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Version 2.0
July 1998
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Robalini
The
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Klearinghouse
Part IX
The following is part nine of a thirteen part serialization for the screenplay Blinded, written by Robert Sterling. It is suggested for mature audiences only. Though it is copyrighted, feel free to forward it to others, or to put it on your website.
Sit back, turn down the lights, microwave a bag of popcorn, and enjoy the show.
EXT. MONTAGE - DAY
The two of them walk together in a park, hold hands,
and do things together, smiling and staring at each
other.
CARL
(v.o.)
I feel wonderful. She took the
next day off, and we spent it
together. We laughed, we kissed,
we made love. We are one. (beat)
He comes home tomorrow night.
It's gonna be black city. But
until then, I am happier than
ever.
They stare at each other, smiling, as scene ends in
close-up of Evelyn.
INT. STRANGE PLANE - ?
The shot opens with picture of Evelyn smiling, now in
b&w. It's a photograph held by Carl, now in a b&w
shot, dressed like a WWII air pilot. There's sounds of
planes flying everywhere of different types. He puts
the photo down. He's in a strange plane himself, with
a FELLOW FLIER who looks like the man dressed in white
at the party. They're strapped down in cubicles with
see-through glass above and between them. They brace
as the plane take off, and there's a shot of it doing
so. The other guy smiles at Carl, who smiles back. He
looks at the picture again. They speak to each other
in a shout over the plane's noise.
FELLOW FLIER
That your girl?
CARL
Yeah. Beautiful, isn't she?
FELLOW FLIER
Sure is. You married?
CARL
Going to be. I'm crazy about her.
FELLOW FLIER
This your first mission?
CARL
Yeah. And you?
FELLOW FLIER
Been on a couple. You've got one
hell of a mission for your first.
We gotta battle the chicken man.
CARL
The chicken man?
FELLOW FLIER
Yeah. He's real nasty.
CARL
(laughs loudly)
What kind of name is the chicken
man?
FELLOW FLIER
I don't think you're gonna laugh
about him for long.
CARL
(laughing louder)
Why do they call him that?
FELLOW FLIER
Well, he...
His sentence is cut short. The window above the guy is
smashed to bits as the CHICKEN MAN's beak busts
through. His beak goes straight for the fellow flier's
eyeball. He hits it, and black blood spurts
everywhere. The guy screams, and Carl does as well. A
loud crunching sound is heard as the chicken man rips
the guy's brain out of his head. He then slurps it up
with a disgusting sound, and his face is revealed,
resembling Mr. Hood's combined with a chicken. He sees
Carl, stares a second, then jumps off the plane,
flapping wings, flying while making clucking sounds.
He flutters around, then dives for Carl's ship, hitting
the glass above Carl but not breaking it. He flies
away, then dives again, this time little cracks
appearing in the glass. Carl tries to take his belt
off, but to no avail, and is trapped. The chicken man
dives again, more cracks appearing. Finally, he dives
again and the window busts. Carl, covered with glass,
tries to defend himself, screaming as the chicken man
tries to peck him. He shoves his hands at the chicken
man's neck to push him away, and the chicken man bites
them, blood pouring down. He screams loudly.
INT. EVELYN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Carl jumps up in bed, waking and screaming. Evelyn
wakes up next to him, and immediately tries to calm him
down on the moonlit screen.
CARL
Oh God!! OH GOD!!!
EVELYN
(holding him)
Shh. Calm down. It's alright.
It's alright.
CARL
Oh God oh God oh God oh God.
EVELYN
It's okay. I'm here.
He pants as he holds her. They continue to embrace.
INT. BREAKFAST TABLE - MORNING
Mr. Nicholas sits at the table, eating breakfast. The
newspaper, with the usual gloom, lies on the table.
Evelyn enters, dressed in a negligee and robe, looking
famished but in better shape she was only days ago.
She smiles as she looks at him and sits down.
MR. NICHOLAS
I'm sorry I haven't started
breakfast, Mrs. Hood. I wasn't
sure you'd be getting up.
EVELYN
I feel good enough to go to work.
MR. NICHOLAS
I see. (beat) It seems Master
Carl isn't up yet. Perhaps it's a
good time to bring up an important
matter. I've noticed something
between you two.
There is a pause, and she stares at him nervously.
MR. NICHOLAS
I understand you're having an
affair of sorts.
EVELYN
(nervous)
I see. Would you like a raise?
MR. NICHOLAS
Oh, no, Ms. Hood. I desire no
such thing. I must confess,
between you and Mr. Hood, I've
always felt closer to you. And
although she has known him longer,
the bond of womanhood is strong
between you and Lilian. (beat)
No, I don't want to bribe you. I
want to reassure you. Nothing
which has gone on this week will
be spoken to Mr. Hood. I stake my
life on it.
EVELYN
(releasing a relaxed sigh)
Well. That's good to hear.
He begins to smile for the first time, with an almost
twisted look to it.
EXT. MONTAGE FROM GARDEN - DAY
Carl works in the garden.
