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Misery (1990)

by William Goldman. Based on the Novel by Stephen King.

More info about this movie on IMDb.com


FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY


FADE IN ON

A SINGLE CIGARETTE. A MATCH. A HOTEL ICE BUCKET that holds a
bottle of champagne. The cigarette is unlit. The match is of
the kitchen variety. The champagne, unopened, is Dom
Perignon. There is only one sound at first: a strong WIND --

-- now another sound, sharper -- a sudden burst of TYPING as
we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PAUL SHELDON typing at a table in his hotel suite. It's
really a cabin that's part of a lodge. Not an ornate place.
Western themed.

He is framed by a window looking out at some gorgeous
mountains. It's afternoon. The sky is grey. Snow is
scattered along the ground. We're out west somewhere. The
WIND grows stronger -- there could be a storm.

PAUL pays no attention to what's going on outside as he
continues to type.

He's the hero of what follows. Forty-two, he's got a good
face, one with a certain mileage to it. We are not, in other
words, looking at a virgin. He's been a novelist for
eighteen years and for half that time, the most recent half,
a remarkably successful one.

He pauses for a moment, intently, as if trying to stare a
hole in the paper. Now his fingers fly, and there's another
burst of TYPING. He studies what he's written, then --

CUT TO

THE PAPER, as he rolls it out of the machine, puts it on the
table, prints, in almost childlike letters, these words:

			THE END

CUT TO

A PILE OF MANUSCRIPT at the rear of the table. He puts this
last page on, gets it straight and in order, hoists it up,
folds it to his chest, the entire manuscript -- hundreds of
pages.

CUT TO

PAUL, as he holds his book to him. He is, just for a brief
moment, moved.

CUT TO

A SUITCASE across the room. PAUL goes to it, opens it and
pulls something out from inside: a battered leather
briefcase. Now he takes his manuscript, carefully opens the
briefcase, gently puts the manuscript inside. He closes it,
and the way he handles it, he might almost be handling a
child. Now he crosses over, opens the champagne, pours
himself a single glass, lights the one cigarette with the
lone match -- there is a distinct feeling of ritual about
this. He inhales deeply, makes a toasting gesture, then
drinks, smokes, smiles.

HOLD BRIEFLY, then --

CUT TO

LODGE - DAY

PAUL -- exiting his cabin. He stops, makes a snowball,
throws it, hitting a sign.

			PAUL
	Still got it.

He throws a suitcase into the trunk of his '65 MUSTANG and,
holding his leather case, he hops into the car and drives
away.

CUT TO

A SIGN that reads "Silver Creek Lodge." Behind the sign is
the hotel itself -- old, desolate. Now the '65 Mustang comes
out of the garage, guns ahead toward the sign. As "Shotgun"
by Jr. Walker and the Allstars starts, he heads off into the
mountains.

CUT TO

THE SKY. Gun-metal grey. The clouds seem pregnant with snow.

CUT TO

PAUL, driving the Mustang, the battered briefcase on the
seat beside him.

CUT TO

THE ROAD AHEAD. Little dainty flakes of snow are suddenly
visible.

CUT TO

THE CAR, going into a curve and

CUT TO

PAUL, driving, and as he comes out of the curve, a stunned
look hits his face as we

CUT TO

THE ROAD AHEAD -- and here it comes -- a mountain storm;
it's as if the top has been pulled off the sky and with no
warning whatsoever, we're into a blizzard and

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG, slowing, driving deeper into the mountains.

CUT TO

PAUL, squinting ahead, windshield wipers on now.

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG, rounding another curve, losing traction --

CUT TO

PAUL, a skilled driver, bringing the car easily under
control.

CUT TO

THE ROAD. Snow is piling up.

CUT TO

PAUL driving confidently, carefully. Now he reaches out,
ejects the tape, expertly turns it over, pushes it in and,
as the MUSIC continues, he hums along with it.

CUT TO

THE SKY. Only you can't see it.

