Copyright 1996, 2008 by Ronald L. Ecker
All Right Reserved
FADE IN:
EXT. THE CRILL HOME - COASTAL FLORIDA - NIGHT
The unlit, middle-class house is by a canal with a dock and
motorboat. A thunderstorm is raging.
INT. A STUDY - THE CRILL HOME - NIGHT
Dark, thunder rumbling outside.
Lightning illumines a BRONZE STATUETTE OF BAAL - the Canaanite
god of the storm and rain - on a desk.
The phone rings.
In the flashes of lightning, a framed picture of Alan and Marta
Creel, formally posing, can be seen, as the phone rings again.
INTERCUT: INT. A HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
50-ish ALAN CRILL, tall, stoical, distinguished-looking in
coat and tie, listens on the phone as it's ringing at the
other end of the line.
INTERCUT: EXT. A BEACH HOUSE - FLORIDA - NIGHT
A modest beach house, unlit, the thunderstorm continuing.
INT. BEDROOM - THE BEACH HOUSE - NIGHT
JAMES BUCHER and MARTA CRILL, both 40-ish, are making love.
In the hotel room, Alan continues listening on the phone as
it rings in the study at home.
In the lightning-illumined study, MIZIFUF - a well-fed black
cat - gazes indifferently at the ringing phone.
Alan listens for a moment longer. Looking vaguely worried, he
hangs up the phone.
END INTERCUT as Alan looks at his watch, and heads out of
the room.
INT. AN AUDITORIUM - NIGHT (LATER)
Dark, with an image of Baal projected on a screen.
ALAN
Baal Saphon.
Alan is on stage, making a presentation to an academic
AUDIENCE.
INTERCUT MORE SLIDES: images of Baal, including the bronze
statuette. During this:
ALAN (cont'd)
Baal of the North. Rider of
the Clouds, Prince Lord of Earth.
The supreme god of Canaan. He was
god of the storm - it was he who
brought the rains. He would die in
the spring: summer drought. In the
autumn he revived, slaying Mot, the
Canaanite god of death.
INT. BEDROOM - THE BEACH HOUSE - NIGHT
James and Marta lie in bed, listening to the storm.
MARTA
I've always been afraid of the
lightning.
JAMES
I love to make love when it rains.
(no response)
"Why?" you ask? I don't know.
Makes it more of a religious
experience.
MARTA
Since when are you religious?
JAMES
Ugh. "The most unkindest cut
of all." Religion's one of my
favorite subjects. I've read
a lot of books about it.
MARTA
"Now Baal will send his rains,
and his voice will be heard in
the clouds, and his lightnings
will appear on the earth."
JAMES
Wow. You've been reading too
much Alan Crill.
INT. THE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
The lights are on now, as a MEMBER of the audience is standing
to ask Alan a question.
AUDIENCE MEMBER
Concerning Baal's return from the
dead, Doctor Crill. How does it
compare in its literal mythological
description to that of, say, Osiris
of Egypt, Adonis of Syria?
ALAN
We have no completely undamaged
tablets. The one that deals with
Baal's annual revival is too damaged,
I'm afraid, to be coherently
translated. But that's only one
copy. We can always hope to find
others, as more Canaanite ruins
are unearthed. Even now -
EXT. TEMPLE RUINS - ISRAEL - DAY
An American ARCHEOLOGIST, 35, is excitedly brushing away dirt
from an uncovered portion of a clay tablet.
ALAN (V.O.)
- at Tell Akra in Israel, they're
uncovering a temple of Baal -
apparently destroyed by earthquake -
from the second millenium B.C.
As a DIGGER looks on:
ARCHEOLOGIST
Get Monsieur Michelet!
EXT. CRILL HOME - REESTABLISHING - DAY
It's a warm September day.
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
The Crills - Marta, Alan, and 12-year-old son JONATHAN - are
having breakfast.
The cat Mizifuf sits begging by Jonathan's chair.
ALAN
You didn't get much done on
the book.
MARTA
I know.
Jonathan gives some bacon to Mizifuf.
ALAN
I was hoping by the time I
got back -
MARTA
(interrupting)
I know, Alan. I'm sorry.