CARL
(v.o.)
I miss her. I miss her. I need
her.
INT. CARL'S BEDROOM - EVENING
He's alone in his room, eating dinner, watching t.v.
He doesn't look happy. He hears the sound of a car
outside, and he looks out the window to see a limousine
pull up in front. Mr. Hood stumbles out, smash drunk.
He laughs loudly and screams as the DRIVER helps him up
and with his suitcase.
MR. HOOD
Honey, I'm fucking home!!!
Carl looks steamed as he begins to put on the
handcuffs.
INT. CARL'S BEDROOM - LATER
It's dark out as Mr. Hood is heard screaming at Evelyn,
as Carl lies in bed in anger, messing with the
handcuffs. He looks angrier and angrier as he hears
screaming and slapping sounds.
CARL
(v.o.)
I can't stand it anymore. I CAN'T
STAND IT ANYMORE.
Getting off the cuffs, he gets out and storm out of the
room. As he does, the diary is revealed, showing the
sentence "I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE" being written again
and again.
EXT. MANSION GROUNDS - CONT.
He storms across the grounds and walks to the house.
He open the front door and walks in.
INT. MANSION - CONT.
He walks to and up the stairs to their bedroom.
INT. EVELYN'S BEDROOM - CONT.
Mr. Hood shouts at and slaps Evelyn. He's about to
strike again when he sees Carl. Carl attacks, shoving
him against the wall.
EVELYN
Carl! No!
MR. HOOD
You fucking asshole! I'm gonna
kill you!
Carl attacks Mr. Hood, shoving him against the wall
again and again. He stares at Mr. Hood as he punches
him in the face. Mr. Hood is knocked down, blood
falling from his nose. Carl looks at him viciously, as
though he's about to attack. Lilian and Mr. Nicholas
enter the room.
EVELYN
Carl! Stop It!
He snaps out of it, looking around, calming down. Mr.
Hood, drunk and angry, stares at him, nose bloodied,
then gets up and storms out the room. There's a moment
of relaxation, then the sound of another door opening.
Evelyn looks scared.
EVELYN
Oh God. (pause) It's Sigmund!
It's Sigmund's room!
Carl, realizing what she's saying, runs out of the
room, Evelyn following her. Mr. Nicholas and Lilian
stare in shock as there is the muffled sound of a baby
crying.
INT. SIGMUND'S BEDROOM
Carl enters the room, and sees Mr. Hood trying to
suffocate the baby as it lies in the crib. He runs to
and jumps on Mr. Hood, trying to pull him away from
Sigmund. Mr. Hood lets go of the baby, its scream no
longer muffled, and grabs Carl, shoving him to the
crib. Some of the wooden bars crack as he lands next
to the screaming baby. Mr. Hood steps back and pulls
off his belt. Grabbing the metal end, he whips Carl.
Carl screams in pain, and Mr. Hood whips him again.
Carl gets out of the crib, breaking some more wooden
bars, and jumps to Mr. Hood as he tries to whip him
again. They stumble to the floor, grappling. Carl
rips the belt from Mr. Hood's hands, and raps it around
Mr. Hood's neck. He tightens it like a noose. Choking
sounds come from Mr. Hood, and Carl now begins to smile
and laugh. Carl's left arm is grabbed. He turns to
see it is Evelyn.
EVELYN
Carl! Stop! Stop it!
He looks at her, sees what he's doing, and lets Mr.
Hood go. Mr. Hood lies on the ground, face purple,
coughing for breath. Mr. Nicholas and Lilian enter the
bedroom. Lilian suddenly looks in shock and screams,
pointing to the crib. One of the splintered wooden
bars Carl broke is stuck in Sigmund's forehead,
splitting it open.
EVELYN
Oh God. OH GOD! CALL THE
HOSPITAL! OH GOD!
Mr. Nicholas moves quickly to the phone. Evelyn rushes
to the baby and holds it in her arms. Carl stares in
shock as Lilian continues to scream in hysterics.
INT. HOSPITAL LOBBY - PRE-DAWN
All five wait in the sanitized room, Lilian praying
again and again. Carl and Evelyn look very sick,
sitting next to each other. Mr. Hood appears in a
drunken stupor. He and Evelyn are at opposite sides of
the room, as Mr. Hood stares at her. Mr. Nicholas is
at the water cooler, filling a cup. He walks back to
her and hands her the cup. She nods and gives him a
weak smile as she holds it. She takes a few pills from
her hand and drinks the water out of the cup. Carl
gives her a concerned look, as Mr. Hood looks at them
with a crazed look. Carl looks back at him. A female
DOCTOR enter the room and walks to Evelyn.
DOCTOR
Ms. Hood? (beat, sees
acknowledgment) Good news. He's
going to be alright.
Evelyn cries, tears rolling down cheeks. Carl smiles
as well.
DOCTOR
He needs some stitches, but
otherwise you've got a healthy
boy.
(smiles)
The nurses absolutely love him.
