32 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL, WITH URSULA, TAVIA, TESS, ETC.

All the bustle is momentarily silent. The CRACKLE AND HISS of the CB is very loud. Everyone has turned toward the door.

RALPHIE Mommy, what's wrong?

MOLLY

Nothing, hon.

JONAS

What in God's name was it?

CORA

The town dock, setting off to sea.

ROBBIE comes up the stairs, followed by GEORGE, HENRY BRIGHT, and BURT SOAMES. ROBBIE'S bluster and swagger are gone.

ROBBIE Ursula. Blow the whistle.

233 EXTERIOR: OUTSIDE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH FERD NIGHT.

He's as excited and dismayed as a man who has just seen Satan peering at him from around a tree trunk. He turns and runs back to the door of the firehouse.

234 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, FEATURING THE DOOR.

HATCH comes through the door, Styrofoam cup of joe in one hand.

HATCH Pete? You okay? I heard

His face fills with startled horror. His eyes go upward, presumably to the face of the man who has hung himself from the beam. The coffee drops from his hand, hits the floor, splashes his boots.

235 INTERIOR: THE FIREHOUSE, WITH FERD.

FERD ANDREWS Lloyd! Where the hell are you? Did you go to sleep, or wh

He starts around the rear of the closest pumper, then stops. There's a pair of boots sticking out.

FERD

Lloyd? Lloyd . . . ?

Slowly, not really wanting to, he goes the rest of the way around, to where he can see his partner. For a moment he's silent, so shocked he is unable to vocalize. Then FERD screams like a woman.

236 INTERIOR: HATCH, CLOSE-UP.

His face is frozen in an expression of utter horror.

237 INTERIOR: THE SIDE OF THE PUMPER.

"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY" painted in bloodred capital letters.

238 INTERIOR: THE SIGN AROUND PETER GODSOE'S NECK.

"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY." Plus those creepy little dancing canes.

239 INTERIOR: THE SCREEN OF HATCH'S POWERBOOK, CLOSE-UP.

The answers he filled in are gone. Now, filling the crossword grid, are the words "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY." Across, down, interlocking at every point. And in the center of every black square is a little white cane-icon.

240 INTERIOR: LINOGE, EXTREME CLOSE-UP.

Grinning. The sharp tips of his teeth showing.

SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

241 EXTERIOR: THE CENTER OF TOWN, HIGH ANGLE NIGHT.

It's mostly dark, except for the town hall. And now the storm emergency signal begins to blow: two shorts, one long, a pause, and then once again. Take shelter.

The image of LINOGE LINGERS, superimposed over the snowy town and perhaps suggesting there will be no shelter for the inhabitants of Little Tall Island . . . not tonight, perhaps not ever again. At last LINOGE'S image FADES OUT . . . and we do the same.

THIS ENDS PART ONE.

PART 2

The Storm of the Century

Act 1

[We begin with a MONTAGE OF SCENES from PART ONE. This ends with the final image: LINOGE'S predatory tiger's face superimposed upon the intersection at the center of town.]

1 EXTERIOR: THE CENTER OF TOWN NIGHT.

The blizzard is rising toward a state of total fury, with snow falling so fast and hard that the buildings look like ghosts. Drifts are already beginning to pile up against the storefronts on Main Street.

As LINOGE'S image fades, we hear a SOUND, LOW at first, then UP TO FULL: THE TOWN WHISTLE, blowing the EMERGENCY SIGNAL over and over again: two shorts and one long.

On Main Street, we can see a STRING OF MOVING LIGHTS and hear the SOUND OF ENGINES as folks comply.

132 STEPHEN KING

2 EXTERIOR: MAIN STREET SIDEWALK, WITH FERD ANDREWS NIGHT.

He comes pelting along toward the town hall through the snow, sometimes slipping and falling, then picking himself up again. He makes no attempt to go around the building drifts, but bulls his way straight through. He approaches a group of five or six men who are skiing toward the town hall. One of them is BILL TOOMEY.

BILL TOOMEY Say, Ferd where's the fire?

Because of Ferd's job (it says LITTLE TALL V.F.D. right across the back of his parka), this breaks BILL'S friends right up it doesn't take much to amuse island people, let me tell you, and these fellows have probably been having a little storm refreshment.

FERD takes no notice, just picks himself up again and continues running toward the town hall.

3 EXTERIOR: MIKE ANDERSON'S STORE NIGHT.

Battened down for the storm. The porch has already drifted in. The storm shutters RATTLE on their tracks. PETER GODSOE'S pickup truck and MOLLY'S little car are now little more than snow-covered humps, but in the case of the truck, it's no big deal; PETER'S driving days are over.

4 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.

HATCH is as we left him at the end of Part One, staring up at PETER'S dangling legs. Nearby is the overturned chair PETER stood on while he was putting the noose around his neck.

