Chapter 16:
EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK MIDWAY – NIGHT
James and Greg race down the midway, following red arrows painted on the ground. They stop at the entrance of the rollercoaster.
SOMEONE JUMPS INTO THEM!
They scream!
It's Carrie!
GREG: Where'd you come from?!
CARRIE: I don't know, I woke up in some haunted ride and he just … let me go.
JAMES: Right … he just let you go … you buying this?
GREG: Well sure … Carrie could never do anything like this …
JAMES: (shaking his head) No! He wouldn't have let you go that easily! It's a trick … you! You're the fricken killer!
CARRIE: James … I think you're misreading -.
JAMES: Greg – get away from her!
Greg opens his mouth to speak … a KNIFE protrudes through his chest from his back. With a grunt, Ghostface RIPS the knife out and Greg crumples.
JAMES: Run!
James and Carrie take off at top speed. The loudspeakers blare, Ghostface's voice ringing throughout the entire park.
GHOSTFACE: Oh Jimmy-boy, come out and play!
James and Carrie stop, looking in all directions.
GHOSTFACE: Do you tire of our game, Jimmy-boy? Would you prefer me to end our two final contestants right now?
JAMES: (yelling) STOP! I'LL PLAY! I'LL PLAY!
GHOSTFACE: Good. For the final match – come to the Ferris Wheel.
EXT. FERRIS WHEEL – NIGHT
The massive Giant Wheel is dark and silent. James and Carrie follow the arrows on the ground, pointing in its direction. They approach – James stops Carrie short.
Bill and Tatum have regained consciousness – they are sitting at the entrance dock of the wheel … nooses around both their necks, the end of the ropes tied to the steel girders. Their hands are bound again.
Ghostface blares again over the loudspeaker.
GHOSTFACE: Oh Billy, Tatum! Time to rise and shine!
The two wake up. They look at each other, see James and Greg.
JAMES: This isn't about them – let them go!
GHOSTFACE: It's about all of you. But for now, it's you who I want to play with! For each second you refuse to play along, the wheel will begin turning. Up, up, dragging the two of them up by their necks … inch by inch … until there's no ground left!
JAMES: This is sick! You're sick!
GHOSTFACE: Not as sick as you! That's what this game is about, Jimmy-boy. It's time you finally come clean with your fiancé … and if you don't … heh, well they'll make nice ornaments dangling from the top of the wheel, don't you think?
TATUM: James – just get out of here! Go! Forget us!
JAMES: No …
GHOSTFACE: Oh, isn't this beautiful? You mean someone as sick as you Jimmy actually fell in love?
JAMES: … Yes …
GHOSTFACE: Ah, that makes this much more delicious! You – forced to tell the girl you love the cold, hard truth!
TATUM: James?
GHOSTFACE: Cat got your tongue, Jimmy-boy? You mouthed off to me something fierce not too long ago? What changed?
James stares sadly at Tatum, who stares back, horribly confused. Billy looks back and forth at them. Carrie is standing there, hands up to her chin, terrified.
GHOSTFACE: Come on, Jimmy. Be a man. Why don't you tell Tatum what you are …?
TATUM: James … what's he talking about?
GHOSTFACE: Maybe you need some INCENTIVE!
The Ferris Wheel begins turning. Billy and Tatum scream, as they're forced upright onto their knees. The Ferris Wheel grinds to a halt, the two of them on their knees, their necks forced upright unnaturally.
JAMES: Stop! STOP! What do you want from me, just STOP!
GHOSTFACE: Will you answer my question, James? Their life depends on you … her life is depending on you! (Beat) Confess. Confess your sins and they LIVE!
(Beat)
TATUM: What sins? James … what's he saying?
GHOSTFACE: Admit it, James … admit WHAT YOU ARE!
James grits his teeth. He lowers his head in shame.
JAMES: I had a little sister …
TATUM: Emily … she passed away a few years ago …
JAMES: Not passed away. Committed suicide.
The soundtrack thuds. Tatum is horrified.
TATUM: I … I'm so sorry …
JAMES: Committed suicide … because Veronica Tate made her life a living hell … she bullied her into bulimia … I was forced to watch my sister waste away …
TATUM: What are you saying?
GHOSTFACE: Yes. Tell her. Tell her what happened next.
JAMES: (eyes tearing) Please …
The Ferris Wheel starts rotating again. Tatum and Billy cry out in pain, forced onto their feet, onto their tippy toes – not much ground left for them to stand on. The Ferris Wheel stops and Billy and Tatum's bodies are stretched to unnatural proportions.
GHOSTFACE: I WANT YOU TO LOOK HER IN THE EYE AND ADMIT WHAT YOU ARE!
James does look her in the eye. Tears are flowing.
JAMES: I was so angry after she deliberately overdosed on weight loss pills … and then the murders started. Sidney and Cotton. I couldn't think straight …
TATUM: Please …
GHOSTFACE: ADMIT WHAT YOU DID!
James: I'm a murderer. I murdered Veronica Tate and Brian Orth two years ago.
The soundtrack STRIKES!
Tatum is struck beyond words.
TATUM: How could you? I trusted you! I loved you …
BILLY: YOU! You're responsible for all this?!
JAMES: No! You have to believe me – yes, I murdered Veronica and Brian, but that's it! It was revenge, pure and simple! But I haven't killed anyone since, I swear! I don't know who these guys are or how they found out about this!
Tatum is absolutely devastated.
TATUM: How can I believe anything you say …?
Carrie is backing away.
JAMES: I'll turn myself in. I promise … just please, let Tatum and Billy go!
GHOSTFACE: Feh. As if I care that you killed Veronica and Brian.
JAMES: What?
GHOSTFACE: This was never about them, or you Jimmy-boy! It's all about Tatum, always has been. And how best to hurt her! Oh I'm flippin giddy right now, watching her whole world be taken out from under her!
JAMES: You son of a bitch!
GHOSTFACE: Careful now!
The Ferris Wheel turns on. This time, it doesn't stop. It goes up, up, dragging Tatum and Sidney.
James dives forward onto the main deck, to the control panel. He pulls a lever – the Ferris Wheel stops again – Billy and Tatum are hanging fifty feet up in the air, the nooses choking the life out of them, their necks feathering towards breaking.
James pulls the REVERSE lever. It begins descending. Billy and Tatum's feet touch the ground.
Ghostface BURSTS UP, grabbing Carrie, stabbing her in the back. He tosses her aside, moves for James, Billy and Tatum.
James pulls out a switchblade, cuts Tatum and Billy free.
JAMES: Go! GO!
The two race away from the Ferris Wheel. James stands there, ready. Ghostface is barreling towards him, bringing his knife down. James grabs his wrist – he cuts into Ghostface's side with his switchblade.
Ghostface kicks James into an open gondola. The killer pulls a lever, and the Ferris Wheel ascends up, up, trapping James at the top. He turns, staring in the direction Billy and Tatum fled to.