(beat) Well, whenever you're
ready, you can pick him up and
leave. Oh, and about the...
circumstances involved. We won't
be notifying any authorities.
We'll let you take care of this
your own way.
Evelyn looks down and cries.
DOCTOR
Why don't I leave you all alone?
Awkwardly, she leaves, as Carl and Mr. Hood stare at
each other.
CARL
Listen, you fucking freak. If you
ever, ever, lay a hand on her or
the baby again, I'll kill you.
(beat) You hear me? I'll fucking
kill you.
MR. HOOD
Do you know who you're talking to?
(evil laugh) Fuck off.
Carl and Mr. Hood stare at each other, as the other
three watch the tense scene.
INT. CARL'S BEDROOM - MORNING
He wakes up slowly. He looks around the room like he's
thinking.
INT. BREAKFAST TABLE - MINUTES LATER
Mr. Hood sits at the table, looking sad as he eats
breakfast alone. Carl walks in the room, stops, and
stares at him. Mr. Hood looks back. Looking ashamed,
he turns away and turns on the t.v. The two
anchorwomen are on.
LESILE
Shakeups continue in the LAPD as
the Shaman case remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, copycat killer plague
metropolitan areas. On the sudden
wave of crime, LAPD Chief Noman is
quoted, "This is another sign of
the deteriorating quality from old
style policing. It clearly is not
working, and it must stop."
CONNIE
Meanwhile, Bonnie Caldwell,
feminist writer and member of the
National Organization for Women,
said this in a press conference
yesterday.
Shot of CALDWELL at a press conference.
CALDWELL
These disgusting acts of violence
show a serious flaw in our
heterosexual male-dominated
society, which has encouraged
violence against women and other
oppressed groups. Furthermore,
our mass media, or should I say
"mass pornographers", should be
held equally responsible for
glorifying hate crimes against
women.
MR. HOOD
(o.s.)
Good morning.
Mr. breaks the silence of the two. Carl turns and
stares at him.
MR. HOOD
Evelyn informed me of what
happened last night.
CARL
What do you mean, informed you?
You were fucking there!
MR. HOOD
I... don't remember.
CARL
Yeah, sure.
MR. HOOD
I understand you being angry at
me, not believing me. But I don't
remember. I was too drunk.
CARL
You should remember! You almost
killed them both.
MR. HOOD
She... told me. She also told me
you saved their life. (beat)
You're right. I may not remember,
But it's no excuse.
(closes eyes)
I'm scared, Carl. I'm really
scared. These last few months,
ever since Sigmund was born, have
been so tense. I've been working
too hard, not spending enough time
with Evelyn. I've been boiling
inside, and getting drunk gives me
a... release. It helps me forget.
Last night, I completed a complex
settlement, and received a hefty
bonus in the process. I wanted to
celebrate. Guess it didn't turn
out that way. (beat) I want it
to stop, Carl. I'm giving up
drinking, joining AA. After the
trip this weekend, I'm going to go
to their meetings. (beat) I'll
need help. I'd like yours. I
guess you probably hate me after
last night, but I like you. I see
part of you in me, but only the
good part. Just talking to you in
the morning really calms me down.
I don't know if Evelyn's helped
you, but you've definitely helped
me. I'm actually more stable
since you've been around. I'm not
asking you to be a friend, I
just... Well, you going tomorrow?
CARL
(surprised)
The offer's still good?
MR. HOOD
Wouldn't ask if it wasn't. I'd
like to teach you how to fish.
CARL
(thinking)
How's Evelyn?
MR. HOOD
Fine. She fell asleep again, to
get some more rest, but she's
fine. Since Lilian's taking care
of Sigmund, she's even going to
work later today.
CARL
(pause)
Yeah. I'll go. I need a break.
I was going to take one this
afternoon. Blow the hourglass.
MR. HOOD
I understand. I need to be by
myself once in a while. (beat) I
guess I never told you the good
news last night. The meeting in
New York was a real success.
Mr. Hood smiles.
MR. HOOD
You're looking at a major
stockholder of the Peercex
Corporation. (beat, serious look)
I really care about Sigmund and
Evelyn. That's why I work so
hard, so if something should
happen to me, they'll be alright.
When I found out this morning what
I did, I was scared shitless.
(beat) The last time I felt that
way was when I was thirteen. You
remember what it's like to be
thirteen?
Carl shakes his head no.
MR. HOOD
Well, it wasn't fun. Puberty. I
grew a few inches, got a deeper
voice, grew some hair on my chest.
But you know, the most important
change was I was stronger. My
father, he'd beat me every day.
Well, one day, I fought back.
(c-u of face) Did I beat the shit
out of him. At first, I laughed
at him. But then I realized
something: I could kill him if I
wanted to. And the scary thing
was, I knew he knew it too. I was
afraid to death that he was going
to kill me at night, because he
was afraid how strong I was
getting.
CARL
What'd you do?
Mr. Hood doesn't answer. Instead, he picks up a piece
of bacon and chomps on it with a loud crunching sound.
