Épisode Continuum S02E12 - American Horror Story Saison 2

Résumé long de l'épisode 212 "Continuum"

1967

Une maison sombre la nuit.

La camera s’approche de photos de famille, c’est Kit avec ses deux femmes - Alma et Grace - et leurs bébés - Julia et Thomas. Nous entendons des bruits. Quelqu’un souffle. Puis on découvre Kit en sous-vêtements, couvert de sang et debout à côté de quelque chose, tenant une hache sanglante entre ses mains. Il va s’asseoir, il semble épuisé.

La maison de Kit en plein jour

Grace dessine furieusement le portrait d’un extra-terrestre tandis que Thomas et Julia jouent à proximité. Kit rentre à la maison et dit bonjour aux deux femmes.

Plus tard dans la nuit, Alma seule avec Kit lui confie que Grace est obsédée par leur enlèvement. Alma pense que Grace est malheureuse et qu'il devrait passer plus de temps avec elle. Kit va rejoindre Grace dans sa chambre et la trouve encore en train de dessiner un extra-terrestre. Elle lui explique qu’elle le fait pour leurs enfants, qu’ils ont besoin de savoir d'où ils viennent. Elle n'a pas peur des extra-terrestres, mais de perdre à nouveau le contrôle comme la nuit où elle a tué sa famille. Kit la rassure en lui disant qu’elle est une personne différente maintenant.

Alma peut entendre Kit et Grace faire l’amour dans la chambre voisine. Soudain, les lumières s'éteignent. Alma pense que ce sont les extra-terrestres, mais quelqu'un jette un cocktail Molotov à travers leur fenêtre et Kit aperçoit un camion. Kit sait que c'était Billy, mais la police ne va pas les aider, en raison de la polygamie de Kit. Alma pleure seule dans sa chambre car elle a cru que les extra-terrestre revenaient.

Un autre jour, Alma en veut à Grace de parler des extra-terrestres comme si c'était une sorte d'expérience religieuse. Son enlèvement a été terrible pour elle, et pour Kit, qui juste après a été accusé d’être Bloody Face. Tandis que Grace est ravie d’avoir été ressuscitée et d’avoir eu un fils. Grace est certaine que les extra-terrestres vont revenir un jour pour Kit et les enfants. Quand Grace demande à Alma si elle veut que sa fille grandisse en ayant honte d’elle, Alma la gifle. Kit qui rentre à ce moment-là avec le bois qu’il vient de couper veut une réunion de famille, mais Grace dit qu’elle a déjà eu son compte.

La nuit, Kit sort du lit de la chambre d’Alma et va dans le salon où Grace est encore en train de dessiner. Elle raconte à Kit qu'elle les aime, lui, les enfants et Alma et qu’elle aime sa vie, mais que quelque chose a changé. Elle ne veut plus vivre dans la peur et l'isolement, plus jamais. Elle veut embrasser l'avenir.

Soudain, elle s'arrête de parler. Alma vient de lui planter la hache dans le dos. Elle bredouille quelque chose à propos de Grace qui souhaitait le retour des extra-terrestres dans leur famille. Kit écarte Alma et se penche sur Grace, mais elle est morte. Il enlève la hache de son dos.

Puis il va s’assoir (c’est la scène d'ouverture).

1968

Asyle

Salle commune

Jude et Pepper jouent à Candyland avec d’autres malades. A la télévision le Président Johnson annonce que Martin Luther King a été assassiné. Un patient tape sur le poste de télévision et Jude intervient puis dit gentiment à Pepper que les médicaments de ce patient doivent être ajustés. Mgr Howard demande à lui parler. Sœur Jude est désormais appelée Betty Drake puisque Jude est censée être morte. Mgr Howard lui annonce qu'il a été nommé cardinal, et que l'Eglise a cédé le contrôle de Briarcliff au comté qui va s’en servir pour désengorger les prisons. Il promet de la faire libérer.

Dans la boulangerie

Jude est effrayée quand elle reconnaît l'une des nouvelles détenues transférées par le comté : l'Ange de la Mort. La nouvelle annonce qu’elle compte régner sur Briarcliff et menace Jude. Jude pense que l’Ange de la Mort est venue pour la tuer.

Dans l’escalier

Pepper dit à Jude de ne pas donner trop de crédit aux promesses de Monseigneur Howard. De nombreux patients continuent d’arriver, dont Alma.

