             insane.
                     (beat; pleading)
             Not as a doctor. As the only
             person I trust in this world.




EXT. NEWCASTLE COMMUNITY BANK PARKING LOT - DAY

A tense Phil and Dorothy Parsons in their parked car.

                           DOROTHY

             I'm not doing it for Miranda, I'm
             doing this for Rachel.

                           PARSONS

             You're making a complete fool of
             yourself. Do you realize what you
             sound like?
She sighs, climbs out of the car, leaving him there.
Takes three steps. Stops. Turns back around and lets
him have it:

                            DOROTHY

             What do I sound like, Phil? Like
             one of your patients? Well, it's
             probably because that's exactly
             how you treat me. And I've had
             enough of this deafening silence
             between us, this exemplary
             mourning in front of the
             community, tiptoeing around our
             lives with you pretending Rachel
             never existed.
BANK CUSTOMERS walk around the argument, pretending not
to hear. Phil is mortified. But Dorothy doesn't care:

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                       87.





CONTINUED:





                           DOROTHY

             I'm losing my mind. Our daughter
             is gone and I miss her and I'm
             angry.



She turns and storms off. Phil takes it all in for the
first time. A moment later he climbs out of the car.




INT. BANK VAULT - DAY

A solemn GUARD places the safety deposit box on the table
in the middle of the room. Steps back through the gate
and waits. Dorothy and Phil stare at the box for a
moment.
Finally, Phil punches in the code written out by his wife
and opens it. He sorts through some paperwork that means
nothing to him until his hands feel a thick envelope. He
opens it and spills the contents on the table.
It is a stack of POLAROIDS.
Dorothy leans in and immediately her face darkens. She
grabs onto the table, shakily -- and is forced to sit
down. A horrified sob rises from deep inside her, comes
out like the howl of a dying animal. Her husband pales,
all blood draining from his face.







EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - EVENING

The sky darkens fast.     The storm moving in.




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NURSES' STATION

THUNDER RUMBLES outside, making a tray of meds rattle.
PAN UP to see Consuelo, the round black woman we might
remember Chloe beating up earlier. She shakes her head.

                           CONSUELO

             It's gonna be an interesting
             night.




INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL

Miranda looks up at the sound of the BOLT BEING DRAWN and
the handle unfastened. Through the door comes Consuelo,
carrying a tray. Sets it down by the bed.
She is on her way out when she pauses, stares at Miranda.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                          88.





CONTINUED:





                           CONSUELO

             How are we doing today?
That term again, "we." Doctor-speak.         Miranda doesn't
have the energy for it:

                           MIRANDA

             Just fine, thank you.

                           CONSUELO

             The spirit is not fine.    She's
             very unhappy.
What was that? Normally Miranda would look at this woman
as if she were crazy, but things have changed.

                           MIRANDA

             How -- how do you know?

                            CONSUELO

                     (shuts her eyes)
             But she's only a girl. Do you
             know her name?

                              MIRANDA

             Yes.   Rachel.

                           CONSUELO

             Have you talked to her?

                           MIRANDA

             Yes, I -- you could say that.
Consuelo holds Miranda's hands firmly, "reading" her.

                           CONSUELO

             She's very, very angry. And she's
             not finished with you yet.

                           MIRANDA

             I'm sure that's meant to sound
             comforting but --

                           CONSUELO

             She wants to show you something.

                           MIRANDA

             That may be so, but I want her to
             go away.

                           CONSUELO

             Then you need to protect yourself.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                          89.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             And how exactly would I do that?

                           CONSUELO

             Mira, first I'm gonna bring you
             some cascarilla, it's a powder,
             you get it anyplace, it comes from
             eggs -- you pour it all over
             you --
                     (indicates)
             Like this --

                           MIRANDA

             Look --
                     (reading nametag)
             Consuelo, I appreciate what you're
             trying to do, but I honestly don't
             think this ghost will go away if I
             pour some egg powder on myself --
Consuelo holds up a finger, hushing Miranda.      She's
receiving something here. Shudders.

                           CONSUELO

             She made you do things.   Bad
             things, didn't she?

                           MIRANDA

             Yes.

                           CONSUELO

             And you carried this out for her.
             She used you as a vessel...
Consuelo's grip tightens on Miranda as we --

                                         FLASH CUT TO:





FLASHBACK - EXT. ASHLEY BRIDGE - NIGHT

We're back at the bridge.     Rachel pries open Miranda's
mouth. Miranda panics:

                            MIRANDA

             What are you doing? I'm trying to
             help you -- ?!
Rachel opens her mouth wide like a snake. And as Miranda
screams, blood starts leaking out of Rachel's wounds.
And now we see it. Rachel's lips touch Miranda's and
BREATHE HER SPIRIT INTO Miranda with a WHOOSH --




                                                       90.





INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION (PRESENT)




Consuelo lets go of Miranda's hand. Like recoiling from
fire. Speaks in the simplest of ways. The truth:

                         CONSUELO

           You were possessed by her.

                         MIRANDA

           Yes.

