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STEVE
(whispering)
I was trying to answer with my mind. She
couldn't hear me. I thought you said Tangina
Barrons was an extraordinary clairvoyant.
From far away and well out of earshot Tangina answers.
TANGINA (O.C.)
(upstairs)
I am. I just don’t like trick answers.
DISSOLVE TO:
The CAMERA are all set up. The Zenith console is now the centerpiece of this room. The rest of the furniture has been piled against the walls although we’re not sure if this is Diane’s work or early poltergeist disturbances. Tangina sees herself on the video monitor and smiles into the CAMERA. She waves and watches herself waving on the monitor. She makes a funny face and gets a huge thrill at seeing it in black and white. Diane and Steve stand divorced from this. They have become bit players as Tangina takes the center stage.
TANGINA
Can you make my face look bigger?
Thinking this is a scientific request, Ryan ZOOMS IN filling the monitors with Tangina.
TANGINA
Look at me for cryin’ out loud! You’d never
suspect I was just a teeny little thing,
would ya?
LESH
Tangina, could we get on with this, please?
Tangina pulls out a lipstick and freshens her makeup, all the while watching herself in the monitor.
TANGINA
I've never been on TV before.
She steps back and looks into the CAMERA. She adds to her already thick Texas accent. The melodrama gushes out of her.
TANGINA
Yes, it was me all the time, not that fussy
harlot from the office. I shot J.R. Ewing!
I blew his little pecker right into the gulf
of Mexico..I.
(embarrassed)
Oh, I swore on television.
No one is laughing. Especially Diane and Steve. They are rather appalled. Tangina immediately pulls back. She becomes an adult again and walks into the center of the room.
TANGINA
( to Diane)
Honey, c ‘mere and give me your hand.
Diane hesitates and looks over at Dr. Lesh.
TANGINA
I’m not gonna bite’cha.
Diane slowly walks to Tangina and reaches down with her hand.
TANGINA
C’mon down here. You’re gonna give me whiplash
lookin’ up at you.
Diane smiles and kneels. She is eye level with Tangina.
TANGINA
(softly, just for Diane to hear)
Your daughter is alive and in this house.
The tears come immediately. Diane breaks down, sobbing, the first confirmation of her own belief from the outside.
Tangina hugs her, patting the back of Diane’s head reassuringly. Steve starts to come over to comfort but Tangina waves him off and mouths..
TANGINA
... a glass of water.
ANGLE - LESH
She sits down and smiles. Relieved, looks to Ryan. Ryan is filming it.
TANGINA
(to Lesh)
Where was the last incident of “bilocation”?
Dr. Lesh points to the air just above Tangina’s head.
TANGINA
I have my strongest feeling, the point of
origin is inside the child’s closet. Upstairs.
DIANE
(through tears)
Yes. I feel that too.
TANGINA
(to Diane)
Now, honey. Are you gonna be real strong
for me? For your daughter? I can do absolutely
nothing without your faith in this world
and your love for the children.
DIANE
I will. Believe me, I will.
TANGI NA
Will you do anything I say? Even if it comes
contrary to your beliefs as a human bein’
and a Christian?
DIANE
Oh yes. Please.
TANGINA
(cupping Diane’s face and bringing their
eyes together)
Then let's get on our feet and go get your
daughter.
Diane laugh-cries and rises. Tangina starts to rise but then realizes...
TANGINA
(brightly)
Oh...I am standin’.
CLOSE - TELEVISION CONSOLE
Static snow grates again on our nerves.
ANGLE - FULL
Diane is in her self-appointed position, the center of the room awaiting notice from Tangina Barrons who checks through a lot of items laid out on a tablecloth on the living room floor.
TANG1NA
(checklisting)
Towels, red ribbon, handkerchiefs.. .How're
the tennis balls coming?
Ryan and Dr. Lesh are painting numbers on each of six tennis balls and then carefully signing their names. String hangs across the ceiling and to each wall coming together in the air six feet above the floor to form a square.
Steve runs in with several pounds of rope slung around his shoulder.
STEVE
It’s all I could find.
TANGINA
It’ll do. How’s the bath water doin'?
STEVE
I shut it oft. It’s ready.
TANGINA
Then I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t
get started.
(to Diane)
All right, honey. Call out to her.
In the low light of the living room, Diane stands in the center like a frightened contestant about to audition a song. She says a prayer under her breath and looks skyward.
DIANE
Carol Anne.. .Carol Anne... It’s Mommy. Can
you hear me tonight?
TV CONSOLE - STATIC
Nothing.
DIANE
Carol Anne. Can you tell Mommy hello?
TV CONSOLE - STATIC
Nothing.
CLOSE - TANGINA
Her eyes are closed and her breathing becomes irregular. She licks at her dry lips and motions to Diane.
TANGINA
Try again.
DIANE
Can you say hello to Daddy? Daddy and I miss
you so much. So much. We love you so much.
Can you say hello?
CLOSE - TANGINA
Shaking her head.
TANGINA
She's under restraint!
This news hits like a shock wave. Steve and Diane almost answer as one.
STEVE AND DIANE
(overlapping)
She’s what?! What do you mean?! Who’s restraining
her?!
TANGINA
Quickly. Who is she more afraid of? You or
your husband?
DIANE
She’s afraid of neither.
TANGINA
Which of you does she answer to first?
STEVE
She’s always gone to Diane.
TANGINA
When she’s naughty, whom does she hide from?
STEVE
She’s a well-behaved child. We’ve raised
her with manners and...