Dans l’aile des chambres

Plus tard ce jour-là, Jude est raccompagnée à sa chambre et découvre sa nouvelle "colocataire" : l'Ange de la Mort. Elle déclare que tout dans la chambre lui appartient, y compris Jude. Elle avance vers Jude, qui garde ses distances et lui dit de rester loin d’elle.

Le lendemain

Salle commune

La nouvelle colocataire de Jude reproche à un patient d’avoir avalé ses médicaments au lieu de les lui donner. Elle le poignarde et envoie un baiser en direction de Jude.

Chambre de Jude

Jude se réveille dans son lit et voit l'Ange de la mort, en costume noir, s’approcher pour lui donner un baiser mortel. Elle la repousse et se bat avec elle. Quand les gardes arrivent, Jude s’acharne sur une détenue, qui n’est pas l'Ange.

Ancien bureau de Sœur Jude

Jude est assise dans une camisole de force dans le bureau du Dr Miranda Crump. Elle est confuse, et elle a du mal à le croire lorsque le Dr Crump lui dit qu'elle a eu cinq colocataires en deux mois. Elle pose des questions sur Monseigneur et mentionne sa libération. Le Dr Crump dit que Timothy Howard a été nommé cardinal il y a deux ans et demi, à l'époque où l'Eglise a fait don de Briarcliff. Jude pense qu'elle lui a parlé lundi. Jude dit que Pepper peut témoigner de la promesse qu’il lui a faite, et le Docteur lui répond qu'elle est morte en 1966.

1969

Dans une librairie

La libraire présente au public Lana Winters, l’auteur de "Maniac: One Woman's Story of Survival " qui a été sur la liste des meilleurs ventes du New York Times pendant 10 semaines. Elle lit un passage de celui-ci, se souvenant de sa captivité qui a duré un temps infini dans le sous-sol du Dr Thredson, mais elle rajoute des éléments. Elle se souvient d’une autre femme ramenée au sous-sol.

Soudain Lana imagine le Dr Thredson debout dans l'auditoire l’accusant d’avoir menti. Elle se défend en disant qu’en tant qu’écrivain son travail est de dire « l'essence de la vérité ». Puis c’est Wendy qui lui reproche d’avoir fait d’elle une simple « colocataire ». Lana lui répond que ce n’était pas le sujet du livre. Thredson l'accuse d'être seulement intéressée par la gloire. Lana essuie des larmes sur son visage. Le public applaudit.

Plus tard, lors de la signature de livre, Lana malmène son assistante.

Soudain elle est surprise en levant les yeux vers la personne suivante. C'est Kit. Elle dit qu'elle est désolée à propos de Grace et a voulu écrire, mais a été débordée. Elle vient de vendre les droits cinématographiques de son livre. Ils vont boire un café et Lana parle d'elle. Elle va écrire un livre sur Leigh "Bad Santa" Emerson. Il a tué sept religieuses après s'être échappé. Kit demande pourquoi elle le fait. Kit lui rappelle qu'elle a promis de faire tomber Briarcliff et de sauver Jude. Elle dit que les gens changent.

Kit lui dit alors qu’Alma a été conduite à Briarcliff.

On voit Kit rendre visite à Alma à Briarcliff. La situation a encore empiré. Dans la salle commune un patient joue avec son cathéter et deux autres malades ont des relations sexuelles dans un coin.

Lana ne savait pas pour Alma. Kit lui annonce qu’elle est morte.

On voit Kit près du lit de mort d'Alma. Son cœur s'est arrêté. Il s'excuse et promet de faire les choses correctement.

Kit dit qu’il reste l'un d'entre eux : Jude. Lana dit que c’est impossible, qu’elle a vu son certificat de décès. Mais Kit l’a vue.

On voit à nouveau Kit à Briarcliff. Les conditions se sont clairement détériorées. Les détenus sont entassés partout, tout est mal entretenu. Dans la salle commune, Jude réquisitionne la télévision pour regarder son «histoire». Kit s'approche d'elle, mais elle ne le reconnaît pas. Elle montre la télévision, en disant qu'ils ont volé son histoire. Elle regarde "The Flying Nun." Elle se balance sur son siège. Elle est folle.

Lana explique à Kit que Monseigneur Howard lui avait dit que Jude était morte. Kit veut qu'elle fasse quelque chose pour faire fermer Briarcliff mais Lana dit que ce n’est plus son problème. L'assistante de Lana les interrompt pour la ramener à la signature du livre.

