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What Lies Beneath (2000)

by Clark Gregg.
June 14, 1999.

More info about this movie on IMDb.com


FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY


FADE IN:

Moving through a murky haze.  Dark blues and greens, shafts
of prismed purple.  A pale shard appears in the distance.
Gliding closer, a group of tiny fish dart before the camera.
We're UNDERWATER.  Arriving at the form, it finally sharpens
into focus.  It's a WOMAN'S BODY submerged in dark water,
arms floating lazily at her side.  The face is obscured by
flowing hair.  All that is visible is a pair of COLD, STARING
GREEN EYES, which blink closed...

                                                    MORPH TO:

...then open as BLUE EYES, as a DIFFERENT FACE emerges from
water.  CLAIRE SPENCER awakens from this unsettling dream in
her bathtub.  She pivots the large BRASS SHOWER HEAD (the
kind that moves up and down on a pipe) off to one side,
reaches toward her feet and we hear the sound of a plug being
pulled.

INT.  BATHROOM - DAY

A HAZY SHAPE-- accompanied by a whirring sound.

A steam covered mirror is cleared with a BLOW DRYER.  Claire
starts to come into focus.  The dryer stops.  She presses the
red G.F.I. button on the socket.  ZAP!  A big blue spark
shoots out.  Claire pulls her hand back...and the dryer
starts whirring again.

She clears the mirror and replaces the dryer on a hook.  She
regards herself in the mirror, and attractive, elegant-
looking woman around forty.

Claire traces a finger along a small but noticeable SCAR
above her left eye, then slowly drops the hand to her cheek,
as if confirming her existence.

INT.  CLAIRE'S HOUSE - DAY

Claire, now dressed, presses her face against a door,
listening for the sounds of stirring from within.  Silence.
She quietly pushes open the door.

INT.  ROOM - DAY

Claire makes her way past half-filled boxes and duffels to a
window, then pulls the curtains to reveal:

A LOVELY, WOODED LAKE.  It couldn't be more picturesque.  A
24' SAILBOAT is moored at the dock and an OLD STONE
LIGHTHOUSE sits on a point across the lake.

The sunlight motivates an unconscious groan from A FIGURE
still shrouded by covers.

Claire sits beside the sleeping form.  She scans the room
briefly, taking in a Greenpeace flag and a picture of a
tomboyish ten year-old girl at camp.

She gently pulls back the covers and peers down at the same
face, now a waifish, pretty seventeen year-old, with chopped
hair and tiny nose ring.  Claire leans over and inhales the
sleeping scent of her only daughter, CAITLIN.  She places her
hand on a cheek.  The girl's eyelids flutter softly.

                     CLAIRE
          Morning, beauty.

Caitlin lets out a grunt and rolls over onto her belly.

                     CLAIRE
          Let's go.  Or we'll never leave on time.

From out of the pillow comes Caitlin's voice.

                     CAITLIN
               (muffled)
          I'm totally ready.

Claire glances around at the piles of unpacked clothes.

                     CLAIRE
          Come on, I'll make you some waffles,
          maybe we'll squeeze in a trip to the
          mall.
               (beat)
          Caitlin...

Claire gently swats at the tiny lump that is Caitlin's
behind.

                     CAITLIN
          Mother...

Claire stands and instinctively scoops up some clothes from
the floor, then folds and neatly stacks them on a box.
Caitlin turns her head sideways on the pillow.

                     CAITLIN
          You're such a morning person.

Claire turns at the door.

                     CLAIRE
          It is unwise to heckle the keeper of the
          plastic.

She starts to leave.  Caitlin calls out.

                     CAITLIN (O.S.)
          Blueberries!

Claire smiles as she closes the door behind her.

INT.  HALLWAY - DAY

Claire bends down to pick up one of Caitlin's socks.  When
she stands, something catches her eye out a window.  She
gazes down, transfixed.

ANGLE

Through a stand of trees over a HIGH WOODEN FENCE, A YOUNG
COUPLE is in the midst of a heated argument next door.
Claire watches as the HUSBAND, a large imposing man with an
unruly shock of red hair, snarls at his wife across the hood
of their huge old Buick.  She tries to get a glimpse of the
woman, but all that's visible is THE BACK OF HER BLOND HEAD.

A TAN, SINEWY ARM encircles Claire's waist.  She lets out a
small gasp as a hand closes on her breast.  It's Claire's
husband, DR. NORMAN SPENCER, nibbling gently at her neck.
He's older than she, pushing fifty, with silver streaks
beginning to permeate the shaggy mop of hair that makes him
look more like a preppy rocker or a lacrosse coach than the
prominent academic that he is.  Claire, however, can't take
her eyes off the scene below.

                     NORMAN
          They at it again?

Claire nods.

                     NORMAN
          Christ, that's twice in...When did they
          move in?

                     CLAIRE
          I think three...

                     NORMAN
          Three weeks.

She continues to gaze downward.  The man leans over the hood,
murmuring darkly at his wife, though for Claire and Norman
the scene is entirely silent.

                     CLAIRE
          What's their name?

                     NORMAN
          Feur, I think.  Psych department.  Figures.
          They're all psychotic.

Outside, Mr. Feur turns and walks toward his house.  Norman
begins, once again, to nuzzle Claire.  Her eyes close, but
then she gently demurs.

                     CLAIRE
          She's awake.

                     NORMAN
          We'll be quiet.  Quick and quiet.

She turns to him.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't want to be either.

He smiles.  A really good smile.  The lips and tongue on his
faded T-shirt mark him as a 'Stones fan.

                     NORMAN
          When's she out of here?

                     CLAIRE
          Norman Spencer.

Norman gives up.  He busses her cheek.

                     NORMAN
               (moving toward the stairs)
          Alright.  I can't take the rejection.  I'm
          going to class.

                     CLAIRE
          Don't.

                     NORMAN
          Claire, I have to show up for the--

                     CLAIRE
          It's Saturday.

Norman stops.

                     NORMAN
          I knew that.  You think I didn't know
          that?

She smiles at him.  After a beat:

                     NORMAN
          It's today?

                     CLAIRE
               (wistfully)
          Yep.

They share a warm, poignant look.  He turns and moves down
the stairs.

                     NORMAN
               (calling over his shoulder)
          We're going to have to leave by three if
          we want to beat the traffic.

Claire returns her gaze to the scene below as Mr. Feur says
something ominous to his wife, then stalks into the house.

                     NORMAN (O.S.)
          Claire?

                     CLAIRE
               (absently)
          Three o'clock.

ANGLE

Mrs. Feur drops her face into her hands.

EXT.  SIDEWALK CAFE - DAY

Claire peruses her "to do" list as Caitlin munches a panini.

                     CLAIRE
          ...and I still think we should get you
          some mittens.

Caitlin puts down the sandwich and regards her mother warmly.
The bond between them is palpable.

                     CLAIRE
          Do you have a scarf?

                     CAITLIN
          Hey.

Claire looks up from her little pad of paper.

                     CLAIRE
          Yes?

                     CAITLIN
          It's only two hours away.

                     CLAIRE
          I know that.

                     CAITLIN
          I'll come back all the time.

                     CLAIRE
          Of course you will.

                     CAITLIN
          I'm just saying, you're going to be
          fine.

Claire smiles.

                     CLAIRE
          Sweetheart, I've known this day was
          coming for a long time.  I've got your
          father and the garden and the new house.
          You really don't have to worry.

Caitlin smiles back and nods, her face betraying some
concern.  Claire takes her hand.

                     CLAIRE
          Really.

She nods reassuringly and pulls Caitlin into an embrace.  Her
eyes close.

                     CAITLIN (V.O.)
          Mother...

EXT.  COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - DAY

Claire's frozen in the hug.

                     CAITLIN
               (beat)
          Mom.

Her eyes open.  Widen to reveal Claire, holding Caitlin on
the college campus.  The URBAN SKYLINE looms in the
background.

                     CAITLIN
          I have'ta go.

After a moment's hesitation, she releases her grip.  Caitlin
glances over her shoulder to make sure no one's witnessed
this overt display of maternal affection.

                     CAITLIN
          I'll call you.

Claire produces an ENVELOPE, which she presses into her
daughter's hand.  It's a book of TRAIN TICKETS.

                     CLAIRE
          Come home anytime.

Caitlin looks at Norman.

                     NORMAN
          Really gonna leave me, huh?

She nods.  They share a tender look.

                     NORMAN
          Be good.

She throws her arm, briefly, tightly around his waist.  A bit
overwhelmed, he slowly brings his hand to the back of
Caitlin's head.  After a moment, she steps back...

                     CAITLIN
          Bye.

...then turns and makes her way toward the large, old
Columbia dorm.  A banner is draped across its portals which
reads:

                  "WELCOME CLASS OF '04."

Claire watches her daughter melt into a crowd of similarly
shaggy freshmen, smoking and talking on the front steps.  Her
eyes are shining.  Norman wraps an arm around her waist as
she daps at a tear with a Kleenex.

                     CLAIRE
               (smiling)
          I almost made it.

They turn and head for the car.  Claire sneaks one last look
over her shoulder.

ANGLE

Caitlin glancing back at Claire with an apprehensive smile.

INT.  NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Claire walks in from the bathroom wearing a sexy cotton
nightgown.  Norman is in bed, absorbed in some notes.

She gets into bed, then picks up a thick text from beside him
and starts reading.  After a moment:

                     NORMAN
          Whatcha reading?

                     CLAIRE
               (reading the cover, sexy voice)
          Genetic repair mechanisms in eukaryotic
          organisms.

                     NORMAN
               (slight smile)
          How is it?

Claire snuggles up.

                     CLAIRE
          Excellent.  Couple of Swedish sailor cells
          just gang divided a virginal cheerleader
          cell.

                     NORMAN
               (lost in his book)
          Nice.
               (beat)
          Almost done.

She pulls slightly away.

                     CLAIRE
          If you have to work...

                     NORMAN
          No, no.  I'm just about...
               (beat)
          There.

He places his book on the bedside table and turns to her.

                     NORMAN
          How are you?

                     CLAIRE
          Fine.

                     NORMAN
          It's okay if you're not.

                     CLAIRE
          I am, really.

                     NORMAN
          It's just she's been the focus for a
          while.

                     CLAIRE
          Not the focus.

                     NORMAN
          You know what I mean.

Claire thinks for a moment.

                     CLAIRE
          To tell you the truth...I'm
          excited.

                     NORMAN
          You are...

                     CLAIRE
          To get my life back.  To have some time
          for myself.  Some time for us.

He caresses her.

                     NORMAN
          You did a great job.  She's a good kid.

                     CLAIRE
          We did.

There's a weighty pause.

                     NORMAN
          It's just us now.

                     CLAIRE
          I know.

He kisses her.

                     NORMAN
          Tired?

                     CLAIRE
          Nope.

                     NORMAN
          Wanna fool around?

                     CLAIRE
          Yup.

They start to kiss.  It's slow and a bit methodical in the
manner of long time lovers.  Suddenly, the SOUND OF A WOMAN
WAILING can be heard.  They stop.

                     NORMAN
          Did you...

                     CLAIRE
          Shhh.

They listen.  The sounds start to become louder.  It is
clearly two people in the throes of some very vocal and
savage love making.

                     NORMAN
          Jesus.

He walks over and closes the window.  It doesn't help.

                     NORMAN
          I guess they're making up.

The woman's moaning becomes embarrassingly loud.

                     CLAIRE
          What is he doing to her?

They lie together in silence as the cacophony drones on.

                     NORMAN
          And we moved out here for the quiet.

                     CLAIRE
          Mmm.

Beat.  The mood has passed.

                     NORMAN
          Maybe we should just...

                     CLAIRE
          Tomorrow.

                     NORMAN
          I'm finished at three.  No.  Squash with
          Stan.

                     CLAIRE
          After that.

                     NORMAN
          I'll be there.

Beat.

                     NORMAN
          Love you.

She smiles.

                     CLAIRE
          Night.

They lie together in the darkness as the Feurs finally
climax.

INT.  CAITLIN'S ROOM - DAY

Claire pushes open the door to Caitlin's room carrying an
armful of FOLDED LAUNDRY.  She moves quickly to the bureau,
not wanting to spend much time in here, then grabs a TINY
BLACK TOP from the pile, and drops it into a drawer.  She's
just about to close it, when something catches her eye.

CLAIRE'S POV

She drops the laundry and slowly pulls a tattered, old
JUILLIARD T-SHIRT with a very seventies logo from the drawer.
Claire gazes around the room, which is a reliquary of
Caitlin's recently concluded childhood; PICTURES, TROPHIES,
STUFFED ANIMALS.

She brings the now faded T-shirt to her face and drinks in
the smells.  She stares down at the word "Juilliard."

                                                MATCH CUT TO:

INT.  BASEMENT - DAY

"JUILLIARD"...now it's on the same T-shirt only Claire's
wearing it and she's much younger.  It's an old photograph in
an album.  Younger Norman stands next to her in the shot, his
arm draped around her waist.  A CELLO CASE stands beside her.

Claire glances around at several hastily unpacked boxes and
sees propped in the corner...THE CELLO CASE.  She gazes at
other photos.

-- Claire in her wedding dress, Norman beside her in a tux
   with a very wide bow-tie.

-- Claire and Norman in front of a UNIVERSITY BUILDING.  A
   tiny Caitlin rests on her hip.

Claire's chin begins to tremble and she chokes out a sob.

EXT.  FRONT YARD - DAY

Her face streaked with tears, Claire stumbles out into the
immaculately manicured ROSE GARDEN.

The yard is surrounded by a HIGH WOODEN FENCE.  She collapses
into a lawn chair as the tears begin to subside.  Suddenly,
she hears something coming from next door.

She cocks her head and attempts to make out the sound.  It
is, ironically, the sound of a WOMAN CRYING.  Claire makes
her way over to the fence.  The women's sobbing becomes more
plaintive and fevered.

She places her face against the prickly, vine covered fence
and tries to peer through the crack.  All she can make out is
A DARK BLUE BLUR that seems to be rocking.  Claire gathers
her nerve and calls out...

                     CLAIRE
          Hello...

There's no reaction.

                     CLAIRE
          Mrs. Feur?

The sobbing chokes down to a breathless whimpering.  The blue
shape vanishes from view.

                     CLAIRE
          Wait a minute.  I just want--

Something bumps against the fence.  Claire draws back.  She
hears heavy breathing.

                     MRS. FEUR
               (sniffling)
          Who are you?

                     CLAIRE
          It's Mrs...It's Claire...Spencer.  From
          next door.  Is everything--

                     MRS. FEUR
          You're the flower lady.

                     CLAIRE
          Um...yes.

                     MRS. FEUR
          I've seen you.  From the window.

                     CLAIRE
          Is everything alright?

Claire leans closer to the tiny crack.  She sees a fleshy
blur and what might be part of an eye.  There's no response,
just the breathing.

                     CLAIRE
          Hello?

                     MRS. FEUR
          I'm not...

She seems on the verge of losing it again.

                     MRS. FEUR
          He's so...it's too much...and I can't...I
          can't breath...

                     CLAIRE
          Who?  Your husband?

