Two days before Jarod's conversation with Miss Parker. Exterior shot of Sunny Hills Assisted Living. Interior shot of Jarod—as a male nurse—walking into the 'recreation' room for the seniors, looking pleased with himself. The seniors are mostly seated around the TV watching Jeopardy.

CONTESTANT
French literature for 2000.

ALEX
First started in 1845 and left unfinished in 1848, this novel eventually became Victor Hugo's famous Les Misérables.

JAROD
What is Miséres.

CONTESTANT
What is Miséres?

ALEX
Correct.

SENIOR 1
Jarod, you should really go on this show. You'd win a lot of money.

SENIOR 2
(cheeky)
And you could give some to us!

JAROD
(smiles)
Maybe someday.
(addresses the group, as the show has gone to a commercial)
You don't have to worry about paying your rent anymore. I fixed it.

SENIOR 2
But Mr. Henderson would never agree to fix our apartments.

JAROD
Let's just say Mr. Henderson probably won't be working here anymore.

SENIOR 3
That guy always gave me the creeps. Too oily. I told my son I didn't
want to come here. He said I was crazy. (snorts) He's the crazy one.

Jarod smiles and starts to leave the room. As he walks to the door, an old lady sitting near a window knitting looks at him. He passes her.

LORAINE
You better watch out. They'll catch you someday.

Jarod stops abruptly, and hurries back to her. He searches her face. She looks at her knitting.

JAROD
Who will catch me?

LORAINE
The ones chasing you. I know.
(pause)
They chase me too. I had to hide here.

JAROD
(earnestly, as he sits down)
I can help you.

LORAINE
Can you now? A young smart man like you?

JAROD
You can trust me.

LORAINE
I'm sure I can't.

Jarod doesn't reply to this. He's a bit surprised. (For some reason, there aren't many people who distrust Jarod.)

LORAINE
(unconcerned about Jarod's silence)
You're not like the sweepstake people though. Or the charities. Always wanting money, but never spelling my name right.

JAROD
I would never do that.
(teasing)
I'm an excellent speller.

LORAINE
(ignoring him)
Or the place I worked for once. You couldn't trust anyone.

JAROD
(trying to gain her trust)
Where did you work?

LORAINE
Blue Cove, Delaware.

Jarod looks momentarily concerned, but is still composed.

LORAINE
There were a lot of people there. Always a lot of people. kids, adults, babies—always running around, working, working…

JAROD
Where you at the Centre?

LORAINE
Lots of spiders there. Always having to clean the spiders. And papers too.

Jarod looks a bit puzzled at this. The Centre, in his mind, is not a place that breeds spiders.

LORAINE
(gets to the end of her row, and stops knitting)
I've been cleaning them forever it feels like. They're even here. I find them everywhere. Like those sweepstake letters.
(whispers confidentially)
You know, they track those letters. You send them back, but they just keep coming. Always the same. They never spell my name right. You never know when you'll win.

JAROD
I hope you don't give any of them money.

LORAINE
I don't think so…
(trails off)

JAROD (tries again)
About the Centre…

LORAINE
(interrupting)
They get everyone in the end. They'll get you too. They find the smart ones.

A nurse walks up.

NURSE
Ok, Loraine, it's time for you to take your medicine.

LORAINE
I just took it.

NURSE
That was yesterday.

LORAINE
I only take it once a day.

NURSE
(speaks as if she's heard this many times)
Yes, now here's the pill and some water.
(sets down cup)

Loraine takes the medicine, and Jarod stands up to leave, as the nurse is still hovering over them.

JAROD
(puts his hand on Loraine's shoulder)
I hope you get some rest…from the spiders.

LORAINE
(sniffs, and puts her hand on his)
They'll hear you. Keep quiet.

NURSE
The spiders can't hear you Loraine.
(she walks with Jarod out of the room)
She has fairly severe Dementia.

JAROD
How long has she been here?

NURSE
Oh, I don't know. I haven't worked here very long. Mr. Henderson saw that the staff changed fairly regularly.

JAROD
What did she do before she came here?

NURSE Before she retired?
(Jarod nods)
She was just part of a night cleaning staff at some company. Or so she says.
(she stops and says in an undertone)
Don't believe all her stories about this 'Centre' she worked for…I mean, come on, what kind of place has no name but The Centre?
(she walks away)

JAROD
(holds up a folded piece of paper Loraine slipped into his hand)
A place you never want to work for.

CUT SCENE

Present. The Center. An elevator opens, and Miss Parker stalks into the reception area. Sydney and Broots are standing together, and as Miss Parker passes them she motions for them to follow her. Interior shot of the three of them entering her office.

MISS PARKER
Sydney, did my mother ever mention a project called Ruin to you?

SYDNEY
No.
(pause)
What is it?

MISS PARKER
I don't know.
(She looks attentively at Sydney, as if suspecting he knows more than he ever says, then abruptly turns to Broots.)
Broots, get on…

She looks as if she has just remembered Jarod's impression of her on the phone, and doesn't like it at all. Broots and Sydney exchange glances, and you know they're thinking, 'what is this—sudden mood swings?' They don't know what's going on, and it disturbs Sydney. Broots is just faintly scared of what will happen next (will she fly into a rage next)?

MISS PARKER
Just go find out anything there is to know about Ruin.

BROOTS
Ok…

CUT SCENE

One day before Jarod's conversation with Miss Parker. Exterior shot of a quaint neighborhood. Jarod looks at the unfolded paper Loraine gave him. He walks up to the gate of the white picketed fence surrounding a white two-story house. A boy is revealed, riding his bike on the walkway from the porch to the gate.

JAROD
Hello.

BOY
I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. My grandma told me.

JAROD
I understand. I think I know your grandma.

BOY
(looking at the paper in Jarod's hand)
She told me people would come looking for her. Are you looking for her? Dad took her away one day, and wouldn't tell me where. He said she was sick. He didn't believe her stories.

JAROD
(notices the boy is staring at the paper)
I'm not looking for her. She gave me this.
(shows the boy the paper)

BOY
(takes the paper and looks at it, satisfied that it's his Grandma's handwriting)
I still can't tell you. She told me not to.
(he hands the paper back to Jarod.)

JAROD
(while folding the paper)
Why?

BOY
I can only tell a lady.

JAROD
(looks like he guesses who before he asks the question)
Do you know her name?

BOY
Yes.
(pause as he's remembering)
Grandma said I can only tell Miss Parker.

CUT SCENE