5 INTERIOR: THE SIGN AROUND PETER'S NECK, CLOSE-UP.

"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT" written all over it, helter-skelter, along with the dancing canes. And, at the top, like a title, is the complete thought in capital letters so big they almost scream: "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY."

6 INTERIOR: RESUME CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.

HATCH looks from the dangling legs to LINOGE, sitting there in the cell, his stocking feet cocked up on the cot's edge, his faintly smiling

STORM OF THE CENTURY 133

face peering out from between his spread knees. LINOGE'S eyes have gone back to normal, but he projects a terrible quality of hunger and predation, just the same. He's locked up, yes, but it's such a ridiculous sham of a cell, with its wood floor and home-welded bars. HATCH is getting the idea that he is the one in trouble, locked up with this tiger in human form. We can take it a step further: the whole town is in trouble.

Between the dangling body and the silent, staring LINOGE, HATCH starts to lose it.

HATCH What are you lookin' at?

(no reply from LINOGE)

Did you make him do it, somehow? Make him write that around his neck and then hang himself? Did you?

Nothing from LINOGE. He only sits there, looking at HATCH. HATCH has had enough and heads for the door. He tries to do it at a walk, but can't hold on to himself well enough to keep that pace. He begins to hurry . . . then simply BOLTS. He grabs the knob, turns it, yanks the door open . . . and there is a SHAPE out there by the meat counter. It GRABS HATCH. HATCH shrieks.

7 INTERIOR: TOWN HALL BASEMENT, FEATURING PIPPA HATCHER, CLOSE-UP.

In one hand PIPPA holds a tail (actually a rolled-up hankie) with a pin sticking out of it. She walks slowly toward a piece of paper that has been taped up to the wall. On the paper, MOLLY ANDERSON has drawn a smiling donkey. Gathered around PIPPA, calling "Warmer!" and "Colder!" are all but one of MOLLY'S day-care pupils: RALPHIE, DON BEALS, HARRY ROBICHAUX, HEIDI ST. PIERRE, BUSTER CARVER, and SALLY GODSOE (who has become fatherless but fortunately doesn't know it yet). FRANK BRIGHT is sleeping on a cot nearby.

Behind the children, we see CAT WITHERS, MELINDA HATCHER, and LINDA ST. PIERRE making beds. Standing nearby, holding piles of blankets, are GEORGE KIRBY, HENRY BRIGHT, and ROBBIE BEALS. ROBBIE doesn't look happy about it.

134 STEPHEN KING

CARLA BRIGHT comes up to MOLLY, who is monitoring the festivities.

CARLA

Evening sessions now?

MOLLY It's sort of fun. But . . .

PIPPA manages to plant the tail somewhere in the region of the donkey's ass.

MOLLY

(continues)

. . . when they all finally fall asleep, I intend to track down the nearest alcoholic beverage and make it disappear.

CARLA

I'll pour.

DON BEALS

I wanna be next!

MOLLY (to CARLA) Done deal.

She takes the blindfold off PIPPA and starts putting it on DON.

8 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL, UPSTAIRS NIGHT.

FERD ANDREWS bursts in, wild-eyed and covered with snow from top to tail.

FERD

(top of his lungs) Lloyd Wishman's dead!

All bustle and activity stops. Forty or fifty faces turn to FERD. Central to this group is URSULA GODSOE, with her clipboard.

STORM OF THE CENTURY 135

INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL BASEMENT.

The KIDS are still having a good time, shouting "Warmer!" and "Colder!" to DON SEALS as he tries to pin the tail on the donkey, but all the ADULTS have turned toward the SOUND of that SHOUT. ROBBIE BEALS drops his pile of blankets and heads up the stairs.

10 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.

HATCH grapples with the SHAPE, hysterical with fear, until

MIKE Stop it, Hatch! Whoa! Whoa!

HATCH stops it and looks up at MIKE, his terror becoming relief. He hugs MIKE tightly does everything but rain kisses on MIKE'S face.

MIKE

What's the-Then, without the distraction of being grappled by his rather overweight second-in-command, MIKE sees what the trouble is. His face fills with wonder. He walks slowly past HATCH to the dangling body. He looks at it ... then looks at LINOGE. LINOGE smiles back at him.

11 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL, FEATURES FERD NIGHT.

FERD

Lloyd Wishman's killed himself! Chopped his face in two with a axe! Oh, God, it's awful! Blood everywhere!

ROBBIE comes upstairs. His wife, SANDRA (a plain little thing), is there, and she grabs ineffectually at his shoulder, probably wanting some comfort. He yanks her hand off him without so much as a look (pretty much the way he treats her even in ordinary circumstances) and goes to FERD.