                         CONSUELO

           Ay, probrecita. You're both in
           terrible danger. She's scared too
           but she can't step back into the
           light until she finishes what she
           started here. And now you're the
           only person who can help her find
           the way back.

                         MIRANDA

           I don't know how to do that -- I'm
           not qualified for it. You do it.
Consuelo crosses herself. A sign of respect for the
situation. But it has a chilling effect on Miranda.

                         CONSUELO

           Despair is the only unforgivable
           sin. You'll be in my prayers,
           Miranda.
Prayers?   What good is that going to do?   Consuelo exits.




EXT. PARSONS' HOUSE - NIGHT

Two POLICE CRUISERS parked outside.







INT. PARSONS' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

A glassy-eyed Phil Parsons serves himself another Scotch,
devastated. The SHOT is FRAMED so that we see the
bedroom door is open, Dorothy lying in bed, heavily
tranquilized.
Sheriff Ryan inspects the photographs.




ON THE LURID POLAROIDS

Postcards from hell: scared teenage girls in forced
poses -- gagged, tortured -- Andrea White, Jenny Dixon,
Tracy Seaver...

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                       91.





CONTINUED:




And young Rachel Parsons.

                           PARSONS

             This proves that her story is
             true: my daughter appeared to her
             in some form and guided her
             through all this, putting things
             right.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Come on, Phil, you of all
             people --

                           PARSONS

             I of all people hold logic, reason
             and facts above everything else.
             And seek the truth through proof
             and proof only.
                     (re: pictures)
             And what do you call that?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Has it occurred to you that maybe
             she knew what her husband was
             doing to those girls?

                            PARSONS

             No.   Frankly, it hasn't.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Maybe she couldn't stand the guilt
             and cooked up this far-fetched
             tale to tug at everybody's
             heartstrings. The fact remains
             she hacked her husband to pieces.

                           PARSONS

             The fact remains my daughter was
             murdered and Miranda stopped the
             killer. A killer who was loose
             under your incompetent nose for
             over six years. We don't know how
             many future victims were spared,
             but we do know she saved that girl
             in the barn's life. And that's
             more than you or I can say -- !

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Calm down. For the record, that
             girl is on a ventilator. The
             doctors don't think she'll make it
             through tonight.

                           (MORE)


                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                      92.





CONTINUED:





                           SHERIFF RYAN (CONT'D)

             Now, you want to stand up in a
             courtroom and tell a judge that a
             ghost is behind all this, that's
             your prerogative -- but I have to
             abide by the law. And the law
             says Miranda Grey faces criminal
             chargers. So here's what we're
             going to do. I'm going to leave a
             cruiser outside to make sure you
             don't go anywhere tonight and two
             of my deputies will go guard Ms.
             Grey until tomorrow morning.
             Phil?
Parsons doesn't respond.     His eyes far away.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             There will be no breakouts, no
             aiding and abetting, no taking the
             law into your own hands. It'll
             take an Act of God for Miranda
             Grey not to show up in that
             courtroom tomorrow. Are we clear?
And now the Sheriff can see that Parsons is crying.
Quietly, miserably. And it's a disparaging sight.
Sheriff Ryan exits. Two deputies follow, RADIOS

SQUAWKING.

Parsons remains still for a moment, then digs a
photograph out of a drawer. A picture of Rachel in
happier times.

                           PARSONS

             I'm sorry. I will never forgive
             myself for what happened to you.
             Not as long as I live.
                     (breaking down)
             I miss you so much.
He sits there, staring at his dead daughter. Grieving.
WE PULL BACK to see he is not alone. Rachel is watching
him.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NIGHT

The WIND has really PICKED UP now. A massive LIGHTNING
BOLT streaks the sky, officially announcing the storm's
onset.
A POLICE CRUISER pulls up to the guard gate.




                                                            93.





INT. WOODWARD SURVEILLANCE BOOTH




PAN OFF the bank of monitors TO the same two guards we've
seen before. Playing yet another bored card game. The
LIGHT RAPPING on their glass door makes them look up.




                             GUARD #1

             Help you?
TWO OFFICERS stand there.       We recognize one of them:

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             We're here on Miranda Grey detail.
The Guards shake their heads, chuckle.

                           GUARD #1

             Sixth floor. You can get a couple
             chairs from the nurses up there.
             A pretty decent cup of joe too.

                             OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Thanks, guys.
The Guard points at the bank of monitors.

                           GUARD #1

             Although why the Sheriff is making
             you fellas waste your time is
             beside me. We got her right here.
             She ain't going no place.




ON MONITOR

Miranda inside her pristine white cell.       Restlessly
pacing.

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Looks perfectly harmless, doesn't
             she?

                           GUARD #1

             Don't they all, Officer, don't
             they all?
The men share a chuckle over that one when suddenly
THUNDER CRACKLES and the power goes out.
No monitors, no radio, no nothing.       Pitch black.

                            GUARD #1

             Shit.   There goes the card game.
Abruptly there's a SERIES OF sharp CLICKS as FOUR
FLASHLIGHTS come alive.




                                                        94.





INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL




The THUNDER outside RATTLES the WINDOW PANE. The only
light source being the intermittent LIGHTNING as the

STORM RAGES.




