Storm of the Century Read online

  55 EXTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.

  We can barely see it for the thickly falling snow.

  56 INTERIOR: A CORNER OF THE TOWN HALL BASEMENT.

  This is kid country. PIPPA HATCHER, HARRY ROBICHAUX, HEIDI ST. PIERRE, and FRANK BRIGHT

  are already asleep. MOLLY is sitting on the side of RALPHIE'S bed. RALPHIE is pretty sleepy.

  Outside, THE WIND GUSTS NOISILY. The building, although brick, CREAKS. MOLLY looks up.

  RALPHIE

  We won't blow away, will we? Like the house of straw and the house of twigs?

  MOLLY

  No, because the town hall's made of bricks, just like the third little pig's house. The storm can huff and puff all night long, and we'll still be safe.

  RALPHIE

  (sleepy) Is Daddy safe?

  162 STEPHEN KING

  MOLLY Yes. Safe as can be.

  She kisses the fairy-saddle birthmark on the bridge of his nose.

  RALPHIE

  He won't let the bad man get out and hurt us, will he?

  MOLLY Nope. I promise.

  DON BEALS

  (angry, yelling voice) Put me down! Stop it! Leave me alone!

  MOLLY turns toward:

  57 INTERIOR: THE STAIRS TO THE BASEMENT NIGHT.

  SANDRA BEALS is trudging down them, carrying a kicking, squealing DON in her arms. The expression on her face suggests that she is used to such tantrums . . . too used to them, perhaps.

  As she reaches the foot of the stairs, MOLLY comes hurrying to help, and DON finally succeeds in squirming free of his mother's grasp. He's tired and furious, exhibiting the sort of behavior that causes young marrieds to resolve never to have children.

  MOLLY Need some help?

  SANDRA BEALS (with a tired smile) No . . . he's just a little scratchy . . .

  DON BEALS My daddy puts me to bed, not you!

  SANDRA Donnie, honey . . .

  140

  He kicks her. It's a child's kick, delivered by a sneaker, but it hurts.

  STORM OF THE CENTURY 163

  DON

  (spits it) My daddy! Not you!

  For a moment we see real loathing for this child on MOLLY'S face. She reaches out DON cringes away from her a little, eyes narrowing

  SANDRA

  Molly, no!

  but MOLLY only turns him around and gives him a swat on the fanny.

  MOLLY

  (pleasant as pie) Go upstairs. Wait for your daddy.

  DON BEALS, charming to the end, BLOWS A RASPBERRY at MOLLY, showering her with droplets of spittle. Then he scampers upstairs. The two women watch him go, SANDRA embarrassed over her son's behavior, MOLLY pulling herself back together. We should see that, good mom and day-care teacher or no, it at least crossed her mind to slap the little snothead's face for him, instead of swatting him lightly on the butt.

  SANDRA

  I'm sorry, Moll. I thought he might be ready. He's . . . he's used to having his dad tuck him in at night.

  MOLLY

  Better let him stay up I think Buster's still running around up there, too. They'll play tag for a while and then fall asleep in a corner somewhere.

  During this, they walk back into the kiddie area, lowering their voices as they go.

  SANDRA

  As long as he didn't disturb anyone . . .

  MOLLY Nah, they're out like lights.

  164 STEPHEN KING

  And that includes RALPHIE. MOLLY pulls the blanket up to his chin and kisses the corner of his mouth. SANDRA looks at this enviously.

  SANDRA

  I worry about Donnie sometimes. I love him, but I worry about him, too.

  MOLLY

  They go through stages, Sandy. Don may have his . . . his unlovely moments now, but in the end he'll be fine.

  She's dubious, though, hoping what she says is true but not really believing it. Outside, the WIND

  SCREAMS. The two women look up uneasily . . . and SANDRA gives in to a sudden urge to confide.

  SANDRA

  141

  I'm leaving Robbie in the spring. I'm taking Donnie and going back to my folks' on Deer Isle. I didn't think I'd made up my mind for sure, but ... I guess I have.