                     MRS. FEUR
          And I'm afraid.  Oh god, I'm so afraid
          of...

She trails off.

                     CLAIRE
          What?  What are you afraid of?

                     MRS. FEUR
          I can't, no, no, I can't...

Claire edges closer to the crack.

                     CLAIRE
          Tell me.  Please.

                     MRS. FEUR
          That I'll just...that one day I'll
          just...disappear.

Beat.  Claire's taken aback by this admission.

                     CLAIRE
          Tell me.  I can help you.

                     MRS. FEUR
          How?  How can you help me?  With your
          flowers and your perfect life...

                     CLAIRE
          That's not...It's not like that.

                     MRS. FEUR
          I've never even met you.

                     CLAIRE
          I know.  And I'm sorry.  I've been consumed
          with...my daughter left...for school.

                     MRS. FEUR
          This fence...it's so...

                     CLAIRE
          I'm sorry.  It's for the flowers.  Why
          don't you...

Tires can be heard crunching the gravel as a car pulls into
the Feur's driveway.

                     MRS. FEUR
          Oh God.  He's back.  I'm sorry.  Please
          forget that I...I don't know what I'm
          saying.  Please...

                     CLAIRE
          Wait!  Don't go...

Claire listens to the sound of NAKED FOOTSTEPS, followed by a
LARGE FRONT DOOR swinging shut.  A CAR DOOR swings open and a
MAN'S SHOES follow down the path.

Claire pulls back from the crack and leans against the fence
as the door closes a second time.  She sits there for a
moment listening, but all is quiet.

                     CLAIRE (V.O.)
          She sounded terrified.

INT.  DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Claire and Norman eat dinner.  A rainstorm pelts the windows.

                     NORMAN
          Of what?

                     CLAIRE
          Of him I think.

                     NORMAN
          Did she say that?

                     CLAIRE
          More or less.

Norman chews.

                     NORMAN
          Honey, they're young.  They're probably
          newlyweds.

                     CLAIRE
          I'm telling you.  There was something in
          her voice...

                     NORMAN
          Remember how we were?

                     CLAIRE
          Not like this.  We were never like this.
               (beat)
          I want to go over there.  After dinner, we
          can--

                     NORMAN
          Why?

                     CLAIRE
          To make sure she's all right.

Norman puts down his fork.

                     NORMAN
          Claire, honey, we are not going to march
          next door and accuse our new neighbor of--

                     CLAIRE
               (overlapping)
          That's not what I'm sug--

                     NORMAN
          ...when tonight they'll probably be
          keeping us awake.

                     CLAIRE
          But what if something happens?

                     NORMAN
          Claire...

                     CLAIRE
          I'd never be able to live with mysel--

                     NORMAN
               (reassuring)
          Nothing's going to happen.
               (beat)
          Besides, I have to work tonight.  The
          conference is in less than two weeks.
          I've got to stay focused on that for just
          a little longer.
               (beat)
          This is...

                     CLAIRE
          I know.

                     NORMAN
          It's what I've been working for.

She glances down at her untouched plate.

                     CLAIRE
          I just wish you could have heard her.

                     NORMAN
          Look, I'll call Harvey Tomes in the Psych
          department, see what I can find out.

                     CLAIRE
          Promise?

He gives her a "Didn't I just say so" look.  She smiles.

                     CLAIRE
          I'll make you some coffee.

She reaches for his plate to clear it.  Norman grabs her hand
and kisses it.

INT.  NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Norman snores softly.  Claire is awakened by the continuing
STORM.  She pads out to Norman's turreted library.  Rain
pelts the glass.  Her face is briefly illuminated by the
LIGHTHOUSE BEAM.

She hears the sound of a DOOR CLOSING and moves to get a
better view of the Feur's.  Nothing but blackness.  Just as
she's turning to go back to bed.  A LIGHTNING FLASH lights up
the night.  Claire's eyes go wide.

CLAIRE'S POV

In the split second of brilliance, she sees Mr. Feur, in
shirtsleeves, drenched, dragging A LARGE DUFFEL toward the
open trunk of his car.

                     CLAIRE
               (in a hoarse whisper)
          Norman!

He's dead to the world.  She calls to him again.

                     CLAIRE
          Norman, you have to look at this!

                     NORMAN
          Mmnph.

                     CLAIRE
          Hurry...

Another flash illuminates...Norman at her side.

                     CLAIRE
          Look!

...an EMPTY DRIVEWAY, then blackness.

                     NORMAN
          What is it?  What's the matter?

She stares down into the darkness.

                     CLAIRE
          Nothing.  There was...I thought I saw
          something.

                     NORMAN
          Is it gone?

THE BEACON illuminates the empty driveway.  She nods.

                     NORMAN
          Come on, let's go back to bed.

Yet another bolt of lightning reveals Claire, still at the
window.

EXT.  BACKYARD - MORNING

Claire sets up a camera and tripod.  She steps back and aims
her camera.  She glances up at a large upstairs window at the
FEUR'S HOUSE.  One side of the curtain seems to be pulled
open, but no one's there.

Feeling self-conscious, she turns back to the camera.  The
morning sun hits the flowers just right and she SNAPS SEVERAL
PICTURES OF THEM against her lovely house.

She glances back at the Feur's window.  The CURTAIN IS NOW
CLOSED.

She walks over to the fence and tries to peek through it.
When this doesn't work, she drags a lawn chair over and peers
across the fence.  She can barely see over, but glimpses:

A DEEP FURROW in the mud of the driveway.  Just then, a car
pulls into the driveway, Claire scrambles down from her
perch.

EXT.  DRIVEWAY - DAY

Claire walks out to find her best friend, JODY, pretty, in
her forties, wearing hip, hippie-ish clothes.

                     CLAIRE
          Hey there.

Jody hugs her.

                     JODY
          How you holding up?

                     CLAIRE
          Good.  I'm good.

                     JODY
          You are?

                     CLAIRE
          Why does everyone find that so
          surprising?

                     JODY
               (are you kidding?)
          Cause...your...only daughter just went
          away to school...who you were incredibly
          close with aaand I'd be tripping...

                     CLAIRE
          Okay, I'm a little tender.

                     JODY
          Well good.  So you're human.

                     CLAIRE
          And so far my day has consisted of taking
          pictures of my roses for the garden club.

                     JODY
          Wow.  Got here just in time.
               (reaching into her bag)
          I brought you this.

She proffers several homemade tea bags.

                     CLAIRE
          What is it?

                     JODY
          Kambucha mushroom tea...

                     CLAIRE
          Jody--

                     JODY
          It soothes heart-ache and promotes
          psychic wellness.  Sela suggested I bring--

                     CLAIRE
          You're discussing me with your psychic?

                     JODY
          She's not a psychic.  Just a very
          enlightened spirit.

                     CLAIRE
          Thanks, but I'm fine.

                     JODY
               (pressing it into her hand)
          So you'll have some later.
               (beat)
          Notice anything...different?

Claire gives her friend the once over, then notices the mint
Karman-Ghia behind her.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh my god.  You bought it.

                     JODY
          Yep.

                     CLAIRE
          It's niiice.

                     JODY
          Beautiful thing, alimony.  Lose a husband,
          get a car.  Think it'll help me pick up
          dudes?

                     CLAIRE
          Absolutely.

                     JODY
          Listen, I've gotta run.  I just thought
          I'd stop by and see if you want to take
          the boat out, say Thursday morning?

                     CLAIRE
          You got it.

Jody grins.

                     JODY
          See you then.

Jody drives off.  Claire walks down the driveway to her front
door and sees Mr. Feur staring at her from a window.  She
starts to wave, but the curtain is drawn shut.

Claire arrives at the front door and reaches out to touch the
doorknob.  She stops.  A FAINT RUSTLING can be heard from
within.  Claire quietly opens the door and moves into:

INT.  FOYER - DAY

Claire stops inside the door.  Now it sounds like WHISPERING.
Two voices, tense, impassioned.  It seems to be coming from
Norman's study.  She gathers her nerve, then bursts into the
room.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - DAY

But the whispering has suddenly stopped.

                     CLAIRE
          Hello?

The lovely circular room is completely empty.  She looks
around, puzzled.  Cooper, the family's aging lab, casually
ambles over.

                     CLAIRE
               (to Cooper)
          Please tell me you heard that.

EXT.  LAKE - DAY

Claire and Cooper, out on a walk, emerge onto large rocks at
the water's edge.  Claire tosses a long stick for Cooper, who
bolts out onto the LONG WOODEN DOCK.  Claire gazes at the
LIGHTHOUSE across the lake and a long BRIDGE in the distance.
Cooper starts BARKING and looking down into the water.

Claire arrives at Cooper's side and stares down into the dark
water.

                     CLAIRE
          Cooper...what do you see?

She looks down and sees nothing but her own reflection.
After a moment, she notices a FAINT WHITE SHAPE directly in
the reflection of her face.  Cooper rumbles a low growl.  The
shape seems to be gaining definition.

RRRING!

Claire gasps quietly, then reaches into a pocket in her
sweater and pulls out a cordless phone.

                     CLAIRE
               (into phone)
          Hi.

                     NORMAN (V.O.)
               (on the other end)
          I'm stuck here for another couple of
          hours.

Claire's smile fades.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh.

                     NORMAN (V.O.)
          Unless you need me to come home...

                     CLAIRE
          No, no.  It's fine.

Claire slowly leans out over the water to check her
reflection...

                     NORMAN (V.O.)
          You sure?

...but the shape is gone.

                     NORMAN (V.O.)
          Claire?

                     CLAIRE
          Huh?  Absolutely.  Take your time.

She clicks off the phone and looks down at the calm water.

INT.  WORK ROOM - NIGHT

Claire sits in a small workroom at a computer.  She focuses
intently on the screen.

ANGLE

It's ALICE'S COMPUTER SOLITAIRE.  She flips the last card and
an animated Queen of Hearts, accompanied by a series of
musical notes, parades across the screen.

                     QUEEN OF HEARTS
               (on computer)
          You lost!  Off with your head!

Claire hits "New Game" and watches as a fresh hand of cyber
solitaire is dealt.  She suddenly has a thought and
disappears into the kitchen.

INT.  KITCHEN - NIGHT

She glances at Jody's tea, smiles, then refills her glass of
red wine.  She picks up the phone from its cradle and moves
into:

INT.  LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

She dials a number.  LOUD REGGAE can be heard blaring through
the phone.

                     CLAIRE
               (straining to be heard)
          Hello?  I'm looking for Caitlin Spencer.
          She's in 314...Well, could you check?

She plugs one ear.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh.  Well, just tell her that her mother
          called.  Her mother.  Thank you.  Excuse
          me, how can you study with that?

The noise abruptly stops.  Claire clicks off the phone and
replaces it in the sweater pocket.  She tunes the stereo to a
classical music station.

INT.  WORK ROOM - NIGHT

She walks in, places the cordless phone on a BASE UNIT, then
hears a different set of musical notes from the computer.
She stares at the screen, stunned.

ANGLE

The game has been finished.  Cards with faces swarm
chaotically across the screen with the message:  YOU WIN!

                     CLAIRE
          Oh.  Kay.

Without warning, the radio dial rips cacophonously past
several stations and comes to a stop on some angry, punkish
rock and roll.

                     CLAIRE
          Jesus...

She bolts around a corner to the stereo.  The music is
chaotic and deafening.  She finds Cooper growling at...no
one.  She turns off the stereo.  Cooper suddenly bolts down
the hall.  She follows him.

INT.  FOYER - NIGHT

The foyer's empty, but the front door is open.  Claire
nervously walks out and looks around.

                     CLAIRE
          Cooper!

POV - THE GARDEN

No sign of the dog.

Claire turns to go back inside.  When she touches the
doorknob, she hears the whispering again.  A fleeting shadow
draws her eye to a COAT RACK MIRROR which reflects directly
into the study.

                     CLAIRE
          Hello...?!

The whispering stops.

INT.  NORMAN'S LAB - NIGHT

Claire walks in to find Norman surrounded by several GRAD
STUDENTS.  At school he's a very different man; pressed shirt
and tie, hair neatly brushed back.  They're preforming some
unseen procedure on a live sheep in a containment harness.
She stops by the door to watch him.

                     NORMAN
          ...and then what...Courtney?

An intense ASIAN GIRL answers.

                     COURTNEY
          We administer the Halothane.

                     NORMAN
          Dosage?

She glances at her notes.

                     COURTNEY
          Three point five cc's.

                     NORMAN
          Excellent.  Properties?  Andrew from
          downtown...

Andrew, tall razor thin, was waiting for this.

                     ANDREW
          An organic, neuromuscular blocking agent,
          which when administered in aerosol form
          temporarily renders the subject immobile.

                     NORMAN
          Nothing but net.

He measures out the liquid from a blue plastic bottle into an
apparatus connected to an inhalation mask on the sheep.

                     NORMAN
          Prudence here's an old friend.

He moves to the sheep's head and strokes it as he nods to
Courtney who turns a valve on the apparatus.  The sheep
suddenly goes completely still.  Norman moves around and
begins a brief procedure.

                     NORMAN
          I try to stay on her good side because I
          owe her my career and most of our grant
          money.  Why else?

He completes the procedure.  They look at him blankly.

                     NORMAN
          Always do unto others as you'd have
          others do unto your ewe.

Groans, laughter.  He stops Claire.

                     NORMAN
          That'll do it.  Write this up for Tuesday!

Andrew and Amy tend to Prudence, the rest leave.  Claire
moves over to him.  They kiss.  Norman packs notes and some
of the chemicals into a LEATHER CASE.

                     NORMAN
               (warm)
          What are you doing here?

                     CLAIRE
          There were some noises.  I didn't want to
          disturb you.

She watches as the sheep slowly becomes reanimated and is led
out of the room.

                     NORMAN
          What do you mean?  Some noises where?

                     CLAIRE
          In the house.  I was scared.

                     NORMAN
          Did you call the police?

                     CLAIRE
          No.  Can you drive me home?  I'll bring you
          back in the morning.

                     NORMAN
          Of course.

He takes her arm.

INT.  THE FOYER - NIGHT

Norman pushes open the front door.  Cooper pads over, wagging
his tail.  They walk together past the stereo into...

INT.  LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

...the living room.  All is quiet.  They move into...

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT

It's undisturbed.  Norman checks the window locks.

                     CLAIRE
          It was there.  This angry music all by
          itself.  And I heard whispering.

                     NORMAN
          What kind of whispering?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.  Just...whispering.

He nods as Cooper appears.

                     NORMAN
          What'd you see, Coop?

The dog stares blankly.

                     CLAIRE
               (to Cooper)
          Tell him!

Norman smiles.

INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

Norman sits on the bed and pulls off his shoes.

                     NORMAN
          I'm gonna have the police check on the
          house.

Claire leans against the window sill.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh great, "Can you look in on my wife,
          she's hearing voices?"  Wait'll that gets
          around.

He walks over to her.

                     NORMAN
          I've got the conference next week.  I want
          you to feel safe.

                     CLAIRE
          I do, I do.  I'm sure I'm just...how
          was your day?

He goes to his dresser and fishes a little joint from a box
in his dresser.