De nos jours

En ville

Le fils de Bloody Face, Johnny Morgan, fume du crack dans sa voiture.

Plus tard il se rend dans une librairie, il cherche à acheter un exemplaire original et dédicacé de "Maniac". La vieille femme dit que c'est l’exemplaire personnel de sa mère et qu’il n’est pas à vendre. Johnny lui dit qu'il est le fils de Lana Winters, mais elle répond que l'enfant de Lana est mort à la naissance. Il demande à voir le livre.

La femme le lui montre. Il insiste sur le fait que c'est son destin de posséder ce livre. C'est son destin de se présenter à Lana en disant qu’il est dans son livre, sauf qu’il n’est pas mort, qu’il est celui qu’elle a jeté à la poubelle il y a 48 ans, qu’il est son fils. Puis il explique qu'il sortira son 0,9 mm et tirera. Mais avant d’achever le travail de son père, il a besoin du livre.

La femme très nerveuse le lui remet.

[Fin de l'épisode]

1967

(Scenes of a darkened house at night, and family photos of Kit with his two wives -- Alma and Grace -- and their babies.)

(panting)

(loud panting)

(We see Kit, in his underwear, covered in blood and standing over something holding a bloody ax.)

Child: Daddy?

Kit: Daddy'll be there in a minute.

-[OPENING CREDITS]-

1967

Kit’s house

Day

(children chattering indistinctly)

(Grace scribbles a drawing of an alien, children play nearby.)

Alma: Spring is officially here. The baby asparagus are out. You know, I think we should put in corn this year. It'd be great for the kids. They could play hide and seek in the corn patch. We could make a scarecrow.

Baby: Mommy?

Alma: Julia! Hey, Thomas, what are you? Um, Grace, can you save the the toilet paper? Earth to Grace?

Grace: Does this look like the doctor? (her drawing)

Alma: I don't remember.

(♪ live for today ♪

Sha-la, la-la, la-la, live for today ♪)

(Kids talking, laughing)

Grace: Ooh! Hey, let's make a big building.

(♪ Sha-la, la-la, la-la ♪)

Alma: Daddy's home!

Kit: How's my two rug rats? How you doing, baby? How was your day?

Alma: It was good.

Kit: This march is gonna be amazing! These people are really inspiring. They're so organized, and there's lots of professors and college grads. You wouldn't believe the great people out there fighting the good fight.

Alma: Two toddlers at the march. Sounds like hell to me.

Kit: So we'll stick 'em in their strollers! We're gonna march all the way from Roxbury to the Boston Common as a family, and there'll be thousands of people just like us. Back me up here, Grace!

Grace: I can stay here with them.

Alma: Do you think those pictures might be too much for the kids?

(♪ Sha-la, la-la, la-la, live for today ♪

♪Hey, hey ♪)

Kit: Come here, little guy. Come here. (grunts with effort) I will say this, Grace. You're really talented.

(Kit talking playfully to Baby Thomas.)

Alma’s bedroom

(Later that night, Kit alone with Alma.)

Kit: I must be losing my touch.

Alma: No, you still got it. (sighs)

Kit: What, is this about Grace?

Alma: In the last few weeks, everything she draws is aliens and the abduction. She's obsessed-- it's all she ever talks about.

Kit: Something you never talk about at all. Everybody processes things differently. Grace is just trying to work through what they did to her in her own way.

Alma: No. She's dwelling on the past because she's unhappy in the present. You need to spend more time with her.

Kit: We're not on a schedule, Alma. I'm not punching a time clock. We're just trying to do what comes natural.

Alma: She needs you, Kit. Go to her.

Grace’s bedroom

(Grace's drawing another alien.)

Kit: You're up late.

Grace: Had to get it down on paper before it disappears from my head. Is this how you remember it?

Kit: I guess so.

Grace: I'm not doing it for me. It's for our children, Kit. They need to know where they came from.

Kit: Alma's worried.

Grace: She wants to forget the past. But those are not the memories I'm scared of. Memories of that black night. Those feelings, when I lost control of myself. That's what makes me afraid.

Kit: You're a different person now.

(Alma can hear the sounds of their love making in the next room.)

(Distant tapping)

(Suddenly, the lights go out.)

Alma: Kit?

(Screeching)

(Electrical buzzing)

Alma: Kit?! Kit?! Kit, it's them! They've come for us! Don't let them take us.

Grace: Help me with the babies!

(Someone throws a Molotov cocktail through their window.)

