know?
300 STEPHEN KING
TAVIA
Yes . . . but I'm sure they'll be all right. They'll wake up and be just fine.
HATCH
I hope you're right, Tavia Godsoe. Pray you're right.
He goes downstairs. The THREE WOMEN watch him with deep sympathy, then go on their way. As they reach the stairs and turn right to go into the meeting hall, JOANNA STANHOPE comes up the stairs.
JOANNA STANHOPE Can I help?
TAVIA
Go down to the kitchen and get the rest of the candles, if you want. I'm afraid we're going to lose the generator.
TAVIA, TESS, and JENNA go into the town meeting hall. JOANNA (who has gotten over the shock 225
of her unpleasant mother-in-law's death in record time) heads down to the kitchen.
The overheads FLICKER, go out, then COME BACK ON again. The ISLANDERS sitting in the chairs along the walls of the corridor look up and MURMUR QUIETLY.
61 INTERIOR: THE KIDS' SLEEPING AREA OF THE BASEMENT NIGHT.
Except now it looks like Intensive Care in a children's hospital; this could be the aftermath of some hideous tragedy, like the shooting of all those kids in Scotland.
URSULA has drawn a cot up next to SALLY'S and sleeps, holding both her daughter's hands in both of her own. MIKE and MOLLY are with RALPHIE, and MELINDA is with PIPPA, brushing her hair back from the child's brow. The ROBICHAUXES are with HARRY, the CARVERS are with BUSTER, the BRIGHTS are with FRANK, LINDA ST. PIERRE is with HEIDI. Next to her, also alone, is SANDRA BEALS. She's got a washcloth and is gently and lovingly wiping the doughnut crumbs from around DON'S mouth. Fast asleep as they are, you'd think them heaven's smallest angels. Even DON.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 301
Sitting in the corner, hands clasped and PRAYING UNOBTRUSIVELY, is REV. BOB RIGGINS.
HATCH slips through the makeshift draw curtains, then stops and looks up as the LIGHTS
FLICKER AGAIN. They come back, and he comes over to the KIDS and PARENTS.
HATCH (to MELINDA)
Any change?
(she shakes her head) Any change in any of them?
MELINDA
(soft, despairing)
No.
MOLLY
But their respiration is normal, reflexes are normal, and if you roll back an eyelid, their pupils react to light. All that's good.
HATCH sits next to MELINDA and looks closely into PIPPA'S face. He sees her eyelids TWITCH and MOVE.
HATCH
She's dreaming.
MIKE They all are.
MIKE and HATCH exchange a look, then HATCH glances toward SANDRA.
HATCH Where's Robbie, Sandra?
SANDRA Don't know.
'And don't care,' her tone implies. She goes on wiping at DONNIE'S
302 STEPHEN KING
mouth. The crumbs are all gone now; she's only caressing him, loving him as best she can.
62 INTERIOR: A TOWN MEETING HALL BENCH, WITH ROBBIE SEALS NIGHT.
226
He's sitting by himself elected official or not, few people care for ROBBIE on a personal level. In the background, people TALK TOGETHER. Some are helping TAVIA, TESS, and JENNA put up candles in the ornamental holders along the walls. ROBBIE is wearing a sport coat. Now he reaches into the right-hand pocket and brings out the PISTOL we saw in his possession in Part One. He holds it in his lap, looking at it thoughtfully.
The overhead lights FLICKER OFF. The emergency lights on the walls FLICKER ON in corresponding pulses. People LOOK UP NERVOUSLY. The three WOMEN go a little faster with their candle placement. More folks drift over to help.
ROBBIE isn't in a helpful mood and doesn't react to the imminent departure of the electric lights.
He's off in his own little world, where thoughts of revenge are all that matter. He looks at the little gun a second or two longer, then tucks it back into his jacket pocket, where it will be near to hand.
Then he goes on sitting and staring off into space. Just a pissed-off town manager waiting for LINOGE to show up.
63 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL KITCHEN.
JOANNA STANHOPE comes in and LOOKS UP UNEASILY as the LIGHTS FLICKER.
64 EXTERIOR: THE GENERATOR SHED NIGHT.
The engine COUGHS . . . SPUTTERS . . . and this time doesn't catch again. It CHOKES AWAY TO
SILENCE, leaving only the HOWL OF THE WIND.
65 INTERIOR: THE KIDS' SLEEPING AREA NIGHT.
The overhead LIGHTS GO OUT. After a moment of BLACK, one FEEBLE EMERGENCY LIGHT comes on, shining from a box mounted high up on the wall at the very back of the room.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 303
MIKE (to HATCH) Want to help with the candles?
HATCH
Honey?
MELINDA Go ahead.
MIKE and HATCH get up and leave.
66 INTERIOR: THE TV AREA OF THE TOWN HALL BASEMENT NIGHT.
MIKE and HATCH come out through the makeshift draw curtains and head for the stairs.
HATCH
Radio says the storm'll be pretty much over by midnight. If Linoge intends to do something MIKE