ALAN
I'm not scolding.
The phone rings in another room.
ALAN (cont'd)
But I am under a deadline.
As Marta starts to get up for the phone:
JONATHAN
I'll get it.
Jonathan goes for the ringing phone.
MARTA
There's a passage in your book
that disturbs me.
ALAN
I'm sorry to hear that. What
disturbs you?
MARTA
A human sacrifice . . .
Jonathan returns.
JONATHAN
It's for you, Dad. He sounds
like a Frenchman.
Alan rises.
ALAN
Michelet?
As Alan anxiously goes:
JONATHAN
Who?
MARTA
An archeologist in Israel. They
must have found tablets.
INT. A MUSEUM - ISRAEL - DAY
French archeologist MICHELET, 40, is on the phone.
MICHELET
(into phone)
It's a treasure trove, Alan.
It looks like a whole set of
tablets on your boy Baal Saphon.
INTERCUT: INT. CRILL HOME - DAY
Alan is on the phone.
ALAN
I'm your translator, Mitch. Do
you hear me? No one else gets
a hand on them.
MICHELET
Why do you think I am calling?
How soon can you get here?
END INTERCUT, STAY with Alan.
ALAN
A slight problem. Lancaster
College just began fall semester.
Look, if you can arrange to have a
full set of photographs taken, and
get them to me, I'll pay all expenses.
I can translate from photographs.
EXT. LANCASTER COLLEGE - ESTABLISHING - DAY
STUDENTS move about on campus. OVERLAP SOUND:
JAMES (V.O.)
Then add "Thanks again for your time.
Sincerely - "
INT. JAMES BUCHER'S OFFICE - DAY
James hands a scribbled draft of a letter to student
assistant ELAINE REESE, 21, who looks at him dreamily.
JAMES (cont'd)
" - James L. Bucher, Associate
Professor, Department of Religious
Studies." Okay?
ELAINE
It'll be on your desk, Doctor
Bucher.
JAMES
(handing her a note)
Also, here's a couple of books I
need put on reserve at the library.
I need that done this afternoon.
ELAINE
Do you know what I did last night,
Doctor Bucher? I read some Gerard
Manley Hopkins. The sonnets.
JAMES
Yeah?
ELAINE
Oh, you were right! Talk about
a dark night of the soul.
JAMES
Isn't he depressing?
ELAINE
I especially like the one about
the mind having mountains -
She takes a deep breath, as if to accentuate her own twin
peaks.
ELAINE (cont'd)
- that no man has fathomed.
She looks at him. He's uneasy.
JAMES
Uh, better get those books on
reserve before they get checked
out.
Elaine looks lovesick as she turns to go.
INT. JOHN BARRON'S OFFICE - DAY (LATER)
James, looking at a biblical journal, sits visiting with
fellow professor JOHN BARRON. Barron is 40-ish, and wears
horn-rimmed glasses.
JAMES
Tell me something, John. You
believe in God?
Barron looks at him quizzically. James, laying aside the
journal, looks quite serious.
BARRON
I subscribe to Pascal's Wager.
JAMES
That some kind of tip sheet?
BARRON
It's a concept. You teach religion
and you haven't heard of Pascal's
Wager?
JAMES
Don't let it get around. What
is it?
BARRON
Bet on God existing. What does
one have to lose?
JAMES
One's shirt. I'm not a betting
man. If only I had a message
from God.
RIGGINS (O.S.)
James . . .
James looks over at department head GARRETT RIGGINS, 70
and rather frail-looking, who has stopped by the door.
RIGGINS (cont'd)
John . . . Has Alan told you two
he's going to be translating new
Canaanite clay tablets unearthed
in Israel?
JAMES
No. Really?
RIGGINS
It'll be a feather in the cap for
Lancaster College, not to mention
for Alan.
Riggins moves off.
JAMES
I better go write something and get
it published.
James rises to go.
BARRON
If you have some good ideas, I'll
buy one from you.
INT. THE CORRIDOR - DAY
Walking from Barron's office, James meets Alan walking the
other way. As they stop:
JAMES
Alan, Garrett told me about your
translation project on some new
clay tablets. Congratulations.