She paces in the dark.    Sits.   Waits.




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - STAIRS - SAME TIME

The two cops use their flashlights to hustle up the stairs.







INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - SAME TIME




Miranda holds her breath, listens. And sure enough,
somebody else is in the room. She looks around.

                          MIRANDA

          No.   No.   What do you want -- ?
And now LIGHTNING streaks the room and we see Rachel in
the corner. Staring with her dead eyes. Moving towards
her.

                         MIRANDA

          I've done everything you've asked
          me to. My life is ruined. I
          can't take this anymore. I
          can't...
                   (faintly)
          You have to step into the light,
          Rachel. You don't belong here --
          you don't belong...
But it doesn't work. Rachel keeps walking towards her.
Miranda backs up against the wall. Trapped. Fighting
tears --

                        MIRANDA

          Into the light --
                  (loudly)
          Can somebody come in here?       I need
          help. Somebody, please!




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - DIFFERENT FLOOR - STAIRS -


SAME TIME

The cops reach the landing where we see other flashlights
down the corridor. They walk towards them.

                        IRENE

          And who are you?

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        95.





CONTINUED:





                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Officer Turlington, ma'am. We're
             supposed to sit outside Miranda
             Grey's cell all night.




                           IRENE

             Knock yourself out. Next floor up.
                     (loudly)
             It's only a power outage, ladies
             -- let's call it an early night.
The cops head down the corridor.




INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - SAME TIME

Rachel stretches out her arm to Miranda's face --

                           MIRANDA

             Please don't. Why are you doing
             this? It's over. Over and done!
Rachel slowly shakes her head, places her hands on
Miranda's eyes and shuts them --

                                       FLASH CUT TO:








MIRANDA'S VISION - ANDREA WHITE

in her school uniform. Staring straight ahead. Now the
image is bathed in a red and blue light and we see her
half-naked, bruised. Dead.

                                       FLASH CUT TO:





JENNY DIXON

staring AT us in her school uniform. Now abruptly she is
a hellish vision: opening her mouth in agony, also
bathed in the strange red and blue light --

END OF MIRANDA'S VISION.





INT. MIRANDA'S NEW CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Miranda screams at the visions.    Rachel holds her steady.

                          MIRANDA

             Stop it! I don't want to see
             this! I can't help you anymore!
             Stop it!

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                        96.





CONTINUED:




Now a heavy RATTLING makes her turn to the door. One of
the HINGES has SHATTERED and the latch itself is half-
pulled from the doorframe. Relentless POUNDING on the
other side.




                           MIRANDA

             Let me out of here! Let me out!
There's a deafening SOUND like a thousand bells ringing
at once and Miranda covers her ears --
Outside WE HEAR MURMURS, YELLS, INSTRUCTIONS --




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - CORRIDOR

The cops arrive to find every door in the corridor flung
open. Confused patients spill out as guards and nurses
try to restore order. RADIOS SQUAWK, flashlights beam
and FOOTSTEPS fill the dark corridor as patients try to
escape.







EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - VARIOUS SHOTS - NIGHT

FIRE ENGINES and PATROL CARS arrive at the scene, SIRENS
blazing. Sheriff Ryan and additional deputies rush from
their cars to contain the breakout. A large SPOTLIGHT
comes to life. We spot Jenna making a run for the garden
wall when the spotlight hits her. Two officers rush
after her.




INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE

Sheriff Ryan makes his way through the mayhem, past Irene
helping a patient, past nurse Claire cowering in a corner --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Christ Almighty.
Sheriff Ryan hits the stairs.




INT. SIXTH FLOOR CORRIDOR

Officer Turlington runs down the corridor, searching
frantically with his flashlight --




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NIGHT

A car pulls up at the scene.     Pete and Parsons step out.

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         97.





CONTINUED:





                          PETE

             Miranda...
Pete rushes up the steps --







INT. SIXTH FLOOR CORRIDOR

Officer Turlington looks inside Miranda's cell. Empty.
And as he is about to speak into his walkie he spots her:
Seated by the elevator. Holding a biting block in
Shelley's mouth as her seizing subsides.

                           OFFICER

                     (into radio)
             Sheriff? I have Miss Grey right
             here.
He flashes his light at her.     Miranda looks back blankly.

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Sorry, we thought you might have
             made a run for it.

                           MIRANDA

             Page Irene ASAP. This patient
             needs her meds.
Turlington nods. Miranda looks down at a grateful
Shelley, whose head is cradled in her lap. Brushes the
matted hair off her face. Carefully removes the biting
block, making sure Shelley is alright.

                           SHELLEY

                     (after a beat)
             You're gonna get that Pulitzer
             after all.

                           MIRANDA

             Shh, shh, just rest.

                           SHELLEY

                     (sotto, smiling)
             I told you I could keep a secret.







INT. REC ROOM - LATER

The patients are all assembled here. Flashlights galore.
Irene and Consuelo do head counts. Guards, officers,
janitors -- everybody. Irene points a finger at Jenna.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         98.