Kit: Shit! You got it?

Grace: Yeah.

Man: Come on out!

Kit: Those bastards!

(siren blaring, car door closing)

Kit: I know who tried to burn down my house. It was Billy and his friends. Billy Marshall.

Officer Woods: I thought you said you were inside when it happened. Did you see him?

Kit: Not exactly, but it was his truck.

Officer Woods: There are lots of trucks, Mr. Walker.

(Alma cries.)

Kit: I know he did it. If you don't arrest him, I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect my family.

Officer Woods: I heard about your family. You're the father of two children. One Caucasian, one Negro.

Kit: What does that got to do with anything?

Officer Woods: You know polygamy is illegal in the state of Massachusetts.

Kit: Police are going to be no help. Where's Alma?

Grace: She's crying in her room. She thought it was the creatures coming back for her. She's inconsolable.

Kit: You okay?

Grace: I'm strong, remember?

(Alma sobbing.)

Kit: I better go to her.

Grace: That's what I was thinking. Go.

Another day

Grace [speaking in French]: D’où est-ce que tu viens ? D’où est-ce que tu viens, Thomas ? D’où est-ce que tu viens ? (Thomas raises his arm.) Oui ! Good! Dessine-le pour Maman. Dessine-moi comment tu t’en rappelles.

(thudding, Julia cries.)

Alma : (to Grace) Don't worry about it.

(“Eve of Destruction” playing)

Alma: (to Julia) Okay. Okay. All right.

Grace: What's wrong with you? Is it because Kit has been spending more time with me?

Alma: That was my idea, remember?

Grace: Ever since those boys attacked us…

Alma: I don't care about those boys.

Grace: So it's me.

Alma: I'm done with the alien talk. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and you act like it was a religious experience.

Grace: Because it was. Alma… They brought me back to life. They gave us these amazing children. How can you not be grateful?

Alma: Grateful?! They snatched me from this house, stripped me down, threw me on a metal slab and stuck metal probes inside of me.

Grace: Hey, this is good. You need to talk about it. Maybe together, we can understand what it meant.

Alma: It meant nothing, Grace! It was senseless cruelty. They were like little boys plucking wings off a butterfly.

Grace: No, I don't believe that for a second. They're so far ahead of us. These children are our living proof. Some day, they'll come back for them.

Alma: No. Listen, Grace. I don't want them to come back. And these children have nothing to do with them. If you do anything to try and call them back here

Grace: Of course they'll come back for Kit. They chose him because his mind is so open, because he has incredible empathy for every living thing.

Alma: Do not talk to me about Kit. I married him, remember? Before all of this madness, we lived together in this house, as husband and wife.

Grace: You really think your life was so much better before?

Alma: Before my husband brought home an axe murderer? Yes. They locked you away for a reason, Grace.

Grace: Well, at least I wasn't the one locking myself away. Is this the way you want Julia to grow up? Ashamed of who she is? (Alma backhands her.)

Alma: Grace, I am so sorry. I've never done that before.

(Kit walks in from chopping wood.)

Kit: What's going on? Let's have a family meeting.

Grace: I'm done. No more meetings.

(♪ We're on the eve of destruction… ♪)

Thomas: Mommy?

Grace: Yeah.

Kit: Grace?

(Grace leaves with Thomas.)

(At night, Kit gets out of bed with Alma and goes into the living room where Grace is drawing again.)

Kit: Do you ever sleep?

Grace: Not if I can help it. I've spent my whole life asleep and locked away. So much time already wasted. I won't waste another moment.

Kit: I understand.

Grace: I know you do. I love you, Kit. And Alma. And our sweet, beautiful miracle babies. Our life here has been more precious than I could have dreamed. But something's changed. I won't live in fear and isolation. Not anymore. Not again. The future is coming, Kit, no matter what. We can't hide from it. We have to engage with it. We have to embrace it. Locked doors and shuttered windows won't keep it out. Alma needs to understand that. We have to open…

(Alma has buried an ax into Grace’s back.)

Kit: Alma! What are you doing?! Alma! What have you done?!

Alma: She wanted to bring them back into our home! I couldn't let her. We have to… we have to hide. We have to hide. Kit, we have to hide.

(He removes the ax from her back (the opening scene).)

Thomas: Daddy?

Kit: Daddy'll be there in a minute.

1968

Asylum

Common area

(Jude and Pepper play Candyland with some of the patients.)