                     NORMAN
          Think I may have cracked it.

                     CLAIRE
          Really?

She produces a match and lights it.  They sit on the bed.

                     NORMAN
          I think so.  Maybe.

                     CLAIRE
          You are so brilliant.

                     NORMAN
          Yep.

                     CLAIRE
          Madame Curie, Jonas Salk, Norman
          Spencer...

                     NORMAN
               (smiling)
          You know what that does to me.

She takes a little puff on the joint as he kisses her neck.

                     NORMAN
               (stopping)
          Ohmigod.  You'll never believe...I saw
          Schumway...

                     CLAIRE
          You're kidding.

                     NORMAN
          He's here giving some arcane spiel for
          the physics department, so Bob Shine
          introduces us...

                     CLAIRE
          Wow.

He nods, Claire passes the joint back.

                     NORMAN
          And he says...you'll fucking love this,
          he says, "Doctor Spencer, I am a great
          admirer of your work..."

                     CLAIRE
          Well, that's nice.

                     NORMAN
          "...especially Spencer's Theorem..."

                     CLAIRE
               (overlapping)
          Oh, no...

                     NORMAN
          "...of Perpetual Distances."
               (beat)
          Everybody's checking their shoelaces.
          Pins drop.  "I'm afraid you've mistaken
          me,"  I say...

                     CLAIRE
               (overlapping)
          That's...

                     NORMAN
          "...for my father."

                     CLAIRE
          I'm so sorry.

                     NORMAN
          Didn't know he was dead, every stinking
          paper on the globe.

                     CLAIRE
          That's just mean.
               (indicating joint)
          Oh.  Jody wanted to know if I could get
          her some.

                     NORMAN
               (quickly glancing over)
          Did you tell her?

                     CLAIRE
          What?  No.  No.

                     NORMAN
          You didn't?

                     CLAIRE
               (with a smile)
          Norman, you are so funny about that.  No,
          I didn't.

He takes a little toke, then vanishes into the bathroom.

                     NORMAN (O.S.)
          Cause that would be really--

She lays back on the bed.  Sounds of flushing.

                     CLAIRE
          I didn't.

He reappears without the joint.

                     NORMAN
          Sorry.  You understand.

                     CLAIRE
          Did you call about the Feurs?

                     NORMAN
          Oh, right.  Yes.  Harvey says the guy's a
          sweetheart.  Wouldn't hurt a fly.

                     CLAIRE
          Huh.

Claire ponders this.  Norman turns off the light and joins
her on the bed.  He kisses her knee.

                     NORMAN
          Do the brilliant Norman stuff some more.

Then starts working his way up her thigh.

                     NORMAN
          And speak up.

Claire smiles.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

Claire sits frozen, cello between her legs, bow hovering in
position.  After an uncomfortable long pause, she touches bow
to string, drawing in a breath at the power of the sound.

Claire takes another deep breath, then launches into a
beautiful and melancholy piece of music.  She's very, very
good.  Eyes closed.  Her body begins to sway slightly as her
left hand vibratos like butterfly wings on the neck.

She reaches a difficult transition and falters.  She seems
almost surprised.  She attacks the transition again, and
again falters.  Claire bites her lower lip and tries yet
again, this time failing completely.

She sits back in the chair, despondent.  Almost as an
afterthought, she sadly drags the bow across strings.  At the
end of the tone, something catches her ear.  She can just
make out the HINT OF A FAINT FEMININE VOICE echoing the tone.

She sits up and plays a different note, then another.  Each
time the soft mournful voice becomes more distinct.  Finally
she plays a sharp, higher pitched note.  The voice echoes
with a distinct, unsettling shriek.

CRASH!

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - DUSK

Claire walks in and sees:

INSERT-- Lying on the floor...A FRAMED NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH
OF NORMAN AND CLAIRE.

The caption announces that he's being promoted to the
"distinguished DUPONT CHAIR IN GENETICS."  Through the
spiderwebbed glass, Norman can be seen shaking hands with an
older academic, hugging a smiling Claire to his side.

Claire kneels down to gather the picture.  A single shard of
glass is missing.  She finds it a foot away by a distinctive
knot in the wood floor.

She notices a COPPER GLINT in the point of glass, but when
she moves it, it's gone.  She places the pieces of broken
glass on the frame and stands.

Out of the window directly in front of her sees:  Mr. Feur,
removing a DIRT COVERED SHOVEL from his trunk.  She glances
down at the picture, then back up at Mr. Feur, who carries
the shovel around back.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh no...

Claire wraps up the broken picture.  She hears a car door
slam and glances out the window in time to see Mr. Feur
driving off.

EXT.  GARDEN - DAY

A stiff autumn breeze.  Claire stands at the fence.

                     CLAIRE
          Mrs. Feur?

She looks through the tiny crack.  Nothing.

                     CLAIRE
          Hello?
               (beat)
          Are you there?

Silence.

EXT.  THE FEUR'S - DAY

Claire glances down as she walks past THE FURROW.  She looks
up at the house, which seems quite placid, then slowly heads
around back.

EXT.  FEUR'S BACK PORCH - DAY

She takes in the lake view from the large porch.  The wind is
really blowing.  Her eye catches on something.  Propped
against the back door...

THE SOIL COVERED SHOVEL

Claire takes a pinch of soil from the shovel and tastes it,
then knocks at the back door.  There's no answer.  She knocks
again.  Nothing.  She's turning to go, then the door swings
open.  The smile fades from Claire's face.

CLAIRE'S POV

The immense MR. FEUR filling the doorway.

                     MR. FEUR
          Yes?

                     CLAIRE
          Um...

                     MR. FEUR
          I'm running late here.  I just came back
          for my briefcase.

                     CLAIRE
          Right.  Well, I wanted to stop by to
          welcome you to the uh, to the
          neighborhood.  I'm Claire Spencer.  From
          next door.

                     MR. FEUR
          This really isn't a good time.

He starts to close the door.

                     CLAIRE
          Well maybe your wife...

                     MR. FEUR
               (growing cold)
          She isn't here.

                     CLAIRE
          When...when will she be back?

                     MR. FEUR
          I don't know.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh-kay...

                     MR. FEUR
          I have to go.

Slam.  And Claire is staring at a closed door.

                     JODY (V.O.)
          What do you mean she's gone?

EXT.  LAKE - DAY

Claire and Jody knife slowly through the water in the
Spencer's sailboat heading back toward the dock, the OLD
LIGHTHOUSE, the BRIDE in the background.

                     CLAIRE
          She's not there.  I haven't seen her since
          that morning.  Well, I mean, I've never
          actually seen her, but I'm telling you,
          she's disappeared.

Jody finishes securing a line.  The breeze is mild, so they
just cruise with the wind.

                     JODY
          What are you saying?

Claire just looks at her.

                     JODY
          You think he killed her?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.  When you say it, it sounds
          crazy.  But what else could it all be?

Jody shakes her head.

                     CLAIRE
          I mean, he's so kind of grim and
          daunting, and she sounded terrified of
          something.

Claire glances over at Jody.

                     CLAIRE
               (laughing to herself)
          Listen to me.  I sound like some middle-
          aged Nancy Drew.

Jody regards her.  After a beat:

                     JODY
          Know what I think?

                     CLAIRE
          What?

                     JODY
          Seance.

                     CLAIRE
          Jody, no...

                     JODY
          Telling you...

                     CLAIRE
               (overlapping)
          ...no...no...no...

                     JODY
          Just bought this beautiful antique Ouija.

                     CLAIRE
          Please.  That's all I need.

Jody shrugs, "Have it your way."  Beat.

                     JODY
          Hey, look.

CLAIRE'S HOUSE across the lake.

                     JODY
          So pretty.

CLAIRE'S POV

A FIGURE in the turreted window of Norman's study.

                     CLAIRE
          Someone's there.

                     JODY
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          In the window.  Norman's at work.

                     JODY
          I don't...

Claire looks over at Jody.

                     CLAIRE
               (pointing)
          There.  In the study.  Don't you see--

She looks again-- nothing.

                     CLAIRE
          Wow.  I'm losing it.

                     JODY
          No, you're not.
               (beat)
          But a presence in your house is not
          something to be taken lightly.

Claire stares back at the house.

INT.  KITCHEN - NIGHT

Claire walks in and sets down some packages.  She opens one
and pulls out new toothpaste and...AN ENVELOPE-- the kind
your pictures come back in.  She absently leafs through them,
then freezes.  She gapes at one of the shots.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh boy...

INT.  UPSTAIRS - NIGHT

Claire turns off the lights and crouches down.  She raises a
pair of BINOCULARS.

POV - BINOCULARS

Claire rakes the binoculars across the Feur's house...past
their car parked in front until she finds A LIGHT ON
DOWNSTAIRS.

The tall, powerfully built Mr. Feur walks into the room and
sits by himself at the dining room table, which is set for
one.  He eats a TV dinner, slowly chewing and staring
straight ahead.  He sips from a can of beer.

Just then...A HAND GRABS CLAIRE'S ARM.  She lets out a
screech and turns to see Norman standing beside her.

                     NORMAN
          What are you doing?

She glances back out the window and sees Mr. Feur standing
at the window, paging the curtain.  She squats down, pulling
Norman with her.

                     CLAIRE
               (shrill whisper)
          Get down!  He'll see.

                     NORMAN
               (also whispers)
          What's going on, Claire?

                     CLAIRE
          Shhhh.

She peers over the sill in time to see Mr. Feur turning away
from the window.  She takes Norman by the hand and leads him
downstairs.

INT.  CLAIRE'S KITCHEN - NIGHT

She leads Norman in.

                     NORMAN
               (still whispering)
          Why am I...
               (full voice)
          Why am I whispering in my own house?

Claire turns.

                     CLAIRE
          He killed her.

                     NORMAN
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          He did.  She's in the picture.  I went
          over to look and she's gone.  The table
          was set for one.

                     NORMAN
          And that means he murdered his wife?
          This is getting ridic--

                     CLAIRE
          No, no, no, no.  The soil on the shovel,
          his shovel...that's clay.  It's not from
          here, believe me, I...
               (frustrated, she grabs the
                photos)
          All right, look at this.

She triumphantly thrusts one before him.  Norman looks at it.

                     NORMAN
          Our house.

                     CLAIRE
          No.  Look!  In the window.

The ROSES.  She points out a HAZY FIGURE in the TURRETED
WINDOW of the study.  Norman takes it over to the light.

                     NORMAN
          It's a flare.

                     CLAIRE
          A flare?

                     NORMAN
          From the sun.  It's a reflection on the
          glass.

                     CLAIRE
          It's her!  I'm telling you.  She whispered
          and turned on the music.  She's trying to
          contact me!

                     NORMAN
               (making sure he's got it)
          It's a ghost.

Norman shakes his head.  He looks again at the picture, does
a quick calculation.

                     NORMAN
          You took this in the morning, didn't you?

She nods slightly.

                     NORMAN
          When the sun would be exactly right.

She's got him.

                     CLAIRE
          Then why isn't it in any of the other
          pictures?

She thrusts the batch at him.  He peruses the other few shots
of the garden.

                     NORMAN
          A cloud passed.  Or it's a bounce off the
          lake.  See?

She looks.  He might not be wrong.

                     CLAIRE
          Where is she then?

                     NORMAN
          She could be out.  She could be sick in
          bed for all we know.

                     CLAIRE
          Okay.  Okay.  I'll bet there's...Look at
          this.

She leads him out of the room.

INT.  WORK ROOM - NIGHT

Claire stares at the computer screen triumphantly.

                     CLAIRE
          See?

                     NORMAN
          What am I looking at?

                     CLAIRE
               (indicating completed solitaire
                game)
          I didn't do that.

                     NORMAN
          Who did?  Mrs. Feur?

                     CLAIRE
          Maybe.  Point is...not me.

                     NORMAN
          Right.  And why is she here?  If he killed
          her, why doesn't she haunt him?

                     CLAIRE
          She was lonely, I talked to her.  Norman,
          I know how it looks, but--

                     NORMAN
          Claire, listen to me.  I know you're under
          some strain.  But there's no such thing as
          ghosts.  They don't exist.  Our neighbor
          did not kill his wife, and I...wait, why
          aren't you dressed?

                     CLAIRE
          Dressed?

                     NORMAN
          Dinner.  With Stan and his new girl.

                     CLAIRE
          When?

                     NORMAN
          What do you mean?  Claire, we talked about
          it.  You didn't want Japanese, I said, Our
          first date since...

                     CLAIRE
               (she seems confused)
          Oh.

                     NORMAN
          ...since Caitlin.  You don't remember
          this?

                     CLAIRE
          Tonight?

                     NORMAN
          Yes, tonight.  We're going to be--

She looks at his watch.

                     CLAIRE
          Fashionably five minutes late.

She bolts up the stairs.

INT.  NORMAN'S PICKUP TRUCK - NIGHT

They drive across the bridge.

                     NORMAN
               (concerned, exasperated)
          When you do this, I swear...

                     CLAIRE
               (overlapping)
          ...Don't get all...

                     NORMAN
          ...like it never even happened...

                     CLAIRE
          Okay, okay, I'm sure that I just...

He pulls out a cell phone and punches in a number.

                     CLAIRE
          What are you doing?

                     NORMAN
          Restaurant.  Let them know we're running
          late.

                     CLAIRE
          Five minutes?

The phone flashes..."NO SERVICE."

                     CLAIRE
          You're not at the center.

                     NORMAN
               (overlapping)
          I know I'm not at the center of the
          bridge.

                     CLAIRE
          We're going to be fine.

They near the far side of the bridge.  Norman looks down at
the cell phone, which now reads, "ROAM."  He presses a
button.

                     NORMAN
          There we go.

                     CLAIRE
          Well, that's a relief.

He shoots her a look.

INT.  RESTAURANT - NIGHT

A cozy, candlelit Italian place in town.  Claire and Norman
arrive at the table.  STAN rises.  The chair next to him is
empty.  He kisses her cheek.

                     CLAIRE
          Hi Stan.  Sorry we're late.
               (too earnest)
          It was my fault.

She greets Stan, a friendly looking man in his forties.

                     STAN
          We just got here.

Claire flashes a semi-playful look back at Norman.

                     CLAIRE
          Where's the new squeeze?

A VOICE speaks out from behind her.

                     VOICE
          Here I am.

Claire turns to find A TALL, ELEGANT BRUNETTE standing behind
her.  The woman's face registers some shock.

                     STAN
          I'd like you to meet...

                     CLAIRE
          Elena?

                     ELENA
          Ohmigod...

The two women embrace, then beam at each other.

                     CLAIRE
          Wow.

                     ELENA
          This is...

                     CLAIRE
               (to Norman)
          We know each other.

                     NORMAN
          Hope so.

LATER

Post meal.  Several empty wine bottle decorate the table.

                     ELENA
          We had this Finnish conductor, Aki, Laki,
          something.  He had these ridiculous bangs.
          And he'd sweep them off with his baton
          every minute or so, and it drove us
          insane, remember?

Claire nods.

                     CLAIRE
          He looked like one of the Monkees.

