Things Beyond Midnight
Page 22
as the black limo rolls smoothly up the circular, pebbled drive to the front entrance. The place is more than a house; it’s a mansion.
ANGLE NEAR ENTRANCE
as SIDNEY stops the car, gets out to open the rear door for the ASHLANDS. (He is, by the way, a “proper” chauffeur, in snappy cap and uniform.)
ASHLAND steps out, but LYDIA does not.
ASHLAND
Aren’t you coming?
LYDIA
No—I’m going.
ASHLAND
Where?
LYDIA
Away from you. To my sister’s maybe. Or downtown. I’ll let you know. I just don’t feel like going inside that house with you tonight.
ASHLAND
What about the car?
LYDIA
Sidney will bring it back after he’s dropped me off.
ASHLAND
Suit yourself. I’m going in and have a drink.
LYDIA
(cynically)
Now where have I heard that line before?
And she leans forward to tap the glass. SIDNEY puts the car into gear.
THE SCENE – WIDE SHOT
ASHLAND stands in the entrance, watching the big car motor off into the darkness.
INT HOUSE – NIGHT
as he enters, CAMERA WITH HIM. He tosses aside his topcoat, walks in cold anger down a long hallway, to:
INT LIBRARY/DEN – FIRELIGHT
ASHLAND switches on a lamp, moves to the bar, pours himself a stiff shot.
ANGLE AT FIREPLACE
as he settles into a deep chair by the hearth, takes a long swallow from his glass. The flames play across his face as he nods to himself
ASHLAND
Have it your way, sweetie. Ole David here will make out just fine without you.
And he watches the fire-patterns as we
DISSOLVE TO:
CLOSE ON DOOR BUZZER (ASHLAND’S) — NIGHT
as a finger presses the buzzer.
PULL BACK TO:
EXT HOUSE – ON SIDNEY
as he rings once again. (The limo is parked on the driveway behind him in b.g.)
The door opens. ASHLAND, a half-filled glass in his hand, blinks out at his chauffeur.
ASHLAND
What is it, Sidney?
(noticing the limo)
Why isn’t the car in the garage?
SIDNEY
I thought you might wish to use it, sir.
ASHLAND
Use it!
(checks his wrist)
It’s after three in the morning!
SIDNEY removes a small white envelope from his uniform pocket.
SIDNEY
Mrs. Ashland wants you to join her.
(hands over envelope)
This is for you, sir.
CLOSE ON NOTE as ASHLAND opens the envelope, unfolds the single white sheet. It reads:
David—
Please forgive me for my wretched behavior tonight. I didn’t really mean what I said to you. Guess I just had too much to drink.
I’m sending Sidney back to fetch you to this marvelous party I discovered. You’ll adore it!
See you there, darling!
L.
WIDER ON SCENE
as ASHLAND looks up from the note, puzzled.
ASHLAND
Is she serious?
SIDNEY
Quite, sir. Mrs. Ashland asked me to drive you to the party.
ASHLAND
(with a what-the-hell smile)
Well... I’ve never turned down one yet.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT LIMO (moving) – NIGHT as the big car glides through the city Ashland has rolled down the glass.
ASHLAND
So, whose house are we headed for?... The Nalbins? Sterns? I hear the Kendricks are back from Monte Carlo... is it their place?
SIDNEY
No, sir. The party is downtown.
ASHLAND
(startled)
I don’t know anybody downtown!
SIDNEY
It’s a new apartment building...
That’s all I can tell you, sir.
ASHLAND
(with a grin)
You’re being very mysterious, Sidney.
SIDNEY
Mrs. Ashland wants to surprise you, sir. I’m just doing as she asked.
ASHLAND settles back with a contented sigh.
ASHLAND
All right... I’m always game for a surprise.
(beat)
Drive on, McDuff!
CUT TO:
EXT DOWNTOWN APARTMENT BUILDING – FULL – NIGHT
as the black limo pulls up to a tall, 20-story structure of shining glass. On the dark, fog-shrouded avenue, the building glows with a thousand lights from as many windows.