Pepper: Your move, boss.

Announcer: (TV) We interrupt this program to bring you an emergency broadcast from President Johnson.

Jude: Snake eyes. Gum Drop Mountain is mine, chickens.

President Johnson: (TV) America is shocked and saddened by the brutal slaying tonight of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Jude: If you want to get through Peppermint Stick Forest, you got to go through me.

President Johnson: (TV) I ask every citizen to reject the blind violence…

Jude: Percy! Knock it off!

President Johnson: that has struck Dr. King, who lived by non-violence

Jude: (to Pepper) His lithium levels are way too high. Dr. Miller should check them, okay?

Pepper: Mm-hmm.

President Johnson: I pray that his family can find comfort in the memory of all he tried to do for the land…

Jude: Martha. Your move.

Mgr. Howard: Jude. May I have a word, please?

Jude: (to Pepper) Do you hear something? Hmm? Hmph. He couldn't mean me. Jude is dead. I was renamed what was it? Betty Drake. Yeah, Betty Drake.

Mgr. Howard: Please, Jude, don't be childish.

Jude: Childish? Hell, I'm the queen of Candy Land.

Mgr. Howard: A short audience, Your Majesty.

Jude: You're leaving Briarcliff? But you're not leaving the Church.

Mgr. Howard: On the contrary. I've been appointed Cardinal. Of New York.

Jude: Well, good for you. You had a dream, you made it come true.

Mgr. Howard: You should also know that the Church is relinquishing ownership of Briarcliff. We've donated it to the state. They'll use it as an overflow facility. Jude… I cannot leave here knowing I've left you behind to rot. I'm arranging for your release. I'm gonna get you out. The cruelty ends here.

Jude: The cruelest thing of all, Timothy, is false hope.

Mgr. Howard: I promise. I will make you a believer, Jude.

Pepper: It's your move, boss.

Bakery

(“All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix playing.)

(slow, distorted : ♪ There must be some kind of way out of here ♪

♪ Said the joker to the thief ♪

♪ There's too much confusion… ♪)

(Jude is freaked out when she recognizes one of the new inmates transferred from county: the Angel of Death.)

Jude: What are you doing here?

New inmate: Me and my girls just got transferred in from County.

Jude: I didn't call for you.

New inmate: What? I need an appointment to see Your Highness? Get her. Royalty. Queen bee, or so I hear.

Jude: You don't belong here.

New inmate: Yeah, that's what I told the judge. He disagreed. Hell most of my so-called victims were living off government checks anyway-- spongers. They'd spend their dole on liquor and gambling before I'd ever see a rent check. I thought I was doing the taxpayer a service.

Jude: I know who you are.

New inmate: My reputation precedes me. Good. Then you know how things are going to go around here. You get one chance to be part of this with me.

Jude: What?

New inmate: I hear you're the gal to talk to when it comes to the way things run around here.

You can either rule this roost with me, or just be one more dumb cluck. Think it over.

Stairway

Jude: Storm clouds are gathering, Pepper. I can see them coming on the horizon. I hope the monsignor is true to his promise and acts quickly.

Pepper: You know you can't put stock into his promises, Jude.

Jude: No, you're being too harsh. I saw something in his eyes.

Pepper: There's nothing there.

Jude: More souls to take care of. God help us all.

(More patients come in, including Alma.)

Jude is taken back to her cell

Jude: I'll say a prayer for your mother's speedy recovery, Jorge. Yeah, but you should pray too.

Jorge: Thanks, Betty; I'll do that. Lights out in ten minutes.

New inmate: Hello, gorgeous. I'm on top.

Jude: (to Jorge) What's she doing here?

Jorge: She's your new roommate. Everyone doubles up, Betty.

Jude: No! No. I don't know what song was playing in your head, but I don't want you here. I'm not ready.

New inmate: You lose something, honey?

Jude: Yeah. My cigarettes. (scoffs) You took them.

New inmate: Everything in this cell belongs to me. That includes you.

Jude: Why are you doing this? Why now? I'm so close to getting out.

New inmate: What are you talking about? Everyone knows there's only one way out of Briarcliff, and it ain't the front door.

Jude: You're toying with me.

New inmate: Babycakes, I'm only just starting to toy with you. When I get going, you'll be begging for more. You'll be shaking and moaning.

Jude: You stay away from me.

New inmate: Aw don't be that way. Here. Drag. Calm your frazzled nerves.