                     ELENA
          Anyway, Claire slept with him...

                     CLAIRE
          I didn't sleep with him.

                     ELENA
          ...just so she could cut them off.

                     CLAIRE
          He was so pissed.

                     ELENA
          I came in from my room...

                     CLAIRE
               (interjecting)
          We were suite mates.

                     ELENA
          And there's this brilliant conductor in
          purple briefs with no bangs cursing his
          ass off in Finnish.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh God...

They dissolve into giggles.  Norman and Stan smile.

                     STAN
          Well...

                     NORMAN
               (to Stan)
          I made an honest woman out of her.

Elena puts her hand on Claire's.

                     ELENA
               (to Stan)
          You should have heard her play.

                     CLAIRE
          Stop.

                     ELENA
          We both auditioned for the Philharmonic.
          One cello position open.

                     CLAIRE
          Do we have to?

                     ELENA
          And I kicked ass.  My best stuff.  Then I
          stood in the hallway and listened to her
          audition...and I cried.

                     CLAIRE
          She's making this up.

                     ELENA
          I'm not.  Couldn't pick up my cello for
          weeks.

                     STAN
          What happened?

Elena looks at Claire, then smiles.

                     ELENA
          She got it.
               (beat)
          Turned it down.

                     CLAIRE
          I met a dashing young grad student after a
          recital one night...

Claire puts her arm around Norman.

                     CLAIRE
          ...and three months later I was married.

He squeezes her hand.

INT.  WORK ROOM - DAY

Claire walks into the work room with the portable phone to
her ear and a cup of Jody's special tea.  She sniffs it and
makes a face as she turns on the computer.  After several
rings a GIRL picks up on the other end.

                     CLAIRE
               (on phone)
          Caitlin?

                     GIRL'S VOICE
               (overlapping)
          Can you hang up?  I'm trying to make a
          call.

The line goes dead.  Claire hits redial and gets...a BUSY
SIGNAL.  She clicks the phone off as the computer boots up.
Claire puts the phone down and starts a game of Alice's
Solitaire.  She turns a card and waits.

                     CLAIRE
          Gee, that's tricky.  Sure could use some
          help.

She waits, the cursor blinks benignly.

                     CLAIRE
          Come on...

Nothing happens.

INT.  NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - DAY

She walks into the room and notices STEAM wafting from the
cracked bathroom door.

INT.  BATHROOM - DAY

Claire enters the steamy bathroom.  The tub is nearly
overflowing with water.  She squats down to drain the tub.

She stops, feeling watched, then slowly peers behind her...no
one's there.  Claire reaches toward the water to yank the
plug's chain, then freezes.  In the bathwater's still
reflection she see:

A PRETTY YOUNG BLOND standing beside her.  Startled, she pops
up and slams into the SHOWER HEAD.

Claire collapses over the side of the tub, her head dipping
underwater.  A small cloud of red surrounds her.  Moments
later, an arm wraps around her.

                                                      CUT TO:

Blurry shapes.

                     VOICE (O.S.)
          Claire...

INT.  BATHROOM - DAY

CLAIRE'S POV - A FACE sharpens into focus hovering above
her...Norman.

INT.  BEDROOM - DAY

Claire sits on the bed.  Norman dabs the blood from a tiny
cut on the back of her head.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't need a shrink.

                     NORMAN
               (gently)
          Harvey says he's amazing.

                     CLAIRE
          Norman...

                     NORMAN
          What can it hurt to talk to someone?

She goes to her dresser and gets a PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE and
starts to open it.  Norman gently places a hand on her arm.

                     NORMAN
          Please.

She shoots him a look...

                     NORMAN
          You promised.

...and puts the pills down.

                     NORMAN
               (gently)
          Claire, she's been a huge part of your
          life for seventeen years.  If you weren't
          thrown off balance by this, then
          something would be wrong.

                     CLAIRE
          I never said I wasn't upset.  Of course
          I'm upset.  I miss her terribly.  But I
          know what I saw and what I heard...and it
          wasn't some "symptom" of something...

                     NORMAN
          I never said...

                     CLAIRE
          ...and I don't think I'm some lonely,
          middle-aged woman cracking up.

Beat.

                     NORMAN
          Are you lonely?

                     CLAIRE
          No!  And I don't need a psychiatrist!

INT.  DR. DRAYTON'S OFFICE - DAY

Claire sits in a comfortable looking chair with her purse in
her lap, arms crossed.

                     DR. DRAYTON (O.S.)
               (a smooth, mellifluous
                baritone)
          Who's idea was it?

                     CLAIRE
          Mine.  His.  We both...thought...

She trails off.  Camera slowly pulls back to reveal, DR.
TIMOTHY DRAYTON, a stocky, light skinned black man in his
late forties with a kind face and piercing brown eyes.

                     CLAIRE
          I didn't want to come.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Then why did you?

                     CLAIRE
          Because he was worried about me.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Your husband?

                     CLAIRE
          Yes.
               (beat)
          I'm sure he's hoping you'll pack me full
          of prozac so he can live out his life in
          peace.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Do you really think so?

                     CLAIRE
          No.

There's a pause.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Why is he worried?

                     CLAIRE
          Because, I don't know, because
          sometimes...sometimes I forget
          things...and ever since Caitlin left,
          ever since my daughter left for school,
          there've been...I fainted and...
               (beat)
          Why is this so hard?

Dr. Drayton takes a little silver bowl full of shiny, red
FIREBALLS next to his chair.  He proffers it to Claire.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Fireball?

                     CLAIRE
          You're joking.

He shakes his head.  She shrugs, then grabs one and pops it
into her mouth.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          It's hard because I'm a complete stranger
          and what we're talking about is
          incredibly personal.  Besides, the first
          time most people come here, a part of
          them is wondering if I'm gonna think
          they're crazy.

She sucks on the fireball and slowly nods.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Don't worry, I'm required to have at
          least three sessions in order to commit.

Her eyes get a little wider.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Now that's a joke.

She manages an unsteady smile.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          I have some training at helping people
          through the stressful moments in life,
          one of which you may or may not be
          experiencing.  If you want to get some
          stuff off your chest, great.  If not...

He smiles and shrugs, "no problem."  She stares at him for a
moment.

                     CLAIRE
               (re: fireball)
          These are good.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Mm-hmm.

She studies him for a moment.

                     CLAIRE
          There's a ghost in my house.

He nods slightly, as if she's told him, "I have some
anxiety."  Claire goes on.

                     CLAIRE
          She finished my solitaire game and turned
          on the radio...she likes rock and roll.
          Angry rock and roll.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          How do you know it's a she?

                     CLAIRE
          I saw her in the water.  Beside me.  She
          was filling the bathtub.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          What does she look like?

                     CLAIRE
          Pretty.  She's a blond.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Do you have any idea who she is?

                     CLAIRE
          Um...I'd rather not say...just yet.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Fine.

                     CLAIRE
          What do you think I should do?

He thinks for a moment, then:

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Try to contact her.

Claire nearly swallows her fireball.

                     CLAIRE
          What?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Try to communicate with her somehow.

                     CLAIRE
          You think that'll help?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Can't hurt.  And I think it's important
          you find out what she wants.

Claire ponders this for a moment, then looks back up at him.

                     CLAIRE
          Are you humoring me?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Nope.

She seems satisfied by his sincerity.

                     CLAIRE
          How?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          I don't know.  My aunt used to use my
          uncle's old pajamas and a candle.

He stands.  Claire nods, then stands.  She smiles too.

                     CLAIRE
          Is this time okay?

He nods.

INT.  BATHROOM - NIGHT

Claire walks in carrying a half-empty bottle of wine.  She
looks over at Jody, who turns off the lights.  Jody then
strikes a match and lights a LARGE CANDLE.  She unveils her
carved ANTIQUE OUIJA BOARD.

                     JODY
          Sit down here.

                     CLAIRE
               (nervous, jokey)
          Are we hoping the ghost is going to
          have to pee?

Jody turns to her, deadly serious.

                     JODY
          Isn't this where you saw her?

Claire's smile fades.  She nods.

                     JODY
          Then this is where she'll be.

They sit cross legged, the board between them.

                     JODY
          Place your fingers on the planchette.

                     CLAIRE
          The planchette?

                     JODY
          This.

Jody indicates the wooden pointing device.  Each woman grasps
an edge.

                     JODY
               (in a low voice)
          We wish to commune with the spirit of
          Mrs. Feur.
               (to Claire)
          What's her first name?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.

Jody closes her eyes.  Claire follows suit.

                     JODY
          I call forth the entity that is haunting
          this house.

They look down at the planchette, which hasn't moved.

                     JODY
          Mrs. Feur?

There's still no movement.

                     CLAIRE
          Nothing's happening.

                     JODY
          Shhh.

Jody focuses intently.
                     JODY
          Reveal yourself to us.

A long moment passes.  It's starting to seem like a bust.
Suddenly, THE CANDLE FLARES.  Even Jody seems startled.

                     JODY
               (to the spirit)
          Who...who are you?

At first, nothing happens.  Then, slowly, the planchette
starts to move across the board.

                     CLAIRE
          Are you doing that?

Jody shakes her head.

                     CLAIRE
          I'm not doing that.

The planchette comes to rest on the letter "M."  Moments
later, it starts to move again drifting over and stopping on
"E."

                     CLAIRE
          Oh...

                     JODY
          M-E...

It starts to drift again, moving slowly toward the space
between "E" and "F."  The planchette stops on "F."  Jody
removes her fingers from the device.

                     JODY
          Mef?  What's Mef?

                     CLAIRE
          It's initials.  F is Feur.  It's her.

Suddenly, the CANDLE starts flickering strangely and THE
PLANCHETTE SLIDES JERKILY ON ITS OWN...M-E-F, M-E-F...

                     JODY
          Shit...

Jody stumbles backwards, gasping.

                     JODY
          Did you see that?

Claire leans in.

                     CLAIRE
               (to ghost)
          What happened to you?

The CANDLE GOES OUT.

                     JODY
          Oh God...

Jody bolts.  Claire follows.

EXT.  HALLWAY - NIGHT

Claire catches up to the completely spooked Jody outside the
work room.  She holds onto her arm.

                     JODY
          I have to go.

                     CLAIRE
          Jody, wait.

Cooper's growling in the work room.  They look in.

                     JODY
          Claire, this is...this is...

Claire, transfixed, walks in.

INT.  WORK ROOM - NIGHT

She stares at the computer screen, which is being filled with
letters at an amazing speed.

MEFMEFMEFMEFMEFMEFMEF...

She hears the front door swing open.

                     CLAIRE
          Jody!

INT.  FOYER - NIGHT

Claire arrives at the open front door in time to see the
Karman-Ghia tearing out of the driveway.  She turns and goes
back into the house.

CRASH!

She edges into...

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT

The picture has, once again, tumbled from its spot.  She
drops to her knees over the picture.  This time THE GLASS IS
SHATTERED.  When she picks out the remaining shards, the
newspaper photo slides out.  Claire glances at the benign
news stories on the back.

She looks around and spots a piece of glass wedged in a crack
in the floor boards by the knot.

CLAIRE'S POV

The piece of glass, wedged next to what looks like A COPPER
COIN in the crack.  It's too big to be a penny.

She tries to use the piece of glass to pry it free, but
recoils.  A tiny drop of blood appears on her finger, which
she pops into her mouth.

INT.  BATHROOM - NIGHT

Still sucking on her finger, Claire walks in and begins to
clean up the remains of the seance.  She bends down to pick
up the Ouija board, then stops when she notices that the tub
is again full to the brink of overflowing.

                     CLAIRE
          What do you want?!

Claire peers around, frustrated, half waiting for a reply.
There is only silence.  She reaches in to pull the plug,
nearly scalding her hand.  When she turns for a hand towel
she finds a message traced into the steamed-up mirror:

                      "YOU KNOW"

She draws in a breath and darts out of the bathroom.

EXT.  LAB BUILDING - NIGHT

Norman nods to a SECURITY GUARD as he leaves a darkened
university building.  He sees Claire standing at the foot of
the steps.

                     NORMAN
          What are you doing out here?

                     CLAIRE
          He killed her.  I'm not crazy.  He killed
          her and--

                     NORMAN
          This is the Feur thing?

                     CLAIRE
          Yes.  And he's going to get away with it.

Norman's momentarily speechless.

                     NORMAN
          How do you know this?

                     CLAIRE
          We had a seance.

                     NORMAN
          Who did?

                     CLAIRE
          Jody and I.  And she was there, Norman,
          she was.  It scared Jody so bad she had to
          leave.

                     NORMAN
          How did you--

                     CLAIRE
          Jody brought a Ouija board and we
          summoned her.

He regards her for a moment.

                     NORMAN
          Are you angry at me?

This stops Claire in her tracks.

                     CLAIRE
          What?

                     NORMAN
          Maybe you resent how busy I've been.

                     CLAIRE
          What are you...?  No.

                     NORMAN
          You know what I've got at stake with this
          paper.  You know that.  I can't help but
          think that you're doing this now to hurt
          me, or to sabotage me somehow.

                     CLAIRE
          Sabotage?

                     NORMAN
          Ever since the accident I've been
          worried that you'd been unhappy, or...

                     CLAIRE
          The accident...?

                     NORMAN
          But then you've been so much better...

                     CLAIRE
          Norman, this isn't about you.  This is
          something that's happening to me.  It's
          not to get even...and it's not some
          warped bid for attention.  Some strange
          things are happening in our house,
          whether you believe in them or not...

                     NORMAN
          Sweetheart--

                     CLAIRE
          No!  Not sweetheart, no.  I believe in
          what's happening.  I don't want to, but I
          do.  I guess I was foolish enough to think
          that would be enough for you.

She turns on a heel and walks toward her car.

EXT.  CAMPUS - NIGHT

Norman catches up to her as a LARGE CROWD is filing out of
the concert hall next door.

                     NORMAN
          You're overreacting.

She turns on him.

                     CLAIRE
          Don't tell me how to react!

Norman glances around at the crowded sidewalk.

                     NORMAN
          Keep your voice down.

                     CLAIRE
          I will NOT.

Some of the bystanders stop to watch.

                     CLAIRE
               (still loud)
          Maybe you're right.  Maybe I'm losing my
          mind...

                     NORMAN
               (looking around)
          Claire, please...

Claire leans in and lowers her voice without diminishing her
intensity.

                     CLAIRE
          ...But what if I'm not?  What if she died
          in terror and betrayal and some part of
          her can't move on while that's
          unresolved.  Can't you just...

Something behind him catches her eye.  She trails off.

                     CLAIRE
          Wow...

Claire walks past him toward the parking lot.

                     NORMAN
          Claire, please...

There's a dangerous energy to her walk.  People step out of
the way.

EXT.  PARKING LOT - NIGHT

Claire walks past several cars until she sees the one she's
after.  MR. FEUR steps out from behind the open trunk of his
old Buick.

                     CLAIRE
               (walking up)
          You!

He looks up at her.

                     CLAIRE
          You think you're smart, don't you?  You
          think you got away clean.  Well, I know
          you killed her.  You drowned her in the
          bathtub and got rid of her somewhere and
          I'm gonna find her, you murdering
          sonofabitch.

