The Crow

EXT: BURNING INNER CITY, P.O.V.--BIRD IN FLIGHT APPROACHING LOFT

SUBTITLE: October 30th, Devil's Night.

[Voice of Sara]

People once believed that when someone dies a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it, and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right.

EXT: CORNER LOFT, COPS VISIBLE THROUGH ROUND WINDOW. CUT TO

INT: LOFT. ALBRECHT LOOKS OUT ROUND WINDOW AT ERIC'S BODY BEING COVERED. CUT TO: COPS INVESTIGATING CRIME SCENE

[Albrecht turns back to loft. Paramedics are working on a bleeding Shelly, cops dusting for prints, etc. Albrecht picks up wedding invitation and reads it]

Cop: Hey Sarge. [Gestures to wedding dress]

Albrecht: Yeah. Shelly Webster and Eric Draven. Wedding was tomorrow night.

Cop: Who the fuck gets married on Halloween anyhow?

Albrecht: [Sadly] Nobody.

Paramedic: Sir? We gotta move her.

Albrecht: Do it!

Paramedic: Right, guys. Do it. [They take her away]

Cop: Devil's fuckin' night! What's the count so far?

Albrecht: A hundred and forty-three fires.

Cop: They're slackin' off from last year.

Albrecht: Three hours to go. Maybe they're just slow starters.

EXT: TELEPHONE POLE ON STREET. CROW LANDS ON IT, SITS WATCHING. CUT TO:

EXT: STREET BELOW LOFT. COPS TAKING SHELLY TO AMBULANCE. FIREMEN BATTLING FIRE ACROSS STREET.

Torres: I realize that, but you can't come in here and move her away like this. We got procedures to stick by. You guys shoulda cleared this with me first. This the victim?

Albrecht: No, it's Amelia Earhart. We found her, detective, and you missed it.

Torres: I don't care what her name is, I didn't give the order to move her. Jesus, Albrecht, I can see why they took away your gold shield.

Albrecht: Yeah, I wasn't a big enough ass-hole. C'mon, let's go.

[Sara arrives on skate board, pushes through crowd to gurney]

Sara: Shelly?

Albrecht: Stand back kid.

Shelly: Where is Eric?

Albrecht: Just don't worry about him.

Shelly: Tell him to take care of Sara.

Albrecht: Look, I will. You just ... uh, lie back. C'mon, c'mon. [They load her in ambulance. It drives off. He turns to Sara] You Sara?

Sara: Yeah.

Albrecht: Yeah, look. Your sister ... she's gonna be okay.

Sara: She's not my sister. Shelly just takes care of me. She's my friend, her and Eric. You lied to her about Eric ...

Albrecht: Look, I had to.

Sara: And you're lying to me about Shelly. She's gonna die, isn't she?

Albrecht: Hey ... uh. Now, come on, come on ... s'okay, she's gonna be fine [He puts hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. [Freeze frame]

SUBTITLE--ONE YEAR LATER

EXT: ABANDONED CATHEDRAL FROM OVERHEAD. CROW LANDS ON FINIAL CROSS.

Sara [voiceover]: A building gets torched, all that is left is ashes. I used to think that was true about everything--families, friends, feelings. But now I know that sometimes, if love proves real, two people who are meant to be together--nothing can keep them apart.

[Overhead shot of Sara entering graveyard, Cut to: her walking from grave to grave picking up flowers.]

Sara: [puts flowers on Shelly's and Eric's graves, stands and looks at them.] Later. [Starts to walk away. Crow lands, caws.] What're you, like, the night watchman? [Rain starts, she leaves] [Crow pecks. She skates away]

EXT: HOTDOG STAND. POLICE CAR PARKED BY IT.

Mickey: Y'know? What this place needs is a good natural catastrophe- earthquake, tornado ... y'know.

Albrecht: No, no, no, Mickey, c'mon man. You gotta put the mustard underneath first.