  MOLLY looks at her with a combination of sympathy and confusion. Doesn't know how to respond.

  58 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL KITCHEN NIGHT.

  This is a pretty well equipped place a lot of bean suppers and holiday meals have been prepared here. Now a number of WOMEN are bustling around, making ready for tomorrow's storm center breakfast. One of them is MRS. KINGSBURY; another is JOANNA STANHOPE. JOANNA'S mother-in-law sits by the door like a queen, overseeing the proceedings. CAT WITHERS comes into the room, dressed for outdoors.

  MRS. KINGSBURY Going to help Billy?

  CAT

  Yes, ma'am.

  MRS. KINGSBURY

  See if there's any oatmeal on the very back shelf. And tell Billy to remember the juice.

  STORM OF THE CENTURY 165

  CORA

  Oh, I imagine he don't have any problem in the juice department. Does he?

  CORA, who has no idea of what happened when LINOGE was brought through the store, and consequently has no idea of the trouble that's now between CAT and BILLY, gives a nasty old woman's chuckle. CAT is not amused. She crosses to the back door. Her face what we can see of it between her pulled-up scarf and pulled-down hat is careworn and unhappy. Yet she's determined to talk to BILLY and to save the relationship if she can.

  59 EXTERIOR: THE REAR OF THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.

  Here is a snow-covered, drifted-in walk leading to a small brick annex the supply shed. The shed door is open, and the faint light of a Coleman lantern drifts out into the blowing snow, showing us a wide, flat track, which is already drifting over.

  THE CAMERA moves into this shed, and we see BILLY SOAMES, also bundled up, putting supplies onto the toboggan he has pulled out here. Mostly they're the concentrates URSULA spoke of pour water over the powder and then gag it down but there are also cartons filled with packages of cereal, a basket of apples, and several bags of potatoes.

  CAT (voice-over) Billy?

  He turns.

  60 INTERIOR: THE SUPPLY SHED NIGHT.

  CAT is standing in the doorway. BILLY looks back at her. Their breath SMOKES in the uncertain light of the gas lantern. There is a vast gulf of distrust between them now.

  CAT

  Can I talk to you?

  BILLY

  I guess. Why not?

  142

  166 STEPHEN KING

  CAT

  Billy, I

  BILLY

  Is it true, what he said? Let's talk about that. Did you go up Derry and have an abortion?

  She says nothing. It's answer enough.

  BILLY

  I guess that's all the talk we need, isn't it? I guess that says it all.

  He deliberately turns away from her and starts rummaging on the shelves again. CAT reacts to this with frustrated anger and enters the shed, stepping over the half-loaded toboggan to get to him.

  CAT Don't you want to know why?

  BILLY

  Not particularly. It was ours at least I guess it was and it's dead. Guess that's all I need to know.

  CAT is angrier than ever. She's forgetting she came out here to save the village, not destroy it.

  Given his attitude, that's maybe not surprising.

  CAT

  You asked me one; I'll ask you one. What about Jenna Freeman?

  There's a challenging tone in her voice. BILLY'S hands freeze on the cans he's been sorting.

  These are cafeteria-sized cans of apple juice. Each label reads "McCALL'S BRAND" above a picture of a ripe apple. Below the apple are the words "GRADE A FANCY." BILLY turns to CAT, chin pugnaciously forward.

  BILLY Why do you ask, if you already know?

  CAT

  Maybe to get that Little Minister look off your face. Yeah, I STORM OF THE CENTURY 167

  knew. The biggest tramp on the coast, an
d you chasing her like she was on fire and you wanted to put her out.

  BILLY It wasn't like that.

  CAT Then what was it like? Tell me.

  No answer from BILLY. He's got his back to the shelves now; he's facing her, but he won't meet her eyes.

  CAT

  I don't understand it I never told you no. Never once did I tell you no. And still . . . Billy, how many times a day do you itch?

  BILLY

  143

  What has that got to do with our baby? The one I had to hear about from a stranger, and in front of half the town?