SIDNEY opens the door for ASHLAND, who emerges, looks up.
HIS POV – THE BUILDING
rising above him like an immense, bright-lit Christmas tree.
BACK TO SCENE
as ASHLAND shakes his head.
ASHLAND
Never saw this before!
SIDNEY
As I said, sir, it’s a new building.
ASHLAND
Their electric bill must be a killer!
(beat)
Where’s the party? What floor?
SIDNEY
It’s in 10-E.
(gets back into limo)
Have a good time, Mr. Ashland.
And the black car purrs away into the fog.
INT APT. BUILDING’S LOBBY – NIGHT
as ASHLAND enters the wide, ornate lobby. His footfalls are soundless against thick red carpet as he moves toward the elevator. He is quite alone in this part of the building; no doorman or guard.
AT ELEVATOR
He pushes the “Up” button, waits, humming to himself. (It is the same melody we heard him hum earlier in the limo—a “party” song.)
The doors click open and he enters the cage.
CUT TO:
INT 10th FLOOR HALLWAY
ASHLAND steps out of the elevator, CAMERA FOLLOWING. He walks along the hall, checking door numbers—finds the correct one.
CAMERA FEATURES “10-E”
ON ASHLAND AT DOOR
as he thumbs the buzzer. Through the door, we hear the SOUNDS of a party: the sea-tide of cocktail conversation, the tinkle of iced drinks, muted music from a stereo.
The door is opened by a jolly-faced FAT MAN.
CLOSE ON FAT MAN
as his sweating moon face breaks into a smile of welcome.
FAT MAN
Hi, fella! C’mon in! Join the party!
INT PARTY SUITE – FULL
as DAVID ASHLAND enters past the FAT MAN. The main party area is large and crowded with a variety of guests, young and old. It is decorated in a Chinese motif—ivory tables with serpent legs; figured screens; heavy drapes in stitched silver; lamps with jewel-eyed dragons looped at their base—and, in the room’s far end—an immense bronze gong suspended between a pair of demon-faced warriors.
ANGLE TIGHTENS
as a thin, garish, turkey-necked woman moves up to ASHLAND. She is the kind one finds in Florida resort hotels; heavy eyelashes, too much makeup.
THIN WOMAN
Hello, there! My, but...
(staring at him)
you look just like a man I saw once, outside the library when I was a child. He was sitting on a little stone bench I remember...
(beat)
... and he had his throat cut.
Disturbed, ASHLAND walks away from her, CAMERA FOLLOWING, to the bar along one side of the room.
ANGLE AT BAR
as he mixes himself a drink. An attractive, red-haired young lady, VIVIAN, turns to him from the bar.
VIVIAN
My name’s Viv. I drink.
ASHLAND
(eyes searching the crowd for Lydia)
That’s nice.
VIVIAN
No, it isn’t nice.
Not at this lousy party it isn’t.
(shakes her head)
I keep drinking, but I can’t get smashed.
ASHLAND
I’m looking for my wife. Maybe you’ve met her. Lydia Ashland?
VIVIAN
Sorry—but I never help husbands find their wives.
(with a little finger wave)
Bye, bye!
And she whirls off into the crowd.
A fever-eyed man approaches him.
HEALTH MAN
If you wish to maintain your health, you can’t just stand there. Keep moving. Stay ahead of ‘em. Stand still and they’ll form their cloud.
The man is in constant motion as he talks, shifting from one foot to another, weaving his body like a boxer.
ASHLAND
Who will?
HEALTH MAN
The germs. They form clouds around people. If you don’t keep moving they gang up on you. Form a germ-cloud. Billions of ‘em. They can cause flu. Ever had the flu?
ASHLAND
Of course. Everybody gets the flu.
HEALTH MAN
(with a smirk)
That’s cuz people don’t keep moving.