Mickey: ... Maybe a flood like in the bible.

Albrecht: Eh, eh, lemme do it. There we go. How about some onions? C'mon, don't cheap out on me, lots of onions. Now we're talkin'.

[Sara skates up, joins them]

Mickey: Heh, it's the Sara monster.

Albrecht: How do you steer that thing on a wet street?

Sara: Pure talent. Hi.

Albrecht: See now, Sara, she's a genuine hot-dogger. You hungry?

Sara: You buyin'?

Albrecht: I'm buyin'.

Sara: No onions though, okay?

Albrecht: No onions?

Sara: They make you fart big time.

EXT: ARCADE GAMES. A RED T-BIRD PARKED OUTSIDE

T-bird [voiceover]: You know, Lake Erie actually caught on fire once from all the crap floatin' around in it? CUT TO:

INT: ARCADE, T-BIRD LIGHTING CIGAR.

Ah! I wish I coulda seen that. [whistles] Yee-aaah! [Funboy, Tin Tin and Skank begin vandalizing arcade. T-bird sets timer on bomb]

EXT: CROW ON ERIC'S HEADSTONE, HEAVY RAIN.

P.O.V.--Grave opens, Sara's flower tumbles away. Cut to:

P.O.V.--Interior of grave looking out. Hand claws mud.

P.O.V.--Overhead. Eric crawls out, howls in anguish. Collapses, writhing and twitching in mud.

EXT: ARCADE GAMES. FOUR MEN GATHER AROUND CAR, SHOUTING.

All four: Fire it up! Fire it up!

[Intercut action: Eric walking through alleys, led by crow. He's shivering, stumbling, barefoot. Crow leads him to shoes, he barely comprehends what they are. Intercut with T-bird's gang speeding through streets, bragging about exploit.]

MUSIC OVER: (ON CAR RADIO) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, "Big Empty".

Skank: All right! We busted their machines! [They drive past hotdog stand] Oh shit. Hey guys, look. T-bird, cop car ... cop car!

Albrecht: Bad people out on the street tonight.

INT: ARCADE, CLOSEUP OF BOMB TIMER COUNTING TO ZERO. EXPLOSION

Albrecht: Dammit!

Sara: What was that?

Albrecht: You wait right here.

Sara: Be careful!

Albrecht: Mickey, call it in for me. [runs towards explosion]

EXT: ERIC IN ALLEY, CUT TO LADDER, ROOF, STAIRS, LANDING, LOFT, AS CAMERA FOLLOWS ERIC.

[Eric climbs ladder, slips. Stumbles across roof, crow leads way down stairs, along landing. Finds door with Halloween decoration and crime scene tape. He rips tape, pushes door open, enters loft. He sees Gabriel]

Eric: [Whispering] Gabriel. [picks up cat, flashback--Skank being clawed. Drops cat.]

[Eric relives his and Shelly's deaths via flashbacks, intercut with his agonized reactions to those memories]

[Flashbacks--he experiences them in roughly chronological order]

Shelly: [Hears knock, goes to door] Eric? [T-bird forces it open]

T-bird: Dept. of Housing ... Code violations ... safety hazards ... place looks fine to me ... let's redecorate ... "Abashed, the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely..." It's pornography. Virtue?

INT: FRONT DOOR OF LOFT.

Eric: Shelly? [Enters loft. Stabbed by Tin Tin's thrown knife]

Tin Tin: See ya!

Funboy: [Raping Shelly] No, no, no, no! Me first.

Eric: [Writhing on floor] Please! [Pulls knife out and throws it aside]

Shelly:Eric. [Reaches bloody hand to him]

[T-bird whistles. Tin Tin and Skank hold Eric up by arms. T-bird and Funboy shoot him, each twice. He falls backward through window. They go over and look down at him]

[In present, Eric runs and leaps through window, grabbing bar and swinging out, cutting hands on glass. Swings back inside and crouches on floor looking at hands. Cuts heal]

INT: THE PIT, A BULLET FALLS THROUGH AIR.