Mr. Feur stares, dazed, through the tirade.  Norman arrives
at her side.

                     MR. FEUR
          Who?

                     CLAIRE
               (scoffing)
          Give me that shit.  Your wife.

                     MR. FEUR
          I didn't kill my wife.

                     NORMAN
               (to Mr. Feur)
          I'm sorry...

                     CLAIRE
               (over Norman)
          Then where is she?

He stares at both Spencers for a moment.  Then calls past
them.

                     MR. FEUR
          Honey...

Claire and Norman turn.  A BLOND WOMAN backs out of the
passenger seat.  She turns.  IT'S NOT THE FACE CLAIRE HAS
SEEN.  Claire looks sucker punched.

INT.  DR. DRAYTON'S OFFICE - DAY

Claire sits back in the chair.  She looks drained.  A soft
rain taps against the windows.

                     CLAIRE
          And his face...it seemed so gentle, and I
          knew...in that second I knew that I'd
          imagined the whole thing.

Dr. Drayton takes this in.  She seems genuinely frightened.

                     CLAIRE
          What's happening to me?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Well, that's what we're here for.

He watches her calmly, some empathy on his face.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Whether you imagined it or not, you
          actually saw and heard things that
          frightened you...that gave you reason for
          concern.

                     CLAIRE
          Yes, but...

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Your friend saw them.

                     CLAIRE
          Isn't there something called group
          hysteria?

                     DR. DRAYTON
          You think you influenced her?

                     CLAIRE
          Maybe.  I don't know.  I just know that
          when all this was happening, I felt, some
          part of me felt...alive.  Like somebody
          needed me.  And the more I reached out to,
          it, the fuller it became.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          You're saying you willed these events to
          happen?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know, I'm very confused right
          now.

Beat.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Did you ever find out what it wanted?

Claire remembers.

                     CLAIRE
          She said, "You know."  That I know.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Do you?

                     CLAIRE
          No.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          What do you think?
               (beat)
          Guess.

Claire ponders this.

                     CLAIRE
          I felt...pain.  That she'd been hurt by
          someone.
               (beat)
          This is great.  I'm trying to intuit the
          emotions of a figment of my--

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Have you been hurt?

                     CLAIRE
          Me?  No.  Well, in the accident I was
          injured, but...

                     DR. DRAYTON
          You were in an accident?

                     CLAIRE
          Last year.  I drove my car up a tree.
          Nothing serious, this...
               (she indicates her scar)
          ...a minor concussion.  But the car looked
          bad.  It could have been bad.  I think it
          scared the hell out of Norman.

Beat.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          How's your marriage?

Claire's eyes widen.

                     CLAIRE
          Listen, don't hold back.

Dr. Drayton smiles kindly.

                     CLAIRE
          Well, he's been amazing throughout this
          whole thing.  Patient and caring...
               (beat)
          I mean, sure, he can be obsessed with his
          work, and...it's a very important time
          right now with all that.  But,
          sometimes...I mean with everybody, right?
          Sometimes it's like...

She trails off.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          That he doesn't...see me, or, you know,
          that I'm...that's something's wrong...with
          me.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          That can't feel good.

                     CLAIRE
          No, it doesn't...Okay, look, I see what
          you're doing here, and that's, I'm sorry,
          but that's not it.  My marriage is fine.
          I've had some kind of "empty-nest"
          episode where I saw some things that
          weren't there.  Let's deal with that.  I'm
          willing to deal with that.
               (beat)
          I just don't want to go conjuring
          problems where none exist.

Claire finishes her tirade.  Dr. Drayton lets her settle for
a moment.

                     DR. DRAYTON
          Fair enough.  But you should know that I'm
          far less concerned with whether things
          you saw "existed," than I am with why you
          saw them.

She takes in the ramifications of that.

EXT.  PORCH - DAY

Claire's carrying some cuttings into the house.  She hears a
knock at the gate, walks over and opens it to discover...Mrs.
Feur.  The real one.

                     MRS. FEUR
          I wanted to apologize.

                     CLAIRE
          You do?

                     MRS. FEUR
          For scaring you like I did.  When I
          thought about what that must have seemed
          like that day...

                     CLAIRE
          And then you weren't there.

                     MRS. FEUR
          Right.  I'm sorry.

There's an awkward pause.

                     CLAIRE
          Would you like some iced tea?

                     MRS. FEUR
          Very much.

Claire leads her toward the house.

EXT.  PORCH - DAY

Claire pours Mrs. Feur a glass of iced tea from a pitcher.
She's small and delicate looking with big, watery eyes.

                     MRS. FEUR
          Your house is so beautiful.

                     CLAIRE
          Thank you.

                     MRS. FEUR
          And these roses.  They're much prettier
          up close.

She regards Mrs. Feur for a moment.  She seems skittish and
shy.

                     CLAIRE
          I...there's something I have to ask
          you.

Mrs. Feur waits.

                     CLAIRE
          That day...at the fence.  You seemed
          terrified.  I don't think I was imagining
          that.

There's a pause.  Mrs. Feur looks down into her lap.

                     MRS. FEUR
          No.

                     CLAIRE
          Of what?  What were you so afraid of?

                     MRS. FEUR
          You're going to think I'm crazy or
          something.

A tiny smile.

                     CLAIRE
          Not this week.

She looks away for a moment, then looks back at Claire.

                     MRS. FEUR
          Love.

                     CLAIRE
          What?

                     MRS. FEUR
          Have you ever felt so completely consumed
          by a feeling for someone that you
          couldn't breathe?  That the time together
          is so passionate and consuming that you
          felt physical pain when they would leave?

                     CLAIRE
          Um...sure.

                     MRS. FEUR
          I couldn't catch my breath.  That's not a
          metaphor, that's...And I panicked.  I
          never dreamed anyone would hear me back
          there...
               (beat)
          I tried to leave him.  Went to my mother's
          in Boston.  He brought my things up and
          pleaded with me to come home.

Claire is mesmerized.

                     MRS. FEUR
          You must think I'm pathetic.

                     CLAIRE
          No.  No, I don't.

                     MRS. FEUR
          I'm sorry that I frightened you like
          that.  But I was so touched by your
          concern.  I've been lonely here.
               (beat)
          Perhaps we could be friends.

Claire stares at this strange, passionate woman.

                     CLAIRE
          I would like that.

Mrs. Feur smiles at her.

INT.  VOLVO - NIGHT

Claire pulls up in front of a large NEW YORK HOTEL.

                     NORMAN
               (on a cell phone)
          ...I'm pulling up, Yuri.  I'll see you for
          dinner.
               (to Claire)
          Sure you won't stay?

                     CLAIRE
          No, it's fine.  I'm fine.

                     NORMAN
               (tempting her)
          Really big bed.

She smiles and shakes her head.  Norman kisses her goodbye,
then grabs his bag from the backseat.

                     NORMAN
          Do I have everything?

                     CLAIRE
          Yep.

                     NORMAN
          Call ya later.

He starts to walk into the hotel.

                     CLAIRE (O.S.)
          And you glad you married me?

He turns.  She's standing next to the car.

                     NORMAN
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          Are you glad?  I'm glad.

Norman walks over to her and cradles her chin with his hand.

                     NORMAN
               (softly)
          You know I am.

                     CLAIRE
          Good.
               (She gazes at him, then
                softly)
          You sat in front...I saw you there...

Norman takes his cue.

                     NORMAN
          You were lost in the music...eyes
          closed...your chest heaving...

                     CLAIRE
          I felt you...looking through me...

                     NORMAN
          We walked all night...

                     CLAIRE
          You told me that I was...

He gently cups her chin in his hand.

                     NORMAN
               (overlapping)
          ...that you were everything I'd ever
          dreamed of.

She smiles, kisses him warmly, then gets in the car.

EXT.  COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - NIGHT

Claire stands outside Caitlin's Columbia dorm, watching young
lives in motion.

INT.  DORM HALLWAY - NIGHT

Claire walks past a number of doors.  Music booms out of one,
shards of a conversation out of another.  Finally, she
arrives at a door that says "Fur is murder."  She smiles to
herself and knocks.  There's no answer.

                     DIFFERENT VOICE (O.S.)
          She's out.

Claire turns to find an attractive YOUNG MAN standing at her
elbow.

                     YOUNG MAN
          They're playing at CBGB's down on Bowery.
          Probably won't be back for awhile.  You
          her mom?

                     CLAIRE
          Yes.  Who was playing?

                     YOUNG MAN
          Bitch.  Caitlin's band.

                     CLAIRE
               (stunned)
          Caitlin's band?

                     YOUNG MAN
          Yeah.  They're really good.  I would have
          gone, but I have a paper.
               (beat)
          And I'm not just saying that because
          you're a mother.

Claire nods slightly.

                     CLAIRE
          Thank you.

She walks down the hall.

INT.  CBGB'S - NIGHT

Claire moves past a huge, BLACK SKINHEAD DOORMAN into an
entrance area in the dark throbbing punk club.  She looks out
over the MOB OF SEETHING YOUNG PEOPLE, swaying to a pulsing
power-pop band.  PUNKS and CLUB KIDS push past her as they
move into the throng.  She looks up and her face changes.

CLAIRE'S POV

A shaggy trio of musicians on the stage, pumping through a
jangly, but surprisingly melodic song.  Her eyes race across
the faces of a BUTCH FEMALE DRUMMER, an emaciated
GUITARIST/SINGER and stop on the BASS PLAYER...Caitlin.  She
rocks back and forth to her own hypnotic bass line, EYES
CLOSED, SWAYING TO THE MUSIC.

Claire is transfixed, her face a mix of pride and sadness.
The song ends and Caitlin's eyes open.  She smiles for a
moment, then the smile fades as she spots Claire.  Panicked,
Claire ducks behind a pillar.

EXT.  CBGB'S - NIGHT

The last groups of YOUNG PEOPLE file out of the club.  A
couple of them glance at Claire, who seems very out of place
standing on the Bowery late at night.

                     VOICE (O.S.)
          Mom?

She turns to see Caitlin standing before her, a bass guitar
case on a strap over her shoulder.  There's an awkward pause.

                     CLAIRE
          That was very good.

                     CAITLIN
          Mom, I'm sorry.  I wanted to tell you.
          But it never felt right.

                     CLAIRE
          Why?

Caitlin stares at the ground.

                     CAITLIN
          I didn't want to bring up memories.  I
          didn't want to do anything that might
          make you regret your choices.

Claire winces silently.

                     CAITLIN
          Besides, Dad would have freaked.

                     CLAIRE
          No, he wouldn't.

                     CAITLIN
          I think playing in a band called "Bitch"
          might put a dent in the whole "perfect
          family" thing.

                     CLAIRE
          That's not true.

                     CAITLIN
          Yes it is.  Can we please not do that?
          Please?  Cause it is.

Claire doesn't disagree.

                     CLAIRE
          He loves you very much.  He just--

                     CAITLIN
          I know he does.

Beat.  Claire studies her surprisingly strong daughter.

                     CAITLIN
          Are you mad at me?

                     CLAIRE
          Listen to me.  The one thing in life that
          I definitely don't regret...is the choice.
          I made to be your mother.

They hug.  For a moment, Claire's got her little girl back.
Her eyes well up.

                     CLAIRE
          I miss you.

                     CAITLIN
          So much.

                     CLAIRE
               (laughing)
          It got so bad your father almost had to
          put me away.

                     CAITLIN
          What do you mean?

                     CLAIRE
          I started seeing things.

                     CAITLIN
          A ghost?

Beat.  Claire stares at her daughter.

                     CLAIRE
          Did you?

                     CAITLIN
          No.  But once I heard...

                     CLAIRE
          What?

                     CAITLIN
          Someone crying.  A girl.
               (beat)
          I thought I was crazy.

                     CLAIRE
               (quietly)
          Then we both are.

Caitlin nods.

INT.  PRESIDENT'S HOUSE - NIGHT

...a large cocktail party.  The house is crowded with
PROFESSORS, ADMINISTRATORS, and their SPOUSES.  PRESIDENT
TEMPLETON, a frosty-haired, avuncular chap, greets them with
his WIFE, a sharp looking woman in her late fifties.

                     TEMPLETON
          There they are.

                     NORMAN
          You remember my wife, Claire.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
               (shaking hands)
          Of course.  You must be so proud.

                     CLAIRE
          I am.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
               (to Norman)
          Everyone's very anxious to shake hands
          with our newest academic celebrity.

She takes their coats.  Dean Templeton leads them in.

                     TEMPLETON
          Must've been some paper.  Your father
          would be very proud.

This seems to strike a nerve.

                     NORMAN
          Uh-huh.

Claire notices this and squeezes his hand.  Templeton leads
Norman into a large living room which is filled with
colleagues.  Several of them turn and begin clapping.  Others
follow suit.

EXT.  PATIO - NIGHT

Claire stands at a small bar.

                     CLAIRE
               (to bartender)
          White wine please.

She scans the party and spots the Feurs deep in some intimate
conversation with each other.  She's speaking about something
astonishing.  He's rapt.

Claire locates Norman in a corner listening as some AGED
ALUMNUS holds forth.  He sees her and mouths, "I'm sorry."
He points to his watch and flashes five fingers.  She smiles
and nods.

                     VOICE (O.S.)
          Guess I'm not much of a medium.

She turns to see Jody.

                     CLAIRE
          Jody...

They hug.

                     JODY
          Are you okay?

                     CLAIRE
          I think so

                     JODY
          I'm sorry for leaving, but I mean, Jesus,
          Claire...

                     CLAIRE
          It's alright.

                     JODY
          I mess around with this stuff, but I
          never thought anything would happen.

Claire looks uncomfortable.

                     JODY
          Does Norman know?

                     CLAIRE
          Jody, she's alive.

                     JODY
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          Mrs. Feur.  She's alive.  I met her.
          She's really sweet.

                     JODY
          Then what was it?

                     CLAIRE
          Nothing.  It wasn't anything.  I've been
          on edge lately.  Maybe since the accident.
          And I'd prefer, I really would, to just--

                     JODY
          Something was there.  You saw it.

                     CLAIRE
          Did I?

                     JODY
          Yes.  Now I talked to Sela and there's a
          guy, this Pakistani guy down in
          Hartford...

                     CLAIRE
          Hartford?

                     JODY
          And he's the real thing.  Specializes in
          cases like this, like yours.

                     CLAIRE
          No.  Jody, listen to me.  You have to
          listen to me.  This is not something that
          I can do right now.  Whatever it was,
          it's gone.  I need it to be gone now.

                     JODY
          But Claire--

                     CLAIRE
          Please.

Jody recognizes her fragility.

                     JODY
          Okay.  Okay.

                     CLAIRE
          I've got to find a bathroom.  I'll call
          you.

Jody nods as Claire walks off.

INT.  POWDER ROOM - NIGHT

Claire stands in the spacious powder room, checking her
makeup in the mirror.  Mrs. Templeton enters from the
bathroom.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          How're you holding up?

                     CLAIRE
          Just fine.  It's a lovely party.

The two women fix their makeup side-by-side in the mirror.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          Norman was telling me the dream house is
          finally finished.