Jude: You stay away from me. You just stay away from me! I don't want anything to do with you.

New inmate: You'll change your tune.

Common room

Pepper: You okay, boss? You look a little green around the gills.

Jude: Trouble sleeping. They gave me a roommate.

Pepper: Stacking us up like cord wood.

New inmate: My, my, my. (to Alma) What you doing over here all by your lonesome? Don't go hopping off too far, my little chocolate bunny. (to Percy) Hey, rummy. Marge here says you ain't been cooperating. She says you've been taking your meds.

Percy: My meds. Yes, I took them. Down the hatch. Just 12 pills… keeps the doctor away.

New inmate: No, see, you weren't supposed to take them. You were supposed to squirrel them away I told you how, remember, rummy? I also told you what would happen if you didn't do as I said. Everyone can see you're challenging me, rummy. We can't have that.

(She stabs him with a shiv.)

Percy: Ah! Ah!

(patients clamoring, screaming)

(New inmate blows Jude a kiss.)

Jude’s cell

(Jude wakes up in bed and sees the Angel of Death, in full feathered black garb.)

Angel of Death: Give me a kiss, sweetheart.

Jude: No, get off of me. I don't want to die.

(screaming)

(She fights her off. The guards arrive.)

Jude: She tried to kiss me! She's death! I've seen her before! I've seen her before!

New inmate Crazy goddamn bitch. I ain't rooming with her. She tried to kill me!

Dr. Miranda Crump's office.

Jude: (in a straight jacket) This is wrong. It's all wrong.

Dr. Crump: Betty Drake. What are we going to do with you? Betty Do you know where you are?

Jude: In my o In your office.

Dr. Crump: And do you know who I am?

Jude: Uh Dr. Crump?

Dr. Crump: Correct. I hear you've had a bit of a dustup with your new roommate.

Jude: I was… I.. I thought she I don't like her.

Dr. Crump: You haven't liked any of the women you've roomed with. That's five in two months.

Jude: What?

Dr. Crump: There are no single rooms here at Briarcliff, Betty. You know that. Unless you want to go back to solitary. I know you spent quite a bit of time there when you first arrived, but you don't want to go back there, do you, Betty?

Jude: No.

Dr. Crump: Good. Then I can count on you to make more of an effort to get along with your roommate.

Jude: Has the monsignor left any word?

Dr. Crump: The monsignor?

Jude: I need to speak to him. I need to speak to the monsignor.

Dr. Crump: You mean the hospital chaplain?

Jude: No. No. No. I mean Monsignor Timothy Howard. I spoke to him right before he left for New York. He's working on my release. I need to speak to him.

Dr. Crump: You mean Cardinal Timothy Howard?

Jude: Yeah. Cardinal. He… he told me that he had been appointed Cardinal of New York.

Dr. Crump: Two and a half years ago.

Jude: What?

Dr. Crump: Timothy Howard was appointed Cardinal of New York shortly after the Church donated Briarcliff to the State. Two and a half years ago.

Jude: No. No, I just I... I just talked to him on Monday.

Dr. Crump: You're confused, Betty.

Jude: I am not! I'm not confused. Ask Pepper. She was there.

Dr. Crump: Pepper?

Jude: Pepper. Yeah. The pinhead. She's a friend of mine.

Dr. Crump: Oh, yes, that poor microcephalic creature. You were very upset when she passed.

Jude: (ragged breathing) Passed?

Dr. Crump: Pepper died, Betty. Winter of '66. Shortly after we took over. Don't you remember? It's all right, Betty. I'll talk to Dr. Crayden about upping your chlorpromazine levels. Everything's going to be all right.

1969

Book store

Woman: Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to welcome to Newman's Books the writer of Maniac: One Woman's Story of Survival. It's been on The New York Times Best Seller list for ten weeks now. The book is a sensation, and after devouring it in one sitting, I can honestly say she's my hero. Please welcome my new favorite author, Lana Winters.

(Applause)

Lana: Thank you. Thank you. I've been asked to do a small reading before the signing. So here goes. "How long had it been? 20 minutes? 20 hours? 20 days? In a windowless room without a clock, "time felt like a luxury I couldn't afford. I reminded myself, any moment now, my time could end. And all the minutes I extracted with my lies, with the show of affections and empathy, could slip from my grasp like sand through my fingers. Click, click, click. The fluorescent lights flickered on. Adrenaline coursed through my body. My muscles tensed. My heart pounded through my chest. His appearance was always unexpected. I came to believe he was always watching me, waiting to catch me off guard. But this time, there was more than one coming down the basement steps. Another woman, her hands tied behind her back, staggered in front of him. She stumbled down the stairs, landing hard on the tile floor. And she looked up at me, and it was as if I was looking in a mirror and saw my own despair. That's when he turned to me and said, "'Say hi to our new toy.'"

