"1408" (2007)

Wrinenb:, Scott,'dexander&Lar::·Karasz:;wski

A dull highway. A crappy sedan roars by.

At the wheel, driving this piece of shit, isMIKE ENSLIN 135, a grizzled, weary soul. He stares glassily atthe road, a cigarette behind his ear,a styrofoam cup ofExxon coffee at his mouth.

A sign drifts by: nwoodfin, Rte 251 N - Asheville,Interstate 240 E, Hwy 40, Next Right, Thru Traffic Merge"

Heh? Mike frowns.

RAIN pours down on an unpaved country intersection.

Mike stands outside his car, soaked, checkinga wet map. He s confused and annoyed. There are no road markings at all. He checks his watch.

A quaint rural inn, dark of night. The a.rnDianceis picturesque, but off-putting. Porch lanternsglow. Shadows are deep. An ancient elm tree frames the banging weathered sign: "The Camden Inn"

Then, finally -- headlights. Mike's car pullsup in the mud.

Mike trudges into the homey, worn lobby@

The aregarious INNKEEPERS jump up, excited~ They re country folk;bea'Tiing.

MR~ INNKEEPER Oh 1Mr$ Enslin! We were so worried

you weren t gonna show!

It's such an honor to have you here$

• getmy key --

They ignore his exhaustion~

MR. I'NNY~EPER You probably want to hear all about our haunted history! Well, that rear staircase is where the maid reputedly hung herself in 1870.

MRS. INNKEEPER

There s a picture

Can we do this in the morning?

_M_RS.INNKEEPER (ru..rnrnagingthrough drawers) Waiti It's printed in our brochure!

INSERT - BROCHURE

she thrusts out a brochure that says"HAUNTED!" There's a PHOTO of the lobby,and a faint white shape in a window,

A guest took that photo in 1986. You

can sort of seeSylvia s nethereal apparationn reflected in thewindow~

Mike stares,unimpressed~

¥ff\~I~"NKEEPER At least, Sylviais what we call her~

r'JRS.INNKEEPER

That s right~ The third floor is the formerservant 1 squarters,,Peonle

say allSylvia s Children died Up there of tuberculosis$ (!'10RE)

•

~'<.INNKEEPER Guests havereported strange sounds~

At the stroke of midnight,there s been weirdnoises* Creaks~ Moans~ (:mysterioso} Our best advice...is ~o lock your door fromthe inside~

INT~ INN - MIKE'S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Mike lies on the antique bed, on a quilt,drinking mini-bar BOOZE. He has an army of tiny Scotches,Gins, Vodkas. He's bored out of his mind~

LATER

The boozes are empty. Somewhere, a grandfather clockCHIYlES midnight. DONG, DONG, DONG! Mike groggily glances ata bedside clock. Waiting. Listening. Alert to anything...

Suddenly -- a loud CR.~SHl Mike jerks, startled.

He jumps up, concerned ...then realizes it's onlyTHUNDER. Oh.

LATER

Mike is snoring, drooling, passed out.

CUT

Mike is back in the car, driving another endlessinterstate@

Ho speaks flatly into a pocket MINI-RECORDER.

if you have a party of four, she ll make her fa~ous flourless chocolate cake. (beat) (MORE)

Mike clicks the recorderOFF,, He puts it do\rln--thenhas a thought and turns itback ON~

EXT~B&tzNES & NOBLE- NIGHT

A mall bookstore~ The marauee .shouts GHOST SURVIVALGUIDE Author M ..EnslinTonight! -7 P..M~n

Mike enters, disheveled. The store is sad andgeneric -- an air of listlessness hanging over the shelves. Mike tiredly approaches the busy CASHIER.

Cl'.SHIER (a dawning awareness) Oh, right. Right! Okay then!

The Cashier finishes his order;then flicks on a small P~A~ SYSTEM. He grabs a MICROPHONE and reads offa xeroxed FLYER:

He s the author of the bestselling Ghost Survival Guides, with such

titles as Ten Haunted Hotels, nTen Haunted Graveyards,1'and HTenHaunted

Lighthouses !

Around the store,people look up~ leans int.othe guy.

•

INT" BARNES & NOBLE - LATER

The event~ It's depressing-~ the sad reality of booksignings. The back ofthe store has 30 or 40 folding chairs, but there's onlyFIVE SPECTATORS~ Mike sits alongside a pile of hispaperbacks1 discoursing~

The people gowide-eyed. Mike lets this hang... then deflates l'+-~•

traaic event neverhappened! It s just a marketinghook invented by desperate hotelswhen the interstate gets built too faraway.

The crowd doesn't get it. One EMPHATICM.Zillraises his hand.

EMPHATIC Will Have you ever seena poltergeist?

(she raises her hand)

Well, my ffilfl.ilysplanningatrip

this summer~ Would you say there s a higher concentration of ghosts in New England or in the South?

Mike wipes hie face~

Krv1

MC:KE r.woul~ say nowhere,but no one-'s

p:1.CK-Upmy''TenHat:ntedAntebellum Mansions,."

LATER

Mike is signing paperbacks 1rote, the sameautograpn over and over: "StayScared! Mike Enslin" "Stay Scared!Mike Enslin''

Then -- a HARDBACK enters frame. He looksup, surprised.

A NERVOUS WOMP.Nholds the book. It's adusty, faded copy of Mike's early novel, "The Road Back Nowhere." The artwork is heartfelt: A watercolor of a boy holdinga surfboard.

The woman bites her lip, preferring notto say~

He glances at the backcover: A decade-old PHOTO of himself -- young and optimistic~

Mike's face falls,.

• Kiv1

The sun is peeking overthe norizon* The pink skyis lovely 1 breaking over a rockyinlet~

Mike drives into a beach parkinglot. He glancesover -- soottina a clusterof parked carse Across the sand,a GROUP of dediCated SURFERSin wetsuits ride the early morningwaves~

Mike stares --then keeps driving. A surfboard sticksout of his car. He coesto the far end of the parkinglot, off by himself, then-pullsover~

EXT~ OCEAN -LATER

Mike rides awave~ It's exquisite~ For him,this exoerience isn't about adrenaline, but-tranquility~ ThewearineSs that usually hangs over hi.~is gone. He's alone and perfectly serene. Happy.

Mike enjoys the spray in his face. Until --he hears a strange BUZZING. He looks around, then UP.

ABOVE

A small AIRPLP.NEflies over, towing a BANNER.

Mike squints, trying to read

The sky is too bright. The banner is silhouetted...

Mike focuses harder... distracted... when --

BAM!

A monstrous WAVE suddenly POUNDS him!

Crash! Mike gets slammed underwater~

UNDERNEATH

Mike gets pulled down*

He screams out, but only bubbles emerge.

The water BATTERS him. Everything swirls$ He spinsr losing track of which way is up~

M~ke struggles, desperate...trying to reach for sky... getting sucked deeper toward thedarkness~~~

When --

•

ANGLE ~ HIS SURFBOP.RD

suddenly appears from above~ Like a godsend~

startled, Mike grabs for it -- when~- it unexpectedly pitches and HAMMERS him in the head.

CUT TC:

ECU - MIKE S FACE

Mike lies mutely on his back, on the sand. Hyperventilating.

Winded. Eyes glassy~

But alive.

~-noverlit, bleached-white fluorescent hellhole. An anonymous storefront of mailboxes, packing supplies,and key-cutting.

Mike enters and goes over tohis mailbox$ He unlocks it, removing a STARTLING AMOUNTof MAIL.

The friendly MAILBOX GUY nods.

Mike sits in a corner booth,alone~ His breakfast sits abandoned, runny egg yolks congealed. He sips his eighth cup of coffee,

The table is spread with months ofopened mail~ Dozens of BROCHURES for HOTELS,INNS, B & B's. Mike flips through them. Some have macabre marketing-- nspirits! Strange?n A few have even ~hotoshoppedtransparent phantoms into their antique- laden lobbies,,Mike glances at a Post-it: HDear Mr~ Enslin 1

please considerour Motel for your next Ghost Guide,,

He stares --then tosses it~ He rummages through more mail: A bill from anursing home~ Skeptical Enquirer magazine~ The Weeklv WorldNews. He sleshes an envelooe with his fanov LETTER OPENER~ Inside is a childish are~tina card -- a -

cartoon tigersays HYou'reTerrrrrrr-ific! Happy Birthday!

Mike frowns, thenthrows it in the trash pile~ Re reaches for aPOSTCARD.

• INSERT~ P0STC&'ID

The back has but three scribbled words: ,;DON TENTER1408H

ON MIKE

Hm. He gazes, then flips over the card. It's a generic giveaway HOTEL POSTCARD. A montage ofphotos: Elegant 1920s exterior. Classy rooms. An overstuffed loungefilled with

smilingi'attractive rich people,,A scrolling fontsays: 'When in New York City, visit the DolphinHotel!"

Mike fixates on the word nNew York., His face darkens 1and he tosses the card in the junk pile.

He starts to move on -- when something catches hiseye. He peers back at the card.•.

TIGHT - POSTCAiill

Again, "DON'T ENTER 1408." We PUSH IN on the numbers, until they fill the screen. 1408... 1408..•

Mike thinks. He clicks a pen,then scribbles the digits as a math column, 1 + 4 + 0 + 8 =..••....13.

A smile flickers across his face.

Mike is amused. He considers the card, then suddenly OPENS HIS LAPTOP COMPUTER.

ANGLE - COMPUTER

Mike spins the mouse,clicking "Internet." He waits patiently, whilethe green WI-FI icon scrolls~ Searching~~~ searching.•. until-- "NOSIGNJl.LAVAILABLE"

Mike groans.

WIDE

Irked,Mike grabs the computer~ He JL~'1PSfromhis booth and startsmeandering around the coffee shop, eyeballing the computerscreen like a hungry hawk~

A few steps-- Ahl A glirmnerof green, then red~

•

He marches toward the door --eyes glued to the screen~ The DINERS shoot him looks, buthe is indifferent to otherpeople~ He lifts the laptop overhis head1 trying different positionse

Mike exits the building. Suddenly, he finds a~-

Ah-HA! The Internetopens$ The WEB PAGE speaks:

INTE&~ET LA.DYVOICE Good morning,Mike.

He quickly sits on a cinderblock wall and startsEXPERTLY TYPING.

INSERT - COMPUTER

Mike goes to "GOOGLE." He types in "DOLPHINHOTEL NEW YORK"

Beat. A page of text appears. Mike clicks on a link to the Dolphin. A millisecond pause --then the DOLPHIN HOTEL'S stylish HOMEPAGE }\.PPEARS.It is exactly whatone would expect: Chandeliers. Clinking champagne flutes. Links to "SPA" "DINING" "BANQUET FACILITIES" "RESERVATIONS" ...

Mike knows this is a dead end. He clicks back to "GOOGLE," then tries "DOLPHIN HOTEL GHOSTS" ,

The computer responds, !!NORESULTS11

Mike backspaces and tries again:'DOLPHIN HOTEL SUPERNATURAL"

The computer responds, "NORESULTS"

Mike backspaces and tries yetagain: "DOLPHIN HOTEL HAUNTING"

The computer responds,nNO RESULTSB

Mike stares. Unbowed, his face darkens. He tries a different approach: nDOLPHINHOTEL DEATH11

THE COMPUTER

pauses --then the SCREEN FILLS WT~

MIKE

suddenlygasps, horrified.

Mike sits in amusty library basement, scrolling through MICROFICHE rolls* On the amber screen is an ancientNew York Herald-Tribune: The headline screams gFACTORYOVlliERLEAPSFROM HOTEL." There is a portrait of a stuffy-looking richman, then underneath a gory WEEGEE-LIKE PHOTO ofa bloody mess on a New York sidewalk, the cops dourly cleaningup.

For the first time, Mike seems affected~ Truly bothered~

Shaken, he scribbles notes on a LEGAL PAD. Under the word "DOLPHIN," we see the pad is filled with items...

A spooky pause... when suddenly -- RING!! It's his CELLPHONE.

Mike jumps, startled. Embarrassed by thenoise, he quickly answers it,,

But, nothing. Mike frowns.

No response* Just -- a faint cracklingSTATIC$

Mike struggles to hear --when CLICK. The line goes dead.

Weird* Mike looks back at his list ofdeaths~*$

CU on a jumble of oldNEWSPAPER ARTICLES. A blizzard of words

and headlines: SUICIDE'!$~..DRO¼'¥NINGH.,~"HELECTROCUTIONn~,,~ nHEA,'R.TATTACK~nWeslowly PULL OUT, revealing dozens of Dolphin articles,tacked on a corkboard. A blur of photos, nasty death imagesand old-fashioned formal portraits~ The victims look like solid early20th-century cltizens: A walrus- moustached manin a bowler~ A prim woman in round spectacles~

We CONTINUEPULLING OUT, finding Mike on a ratty couch,. Surrounded by thesehorrors~ He holds the Dolohin POSTCARD, staring~ Agitated$ Suddenly he downs a shot Of bourbon; then dials the phonenumber. He waits, RING. RING --

OPER'\TOR(V.0.; Good evening 7Dolphin Hotel~ How may I direct your call?

