The Essential Ellison Part 73

(beat)He begins reading, and spends all his time all those yearslearning everything books can teach him. Five minutes beforethe twenty-five years are up and he'll win, he leaves theroom, knowing he won by becoming a wiser and moreknowledgeable man, that he could not have spent the yearsbetter.

CHAIRMANVery good, Mr. Flint. That's the sort of tickler file intowhich I propose to throw you.

FLINTIsn't twenty-five years a little long to wait for me to talk?By then the laser-trigger itself will be obsolete. By thenwe'll have stars.h.i.+ps run by chipmunk power...or something.

DR. BARMEIER O.S.Oh, we won't have that long to wait...not nearly that long.

93 SHOT PAST FLINT.

FEATURING BARMEIER, who smiles evilly and speaks to the grille onthe wall.

DR. BARMEIER (CONT'D.)Brilliant, Mr. Chairman. Our hallucinogens have the marvelousquality of stretching subjective time like taffy. Three weeksalone in a room will seem like fifty years to him...a hundred!

The Blacksuits move to grab Flint as Calista motions them to takehim. Flint struggles weakly for a moment, then twists to speak tothe Chairman.

FLINTMr. Chairman! Maintaining your theme of Great LiteraryMoments, do I get books to read, to make me a wiser, betterperson?

The Blacksuits try to hustle him off, but the Chairman stops them.

CHAIRMANStop! Mr. Flint arouses my curiosity. The old conundrum of theman on the desert island...what one single book will he takewith him? In your case a sealed room for fifty years.

(beat)

What book will it be, Mr. Flint? War and Peace? The Bible? ThePickwick Papers? Korzybski's Science and Sanity?

Flint thinks a moment, as everyone waits expectantly.

FLINT.

Don Quixote.

CHAIRMANAn excellent choice. Make certain you give him a paperbackedition; we don't want Mr. Flint using the cover boards in ahardcover as escape implements.

FLINTIs it possible to stretch your magnanimity to includecigarettes and a pack of matches?

CHAIRMANWe certainly aren't barbarians. You may have them, Mr. Flint,but I warn you, don't try setting the sealed room on fire:highly sensitive sprinklers in the walls will foil any escapeattempts and you might catch cold.

(beat)Keeping a cold for fifty years could become distressing.

CAMERA HOLDS on Flint's face as we

MATCH-CUT TO:.

94 CORRIDOR OUTSIDE LONELINESS CELL.

MATCH WITH FLINT'S FACE. CAMERA PULLS BACK to show we are in thisnew scene, just as the cell door is opened. Inside, we can see asmall table, a mat on the floor, and nothing else. They hand him thebook, the matches and the cigarettes, and Flint walks into the room.The door is slammed and bolted, and through the small window in thedoor (which has a cover that closes) Calista says: CALISTAHave a happy half century. Dr. Barmeier's booster shots shouldbe taking effect very soon.

(beat)Now you have all the time in the world...

And she slams shut the cover on the little window as we

SMASH-CUT TO:.

95 INT. CELL.

as CAMERA ZOOMS IN on Flint, alone for fifty years.

FRAME IRISES TO BLACKandFADE OUT.

END ACT THREE.

ACT FOUR.

FADE IN:.

96 INT. CELL-ON FLINT.

as CAMERA MOVES IN on him, sitting there on the floor in alotus position, we begin to HEAR the WHISPERS OF VOICES in theair. They are indistinct at first, seeming to come from nowhereand everywhere, until CAMERA MOVES IN TO EXTREME CLOSEUP ofFlint's left eye. The eye goes opaque and there in its depths,as CAMERA MOVES IN we see: LAP-DISSOLVE:.

97 THE SCENE IN FLINT'S EYE.

is Calista, standing there saying in a GHOST-WHISPER VOICE thatnow becomes distinct (filter): CALISTA.

(FILTER)Dr. Barmeier's booster shots should be takingeffect...the time-altering drugs are pumping throughyour system...

CAMERA PULLS BACK out through the eye, back, back to:

LAP-DISSOLVE:.

98 SAME AS 96.

as CAMERA PULLS BACK to SHOT OF FLINT and the demon whispers ofCalista subside back into vague sounds. Now CAMERA MOVES IN onFlint's right eye and we repeat LAP-DISSOLVE :.

99 SAME AS 97-THE OTHER EYE.

The scene in the eye is of Flint, seated in a lotus positionacross from The ANCIENT One, a withered old guru, from whomissue the whispers that now grow distinct as he speaks to theFlint in Flint's eye.

ANCIENT.

(in cracked voice)My son, when you have stored good karma, you will havetotal knowledge, total control of your mind and body.You will rid yourself of evil vapors and humours bythought; poisons in your system can be cast out likeevil thoughts.

FLINTI see, Old One.

(beat)Illness can be psychosomatic. By controlling my bodilyfunctions I can isolate the poison fractions in my bloodand sweat them out.

ANCIENTDid anyone ever tell you, my son, that you take all themagic out of our meditations?

FLINTSorry.

ANCIENTBe silent and meditate. Sweat if you wish.

CAMERA PULLS BACK out through the eye, back, back, to:

LAP-DISSOLVE:.

100 SAME AS 96.

FLINT FULL IN FRAME. HOLD on his face as he suddenly begins toperspire heavily. HOLD HIM and begin SLOW LAP-DISSOLVE:.

101 MATCH-SHOT-CALISTA.

HER FACE in the same CLOSEUP as Flint in previous shot. AsFlint's face DISSOLVES UNDER, Calista's face comes into fullfocus. CAMERA BACK to show her lying in bed, in a filmynightgown, but lying awake thinking as CAMERA MOVES IN STEADILYto her left eye and we see: LAP-DISSOLVE:.

102 THE SCENE IN CALISTA'S EYE.

is a repeat of Scene 7 on the veranda of the mansion whereFlint first met her. They stand there with Calista holding hercigarette for Flint to light. Again, we HEAR WHISPERS.

CALISTAWould you like one?

FLINT(light)I thought we were going to leave the Grim Reaper behind?

CALISTASuch disdain.

(seductive)You don't smoke, you don't work, don't you have any vices, Derek?