                     CLAIRE
               (nodding)
          Almost.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          Wonderful.  It's good to see you two doing
          so well.

Claire looks confused.

                     CLAIRE
          I'm sorry?

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          I know how hard it can be sometimes.

Claire turns to her.

                     CLAIRE
          Uh-huh.  What can be?

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          Well, I don't think I've seen you since
          the reception at Dean Ackerman's last
          year.

Claire's still in the dark.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          For the Dupont Chair.
               (off Claire's look)
          I swear.  I'm becoming the nosy old lady I
          used to run from at Amherst.

                     CLAIRE
          No.  I'm just not sure what you mean.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          There was just...some tension.  You were
          upset.  I remember being concerned.

                     CLAIRE
          At the party.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          Toward the end.  You remember?

                     CLAIRE
               (recovering)
          Ohhh yes.  No, no.  Just a little, you
          know...We're fine.

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          Well, I'm glad.  Pardon my intrusiveness,
          but we do have to stick together you
          know.

                     CLAIRE
          Who's that?

                     MRS. TEMPLETON
          The wives.

Beat.

                     CLAIRE
          Right.

Mrs. Templeton leaves.  Claire looks into the mirror.

                     CLAIRE (V.O.)
          What was it about?

EXT.  TEMPLETON'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Claire and Norman walk toward the car.

                     NORMAN
          You don't remember?

                     CLAIRE
          When she said it, there was something
          familiar...but no.

He looks at her for a moment.

                     NORMAN
          You dropped a glass.

                     CLAIRE
          I...

                     NORMAN
          A cheap wine glass from the caterers.  You
          started crying.  I tried to comfort you...

                     CLAIRE
               (something's triggered)
          In the living room...

                     NORMAN
          You shoved me away and ran out to the
          patio.  I took you home.

                     CLAIRE
          But why?  I can't understand how I could
          just completely--

                     NORMAN
          It was maybe a week after the accident.
          We were moving.  It was a hard time.

                     CLAIRE
          But I don't remember.

                     NORMAN
          Sweetheart, it was over a year ago.

                     CLAIRE
          What's wrong with me?

He stops, takes her shoulders gently.

                     NORMAN
               (reassuring)
          Nothing.  Nothing at all.  It's been a
          hard year.  But you're better now.  And
          things are really looking up for us.  So
          let's try to enjoy that.
               (gently)
          Please?

She thinks for a beat.

                     CLAIRE
          Yes.  Yes.  That's what I want.

She takes his hand and kisses it.

EXT.  CLAIRE'S HOUSE - DAY

Claire walks up to the door.  When she touches the knob she
hears...the WHISPERING.  She opens the door and moves into:

INT.  FOYER - DAY

The same intense whispered exchange.  She glances into the
mirror and sees...SHAPES MOVING, BODIES, A FLASH OF SILVER.
She turns the corner and again...NO ONE'S THERE.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - DAY

She walks in and stands before:

The repaired photograph of herself and Norman...at the party
for the DUPONT CHAIR.

She takes it from the wall, stares at it for a moment, then
SMASHES IT ON THE EDGE OF THE DESK.  She extricates the
picture from the broken glass.  The caption reads:

"Dr. Norman Spencer being awarded the distinguished Dupont
Chair in Genetics by Dean of Sciences Torvald Ackerman."

She stares at the picture for a moment, then flips it over
and scans the stories on the back.  One tells of a hotly
contested city council race, another contains details of a
large alumni donation to the university.

She notices the bottom corner of another story she hadn't
noticed before.  It's only a small portion of one column, but
it seems to detail the search for A MISSING GIRL.

INT.  WORK ROOM - DAY

Claire, online, logs onto a missing persons website.  She
narrows her search to NEW ENGLAND.  A screen pops up with a
list of names.  She scrolls down the list until she
finds...FRANK, MADISON ELIZABETH.

                     CLAIRE
          M-E-F...

Claire double clicks on it, then waits breathlessly as a
blurry cyber photo fills the screen.  Slowly, higher
resolution moves down the image.

IT'S THE GHOST.

Under the photo is the legend:

             "DISAPPEARED - OCTOBER 22, 1998"

Claire stares at the familiar face, then shakily hits PRINT.

LATER

Claire is staring down at the girl's face on the print out.

                     VOICE
               (on phone)
          ...she was practically a townie.  Grew up
          in Bradford.

                     CLAIRE
          And she was never found?

                     VOICE
               (on phone)
          Nah.  She was a live wire.  Had this old
          Mustang Fastback.  It's gone too.  Most of
          her friends think she's tooling around
          Mexico somewhere.  Police downgraded her
          to a runaway.

                     CLAIRE
          Thank you, Mr...

She glances at the byline on the back of the newspaper photo.

INSERT

"by Neil McCann"

                     CLAIRE
          ...McCann.

She hangs up.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT

Norman is unpacking NOTES and CHEMICALS from his LEATHER BAG.
Claire walks in.

                     CLAIRE
          Remember this?

She places the printout on his desk.  He takes a long look at
it.

                     NORMAN
          Is this that girl from last year?

Claire nods.

                     CLAIRE
          Did you know her?

Norman looks again.

                     NORMAN
          I may have seen her on campus.

                     CLAIRE
          Not personally.

                     NORMAN
          No.
               (beat)
          I'm afraid to ask what this is about.

                     CLAIRE
               (solemnly)
          It's her.  This is the woman who I've
          seen.

                     NORMAN
          The...

                     CLAIRE
          Yes.  The ghost.

Norman leaves the hung frame and walks over to a window.

                     CLAIRE
          I thought it was Mrs. Feur, but it's
          not...

                     NORMAN
               (quietly overlapping)
          Stop...

                     CLAIRE
          ...I'm positive this time...

                     NORMAN
               (overlapping)
          ...Please stop...

                     CLAIRE
          It's Madison Fra--

                     NORMAN
          STOP IT!

Claire falls silent, Norman turns from the window.

                     NORMAN
               (calmly)
          Claire, I've tried to be there.  I know
          you're going through something that I
          can't understand...but it's enough.

Claire looks down.

                     NORMAN
          Do you want to go see someone?  Together?
          Should we call Dr. Drayton?

She shakes her head.

                     NORMAN
          Well then what?  Claire, what?  Tell me
          what I can do.

Long pause.  Claire looks up, then timidly holds out the
printout.

                     CLAIRE
          It's her.

Norman's jaw tightens.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't want to make you angry.  But she's
          here.  And I don't know why...

He silently walks out of the room.  Claire stares down at the
face in the photo.

EXT.  MADISON FRANK'S HOUSE - DAY

Claire parks in front of a small, clapboard house in a
neighborhood that is decidedly less upscale than her own.
She gets out and tentatively walks up to the tiny porch.

EXT.  PORCH - DAY

Claire rings the bell.  A DRAWN LOOKING WOMAN in her early
fifties answers the door.

                     CLAIRE
          Mrs. Frank?

                     MRS. FRANK
          Yeah.

                     CLAIRE
          I'd like to talk to you about Madison.

                     MRS. FRANK
          You know where she is?

                     CLAIRE
          No, I don't.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Please leave me alone.

She starts to close the door.  Claire leans forward.

                     CLAIRE
          She's my friend.

The woman stops.

                     CLAIRE
          Was.  We were...acquainted.  I've been
          away for awhile.  When I came back...

She studies Claire.

                     MRS. FRANK
          What's your name?

                     CLAIRE
          Claire.

                     MRS. FRANK
          She never mentioned you.

Claire doesn't know what to say to this.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Then again, she didn't say much about her
          college friends.

She gives Claire the once over.

                     MRS. FRANK
          I'm watchin' my shows.

She motions Claire in.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - DAY

Claire sits on a couch in the cramped living room.  Mrs.
Frank serves up a mug of coffee.  A soap plays silently on an
old 19" RCA.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Just plain old coffee.  None of that mocha
          nonsense.

                     CLAIRE
          It's fine.

She sizes Claire up.

                     MRS. FRANK
          You look a little old for a student.

                     CLAIRE
          I'm not.  We...we met at a party.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Sounds about right.  Never understood how
          a girl that wild got all A's.  Sure didn't
          get it from me.  They wanted to put her in
          a special school for the gifted when she
          was young.  Maddie wouldn't hear about it.

                     CLAIRE
          She never mentioned her father.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Well she wouldn't.  He left when she was
          twelve.  Never spoke about him after that.

There's a silence.  Mrs. Frank stares at the TV.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Don't need the sound.  You can pretty much
          tell what's happening by the faces.  Turn
          it up sometimes, though.  Feels like
          someone's here.

Claire doesn't know what to say.  Mrs. Frank turns to her.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Why are you here?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.

                     MRS. FRANK
          It's like that.  Doesn't seem real.  No
          note.  Nothing.
               (beat)
          Cops say she'll be back.  I just wanna
          know what happened.

Claire stares at this tough, tragic woman.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Wanna see her room?

Claire nods.

INT.  MADISON'S ROOM - DAY

Claire enters the room.  Her face freezes.

ANGLE

SEVERAL POSTERS FOR ALTERNATIVE AND METAL BANDS, side by side
with ACADEMIC PLAQUES AND AWARDS.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Full scholarships.  Princeton too.  She
          wanted to stay close.

                     CLAIRE
          You must have been very proud.

She nods.  Claire moves along looking at pictures.  Some with
different men, others with rough looking friends.  Claire
stops at a picture tucked into a mirror.

INSERT

Madison singing at a recital of some kind.  She's lovely,
with striking GREEN EYES.  Around her neck is a distinctive
SILVER NECKLACE, with a perfectly wrought, SILVER ROSEBUD.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Such a pretty voice.  Surprised she didn't
          major in music.
               (beat)
          That's the last picture.

A phone rings in the hallway.

                     MRS. FRANK
          S'cuse me.

Claire's eye is pulled past the picture into the mirror, the
reflection of something pinned to the edge of a bulletin
board.  She turns and moves over to:

A SHORT BLOND BRAID.  She reaches out to touch it.  Claire
hears footsteps.  Mrs. Frank leans back into the room.

                     MRS. FRANK
          They're calling me in to work.

                     CLAIRE
          I should be going anyway.

EXT.  PORCH - DAY

Mrs. Frank walks Claire out.

                     MRS. FRANK
          Y'hear anything you'll let me know?

                     CLAIRE
          Of course.

Claire walks to her car.  She turns and calls out:

                     CLAIRE
          What was her major?

                     MRS. FRANK
          Biology.  She wanted to be a doctor.

Claire stands, frozen, as Mrs. Frank disappears into the
little house.

INT.  BATHROOM - NIGHT

Claire shuts the blinds, then places the large candle on the
floor, then places the MISSING GIRL PRINTOUT at the base of
the candle.  On top if it, she places THE BRAID.

Then Claire lights the candle, puts the braid on the picture,
and hunches over it, whispering intensely:

                     CLAIRE
          I need to know the truth.

She waits a beat.  Nothing.

                     CLAIRE
          Madison, please...help me.

Nothing happens.  She looks around at the seance props.

She stands and places her hands on the sink.  She glances at
herself in the mirror.

                     CLAIRE
          What am I doing?

Suddenly, her head droops over, she shudders softly.  When
she looks back into the mirror, her eyes are a DEEP GREEN.
She hears the front door open downstairs.

                     NORMAN (O.S.)
          Hello...Anybody home?!

A strange smile creeps across her face.

INT.  CLAIRE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

POV - Gliding down the stairs and into...

INT.  KITCHEN - NIGHT

The refrigerator door is open.  Norman is leaning over.  Only
his ass protrudes.

REVERSE

Norman closes the refrigerator door and sees Claire standing
before him, stripped down to a skirt and slip top.  There's a
different physicality to her movements...a different rhythm
to her speech.

                     CLAIRE
          Hello, Dr. Spencer.

Norman smiles.

                     NORMAN
          Mrs. Spencer.

She shakes her head.

                     CLAIRE
          Forbidden fruit...

She takes the apple...

                     CLAIRE
          Got a problem with that...

...then takes a ravenous bite and walks out of the room.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - DAY

Norman finds Claire seated on his desk, her legs spread.

                     NORMAN
          I take it your not mad at me.

                     CLAIRE
          Wouldn't go that far.

She grabs his belt and pulls him into her, then holds the
apple to his mouth.  Norman tentatively takes a bite.  She
mashes it slowly into his mouth until he recoils slightly.

                     NORMAN
               (mouth full)
          Okay...

When he chews the huge bite, a glistening drop of juice runs
down his chin.  Claire leans forward and licks it off.

                     NORMAN
          What's gotten into you?

She just smiles mischievously, then starts kissing him.  It
looks like she's eating his lips.  Norman's getting hot.  She
bites down on a lip.

                     NORMAN
          Ow!

                     CLAIRE
          What's the matter?

                     NORMAN
          It's too rough.

                     CLAIRE
          Since when?

Something about this response frightens him.  Claire yanks
Norman's belt open.  He steps back, tripping over his
castered desk chair.  She's on top of him in a flash, sitting
astride him.  She speaks in a forceful, sexy whisper.

                     NORMAN
          I don't like this, this...

                     CLAIRE
               (pinning his hands above his
                head)
          Why don't you shut up and fuck me,
          Professor.

She grinds up against him.  Suddenly, something pulls her eye
to the hallway.

POV - The COAT RACK MIRROR, now from inside the study.  In
it's reflection:  ANOTHER CLAIRE, shorter hair, stunned
expression.  Where she's standing...it's DAYTIME.

Claire leans over him until they're nose-to-nose.

                     CLAIRE
               (tense whisper)
          I think she's starting to suspect
          something.

                     NORMAN
               (through clenched teeth)
          Who?

                     CLAIRE
               (leaning down)
          Your wife...

                     NORMAN
          STOP IT!

Norman shoves her off of him onto the floor.  He stands,
breathless.

                     NORMAN
          What the hell are you doing?!

In a moment, it's Claire again, stunned and trembling against
the wall.

                     CLAIRE
               (to herself, remembering)
          "You know..."

                     NORMAN
               (rattled)
          What?

She looks up.

                     CLAIRE
          I was there.

                     NORMAN
          Claire--

                     CLAIRE
               (flooding back to her)
          I came to work in the garden and I saw
          you with her...in my house.

                     NORMAN
          Oh God...

                     CLAIRE
          I snuck back to my car, trying to
          convince myself it never happened.  And
          when I woke up in the hospital...somehow
          it hadn't.  Until now.

He just stares at her, his face anguished.

                     NORMAN
          It was last year.  We were having
          troubles.

                     CLAIRE
          So you fucked a student?!

                     NORMAN
               (reaching for her)
          That's not what I'm sayi--

                     CLAIRE
               (pulling back)
          DON'T touch me.  Just get away from me.
          Go!

He's frozen.

                     CLAIRE
          I SAID GET OUT!

Norman doesn't move.  He's never seen her like this.

                     CLAIRE
          Fine...

She bolts toward the living room.  He follows her.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

She grabs her coat.

                     NORMAN
               (welling up)
          Claire, please don't...

                     CLAIRE
          What did you think I would do?  Jesus
          Christ!  I gave up my life and my music...