(beat)
Better get trotting, fella!
And he’s gone.
TIGHT ON ASHLAND
as he reacts to something directly behind, touching him. He turns to confront:
SNAKE MAN
Dressed in black, with a live snake curling round his waist and neck. He smiles at ASHLAND.
SNAKE MAN
Her name’s “Baby”... She likes to rub her head against your neck.
Hope you’re not afraid of snakes.
ASHLAND
(obviously repelled)
I... uh... can’t say that I’m fond of them.
SNAKE MAN
She’s really very loving. Want to hold her?
ASHLAND
(moving off into the crowd)
No... no thanks.
CAMERA FOLLOWS HIM through the smoke-hazed room as he continues to look for LYDIA. Now, suddenly, he sees:
HIS POV
a figure, from the back, who looks like LYDIA (same dress and hair). The woman leaves the main party area and starts toward the kitchen.
ON ASHLAND
as he attempts to follow, calling to her.
ASHLAND
Lydia!
CUT TO:
INT KITCHEN
as ASHLAND enters quickly, INTO CAMERA. The room is full of partygoers – but no LYDIA.
ASHLAND approaches a bearded man near the door.
ASHLAND
My wife just came in here... tall, in a green dress. Did you see where she went?
WORM MAN
I no longer look at women. Can’t do anything with them, so why look at them?
(beat)
I’m a worm trainer.
ASHLAND is startled.
ASHLAND
Beg pardon?
WORM MAN
I train a worm to run a maze. Then I grind him up and feed him to a dumb, untrained worm. Know what happens?
(beat)
The dumb worm can run the maze. But only for 24 hours. Then he forgets. Unless I keep him on a trained-worm diet. I defy you to tell me that isn’t fascinating!
ASHLAND
(nods)
It’s fascinating – but right now I’m looking for my wife.
WORM MAN
(with a chuckle)
And I’m looking for a way out of this kitchen!
ASHLAND, sweating a bit now, somewhat harried, edges toward the back door of the kitchen, still searching for LYDIA.
A dark, doll-like girl (who could be a teenager) suddenly steps in front of him to hold out a cigarette.
BLACK GIRL
Light?
He fumbles out his silver lighter, applies flame to her cigarette. She takes a drag, blows the smoke out through her nose.
BLACK GIRL
You seem alone. Are you? Alone, I mean.
ASHLAND
(putting away the lighter)
No... my wife’s here somewhere.
BLACK GIRL
I haven’t been alone since Milwaukee. I was about 14 or something and this creep moves in with me. My parents were dead by then.
ASHLAND
(not sure what to say)
I’m sorry.
BLACK GIRL
Yeah, this creep was sorry, too. Things were bad right from the start between us. That’s why I killed him.
ASHLAND
You what?
BLACK GIRL
Shot him. Three times.
(she points a finger at Ashland, like a gun)
Bang! Bang! Bang!
(shrugs)
It was self-defense. He came at me with an iron golf club. He was a golfer.
ASHLAND
I’d better try and find my wife.
But as he turns away from her, a curly-haired man grabs his arm.
TRAVERS
I lost a wife once. Greek belly dancer with a Jersey accent. She used to quote that line of Hemingway’s to Scott Fitzgerald.
You know the line?
ASHLAND
No, I—
TRAVERS
One that goes “We’re all bitched from the start.” Bitter. Bitter line.
(puts out his hand)
I’m Terry Travers. Not my real name, but no matter. Remember the ole Triple Trouble for Terry series on TV?
ASHLAND
Not that I can recall.
TRAVERS
Had to step on a few people to get that series...
(flips open a wallet, showing a snapshot)
Lookie here, that’s me before I did the show.
CLOSE ON WALLET PHOTO
TRAVERS, totally bald.
BACK TO SCENE
as ASHLAND nods,
TRAVERS
I wear rugs now. Have ever since the series. Top quality. Hand-sewn.
(inclines his head down)
Go ahead, tug at it.