A strange pause*

OPERATOR (V,,O..)

~ don t believewe have such a room~

Dont you~ ~~?

Another pause..

OPER.~TOR{V~O<>) Er 7one moment, please~

Mike gets put on HOLD. SprightlyMUSIC kicks in, and a RECORDED AJlliOUNCEMENT.

• HOTEL VOICE

(cutting in) May I help you?

Mike raisesan eyebrow~

No response,,

•

MI¥ill (tickedoff) Nexn month?

CLICK.. The manHANGS UP,

Mike is stupefied.

A busy New York agency with million-dollar views. SAM FARRELLr a gregarious old-school gentleman agent,yells out~

• 48th?

I gotta heve lunch with that idiotfrom Random House.

(on the phone,gesturing) It!s Mike Enslin, calling from Florida again,,

Sarnwinces~ He looks arouna, thenhails a bookish LAWYER~

Great~

Sa~ PULLS him into hisleather-bound offices

INT~ SAM'S OFFICE

Sa"'tl,slamsthe doorandlowers hievoice~

•

SJ1J·1 Now look, thia guy tenda toget a little morose, so tryto keep the energy up. Otherwise,he stewa in his owr:funk.

Sa~ PUNCHES his apeakerphone.

Mike!1!

MIKE (V.0.)

MIKE (V.0.)

• So,about the Dolphin --

Good,.

CL:ltY So we'll book it, and if they refuse,

we ll rattle our saber and file suit~

A pause,, Sarnturns quiet,.leaning into thespeakerphone"

• Rrv1

• here?

MIKE :v.0.) (tentative) S-sure·~It'11 make a solid closing chapterfor the --

But seriously~0~buddy~ It s New York. All that happened... (pause) De ycu really want to put yourself through that...?

INTERCUT:

CLOSEUP - MIKE

His face clouds~ He considers hispast, then whispers~

MIKE

I ll be quick$ And it s a different part of town...

We hold on Mike, brimming withuncertainty~*~

Then -- a loud SHRIEEEEEK!

An AIRPL.Z\;.~EdescendsintoNewYork~

Mike looks cut thewindow. The grid of New York is below, neatly geometric~ Until-- the plane suddenly banks, swooping in~ The whole view spins~

Mike recoils, nauseated.

Blackness. Then a TA-XIemerges into the11.ght. We've been looking into the Holland Tunnel$

INT~ C~_B- DRIVING

A carved crucifix swings from the mirror$

Mike rides in back. Face wan. New York'sa Jumble. He peers about -- everything seems discordant. Canal Street is a collection of unsettling images:

smoke curls from a grate. It clears,revealing a Ml"-.Nlying motionless on the sidewalk.

Sparks arc inside an open factory door.

A snarling DOG barks behind bars.

Seafood decomposes in a fish market.

The CAJ3BIEHONKS furiously at the congestion.

Canal s fine~~q

The Cabbie hooks left.

Mike blanches in back~ The cab drivesuptown, and the sense of DREAD grows. CrUc~blingbuildingsblock out the sun. Mike grimaces, anxious* Knowing somethingis approaching~~~

OUT THE WINDOW

Az1old brick school comes intoview~ On the PLAYGROUNDr CHILDREN RUN AB.OUND.

Mike shudders~ Distraught,he averts his eyes~

A sumptuous refuqee fromthe Jazz Age~ A STATUE OF A SMILING DOLPHIN dominateSthe portal,. It leers a happy greeting.

Mike's cab arrives. He gets out, carryinga duffel.

:NT. DOLPHIN LOBBY - NIGHI • Swanky and archaic 1but beautifullymaintained~ The last time it was hip, Dororhy Parker gotdrunk in the coatroom.

The DOORMAN opens the door forMike. Mike's sweating, his usual insouciance rattled~ Heglances around the small lobby: On the mezzanine 1a PIANISTplays Gershwin~ Chic GUESTS in evening wear cavort. A RICEOLD COUPLE walks a poodle. A BEAUTIFUL WO~J<~~ine go,m casually breastfeedsa baby.

Mike goes up to Reception~ The DESK CLERK smiles formally~

Hmphh? The Desk Clerk suddenly tightensup, awkward.

She hurriesoff~ Mike raises an eyebrow~

• We follow the Clerk asshe scurries down the counter. She reachesa rigid ASSISTANT MANAGER and whispers. He listens, giving Mikea discreet glance. The Assistant Manager whispers somethingback, then rushes out a rear door~

Beat~

Mike waits. Biding his time...

Pause -- then the rear door opens 1and out glides theManager, MR~ OLIN~ Olin, 60, is a Precise man ofEuropean air 1his tailored suit, carefully-parted hair andmanicured nails only made bearable by his clipped dry wit.

TIGHT - OLIN

He nods professionally and extends hishand$

you re here-~ dinner reservationsr theater, anvthina at all -- olease know that Iim defiohted to be at vour service,, ..., -

•

I ll stay out of yourhair~

Beat. Olin s eyesnarrow,,

An impeccable Edwardian study. Oak paneling. Fine books. An antique desk with a lozenge-shaped greenlamp.

Olin opens a hurnidor.

Olin's eyes shift to the cigarette behind Mike's ear. Mike sees this.

Olin smiles thinlv~ rteopens a liquor cabinet and removes a fine BOTTLE OF COGNAC~

•

Mike takes this in, then cracksup, PARODYING Olin with a silly Transylvania accent~

Olin stares, unamused.

MIKE

No, you re just playinga little game, which franklyI find tiresome. 1 11 You re sellingthe mystique~{/ But eventually,we both know you'll give me the key, I'll writemy story, and your bookingswill go up 50%@

Olin is repelled. Mike smirks and pulls out his mini-recorder.

• D ~.f 1\,l\'l

Mike hits HRECORD$" The LED glows red, like an eye,and the little wheels start apinning~a~

Olin glares, his politenessfading~

Olin lets this chilling thought hang.

Mike's eyes widen.

• Riv!

Mike leans forward 1interestpiqued~

OLIN

You didn t findthem, because they're not reported in newspa~ers. But all told, ~5!..!,__...:QJ~l2..k!LillllY!aLJWN_JJIL.uJfil~

Mike 1.smomentarily speechless.,

Olin pulls out a small key and opens his desk bottom drawer. He removes aBULGING FILE and brings it around toMike. Olin stares a moment -- then s1'tsnext to him~

OLIN

How indeed? Isn t that interestinq? Well, it's all in the file: - (hePATS the folder) And you're welcome to readall of it~

Every word! I ll even giveyou my office! You can Perusethe materials to your heart's cOntent~ You can take notes~ Put it all inyour book! (pause;he turns somber) In return, my onlycondition~$~ is

that you don t stay in theroom~

Mike eyeballs the file,.

m'J..nen-~

Considering"

Olin smiles a flicker 1t~eng~ts ~p for the C~gnac¢ He ~akes out a crystal sniftertwipes 1.tc.1._ean,carefuJ.lypours~~~

Mike notices a silverDESK FRP~1E* He furtively cranes

around~~~ to checkout who s in it* And -- it's acalendar~

Olin hands Mike thedrink~ Mike gratefully snorts it, enjoying the flavor,the spreading warmth. Then,he looks up.

Olin BLOWS UP and angrily THROWS i:hefile atMike.

Mike is stunned at this outburst~ Hesitant, he opens the TOP FOLDER.. Inside is a pile of wrinkled yellow newsprint. Olin testily narrates from memory$

OLIN

Yes~ But that s not the horrific part. Afterward, in a fit of insanityr he tried to stitch himself back up with a sewing needle before he bled to death~

Mike makes a face.

MIKE

didn t goin* I ll aive vou a fake receipt!_You can take phOtographs in 1404: The layouts are identical, nobody willknow the difference --

•

OLIN

I ve donemv own research! Your books areeasy to find -- in the cheap paperback section. (beat) And they are completely cynical. The work ofa talented, intelligent man who doesn't believe in anvthinc but himself.

Mike reacts, pissed.

MIKE

• Where the fuck do you get off--!

(hurt) Thismeeting's over

•

Mike seethes$ He hits nsToPn on the recorder$ He Jumps up$

And that s good, because I also know

there s no God to protect us from them, if they did.

Behind Reception, a wall of old-fashioned mail slots. Olin

carries over a little stool* He stepsup to 1408 s mailbox, reaching his hand far... far back into theshadowy recess.

He fiddles around, then pulls outa TA-"R.NISHEDKEYona long brass paddle. Embossed are thenumbers 1408.

Mike reacts, surprised~

Mike shootshim a look~ He speaks into his mini-recorder~

OLIN

I didn't say 'tphantom~'

WIDE

Olin pads away. He crosses the rococo lobby, guiding Miketo the ELEVATOR. He presses "UP," then turns and whispers.

Mike's eyebrows raise.

DINGl The elevator arrives~ The shimmerydoors open~

Olin gestures: After you. Mike enters. Olin starts to follow -- when a MAITRE'D in a tux comes running over. He interrupts Olin and quickly MUTTERS something in French. Olin nods and MUTTERS back. He scribbles his signature ona form. The Maitre'd bows and runs off.

Olin enters~ It s an old-fashioned cage,.Olin hits "14,H and the doors rattle closed. They stand in silence.

Mike ignores this. He stares at the panel:Rows of BUTTONS, with the customary lie: 1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12... 14 15 16

Olin chuckles,, They lurch upward,lights ticking:

haven t b8en changed in a decade.

o:;:,rN No 1no, no$ This isa professional establishrnent. ourmaids give 1408 a light turn once amonth~ {MORE)

Olin 1 sfacetightens 1regretful~

Olin stares.

DING! The elevator hits 14. The doors open.

•likepeersout,. It s a perfectly uneventful corridor-- red- and-gold carpet, drab end tables,old-tyme light fixtures.

Mike waits for Olin to takea step -- but the man is illh~obile.

Mike nods, a tad apprehensive@ He exits -- on legs that seem heavier~ Mike takes a fewsteps, then turns~

Olin stands framedin the elevator, an oroinarv man in a plain su1.-.·+Handsclasped,.-F~aceWl..t...drawn,"h'nesl..ghs,··•

Olin pulls outthe bottle of Cognac and tosses i~# Startled, Mike catches it~ He starts to respond -- but the doors SHUT~

Oli!!is gone,

MIKE

ianow alone~ He hoists his duffel, thenwalks slowly down the hushed hallway@ Past 1401ey~~1402~~~

Mike examines Olin's file~

INSERT - FILE

A grisly PHOTOGRAPH marked "KEVIN O'MALLEY.,.He l:.esdead in the bathtub~ Eis eyes are wide 1his throat gashedopen 1a sew:.ngneedle protruding from raw flesh.

MIKE

grimaces.. He walks past 1404$$~ pasta moldering room service tray. On the plate are remains of a beef burger soaked in red ketchup. A fly buzzes...

INSERT - FILE

Back to the photos. Mike flipsto a nasty half-covered BODY in bed. The sheets are soaked.

IN THE HALL

Mike is getting rattled. He makes a turn. 1406 goes by... 1407... wood-paneled doorsand elegant wallpaper...

Mike finds a scratchedNOTE on hotel stationery.

INSERT - FILE

Frantic writing: nMybrother was eat.enby wolves on the Connecticut Turnpiken

IN THE HP.LL

Mike stops,considering this oddity~

He looksup -- and realizes he's in front of 1401~

Huh?

Mike looksaround, confused~ Somehow, he's back at the elevator~

Mike slowly shakes his head~ Then, he packs upthe file and marches away~ Pay attention!

WIDE

Mike watches the numbersqo bv~ Get to that room! 2,3! 4 1 5, 6 17e He swingsaround a Corner~ I'klldthere,unassuming and anonymous, is 14080

Mike pulls out hisbrass KEY~ He starts to insert it-- when, he 1 sstartled byWtlIMPERINGe

AT THE NEXT ROOM

is a YOUNG MOTHER turned away from us. She holdsa sobbing BABY. She fumbleswith her mag card, then disappears inside.

BACK ON MIKE AT THE DOOR

Okay~ He takes a breath, then inserts thekey in the locke

MICRO-CLOSEUP - INSIDE THE LOCK

The vintage mechanism looks like a GIGANTICDAR.~CHAMBER, filled with crazy angles of cold steel$

The key enters like a medieval batteringrarn. It slowly turns~ The tu..rnblersRUMBLEwithechoinaCLINKS and CRICKS~ '"fhesound risesominously LOUD$~~ -

BACK TO MIKE - NOWJAL PERSPECTIVE

And, the sound becomes a teenyCLICK.

The door unlocks.

