ACT ONE
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, INFIRMARY
Harvey sits at the foot of the cot, staring blankly at the wall. After a moment, a NURSE enters with RONNIE COOKE.
NURSE
...or a mild panic attack.
Ronnie drops into a chair next to Harvey, watching him
RONNIE
(softly)
Harvey?
(no response)
Can you hear me?
HARVEY
I saw her.
Ronnie looks to the nurse, who shrugs and shakes her head.
RONNIE
Who did you see, Harvey?
HARVEY
She was just standing there.
Harvey turns to Ronnie, looking ecstatic and terrified.
HARVEY
She was waiting for me.
RONNIE
Harvey; do you know who I am?
Harvey watches Ronnie quizzically for a moment, then grins.
HARVEY
You look like the girl from that outer
space show. But you're prettier.
Ronnie looks at Harvey for a long confused moment.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, GYMNASIUM
The bleachers are rolled back against both walls, and both basketball nets have been raised, leaving a gap of empty hardwood. After a moment, a girl – RAINY MURPHY – enters with a gym-bag slung over one shoulder. She reaches a free-throw line and sets her bag down, glancing around the empty gym to see another girl – BECKY EMERSON – slip in from the far end. Becky carries a duffel bag of her own over one shoulder, with a pair of goggles hanging around her neck.
BECKY
We've got one hour.
RAINY
Should be enough. Marcie set it up?
BECKY
"Volleyball practice."
RAINY
Do we even HAVE a volleyball team?
BECKY
I don't think so.
RAINY
(laughs)
Priceless.
Rainy leans over her bag to find her own pair of goggles. She carries them with her as she heads for one corner of the gym, glancing through the window before reaching for a length of rope that hangs in the corner against the wall.
Becky makes her way to the other corner of the same wall, where a similar length of rope hangs down. Rainy gives a three-count signal, then counts down with her fingers; the two girls pull their cords simultaneously, unfurling a vast canvas that unrolls down the wall under the basketball net.
Rainy and Becky both head back to the foul-line where they survey their blank canvas. Becky reaches into her gym-bag and produces a PAINTBALL GUN; Rainy looks at it admiringly.
BECKY
This is gonna be good.
RAINY
This is gonna be REALLY good.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM
A girl, JENNY McCALLUM, stands at an easel slashing quickly at a canvas with a paintbrush. After a few moments, a boy enters – DOMINICK AVERY; he stops inside the door, watching McCallum attack her painting, which is a rough rendition of a bedroom door from inside a room. The image is decidedly sinister; the only bright spot in the painting is the white light pouring through the cracked bedroom door. An ornate mirror hangs on the wall next to the door, reflecting the image of a window, through which the skeleton of a tree can be seen; tied to one of the branches is a LENGTH OF ROPE.
AVERY
What's through the door?
McCALLUM
Don't know yet; haven't gotten out.
Avery crosses the room to get a closer look at the painting and notices the length of rope, gesturing to it.
AVERY
What's this?
McCallum stops painting and looks at the image, confused.
McCALLUM
Huh. I hadn't noticed it.
(back to painting)
Maybe she had enough and finally had
to escape.
AVERY
It's decidedly sinister.
(beat, smirk)
I like it.
McCALLUM
You're just saying that because it's
mine.
AVERY
Maybe. Probably not.
Avery drops into one of the desks behind McCallum.
AVERY
So what we talked about this morning.
McCallum seems uncomfortable, but continues to paint. She doesn't turn to look at Avery as the discussion continues.
McCALLUM
Yeah; about that.
AVERY
Are you sure about it?
McCALLUM
As sure as I can be.
AVERY
How long have you known?
McCallum sets down her brush, but still doesn't turn.
McCALLUM
A while.
AVERY
And you're positive it's not me?
McCallum finally turns to look at Avery, her face a mess of emotion. She takes the seat next to him, grasping his hand.
McCALLUM
(sad smile)
Pretty positive.
Avery glances away, sighing off a haggard breath.
AVERY
Okay. Okay; I think maybe I can deal
with that.
McCallum touches Avery's face, looking ready to cry.
McCALLUM
What do you think we should do?
AVERY
We need to be adults; we need to do
the mature thing. I mean, teenagers
already have to fight the perception
that we handle situations badly.
McCallum nods, nervous, but resolute.
McCALLUM
Okay; alright. I trust you.
McCallum breathes off a shaky sigh and kisses Avery.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY
Ronnie leads SCOTT GUBER to the infirmary.
RONNIE
Apparently Dominick Avery was the one
who actually got the nurse. He said
Harvey was standing in the middle of
the foyer, just staring at nothing.
SCOTT
I knew this day was coming. Does Nurse
Mitchum have any idea what caused it?
RONNIE
Could have been a petit mal seizure,
an ischemic stroke, or a panic attack.
Or it could have been something else;
or it could have been nothing at all.
SCOTT
So in short --
RONNIE
She has absolutely no idea.
They turn a corner and reach the infirmary.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, INFIRMARY
Harvey stands at the window, looking out silently. Ronnie, Scott and the nurse trade concerned before they enter.
SCOTT
Harvey...?
Harvey is silent for a long moment before answering without turning to look at Scott or Ronnie.
HARVEY
I'm positive that I'm not crazy.
SCOTT
No one is saying that you are --
HARVEY
But I saw her like she was standing
right in front of me.