(Suddenly Lana imagines Dr. Thredson stand up from the audience.)

Dr. Thredson: That's bullshit. That never happened.

Lana: You told me that that's what you were going to do. You tortured me with the idea, that somehow I would be responsible for another victim.

Dr. Thredson: I suggested it-- I never did it.

Lana: Because I escaped before you could.

Dr. Thredson: It's still a lie, Lana. You put it in your book just so you could sell more copies. You sold out.

Lana: I'm a writer. It's my job to tell the essence of truth.

Wendy: Is that why you called me your roommate? I was your lover, but in your book, I was covered in a cloak of asexuality. Our life together disappeared.

Lana: That part of my life wasn't pertinent to the book. It would have distracted the reader from the central theme.

Dr. Thredson: Your theme? Face it, Lana, you're only interested in one thing: fame.

Book seller: Miss Winters?

Lana: I'm sorry. I must have lost my place.

Book seller: No. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through that again. You're so incredibly brave.

(The audience applauds.)

(Later, during the book signing.)

Woman: Thank you.

Lana’s assistant: I couldn't find any snacks.

Lana: Didn't I ask you to pack almonds? This Tab is warm. Jesus.

Lana’s assistant: Uh, they don't have any ice here.

Lana: So then hightail it to the HoJo's across the street.

Lana’s assistant: Okay.

Lana: So who do I make it out to?

Kit: Kit. Kit Walker.

Lana: Oh, my God. Kit Oh, sweetheart. I was so sorry to hear about Grace. I wanted to write to you

Kit: Well, would've been nice to hear from you. Can't lie.

Lana: No, yes, I know, it's just It's been so crazy. I just sold the film rights to Hollywood. Can you believe it?

Kit: Wow.

Lana: Yeah. What do you think of Tuesday Weld as me? (laughing) Well, a girl can dream, right?

Kit: She'd be a great you. Great you. (inhales, clears throat) So, uh, you got time for a cup of coffee?

Café

Lana: Did you see me on Cavett? I was so nervous, but I think I did well. He was very complimentary during the commercials.

Kit: I'm sure you knocked 'em dead. Anyway, you been back to Briarcliff?

Lana: Oh my God, Kit, you are not gonna believe what I'm doing next. A book about Leigh Emerson and his crime spree after he escaped from Briarcliff.

Kit: That psycho who nailed the monsignor to the cross?

Lana: Did you know killed seven nuns? Seven. I thought of calling it "Santa and the Seven Nuns." Too campy?

Kit: Why are you writing about him?!

Lana: Jesus!

Kit: He's just another maniac.

Lana: That's my canvas, Kit. I've found my voice. The way Capote did with In Cold Blood. I have a perspective on the stunted male psyche that no one else has. I lived it.

Kit: You swore you were gonna take down Briarcliff. Expose it to the world. You promised Jude. You were gonna be a reporter. Not a cheap celebrity.

Lana: Things change. People change. I built a life for myself, Kit… a really substantial life… and I did it by spinning straw into gold. It could've gone very differently. Hm, I would've thought you of all people would understand that.

Kit: I do. And I respect you. But this is…

Lana: Believe me I know all too well that I could still be in there, drooling in the bread dough with all the other lunatics.

Kit: Careful when you talk about those lunatics. You're talking about my wife.

[Flash to: Kit visits Alma in Briarcliff

Kit: Thomas, he loves to build things. I bought him a train set the other day and next thing I know, he put the track together by himself. (laughs) Julia is a little dancer. She loves to dance just like her mother.

Alma: I miss them so much.

Kit: They miss you, too.

Alma: No, they don't even know me.

(One patient is playing with his catheter.)

Man: Oh, it's so good!

Kit: Every night at dinner, Julia makes me make an extra plate in case you come home hungry.

Alma: I'd give anything to see them again. Could you bring them next time even if only for a few minutes? No, forget it. (Patients are having sex in the corner.) You can't bring them here.

Kit: I'm so sorry, Alma.

Alma: I don't know how you survived this place.]

Lana: Jesus. I had no idea she was there.

