Final Destination: Cheat it Once, Cheat it Twice
Chapter 3: Picture Perfect
A depressed and lonely Jamie sits in the corner with his head in his knees, bawling over his beloved Wanda. Jamie's friends are discussing Wanda's death with the paramedics and the investigators. Quinton walks over and kneels next to Jamie.
QUINTON: Look, man….I'm real sorry that you have to go through this. We all know what Wanda meant to you.
JAMIE: Thanks, but that doesn't matter now.
More tears collect at the corner of Jamie's eyes.
QUINTON: Don't say that…we're all going to make sure that you're still comfortable. Jamie? Look at me.
Jamie lifts his head up from his knees and glares at Quinton with red eyes.
QUINTON: It's going to be okay.
JAMIE: And call me crazy, but…
QUINTON: But what?
Jamie takes a deep breath.
JAMIE: But I—…I believe you. I know it's going to be okay, and that Wanda is in so much of a better place…
Jamie sniffles.
JAMIE: I just can't believe this. Why us? And, what if I was just crazy? And what if my premonition was no more than a silly hallucination? What if we were never meant to die in the first place on that elevator?
QUINTON: But Jamie…We all witnessed that elevator crash…Yolanda was even inside…
JAMIE: I know, but just suppose…If we did board the elevator with Yolanda…Would it still have crashed?
Jamie sighs. Quinton follows him with another sigh.
JAMIE: I don't know…I'm so confused.
QUINTON: Well, anyway…Can I ask you a question?
Jamie wipes some tears from his face with the back of his hand.
JAMIE: Yeah, go ahead.
QUINTON: Well, you were able to predict Wan—erm… the first death, so…I was just, uh…just wondering…
JAMIE: Who's next?
QUINTON: Well…yeah…if it's not too much trouble, I mean…'cause I can wait to know…ya' know? I'm not in a hurry…
JAMIE: I think it's best if I don't tell you…
There is an awkward silence. Quinton sighs.
QUINTON: It's me, isn't it?
Jamie does not reply.
QUINTON: Is it me?
Jamie puts his head in his knees again. He soon begins crying again.
JAMIE: (Whispers) I'm so sorry…
QUINTON: It's okay, Jamie…After all, death is just a part of life, isn't it?
Jamie covers his face with his hands, weeping softly, yet uncontrollably. Quinton gets up from the side of Jamie and heads toward Tashonya. He whispers something into Tashonya's ear, and walks towards the stairs. Tears abruptly begin to stream from Tashonya's eyes as she runs to catch up to her boyfriend. Umstel follows behind.
TASHONYA: Wait, boo!
QUINTON: Tashonya, baby, let me take you somewhere. Do you trust me?
TASHONYA: (With tears trickling down her cheeks) Of course, boo.
Quinton takes Tashonya's hand and leads her carefully down the stairs. Jamie gets up from the corner and follows them, with Umstel's arm around his shoulder.
TASHONYA: Where are you taking me?
QUINTON: You'll see…I want you to remember the times that we had together.
Tashonya begins to weep harder. She puts her hand on Quinton's chest. As Quinton and Tashonya walk through the lobby towards the doors, Umstel and Jamie follow behind. Jamie then accidentally slips on a film roll that had been dropped by a tourist. He and Umstel fall to the ground, putting them far behind Tashonya and Quinton.
JAMIE: Ouch!
UMSTEL: Shit, man! Are you okay?
JAMIE: I'm fine…
Jamie gets up and begins to dust himself off. Umstel gets up after him.
UMSTEL: What the hell was that?
JAMIE: I don't know…
Umstel bends over and picks up the film roll. He and Jamie walk toward the trashcan to throw it away.
UMSTEL: How often do you slip on a film roll?
Suddenly, a loud roar of thunder is heard. Seconds later, it begins to pour a humid rain.
UMSTEL: Ah, crap. It's raining…
JAMIE: Yah…You'd think—
UMSTEL: What's that?
Jamie is silent and his eyes are wide open. He stares and the film roll still in Umstel's hand.
UMSTEL: Jamie, what the matter?
Jamie shakes his head, his eyes still fixed on the film roll. Umstel follows Jamie's path of vision to the roll of film. He then understands.
UMSTEL: Oh my God, you think it's a sign, don't you?
Without warning, Jamie takes off out of the doors.
JAMIE: Quinton! Tashonya!
Umstel follows after Jamie. Meanwhile, Quinton has lead Tashonya to a carnival, where a lonely picture booth stands next to a popular sideshow. Tashonya stands holding an umbrella, while Quinton is wet in the rain.
QUINTON: Stay right here. I'll be right back.
TASHONYA: I trust you, Quinton.
Quinton smiles and leans over. He plants a soft kiss on Tashonya's lips.
QUINTON: You're going to love this.
Quinton steps inside of the picture booth, closes the curtain, and takes off his shirt. He pays three dollars, and the machine starts up. A medium-sized screen with a lens directly above prompts Quinton to choose a style for his picture. He chooses a frame with borders of hearts, and dark red letters that read "I love you to death". He makes sure that his six-pack is wet from the rain, and wets his spiked hair with rain for a slight luster.
The booth usually takes five pictures. Quinton flexes for the first picture, smiles for the second once, and kisses for the third one. However, on top of the booth, visible to no one, not even the person inside of the booth, there is a small crack. Water from the humid rain collects over the crack, and slowly trickles into the machine. For Quinton's fourth picture, he winks toward the camera.
QUINTON: Tashonya is gonna' love this!
Suddenly, the machine begins to smoke, and the lens begins to blur. Before the fifth and final picture, Quinton decides to examine the screen. He beats his fist against the screen, trying to refocus the lens. Suddenly, the screen sparks, then explodes, sending razor-sharp glass flying, which cuts a lot of Quinton's upper body. Several large pieces wedge themselves into Quinton's neck, and blood drips down his collarbone. Quinton coughs, and slumps over onto the photo bench. As the pain intensifies and more blood is spilled, he drops to the floor. His head pulls the curtain of the booth down off of its support, and the rod holding the curtain falls and smashes the glass in Quinton's neck deep into his throat.
TASHONYA: Oh my God! Quinton!
Tashonya rushes over to Quinton's corpse, and checks his pulse, discovering that he is dead.
TASHONYA: Someone help!
A crowd of sideshow viewers rushes to Tashonya's aid. Umstel and Jamie notice the crowd and rush over. Out of a small slit in the machine, a line of pictures emerges. The first picture is a picture of Quinton flexing, and has the word "I" next to it. The second is a picture of Quinton smiling and has the word "love" next to it. The third has a picture of Quinton puckering up to the camera, and has the word "you" next to it. The fourth frame has a picture of Quinton winking towards the camera, and has the word "to" next to it. And the fifth and final image depicts Quinton with glass and blood in his throat. Beside this frame, in dark red letters, is the word "death".