MUSIC OVER: FOR LOVE NOT LISA, "Slip Slide Melting".

[Funboy catches bullet in mouth, swallows it with drink, to approving comments]

Skank: Hey that's good!

Funboy: See if you can top that man? Can you top that?

All: [Watching T-bird] Look at that! Look at that!

T-bird: [Puts bullet on tongue] Here's to Devil's Night, my new favorite holiday. [drinks, puts out cigar on tongue]

Bartender: [To Darla, in background] You go over there, tell your pals...

Funboy: You sick fuckhead.

Tin Tin: Are you out of your mother-fuckin' mind, man. [stops Skank. Takes his turn, swallowing bullet.] Pussies drink last, man.

Skank: [Pulls gun, points it at Tin Tin] Fuck you, Tin Tin.

Tin Tin: Shit ain't even loaded, man. [Pulls knife, holds it to Skank's throat]

Funboy: This one is. [Pulls his gun, points it at Tin Tin, who pulls another knife]

T-bird: [Pulls his gun, points at each in turn] Which one of you Motor-city motherfuckers wants to bet me this one isn't? Heh! Fire it up! Fire it up!

All: Fire it up! Fire it up! Fire it up!...

Darla: Here's your shooters. Put your guns away, huh guys.

Funboy: How ya doin', Pussycat? [Darla kisses Funboy, Tin Tin licks her shoulder]

INT: LOFT, FLOOR LEVEL.

[Cockroach scuttles across floor, crow swoops on it, catches it and perches on beam to eat it.]

CUT TO: ERIC AT DRESSING TABLE, CANDLES ALL AROUND, HARLEQUIN MASK HANGING FROM MIRROR. HIS BACK IS BACK BOWED.

[Weeping, Eric looks through stuff in drawers and it reminds him of good times with Shelly and Sara via flashbacks]

FLASHBACKS:

Eric: [To Shelly, while holding mask to face] Boo!

Shelly: [In Eric's arms] I love you.

Eric: Say that again.

Shelly: I love you.

Shelly: [Backing away from burning saucepan on stove] Oh, boy!

Eric: [Hugging her and steering her away from stove] Restaurant!

Sara: [To Shelly, modeling her wedding dress] Wow! You look great!

[Scenes of a pillow fight between Sara and Shelly, of Shelly teasing Eric by squirting him with shaving lotion, of Eric and Shelly making love]

[Finally Eric can't take any more and hits mirror in anguish, then sweeps candles to floor.]

MUSIC OVER: THE CURE, "Burn".

[Puts on makeup. Takes costume from suitcase and puts it on. Goes to stand in window, crow on shoulder. Looks over city, lightning illuminates grim face.]

INT: GIDEON'S PAWN SHOP. GIDEON AND Tin Tin BARGAINING.

Tin Tin: Couple more rings--that's twenty-four k.

Gideon: Twenty-four k, huh? It's eighteen k.--crap! It's probably fake.

Tin Tin: Another purse. Leather.

Gideon: Jeez. Whoa, what is this Tin Tin, a bloodstain that's on here? I'll give ya fifty bucks. I hate charities. Now you, take it or leave it. [Throws money down, waits] Right there for you. Decisions, decisions.

Tin Tin: [Takes money, walks away] Cheap ass, chrome dome, child molestin', saprophyte motherfucker.

Gideon: Close the gate when you go out.

Tin Tin: Ah close this up for yo' reeeeal good, massah! Fuck you! [Gives him the finger. Goes out]

Gideon: Sit on it and twirl, you dirty scum!

EXT: FRONT OF GIDEON'S

Tin Tin: [Locks gate, walks into street] Lucky I didn't stab your fat ass.

EXT: ROOFTOPS. CROW AND ERIC.

