out, and a tree has crashed down on the front of the building, smashing the roof and damaging one of the walls. Several of the patients are wandering around the grounds, many still in nightgowns. Police and fire people are trying to clear some of them out of the driveway so the firetruck and ambulance can get in.
ERIC and JANICE park the car and walk across the front lawn. Some of the patients are just wandering. Others seem frightened or dreamy, but all turn to STARE fixedly at ERIC and JANICE as they walk past.
The ADMINISTRATOR is standing next to the fallen tree, talking to one of the police officers while the ambulance guys roll a stretcher in through the ruined doors. The ADMINISTRATOR looks up in surprise as ERIC and JANICE approach.
ADMINISTRATOR
Mrs. Moorehead? Did someone…? I mean, how could anyone have called you when the phones are out…?
JANICE
Called me? Why would anyone call me?
ADMINISTRATOR (flustered)
Oh. I just thought… because of your friend, Mr. Holland. (her look grows sharper)
If no one called you, how did you know?
CUT TO:
INT. — HOSPITAL — MINUTES LATER
ERIC and JANICE are walking fast down the hallway, across leaves and other debris which have blown in through the broken doors and windows. The NURSE is walking with them, talking fast and nervously.
NURSE
He’s the only one… it’s a miracle more didn’t wander away — it was terrible! Some of them were so frightened they hid under the beds and we missed them when we did the count this morning.
JANICE
But you said he couldn’t move — that he couldn’t even get into a wheelchair by himself!
NURSE
It’s so strange — I’ve never heard of anything like it. In a way, it’s a kind of miracle… oh, but I hope he’s all right! Poor Mr. Holland. Poor, poor Mr. Holland…
The OLD WOMAN that ERIC had met previously is standing in the hall, wearing a jacket over her nightgown. As they push through the door of TOPHER’S ROOM she calls after them:
OLD WOMAN
He’s gone home! I heard him when I was sleeping! Tell Mama I’m all right, ‘cause he’s gone home!
TOPHER’s empty “shell” is still lying on the bed.
JANICE muffles a noise of fear and disgust behind her hand. After a moment, ERIC steps forward and hesitantly touches it. He lifts the masklike skin of the face, staring at the hollow eyeholes. It breaks apart in his hand as we DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. — BRENT’S HOUSE — LATER IN THE MORNING
ERIC and JANICE are walking up BRENT’S walkway. There’s only one SUV in the driveway now.
JANICE
He can’t be more than a few hundred yards from there, Eric. He’s crippled! He’s been mostly bedridden for years!
ERIC
A chrysalis — that’s what the nurse said the first time I saw him. Like a cocoon. And now he’s hatched.
ERIC knocks at BRENT’s door.
ERIC (Cont.)
You don’t think all that’s a coincidence, do you? The power failures, all that shit, and Topher just sheds his skin and walks away? After all these years?
JANICE
What are you saying? That he did it, somehow? I thought you were supposed to be the rationalist.
ERIC
When the facts themselves are irrational, you still have to work with them. Just think about it for a second. Think! What night is it tonight?
JANICE stares at him in incomprehension as the door opens.
BRENT is standing there clutching his hand, with blood on his arms and shirt. He looks numb and half- dead.
JANICE and ERIC gasp.
BRENT
I was wondering when you’d show up. (Their expression finally penetrates; he looks down at the blood)
Oh. I broke a glass. Guess you might as well come in.
He turns as if he couldn’t care less and walks inside. After a moment, ERIC and JANICE follow him.
INT. — BRENT’S HOUSE — HALF AN HOUR LATER
BRENT is pretty drunk. He’s sitting on the couch with his head in his hands while ERIC and JANICE make coffee on a camping stove they’ve set up on the counter.
BRENT
I sent Tracy and Joanie away. Tracy didn’t want to go, but I think she thought I was going to get violent or something… Joanie wanted to take all her dolls. (fighting tears)
Oh, God, I sent them away…!
ERIC pours a cup of coffee for himself, sips it and burns his tongue. He blows and sips it again gratefully while JANICE takes a cup to BRENT.
BRENT (cont.)
I should have gone with them. I don’t want to be here. It’s all going to hell.
ERIC
Shut up and get some coffee into you. Jesus, Brent, do you always drink like this?
BRENT (indignantly)
What? Are you going to tell me everything’s normal? That it’s fucking inappropriate to be drinking in the morning? You think I should just sit here sober waiting for that… thing to come kill me?
JANICE (sharply)
You knew he got out of the hospital?
BRENT looks up with such SHOCK in his eyes that he clearly did not. His hands begin trembling so badly that coffee spatters the rug.
BRENT (looking down at the mess)
Jesus. Jesus, look at that.
ERIC
Give it to me.
He sets it on the table in front of BRENT. As he stares at haggard, shivering BRENT, his face softens.
ERIC (cont.)
You didn’t know he’d gotten out of the hospital?
BRENT
Christ, no. But I had dreams…
JANICE
We all had dreams. But he’s a sick man, catatonic — a cripple!
BRENT
He’s coming for us. He wants… he’s angry. Because of… of what we did.