CONTINUED:





                           IRENE

             You have really disappointed me
             tonight, Jenna --




                           JENNA

             Give me a break. You wouldn't
             respect me if I hadn't tried --
Parsons breaks away from Turlington, heads over to Pete
and Miranda --

                           PETE

             Everybody accounted for?

                           PARSONS

             We're doing the final count.   Now
             they can't find the Sheriff.
Miranda scans the near-dark room, looking for someone.
Watches Turlington step aside to take a call on his
radio.   Parsons regards her with newfound respect:

                           PARSONS

             Are you alright, Miranda?

                            MIRANDA

             Fine, Phil.   Thanks for asking.
Suddenly all the policemen in the room begin to exit --

                           PETE

             What's going on, Officer?

                            OFFICER TURLINGTON

             One of your patients is holding
             the Sheriff at gunpoint. She's in
             the cafeteria.
Pete glances at Miranda.      She knows exactly who it is:

                           MIRANDA

             Chloe.
Turlington is about to exit when Parsons stops him:

                           PARSONS

             I think Doctor Grey should be the
             one to talk to her.




INT. CAFETERIA - MOMENTS LATER

The DOOR CRASHES open and Chloe shoves the Sheriff
inside. She has a gun pressed hard against his ear.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                          99.





CONTINUED:





                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Young lady, I don't know how you
             think you can get out of here,
             but --




                           CHLOE

             You're very polite for a piggy.
             Now take off your uniform.
Sheriff Ryan hesitates.      Chloe presses the gun against
him.

                            CHLOE

             Do it quick.   I won't make fun of
             you.
The sound of the UPSTAIRS DOOR BEING THROWN OPEN makes
her glance up. She trains her flashlight at the second
level, stepping behind the Sheriff to use him as cover.

                           CHLOE

             Nobody better fucking move up
             there or I'll blow this piggy's
             head off!
Her FLASHLIGHT BEAM searches the section. Catches the
reflection of a police shield hiding behind a table.

                           CHLOE

             That means you, fucko. Up on your
             feet or I'll start by shooting his
             ear off.
A beat.   Officer Turlington rises.      Slow and deliberate.

                           CHLOE

                     (to Sheriff, sotto)
             Tell junior the grownups are
             talking now and he's not allowed
             in here. Do it.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Turlington, it's alright. I
             can -- I'm just going to --

                            CHLOE

             The grownups are talking.   Don't
             paraphrase me.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             The grownups are -- are talking
             now. Just leave.

                                                 (CONTINUED)





                                                          100.





CONTINUED:




A voice startles Chloe from behind, at floor level.

                            MIRANDA

             Chloe?   Can I talk to you?



Chloe flicks the flashlight to see Miranda by the door.

                           CHLOE

             Dreadful timing, I'm real busy.

                           MIRANDA

             You have to let him go.   I'm sorry.
Chloe flinches at that. Like all this multitasking is
affecting her. She digs the gun deeper into the Sheriff's
neck, making him cower to his knees, execution style --

                           CHLOE

             Look -- let's not confuse things.
             I like you. But this is my only
             chance.
                     (to Sheriff)
             Now take off that goddamn uniform
             before I get really pissed.
The Sheriff glances at Miranda. Miranda nods.       The
Sheriff begins unbuttoning his shirt --

                           MIRANDA

             What are you going to do? Put on
             his uniform and walk out of here?
             Think about it, Chloe. They know
             you have him. The place is
             crawling with cops.

                           CHLOE

             What are my options? To grow old
             in this place? It's clear they will
             never let me go. Never. Ever.

                           MIRANDA

             That's not true. You have less
             than a year left here.

                           CHLOE

             That's a lie! I'll never stop
             being sick, they'll just find
             something new that's wrong with
             me. No wonder you doctors can't
             help anyone -- all you have are
             deficit columns and stupid tests
             designed to point out what part of
             the puzzle you think we're missing!

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         101.





CONTINUED:




She starts sobbing.     Letting everything go --

                           MIRANDA

             You're right, doctors never
             concentrate on the things patients
             are actually capable of. But I
             know you, Chloe, you've been
             through things that most people
             don't survive. And you have a
             wonderful future in front of you
             if you choose it. It's up to you.
This gets through to Chloe.       Her grip loosens on the gun.

                           MIRANDA

             No more guilt, no more hatred, no
             more unbearable sadness. You have
             no use for any of that anymore.
             Your life begins this very second.

                             CHLOE

             I'm so tired.    So goddamn tired --
Miranda walks over and embraces her.       Chloe hands her the
gun.
And that's when the power returns.
Miranda and Chloe frozen in their embrace. Sheriff Ryan
on his knees. In the sudden, shocking glare of returning
light, color abruptly re-enters the world and every
RADIO, PHONE, FAN and MACHINE that were left on HUM TO

LIFE.