Inside the next room, theYoung Mother s VOICE leaks out:

The knot in Mikels stomachgrows~

He grips the doorknob~ He lifts up his recorder@

He hits STOP~

Then 1he slowly turns the knob

tension builds --

The wooden door opens

INT~ 1408 - SfiltETIME

It1 s-- just a hotel room~

A two-room suite, pleasant andbanal& Pastel sitting area 1 beige carpet, forgettable furniture$

Mike sees this -- and gasps,relieved~ He starts LAUGHING~

That's friggin IT?!

Astonished, he enters and throws his stuffdown. He defiantly SL~JVJSthedoor shut and SHOUTS.

Mike gives himselfa tour~

There's a couch~ A coffee table~ A desk with various items: A fax machine. A glass ashtray. A..nold-fashioned rotary telephone. A book of matches, with a Norman Rockwellish sketch of a smiling Doorman at thehotel.

on the wall are threefra~ed paintings~ In the carpet below is a waterstain~

Thewall THERMOSTAT says 80~ Mike clicks the HdownH arrow,.

There sa queen-size bed with fluffy pillows.. A TV¢ nig.ut.s'"'·+....and-.oi-'bsJ_e,,11":!J.Ke'a.1•'p.1.c.Ks,•l1..-•+-up"s~t'nentosses,1---.+

aside~

Mike flicks on the bathroom lights~ It's bright and sparkling --a pleasing glow of luxury.

There s a tub$ A bidet" Baskets of soap"

;}f,:': ',_,..i

30,

The toilet oaoer roll is folded in Mike tears Offa sheet and wipes his nose~

INT* LIVING ROOM

Mike opens an armoire and finds the MINI~R~~ ne peruses the sodas, booze and chips, He glances at the pricesheet,

INT, BEDROOM - LATER

Mike lies on the made bed, eating Corn-Nutsand swigging Olin1 sCognac$ He narrates into hisrecorder 1from memory:

TIGHT - THE PAINTING

We FOCUS ON the painting, asMike describes it from memory. •

MIKE (0.S.)

The work is executed in the always dull Currier & Ives fashion -- sailors on a white schooner~!!

We MOVE TO the SECONDPAINTING -- an old lady in a rocking chair~

We MOVE TO the THIRDPAINTING -- a British hunting scene.

painting is the everpopular The Hunt" -- horses, hounds, and constipated British lords. (beat)

These oaintinqshave been here a long tiffie$If-I liftedthem, I'm sure Ild see lightpatches~ (MORE)

•

BACK ON MIKE

of evil~ If that s so, then we've entered the seventhring of Hell.."'

Mike gets up and walks to the windowe He opens the drapes~

OUTSIDE, another building completely fillsthe view~ Below are cars and a huge lit-up BA.NKCLOCK. Mike opens the paned window~ TAAFFIC NOISE rises in~

The clock outside clicks from 7:59 to8:00 PM.

Suddenly, LOUD MUSIC.

Mike jumps, startled.

• BEHIND HIM

The clock RADIOhas gone off. The CA.R.PENTERSsing:

Mike laughs.,He turns it OFF, flicking the alarm switch,,

MIKE

Mike turns -- then suddenly freezes.

THE BED

is turned down~ The sheet is folded, and there are little mint chocolates on the pillows~

MIKE

Mike blinksr as if this will make themints disappear~

But they don't ~

He strolls over and picks up a mint~ Hepeers~$~

Mike opens the candy, then EATS it. He thinks, his wheels spinning. Until -- he suddenly stops,mid-chew.

Mike whirls.

WIDE

Errboldened,Mike RUNS to the CLOSET. He sla~s open the door -- and -- it's empty.

Hm. Mike looks around. Ah! Suddenly he drops to his knees and peers under the BED. But...there's nothing.

Hm1 Mike thinks~ He bolts into thebathroom~ He grabs the shower curtain, takes a breath,then YANKS it aside.

And -- nobody. Huh?!

Mike wracks his mind. Tantalized.

Detective-like, he startsRl\.PPINGon the drywall.

RAP! RAP RAP!

He RAPS hisway toward the door... when... something catches his eye.

TIGHT - TOILETPAPER

The toilet paper rollhas returned to its original state$ Once again,it has a folded triangle.

AL'i!GLE-MIKE

His eyes bulge.

He gawks at it~ Then,he pulls out his recorder~ CLICK!

Mike barrels into the

He lopes around searching... searching. Until, he spots -- the AIR VENT up in the ceiling.

Ah! Mike runs up -- and thinks he seesmovement inside. Or, does he?

He stands on his tiptoes and SHOUTS up intoit.

Mike wipes his brow~ He realizeshe's sweating$

Mike runs to the THERMOSTAT and checks It's now 84.

MIKE

Oh, for God s sake~

Mike pushes the "down" arrow again. Nothing. He BANGS it. Irked, he grabs the clunky telephone,peers at the archaio dial, then sticks his finger in the holeand dials "0."

It spins$ Click-click-click-click-click~ Then --

OPERATOR {V~O,.) Good evening~ Are you ready to check out?

MIKE

(hechuckles mordantly) Why would I do that,when ~here's such wonderful maid service? (beat) And so discreet! (beat) No, I just need someoneto fix my

thermostat~ Thisroom s on fire~

Mike hangs up.

Beat. Through the wall, the baby CRIES. Waaahl Waaah...l

Mike considers it all. He sits on the sofa,then starts his recorder,,

MIKE

Hotelrooms are naturally creepy~ I mean, how many people have slept in that bed before you? How many were sick? How many lost their minds? (beat) "How manydied?"

Mike thinks. He unzips his duffel, slidesover his LAPTOP, and carefully removes a small EQUIPMENTCASE. Inside is assorted gear: An EMF meter,microphones, a UV black light.

ACROSS THE ROOM

Mike dims the room~ Then, he turnson the UV light~ It HUMS, emitting a weird blue glow. He holds the tube over the carpet stain, and it GLOWS, vivid andbrackish~

Hrn. Mike waves the :JVlight around theroom. Things are revealed, the past becoming otherworldlyand phosphorescent:

Spatters on the drapes*

Multicolored blotches on thecouch~

Drips across thewalls~

Soiled puddlee in thebed~

is repelled~ Ugh~ He feels sick~

Unable to bear anymore, he FLICKS ON the lights~

Normalcy is restored~ Mike rubs his eyes, thenreturns to the livingroom~ He glances at

THE THREE PAINTINGS

Which are ...askew. Just slightly.•. tilted.

The ship's crooked horizon is unpleasantly vivid...

CU - MIKE

A strange, sealike sensation. He staggers,a bit nauseous.

A SOUND of pounding waves. The painted water seems real...

Mike is losing his equilibrium.

He straightens the three paintings,then turns away.

• Mike takes a step --then -- suddenly gets a look.

He spins!

The paintings are still straight.

Hm. Mike queasily sits,putting his head between his legs. overheated,he fumbles for his recorder~

A woozy 1unclear contemplation2~~~ when -- BZZZZ!

WIDE

Mike jerks. BZZZZZ! It's the door. He pops fromhis trance.

Mike scurries to the door. He peers through the EYEHOLE.

DISTORTED POV

Through the glassr ahairy New York ENGINEER in overalls~

BACK ON MIKE

Good enouqh~ Hegoes to open the door~ He pulls --and it 1 s stuck~ If won'tbudge*

Mike struggles with the handle~

MIKE

The doors stuck! Can you give it a shove?

Iain t touching it~

Mike reacts, irritated~ He tugsharder 1wrenching with all his might -- when, it suddenly releasesand SLA.~Sopen. B~-~!

Mike tumbles, off-balance.

THE DOOR

opens wide. Revealed is theENGINEER, a huge, heavyset man. He carries a steel toolbox. •

Mike strides over to thethermostat* He starts to gesture to the panel when he realizes -- he's~am alone~

Confused,Mike turns.

The guy is still standing in thedoorwaym

Mike gesturesagain, for emphasis~

ain t going in that room~

What! Mike glowers, put-out$

The Engineer waits, feet planted.

Mike stares in disbelief. Then, beaten, he pulls off the thermostat PANEL. Inside are springsand levers.

MIKE

• little tube filled with mercury.

That's supposed to activate the contact switch, but this hotel'sso old, half the shit don'twork~ (beat) Just give the tube a little tap.

Mike glares,unsure~

Mike relents" Be FLICKS the tube,, The mercury suddenly emits a blue SPARK,then rolls downward.

The systemCHURNS, then the air-conditioning BLOWS on~ Mike smiles,relieved~

MIKE

You re agenius~ Let me get you a tip --

Miketurns to thank the man and he s GONE~

Huh? Bewildered, Mike runs tot.he door,, He peers out"

HIS POV - norm THE CORRIDOR

The hall is empty~ Theelevator doors glide closed,,

MIKE

frowns~

A discombobulated beat, then he pulls his head backin~ Haltingly 1 he Bhutethe door$

Mike"s alone. He paces about, convincing himself he'sokay...

When -- sudden jarring MUSIC.

Mike whirls! The CLOCK RADIO has turnedback on.

THE CARPENTERS (0.8.)

AT THE RADIO

Mike marches over. He once againCLICKS OFF the radio.

The digital clock flickers, then switches to"60:00." Suddenly, it starts counting backward: "59:59...59:58..."

Mike leans closer, mesmerized~ "59:55...59:54 ... ''

CLOSEUP - MIKE

A dawning awareness. Slowly,he gulps.

In his mind, he remembersOlin s warning from before~$~

OLIN SVOICE

Nobody has ever lasted longer than an hour~~~H

P.un@Mike glancesworriedly at the clock ticking down$

Silence$

He realizes somethingodd~ The SILENCE is ABSOLUTE~ The traffic noiseis gone$

PerplexedrMike walks to the window~ He sticks his head out*

• K

OUTSIDE

It looks exactly as before~ The New York street is filled with a crush of traffic, buses 1people~ Except; disconcertinglyr there is.;..~·~.:.su..J..z'.--1!£__.!;!£\fil~

Mike can't hear anything~ as if we're watching a'l'Vshow with the volume turnedoff~

A fire engine racesby, lights flashing. Dead silent.

MIKE

is confounded~ The lack of noise is highly disturbing$ He stares, then pulls hishead in...

When CRASH l The WINDOW VIOLEN'1'LYSLAMSDOWNon MIKE'S HAND!

Mike SCREAMS, agonized. A..nanimal caught ina trap.

Mike struggles, fighting to use his ooodhand to crack the window open. Finally he tears hisbroken hand out.

TIGHT - HAND

Itls a mess~ The skin is ripped,bleeding.

Panicked, Mike runs into

He turns on the sink~ Water streams outr as he puts his wounded hand under the flow~

But then -- the faucet SPUTTERSand dies¢

Mike angrily turns thehandles~ Nothing~ Livid, he punches the sink ..

FWOOOOOOSH! SuddenlySCF..LDINGHOTWATER spews out!

Yecw11!l It BURNS Mike's hand,

Mike CRIESOUT~ He yanks away his hand, now bloody ?2VDburnt~

The :r-adicgoes off.

Mike SHRIEKS.

Incensed, Mike lunges in, grabs the electrical ccrd,and PULLS it from the walll

And -- nothing changes. The song keeps playing. The timer keeps clicking down: "5E:24... 56:23..."

Mike gasps in disbelief. Flummoxed,he staggers back to

He grabs a towel and wraps it around his bleeding hand.

A gust of wind blows in, ruffling the curtains. We follow the breeze across the room... to theBIBLE on the nightstand.

The wind flutters the pages. They flip by... then stop.

CLOSEUP - BIBLE

The page is covered with SCRAWLED,¥!.ANICWORDS:

fDONfTLET 1'1:EDIEHERE"'

WIDE

Suddenly, RINGGGGG!!!

Mike jumps~ Surprised, he runs to the phone@ He grabs itG

~ike'seyes bug out.

4L

A long pause. Then

Mike gapes.

The Hotel Voice turns sour,ruffled~

MIKE

You re a fuckin IDIOT!

Pause -- then the line goeson HOLD,, Sprightly MUSIC kicks in~ The RECORDEDP-s.l\JN"OtJNCE!Ji..ENTweheard beforerepeats:

certain to enjoyNew York s finest dining, at the fabledBlue Marlin Restaurant on ourMezzanine level~n

Mike waits, stewing,

pf,/, I",_0l·I

He watches his blood dripping outof his hand. The red droplets hitting the carpet..•

Mike's hand keeps bleeding.

His temper is growing@

CLICK -- BEEEEEEEP!

It1 sa DIALTONE~

Mike has been disconnected.

He stares in amazement~

Furious, Mike throws thephone.

He grips hiswounded hand and stomps into the

Mike's fed up. He rushes to the door, going to open it --

And~~~ the deadbolts locked~

Huh? UncertainrMike fu.mblesin his pocket for the big ROOM KEY. He angrilyia.msit into the lock, thrusting it through the oversize hole..

