sympathy and confusion. Doesn't know how to respond.
58 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL KITCHEN NIGHT.
This is a pretty well equipped place a lot of bean suppers and holiday meals have been prepared here. Now a number of WOMEN are bustling around, making ready for tomorrow's storm center breakfast. One of them is MRS. KINGSBURY; another is JOANNA STANHOPE. JOANNA'S mother-in-law sits by the door like a queen, overseeing the proceedings. CAT WITHERS comes into the room, dressed for outdoors.
MRS. KINGSBURY Going to help Billy?
CAT
Yes, ma'am.
MRS. KINGSBURY
See if there's any oatmeal on the very back shelf. And tell Billy to remember the juice.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 165
CORA
Oh, I imagine he don't have any problem in the juice department. Does he?
CORA, who has no idea of what happened when LINOGE was brought through the store, and consequently has no idea of the trouble that's now between CAT and BILLY, gives a nasty old woman's chuckle. CAT is not amused. She crosses to the back door. Her face what we can see of it between her pulled-up scarf and pulled-down hat is careworn and unhappy. Yet she's determined to talk to BILLY and to save the relationship if she can.
59 EXTERIOR: THE REAR OF THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.
Here is a snow-covered, drifted-in walk leading to a small brick annex the supply shed. The shed door is open, and the faint light of a Coleman lantern drifts out into the blowing snow, showing us a wide, flat track, which is already drifting over.
THE CAMERA moves into this shed, and we see BILLY SOAMES, also bundled up, putting supplies onto the toboggan he has pulled out here. Mostly they're the concentrates URSULA spoke of pour water over the powder and then gag it down but there are also cartons filled with packages of cereal, a basket of apples, and several bags of potatoes.
CAT (voice-over) Billy?
He turns.
60 INTERIOR: THE SUPPLY SHED NIGHT.
CAT is standing in the doorway. BILLY looks back at her. Their breath SMOKES in the uncertain light of the gas lantern. There is a vast gulf of distrust between them now.
CAT
Can I talk to you?
BILLY
I guess. Why not?
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166 STEPHEN KING
CAT
Billy, I
BILLY
Is it true, what he said? Let's talk about that. Did you go up Derry and have an abortion?
She says nothing. It's answer enough.
BILLY
I guess that's all the talk we need, isn't it? I guess that says it all.
He deliberately turns away from her and starts rummaging on the shelves again. CAT reacts to this with frustrated anger and enters the shed, stepping over the half-loaded toboggan to get to him.
CAT Don't you want to know why?
BILLY
Not particularly. It was ours at least I guess it was and it's dead. Guess that's all I need to know.
CAT is angrier than ever. She's forgetting she came out here to save the village, not destroy it.
Given his attitude, that's maybe not surprising.
CAT
You asked me one; I'll ask you one. What about Jenna Freeman?
There's a challenging tone in her voice. BILLY'S hands freeze on the cans he's been sorting.
These are cafeteria-sized cans of apple juice. Each label reads 'McCALL'S BRAND' above a picture of a ripe apple. Below the apple are the words 'GRADE A FANCY.' BILLY turns to CAT, chin pugnaciously forward.
BILLY Why do you ask, if you already know?
CAT
Maybe to get that Little Minister look off your face. Yeah, I STORM OF THE CENTURY 167
knew. The biggest tramp on the coast, and you chasing her like she was on fire and you wanted to put her out.
BILLY It wasn't like that.
CAT Then what was it like? Tell me.
No answer from BILLY. He's got his back to the shelves now; he's facing her, but he won't meet her eyes.
CAT
I don't understand it I never told you no. Never once did I tell you no. And still . . . Billy, how many times a day do you itch?
BILLY
143
What has that got to do with our baby? The one I had to hear about from a stranger, and in front of half the town?
CAT
I knew who you were running with, don't you get that? How was I supposed to trust you to do the right thing? How was I supposed to trust you at all?
BILLY doesn't reply. His jaw is set. If there is truth in what she's saying, he's not seeing it. Won't see it, likely.
CAT
Do you know what it's like to find out you're pregnant one week, and that your boyfriend is spending his afternoons with the town pump the next?
She's now right in his face, shouting up at him.
BILLY
(shouting back)
That baby was half mine! You went up to Deny and murdered it, and it was half mine!
168 STEPHEN KING
CAT
(jeering) Yeah, sure. Now that it's gone, it's half yours.
61 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURING LINOGE NIGHT.
The five men MIKE, HATCH, KIRK, JACK, and ROBBIE are gathered around the desk, while MIKE tries to reach the Machias state police on the radio. HATCH is watching MIKE, but the rest can't keep their eyes off LINOGE.