  CAT

  I knew who you were running with, don't you get that? How was I supposed to trust you to do the right thing? How was I supposed to trust you at all?

  BILLY doesn't reply. His jaw is set. If there is truth in what she's saying, he's not seeing it. Won't see it, likely.

  CAT

  Do you know what it's like to find out you're pregnant one week, and that your boyfriend is spending his afternoons with the town pump the next?

  She's now right in his face, shouting up at him.

  BILLY

  (shouting back)

  That baby was half mine! You went up to Deny and murdered it, and it was half mine!

  168 STEPHEN KING

  CAT

  (jeering) Yeah, sure. Now that it's gone, it's half yours.

  61 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURING LINOGE NIGHT.

  The five men MIKE, HATCH, KIRK, JACK, and ROBBIE are gathered around the desk, while MIKE tries to reach the Machias state police on the radio. HATCH is watching MIKE, but the rest can't keep their eyes off LINOGE.

  Suddenly the prisoner sits up, his eyes widening. JACK elbows MIKE to get his attention. MIKE

  turns to look. As he does, LINOGE extends one hand with the forefinger pointed down. He revolves it once in the air.

  62 INTERIOR: SUPPLY SHED, WITH CAT AND BILLY NIGHT.

  BILLY turns back to the shelf, so his back is to her. This move exactly mimes the turning gesture LINOGE made with his finger.

  BILLY

  What's that supposed to mean?

  CAT

  That I'm not stupid. If I'd come to you when you were still chasing after Jenna, I know what you would have thought "Little bitch got herself pregnant just to make sure I wouldn't get away."

  BILLY You did a whole lot of my thinking for me, didn't you?

  CAT

  You ought to thank me! You sure haven't been doing much for yourself!

  BILLY

  And what about the baby? The one you murdered? How much thinking did you do about the baby?

  144

  (no reply from CAT) Get out of here. I can't stand listening to you.

  STORM OF THE CENTURY 169

  CAT

  Dear God. You're unfaithful, and that's bad, but you're a coward, and that's worse too chicken to own up to the part of this that belongs to you. I thought maybe I could save us, but there's nothing to save. You're only a stupid kid, after all.

  She turns to go. BILLY'S face cramps with rage. He stands facing the shelves, and now he sees: 63 INTERIOR: THE CANS OF JUICE, FROM BILLY'S POINT OF VIEW.

  "McCALL'S BRAND" at the top has been replaced by "McCANE'S BRAND." The ripe apple on the labels has been replaced by a black cane with a silver wolfs head. And instead of "GRADE A FANCY,"

  each can reads "GRADE A BITCHY."

  64 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURES LINOGE. LINOGE puts out his hand and MIMES GRIPPING AN OBJECT.

  KIRK

  What's he doing?

  MIKE shakes his head. He doesn't know.

  65 INTERIOR: THE STORAGE SHED, WITH BILLY AND CAT.

  He takes one of the cans off the shelf, gripping it like a club as CAT, headed for the door, steps over the half-loaded toboggan behind him.

  66 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURES LINOGE.

  MIKE What's up, sir? Mind telling me?

  LINOGE takes no notice. He's totally absorbed. He makes the twirling gesture with his forefinger again, then scissors his fingers in the air to mime WALKING.

  67 INTERIOR: THE SHED, WITH BILLY AND CAT.

  She's at the door, back to him, when BILLY turns with the big can of apple juice. He steps toward her

  170 STEPHEN KING

  68 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.

  MIKE walks toward the cell as LINOGE gets to his feet and raises his arm above his head. His hand is cupped, as if holding an object that only he can see.

  69 INTERIOR: THE SHED, WITH BILLY AND CAT.

  As CAT steps out into the storm, BILLY raises the can over his head.

  70 INTERIOR: THE CELL, WITH LINOGE.

  He raises his other hand, now MIMING A TWO-HANDED GRIP.