And •--PLIPl The key slips from Mike s fingers -- plunging into thedoor! It disappears, gone~

Mike fiddleswith the keyhole, trying to find the key. Frustratedrhe slams h~a EYE up against the hoie~

HIS POV

Blackness~ Hollow~ A gentle whisper inside~**

MIKE'S EYEBALL

bulges, peering upe~,,down~,,,,

WIDE - MIRE

He scowls ..He spins and looks around~.,%thinking,,Mike runs 1:0his bag, unzips a pocket 1and pulls outhis LETTER OPENER~

Mike la~s the metal blade into the keyhole~ He wiggles it,,¢~ tryin§.,~Gdesperately,,,,,,toengagethemechanics ..""'

He struggles to pick the lock. Forcing it around...when -- CL1JNK! The DEA_DBOLTUNLOCKS!

Mike smiles victoriously. He triumphantly turns the handle -

And --

CRACK! The DOOR HANDLEBREAKS OFF IN HIS HAND.

CLOSEUP - MIKE

His face goes ashen. This is unconceivablem

The door is nowunopenable from the inside.

WIDE

Mike goes rabid,furiously KICKING the doorl He PUNCHES it with his bruised hand. He claws crazily at the handle stump.

Losing it, Mike whirls and careens across the room~ Passing

THE THERMOSTAT

which now reads 75 degrees.

AT THE WINDOW

Mike runs to the pane and throws it open" He SCREAMSe

R

OUTSIDE

It 1sutterly silent like before~ Not a_soundfrom the busy

traffic,.

Mike screams louder~

Mike's VOICE ECHOES, the only noise inLhe world.

This is very disturbing.

Mike peers around -- then spots a litwindow across the street. There is a SILHOUETTED MAN.

Mike gasps, a ray of hope.

No reaction~ He SCREAMS louder~

Mike waves his right armo

ACROSS THE STREET

The Man waves his right arm~

MIKE

Mike jumps, excited.

ACROSS THE STREET

The Man jumps 1too,, exact rhyming movement~

MIKE

suddenly halts,horrified~

freezes,,

MIKE

slowly... worriedly... shifts from side toside.

mirror-like, shifts from side toside~

MIKE

trembles.. Fearful, shaking 1he leans toward thela~p~

THE MAN

leans toward a lamp. Revealing...he... is... Mike.

MIKE

freezes, stunned~ He is watchinghimself~

CLOSER VIEW - THEM&~

is Mike, standing ina parallel version of the hotel room~ Staring blank-eyed atus.

• A chilling beat -- and thenan INSANE MANIAC with a clawhammer comes rushing intoview. He swings the harnmerstraight at the doppelganger'shead.

ANGLE - MIKE

He SCRE~.MSand spins infear.

WIDE

A..~d-- the Maniac isn'ttheree Mike is alone$

Mike s chest heaves,overcome~ Panicked, whirling about~ Off- balance,he spins back to the view outside.

ACROSSTHE WAY

Theman is gone ..The lit window is gone~ It's just darkness~

Mike is befuddled.

He stares,aha.kingand impotent~ Then1 he notices thePEOPLE below onthe street~ Silent, but -- reale

•

Desperate 1 Mikesuddenly goes deranged@ Hepicks up a LP--s1¾1P--

WIDE - THE WINDOW

Mike unplugs the lamp and TRROWS it! It fliesout the window and soars outward!

Mike lurches out, no watch what happens--

MIKE

waits eagerly, wild-eyed~

THE LAMP

drops closer to the street... then...

Dissipates.

Like mist, it just... disappears. The lamp is gone.

MIKEls EYES

bug out~ •

Unsteady, Mike collapses@ He feels helpless, like the walls are closing in~~~ -

Then -- an ethereal LITTLE GIRL'SVOICE~ Wispy, faint~*~

We suddenly PUSH IN TOMIKE* He CLUTCHES for breath~

All color bleeds from his face2 He holds his head, gasping*

•

The radio continues its ominous countdown:46:25"~€ 46:24~

Mike peers around, scoping -- then seessome~hing. Maddened, he hobbles up to the A1RVENT.

ltNGLE- VENT

There is~~" something inside thevent* A tiny black TUBE?

ANGLE - MIKE

He is cracking. Paranoid.

• Was it laced? Did Olin take a

sip~c~? Can tremerober~30

Mike eyes are glazed. He spots the Cognac bottle. He runs over and uncorksit, taking a sniff~~~

a~. Something else catches hiseye.

ON THE NIGHTSTAND

are the mint wraopers* Mike gasps, remorseful~

Mike s mind ratchets into overdrive, freaking~ Until --

Mike whirls.

ANGLE - TV

The TV is ON. Onscreen is a flickering oldHO~£ VIDEO: Mike's daughter l:i"'~RA0 .,,""'s-L.br5_tsits. .ont<hecarpeL.•p.1.ay1ng.,.dO..i.11....s~s·he laughs and motions urgently.

BACK TO - MIKE

He gapes in disbelief~

IN THE HOME VIDEO

A YOUNGER MIKE entersframe. Cheerful and buoyant.. He sits on the floor with Gracie. She hands him a rotund littledoll.

BACK TO - MIKE

He shudders, disturbed.

MIKE

W-whered this come from~~~?

IN THE HOME VIDEO

GR.l<CIE(ONVIDEO) We're busy~ Daddy and I got married.

LILY {ON VIDEO) (feigningshock) , What?!

They all giggle~

ANGLE - MIKE

His face falls~ Sad and tra1.ID1atized~

Wanting to hang onto this memory,he slowlyreaches out to the screen~*~ wishing*@~ in some way~$~he collldtouch it --

ZAPPP!! It violently SHOCKS him.

OW! Mike turr~lesback~ The screenblazes, then goes to STATIC. Gracie is gone.

WIDE - THE ROOM

Mike ie alone, hurt. Not understanding. He senses something, then turns...

ANGLE - NIGHTSTAND

Sitting there are the two littleDOLLS from the video.

MIKE'S

eyes widen with fear~

The figures are a tinyman and woman. Here in the room.

Mike gulps, then picksthem up. Yes, they are real. Mike is overcome with feelings. He tenderly cradles the dolls. Staring into their paintedfaces~$*

until -- he glimpsesmovemBnt in the room. He turns.

AT THE WINDOW

A quick FLASH of therich FACTORY OWNER who killed himsel~: He-steps to the ledgeand jumps.

MIKE

is stunned~

AT THE WINDOW

Another apparition~ A PORTLY LADY in a :950's flowered dress. She sobs, thenpulls a chair to the window$ She lashes out at the air, thenleaps~

MIKE

cries ou~,shocked~

sn

Mike cradles the dolls closer~ Wanting to cling tosomething good..,

a FAINT SOUND. Soft and muffled,

Mike freezes,.

From the next room over is the SOUNDagain~ A BABY CRYING* Then 1the gentle murmur of the Mother~

What?l

WIDE

Mike JU~..PStoattention, He dropsthe dolls and frantically runs to the wall. He KNOCKS onlt,

The baby CRIES louder. Drowning him out.

The baby CRIES harder~ Mike realizes she can t possibly hear him.

• Frenzied, he grabsa nearby CHAIR.

Mike swings thechair, then S~.ASHESit into the wall!

Bam! BAM!!

The baby SCREAMSlouder.

Mike swingsharder, brutally~

CP~~SH1The chair splits apart&

Suddenlv-- SHRRRR.R.IIIIEEEEEKK!The baby SCREA.lv!Slike itI s beingBURNED ALIVE~

,., ' .

Agh! Mike pu.1....1.soac.K1holding hisears~

TheSCREF~~GETS M_,,4GNIFIED,LOUDER 1likethevolumeon a stereo being cranked~

Mike winces, shutting his eyes 1~rying to block~+ out --

When 1 it suddenly STOPS&

TIGHT MIRE

opens his eyes quizzically~ It s all auiet~

He sits there~ Forlorn~

Slowly, a SF~OW crosses bis face.

ABOVE

A quick FLASH: A natty MAN in Jazz Age suspendershangs himself from a noose on the chandelier.

MIKE

orimaces. He yelps and backs away. Frightened,he makes his way to the bathroom.

Mike enters -- then shudders.

The bathroom is TRANSFORrvrED. 1

It sno longer the lush,

comforting boudoir of luxury -- buta STERILE, FLUORESCENT-LIT NURSING HOME BATHROOM.

Sitting in a wheelchair is a decrepitOLD MAN. He peers up, eyes rheumy and lost, then shouts:

Mike freezes. An endless pause.

Then, he whispers~

FATHER

Where s my aarden? {foagv·• \-.,;""j I can't smell anythingl

Mike is shaking.

Mike starts crying~

Mike drops to his knees and hugshim. Holding the old man tight, his face against hisFather's scratchy, unshaven cheek.

WIDE OVERHEAD

We look down on weeping Mike.

MIKE

1 m so sorry~,,.,

We slowly PULL OUT...revealing that Mike is back in the hotel bathroom. He's on hisknees, hugging the toilet. • There's no Father.

Mike moans, shaken. He looks around in bewilderment.

Wobbly 1Mikestandse He looks in the mirror, examining his haggard face.

Then-- he peeks back at the imagined carnerain thevent~ PJTI~

~ike takes out his MINI-RECORDER. He speaks into it:

He paces around 1thinking~

Beat.

nr must ve woken up and had breakfast. Somewhere. But ...where was I? Where did I eat,,,,~?n

Mike is getting nervous.

He glances at the wallhe bashed, then does a take.

THEWALL'S CRACK

has orown. The crack hasspiderwebbed larger. Clear,viscous FLUID seeps out...

Mike grimaces,afraid. He shivers and backs away .

• sleep.. Is thattrue??

THE THERMOSTAT

now reads 60 DEGREES. 58. 55.

MIKE

D ,

rubs himself~ .anic grows across his face.

Freaking, Mike makes his way to the WINDOW. He clicks off the recorder, then starts to cll~b out --

OUTSIDE

The wind BLOWS~ Mike shudders and preparesto jump~ He looks dovln--

MIKE S POV

A dizzying, spinning view of the STREET~

MIKE

suddenly, a SLlt?ofreality. Ee GASPS and tu..iblesinside.

Mike's eyes shift about, wary~

A shadow. He spins~

Behind a chair,a ~A~ peeks over the pillow.

Mike GASPS and crawlsaway~

WIDE

Mike looks for options -- then notices the FLOORMA.Pon the inside of the door.

Ah! He darts over and scrutinizes it.

TIGHT - M.~

It indicates the building layout. Rooms,halls, exits...

Mikels eyes gleam manically~ Suddenly --

He looks back fearfully, thenheedlessly calculatesm

MIKE

This room s fifteen feet across, so the next window~~~ is just$~~ five feet past that wall!

Mike dashes across the rooms He paces toe-to~heel, measuring~

Yesl Hope returns to his facee

He runs back to hiswindow 1then climbs back up* Invigorated, he CLICKS ON the recorder~

Ii '

• remains on 61stStreet 1let it be

known that itwas an accident@ (beat)

The room didnot.win~ It did not possessme to leap! ~ was just an

arrogant self-hatingbastard who -~'

Suddenly, he STOPS. Puzzled by thesewords.

A strange dislocation. Then, he pockets the recorder.

Defiant, he STEPS OUT~

Mike gingerly clirr~soutside, the wind blowing his clothes.

He peeks downward, then -- stifling his fear,tentatively lowers one foot onto the ledge.

His fingers claw the brick, then finda decorative cornice to grab onto.

He takes a breath... then gingerlyswings out his other leg.

Both feet are out~ He gulps,then glances down~

HIS POV

Busy traffic, thirteen storiesdown~

MIKE

tries to stay calm.

MIKE

Just ignore it~ Don tworry~ ,,~

He oresses his face tothe wall, then@~~ carefully 1starts to inch along the ledge~

He slides hisleft foot@ Beat~ He slides his right~~"'

He doeen·t dare lean back. He blindly reachesout, gripping the next section of cornice.

He slides his left Thenhis r.1.gntse

His face is sweatino~ He reaches~@~fingers slipping~~~ then, his hand finds the next cornice.

1 '. ' He reaches anc still no

Good,, He S..Lldesagain~

CU - MIKE

Cheek pressed to the dusty brick,he is confused.

Mike slides his left leg over. His right leg over.

Starting to jitter, he reaches again. And -- no window.

He reaches further... straining...then slides again.

Nothing.

Daring gravity, he leansback, to get a look --

SUPERWIDE - THE BUILDING

And, THERE ARE NOOTHER WINDOWS. THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS ONE CONTINUOUS SURFACEOF BRICK, EXCEPT FOR MIKE AND 1408.

Mike SCREb~S, horrified.

He flounders, stunned.,,Mikeslips~

Mike falls,B}'.:NGINGhisfaceon the wall~

He DROPS, ab?utto plurranet,desperately clambering.scratching his fingers intothe old brick, when

BAM! Onehand snags the ledge as it passes by*

•

Chest heaving 1hysterical1 Mike catches hisbreath~

The wind pelts him.

Mike whimpers,,

Then, he resignedly starts shimmying back tc1408. Slowlyr then, faster~~~ his expression despondent~~*

TTGHT - MIKE'S H..l\.~DS

pull him along~ Struggling to return to thehell he was escaping..