Miranda finds herself staring at Sheriff Ryan, bathed in
the glow of the flashing red and blue lights from the
cruisers outside. The image a replica of the Andrea
White and Jenny Dixon visions.
Peeking from his half-unbuttoned shirt is the beginning
of a chest TATTOO. Miranda slowly trains the gun on the
Sheriff, finally struck with the realization:

                           MIRANDA

             It was you, wasn't it?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             What are you talking about?
She opens his shirt to reveal the tattoo: a 1950s pinup-
style WOMAN SURROUNDED BY FLAMES, ARMS RAISED, SHACKLED.
Anima Sola. Miranda's recurring vision from the night of
the slaughter.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                        102.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             'Not alone.' That's what Rachel
             has been trying to tell me all
             along. Doug was not alone. You
             were with him. This whole time
             it's been you. You covered up
             their deaths to look like
             suicides.
The Sheriff throws his jacket on, starts walking --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             You've lost your mind.

                           MIRANDA

             Don't fucking move.
The CLICK! of a SAFETY being released makes him pause.
He turns to look at her. A tense beat.

                           PETE (O.S.)

             Miranda, don't do it!
She glances at Pete's pleading face and the room around
her: cops everywhere. All guns trained on her.
Sheriff Ryan speaks low so only she can hear the
following:

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             And just exactly who would believe
             you? No proof, no living witness.
             Everybody knows you're crazy.
Miranda's finger itches on the trigger as they face off.
Her hand starts to shake. Sheriff Ryan turns and strides
off. Getting away. Further. Further...
But as much as she wants to, she can't bring herself to
do it. Finally brings the gun down. The armed policemen
rush over and disarm her, shove her to the floor and cuff
her.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             I want that woman in custody. She
             has a judge to face in the morning.




EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - NIGHT (HEAVY RAIN)

Turlington escorts a cuffed Miranda to a waiting cruiser.
He jumps behind the wheel and starts to pull out when
Pete suddenly taps on Miranda's window, startling her --

                                               (CONTINUED)





                                                         103.





CONTINUED:





                           PETE

             I'll call your lawyer and -- !

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Sir, not now --

                           PETE

             I'll meet you at the station!
She shakes her head.     Mouths something Pete can't make out.

                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Sir, please --

                           PETE

             What?
Turlington hits the gas. Miranda presses her face
against the window so only Pete can see her say the
following:

                           MIRANDA

             The girl in the hospital.
Pete locks eyes with her, nods -- as the cruiser leaves.




INT. JACKSON HOSPITAL - RECOVERING ROOM - NIGHT

Tracy Seaver lies unconscious, hooked up to a series of
machines. PULL BACK to find Pete with a young DOCTOR.

                           DOCTOR

             Her condition remains the same.
             Basically that ventilator is
             keeping her alive. We have no
             reason to think she'll ever wake
             up. I'm sorry.
Pete nods, disconcerted.      Stares at the girl.

                           PETE

             You mind if I stay here tonight?

                           DOCTOR

             Hey, it's a big place. The more
             the merrier. If I can just ask
             you to wait outside.







INT. WAITING AREA

The Doctor gestures for Pete to make himself comfortable.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                           104.





CONTINUED:





                           HOSPITAL LOUDSPEAKER (V.O.)

             Dr. Brooks to ER. Dr. Brooks --

                            DOCTOR

             That's me.   Excuse me.
The Doctor rushes off.




INT. RECOVERY ROOM #2

Like Tracy Seaver, Simon Reynolds is hooked up to a bunch
of machines and cables. Suddenly his EYES SHOOT OPEN and
the CARDIAC ALARM SQUEALS --
Two NURSES rush in.       The young Doctor right behind.

                            NURSE #1

             V-tach.
The EKG whipsaws. The Doctor feels for a pulse, then slaps
on the defibrillator pads, places the paddles on the chest --

                            DOCTOR

             Clear!
He begins chest compressions on Simon's heart. He spasms
violently once, twice -- And then it stops. The Doctor
and Nurses stare at the monitor. Flatline.
Unseen by them, Rachel steps out of the room.







EXT. COUNTY POLICE STATION - NIGHT

WE SEE Turlington and two other COPS climb in a patrol
car and drive off. WE MOVE INSIDE the empty station...




INT. SHERIFF RYAN'S OFFICE

Sheriff Ryan takes a healthy chug from a fifth of Scotch,
slips it back in a drawer. Stares at his hands. Steady as
a rock. Takes a deep breath. Knows what he must do next.
A religious man despite everything, he brings his thumb
to his forehead and crosses himself.




INT. COUNTY STATION - HOLDING CELL - MOMENTS LATER

Miranda's eyes snap open at the SOUND OF DEADBOLTS
SLIDING UNLOCKED. Hopeful. Could this be Rachel?

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                         105.





CONTINUED:




A looming figure appears at the door. Doesn't bother to
shut it. Stares at her silently for a long while. And
so begins a claustrophobic cat and mouse game:




                           SHERIFF RYAN

             How did you know?

                            MIRANDA

             You tell me.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             This isn't one of your word
             association games, Doctor. Did
             Douglas tell you that night?

                           MIRANDA

             Why wait this long if he had?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Maybe it's your amnesia. Maybe
             you blocked it out.

                           MIRANDA

             Maybe. But it seems to me that
             it's vital you know for sure.
He studies her. Takes a step towards her. Miranda
responds by stepping back. A slow motion semicircle, if
you will. She eyes the open door. Tempted.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             You think me and Doug are
             monsters. That this was all a
             carefully laid out plan with those
             girls. But it wasn't that at all.
             You do things sometimes and you're
             not sure why you did them. Then
             you realize you can live with them
             and so can everyone else. Life
             goes on.