ASHLAND
No, really, I’ll take your word that—
TRAVERS
Aw, c’mon—as a personal favor to me. Tug at it.
ASHLAND does, but without enthusiasm.
TRAVERS
(note of pride)
Snug, eh? Stays on the ole dome. I’ve got a wind-blown one for outdoor scenes. Then I got me a crew cut for Army-Navy flicks -and a western job with long sideburns. Absolutely authentic.
ASHLAND
I see.
TRAVERS
But I don’t act anymore. I just booze. Me an’ six million alcoholics!
ASHLAND
My wife’s obviously not here. Guess I was mistaken about seeing her.
TRAVERS
It’s all illusion. Reality versus illusion. Like they say, “A lie often reveals truth, but the truth is often a lie.”
Having had enough, ASHLAND leaves the kitchen.
MAIN PARTY AREA
as ASHLAND exits the kitchen he reacts to:
VOICE (Psychic’s)
(O.S.)
You! You leaving the kitchen!
HIS POV
a tall man in a satin dinner jacket with dark, intense eyes, standing atop a chair in the middle of the smoke-filled room.
PSYCHIC
(gestures at ASHLAND)
Please, sir... a moment of your time.
ON SCENE
as ASHLAND moves warily through the crowd to the psychic.
ASHLAND
You want me?
PSYCHIC
(extending a hand, fingers out)
Might I borrow that ring you’re wearing?
ASHLAND
Well, I really don’t...
PSYCHIC
No harm will come to it, sir... If you please.
Reluctantly, ASHLAND removes his wedding band, hands it up to the man on the chair.
PSYCHIC
(cupping his hands around the ring, pressing his h
ands to his forehead)
Ah... now... let me begin to read the vibrations.
(beat)
Your first name begins with a “D”... Not Daniel... or Dexter...Ah! David. Am I correct?
ASHLAND
That’s right.
PSYCHIC
You are talented... an architect... and rich... However—you have not worked for your money. It is your father’s money... a large inheritance.
ASHLAND’S face is tight; he does not find this amusing.
PSYCHIC
(continuing)
You like women... and have married two of them...
(beat)
And you like to drink. Too much. Far, far too much.
ASHLAND is now angry.
ASHLAND
That’s enough!
(thrusts up a hand)
My ring!
The smiling psychic hands the ring back to him—and ASHLAND stalks away to the bar, CAMERA FOLLOWING.
AT BAR
where he mixes himself another scotch... sits down with the drink on a long couch, his face red and sweating.
Note: During his entire exchange with the psychic, few if any people paid the slightest attention to it.
ANGLE AT COUCH – TWO SHOT
as a soft-faced man seats himself very close to ASHLAND.
SALESMAN
Do you worry a lot? I do. Runs in the family, I guess. Mother used to worry about the Earth slowing down. She read somewhere that between 1680 and 1690 the Earth lost 27/100ths of a second of its orbital speed.
(beat)
She said that was a bad sign.
ASHLAND
Don’t mean to be rude, but frankly I’d rather not talk right now.
SALESMAN
So don’t talk. I’ll do the talking. Talk’s my business. I’m a salesman. Dover Insurance. Like the White Cliffs of, ya know?
(beat)
Meet a lot of fruitcakes in this game. I sold a policy once to a guy who lived in the woodwork—spent all his time inside this foldaway bed in the wall. Had a real bad temper. Didn’t care for many people.
(beat)
Well, one night his roommate invited some friends over and their noise woke up this guy—and out he pops from his bed in the wall with a loaded Thompson submachine gun in his hands, yelling for them all to get the hell out of his apartment. He was ready to cut loose with the Thompson.
ASHLAND
That’s crazy.
THIN MAN’S VOICE (O.S.)
I knew a man who was twice that crazy.
ANGLE WIDENS to include a third man who has taken a seat on the other side of ASHLAND (also very close to him). He is incredibly thin, practically a walking cadaver.