ALAN
Thank you, James.
JAMES
Do you have to go to Israel?
ALAN
They're going to send me photos
to work from.
JAMES
Sorry to hear that. I mean, it
would be nice to go to Israel.
ALAN
I still have to teach here.
JAMES
I'd be happy to fill in for you.
Elaine comes walking by.
ELAINE
Those books are on reserve, Doctor
Bucher.
JAMES
Thanks.
James waits till Elaine is out of earshot.
JAMES (cont'd)
I've got a problem with her.
ALAN
Your student assistant?
JAMES
Yeah. Her name's Elaine Reese. I
think she's in love with me. I'm
not sure how to handle it.
ALAN
Tell her she only thinks she's in
love with you.
JAMES
Yeah, but what if she really is?
ALAN
Tell her you're in love with
someone else.
James reacts with unease.
JAMES
"In love with someone else."
Good idea. Thanks a lot.
Alan watches James move off.
INT. CRILL HOME - DAY
Jonathan answers the front door. James stands outside with
a book.
JAMES
Hello, Jonnie.
JONATHAN
Hi.
JAMES
I'm Doctor Bucher.
JONATHAN
I remember.
JAMES
Is your old lady home?
INT. STUDY - DAY
Marta is typing on a computer. Jonathan enters with James.
JONATHAN
Doctor Bucher's here.
MARTA
Oh. Hi.
JAMES
I was driving by, and thought
I'd drop off this book Alan
wanted to borrow.
(handing her the book)
I was going to give it to him at
work, but I forgot and left it in
the car this morning.
MARTA
Thank you.
Jonathan doesn't leave, as both James and Marta note.
James starts looking around the room, beginning with the Baal
statuette.
JAMES
So how's Alan's book coming?
MARTA
I'm almost through chapter six.
He wants me to skip chapter seven
for now, because of these new clay
tablets.
On the wall is a bronze, two-edged sword.
JAMES
Wow. Where did this sword come
from?
MARTA
It was a gift. From me to Alan.
JAMES
Just what he needed, right? A
sword.
MARTA
It's an exact replica of a sword
used in Canaanite ritual. Only
a couple of originals have been
found.
JONATHAN
It was with a bronze, two-edged
sword that Baal was slain by
Mot, the god of death.
JAMES
That's too bad.
JONATHAN
Not really. Baal came back and
got to use it on Mot.
JAMES
Poetic justice. You're into
Baal too, eh?
JONATHAN
Not me. That's all Dad cares
about: some old Canaanite gods
that don't even exist anymore.
Jonathan leaves. James walks over to Marta at the computer.
JAMES
I had to come by, Marta. Your love
is like a magnet.
(beat)
Why don't you leave Alan?
MARTA
You know why.
JAMES
You don't love him.
MARTA
No, but I did once. And he loved
me.
JAMES
Before Baal came between you,
right?
MARTA
Something like that. His studies
took more and more of his time.
And his mind.
JAMES
Well he's really going to be out
of his mind now, with these new
tablets discovered.
MARTA
I know.
JAMES
Marta, I love you more than he ever
could. So leave him. I can be
the kid's father. I don't mind.
I'll read a book on how to do it.
MARTA
How would it look? My divorcing
Alan and marrying you.
JAMES
"How would it look"? Who cares?
We can deal with it.
MARTA
Alan and I have made an agreement.
JAMES
Staying together for the kid is
not always best for the kid.
MARTA
Who knows what's best anymore?
My mom in Ohio says divorce him
and come live with her.
JAMES
No, divorce him and come live
with me.
MARTA
Till Jonathan finishes school,
I'm keeping my end of the bargain
with Alan. At least I'm going to
try to. James, don't make it more
difficult for me than it already
is.
JAMES
I won't. Whatever your plan is,
Marta, I'll go along with it. Just
so you're mine when it's over.
INT. STUDY - CRILL HOME - DAY (A WEEK LATER)
Alan is showing photographs of the tablets to Marta and
Jonathan.