                           MIRANDA

             If you're looking for forgiveness,
             you came to the wrong place.
She's stalling, trying to keep him talking and he knows
it.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             One thing about fear is it makes
             people say the dumbest things.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                       106.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             Be that as it may, you're afraid
             too -- because you know killing me
             won't solve your problems.




                           SHERIFF RYAN

             My only problem is you.

                           MIRANDA

             What about Parsons? And Peter?
             They know. And that girl in the
             hospital will never forget your
             face. You miscalculated, now you
             pay.
Patience tested, he suddenly WHACKS her across the face.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             I hate a bad bluffer.
She makes a big effort to hide how much that stung.

                           MIRANDA

             I sure hope that felt good because
             you can't afford too many more
             signs of struggle. Can you?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Go ahead, hit me back. It's what
             you want.

                           MIRANDA

             No, that's what you want me to do.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Back to profiling, huh? Your
             thought process is completely
             transparent.
And now Miranda briefly takes the reins of the
conversation. Analyst and patient in session.      Echoing
her opening scene with Chloe.

                           MIRANDA

             So we're even. You left that door
             open so I'd try and run, it's what
             you get off on, isn't it?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             I guess we'll find out.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                        107.





CONTINUED:





                           MIRANDA

             And yet you have to make me look
             like a suicide. With what, your
             belt?
                     (off his shrug)
             How would I get access to a belt?

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Trust me, prisoners hang themselves
             with just about anything.

                           MIRANDA

             I don't think that's going to
             satisfy you. You won't be able to
             do this clean. You have too much
             guilt inside.
SMACK! Another slap across the face. Miranda's knees
buckle. But she remains standing. Her lip trembles.

                           MIRANDA

             You're losing grasp of the
             situation. It was different with
             those girls. I bet all they did
             was cry and scream.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Don't worry, you'll scream.
                     (after a beat)
             Take off your shirt.
This throws her off.     She shoots a quick glance at the
door.

                           MIRANDA

             Aren't I a little old for you?

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Take it off.
She hesitates.    He draws his gun, tired.    Removes the
safety.

                           MIRANDA

             That's for show. You know you
             can't shoot me.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             But I can smash your teeth out and
             make it look like you bashed your
             head against the wall. Now shut
             up, take off your goddamn shirt
             and pull off your bra.

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                          108.





CONTINUED:




Miranda is petrified now.      Running out of ways to hide
it.

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Today, Doctor.
In a sudden move, Miranda shoves the chair at him and
bolts out the door. The Sheriff doesn't move to stop
her.




INT. HALLWAY TO CELL AREA - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Miranda dashes down the hallway, trying to escape. Takes
quick inventory of the space: two more holding cells
like her own, a row of filing cabinets, and a storage
area with barred windows. She makes a turn up ahead and
reaches another gate down the corridor. A sliding gate
that closes off the cell area from the main station.
She tries the gate. Locked, naturally.       She shakes and
bangs on it, desperate.

                            MIRANDA


             TURLINGTON!!   SOMEBODY HELP ME!!

No response. And no way to disguise the sheer panic in
her voice. She fell for his trap. They're all alone
here.







INT. MIRANDA'S CELL - SAME TIME

Ryan smiles at that. Re-holsters his weapon and walks
towards her, taking his time. Relishing the hunt.

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Doug mentioned you were painfully
             'modest.' But enough about you,
             let's discuss Rachel.




INT. HALLWAY TO CELL AREA - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Now Miranda searches for a place to hide.        His FOOTSTEPS

GETTING CLOSER --


                           SHERIFF RYAN (O.S.)

             She was no crippled saint. Wasn't
             the first time she turned up at
             Doug's house all messed up.




                                                     109.





ANOTHER ANGLE




Sheriff Ryan peeks down the corridor where we last saw
Miranda. The gate still locked. She's not there. He
traces her steps, clearly enjoying this:




                        SHERIFF RYAN

          Sure she was a minor, but she
          wasn't going to let that get in
          her way.




INT. STORAGE AREA - SAME TIME

Miranda is cramped underneath an upturned desk. The SHOT
is FRAMED so we can see the doorway. She prays silently:

                        MIRANDA

                  (sotto)
          Rachel, where are you when I need
          you?
Clearly not here.   Sheriff Ryan's voice getting closer:

                        SHERIFF RYAN (O.S.)

          Those other girls -- make no
          mistake -- they knew what they
          were getting into.
He appears at the doorway now, peeks inside the room.
Sensing her in there. Miranda holds her breath.

                        SHERIFF RYAN

          I'm not saying they knew they were
          going to die, but truth is, Doug and
          I didn't know it was going to end that
          way. It was just the natural extension
          of that moment. So yeah, we fucked
          them and we killed them. And we knew
          it was wrong. Sure we did.
He reaches the upturned desk and flips it over with a
CLANGING SOUND. Miranda wasn't underneath that one. She
scrambles to the door behind him as he turns --







INT. HALLWAY TO CELL AREA - CONTINUOUS ACTION

She slams the door shut on his fingers and fumbles to
slide the deadbolt behind her when the door suddenly
SMASHES OPEN against her, knocking her backwards onto the
floor --
He looms over her. She reaches around for anything to
defend herself. Nothing there. Game over --

                                            (CONTINUED)





                                                       110.