Kit: Not anymore.

[Back to Briarcliff, where Kit is standing over Alma's deathbed.

Nurse: There was no warning. No sign at all. Her heart just stopped.

Kit: I'm sorry, Alma. I'm such a fool. All my crazy plans. And look where that got us. I completely failed you. And Grace. And those kids. I'm going to try to make it right.]

Lana: My God. Everyone's gone but us.

Kit: Well, there is one person left. Toughest one of all.

Lana: What do you mean?

Kit: Jude. She's still there.

Lana: That's not possible. I saw her death certificate.

Kit: And I saw her.

[Back to Briarcliff.

Nurse: Any instructions on how you'd like us to deal with her body?

Kit: I'm gonna take her home. She'll be buried on our land.

(hallway - yelling and screaming)

Common room

Jude: Move! Move! Move! Move! Move!

(TV playing indistinctly)

Jude: Time for my story.

Announcer: …ingredients than any other leading brands.

(TV announcer continues indistinctly)

Kit: Sister Jude? Sister Jude. It's me Kit Walker. They said you were dead.

Jude: I know they did. Because they stole the rights. The rights to my story. (She points at the TV) It's based on my life, every word of it

TV: I'll notify you the moment that Sister Bertrille lands.

Jude: Sister Bertrille. She's got the Devil in her. She stole my hat.

Kit: Your hat?

Jude: That's how she did it. How she managed to fly out of this place. They don't know it, but I don't need the hat. (laughs) I can fly without it. One of these days, I'm gonna fly my ass right out of here! Watch and see. (She rocks in her seat.)

Kit: I don't doubt it.]

Lana: I didn't know. I couldn't know. I went back there, Kit. I did try. The monsignor told me she'd hanged herself.

Kit: He lied to you. She's been there this whole time.

Lana: I don't know what you expect me to do about that now.

Kit: What you said you'd do-- get the place shut down. The world has to know what's going on at Briarcliff. The place is a snake pit.

Lana: And it always has been. And I'm sorry to hear about Jude. It's heartbreaking, but let's be real here. Every bed in that place, she made. Her choice, not ours.

Kit: Can you really be that hard?

Lana: I'm as hard as I have to be. It's what's kept me alive.

Lana’s assistant: Sorry. But there's a dozen more people waiting to get their books signed.

Lana: It really was good to see you again, Kit.

Kit: Yeah, sure. Good luck out there.

(Kit walks back to his truck.)

(pop song plays on radio)

Present Day

(Son of Bloody Face in his car, smoking crack.)

(rock music blaring)

(He goes to a bookstore.)

Woman: Everything with a white dot is 25% off. Books with orange dots, 50%.

Johnny: I'm not looking for bargains. I'm looking for a particular title. It's a really old book. I'm a connoisseur of the first printing.

Woman: You mean first edition?

Johnny: Yeah, that's it. First edition.

Woman: You're in the wrong place. All we have left are the crap we haven't sold in the last 44 years. If you noticed, we're going out of business.

Johnny : No, it's here. The computer says that you're the only store around with an autographed copy. Maniac: One Woman's Story of Survival.

Woman: By Lana Winters? That's not for sale.

Johnny: I've been looking for it for a long time.

Woman: It's my mother's personal copy. She credited that book with giving her enough courage to finally leave my father. She said he was her own version of Bloody Face.

Johnny: Name your price. I'm related to her. The writer. She's my mother.

Woman: Listen, I was a women's studies major. I've read every one of her books. The only baby she ever had was by rape with Bloody Face, and he died at birth.

Johnny: Can I see it? I just want to see her name. That's her signature. That's as close as I ever got to her in person.

Woman: Okay. We're done. Bye-bye.

Johnny: I gave you a chance to name your price. Now I'll tell you mine.

Woman: There's nothing you could say to make me change my mind.

Johnny: You're going to give me that book, because it's my fate to have it. You see, I have a plan to meet my mother. And when I see her, I'm gonna greet her with a polite, "Hello, Ms. Winters. Do you know who I am?" And she'll shake her head in ignorance, and then I'll present this book of lies. And then I'll say, "I'm in your book, except I didn't die." "I'm the piece of trash you threw away 48 years ago. I'm your son." And when she fully understands who it is standing in front of her, I'll take out my nine-millimeter handgun, point it at her face and pull the trigger. And finally… I will have completed my father's work. But first, I'm gonna need that book.

(The woman nervously hands it over.)

–[End]–