ALAN
Some of these texts are known from
previous finds. This is the one -
the prize, the text we've been
wanting. Baal's annual return
from the dead.
MARTA
How long will it take you to
translate it?
ALAN
There's some damage. You can see
where it's broken. But all here.
In two weeks or so I should have
it. Good timing.
JONATHAN
Why's that?
ALAN
The equinox. A certain time of
year.
MARTA
Yes, the beginning of fall. You
can explain it to Jonnie better
than I can. Something to do with
astronomy.
Alan, gazing at the photo, ignores her suggestion:
ALAN
The revival passage starts here.
"Arise, O Baal . . . Return . . .
to the land of the living."
EXT. THE SKY - DAY
Overcast. An ominous rumble of thunder.
OVERLAP SOUND:
WEATHERMAN (V.O.)
There's some real nasty weather
moving in from the north.
INT. A STUDENT LOUNGE - THE COLLEGE - DAY
Some STUDENTS sit chatting, paying little attention to a
WEATHERMAN on TV with his Florida weather map.
As Elaine, with paperwork, listens in passing:
WEATHERMAN (cont'd)
(on TV)
It's going to be another wet
one, folks, and kind of noisy
too. Look for thunderstorms
through much of the evening.
INT. JAMES'S OFFICE - DAY
James notes something on his desk calendar. Elaine stands by.
JAMES
Hey! September Twenty-Three.
You know what that means?
ELAINE
Doctor Bucher . . .
JAMES
The equinox. Day and night are
of equal length.
ELAINE
I see no point, Doctor Bucher, in
hiding my emotions any longer.
JAMES
It happens every spring and fall.
ELAINE
I'm in love with you.
JAMES
It used to have religious
significance.
ELAINE
I loved you the first day in class
last semester. Before you finished
calling roll.
JAMES
Elaine, look. You don't love
me. Not really. You just think
you do.
ELAINE
I know so. There's no thinking
about it.
JAMES
That may be the problem. You -
ELAINE
(interrupting)
Don't be condescending.
JAMES
I'm not. But -
ELAINE
(interrupting)
I love you. It's as simple as
that.
JAMES
Well I'm in love too, Elaine.
But with someone else. So -
ELAINE
(interrupting)
I can wait. I don't mind
competition. I know that you'll
want me - if you don't already.
Now that you know how I feel. I
can wait. Whenever you're ready.
I have to go to class now.
She leaves.
EXT. THE SKY - NIGHT
Overcast. Lightning flashes in the clouds.
INT. STUDY - CRILL HOME - NIGHT
The Baal statuette sits on the desk, as Alan, whispering as
he writes, sits translating from the photo of the cracked
Tell Akra tablet. Thunder rumbles outside.
ALAN
"Arise, O Baal . . . and smite
thine enemy . . . Destroy . . .
the god of death . . . "
INT. THE PARLOR - NIGHT
A thunderclap outside, the cat Mizifuf sleeks in fright from
the couch.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Marta, hearing the thunder, pauses tiredly in her proofing of
manuscript pages.
INT. JONATHAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Loud thunder, the lights go out for a moment, as Jonathan
does homework.
EXT. CRILL HOME - NIGHT
Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
Alan is translating, as the storm continues outside:
ALAN
"Return . . . O Prince Lord of
Earth . . . to the land of the
living . . . "
Lightning strikes outside, the lights go out. The Baal
statuette is visible in flashes of lightning.
Alan is no longer in the room.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Marta, with a lit candle, fiddles with switches in a fuse
box, Jonathan looking on with a flashlight.
MARTA
Go find your father.
EXT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT
The storm rages.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Marta, alone, sets down the lit candle. She rubs her arms
as if chilled.
Listening to the storm, Marta hears what sounds like the
front door close.
She looks toward the dark parlor. She moves toward it.
INT. THE PARLOR - NIGHT
Dark, lightning flashes outside, as Marta enters from the
kitchen. She looks toward the closed front door.
Marta moves forward. There's a startling howl.
The cat runs off, Marta having stepped on its tail.
MARTA
Mizifuf . . .
A moment later, Marta looks out the front window.