CONTINUED:





                             SHERIFF RYAN

             It wasn't some satanic pact,
             society didn't make us do it. But
             I believe given the proper
             circumstances a person is capable
             of anything -- certainly in my
             line of work you see it day in,
             day out.
                      (beat)
             Tell you what, keep the shirt.
             The bra will do.
Miranda stares, helpless. The Sheriff gestures for her
to begin. Like he has all the time in the world.
Miranda slides up the wall and starts to unclasp her bra
under her shirt. Petrified --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Chin up, Doctor. You wanted to
             get to the bottom of this and you
             did. You followed it all the way
             through. This is how it ends.
His demeanor and voice are eerily calm,    as if in a
trance. He takes the bra from her hand     and hangs it
around her neck, as if helping somebody    with their tie.
She takes a step back and finds herself    pinned against
the wall --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Doug settled down once you two got
             married. New start and all that.
             Wanted nothing to do with this
             runaway I'd found, Tracy Seaver --
He squeezes the bra tightly around her throat, choking
her. She stares straight into his eyes -- her whole
body simultaneously frozen in place and shaking
uncontrollably --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             Or so he claimed. Because the
             truth, Doc -- is people never
             change. The son of a bitch
             couldn't resist. I asked him to
             dump the body and instead he went
             found some barn to work her out of
             his system some more. Go fucking
             figure.
And now we PAN DOWN TO see Miranda's left hand ever so
slowly reach for his holster...

                                              (CONTINUED)





                                                         111.





CONTINUED:





                           SHERIFF RYAN

             You can't count on anyone, even
             friends you've had your whole
             life.



They're so close together their noses nearly touch. He
gazes into her eyes, watching life drain out of her. He
applies one final burst of pressure, stretching her skin
to the point of no return --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             The only soul you can ever count
             on is yourself --
BLAM! A GUNSHOT rings out and half his ear explodes in a
gush of blood. He stumbles back, still on his feet,
dazed.
He looks up at Miranda with the gun trained on him.
Struggling to catch her breath. A faint smile forms on
his lips, somehow appreciative of this turn of events.

                            SHERIFF RYAN

             Why, Doctor.   That was unexpected.
He steps forward, almost playfully. She slowly shakes
her head. Wraps her fingers tightly around the
trigger --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             You sure about this?
He stares at her. Blood flowing from the side of his
head. He's now standing directly in front of Miranda's
open cell, weighing his options at triple speed --

                           SHERIFF RYAN

             You need me alive for your story
             to stick. Be logical now. You
             know you can't kill me.
He takes exactly half a step forward when Miranda drills
a BULLET through his forehead. Sheriff Ryan splays
backwards and lands with a crash.

                           MIRANDA

             Logic is overrated.




INT. HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM - NIGHT

The door to Tracy's room is closed. WE FIND Pete where
we left him, by the soda machine, fighting to stay awake.

                                                (CONTINUED)





                                                      112.





CONTINUED:




MOVING TOWARD him, we COME TO REST ON the back of his
neck. So TIGHT we can actually see the hairs on the back
of his neck. And as he feels the SWOOSH of a cold
whisper, they stand up on their ends.



Pete turns to Tracy's room to notice that the door is now
open. Strange. He stands up and walks to the door.




INT. RECOVERY ROOM #1

Pete looks oddly around the room.

                           PETE

             Anybody in here -- ?
As he turns, we REVEAL Rachel slipping out of the room.
Unseen by him, of course. Pete starts to exit when Tracy
opens her eyes. Groggily waking as if from a dream.

                             TRACY SEAVER

             Hello -- ?







EXT. COUNTY POLICE STATION - NIGHT

Turlington comes out of his cruiser, carrying a bag of
take-out food. Chatting with his colleagues.




INT. HALLWAY TO SHERIFF RYAN'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Turlington raps on the Sheriff's door and opens it.

                             OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Sheriff Ryan?
No sight of the man.  That's odd. Maybe he's in the
bathroom. Turlington heads in that direction.




INT. MEN'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Turlington peeks in.      checks the stalls.

                             OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Sheriff?
Nobody. He notices the back window is open because
raindrops are blown in by the wind. He looks out to the
parking lot for a moment before shutting it.




                                                      113.





INT. POLICE STATION - CORRIDOR




The FRONT DESK OFFICER is trying to hold back a grim Pete,
Parsons and Teddy Howard from heading to the back area.

                        FRONT DESK OFFICER

          I'm sorry, but nobody is allowed
          to visit at this hour --

                        PETE

          Is the Sheriff here or isn't he?

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

                  (reaching the scene)
          Help you, gentlemen?

                        PETE

          We're here to see Miranda Grey.

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

          You know full well you're not
          allowed to see --
Teddy Howard slaps an official-looking document on him.