MUSIC OVER: NINE INCH NAILS, "Dead Souls"

[Crow flying, Eric follows across rooftops--strong and swift. Crow spots Tin Tin, leads Eric to him. Tin Tin walks arrogantly down alley, pauses to light cigarette at oildrum fire. Eric drops off of building and lands laughing. Tin Tin hears, looks around, sees Eric approaching ominously]

Tin Tin: What the fuck you all painted up for, crackhead, huh? [Eric keeps coming] Halloween ain't 'til manana. [Challenges Eric] C'mon. [Eric rushes him, they fight, Eric unstoppable, stronger. Tin Tin taking beating. Eric throws him up against wall]

Eric: You murderer!

Tin Tin: I ain't murdered nobody, man! I don't fuckin' know you, man. What the fuck you want, man?

Eric: I want you to tell me a story. A man and a woman in a loft, a year ago.

Tin Tin: You're outta your motherfuckin' mind!

Eric: Listen! I'm sure you'll remember. You killed him ... on Halloween.

Tin Tin: Yeah, yeah, man, look, on Halloween, yeah. Some dude, some bitch. Whatever. [Eric grabs him]

Eric: Her name was Shelly! [Tin Tin spits on him] You cut her. You raped her.

Tin Tin: Shelly ... yeah, I shanked her pink ass and she loved it! [Hits Eric when he bows head in pain, fights again, overpowers Eric, beats him down with lead pipe.]

Eric: Murderer! Murderer!

Tin Tin: Let me tell you about murder. It's fun, it's easy. You gonna learn aaaall about it. Heh, heh, heh. [Pulls out knives, takes off coat, gestures with knives] I'd like you to meet two buddies of mine. We never miss. [throws first knife. Eric ducks it. Tin Tin looks worried, throws second knife, Eric bats it away, now Tin Tin's scared]

Eric: Try harder! Try again. [catches third knife, throws it back at Tin Tin, pinning him to stack of pallets. Eric goes up to him, takes another knife and holds it high]. Victims? Aren't we all? [Stabs Tin Tin]

INT: THE TRASH CLUB. GIRL SINGING ON STAGE. T-BIRD AND SKANK WORKING WAY THROUGH CROWD.

MUSIC OVER: MEDICINE, "Time Baby III".

T-bird: [Complains about crowd] Look at this mess. What's the world coming to. [Pause at bar] I gotta go upstairs--report from the front. [makes way through crowd, cursing at them,] Get outta my way you worms. [goes up stairs]

Skank: [To bartender] Give me some of that, over there.

INT: LANDING BEFORE TOP DOLLAR'S ROOMS. GRANGE TALKING TO TWO GIRLS. T-BIRD APPROACHING UP STAIRS

Grange: [To two girls] Why don't you ladies come back later, check me out.

T-bird: Hey, guess what? Arcade Games fell down, went boom.

Grange: Boom?

T-bird: Can you imagine that? 'S tragic.

Grange: Gather your soldiers. You're on for tomorrow night, no sweat.

T-bird: Is The Man in?

Grange: He's taking a "meeting". [He winks]

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BEDROOM. HE'S SITTING CROSS-LEGGED ON BED LOOKING INTO A SNOWBALL CRYSTAL. A NAKED WOMAN LIES MOTIONLESS ON BED BEHIND HIM. MYCA IS SHOWERING.

[She finishes shower, approaches him wrapping robe around herself. They hug, then she sits next to him on bed.]

Myca: You're thinking about the past.

Top Dollar: Dad gave me this ... fifth birthday. He said "childhood's over the moment you know you're gonna die". [He hands her crystal, she kisses his forehead]

Myca: [Looking at woman] Is she asleep?

Top Dollar: [He pulls woman's shoulder over, she is obviously dead] I think we broke her. [sniffs]

Myca: [Holds knife to dead woman's face] I love her eyes--pretty. [Cut to Top Dollar's face, watching]

INT: TRASH CLUB. GIRL SINGER FINISHING SONG.