AT THE WINDOW

Mike finally reaches his room. Quivering,sucking in all his strength, he LIFTS HIMSELF UP onto the ledge. A shaky beat -- then, he looks back inside.

FAST ZOOM

across the room, RIGHT UP TO THEMAP on the door.

ZOOMING TIGHTER, until the¥.tAPFILLSTHE FRAME. And -- it s alive, the black lines slithering around likeworms. The map rearranges itself, doors and wallsmoving about.

MIKE

goes pale.

suddenly the Portlv Lady steps out into thewindow~ She is sobbing.

She starts to lu....~o--when she suddenlv seesMike~A bizarre discowbobulatiOn,~thenshe lashes out at him, punching at him like the movementswe saw earlier~

Freaked out,she leaps~

She hurtlespast~

Mike gaspsand jerks aY.ray~Scared 1he tumbles back inside~

Mike lands on the room floor 1covered insweatr terrified~ Shaking 1huddled in a fetal position*

He rocks back and forth""* thenhears a strange CLINKING sound. Click-clack click-clack click-clack...

The room darkens~~~

Wearied, he looks up and FREEZES~

THEWINDOW

has been BRICKED-UP~ Completely solid,.

MIKE

moans, unnerved. He peers in disbelief, then runs andpounds on the brick.

It'sold~ Like it's been there forever.

Despairing,Mike tears into the

And -- the BEDROOM WINDOW IS GONE. The WALL IS SOLIDDRYWALL. No trace there ever was a window.

Mike starts hyperventilating~

MIKE

No -- that s impossible

He starts feeling the wall~ Searching for anything...

Mike is losing it. On the edge of sanity. He grapples for his minirecorder and hits REWIND~

We HEAR Mike s voice speed by, chipmunk-like~ He hits PLAY:

MIKE'S RECORDED VOICE

What did Olin sayr something about poison qas --11

No. !"ikespeeds further. PLAY.

No~ H0 speeds furthere Then:

"The .roomhasnc tt.rindow..

HUH?

A chilling beat.

MIKE

Shaking, rewind. Play.,

MIKE'S RECORDEDVOICE

"Theroom has no window.,

Mike CRIES out, scared. He hits rewind. Play.

Mike DROPS the recorder, like he'sbeen electrocuted.

He trembles, pained.

CLOSEUP - CLOCK

The unplugged clock continues tickingdown: 32:14... 32:13...

MIKE

shuts his eyes0 Until-- a TORJV.8NTEDSOBBING~

What now? He openshis eyes~ The SOBBING is in the next room.. sounds liketwo people...

Afraid of whathe'll find -- he peeks into the next room.

INT~ LIVINGROOM

There is aVISION. A FIASHBACK FROM THE FAST:

A MPtNandWO~u3:.Narelockedin a tight embrace! in a doctor's office~ We can't see their faces* They both cryt the man hugging andcomforting the woman~

6 0v.

MIKE

stares, anguished~ All color drains from his face~

FLASHBACK VISION:

The couple looksup -- and they're Young Mike andLily~ Beth have tear-streaked faces~

LILY

I can t accept it~~~

LILY

Maybe he swrongl Doctors don t know everything! (beat) There are experimental treatments...

Young Mike shakes his head.

• We REVEAL Gracie in a hospital bed, listening behinda curtain. She's nine, pallid and thin.

Gracie1 seyes widen~

ANGLE - MIKE

He recoils, shocked sheheard this* He s crushed~

Mike feebly extends hisann --

When

,-.,,,, • """'(''.\f, ~''

6L

BLACKNESS!

The room goes C0!"'2LETELYDJ\~~.

Mike gasps1 confused~

He stumbles~ CRASH! A lamp F.!u,LSandbreaks~

MIKE (V.O.)

We hear Mike's breathing accelerate, getting heavy.

Suddenly, a TERRIFYING VOICE. The VOICEOF THE ROOM, rasping, non-human, coming from everywhere:

We HEAR Mike trip around. He reaches for theLIGHT SWITCH. He frantically FLICKS it -- up down,up down -- •

BLINK! The lights go on.

The room is back to normal. Mike is gaspingr heaving~ Looking about. Okay. Okay. Everything seems alright...

He turns -- and, AGHH!

HIS POV

A terrifying SKINNYLADY lunges at him! Grabbing his throat!

MIKE

screams, startled~ Fighting her off~

THE SKINNY LADY

grips harder,snarling~

MIKE

staggersback, trying to push h0,.,..conyhandsaway

When he glances sideways into a MIRROR~ Inthe reflection, he is alon~. S~aggeringback, choking himself.

What? l

Mike yelps and releaseshis own grip. Hecoughs, struggling for breath0 He peers around$ He is alone~

He shivers, stupefied. Suddenly --

Dazed, Mike rubs himself forwarmth.

THE THERMOSTAT

clicks to 50~

MIKE

runs to his duffel. He rwTu~agesfora COAT and quickly puts it on. Underneath is hisCELLPHONE. • Desperate, he flips it open-- but it flashes: "BATTERY LOW"

What?! Mike growls, livid. Suddenly he glimpses something else -- his LAPTOP.

fLTu~..lHis eyes light up. He nervously glances back, then quickly coversthe computer., Mike grabs a shirt~

AT THE VENT

Mike runs to the vent,cool air blowing down.

Suddenly,he pushes the desk over. WHUMP! Everything en it CAASHES down0 Mike drags the desk to the wall 1then cliwbs up~ He glances suspiciously atthe little black tube inside the vent~¢$then hooks the shirt over the grate 1blocking it~

Mike jumpsdown~ He runs to his

COMPUTER

Mike grabs and snaps it open~ The SCREEN lights up.

MIKE

C'mon, thiscrapov old hotel must ve popped forwireless --

He waits patiently. The WI-FI icon scrolls. Searching... searching~*$ then --

HNO SIGN~.LAVAILABLEn

Mike groans.

WIDE

Irked, he grabs the laptop and starts stalking around the room. Holding it over his head. Hunting fora sweet spot. The icon flashes red... green... red. Mike glances at the bricked-over window.

Mike stands on a chair, holding the laptop up against the brick~ F.nd~~~with a little jiggling-- the icon turns GREEN~

The screen flashes. An INTERNETWINDOW OPENS.

Mike gleefully dances about~ He FLIPS the Bird"

Guy! I m connected1l

INSERT - COYlPUTER

Mike goes tohis contacts" He quickly clicks on "BUDDY LIST~,\

And -- onename is there: nLILY ENSLINn

Mike winces he has no choice~ He steelshimself, then types into the Instant Message Box: !\LILY,INEED HELPP

No response"

0 11

Long beat~ Thent a WINDOW OPENSUP as a REAL-TIME W~BCAf1

LINK~ A woman's face stares backat us: Mike s ex~

WEBCAM CU - LILY

She s more weary than pretty thesedays~ Just hanging on~ She looks dryly at Mike~

She goes to sign off.

She stops.

LILY {OVER VIDEOLINK)

You re in the City, and you didn t tell me?l

Lily freezes, shocked~

MIKE

I m locked ina hotel rooml There s someone~~*something~@~ trying to killme*

MIKE

Ican t explain~ Just call the cops! Tell 'em Dolphin Hotel•..

Suddenly, an unexpected HISSING. Mike looks up.

ABOVE

The E~.ERGENCYSPRINKLERS go offl Water RAINS DOWN upon Mike • and the computer!

Mike tries to cover the laptop,but it's too late. Water falls through the keys and into the electronics.

Lily's I~L~GEover the screenbegins to BREAK UP~

PSSSTTTT! The computerscreen goes BLAC.K~

Raining dropletsare everywhere, falling into the electric LAJ.'1PS~

The LIGHTSbegin to flicker1 creating a slow strobe e+-Fe,.t.,, ;--;fa,f lo--::'';,

FLASHES OF LIGHT

illuminate the painting grandma in the rockingchair~

Darkness. ThenFh?\SHl

The painting~= Grandma is now standing,staring out~

FLASH!

The old lady turns into THE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN fromthe lobby* Her breast is bare$ BLOOD drips from hernipple, do~~ into

her baby s open mouth~ The baby s face isblue, dead~

FLASH!

THE PAINTING OF THE SAILORS

turns into a ROTTING GHOST SHIP. They sail intoa roiling sea, covered in black clouds~ The seamen'sfaces are pale, starving, staring hopelessly.

Mike turns, shaky. FLASH!

THE PAINTING OF THE HUNT

The British men in red coats andhats get pulled off their horses by the dogs. The dogsRIP the men apart, tearing their flesh.

• MIKE

whimpers. A.roundhim, rain pours harder. WHOOOSHl A TORNADO- LIKE-SOUND roars. A liquid churning,growing louder...

Mike covers his ears and careens through thesopping mess, shivering, looking for away out. His feet smoosh in the soaking carpet.

Mike passes the Thermostat~ 1

It s dropped to 48 DEGREES~

He pounds on the closed-up windows.

He tugs on thedoore

Wind BLOWS fiercer~ A BLAST OF COLD gushes from the AIR VENT, blowing the shirtdown~

Mike s eyesnarrow, thinking@ Intrigued, he takes a step closer tothe \?ENT~~,,

Mike CLAMBERS UP onto the desk. He's riqht beneath the grate. He takes out his PENLIGHTand shines it Up through the oper.ing.

INSIDE THE VENT

It 1 sdark, foreboding~ In the shadows is the blacktube5 Mike puts his faceup to it#

ANGLE - MIKE

He tugs the grate -- it's fastened with four bolts~ Fine* He hurriedly pulls out his trusty LETTER OPENER and starts to use it as a screwdriver@~*

Mike unscrews the first bolt~ It falls to the ground.

An anxious pause -- then he quickly unscrews thesecond bolt.

The third.

The fourth~

Wary, Mike reaches and slowly pulls theorate off the ceilina. • He drops it 1watching it hit the floor witha CLJi,,lJG&

Beat -- then he slowly turns back to thenow-open vent. suddenly, he LUNGES at the tiny black tubeand GRABS it.

Mike squeezes it in his fist-- then reacts1 surprised~

CLOSEUP - MIKE S HAND

He s holding aroll of DUCT T8..PE~That's all~

&~GLE - MIKE

A bewildered silence$

A haltingmoment~ He gathers his wits 1then stares into the ooen \TENT~

INSIDE THE VENT

It1 smetal DP~-:ZKNESS~AirWHOOSHESsinisterly~

Mike gulpsr then waveshis pathetic letter opener* He SHOUTS~

M:;:KE

I ve got a knife!

No response$

Mike steels himself,then painfully lifts his bodyup into~~~

Mike clangs onto the hard cold surface. He pulls his legsup.

Inside, it s black~ We can t see a foot ahead~

Mike aims his penlight, but it's just a dull glow. Shadows and rat droppings.

Mike takes a breath, then squirms forward.

It's murky and unsettlinc. The air BLASTS. Mike slithers along~~~ unsure, creeped~out~ Until,his penlight reveals

A JUNCTION Jl_qEAD

A "T" split. Shafts go left and right. • Mike stops -- not sure where to go. He shines the tiny light both ways..• but the bea~ disappears into dimness.

Then -- faint VOICES.

Mike's eyes bulge.

The VOICES are from the right~

Mike gets excited~ Other people! He scrambles down the vent@

Not far, he seesLIGHT~ It s coming from a GRATE in the floor of the shaft!

Mike hustles faster$ He reaches the grate -- then looks down~

BELOW - HOTELROOM

It s thenext Hotel Room$ From above 1we see the Young Mother holding herCRYING baby~

"'

YOlJNGMOTHER Shh, shh. Mama loves her baby...

The Baby WAILS harder~

The Mother turns-- REVEALING SHE'S LILY~ YoungLily; from the F'AST..

MIKE

goes ashen~

YOUNG LILY

can't hear him. She carries Baby Gracie into the nextroom.

MIKE

is tormented~ He scurries to followher~ He rushes along the vent. Banging himself on the sharp metal

He spots the next GRATE~ Braced, he rushes over to -- then GASPS.

BELOW

Then two men walkby~ Young Mike from the PAST 1arguing with his Father~ Fatheris younger, healthy~

FATHER

Im 1101::.~-

,--.._.,<;iL!!: \__f*'

YOlJNGMI"E

Im an adult! I can makemy own decisions!

• Mike storms aways

MIKE IN THE VENT

His face collapses~ Painedby the memory~

He stares mutely, then feelssomething strange~ Icky. He turns the penlight on hishand~~~

And crawling acrosshis fingers is a COCKROACH~

Mike brushes away the bug. The penlight's beam swings revealing HUNDREDSOF ROACHES. The VENT IS FESTERING.

Grossed-out, Mike hurriedly BACKS UP. Rushing backwards through the vent.

The beac~rolls, grazing across skittering bugs.

Mike rushes faster. His breathing echoes through the claustrophic metal.

suddenly, he reaches a junction -- andDROPS.