INT. STUDY - NIGHT
From the door Jonathan sweeps the dark study with the beam
of the flashlight. He leaves.
The photograph from which Alan was working, showing the
cracked tablet's Canaanite script, is visible by lightning.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Candlelit, as Marta returns. She looks curiously toward a
window.
There's someone, or something - distorted by the rain on the
window's glass - in the flashes of lightning outside.
Marta moves to the window, and stares out as if in disbelief.
EXT. BACK YARD - NIGHT
Alan, in his shirtsleeves, stands in the windswept rain.
He's staring off as if transfixed. Lightning strikes not far
from the property.
Marta is inside at the window, raps on the pane, calls,
barely audible in the storm:
MARTA
Alan! Alan, what's wrong with you?
He shows no sign of hearing her.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
As Jonathan moves to the window, Marta goes to the back door
and opens it, rain blowing in.
JONATHAN
Well, there he is.
MARTA
Alan, get in this house! Are
you crazy?
JONATHAN
Ask him a tough one, Mom.
As they watch Alan move off toward the dock:
MARTA
Alan!
JONATHAN
Where's he going?
As Marta hurries for a raincoat:
MARTA
How should I know? Something's
wrong.
EXT. BACK YARD/DOCK - NIGHT
Alan walks onto the dock in the storm.
Marta comes out of the house in a hooded raincoat. She heads
for the dock, while Jonathan watches from the door.
MARTA
Alan!
Alan reaches the end of the dock, stands staring off at the
flashing sky, as Marta reaches the dock's other end.
MARTA (cont'd)
What are you doing out here?
Alan glances back at her.
ALAN
Go back.
MARTA
What is it?
ALAN
Don't come any closer. Get back
to the house.
MARTA
You come in too.
Jonathan joins Marta from the house.
ALAN
I can't. Go back.
MARTA
Alan, what -
Marta suddenly looks up, seems to sense it coming.
MARTA (cont'd)
My God. Alan!
ALAN
Marta, go -
MARTA
(with horror)
No!
A long streak of lightning descends and strikes where Alan
stands, in a great flash of blue light.
The blue light stays, bathing the scene.
Now clouds begin descending slowly in a tight, roiling,
towering column from the night sky to the dock where Alan
stood, no longer seen.
During this, Marta and Jonathan both stand absolutely
motionless, unblinking, eyes blank. Bathed in the blue
light, they are frozen in time.
Now Alan can be seen, eyes closed as if unconscious,
seemingly floating in the hazy blue light. The light itself
seems to lower Alan, facing up, gently downward.
Suddenly the blue light is gone, something falls into the water
by the dock, and Marta and Jonathan instantaneously return to
action, with no apparent awareness of time lapse.
They don't see Alan anywhere, the dock smoking where the
lightning had struck.
MARTA (cont'd)
Alan! . . .
They spot Alan now, dead or unconscious, in the rough water
by the dock. A boat mooring line under one arm has kept him
from sinking.
Marta holds onto Jonathan as they look down at Alan. Slipping
her grasp, Jonathan jumps into the water.
MARTA (cont'd)
Jonathan!
Now Marta jumps in too. With great effort they get Alan into
the boat.
JONATHAN
Dad . . .
MARTA
Go call nine-one-one. Go!
Marta begins CPR as Jonathan hurriedly climbs out of the
boat.
INT. CRILL HOME - NIGHT
Jonathan speaks anxiously on the phone.
JONATHAN
(into phone)
My dad was struck by lightning
and fell into the water. My
mom's giving C.P.R.
EXT. BOAT - NIGHT
Conscious Alan is coughing, Marta over him.
MARTA
Alan . . .
There's a blank look in his eyes.
INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - HOSPITAL - NIGHT
Alan - calm, with a faraway look - lies on his side. DOCTOR
#1 finishes looking at a burn on Alan's back. Marta and
Jonathan stand facing him. A NURSE is also present.
DOCTOR #1
You're a lucky man, Mister Crill.
A burn on the back, some numbness
in the legs. You'd have a lot more
than that, if the hit was direct.
MARTA
But it was. I was only a few yards
away.