FERD

(babbling)

I ain't never seen nothin' like it! Knocked his own brains right out! And he wrote on the side of the new pumper, didn't make no sense

136 STEPHEN KING

ROBBIE

(grabs him, shakes him) Get hold of yourself, Ferd! Get a damn grip!

FERD quits babbling. It's so quiet now you could hear a pin drop except, of course, for the CEASELESS WHOOP OF THE STORM OUTSIDE. FERD'S eyes are filling with tears.

FERD

Why would Lloyd chop his head in two, Robbie? He was going to get married, come spring.

12 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.

HATCH (also babbling)

I just went out to use the can and get a fresh coffee he was fine then. But he kept lookin' at him . . . like a snake lookin' at a bird ... he ... he ...

MIKE looks at LINOGE. LINOGE looks back.

MIKE What did you do to him?

No reply. MIKE turns to HATCH.

MIKE Help me get him down.

HATCH Mike ... I don't know's I can.

MIKE You can.

HATCH gives him a pleading look.

LINOGE

(very pleasant) Let me out and /'// help, Michael Anderson.

STORM OF THE CENTURY 137

MIKE looks at him, then back at HATCH, who is pale and sweaty. But HATCH takes a deep breath and nods.

HATCH

Okay...

13 EXTERIOR: BEHIND THE STORE NIGHT.

A snowmobile pulls up next to the loading dock, and two men, bundled up in heavy nylon snowsuits, clamber off. They have rifles strapped over their shoulders. It's KIRK FREEMAN and JACK CARVER, the next watch. They go up the steps.

14 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.

MIKE and HATCH have just finished putting a blanket over PETER we can see GODSOE'S fisherman's boots poking out when a HAMMERING on the back door begins. HATCH gasps and lunges for the desk, where the pistol sits beside the makeshift sign, which the men took off the suicide's chest. MIKE grabs HATCH'S arm.

MIKE

Relax.

He goes to the door and opens it. KIRK and JACK come in with snow swirling around them, stamping their feet.

138 STEPHEN KING

KIRK FREEMAN Right on time, by God, storm or no st

(sees the blanket-covered corpse) What ! Mike, who's that?

JACK CARVER (sick to his stomach) Peter Godsoe. I reckinize the boots.

JACK turns to look at LINOGE. KIRK follows his gaze. These men are new to the situation, but still understand instinctively that LINOGE has been a part of what has happened they feel his power.

In the corner, the CB RADIO CRACKLES.

URSULA (radio voice)

. . . ike . . . come in, Mike An . . . have a bad sit ... town hall . . . Lloyd Wish . . . gency . . . emergency . . .

That last word, at least, comes through clearly. MIKE and HATCH exchange a startled, worried look what now? MIKE goes to the shelf where the CB sits and snatches up the microphone.

MIKE

Ursula, say again! Say again, please . . . and go slow! The roof antenna's snapped off and I'm barely picking you up. What is your emergency?

He lets go of the button. There is a tense pause. HATCH reaches past him and TURNS UP THE VOLUME. SOUND OF STATIC, then:

URSULA (radio voice)

. . . oyd . . . shman . . . Ferd says . . . Robbie Beals . . . Henry Bright . . . have . . . can . . . hear me?

MIKE looks frustrated, then has an idea.

MIKE (to HATCH)

Go out front and get her on the Island Services CB. Come back as soon's you know what her trouble is.

HATCH

Right.

STORM OF THE CENTURY 139 He starts away, then looks back doubtfully.

HATCH You'll be okay?

MIKE He's locked up, isn't he?

HATCH looks more doubtful than ever, but he leaves.

KIRK FREEMAN Mike, do you have any idea what's going on here?

MIKE holds up a hand, as if to say, "Not now." He reaches into his coat pocket and brings out the Polaroids he took at MARTHA CLARENDON'S house. He shuffles through them until he finds the one from over the door. He lays this down in the corner of the paper he and HATCH took from around PETER GODSOE'S neck. They are identical even the drawing of the cane over MARTHA'S living room door looks the same as the ones dancing on the sheet of paper.

JACK CARVER

What in God's name is happening?

MIKE starts to straighten up, then sees something else.

15 INTERIOR: THE OPEN POWERBOOK, FROM MIKE'S POINT OF VIEW.

The entire grid of HATCH'S crossword has been filled in with variations of "GIVE ME WHAT I WANT AND I'LL GO AWAY," plus the little cane-icons in the black squares.

16 INTERIOR: RESUME CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.

MIKE I'll be damned if I know.

17 INTERIOR: THE TOWN OFFICE, WITH URSULA NIGHT.

She's working the CB microphone for all it's worth. Behind her, looking anxious, are a number of men and women, SANDRA BEALS and CARLA BRIGHT among them.

140 STEPHEN KING

Mike, are you there?

URSULA f

MOLLY, also understandably worried, works her way through the knot of onlookers.

MOLLY Can't you get him?

URSULA