Aggh!! He s plunged down a

VERTICF..LSP..._A.FT

Miks plummets into blackness, fallingbackwards!

He flails, then SLAMS his hand, just catching theedge. Hanging on for dear life~

Mike glances down~ It'sABSOLUTELY BLACK below~

With a rush cf adrenaline,Mike struggles to pull himself Straining, muscles clenching$~~he lifts himself up~

Okay~ Mike sucks in air,,Resolved, he whirls about to race forward --

CLOSEUP

Pasty KEVIN 0 MALLEY is face-to-facewith himl Kevin's eyes • are wild, his skin bloated andblue.

Mike SCREAMS, startled~

Kevin gazes crazily, his mouth a pinched grimace.

Kevin stares, unspeaking. His breathing a HORRIBLEWHEEZE.

Then •..he slowly lifts his head. Revealing his THROATIS SLICED OPEN, ear toear~

His bloody windpipe is visible, raspy. Kevin'smouth opens and shuts, puppetlike,but only a moist gurgle comesout.

Mike recoils, terrified.

ON THE MEN

Kevin O'Malley raises a 6-INCH NEEDLE AND THREAD. He points and gurgles a barely intelligible phrase.

Then, again: Fix it~!!

Yikesl Mike pulls back in disgust and fear.

Kevin O'Malley suddenly lunges forward.

HELP! Mike spins away. Kevin CHASES. Freakily gurgling,

HFix it! Fix it!

MIKE

barrels through the tiny space~ Rushing for his life~

Kevin 0 Malley SKITTERS after him~ Mike racest reaching

THE T-J1JNCTION

He squirms down the RIGHTVENT$

He makes it a few feetrwhen

Mike yelps and jolts back~

•

The Vent cont~nues CRUSHINGIN, moving closer: Heturns --

DOV1NTHE LEFT \7ENT

comes Kevin, his face waving theneedle$

MIKE

crawls like hell! Faster7 towards the

Where in the distance he can see the OPENING to14081 A slim square of light

THE OTHER VENT

keeps CRUSHING! Metal SMASHING closer --

MIKE'S FEET

scurry as fast as they can.

SLAM! Kevin O'Malley STABS his needle into Mike's leg.

Mike SCREAMS, pained.

He KICKS backward. His foot SMUSHES through Kevin'shead, like a sponge. Kevin O'Malley collapses,the CRUSHING VENT SQUEEZING him out of view.

Mike speeds faster. Room 1408 visible--

The CRUSHING, TWISTING METALis now inches away --

As Mike HURLS himself forward...

INT~ 1408 ~ SAf/fETIY.i.E

~$~and falls through the vent into theroom~

SLAM!! He bounces off the desk, hitting the ground

as the sheet metal VentBUCKLES CLOSED* BAM!l

TIGHT - MIKE

He .L.:.esthere1overwhelmed<;Breathingin fits, face drenched in sweatr absolutelydurnbstruck,,

He looks up atthe ceiling~,,,,then around theroom~ Beat~

,'2.

'li,<1:2 ::·etr

·whatare yo1..:.do:.noJ_nthsre':;· (vexed) Where;s .r:·'tyEOCZE?!

o=:.insmiles,.unruf::.led,,

0:'..;IN ·:'Jc.nono.Wha~de Y..Q11wa.:-it?What YOfJwant:.,I.Cr~Enslin?Yo·.1scugtt

I

thisroom.

J\.:..i..:\t_ My _-•cb.I'm a ·w:c:.ter! 1:..'.1etru-::·.h.

i.r: Yo~ :ike statte~ing peopJ.es :1op€:s$

··tit/ '-f'.":.......:,:,,_~)

A COLLAGE of ~earful VOICES...

SORROWFUL VOICE#1 She'sin a better place, Mike**~

SOR~OWFUL VOICE#2 She wasin so much pain**~

SORROWFUL VOICE#3 I1msure she 1ssmiling down at us right now•••

Mike winces, agonized#

Enraged, Mike SLAMS shut the Mini-Bar.

WIDE

Mike spins. He looks around,then spots the Cognac in the bedroom. Ah! He beelines for the bottle,then snatches it up. He uncorks it and thirstilychugs the drink.

Pause -- then he calms. He glances down at the hotel Bible. curious, Mike picks it up,then flips through.

INSERT - BIBLE

The PAGES are all now blank.

Weirdm

MIKE

frowns. Then, a faraway voice...

GRJ';CIE(V.0.) Why is cur bible purple?

Mike looks up. There is a spectral

FLF~SHBACKVISION:

The Enslin family'sold apa~trnent"set-up as a grim hospice% Gracie lies inbed, in a pink butte~f~y nightgow~ 1in the final, terrible stages ofcancer* She's skeletal$ Waxen$

Lily aits by her, grippinga purple BIBLE. She laughs awkwardly.

We reveal Young Mike sitting in the window, smokinga cigarette. He stubs out the smoke.

• Gracie giggles. Mike gently brushes her cheek.

GRl,CIE Daddy, everyone dies.

A tense pause.,

Lily glances at Mike~ He struggles to beconsoling,.

YOUNG MIKE

Y-you re right~ Everyone dies*~~

And then you ll go to a better place~ And lots of people will be there~~., (her voice cracks)

All your friends~~~* A...~dyoullbe able to run around again... play..•

Gracie looks up at Mike~

GP.,_,_11.CIE Do you believe that, Daddy$.,,.?

•

A profound silence~ He starrmers,stuck&

YOUNG MIKE

Gracie stares pleadingly.

Waiting. Then --

We hold on her heartfelt face.

ANOTHER VISION

Flames RAGE.

-".L.1.re'~

A tiny coffin enters the burning

PRESENT - MIKE

He sobs, pained. Wincing at this memory. • FLASHBACK VISION

The crematoriurn glows white,then blazes piercinglyhot. The casket disappears into the heat.

ANOTHERFLASHBACK

Young Mike sitson Gracie's bed, weeping¢ He's unshaven, distraught,clinging to her old pink nightgown~

Gracie isgone~

Lily can'teven look at him$

•

Mike throws dolol!lthe nightie.

He jumps up and charges out of the apartment. SLl'~1!

INT~ 1408 - PRESENT

Mike breaks down 1devastated~

He slumps back against thewall, whispering to himself.

He holds his gut,a terrible ache that will never leave.

A sorrowful silence•.•an emptiness... until --

CLICK..

Mike turns, startled. His MINI-RECORDER has clicked into PLAY. Its wheels spin...

• of the time, they endup divorced--"

smoke? C mon! It's not like puffing acouple cigarettes gives your daughtercancer,,.,~//

Mike grabs the recorder and hits STOPG

• ~

78,

INSERT - RECORDER

A pause -- then the wheelssuddenly lurch into motionr bv themselves~

The grating, scary Voiceof the Room SCREECHES out::~

Mike stares desolately~

MIKE

Mike sighs. Beaten.

Suddenly RIIIIIINNGG!

He spins~

THE FAX ~.,ACHINE

starts whirring~ It sLCD screen says, nReceiving '

PAPER begins feeding~

Mike peers, confused.

TIGHT - FAXMACHINE

Something beginscoming into the output tray~

Not a pieceof paper~

But his daughter s PINK BUTTERFLY NIGHTGOWN# Stained with mucus, blood, all the liquids of her dying.

SHOOM! It's ejected from the machine,into Mike's hands.

Mike tries to puah it off, freaked,but the mucus on the nightgown clings to his hands.

Mike shakes it, revulsed~ He desperatelyraces away --

Into the bathroom. Mike throws the nightie in thesink, violently turning on the water.

FWOOSH! Water pours out,everywhere.

Mike shudders to tear the nightgownaway. It comes loose, discolored fluids floating in the sink...

Frightened, Mike backsout, SLA.JV/MINGthe door.

Mike bolts back in,shivering. He can SEE HIS BREATH.

The Thermostat hasdropped to 32 degrees.

Water droplets areFROZEN AROUND THE ROOM. A weird, almost Christmas-like atmosphere.

Mike blinks. He stares up.

THEWALL'S CRACK

has grown~ 'Thefissures cover the walls, ceiling and floor~ Like a spiderweb~

THECLOCK

keeps tickingdown. 16:41... 16:40... 16:39...

MIKE

seemslost~ Eves blank ..Surrendered, he lies on thefloor 1 spreadinghis arms in the frost like a child makingan ice angel,...~

Then, a distant voice, like a dream...

Mike bolts up, dazed. He wheels around.

ANGLE - HIS COMPUTER

is working again! Lily's glitchy IMAGE iaon the SCREEN!

Mike rushes over, as;....on1.snea,,

LILY (OVER VIDEOLINK)

Mike! Jesus! I ve been trying you to getthrough~~"

LILY (OV"ERVIDEOLINK)

Theyre at the hotel~

• LILY (OVER VIDEOLINK)

You re sure?

Lily bites her lip, scared.

LILY (O'v"ERVIDEOLINK)

Mike, theyire in 1408$ The room s empty.

We PUSH IN TO MIKE. His blood freezes, terrified.

MIKE

Th -- that s impossible~

Mike looks all around~

Suddenly everything inthe room looks more menacing" Jagged~

Mike1 sface collapsesto awhisper*

•

8L

MIKE

Is~~ don t know*

LILY (OVERVIDEOLINK)

Don t panic! We canfigure this out*

Mike blanches. Handsshaking, he picks up the roomFILE. Vintage PHOTOS of grisly1408 DEATH SCENES: A MILITA.~YMAN. A YOUNG EXECUTIVE IN ADERBY. A CUTE WOMAN.

All bloodied andgone~

MIKE

No, we cant~ (morose) I'm going todie.

ON THE COMPUTER

Lily goes frantic.

Mike glances at the CLOCK. 14:51 ...14:50•..

He shudders.

MIKE

• 1

That ll be too late*

This admission catchesthem both by surprise.

Beat -- then she flashes a tender smile.

CLICKl She signs

He shakesthe computer~~~

Rfv1

When suddenly -- WHD11LP!!TheENTIRE ROOM SH}\.KES,asif by a huge EARTHQUAKE.

WIDE

PLASTER falls from the ceiling. Furniture and lamps CRASH.

The entire FLOORbegins to buckle and crack~

Mike loses his footingand stumbles to the ground~ His head strikes the floor witha sickening CRACK!

CLOSEUP -MIKE

THUD.

His eyes shut -- then reopen, dazed. He looksup, disoriented and childlike .

A light frost is falling. ICE CRYSTALSform on his hair.

Then, the ARMOIRE swivels into view...and comes DOWN.

Yikes!! Mike LURCHES out of theway, as -- SMASH! -- the massive cabinet crashes to the floor,splintering.

I Mike groggily leaps to his feet. He gazes around.

THE SUITE

is a complete wreck. Broken furniture,collapsed ceiling and walls~

The floor has BOWED around the bed,which lies at a slant.

Mike s feet are in liquid~ A sludgy half-frozen muck~ His eves follow the source of thewater~ Puddled in the corner*~~ then up~*~ tricklingdown the wall~~~ leading to

THE PAINTING OFTHE GHOST SHIP

Which is nowPHOTO-RE.t"<.LISTICandALIVE~Tossing in the waves!

The jaundiced1starved faces of the sailors are MOVING* They

SCR.Ef1'1,frenzied$Theyre all now the VICTIMS FROM 1408: The NattyMan in suspenders~ The Factory Owner~ And most

prominently,Kevin 0 Malley, hands on the tiller, his eyes boring straightat us~

Chilled,Mike tutns --

THE PAINTING OF THEHUNT

The dogs are ravenous,BARKING! Tearing theirmasters to pieces. The men moan. The horses run off.

THE PAINTING OF MOTHER AND CHILD

The blue baby's mouth is twisted, teeth filed toRAZOR SHI\RP POINTS. The mother weeps with despair, asthe baby HISSES and attacks her.

Mike covers his eyes, unable to take it.

ON THE PAINTINGS

The CRIES grow louder, more insistent. The ship rocks harder. The ocean pounds.

The SHRIEKING grows.

Unhinged, Mike SLllM.Shis fist at the painting,trying to stop it. His knuckles BREAK the glass,ripping the canvas.

Suddenly -- FLOOOOOOSH! SEAWATER BLASTS FROM THE PAINTING! LIKE THE FORCE OF A HUNDREDFIRE HOSES.

MIKE

gets SLAMMED against the wall.

The ROOM FILLS with water,at an incredible speed. Higher, higher

WIDE

Mike struggles to floatabove. Furniture bangs around

Mike fights the current. Debris swallows him up. Fatigued, delirious, he starts muttering theAct of Contrition:

MIKE

0 my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee,and I detest

all my sinse,,~

Mike s will givesout@ He gets pulled under~

INT~ 1408 -tJNDERWATER

All is grim,like slow-motion% Murky and green~

UnderwaterrMike turnsf and sees the back wall has vanished~

84,

In its place is the GHOST SHIP~ sinking downwardtoward a black abyss,

Mike gapes1 his eyes bulging from lack ofair$

Everything swirls. He spins, getting suckeddeeper...