                     NORMAN
          I never asked you to quit!

                     CLAIRE
          ...Oh BULLSHIT.  You had to topple perfect
          Daddy and that meant perfect wife,
          perfect family...

He follows her as she searches for her purse and keys.

                     NORMAN
          THAT'S NOT TRUE!  You wanted to quit!  And
          then when you did, you hated me for it...
          so you gave it all to her.

                     CLAIRE
          Who?

                     NORMAN
          To Caitlin!!

She wheels on him with fury.

                     CLAIRE
          Leave her out of this!

                     NORMAN
          And then out of nowhere, some bright
          young woman found me attractive...

                     CLAIRE
          Stop...

                     NORMAN
          ...would do anything just to be around
          me.  And I slipped.  God help me, I
          slipped.

                     CLAIRE
          I'm not going to listen to this.

Claire goes to leave, Norman blocks her path.

                     NORMAN
          I tried to break it off!

                     CLAIRE
          You should have tried harder.

                     NORMAN
          Claire...

                     CLAIRE
               (seething)
          Get out of my way.

She brushes past him.

INT.  FOYER - NIGHT

He catches up, beside himself.

                     NORMAN
          PLEASE DON'T GO!

Claire's nearly disarmed by this rare emotional outburst.
She turns at the door and looks back.

                     CLAIRE
          You made it impossible for me to be
          someone you could be in love with.

She leaves.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Norman, rumpled and unshaven, is passed out on the couch, a
half empty whiskey bottle beside him on the coffee table.  He
awakens to find Claire sitting across from him.

                     CLAIRE
          I want you to answer one question.

He waits.

                     CLAIRE
          Did you have anything to do with her
          disappearance?

Beat.

                     NORMAN
          Yes.

Claire goes pale.

                     NORMAN
          She was damaged and unstable.  The more I
          tried to distance myself, the more
          desperate she became.  Finally, she showed
          up at the new house...

                     CLAIRE
          How did she know where it was?

He stares off.  The reality sinks in for Claire.

                     CLAIRE
               (softly)
          Our dream house.

Norman can hardly look at her.

                     NORMAN
          She was out of control.  She said she was
          going to kill herself...or you.  I never
          thought she'd go through with any of it,
          but then she was gone...

He trails off.

                     CLAIRE
          She did it.

                     NORMAN
          We don't know that for sure.

                     CLAIRE
          Of course she did, Norman.  What else
          could it be?

The enormity of this hits Norman.  His head drops into his
hands.

                     NORMAN
          Oh God, what have I done?  How could I
          have let this into our lives?

He looks up at her, teary.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.

She gets up and walks out of the room.

EXT.  JODY'S STUDIO - DAY

An old industrial loft filled with finished and half-finished
oil paintings.  Jody brings Claire some tea.

                     CLAIRE
          ...and everything I have, everything I
          thought my life was...Christ when I think
          of all the lies...

Jody looks down.

                     CLAIRE
          What?
               (beat)
          Jody what?

Jody looks up, tears in her eyes.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh God...you knew.

                     JODY
          I was down in Adamant...

                     CLAIRE
          Adamant?

                     JODY
          Artsy little village down seven.  There's
          a guy there who sells my work.  I had just
          dropped off some paintings and as I got
          in my car...I saw Norman sitting at this
          little cafe.

Claire waits for her to continue.

                     JODY
          I started to walk over...but he wasn't
          alone.  A blond.  I only caught a glimpse.
          She was young.
               (beat)
          I should have said something right away.
          But I didn't.

                     CLAIRE
          Why?

                     JODY
          Partly because I didn't want to hurt
          you...but partly...partly because I was
          relieved.

                     CLAIRE
          Relieved?

                     JODY
          I had just been left by Richard.  I was
          bitter and miserable and for some fucked
          up reason, it made me feel better that
          your life wasn't as perfect as it seemed.

Claire nods.

                     JODY
          By the time I finally got up the nerve to
          tell you, Stan called from the hospital
          and it was too late.

                     CLAIRE
          Too late?  Jody, it was an accident.

                     JODY
          Alone?  On a two lane road?  With a ton of
          Valium in your system?

Claire walks over to a window.

                     JODY
          I got there first.  Stan covered up the
          pills and I had it out with Norman.  He
          seemed desperate not to lose you.  He
          promised to handle it.  And we all let it
          drop away.

                     CLAIRE
          All of us.

Beat.

                     JODY
          I'm a terrible friend.

                     CLAIRE
          No.

Claire turns.

                     CLAIRE
          How could I expect you to tell me
          something that I wouldn't even tell
          myself?

                     JODY
          What are you going to do?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know.

                     JODY
          If she was dangerous before--

                     CLAIRE
          She could have hurt me if she wanted to.

                     JODY
          You don't know that.
               (beat)
          If it's your belief that gives her form,
          then you've got to shut her out.  Somehow
          you have to break the connection.

                     CLAIRE
          No.  She wanted me to know the truth.  Now
          that I do...I think she's at peace.

Jody isn't as sure.

INT.  KITCHEN - DAY

Claire walks in.  She notices the clock on the range is dark.
She flips on a light.  Nothing happens.  Worried, she heads
upstairs.

INT.  NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - MORNING

Claire enters.  The bed is empty.  The shower is running in
the bathroom.

                     CLAIRE
          Norman?

INT.  BATHROOM - MORNING

ANGLE - CLAIRE...her face a mask of terror.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh God...

CLAIRE'S POV

The BATHTUB, with the shower curtain drawn around it, the
water blasting.  Norman's limp hand pokes through the
curtain.  AN ELECTRIC CORD leads from the mirror socket into
the tub.

Claire races over and rips the plug from the wall.  She tears
the SHOWER CURTAIN AWAY to find A BLUISH NORMAN lying,
unconscious in the tub.

                     CLAIRE
          No, no.  Please no...

She hugs her face to his chest until she picks up a
heartbeat.

                     CLAIRE
          Norman!!  Wake up!  Please!

Claire shakes him to no effect.

                     CLAIRE
          Oh God...NORMAN!

She slaps him on the face...once, then twice.  He suddenly
sucks in a gulp of air, begins struggling and dazedly returns
to life.

                     CLAIRE
          It's me...it's me...

Sobbing, she shuts off the squeaky faucets and struggles to
pull him upright.  She discovered HER BLOWDRYER in the tub
and hurls it across the room.

INT.  BEDROOM - DAY

Claire sits beside Norman on the bed as two E.M.T.'s, an OLD
GUY and a HEAVY WOMAN pack up.  Stan's on the phone, Jody off
to one side.

                     HEAVY WOMAN
          Vitals are good.  I'd take it easy for a
          couple of days.

                     NORMAN
          Thanks.

The E.M.T.'s leave as Stan hangs up.

                     STAN
          They'll take you for a CAT scan tomorrow
          if you're feeling dizzy at all.

                     NORMAN
          That won't be necessary.   

He glances at Claire as he walks Stan out.

                     NORMAN
          Not unless there's a miracle drug for
          clumsiness.

They leave.

                     CLAIRE
          Jody, she tried to kill him.

                     JODY
          I know.

                     CLAIRE
          I can't believe this is happening.

                     JODY
          We need help.  Please let me call the
          medium.

                     CLAIRE
          That could take days.  I need to do
          something now.  Don't you see?  She wants
          us dead.

Jody thinks for a moment.

                     JODY
          Alight, alright.  Stay calm.  You opened
          this door.  There's got to be a way that
          you can close it.

                     CLAIRE
          Like what?

                     JODY
          I have an idea.  But, I mean, I'm just
          making this up...

                     CLAIRE
          What is it?

                                                      CUT TO:

MADISON'S SMILING FACE

EXT.  DOCK - DAY

Claire's staring down at the PRINTOUT.  She's kneeling at the
edge of the dock.  From her pocket she produces THE BLOND
BRAID and a piece of TWINE.  She wraps the braid up in the
printout with a rock and secures it with the twine.

                     CLAIRE
          Sorry.  Better or worse, he's mine.

She tosses the little parcel into the dark water.  Bubbles
stream up.  In the bubbles, Claire sees...THE PALE SHAPE,
which slowly becomes THE DROWNED GIRL, staring up from
beneath the dark water.

Claire wants to pull away, but she's transfixed.  Madison
reaches up toward the surface.  As the bubble diminish, she
seems to be FADING AWAY.  When she's gone, Claire reaches out
toward the water.  When her finger touches the surface...

WHOOSH!  She's sucked down into the water.

INT.  UPSTAIRS SITTING ROOM - DAY

Norman glances out of the window in time to see a splash off
the dock.  He races out of the room.

EXT.  UNDERWATER - DAY

Claire struggles furiously as the unseen attacker drags her
deeper into the murky depths.

EXT.  DOCK - DAY

Norman sprints toward the dock.

EXT.  UNDERWATER - DAY

As he oxygen begins to run out, Claire screams desperately as
her hand plunges into the muddy bottom.

Suddenly, she's released.  She yanks her hand free, the silt
swirls revealing...a COPPER COLORED GLINT in the mud.

NORMAN'S HAND grasps Claire's ankle and pulls her upwards.

EXT.  DOCK - DAY

Norman helps Claire, coughing, onto the dock.  They hold each
other.

                     NORMAN
          Are you okay?

She nods, catching her breath.

                     NORMAN
          We have to get out of here.

                     CLAIRE
          It's alright.

                     NORMAN
          Can't you see, she's trying to kill us.

                     CLAIRE
          She's gone.

                     NORMAN
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          She can't be here without me.

                     NORMAN
          How can you be sure?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know, but I am.  She was there and
          then she was gone.  I felt it.

                     NORMAN
          Claire...

She stares into the still water.

                     CLAIRE
          It's over.

INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

Claire in bed with a blanket wrapped around her.  Norman
walks in with some steaming mulled cider.  He stokes the
blazing fire.  He sits on the edge of the bed.

                     NORMAN
          I know it's going to take awhile before
          things are back...until they're better
          than before.  But you've given us a chance
          to make a fresh start.  And I'm going to
          spend the rest of my life making you glad
          that you did.

The gaze at each other.  Tentatively, she places a hand on
his.

EXT.  GARDEN - DAY

Claire, dressed in a warm sweater, finishes wrapping her
rosebushes for the winter.  She picks up a basket of clipped
flowers and heads inside.

EXT.  PORCH - DAY

She turns the doorknob and listens for the whispering.  All
is quiet.

INT.  FOYER - DAY

She looks into the mirror and sees only the study and the
lake behind it.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - DAY

Claire places the roses in a vase on Norman's desk, and in
doing so, accidentally knocks it over.

With a towel she mops up the water which has dripped onto the
wooden floor.  The stream has flowed over to the knot and
dripped into the crack.  Claire stares down at THE STRANGE
COPPER COIN.

She grabs a letter opener from Norman's desk and pries the
coin out.  It's actually a SMALL BRASS KEY, the head of which
is THREE INTERLOCKING CIRCLES.  She stares at it for a
moment, then places it in her pocket.

EXT.  SAILBOAT - DUSK

Claire stands toward the bow watching the sunset.  The leaves
on the surrounding hills are stunning.  Norman appears beside
her.

                     NORMAN
          Last sail of the year.

She gazes out.

                     CLAIRE
          The leaves...

                     NORMAN
          Incredible.  We should take a drive before
          they're gone.  Spend the night at some
          cozy little bed and breakfast.

                     CLAIRE
          Look for antiques...

                     NORMAN
          Yep.  There's some great places nearby.

                     CLAIRE
               (a reflex)
          Adamant.

                     NORMAN
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          Little village down seven.  Supposed to be
          charming.

                     NORMAN
          Huh.

                     CLAIRE
          Do you know it?

                     NORMAN
          Don't think so.

                     CLAIRE
          Maybe we can stop there for lunch.

He wraps an arm around her.

                     NORMAN
          Whatever you'd like.

She leans against him, staring out.

EXT.  DRIVEWAY - DAY

Jody and Claire return from a walk.  Norman has the boat on
the trailer and is securing a tarp over it.  They stop under
a tree.

                     CLAIRE
          But he acted like he'd never heard of it.

                     JODY
          Did he say that?

                     CLAIRE
          Jody he was lying.

                     JODY
          What if he was?  Do you think he wanted to
          bring that up again just when you're
          trying to make a new start?

                     CLAIRE
          I guess not.

                     JODY
          He's trying to put it behind him, Claire.
          You should too.

Norman smiles and waves.  They wave back as they arrive at
the Karman-Ghia.

                     JODY
          You've got a beautiful life.  And even
          with this, it's always been clear that he
          loves you.
               (beat)
          I've come to think that's all that really
          matters.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know...

                     JODY
          Trust me, Claire.  You hear something...
          change the subject.  You find something...
          get rid of it, throw it in the lake.
               (beat)
          You know what happened.  The rest is only
          details.  And no one's ever glad they got
          a hold of those.  If you want to put this
          back together...just let it go.

Jody drives off.  Claire walks over to Norman.  She hugs him
tightly.

                     NORMAN
          What's that for?

                     CLAIRE
          Nothing.

                     NORMAN
          I'm cooking you dinner.

                     CLAIRE
          You don't have to do that.

                     NORMAN
          I know.

                     CLAIRE
          Fine.  I'll do the shopping.

They kiss.  She heads to the Volvo.

INT.  VOLVO - DAY

Claire is approaching a country market.  She spots a little
sign with an arrow:

                     ADAMANT - 11 mi.

She hesitates for a moment, then take the turn.

EXT.  ADAMANT - DAY

Claire stands on a street in the quaint little village.  She
looks around, spots a little cafe with outdoor tables.  A
friendly old HIPPIE WOMAN walks out of a store.  She watches
Claire gazing around.

                     HIPPIE WOMAN
          What are you looking for?

                     CLAIRE
          I don't really know.

                     HIPPIE WOMAN
          Know what you mean.

She ambles off across the street.  Claire watches her go.
Then notices a sign hung out above a little shop.  THREE
INTERLOCKED CIRCLES.  She walks toward it.

EXT.  SHOP - DAY

Claire stands in front of the store window.  A sign in the
window identifies it as "The Sleeping Dog - Hand wrought
jewelry and gifts."  Claire tries to open the door, but sees
a closed sign.

She steps back out to the window and looks in.  On display
are a selection of handcrafted jewelry and curios.

Suddenly her eye stops on a small silver bracelet with an
intricate ROSEBUD.

Her eye travels up and behind it to the back of the display
where she spots, a small ORNATE COPPER CHEST.  Protruding
from its lock...THE INTERLOCKED CIRCLES.  Claire looks like
she's been punched.

INT.  NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - NIGHT

Claire glances over at the soundly sleeping Norman.  She
gingerly slides out of bed.

INT.  BASEMENT - NIGHT

Claire sits among the boxes, leafing through the photo album,
tracking the years of their life.  Her hands tremble.
Finally she reaches the picture of their wedding, reaches
behind the photo and produces...THE KEY.

EXT.  DOCK - NIGHT

Claire in her nightgown and a jacket, walks slowly down the
dock.  An expensive looking flashlight illuminates her path.
She stops and stares out at the moonlit lake.