  71 EXTERIOR: OUTSIDE THE SUPPLY SHED, WITH CAT NIGHT.

  She stands just outside the door on the rapidly disappearing toboggan track. She wipes the tears from her cheeks with her gloved palms, then readjusts her scarf.

  145

  It gives BILLY plenty of time. He appears behind her in the doorway with the can raised over his head in both hands, his face twisted into a hateful grimace.

  72 INTERIOR: THE CELL, WITH LINOGE.

  MIKE stands outside the bars, looking at his prisoner with perplexity and fear. The other men huddle behind him. LINOGE ignores them all and BRINGS HIS HANDS DOWN.

  73 EXTERIOR: THE SUPPLY SHED, WITH BILLY AND CAT.

  BILLY almost does it. We see the heavy can of apple juice actually start an arc of descent that would mime the one described by LINOGE'S hands, and then it stops. The expression of BLIND

  RAGE on BILLY'S face breaks up into one of bewilderment and horror my God, he's almost caved her skull in! *

  CAT neither knows nor intuits any of this. She begins trudging back toward the town hall with her head lowered and the ends of her scarf blowing in the gale.

  STORM OF THE CENTURY 171

  74 INTERIOR: THE CELL, WITH LINOGE.

  He's still bent over, his linked hands swinging by his knees, the picture of a man who has just delivered a hard blow with a heavy object. But he knows he's failed. His face is BEADED WITH

  SWEAT, and his eyes are hot with fury.

  LINOGE She's right. You are a coward.

  MIKE

  What in the hell are you

  LINOGE

  (roaring) Shut up!

  On the table, one of the Coleman gas lamps BLOWS APART, glass spraying. The men by the desk CRINGE.

  LINOGE wheels around, looking wild and distracted more like a tiger in a cage than ever and then throws himself facedown on the cot, with his arms wrapped around his head. He's MUTTERING.

  MIKE leans as close as the cell bars will allow, listening.

  LINOGE The back step . . . the back step ... by the back step . . .

  75 EXTERIOR: THE BACK STEPS OF THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.

  We're looking through the snow-filled panes into the kitchen, where CORA still sits, observing the bustle of JOANNA and MRS. KINGS-BURY. They have now been joined by CARLA ST. PIERRE and ROBERTA COIGN these two are loading the dishwasher. It all looks cozy and pleasant, especially given the HOWLING WIND and DRIVING SNOW just outside.

  THE CAMERA PANS DOWN. Beside the snow-covered stoop is a milk storage box. And leaning against the milk box, buried to half its length in a snowdrift, is LINOGE'S CANE. The wolf's head glares.

  172 STEPHEN KING

  CAT'S GLOVED HAND comes down and touches the silver head. One finger runs over the wolfs snarling muzzle.

  76 EXTERIOR: CAT, CLOSE-UP NIGHT. Wide-eyed. Fascinated.

  146

  77 INTERIOR: THE CELL, WITH LINOGE NIGHT.

  Still facedown on his bunk, arms wrapped around his head, MUTTERING RAPIDLY. CHANTING.

  MIKE doesn't know what's going on, but he knows it's bad news.

  MIKE Stop it, Linoge!

  LINOGE pays no attention. If anything, the RAPID MUMBLE of his words SPEEDS UP.

  78 EXTERIOR: THE BACK STOOP OF THE TOWN H
ALL NIGHT.

  CAT is gone, but we can see her tracks where she turned around and headed back to the supply shed again.

  V

  The cane is gone, too. Blowing snow is rapidly softening the edges of the hole where its barrel was shoved into the snowbank.

  79 INTERIOR: THE SUPPLY SHED, FEATURING BILLY NIGHT.

  He's squatting to one side of the toboggan, which is now completely loaded. He spreads a piece of tarp over the goods, then begins to secure this with a couple of pieces of elasticized cord.

  We can't see the doorway from this angle, but we see the SHADOW SHAPE that falls over him . . .

  and we also see the SHADOW OF THE CANE when it extends itself from the human shape and begins to rise. The movement attracts BILLY'S eye, as well. He shifts position . . . looks up ...