Scott looks to Ronnie, who shrugs and shakes her head.
SCOTT
Who did you see, Harvey?
HARVEY
I know she's dead, Scott. Six years
now, she's been gone. I KNOW that.
SCOTT
Six years...Harvey; are you talking
about Helen?
HARVEY
They said she had a stroke, in her
sleep. Went to bed and never woke
up; I found her in the morning. I
called the ambulance that came and
took her away from me. Took her to
the place you don't come back from.
Harvey finally turns away from the window to face Scott.
HARVEY
I may not understand all that brain
science, but I understand what DEAD
means. I looked into its face.
RONNIE
God; Harvey...
HARVEY
I accepted it. I was angry and sad
and it took a long time, but I under-
stood that it's the price of living.
SCOTT
It may not be that easy, Harvey.
Scott approaches the window next to Harvey, looking out at the steel-grey snow-sky that looks ready to erupt.
SCOTT
What you lost...someone who was so
much a part of your life for so long
...someone who BECAME your life...
(looks to Harvey)
I know you better than to think that
you could let go of something like
that even this quickly.
HARVEY
But I accepted it. I did.
(looks to Scott)
So why do I think I saw her?
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, TV STUDIO
RILEY ELLIS sits in front of the backdrop for WINSLOW ONE, behind a desk. She taps her ear and shakes her head no.
RILEY
I'm still not getting anything in my
earpiece.
A speaker clicks on and a male voice is heard.
JULIEN (vo)
Are you sure it's on?
RILEY
No Julien...
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, TV CONTROL ROOM
JULIEN McNEAL and another male student run the control board while Danny Hanson supervises. Riley can be heard.
RILEY (vo)
(heavy sarcasm)
...I didn't bother to check the power
before telling you there's a problem.
DANNY
(joking)
Women. They think they own the world,
know what I mean? Well, you don't know
Julien, but trust me; they think --
RILEY (vo)
You might want to tell Julien to turn
off the speaker, Mr. Hanson.
Someone knocks at the door, and Danny heads for the hall.
JULIEN
What should I do?
DANNY
Turn off the speaker and fix her ear-
piece.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY
CLAIRE ELLISON waits by the door with ALLISON HANSON on one arm; Allison holds a wrapped plate with both hands.
DANNY
Hey babe.
CLAIRE
In case your kids got hungry; they're
for them, not for you.
DANNY
Ah; yeah; sure.
Danny takes the plate and places it in the control room.
CLAIRE
Don't forget; you promised you'd be
home by eight.
DANNY
I know, and a promise is a promise.
Eight o'clock and not a minute later.
You want me to pick up a pizza?
CLAIRE
Daniel; I'm cooking. Pizza's no good
for a five-year-old.
Danny takes Allison, rubbing his nose to hers.
DANNY
That's right, I forgot; you're still
a growing ferret.
ALLISON
I'm not a ferret.
DANNY
What? You sure look like a ferret.
(to Claire)
Doesn't she look like a ferret?
ALLISON
I don't look like a ferret.
DANNY
Ah, well; we can agree to disagree.
Who loves you, ferret?
ALLISON
Claire.
CLAIRE
That's right. And who loves me?
ALLISON
(to Danny)
You do.
DANNY
You got that right. So that means...?
ALLISON
That YOU love me.
DANNY
(to Claire)
How come they didn't build em this
smart at the Winslow student factory?
STUDENT (oc)
(down the hallway)
HEY!
DANNY
Hey yourself! Keep walking!
Claire takes Allison back.
CLAIRE
Okay; get back to work. Love you.
DANNY
Love you more.
Claire kisses Danny, and heads down the hall with Allison.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, GYMNASIUM
Rainy goes to work on the canvas with a can of black spray-paint while Becky peppers the sheet with pink paintballs. The sheet is almost fully covered with splatters, streaks, and splotches of pink, purple, blue and black paint.
Rainy shakes her spraypaint, applies a few final touches, and admires her work. From the foul-line, Becky appraises the whole piece – a massive work of post-modern abstract art. Then she sees that Rainy still has her back to her.
In a mischievous moment, Becky aims the paintball gun at Rainy and fires off one last round, which catches Rainy square in the asscheek. She jumps about a foot-and-a-half.
RAINY
OOWWWW! Bitch!
BECKY
(laughing)
Oh my God, I'm so sorry --
RAINY
You know, I'd believe you more if
you weren't LAUGHING!
BECKY
(laughing)
I didn't think I'd actually HIT you --
RAINY
I'd chase you down, but my ASS hurts!
Rainy takes a moment to catch her breath.
BECKY
(laughing)
Really; I'm sorry; are you okay?
RAINY
Dude; I am SO gonna have a bruise.
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, HALLWAY
Rainy limps down the stairs to the basement floor and heads down the hall toward Henry Preston's art classroom.
RAINY
Mr. Preston! It's done! My ass
REALLY hurts, but it's done! You
gotta see it; it looks amazing!
INT. WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL, CLASSROOM
As she enters the classroom, however, she stops dead.
RAINY
You won't believe HOLY GOD!
These last two words slip out when she sees DOMINICK AVERY, strung up with a belt around his neck, hanging from a tall filing cabinet. A toppled chair rests beneath his feet, a cryptic symbol scrawled on the blackboard: a large X, with two jagged circles, one at the top of each crosshatch.
FADE TO BLACK
COMMERCIAL II