and MIKE picked up at Wee Folks.
CAT
If you want to sing, kids, maybe we could sing something else for a change? 'London Bridge' or
'The Farmer in the Dell' or ...
She gives up. They're not listening. They hardly seem there. Once normal, happy preschool children, they have become spookily distant.
KIDS
(sing) ' Here is my handle, here is my spout. You can pick '
286 STEPHEN KING
They stop on the word 'pick,' and they do it all at the same time, as neat as a lock of hair snipped by a barber's shears. Now they just stand in a circle around CAT.
KIRK
I brought these games and What? What's going on?
36 INTERIOR: CAT AND THE CHILDREN, CLOSER LATE AFTERNOON.
Oh, this is freaky. She looks from one to the next, and the normal vivacity of young children has left their faces; they are Cult City. Eyes like big zeros. Just standing there.
CAT
Buster?
(no answer) Heidi?
(no answer) Pippa?
(no answer) Ralphie? Are you all right?
(no answer)
STORM OF THE CENTURY 287
MELINDA HATCHER hurries into the circle, almost knocking SALLY GODSOE and HARRY
ROBICHAUX over. She kneels by PIPPA and grabs her arms.
MELINDA Pippa, what's wrong, honey?
CAT bursts out of the circle. She's had enough.
37 INTERIOR: ON THE STAIRS, WITH CAT, JOANNA, AND KIRK FREEMAN.
KIRK
What is it? What's wrong with them?
CAT
(starting to cry)
I don't know . . . but their eyes . . . oh, God, there's nothing there.
217
38 INTERIOR: MELINDA AND PIPPA, CLOSE-UP.
CAT is right PIPPA'S eyes are scary in their emptiness, and although her mother shakes her harder and harder this is panic, not anger there is no result.
MELINDA
Pippa, wake up! Wake up!
She tries chafing PIPPA'S hands. No result. She looks around wildly.
MELINDA All of you, wake up!
39 INTERIOR: RALPHIE, CLOSE-UP.
His head turns a little, and the life comes back into his eyes. He smiles. It's almost as if he's heard her and is responding . . . except he's not even looking in MELINDA'S direction.
RALPHIE Look!
288 STEPHEN KING
He points toward the shelf with the bag of marbles on it.
40 INTERIOR: THE BASEMENT DAY-CARE CENTER LATE AFTERNOON.
Everyone looks. The KIDS light up, just as RALPHIE did. What are they looking at that pleases them so? The marbles? No, that doesn't seem to be it. Their eyes are fixed a little lower . . . but there's nothing there.
HEIDI
(delighted) It's got a doggy head! A silver doggy head! How cool!
CAT suddenly understands and is horrified.
CAT
(to KIRK) Go get Mike.
JOANNA STANHOPE I don't understand what
CAT Right now.
KIRK turns and does what she says, dropping the games and puzzles heedlessly on the stairs.
41 INTERIOR: DON REALS, CLOSE-UP.
DON
A doggy head! Yeah!
42 INTERIOR: THE SHELF, FROM DON'S POINT OF VIEW.
Hanging from the shelf is LINOGE'S cane. The SILVER SNARLING WOLF'S HEAD is now a FRIENDLY, GRINNING SAINT BERNARD.
43 INTERIOR: RESUME THE CIRCLE OF KIDS.
MELINDA still kneels in front of PIPPA, but PIPPA is looking over her head, like the others.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 289
PIPPA
218
A doggy! A doggy!
Bewildered and afraid, MELINDA turns to look. Nothing there.
44 INTERIOR: THE TOWN MEETING HALL LATE AFTERNOON.
MIKE is just getting up from the stage. The interview with ANGELA is over.
f.
MIKE (to JACK)
Why don't you see if you can get her to lie down for a little while?
JACK That's a good
KIRK comes bursting through the clustered ISLANDERS.
KIRK Mike! Mike, there's somethin' wrong with the kids!
FRIGHTENED MURMURS from the ISLANDERS ... but some do more than just MURMUR JILL and ANDY, MIKE and MOLLY, ROBBIE and SANDY, the BRIGHTS, HATCH, URSULA ... the parents BOLT