She holds out a fist.  Her fingers unfold and in her palm
lies THE KEY.  She holds the key out over the water and
stands there, frozen.  The lighthouse beam sweeps past her
once...then again.

Claire pulls her hand back and holds the key to her chest,
then carefully places it on the dock.  She very deliberately
takes off her jacket and slippers, steps to the edge of the
dock, shines the flashlight on the dark water...then steps
off the dock.

                                                      CUT TO:

INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

AN ANGUISHED CRY from downstairs.  Norman bolts upright in
bed.

INT.  NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT

Norman walks through the darkened house into the moonlit
room.  He pulls up short when he sees the strongbox sitting
closed on his desk.  He looks around, sees the room is empty
and walks over to it.

The mud and silt has been wiped from the top, on which is
engraved:  To N.C.S. with love always, M.E.F.

He pulls open the lid and tentatively peers inside.

THE LIGHTS SWITCH ON.

Claire stands in the doorway, holding out the SILVER ROSEBUD
NECKLACE.

                     CLAIRE
          Looking for this?

Norman stares at her dumbly.

                     CLAIRE
          She's out there isn't she?  She's in the
          lake.

                     NORMAN
          Okay.  Don't...you don't understand what
          this is.

                     CLAIRE
          Don't I, Norman?  YOU KEPT THE FUCKING
          NECKLACE.  Of a woman you killed!

                     NORMAN
               (nearly hysterical)
          I did NOT!  I did not kill anyone.  Jesus.
          Claire, listen to me.  I walked in and she
          was lying there dead.  I swear to you.  On
          my life!  She took pills and she killed
          herself in our house to destroy me!  To
          destroy us!  If I hadn't stopped by here
          before school, the painters would have--

                     CLAIRE
          I don't believe you.

                     NORMAN
          IT'S TRUE.  That's...you have to believe
          me!  Oh God, I'm telling you the truth!
               (beat, fighting tears)
          I did what I had to, Claire.  She was
          gone.  There was nothing I could do for
          her.  I did...I put her in the lake.  I
          rolled the car in...and I watched it sink.
               (beat)
          And I've lived with that image ever since.
               (beat)
          I couldn't just stand there while
          everything-- my career, us,
          everything, just washed away.  Don't you
          see, Claire?  She's doing this!  This is
          exactly what she wants you to think!

Claire's lip is quivering with confusion.

                     CLAIRE
          I don't know what's true anymore.
               (beat)
          But that girl must be brought up.  Now do
          you want to call the police?  Or should I?

Norman stares at the phone.  He's a wreck.

                     NORMAN
          Fine.  I can't live with it anymore.

He takes the phone, punches in three numbers, waits.

                     NORMAN
          This is Dr. Norman Spencer.  No, it's not
          an emergency.

He looks at Claire.

                     NORMAN
          I have some information about a missing
          girl, Madison Frank...Yes.  Could you send
          an officer?  Fifteen Willoughby, about a
          mile before the bridge...Thank you.

He hangs up.  Long silence.  They look at each other.

                     NORMAN
          You did the right thing.
               (beat)
          I'm going to get cleaned up.

He walks out.  Claire walks over and stands before the box.

INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

Claire walks into the bedroom.  The shower can be heard
through the bathroom door, which is partially ajar.  Steam
drifts out through the crack.

She stands in her dressing room and catches sight of her
weary, distraught countenance in the mirror.  She glances
down.

CLAIRE'S POV

The necklace still in her hand.

She looks up again into the mirror.  Her face goes strangely
blank and, almost mechanically, she clasps the necklace onto
her neck.

Suddenly, she stares over at the CORDLESS PHONE lying on the
bed for a long moment.  She walks over, picks up the phone
and looks at it.

CLAIRE'S POV

The redial button.

She stares at the bathroom door, then hits the button.  Two
rings, then:

                     VOICE
               (on phone)
          Directory assistance...

Claire's eyes widen in terror.  She clicks off the phone,
and, taking it with her, starts moving toward the door to the
hall.  She keeps a steady eye trained on the bathroom.  She
quietly pulls open the hallway door.

Suddenly, A HAND WITH A WASHCLOTH IS THRUST OVER HER FACE.

Claire shoves Norman's hand away and runs past him down the
hall.

INT.  HALLWAY - NIGHT

She's nearly at the top of the stairs when her body starts to
falter.  She tumbles over, dropping the phone, which clatters
down the stairs before her.

Claire is pulling herself down the stairs, moaning in terror.
Norman can be seen calmly following her, waiting for the
Halothane to take its full effect.  Finally, she freezes.
Norman picks up the phone and stands over her.

                     NORMAN
          God, how did we come to this?

He picks her gently up in his arms and starts carrying her
slowly up the stairs.

                     NORMAN
          The ghost stuff, that was impressive.

CLAIRE'S POV

Ceiling, shapes...

                     NORMAN
          I figure you saw her that day in the
          house and just gradually intuited the
          whole damn thing.  That would be pretty
          astonishing.  A passive-aggressive
          masterpiece.

INT.  BATHROOM - NIGHT

And into the bathroom.

                     NORMAN
          Wasn't until the shower that I realized
          you actually believed it.  Nearly froze to
          death waiting for you.  Thought the
          circuit breaker would kick back over and
          I'd be toast.

...then she's lowered into the tub.

                     NORMAN
          The crazy thing is...I have never for one
          moment stopped loving you.

He actually wipes a tear from his eye.  He kisses her lips.
We can feel her revulsion.  His face over her.

                     NORMAN
          Don't worry about Caitlin.  I'm sure in
          some tragic way this'll bring us closer
          together.

He turns on the faucets, then moves out of her line of
vision.  Sound of a number being dialed.

                     NORMAN (O.S.)
          Hey, it's Norman.  Listen, we had a huge
          blowout, so I'm going down to sleep at
          the lab.  I guess you're out, but...
          maybe...if you wouldn't mind stopping by
          to check on her in the morning?

She glances down and sees on the edge of the tub...a
prescription bottle of VALIUM with her name on the label.
Her eyes go wide.

                     NORMAN (O.S.)
          It's just...Jody, it's bad.  I've never
          seen her like this...
               (he trails off, choking up)
          I don't really know what to do anymore.

Norman, lit periodically by the sweep of the light house
beacon, squats with the phone and gazes down at her.

                     NORMAN
          If anything ever happened to her, I'd...
               (beat)
          Anyway, thanks.

Claire, mute, glances frantically around.  One of her fingers
begins to flutter.

                     NORMAN
               (tearfully)
          I'm so sorry.

The tub is rapidly filling.  He checks his watch, then
reaches for the Valium.  As much from will as the drug
beginning to fade, Claire lets out a garbled cry.

                     CLAIRE
               (sloppy, guttural)
          Mmmuh...

                     NORMAN
          Shhhh.

                     CLAIRE
               (slurry)
          Mauduh...

Norman stops.

                     NORMAN
          What?

                     CLAIRE
          MADISON!

Norman seems unnerved that she's still clinging to her belief
in the ghost.

                     NORMAN
          That's a little much, don't you think?

He sees the necklace on her neck.

                     NORMAN
          Oops.  Can't have that.

He puts down the bottle of Valium, then reaches around
Claire's neck to remove the necklace.  When his hands close
on the clasp, his face suddenly goes slack.

NORMAN'S POV

His arms around MADISON'S BEAUTIFUL CORPSE.

Norman explodes backwards, slamming his head into the BRASS
SHOWER NOZZLE.  He staggers out of the bathroom before
collapsing with a thud.  The water finally rises above
Claire's nostrils.

Claire somehow manages to work a toe into the plug chain and
yank it free.  The water slowly descends.

When it seems that her lungs must burst, her mouth finally
clears the descending water.  She chokes in great gulps of
air.

The drug is finally wearing off.  Claire sits up.  Norman's
unconscious feet can be seen outside of the doorway.  She
turns off the water and stands unsteadily.

She looks around for the phone and finally spots the little
antenna protruding from under Norman.  She delicately pulls
the phone out of his back pocket, only to discover that it's
been broken by his fall.  She drops it and walks quietly out
of the room.

INT.  STAIRWAY - NIGHT

Claire stumbles as fast as she can down the stairs.

INT.  FOYER - NIGHT

She fumbles for some KEYS in a basket by the door, then looks
at the cell phone's recharging cradle.  It's empty.

She spots Norman's coat hanging on the coat rack and rifles
through the pockets.  She finds the phone, and flips it open
to see if it's working.  A drop of something splats on the
phone.  Then another.  It's blood.

She looks up and sees Norman, his forehead gashed, glaring
down from the landing.

She reaches for the door knob, but the keys and cell phone in
her hand make it difficult to open.  Norman hurls himself
over the banister.  THUD!

A BLOODY HAND yanks her backwards.  Claire slams into the
corner by the armoir.  Norman advances on her.  At the last
moment, she throws her shoulder into the armoir which tumbles
over on Norman.

EXT.  DRIVEWAY - NIGHT

Claire races over to the Volvo, which is blocked by NORMAN'S
PICKUP, the dark hulk of THE SAILBOAT on a trailer behind it.

She starts to get into the pickup, then remembers to look in
the bed...nobody there.

INT.  PICKUP - NIGHT

The truck is cold and doesn't want to turn over.  She stares
at the door for signs of Norman.

                     CLAIRE
          Come on...come on...

...and VROOM, the truck roars to life.  Claire spews gravel
as she barrels the cumbersome rig out of the driveway,
constantly watching the door.

When she veers to the right out of the driveway, she looks
into the rear view mirror.  The boat momentarily blocks the
open door, then clears.  Still nothing.

EXT.  DIRT ROAD - NIGHT

Claire wheels the truck and trailer out onto a two-lane road.

INT.  PICKUP - NIGHT

Shivering with cold and adrenalin, she tries to work the
ancient heater.  She turns onto THE BRIDGE.

EXT.  BRIDGE - NIGHT

The PICKUP and BOAT race across the deserted bridge.

INT.  PICKUP - NIGHT

ANGLE

Claire through the windshield.  Her face striped by the
reflection of the bridge lights which whip one-by-one across
the windshield.  She flips open the cell phone and punches in
911.  It blinks:  "NO SERVICE."

                     CLAIRE
          Shit.

She glances into the rear view mirror.

CLAIRE'S POV

A stern section of the boat's COVERING TARP untied, flapping
in the breeze.

Claire desperately punches the "talk" button again..."NO
SERVICE."  She's past the center of the bridge.  She looks
again:  "ROAM."  Claire punches the talk button again.

SMASH!

A TRAILER CRANK punches through the window.  Norman's arm
follows, coiling like a python around Claire's neck, his grim
visage pressed against the glass.

She squashes down the accelerator.

EXT.  BRIDGE - NIGHT

The trailer starts to weave from side to side, swerving the
pickup.  Claire chokes, then blacks out.

EXT.  BRIDGE - NIGHT

The Pickup and trailer smash through the railing, barreling
over bumpy terrain straight toward the BOAT RAMP.

The truck hits the water at fifty and Norman is hurtled
through the rear window and into the passenger side
dashboard.

INT.  PICKUP - MOMENTS LATER

Claire is unconscious in the driver's seat, a trickle of
blood runs from her nose.  Norman stirs briefly as Claire
groggily comes to.  She hears the hissing of the smashed
radiator, then sees Norman, a shattered bloody mess on the
floor of the cab.

She leans over to see if he's dead, hears a squeak and
realizes that the pickup, with the BATTERED SAILBOAT AND
TRAILER miraculously still attached, is rolling deeper into
the water.

Before she can get the door open, the truck is half
submerged.  She frantically manages to lower her window
halfway and starts to pull herself out.

Her ribs have just cleared the glass when a bloody fist locks
onto her ankle and yanks her inside.  Norman pulls her down
until they're face to face.

                     CLAIRE
          Norman...NO...

She yanks the emergency brake, but it's too late...the
submerged wheels lock and slide slowly down the mossy ramp.
The truck is nearly submerged.

                     CLAIRE
               (desperately)
          Norman, please...

The water is up to the windows.  Norman shakes his head
slowly as he blinks away blood from his eyes.

                     CLAIRE
          Think of Caitlin...

Water sprays in through the hole in the rear window and
momentarily blinds Norman.  Claire jerks free and scrambles
out of the driver's side window as the truck sinks.

Just as she's free of the window, she jerks to a stop.  She
looks down and sees Norman, half out of the window, one hand
clamped onto her ankle.

There is a wrenching metallic creak.  The truck lurches
downward...then silence.  IT DOESN'T SINK.  The boat buoys it
like a fishing cork as it drifts out into the lake.

The headlights pierce the darkness of the steep underwater
drop off.  Claire tries to swim free, but Norman's not
letting go.

Suddenly metal snaps and the truck pops free of the trailer.
It hurtles downwards and the still-glowing headlights
reveal...

MADISON'S SUBMERGED MUSTANG

SMASH!

When the front of the pickup lands on the hood of the car,
the Mustang's windshield shatters.  A PALE SHAPE FLOATS
UPWARD.

Norman is suddenly entangled by something.  He tries to brush
it free but comes face-to-face with MADISON'S GHASTLY,
DECOMPOSED FACE.  The last of his air bellows out of him in a
scream as he releases Claire's ankle.

His dead staring face separates from Madison's as the truck
slowly tilts back and sinks to the bottom.

EXT.  LAKE - DAWN

Claire breaks the surface with a huge intake of air.

                                                      CUT TO:

UNDERWATER - DAWN

The sound of a furious cello solo.

COLD STARING EYES

Norman, half out of the truck, arms floating.

Follow his eyes to THE PALE CORPSE, drifting above, tethered
to the Mustang by an old seat belt around her ankle.

Move through the murky water toward the corpse's clothed
back.  As she twists into view...

MORPHS INTO:  MADISON'S PALE BEAUTIFUL FACE...at peace.

Camera drifts, moves upward and breaks the surface as the
distant lights of EMERGENCY VEHICLES approach.

                                                      CUT TO:

FINGERS

...filled with moist earth.  A hand tosses the clump of dirt
onto...

EXT.  CEMETERY - DAY

A CASKET

Widen to reveal Claire, dressed in black, stepping away from
the grave.  A tiny arm snakes around her waist.  She glances
down to see Caitlin, her eyes shining, clasping her mother
tightly.  Claire takes a last look into the grave.

                     CLAIRE
          Rest in peace.

THE GRAVESTONE - MADISON ELIZABETH FRANK

Mother and daughter turn and step back.  Next to them, also
in black, is MRS. FRANK.

                                                      CUT TO:

FINGERS

Racing across the neck of a cello.  The solo continues and
now reaches the difficult transition that had stumped Claire
before.

WIDEN TO REVEAL

INT.  A LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Claire, her hair short and sexy, eyes tightly shut, brow
beaded with sweat.  The piece builds to a dark, passionate
crescendo.

Her eyes remain shut for a moment, then flutter open.

CLAIRE'S POV

A New York apartment, the glimmering skyline visible through
a large window.  Cooper gazes up attentively.

Claire sips a glass of wine, her face unsmiling, but serene.

                                                    FADE OUT.

                           THE END
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