DOCTOR #1
It may have looked that way, ma'am,
but -
JONATHAN
(interrupting)
I saw it too. It hit him.
The doctor still apparently doesn't believe it.
DOCTOR #1
Not many humans could take that
kind of voltage. Lightning can
fry the skin, it can explode
internal organs. You saved him
from drowning, that's what counts.
We'll take care of that burn, then
let you go home. Don't stretch
your luck, eh? Stay inside next
time it storms.
EXT. CRILL HOME - DAY (NEXT AFTERNOON)
A sunny afternoon.
INT. THE STUDY - DAY
Marta is arranging his work for him as Alan, with a calmly
sinister air, stands by.
MARTA
Everything you need?
Alan steps stiffly to the desk.
ALAN
Yes.
Alan sits down.
MARTA
Did I tell you? I got through
chapter eight in the book.
Alan begins sorting his material.
MARTA (cont'd)
Will this new text change very
much?
ALAN
It changes everything.
MARTA
Alan, what were you doing out
there? In the storm.
ALAN
I was called.
MARTA
Called? By whom?
ALAN
Baal Saphon. Any more questions?
Alan looks at his material, Marta seemingly not knowing what
to think. She leaves. OVERLAP SOUND:
ALAN (V.O.)
Normally we associate resurrection
with the spring . . .
INT. A CLASSROOM - DAY
Alan paces, still moving stiffly, as he's teaching a class of
STUDENTS including Elaine. The words "Death - Drought"
and "Revival" are on the blackboard.
ALAN (cont'd)
The Christians have Easter. But
with Baal it's the opposite. He
would die in the spring. Why is
that?
The students have their class textbooks open.
STUDENT #1
The start of the Canaanite dry
season.
ALAN
Yes. No rain, no crops, the storm
god's away. Then comes the fall.
It's equinox time. Now what?
STUDENT #2
The rains return.
ALAN
The people rejoice, Baal's back.
There's a ritual combat, Baal
wins.
Alan writes "Lordship" on the blackboard.
ALAN (cont'd)
So now Baal's in charge, he's
Prince Lord of Earth. Then
what? . . . What comes next
in the myth?
ELAINE
A new palace.
ALAN
A palace.
Alan adds "Palace" to the list on the board.
ALAN (cont'd)
Baal needs a new, bigger house
built. One befitting the Prince
Lord of Earth.
INT. CRILL KITCHEN - DAY
Marta, proofing pages, hears something shatter in:
INT. THE STUDY - DAY
Marta hurries in. She finds angry Alan picking up books from
the floor by a fallen, shattered floor lamp.
As she moves to help, Alan's back still stiff:
MARTA
What happened?
ALAN
This damn house is so cluttered
I can hardly get around!
EXT. THE SKY - NIGHT
A full moon.
INT. JONATHAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Jonathan wakes up. He faintly hears something, sees light
from the hallway, and someone's shadow pass by, beneath the
closed door.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Marta turns on a lamp by the bed. She seems to have heard
something too. Alan's not in bed.
INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT
Jonathan comes out of his room. Marta has come out of hers.
The sound comes now from:
INT. THE PARLOR - NIGHT
Marta and Jonathan find Alan measuring the length of the
parlor, his retractable metal tape measure making the noise.
MARTA
(dryly)
How long is it?
ALAN
This room is thirty-five feet.
As Alan reels in the tape:
ALAN (cont'd)
Thirty-five by twenty. It's
ridiculous. This house is too
small.
JONATHAN
Are we going to get a new one?
ALAN
Yes. I must have a larger house.
Alan moves off. Marta and Jonathan exchange looks.
INT. JAMES'S OFFICE - DAY
James is on the phone.
JAMES
(into phone)
Three in the morning and he gets up
to measure the house?
INTERCUT: INT. CRILL HOME - DAY
Marta is on the phone.
MARTA
I don't get it. Why all of a
sudden?
JAMES
I guess he couldn't sleep.
MARTA
No, I mean we don't have the money
to go buy some big house.
JAMES
Maybe he knows something. Ol'
Garrett's about due to retire.
Maybe Alan's been anointed.