TANGINA
(losing her patience)
Look folks, I’m not the child abuse squad.
I need a quick answer.
DIANE
Steve decides the punishment. The children
have always known that.
STEVE
(protesting)
Now wait a minute, Diane. 1 don’t call that
fair. I’ve never laid a hand...
Tangina still has her eyes closed. She motions Steve to come over.
TANGINA
Fight about. it later, meantime get your
ass over here.
Steve obeys. Diane is lost. Dr. Lesh has never experienced anything like this before. Ryan has his eye to the video tape camera.
TANGINA
Tell Carol Anne to answer!
Steve is uncomfortable ie speaking to thin air. He clears his voice.
TANGINA
Tell her!
STEVE
(very politely)
Honey, it’s Daddy. Can you hear me...Sweetpea?...
TANG1NA
Cut the crap and call her. Loud.
STEVE
(a little louder)
Carol Anne. It’s Daddy.
TANGINA
Again.
STEVE
(a little louder)
It’s Daddy, sweetheart.
TANGINA
Be cross with her.
STEVE
Why...?
TANGINA
Be angry with her or you’ll never see her
again!
STEVE
(quickly, more aroused, harsh)
Carol Anne, this is your father speaking.
TANGINA
Tell her it she does‘t answer she’s in big
trouble.
STEVE
Answer me right now or you‘re in real hot
water!
TANGINA
Tell her she'll get spanked.
STEVE
(aside to Tangina)
We never spank the children.
DIANE
(intervening)
Goddammit, Steven, tell her!
STEVE
If you don’t answer your parents you’re going
to get a real spanking. From both of us.
TANGINA
Swear. Swear.
STEVE
(really getting into it)
Damrnit! Dammit! You hear me?!
CAROL ANNE'S VOICE
(far away from the TV speaker)
Mommy, help me!
TANGINA
(really breathing hard, sweating)
She’s away from him!
DIANE
Away from who...that thing we saw? Is she
all right?
TANGINA
(huffing like she’s running)
Diane. Is there a light?
DIANE
Carol Anne, do you see the light?
CAROL ANNE’S VOICE
He’s chasing me, Mommy...
(screams)
TANGINA
Tell her to run to the light.
DIANE
(looking at Dr. Lesh)
No!
TANGINA
They will follow her to it. They have been
following her for weeks. You must tell her what I say!
DR. LESH
Tell her. Go ahead, Diane.
DIANE
Run for the lights Run as fast as you can!
CAROL ANNE'S VOICE
Mommy!! Are you in the light?
DIANE
No, honey, I'm...
TANGINA
Tell her you are!!
DIANE
It’s a lie!!
TANGINA
You can't choose between life and death when
we're dealing with what is in between. Tell her before it's too late!
DIANE
Run to the light, Carol Anne. Mommy is in
the light.
TANGINA
Tell her you're waiting for her.
Diane is now crying out of angry frustration and deceit.
DIANE
Mommy is in the light waiting for you!
(she wheels on Tangina)
I hate you for this!!
TANGINA
Quick, upstairs everyone! Bring everything.
Lesh, Ryan, Steven, and Diane. Tangina Barrons is in the lead, outdistancing everyone.
Everybody crowds around. Tangina turns to Steve, her breathing coarse with phlegm and wheezing.
TANGINA
Open it
This time Steve doesn’t hesitate. He has the key already in the lock and swings open the door.
It is like a storm at sea inside. So much destroyed minutia speeds through the air it is not unlike a blizzard at night. The SOUND is a CHORUS of MOANING; and RAVING.
A VOCAL ASYLUM FROM A BLACK PLACE WHERE ALL SOULS WAIT FOR TRANSIT.
A CACOPHONY OF MUSIC REVERBERATES THROUGHOUT. Nothing specific, only madness and nonsense.
INTO THIS WALL OF NOISE AND TORMENT TANGINA BARRONS APPEARS.
She looks around the room, squinting in the low in blowing dust and particles. Things, objects, plasma globules fly at her. She sees...
THE CLOSET. THE LIGHT IS THERE! It is so bright there is no looking into it without retinal damage. Great blue-yellow shards of light spill into the room, defined by the thick atmosphere.
TANGINA
(screaming to be heard)
RYAN! GET DOWNSTAIRS AND WAIT BY THE TARGET!
A heavy section of lamp hurls from the other side of the, room right for Tangina's head. Just as it reaches her it slows down to a winsome “hover” arid falls to the floor her feet.
TANGINA
(top of her lungs to be heard)
STEVEN! GIVE ME THE TENNIS MARKED NUMBER
ONE.
Ryan runs in and stands under the circle of string.
Tangina takes the tennis ball and ducking other object are coming at her more aggressively...THROWS IT INTO THE FURNACE LIGHT OF THE CLOSET!
Ryan looks up. There is a flash and immediately a tennis ball falls from mid-space and lands on the floor at his feet. He picks it up and looks at the inscriptions.
RYAN
(calling upstairs)
It’s my handwriting. It came right out of
the fucking air!
Diane cannot believe what is going on. She looks back Into the blizzard.
DIANE
The ball came back! It’s his handwriting.
Tangina tosses balls #2 and #3 together into the closet light.
There is a mid air flash as ball number two materializes from thin air and RyanJ catches it. As he inspects the signatures, there is another light flash and ball number three follows and hits him on the head.
Diane relays Ryan’s shouts...
DIANE
TWO AND THREE CAME BACK! THEY CAME BACK!
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