EXT: LATER. SARA ON SKATEBOARD, APPROACHING PIT THROUGH TRAFFIC.

Driver: Hey kid! Get the hell outta the road!

[Sara enters The Pit, approaches Darla and Funboy who are necking at one of the tables. "Ahem"s to get their attention]

MUSIC OVER: THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, "Snakedriver".

Darla: Told ya to stay outta here.

Sara: So, I guess you're not gonna be home 'til a lot later, huh, Darla?

Funboy: She's busy. Go play with your dolls or something, okay.

Sara: I don't have any dolls.

Darla: [Gives her money] Get some food, huh.

Sara: Somebody already bought me dinner. The police. [Funboy stares impatiently at her. She takes the money and leaves.]

Funboy: [Mocking her] "Somebody already bought me dinner ... the police" [They laugh.]

EXT: CROW FLYING PAST GIDEON'S PAWN SHOP.

INT: GIDEON'S. GIDEON COUNTING RECEIPTS. SEES ERIC'S SHADOW BY DOOR.

Gideon: Ah, who the fuck is this, now. Hey! Piss off! We're closed! Cerrado! [Eric pounds on gate] Go sleep it off somewhere else, dusthead, unless you wanna get mutilated. [Eric wrenches open locked gate, Gideon grabs gun and advances] God damn creatures of the night. They never learn. [Eric taps three times on door] Hey! Hey! [Eric walks through glass door, Gideon retreats. Crow flies by him, frightening him. He stumbles backward, drops gun]

Eric: "Suddenly I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door". [He casually brushes glass off of shoulder]

Gideon: What're you talking about?

Eric: You heard me rapping, right? [Advances on Gideon]

Gideon: You're trespassing. [He finds gun again] And you owe me a fuckin' new door.

Eric: I'm looking for something in an engagement ring ... gold.

Gideon: You're looking for a coroner, shit for brains. [Shoots Eric. Wound heals. He panics] Argh, shit on me! Shit on me. Shit on me! [Eric laughs as he realizes his invulnerability. Advances, throws Gideon across counter, follows, leaping on counter and vanishing as Gideon comes up swinging bat at empty air. Eric reappears swinging upside down, grabs bat from Gideon and hits him with it.]

Eric: Mr. Gideon. You're not paying attention. [He drops down to crouch on countertop. Gideon swings at him, he grabs Gideon's hand, smashes counter glass, takes knife, pins Gideon's hand to counter with it. Covers Gideon's mouth] I repeat, a gold engagement ring, yes? [Gideon nods] It was pawned here a year ago by a customer of yours named Tin Tin. [Stands up, walks a few steps along countertop, then leaps off, spins around to stare at him through grating] He confided in me before he ran out of breath.

EXT: CRIME SCENE. Tin Tin'S BODY CARRIED OFF, STUCK FULL OF KNIVES.

Torres: Who's this sack of shit?

Albrecht: That's Tin Tin. One of T-birds little helpers. I think you can rule out "accidental death".

Torres: Don't any of your street-demons have real grown-up names?

Albrecht: This could be a turf hit, but it doesn't look like your usual gang crap.

Torres: Come on, Albrecht, spare me. You're a beat cop now, so be a beat cop.

Albrecht: I'm s'posed to thank you for that, right?

Torres: A word to the wise--watch your fuckin' mouth. [Sees crow outline on wall] What the hell do you call that?

Albrecht: I call it blood, detective. I s'pose you'll write it up as ... graffiti.

Torres: You can leave my crime scene now, okay?

INT: GIDEONS. ERIC TRASHING AND SEARCHING.

Eric: Warmer?

Gideon: What're you doing?

Eric: Don't you know this game?