EXT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
Sunny. OVERLAP SOUND:
A TENOR (V.O.)
(singing aria)
INT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
Elderly Riggins, half-dozing, is watching an OPERA on TV.
MRS. RIGGINS, 70-ish, brings him a pill and some water.
INT. STUDY - CRILL HOME - DAY
Alan sits staring into space.
EXT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
There's a rumble of thunder, the sky now partly cloudy.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Alan closes his eyes, as if concentrating.
EXT. SKY - DAY
Dark clouds now, louder thunder.
EXT. A SUPERMARKET - DAY
James comes out with a bagful of groceries, PEOPLE passing.
He notes the dark sky, hears thunder.
Rain starts as James heads toward his car.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Alan concentrating, eyes closed.
EXT. ROILING CLOUDS - DAY
The effect is of clouds roiling in Alan's mind.
INT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
Mrs. Riggins looks out at the rain as Riggins dozes, the
opera on TV continuing.
EXT. PARKING LOT - SUPERMARKET - DAY
James stands by his car in the rain, fumbling for his keys,
shifting his wet bag of groceries.
The wet bag tears open, and all the groceries fall out.
INT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
Mrs. Riggins is watching the TV weatherman, while Riggins
dozes. It's storming outside.
WEATHERMAN
(on TV)
I hate to sound like I don't know
what I'm doing here, folks, but the
storm that's moved into this area
has literally come out of nowhere.
INT. STUDY - DAY
Alan sits as if entranced.
INT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
A lightning strike knocks out the power, startling Mrs.
Riggins and waking up Riggins.
MRS. RIGGINS
My God.
RIGGINS
Did you turn off the T.V.?
INT. STUDY - DAY
From the hallway, Marta curiously notes Alan staring off,
as the thunderstorm continues.
Marta flinches as lightning hits somewhere near the house.
She moves off.
Alan rises, his eyes on the telephone.
A moment later, Alan picks up the receiver. He begins
dialing a number, from an address book by the phone.
EXT. SKY - DAY
A lightning bolt, dark clouds and rain.
INT. RIGGINS HOME - DAY
The storm continues as the phone rings. Mrs. Riggins
answers:
MRS. RIGGINS
(into phone)
Hello . . . Hello?
INTERCUT: INT. STUDY - DAY
Alan is on the phone.
ALAN
Garrett Riggins, please.
MRS. RIGGINS
I can hardly hear you. It's
storming.
ALAN
Let me speak with Garrett.
MRS. RIGGINS
May I ask who this is?
ALAN
Alan Crill.
MRS. RIGGINS
Alan. Uh - one moment.
(to Riggins)
It's Alan Crill, dear.
Thunder and lightning continue as Riggins feebly rises.
Alan waits, Riggins moving to the phone. Mrs. Riggins hands
Riggins the receiver. As she moves off:
RIGGINS
(into phone)
Hello.
Alan listens.
RIGGINS (cont'd)
Alan? Are you there?
ALAN
Yes.
RIGGINS
Speak up. I can't hear you.
ALAN
Can you hear me now?
RIGGINS
Yes. What is it?
ALAN
Nice weather we're having.
RIGGINS
I can't hear you again.
ALAN
I said nice -
INSERT: A POWER LINE
as it's zapped by lightning.
BACK TO SCENE
as the receiver that Riggins was holding spins in the air.
The receiver dangles, smoking and melted. Mrs. Riggins
screams.
END INTERCUT, STAY with Alan as he calmly hangs up.
EXT. CEMETERY - DAY
Riggins's funeral service has concluded under sunny skies.
James pauses to chat with Barron and BARRON'S WIFE, 40,
as they're leaving, other MOURNERS in b.g.
BARRON
Well, ol' Garrett's finally retired.
JAMES
Yeah.
KATY
He picked some way to go.
JAMES
Went out with a bang.
James looks over at Alan, standing several feet away with
Marta as she chats with mourners.
JAMES (cont'd)
I guess we can all learn a lesson.
BARRON
What's that?
JAMES
Never talk on the phone when
there's lightning.
Elaine, as she's leaving with other STUDENTS, is keeping a
wistful eye on James.