                        TEDDY HOWARD

          That's straight from Judge
          Wilkinson. Take us to her cell.

                        FRONT DESK OFFICER

          Better get the Sheriff out here.
Turlington looks over the paperwork, confused.

                        OFFICER TURLINGTON

          Sheriff Ryan isn't here. His car
          is gone too.

                        PARSONS

          Officer, unlock the goddamn door
          to Miranda's cell or I'll break it
          down myself.
Turlington is not used to being spoken to this way,
certainly not by upstanding directors of psychiatric
institutes. He leads the men down the corridor and
unlocks the cell. The men wait as all three locks are
dutifully undone and then the heavy door is slid open.
The men look inside and instantly stop in their tracks.




INT. HOLDING CELL

Sheriff Ryan, splayed.   Very dead.

                                             (CONTINUED)





                                                           114.





CONTINUED:





                           OFFICER TURLINGTON

             Jesus H. Christ.
Teddy Howard has to look away. Pete places his hand on
Parsons' shoulder. Parsons simply glares at the dead
man, eyes filled with hatred.
No sign of Miranda anywhere.        Vanished.   Like Houdini.

                                            DISSOLVE TO:





EXT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - DAY

CAMERA SOARS THROUGH the tall gates, PAST the guard, PAST
the sprinklers watering the impressive gardens. A
TAXICAB pulls up.

SUPERIMPOSE:     SIX MONTHS LATER

A healthier, much happier-looking Chloe shakes Pete's
hand at the front steps. Small suitcase by her side.

                           CHLOE

             Thank you for everything, Dr.
             Graham. I'll never forget all
             you've done for me.

                           PETE

             It's been my pleasure, Miss
             McGrath. Good luck out there.
Chloe smiles.     Awkward.   Her first day out in the real
world.

                           CHLOE

             Well, I guess this is it. I hope
             not to see you again unless it's
             for coffee or something.

                           PETE

             Hey, you never know. It's a small
             world, unless you have to clean it.
Chloe picks up her bag, climbs down the steps to her cab.
Stops midway, turns:

                           CHLOE

             You don't have to tell me if you
             don't want to, but -- have you
             ever heard anything from -- ?
Pete shakes his head. Chloe nods, climbs inside the cab.
Pete waves as it drives off. Then he pulls out a postcard
from his pocket. It has a New York City postmark.




                                                      115.





INSERT - POSTCARD





                        MIRANDA (V.O.)

          Dear Pete. Hope this finds you on
          both feet, preferably having been
          promoted to director after Phil's
          retirement. Not that you had much
          competition, but a big hug to you
          anyway... I was as surprised as
          anyone to read about Sheriff
          Ryan's suicide and the startling
          discovery that it was he who
          murdered my late husband. I wish
          I could personally thank certain
          people for their convincing
          testimonies in the case.




NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

fly AT us under her V.O.:
A) "Female doctor still at large, wanted for
questioning," with a picture of Miranda underneath.
B) "Guilt-ridden serial killer killed accomplice, then
killed self: Female Doctor cleared on charges."
Pictures of Sheriff Ryan and Douglas Grey side by side.
C) "Authorities close case on dual serial killers:
community mourns murdered daughters." A picture of
Officer Turlington, Pete, and Phil Parsons at a press
conference.

                        MIRANDA (V.O.)

          As for myself, I have a new name
          now and a job working with teenage
          girls at a runaway shelter, trying
          to keep an open mind at the
          horrors they tell me...







EXT. CEMETERY - DAY

BOOM DOWN TO a young woman kneeling down to set flowers
on a grave and we recognize her as Tracy Seaver.
Shockingly cleaned up and properly attired -- she's even
cute.

                        MIRANDA (V.O.)

          Which reminds me: Consuelo the
          Cuban witch is a keeper, don't
          fire her. She knows things about
          the world you and I don't.

                                           (CONTINUED)





                                                        116.





CONTINUED:




PULL BACK to see the gave is Rachel's, and it is
positively overflowing with flowers. She's become
something of a cause celeb in these parts. Tracy walks
back to the retired couple holding hands, Phil and
Dorothy Parsons.

                           MIRANDA (V.O.)

             Well, gotta run now, I have some
             country songs to write and lots of
             social invites to decline...
STILL PULLING BACK THROUGH the lush cemetery, PAST
several trees until we find Rachel watching the serene
scene. She turns TO CAMERA now and we PUSH INTO her
eyes, finally at peace, until it FILLS the SCREEN and in
it we see...




EXT. BLEEKER STREET (NYC) - DAY

Miranda walking among the throng of pedestrians. She
looks confident, relaxed, down to earth. No longer the
tightly wound professional at the beginning of our story.

                           MIRANDA (V.O.)

             P.S. And in case you're wondering
             what the chances are of me buying
             you a beer and maybe finishing
             something we almost started, the
             answer is: it's just not going to
             happen. Especially not at
             McSorley's next Friday night. Say
             around nine. So you probably
             shouldn't bother showing up. All
             my love, M.G.
She turns at the light and gets lost in the crowd.




                                            FADE OUT.








                           THE END