Gideon: What game you talking about? Okay, the rings, I'll tell you about the rings. They're in the metal box, it's under the shelf there. Get your fucking rings, you can chew 'em and choke on them, you sonnuva bitch ...

[Eric finds ring box, sits down behind counter, out of sight of Gideon]

FLASHBACK:

Eric: [To Shelly, above him on ladder] Look, it goes up to the attic.

Eric: [Starts picking up rings, tossing each one aside] No. No.

FLASHBACK:

Shelly: [Opening jewelry box] Oh, it's beautiful. I don't believe it.

Eric: [Still rejecting rings] No. No. [Finds her ring by touching it] [Whispers] Shelly.

FLASHBACK

Shelly: I love you. [They embrace]

[Eric puts ring on little finger. Trashes his way back to Gideon, kicking over open gas cans as he goes. Gideon pulls knife out just as Eric reaches him, pointing huge gun at him.]

Eric: You have one chance to live.

Gideon: Look, man. Take anything you want.

Eric: Thank you.

Gideon: Take anything!

Eric: Now you're going to tell me where to find the rest of Tin Tin's little party pals.

Gideon: The Pit. They all hang out at The Pit. All of T-bird's little potato heads hang out there. Funboy--he lives there, upstairs, alright?

Eric: Funboy ... [Flashback to Funboy raping Shelly] A whole jolly club. [Trashes, pours gasoline] With jolly pirate nicknames!

Gideon: Jesus Christ in a taxicab!

Eric: Hold still! Each one of these [holds up ring] is a life [throws them one by one at Gideon]--a life you helped destroy.

Gideon: I beg you ... don't kill me.

Eric: I'm not going to kill you. Your job will be to tell the rest of them that Death is coming for them ... tonight. [Pours rings into gun barrel] Tell them Eric Draven sends his regards. [walks out, taking a guitar as he goes]

Gideon: Walk outta here, they're gonna erase your sorry ass. You're nothin' but street grease, y'hear? Street grease you motherfucker!

Eric: [Pausing at door] Is that gasoline I smell?

Gideon: No, man. NO! [Runs out back as Eric, standing outside front door, shoots rings into shop, blowing it up. Gideon thrown out back door by explosion, pant leg on fire]

INT: THE PIT. SARA GETTING SODA AT BAR.

MUSIC OVER: (PATRON STARTS JUKEBOX) VIOLENT FEMMES, "Color Me Once".

Bartender: It's the house, kiddo. You know that. One rootbeer. [They look at Darla going upstairs with Funboy] I can't do anything. Your mom? Technically, she's ... off, right now.

Sara: Yeah. Way off.

EXT: OUTSIDE BURNING PAWNSHOP. ERIC WALKING AWAY.

[Police car pulls up. Albrecht gets out, pulls gun on Eric]

Albrecht: Police! Don't move! I said Don't. Move.

Eric: [He pauses] I thought the police always said "Freeze".

Albrecht: Well, I am the police, and I say "don't move", Snow White. You move, you're dead.

Eric: And I say I'm dead ...[raises hands, starts walking forward] and I move.

Albrecht: Not one more step ... I'm serious!

Eric: Then shoot me, if you will, [bows, looking up at him] Officer Albrecht.

Albrecht: What are you, nuts? Walking into a gun? You high?

Eric: You don't remember me?

Albrecht: What are you talking about?

Eric: How about Shelly? Do you remember Shelly Webster?

Albrecht: Shelly Webster's dead, my friend. I want you to move over to the curb there. C'mon, real nice and easy. C'mon, move it! [Eric goes to curb, sits down] I'm waiting for backup. It's getting too friggin' weird for me.

Eric: Oh, it gets better. Do you know someone named T-bird? He had a friend who shouldn't have played with knives. Like the coat?

Albrecht: You're the guy that murdered Tin Tin.

Eric: He was already dead. He died a year ago ... the moment he touched her. They're all dead, they just don't know it yet.