STUDENT #3
Did you know Clara Drew's taking
early retirement?
STUDENT #4
Because of Doctor Riggins?
During this, Alan watches Elaine, who is watching James.
STUDENT #3
Yeah. She was his secretary for
twenty-some years.
INT. CRILL HOME - DAY (DECEMBER)
Mizifuf paws an ornament on a Christmas tree. Marta picks
her up, Jonathan continuing the tree decoration. The front
door is heard closing.
MARTA
No, Mizi. You can look but don't
touch.
Marta turns to see Alan, just arrived. He has a rather
sinister air.
MARTA (cont'd)
How do you like the tree?
Alan regards it with apparent indifference.
ALAN
I just got the word.
Alan moves toward them.
ALAN (cont'd)
They've made me the -
The cat hisses at him, jumps out of startled Marta's arms -
leaving scratches - and skedaddles. After a moment:
ALAN (cont'd)
I'm the new chairman of the
department.
Marta and Jonathan look dumbfounded by the cat's behavior,
Alan calm.
MARTA
Congratulations . . .
EXT. CRILL HOME - NIGHT
Dark but for moonlight.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Marta lies awake, her back to Alan, in the dark. She looks
over her shoulder, as if to see if Alan's asleep. He is.
Alan is dreaming.
BEGIN DREAM SEQUENCE
EXT. IN THE SKY - DAY
Moving down through clouds, till breaking into the clear, for
a view of:
EXT. A TWO-STORY MANSION - DAY
Splendid, gleaming white, perhaps in soft focus, as if from
Baal's POV from on high. The mansion is in the country
with a driveway from the main road.
VOICES are eerily chanting, like those of some less-than-
heavenly chorus.
END DREAM SEQUENCE
EXT. THE MANSION - DAY
The mansion is rundown and abandoned, surrounded with
weeds.
Alan, Marta, and Jonathan stand gazing at it, their car
parked in b.g.
JONATHAN
We're going to buy this place?
ALAN
If I can locate the owner.
MARTA
How did you know it was out here?
JONATHAN
It's so big!
MARTA
It would cost a fortune to fix
it up.
ALAN
We'll have some extra now.
MARTA
Not that much extra. What about
the house we're in?
ALAN
What about it?
MARTA
What if we can't sell it when
we're ready to move? If we
could get this place ready.
We can't rush into this, Alan.
We -
ALAN
(interrupting)
If you don't want a new house,
you don't have to move in.
Alan moves off toward the building.
Marta regards Jonathan, who looks hurt for them both.
MARTA
What do you think, Jonnie?
JONATHAN
Let's do what he wants.
INT. DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE - DAY
Sitting across from Alan at his desk is DENISE VAUGHN,
35, an attractive job applicant.
ALAN
There are several others, Denise,
who - May I call you Denise?
DENISE
Please do.
ALAN
There are several others who've
applied with more secretarial
experience. But that's really
just window dressing.
As Alan rises, walks around the desk, slyly eyes Denise's
physical attributes:
ALAN (cont'd)
What I have in mind for this
position is more of a research
assistant. No experience
necessary. Just a willingness
to try things that are new
and exciting.
DENISE
I'll try anything once. Or pretty
close to it.
ALAN
That's the spirit I'm looking for.
I need someone willing to work with
me, here in this office, for part
of each day, in the most basic and
intense research.
DENISE
What on?
Alan sits down in a chair next to hers.
ALAN
Certain acts, in the cult of Baal.
You see, Baal brought the rain,
and, through rain, fertility.
Included in his worship were
certain sexual practices.
DENISE
Certain acts.
ALAN
Yes. Women would engage in these
acts with the temple priests, to
help Baal bless the land with
fertility. Baal himself, through
the priests, would have intercourse
with a few select ladies.
DENISE
So what you want to do every day
in this office, is engage in those
sexual acts.
ALAN
It'll be almost like the old days
in Canaan.
DENISE
This is crazy. It's the craziest
thing I've ever heard. You're crazy.
ALAN
Do you want the job?
DENISE
How soon can I start?
Go to Part 2Back to beginning of script