27 INTERIOR: THE DRUGSTORE LATE AFTERNOON.
The show windows are all shattered, the holes filled with avalanches of snow that stretch halfway down the aisles.
28 INTERIOR: THE HARDWARD STORE LATE AFTERNOON.
Like the drugstore, the aisles are full of snow. Near the cash registers is a display of lawnmowers buried to their gas caps in snow. The sign in front of them is barely readable: LAWNMOWER SALE!
GEAR UP FOR
SUMMER NOW!
I
29 INTERIOR: THE ISLAND BEAUTY SHOP.
It's also full of snow. The hair dryers stand like frozen Martians.
1
278
STORM OF THE CENTURY 279
Written across the mirror is 'GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY.'
30 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL LATE AFTERNOON.
212
We can barely see it, partially because of the SCREAMING BLIZZARD, but mostly because night is getting ready to fall.
31 INTERIOR: THE BASEMENT DAY-CARE AREA LATE AFTERNOON.
The KIDS are sitting in a circle. In the middle is CAT WITHERS, reading a book called The Little Puppy (a great favorite of DANNY TORRANCE'S, once upon a time).
CAT
So the little puppy said, 'I know where my ball must be. That mean little boy put it in his pocket and took it away. But I can find it, because my nose is '
. SALLY GODSOE
(sings) 'I'm a little teapot ...'
CAT
Sally, honey, you shouldn't be singing now. This is storytime.
CAT'S a little freaked, although she can't quite remember what it is about that nonsense ditty that is so unpleasant. SALLY pays no attention to her in any case, goes right on singing. RALPHIE
joins in. HEIDI adds her voice, then BUSTER and PIPPA, FRANK BRIGHT and HARRY ROBICHAUX do the same. Soon all the children are singing, even DON BEALS.
KIDS
'. . . short and stout. . . .'
They stand up. They show their handles and spouts at the appropriate moments. CAT looks at them with growing unease. JOANNA STANHOPE, MOLLY, and MELINDA HATCHER join her.
MELINDA
What's going on?
280 STEPHEN KING
CAT I don't know ... I guess they want to sing.
KIDS
'. . . Here is my handle, here is my spout. You can pick me up and pour me out. . . . I'm a little teapot, short and stout.'
MOLLY doesn't like it. There's a shelf with a few books on it to her right. Also on it is the chamois bag with the MARBLES in it. MOLLY glances at this, then goes quietly upstairs.
f
32 INTERIOR: THE TOWN MEETING HALL AFTERNOON.
ANGIE CARVER is sitting on one of the front benches. She has been bundled into a warm, quilted housecoat, and there's a towel over her wet hair. JACK sits solicitously beside her, helping her with a cup of steaming broth. She can't seem to manage it herself, because her hands are shaking badly.
Sitting on the edge of the stage, facing her, is MIKE ANDERSON. Behind them, on the other benches (and on the edge of their seats, you could say) are most of Little Tail's storm refugees.
HATCH weaves his way to the front among them, and sits down next to MIKE. HATCH looks pretty well exhausted.
HATCH
213
(eyeing the onlookers) You want me to move them out?
MIKE
Think you could?
He's got a point, and HATCH knows it. MOLLY comes in, slips through the crowd, goes to MIKE, and sits beside him on the stage, attempting to have a private moment in a very public place.
MOLLY
(low) The kids're acting funny.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 281
MIKE (also low) Funny how?
MOLLY
Singing. Cat was reading them a story, and they just stood up and started singing.
(sees MIKE'S puzzlement) I know it doesn't sound like much . . .
MIKE
If you say it's funny, it's funny. I'll come and take a look as soon as I finish here.
He tips his eyes in ANGIE'S direction. ANGIE speaks . . . but not to MIKE or JACK or anyone in particular.
ANGIE
Now I know how easy it is to just get. . . yanked out of the world. I wish I didn't, but I do.
JACK offers her the cup of broth again, but when ANGIE puts her hands on it, they're shaking so badly she spills it and CRIES OUT when the liquid scalds her. MOLLY takes a handkerchief from her pocket, sits down beside her, and wipes the hot broth from her fingers. ANGIE looks at her gratefully and takes MOLLY'S hand. She grips it hard. It's comfort she needs, not a cleanup.
ANGIE
I was just standing there, you see, watching the lighthouse. And then ... I was his.
MOLLY
Shhh. It's over.
ANGIE
I feel like I'll never be warm again. I've burned my fingers . . . see, they're red . . . but they're still cold. I feel like he turned me to snow.
MOLLY Mike's got to ask you some questions, but it doesn't have to 282 STEPHEN KING