Albrecht: [Spotting looters fleeing Gideons] Hey! Get away from there. [Turns back. Eric is gone.] Oh great. Great! A guy shows up looking like a mime from hell and ... you loose him right out in the open. Well, at least he didn't do that ... walking against the wind shit, I hate that. [Backup arrives]

Cop: Little early for Devil's Night.

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BOARD ROOM. MYCA SITTING ON TABLE TENDING BRAZIER WITH HUMAN EYE IN IT. HE IS PACING.

MUSIC OVER: ROLLINS BAND, "Ghostrider".

Myca: You are very restless.

Top Dollar: Just wish I was a little hungry again, that's all.

Myca: Be careful of what you ask for ...

Top Dollar: Yeah, I may get it, I know. [Sits, sniffs smoke from burning eye]

Myca: There are energies aligning against you.

Top Dollar: Seein' is believin', isn't it? [she kisses him. He licks fingertip, eats some cocaine] Mmm, yummy.

[Grange and T-bird enter]

Grange: Gideon's pawnshop just burned down, to the foundation.

Top Dollar: Nobody cleared this little event with me. [cuts cocaine]

T-bird: I didn't have nothing to do with that.

Top Dollar: Ah, sure. You must be awful disappointed.

T-bird: I got trouble. One of my crew got himself perished.

Top Dollar: Yeah? And who might that be?

T-bird: [Myca sprawls seductively on table. T-bird can't quite keep his eyes off her] Tin Tin. Somebody stuck his blades in all his major organs in alphabetical order.

Top Dollar: [Myca gets down from table, perches on arm of Top Dollar's chair. He steadies her with a hand on her inner thigh.] Well, gentlemen, by all means, I think we oughta have an introspective moment of silence for poor old Tin Tin [sniffs line of coke]You're workin' for me tomorrow night, right?

T-bird: Whatever you say, I can do.

Top Dollar: Good, that's very reassuring. I still ain't heard the story on why Gideon's burned down, is that a natural catastrophe, or act of God or something? Call it my "need to know".

EXT: CROW FLYING. CUT TO: PIT ENTRANCE.

[Sara exiting The Pit. Rides skateboard into path of taxi. Eric snatches her clear. Skateboard scoots across street. She struggles in his grasp]

Sara: Let me go, you creep! [He puts her down, flashs back to her and Shelly. Hides his face, turning away and reaching blindly for the support of a telephone pole. She shouts after taxi] You didn't even slow down, you dickhead!

Eric: He couldn't have stopped.

Sara: He was a buttface. I coulda made it. [looks closer at him] What're you supposed to be, a clown or something.

Eric: [not looking at her] Sometimes. [she goes back to street, gets on skateboard]

Sara: It's more like surfing than skating. I wish the rain would stop, just once.

Eric: It can't rain all the time.

Sara: Eric? [turns, but he's vanished]

EXT: POLICE STATION. CUT TO:

INT: ALBRECHT'S DESK. POLICEWOMAN ANNIE COOPERSMITH BRINGS HIM FILE.

Annie: Don't thank me. Are we fighting the good fight?

Albrecht: Double homicide, a year ago. No convictions. Annie, look at that [hands her petition].

Annie: [reads] "We the undersigned tenants of 1929 Calderon Court Apartments" ... what is this, a petition?

Albrecht: A big "kick-me" sign for a very nice girl who found herself a cause ... that cause got her killed.

Annie: She was fighting tenant eviction in that neighborhood?

Albrecht: Shelly Webster and her nice rock-and-roll boyfriend, Eric Draven.

Annie: You know, the last time you went snooping around on a case is when you got put back on the beat.

Albrecht: Yeah, I know--Torres keeps reminding me.

Annie: Oh ho, I bet he does. [Albrecht draws Eric's clown makeup on photo] You're gonna wind up working a school crosswalk.

Albrecht: I'm cool.