His arms tire. Bubbles pop from his mourh,as he begins ro breathe in water. Mike's body goes limp. Be's pulled rnto the ocean's darkness~~~

All seems lost,,*,,theend imminentrwhen

A strange object unexpectedly appears~

Foggy, Mike looks up.

Then -- he gasps.

IT'S MIKE'S SURFBOA.'ill

Hovering above him, like a godsend~

Mike is startled, confused --but grateful. He lurches and grabs it -- hanging on --his last chance for life~ When, it unexpectedly pitches and HAM.M.ERShim in the head.

EXT~ BEACH - DAY

ECU - MIKE'S FACE

Mike lies mutely on hisback, on the sand~ Hyperventilating"

Winded. Eyes glassy.

But, alive$

He s back in the beach scenefrom the beainning¾

Then... a faintBUZZING. Mike looks up.

IN THE SKY

The smallAIRPUJ1E flies overhead 1towing the B&~NER" It passes through the brightness,in sharp silhouette,

Mike squints,trying to read it~

The planecrosses a cloud 1and the banner becomes readable: "CHEAPAUTO IN$URANCE CJILLl-800--222-1408"

r'"tfa_ --.:;-

MIKE'S

eyes widen$

TIGHT - THE BP~lvNER

The four numbers: "1408H

MIKE

trembles, everything spinning, his memoriescollapsing~ Nothing making any sense...

His chest tightens* His brain feels likeit's going tc explode. Then --

A wet LIFEGUP-'IDthrustshis head intoview.

Mike's jaw quivers, but formsno words. Utterly drained, he passes out~

ECU - MIKE

head is bandaged and hisface drawn, but his breathing is even~

Slowly, he opens hiseyes.

Mike is lying in ahospital bed 1hooked up to an IV~ A tree is outside thewindow~

LILY (O.S.)

He s alive~~~1

Mike turns~ Sitting ina chair, watching him, is Lily~ She stands, relieved~ Smiling anxiously~

LILY

You re in ahospital~

Mikewipes his eyes, confused,,

•

Mike tries to takes thie in 1uncomprehending$ She comes over$

vivid~ I must ve gotten banged in the brains so hard, allmy circuits fried~ (trying tofocus) I was trapped... I was dying ...in this weird hotel. The Dolphin --

expression falls.

She trerrbles,thenstarts weeping~

l?~g~ And then --we re here, like tn.1.s: (MORE)

•

His eyes get watery" Shegets emotional 1then suddenly hurries into the bathroom$

IN THE BATHROOM

Lily grabs a tissue andwipes her face~ She stares in the mirror., A final.sniffle 1thenshe tentatively returns~

BACK AT THE BED

They both trail off. She peers at him, still terribly hurt. Her voice drops to a hush.

Lily shudders, silent~

Mike reaches out~$~ straining~m~and takes her hand~

He looks in hereyes, seeing the truth of his

MIKE

Then -- I m sorrv forrunning away~ Fer makingmistakes. For abandoning everyone~""

•

CLOSEUP - LILY

She nods7 acceptingly~

You should qet sorr~rest~

Lily huddles by herself,talking on a CELLPHONE.

Lily drives a white rental car. Mike sits in the passenger seat staring, a large bandage across his temple.

The boulevard is quite uninspiring: Overgrown palmtrees, graffitied Cuban markets, faded pink motels.

She laughs.

Lily drops Mike off at his car~ Ithas two parking tickets,,

He peers out at the turquoisewater$ Inthe distance 1a dolPhin jumps in the waVes*

CUT TO;

•

craphole we saw before$ The sceneolava Mike enters and goes to hismailbox. Ee

unlocks it, removinga startling amount of ~4~IL.

The MAILBOX GUY nods.

MAILBOX GUY

You ve been goneawhile~

A disinterested beat -- then Mike reacts, offput.

Mike sits in his corner booth, alone. He'sgoing through months of OPENED MAIL. The table is spread with brochures from haunted hotels and inns... a bill from Saint Joseph's Nursing Home... the Weekly World News ...

Mike slashes an envelope with his letteropener, removing a childish GREETING CARD. It has a cartoonmonkey saying "No Monkeying Around! Happy Birthday!"

Mike reacts, strangely. The oddest sensation...

He frowns -- then suddenly wades through all the hotel mail. Frantically digging through photos,flyers... searching... searching...

The door SLAMS open. Mike barges backin, a bit frenzied.

The Mailbox Guy stares~

Perturbed,Mike scans the floor,. Then his eyes drift,,~$up, up~~* to theCEILING~ Up there is an AIR VENT~

Mike is bothered~

Mike runsout, punching !1411 into his CELLPHONE,. He paces the sidewalk,bristling with nervous energy*

Long beat. Then:

Mike RUNS up to the research desk. He flags downa LIBRJLRIAN.

Mike frantically scrolls through MICROFICHE, pages blurring by. Suddenly, he finds the ancient New York Herald-Tribune front page. He leans in -- but the headline haschanced.

Now it says "FACTORY OWNER LEAPS OFF BRIDGE." Underneath is a • PHOTO of Some cops at a riverbank$

Mike gasps, disturbed.

A moment of dislocation...when he remembers something. Mike whips out his LEG..¾PAD~ But-~ now the pages are all EMPTY$

A spooky pause~~~ when suddenly RING!! It's his CELLPHONE. Mike jumps, startled~ Quickly,he answers~ The screen says 1'LILY~11

MIKE

LILY (V,,O@)

I m just checking up,.How are you?

•

9L

Mike and Lily have dinner at a nicebeachfront cafe. Waves crash in the b.g.

He stares, entranced.

• She slowly smiles~

A WOMAN in a flowered dress passes by. Mike glances -- and for a FLASH she's the Portly Lady from1408.

Huh?

Mike turns-- and now she's a CUBAN LF,l)Y~

He wineshis ey~s, on edge. Questioning himself. He leans in to Lily,his voice tremulous@ We MOVE IN on the couple~

Lilv blinks back tears~ She grabs for herwine~

•

Ive ever beenm

AT THE NEXT TABLE

Two GUYS get up and leave~ Left on a plate are the remains of a beef burger soaked in red ketchup. A fly buzzes...

Mike doesn t notice~

you ve been given asecond chance,.

Mike thinks. • CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!CLICK! CLICK!

TIGHT onMike, rapidly TYPING AWAY at his computer.

CLICK!CLICKl CLICKJ

The computer screenFILLS WITH WORDS~ Mike is on fire 1ideas pouringout~ His face ablaze$~m

Olinr I venever seen a ghost, and I

don't believeI ever r,vill~ (beat)

"Olinsmirked,, I m afraid you don't believe in~. But in 1408, your unbelief will only render you more vulnerable,,111

•

LATER

It 1 sdark outside~ The deak is litteredwith po~a~o chip bags~

Mike types faster.

of itsexistence erased~,,,,

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

Mike slurps a coffee.

Sam grins at his speakerphone~ He shouts~

I can t believe itl The work's just pouring out of me! I think I've invented some new literary form:The fiction memoir~ Autobiography ofa nightmare. It's sort of like Capote meets Whitley Strieber"

SAM: I love itl "In Cold Blood"with alienel (gleeful) I wanna put it out to auci....1.on~·-- start a bidding war! When can Iread r::?

•

Mike is dropping offLily~ She has her bags~ A tendersmile between them,,

An awkward pause-- and then they kiss.

The laser printer is WHIRRING~ Pages come speedingout, crisp and cleans

Mike reads them proudly.

LATER

Mike neatly stacks the sheets. He slidesthem into a fat manila ENVELOPE.

Mike jauntily climbs in his car, clutching the packege. He sweeos a pile of junk off the seat, onto thet~oor~ A shred of paper Catches his eye -- the nursinohome bill~

Hmm~ He thinks~~~

An airless lobby~ VERY OLD PEOPLEsit unmoving, some in wheelchairs. ORDERLIES silently clean. A TV plays unwatched.

Mike bursts through the doors. He looks around, lost. All the WOMEN look alike --wrinkled emaciated figures with big glasses and white hair$ All the MEN are huddled in bathrobes, faces unshaven 1eyes vacant~

Mike studies themen 1trying to decide if one is his father~ But thenm~~ he notices hisdad in a wheelchair 1rolled over by a window. A shell ofa man, gazing out~~~

Mike's face falls~ Then 1he girds himself and hurries over~

FATHER

doesn't react,, Mike gently approaches~

MIF~ I haven't~m~seen you in awhile~~~

No response.

Mike pulls up a chair$ He takeshis father s veined hand~

Nothing,, No reaction at all~ Mike whispers~

The old guy keeps staring out the glass.

A beat. Then -- a brief flicker crosses Father's face. His eyes widen.

• FATHER

Michael...??

CU - MIKE

He trembles, touched~ A pang of emotion, this briefest of connections meaning somuch to him.

Mike strides back into the mailbox store. The place is cluttered, WORKMEN busyon ladders~ The clock says 4:55~ Mike slams the big envelopedown on the counter~

The Mailbox Guy is turnedawav from us~ He doesn t move~ Mike glances nervouslyat the clock~

•

MI:KE

Um -- where arethe forms I ve got tc fill out? Ireally need this in New York tomorrow.

~Jl.ILBOXGUY'SVOICE

I'm sorry,we re closed~

The Mailbox Guy turns..• revealing HE ISACTW'ILLYMR. OLIN.

OLIN SMIRKS, OMNISCIENT and 8LL-POWERFUL. He takes the package.

Mike GASPS, stupefied.

A WORKMAN

• scrapes away some drywall,revealing BUTTERFLY P.Z\PERL~,DERNEATH.

MIKE

spins, bewildered~

WIDE

Another WORYYiANturns,revealing he's the ENGINEER from the hotel. He slams thefloor, unveiling BEIGE CARPET underneath.

ON MIKE SFACE

All colordrains.

Bis expressiongoes from fear~~~ to realization$$* to madness~

The room startsSPINNING~

•

F-P.OUNDHIM, the SOUND ofCONSTRUCTION BUILDS. Louder, LOUDER, a CRUSH of activity~

THE ROOM

spins faster. Every revolution transforms usback to 1408.

The WALLS all becomewallpapered~

A WORKIViAi,leers,ina blur becoming Kevin O'Malley.

Mike staggers, terrified.

The room spins faster. The Mailbox Store ievanishing.

The CEILING tile crashes down, revealing 1408'sVENT.

The FURNITURE appears around us.

The WHIR builds to a high-pitched, painfulSHRIEK --

And THEN

The howl suddenly STOPS.

And Mike is left, collapsed onto the carpet of1408. Curled in a fetal position, whimpering,confused~ • He slowly lifts his head... and a horrible gutturalMOAN passes from his lips.

He's back.

THE ROOM IS JUST AS HELEFT IT. RAVAGED. DRENCHED. LIKE A HURRICANE BLEW THROUGH.

The unplugged clock keepsticking down: 4:55~~~ 4:54~~$

Mike unsteadily rises. He shouts plaintively.

Mike jerks, startled.

The voice is behindhim. Unnerved, Mike slowly turns@ /1.nd back there~~~ is~~~

A DOOR

Standing all bv -itself the middle ofthe room~

MIKE

gulps~

Tentative f'shaky,he crosses closer~~~

The door waits" Mike forces himself" sweating~ Heart pounding crazy.

Valiantly, hands trembling"'~$hereaches to the handle~ Grimacing with dread, he starts to turn it

When -- his courage lets out. He lets ao.

The VOICE snickers.

THE DOOR HANDLE

starts turning by itself.

Mike shudders. • THE DOOR

slowly opens. Through the crack,we SEE a DEEP, BLACK SPACE of a place that existssomewhere other than 1408.

MIKE

seizes up, aghast,,

A DARK SHADOWfalls over him..,.$

We DON'r SEE what is revealed behind the door. But Mike does. His FACE beholdsa horror no sane person can endure.

His eyes widen. His mouth opens in a silent screa,r.

His legs buckle underhim.

Beat"

Mike crumples in on himself, finished. Hes cowering,beaten.

He covers hishead, preparing for a fatal blow. We MOVE CLOSER~*~ CLOSER@~$until his FACE IS IN TIGETCLOSE-UP$ Readying himself for an unimaginable fate.

The tension of the moment builds to a climax. The end irraninent.And then

A melancholy MUSIC.

Huh? Mike looks up.

IN FRONT OF HIM

The door has DISA_FPEA..RED.

In its place is

GRACIE

Dressed in her dirty pink nightgown. She's pale, skeletally thin, her hair falling out.

She looks at Mike and smiles. A smile that makes her face look even more skull-like.

He backs away. Hurt, she weakly reaches to touch him...

GR~CIE (soft) Iwet myself~

Tears springto Mike's eyes$ Fighting this 1he steps backs

100~

GR~CIE Please* I'm cold~

Mike can't standthis,

She shiversr her little body wispy~~~

Mike's face caves. Suddenly overooweredby feelings, he RUSHES FORWARD and GRABS her tightly.

TIGHT - MIKE AND GRACIE

His eyes are shut, clinging to her tiny body. The most electric thing he's ever felt.

She speaks, barely a whisper.

GRACIE

It won t let me stay~

He looks up, as she convulses violently. Her face damp with sweat. He touches her forehead-- it's burning up.

Her eyes brim with tears of pain.

Happy, she brushes her hand to his cheek.

CLOSE ON -MIKE'S CHEEK

As she withdrawsher hand 1it leaves a TRAIL OF ASH~

GRACIE

unexpectedly collapses,like a balloon that s lostall air.

She falls back, eyes frozen. She's stopped breathing.

GRACIE?!

Mike shakes her, but she is still.

Mike immediately begins CPR. He puts hismouth over hers, breathing air into her lost lungs.

He furiously begins CPR. He begs,between breaths.

MIKE

keeps press~ng on her chest. Through hisface, we see vain hope. Despair. And finally... loss.

Shaken, he pulls his hands away. They are COVERED IN ASH.

ABOVE

Gracie's body has TURNEDTO DUST. She is gone.

Mike is immobile. Hands gray with the remains ofhis child.

His heart is empty. Absolute sorrow. Grieving, eyes sunken, he looks up. Just wanting it to end.

THE CLOCK

MIKE

slowly reacts, sobbing.

THE CLOCK

reaches thefinish: 00:03•.• 00:02 ...00:01... 00:00.

•

AJld

MIKE'S EYES

THE CLOCK

starts FLICKERING. The LED m:unbersflashrandomly...

MIKE

waits despondently. Around him,the ash disappears. The gray dust dissipates, like a drea:rn,into nothingness.

Mike stares, uncomprehending. Untilhe peers up and GASPS~

WIDE VIEW OF THE ROOM

1408 has RETURNED TO ITS OPENINGSTATE. No water damage. windows back. Everything restored to whenwe first entered.

The clock radio RESETS TO 60:00. It begins counting down again: 59:59... 59:58... 59:57...

MIKE

goes into shook. Dumbstruck. His voice cracking.

Mike trembles,utterly desolate.

The THER!'-'.IOSTATstartsrising:85~""90~"$95~&$

Mike1 sskingets cl&1rwy~ He staggers 11ightheaded..

SomethingFALLS right behind him. Mike t1rns --

A ROPE NOOSE

hangs,attached to the ceiling. Below it is a chair.

•

MIKE

nodsi acquiescing~

The TEMPERATURE is getting hellish: 115~~B 120~~~ 125B*~

Mike is weeping. Confused. Unable to think clearly,he steps onto the chair~ He slowly draw d ·

Mike stands there, eyes glassy. Pondering his fate.

But -- not jumping. Emotions and regrets pound through his body.

He grips the rope tight... then suddenly~. crying.

The VOICE booms, furious.

The TV suddenly turns on.

ON THE TV SCREEN

We see Lily, guilelessly entering theDolphin lobby.

MIKE'S FACE

face falls, horrified.

MIKE

ON THE TV

Lily's cellphonesharply RINGS~ She answers*

We hearMIKE;S SIMULATED VOICE,,

~a,'.\_,!;It•

,it s me~

LILY

THE REF..LMIKE

gapes in horror~

ON THE TV

Lily enters the elevator. The doors shutting...

MIKE

starts freaking out. He spins, then IlOL..lCes~·hisCELLPHONE on the floor~ Its screen flickerse

Ahl Mike looks around,paranoid, then grabs the phone. Its power blinks. Frantic,he hurriedly DIALS Lily. He bites nails. RING! RING...!

ON LILY

She rides up the elevator,oblivious.

ON MIKE

MIKE

C mon, c mon~~~

More RINGING. Then -- a !'lll<.Nanswers,through garbledSTATIC.

Hello?

A discombobulatedbeat~ It s a wrong number, but$~~ strangely rarni-Liar,..'''~

INTERCUT:

IN'I'.RESEAR'.::HLlBRAJZYTHEP.ll,ST

It's Mike back in the microficheroom 7i.nthe past 1receiving the call© All he hears is STATIC~

INT@ 1408 - PRESENT

Mike blanches, realizing,.He shouts deliriously~

His phone suddenlySPARKS, shorting. It FLAJV!.ES,burninghim. He cries outand drops it. Mike turns worriedly to

THE TV

Lily is still in the elevator, rising~ Floors goby: B~~~ 9~$~

MIKE

gets a galvanized look.

•

Incensed 1he runs toward the door@

CRAZY ANGLE

Suddenly -- the ROOM PIVOTS, slanting to45 DEGREES!

Mike trips, falling@ SU...Ml

The floor is crazy~ Mike tries to get up, attempting to cliwb~ His naked hands fallon hot carpet, singeing him@

Mike SCRE3'J"lSinpain.But he keeps going.

VOICE OF THE ROOM

YOU CAfJT SAVE HER~ SHE'SDOOMED!

ON THE TV

The elevatoropens on the 14th floor,. Lily steps out~,,~

•

WIDE - THE ROOM

Mike crawls upward,his equilibrium reeling.

The SL/L"f,JTisnowINS]\.1.~E"The flooris practically vertical,.

M~ke ~anhgs onto thefurniture, like a rock climi:ier.Using all his m.1.g,,t,heho:..stshimself.

The thermoetat keeps rising. 140" 145..•

Mike struggles to move§ He can barely breathethrough the swelter:..ngheat. He looks up -- and the livingroom has LENGTHENED. The DOOR now seems a footballfield away. Just a speck~

MIKE

moans. His feet STICK to the hot melting carpet. He wants to move, but collapses. The fabric burns into his hands.

The door is hopelessly far away. In anguish,unable to crawl, he weakly glances at the TV.

ON THE 'rv

Lily walks down the hall. Approaching...

ON THE TV

Lily takes a step, then suddenlystoPs~

Like she heard him.

She contemplates this sensation,her face a mix of strange emotions. Then -- she suddenly turnsand LEAVES.

MIKE

sobs, rel:..eved.

LILY

runs~ Fast, faster~

THE ROOM

THUNDERS, furious$

•

107,,

Mike is overwrought~ rapturous~ He slowly looks up"~~ and then t·w·s;e_sU,!2;~fil!.J.'Qil~~i;:};fill!1

MI¥~ Iknow I've lived the life cf a selfish man•.. (pause) But I don*t have to die thatway~

Mike reaches for ~he fallen BOOKOF MATCHES.

He stares -- then rips out amatch and STRIKES it against the cover 1with its funny littledoorman~

An instant 1TINY FLF_M_E$

MIKE

Maybe this room isn t real@ Maybe I1 mnot even real~ (wheezing,desperate) But this fire•.. is real.

Mike crawls across the floor. Holding the match cut, straining to touch it to aCURTAING~~

When -- WHOOSH! A HUSH OFWIND from the air conditioning vent blows it out.

Mike considers this$$~then nods~

Suddenly, Mike grabs Olin's

COGNAC BOTTLE

Mike pops the cork,then lights the ENTIRE BOOK OF M.ATCHES.

The FLP.MEBLAZES bright,a crazy glow under his face. Mike shoves it in the bottle,lighting the flarmnableliquid~ Mike spins andHURLS the MOLOTOV COCKTAIL~

BLAfL111.1\.l1cll!TheentireROOMexplodes inflames.

WIDE

The FIRE instantlyspreads 1igniting t.hecarpet and furniture,,

FSSSTl The SPRINKLERSCOME ON -- the roo:ms desperate attempt to save itself~ Mike laughs manically~

~ ~ ~ • ~'f\ti \.;\-l

)'{IKE

Too LATE! You ll neverhurt anyone again~

The CURTAINS flare uprblindingly orange~ The blaze SElt,,'R.S, the walls erupt~

~ike stands ~nsidethe inferno, seething. In a finalact 1he clicks on his recorder:

The flames congeal,then DETONATE~

KABOOM! A thundering FIREBALL blasts out thewindow.

Mike is obliterated from view.

The raging flames scorch the ceiling, then getsucked into the AIR \lENT,,

INT~ V~NT

Pulsing FIRE courses through the vents. Splitting in all directions.

Fire ALARMS go off.

Hotel doors start SLP_M..~INGooen~FranticGUESTS rush toward "-hoI..-....,oxit·~-'-sf;,..,.\..,,-,.s::~RE··AMTN~il".l..,,-.-\:JfP"S";U,!.,!....-.s.l':,jT•;:,"ac'n~,._other.~~

EXT~ DOLPHIN HOTEL - UPPER STORIES- SAME TIIvJE

Flames POUR OUT of the top stories$ Smoke fills the sky~

EXT~ DOLPHIN HOTEL - AT THE STR'RET-Sfui\ffiTii.ffi

Sirens WAILs GUESTS come flyingout the doors, many pajamas, furiously racing forthe street*

INT~ 1408 - SAivIETIME

Flruuesripple~ In thebroiling heat; the room begins to MELT~

The walls sag, sinking intostrange 1unpleasant curves~

•

109~

The paintings begin tobend~ Moans cry out*

The chandelier droops like a glob of spit.

The clock radiomelts into the floor~

The yellow-orange LIGHT brightens almost painfullyhot -- and then 1 for a finalsecond -- we glimpse Mike~

G:RACIES VOICE Daddy, everyonedies~

Mike's eyes glisten~ A brief, satisfiedsmile~~~ and then he 1 sswallowedby the fire~

The ceiling COLLAPSES, burning. SHOUTSand SCREAMS, as the last GUESTS shove their way out. WeMOVE THROUGH the blazing debris. Past the ash, through the charred furniture,toward the Reception counter...

INT, OLIN'S OFFICE - SAME TIME

The beautiful oak paneling is ablaze. Shelves fall, rare books crumbling into dust.

Sitting am.idthe devastation, perfectly calm at hisdesk, is Olin. Like the captain of the Titanic,he is unruffled. He leans back in his chair, at peace,enjoying a cigar. F~namber brandy in his hand.

He swirls the brandy in its snifter,then takes a slow sip. Ahh•••

Until, oddly -- RING! Its an interrupting PHONECALL~ Olin stares quizzically, then begrudgingly putsdown his brandy~

INSERT - THE SNIFTER

It gets placed onthe desk upon a PILE OF POSTCJ:L~DS~The same Dolphin Hotel postcard thatMike received.

&"r\JGLE-OLIN

He answershis phone, crisp and professional~

Olin listens,then shrugs.

Olin qen~ly hangsup the phone2 Then he ~akesa puff of his cigar~

Behind him, thewalls CAVE IN~

EXT~ DOLPHIN HOTEL - LATER

The FIRE DEPARTMENT is in front, sprayingthe building down~ Hook-and-ladders fill the street,,

POLICEP.cENhold back the shivering guests.We TRACK PAST their bewildered faces -- cold, frightened, tired-- until we land on one woman, off to herself.

Lily~ She gazes up at the Hotel. Then, she sadly speaks.

A small funeral, under gray skies~

A DOZEN people are huddled arounda fresh grave, watching the coffin get lowered into theground*

Lily s face is withdrawn~ Not overwrought~~$ but utterly drained. She stares, then dropsa flower on the casket.

Sarngives her a supportivehug.

INT~ MIKE S OFFICE- DAY

The grubby officeis filled with boxes. Sam and Lily are silently packingup Mike's belongings~

There are hundredsof books~ Carneras~ A sound meter~ A chipped Edgar AllenPoe award. Lily sighs.

Sam closesa box~

111 ..

It s lust asha~e he won't be around to write aboutit,

On the desk is a cute framed PHOTO of Lily,Mike and Gracie in happier times~ Lily stares.,then takes it forherself~

A bustling New York street. Sam shufflesup, looking a bit weathered~ He enters a gleaming officebuilding~

INT, LITERARY AGENCY - SA.METI~:E

Sam enters his office, in a haze~ His Secretary looks up~

Sam goes to an overflowing INBOXon her desk, piled with mail. He grabs the mail and drifts aimlesslyaway~

He flips through the papers~ Publishers Weekly~©~ catalogs~~~ New York Review of Books~ Sam g?es into his office --

INT,.SAM S OFFICE

and wades to the endof the rnai~~ Suddenly he reaches a big manila envelope -- andfreezes~

INSERT - ENVELOPE

The return address is ENSLINP

F..NGLE-SAM

He gapes indisbelie£8 A moment of dislocation~ee struaglinq

' " -

~o processwhat this means~~0 then he kicks the door shut~

112~

Shaking, Sam sits athis desk, He stares at thepackage, then slowly 1with ut_mostcare,unseals the flap~ He tremblingly reaches inside... andpu:ls our Mike's ~ompleted pages,

Sam gaspsr overcomerand drops them$ We SLOWLYPUSH IN TO the pile of laser-printedpages, crisp and elegant~ The cover page is simple:

by Mike Enslin

FADE OUT,