Annie: You didn't get that file from me, okay. Don't tell me you "owe me one". [she walks away]

Albrecht: Uh ... I owe you one.

Annie: Yeah, right.

Albrecht: [looking at Eric's picture] Damn!

INT: FUNBOY'S ROOM, BOOMBOX PLAYING. HE AND DARLA ON BED.

Funboy: [He's shooting Darla up] Tomorrow night, we can get high, and watch this whole fuckin' city burn, from that window.

EXT: ERIC SITTING ON SIGN. CUT TO:

MUSIC OVER: (FROM FUNBOYS BOOMBOX) MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE, "Golgotha Tenement Blues".

INT: FUNBOY'S ROOM.

[Crow flies into room, lands on TV. Darla, high, and necking with Funboy, spots it.]

Darla: There's a big fuckin' bird over there.

Funboy: It's a squab. [laughs] C'mere, bird. Hey bird, birdy. Here birdybirdybirdybirdy. [repeats]

[Eric sees them through crow's eyes, hears them from outside. Enters room through window, carrying guitar.]

Eric: Here, Funboy. [rubs forehead against lightbulb, approaches bed]

Funboy:What the fuck? [Eric feints an attack] No, man, don't do that! You nearly gave me a fuckin' heart attack. [Darla giggles. To Darla:] Don't sweat it. [Eric turns away, hangs up guitar. Funboy pulls gun.] 'S time for you to get your bird and leave, freako. [Eric pulls up chair, straddles it and places hand against end of gun]

Eric: Take your shot, Funboy. You got me, dead bang.

Funboy: You are seriously fucked up. Did you look in a mirror? You need professional help. [Shoots Eric through hand. Eric cries out, jumps up, spins away pretending to be hurt. Funboy stands up on bed] Bingo! Hah! He shoots! He scores! [Eric turns back laughing and whooping in triumph. He shows them his hand, looks at them through hole, which heals as they watch] Je-sus Christ!

Eric: Jesus Christ. Stop me if you've heard this one. [He approaches Funboy] Jesus Christ walks into a hotel ... [Funboy shoots him: in shoulder. It heals] Ow. He hands the innkeeper three nails, he asks ... [Funboy shoots him in stomach. It heals]

Funboy: Don't you ever fuckin' die?

Eric: Can you put me up for the night? [He rushes Funboy, giving him a wide-armed smack, which causes Funboy to shoot himself in the leg. He collapses onto the bed.]

Eric: [Picks up gun and leaps to squat on bed next to Funboy] Does that hurt? [Darla flees into bathroom, locking herself in]

Funboy: Fuck! Does it .. fuck, does it hurt? [Grabs leg.] Oh God. Look what you've done to my sheets. [Passes out. Eric drags him into bathroom by injured leg, forces door, dumps him in shower. Darla grabs razor.

FLASHBACK:

Funboy: [Taking off pants] I've got a gun in my pocket. You're happy to see me, aren't you?

[Eric turns on shower.]

Darla: [Screaming and sobbing] Stay away from me! Stay away from me. Noooo! Aaaaa ... [He takes razor from her, forces her to look at herself in mirror]

Eric: Look! Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children. Do you understand? [Squeezes dope out of scars on her arm] Morphine is bad for you. [She calms down, no longer high, and looks at him in wonder.] Your daughter is out there on the streets, waiting for you. [He lets her go. She flees downstairs. He finds drug paraphernalia, picks up needle]

INT: THE PIT. GIDEON AT BAR, DRINKING.

MUSIC OVER: HELMET, "Milktoast".

Gideon: If I wanted ice, I woulda asked for ice [tosses ice away] Now fill it up.

Bartender: [Slamming bottle down] Fill it up yourself, macho man.

Gideon: I really need this. [Grange arrives, opens bottle, pours for him] All right.

Grange:You burn yourself playing with matches?

Gideon: Fuck off.

Grange: You have an appointment

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The Crow: A Written Script sec.2