There's nothing to see but the unending snow, nothing to
hear but the wind which keeps getting wilder.

CUT TO

THE ROAD. Inches of snow on the ground now. This is desolate
and dangerous.

CUT TO

PAUL, driving.

CUT TO

THE SNOW. Worse.

CUT TO

THE ROAD, curving sharply, dropping. A sign reads: "Curved
Road, Next 13 Miles."

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG, coming into view, hitting the curve -- no
problem -- no problem at all -- and then suddenly, there is
a very serious problem and as the car skids out of control
--

CUT TO

PAUL, doing his best, fighting the conditions and just as it
looks like he's got things going his way --

CUT TO

THE ROAD, swerving down and

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG, all traction gone and

CUT TO

PAUL, helpless and

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG, skidding, skidding and

CUT TO

THE ROAD as it drops more steeply away and the wind whips
the snow across and

CUT TO

THE MUSTANG starting to spin and

CUT TO

THE MOUNTAINSIDE as the car skids off the road, careens
down, slams into a tree, bounces off, flips, lands upside
down, skids, stops finally, dead.

HOLD ON THE CAR A MOMENT.

There is still the sound of the WIND, and there is still the
music coming from the tape, perhaps the only part of the car
left undamaged. Nothing moves inside. There is only the WIND
and the TAPE. The wind gets louder.

CUT TO

THE WRECK looked at from a distance. The MUSIC sounds are
only faintly heard.

CUT TO

THE AREA WHERE THE WRECK IS -- AS SEEN FROM THE ROAD. The
car is barely visible as the snow begins to cover it.

CUT TO

THE WRECK from outside, and we're close to it now, with the
snow coming down ever harder -- already bits of the car are
covered in white.

CAMERA MOVES IN TO

PAUL. He's inside and doing his best to fight is, but his
consciousness is going. He tries to keep his eyes open but
they're slits.

Slowly, he manages to reach out with his left arm for his
briefcase --

-- and he clutches it to his battered body. The MUSIC
continues on.

But PAUL is far from listening. His eyes flutter, flutter
again. Now they're starting to close.

The man is dying.

Motionless, he still clutches the battered briefcase.

HOLD ON THE CASE. Then --

DISSOLVE TO

The BRIEFCASE in Paul's hands as he sits at a desk.

			SINDELL (o-s)
	What's that?

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

We are in New York City in the office of Paul's literary
agent, MARCIA SINDELL. The walls of the large room are
absolutely crammed with book and movie posters, in English
and all other kinds of other languages, all of them
featuring the character of MISERY CHASTAIN, a perfectly
beautiful woman. Misery's Challenge, Misery's Triumph --
eight of them. All written by Paul Sheldon.

CUT TO

PAUL, lifting up the battered briefcase -- maybe when new it
cost two bucks, but he treats it like gold.

			PAUL
	An old friend. I was rummaging through
	a closet and it was just sitting there.
	Like it was waiting for me.

CUT TO

			SINDELL
		(searching for a compliment)
	It's ... it's nice, Paul. It's got...
	character.

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM.

			PAUL
	When I wrote my first book, I used to
	carry it around in this while I was
	looking for a publisher. That was a
	good book, Marcia. I was a writer
	then.

			SINDELL
	You're still a writer.

			PAUL
	I haven't been a writer since I got
	into the Misery business --

			SINDELL
		(holding up the cover art
		of Misery's Child)
	Not a bad business. This thing would
	still be growing, too. The first
	printing order on Misery's Child was
	the most ever -- over a million.

			PAUL
	Marcia, please.

			SINDELL
	No, no. Misery Chastain put braces on
	your daughter's teeth and is putting
	her through college, bought you two
	houses and floor seats to the Knick
	games and what thanks does she get?
	You go and kill her.

			PAUL
	Marcia, you know I started "Misery"
	on a lark. Do I look like a guy who
	writes romance novels? Do I sound
	like Danielle Steel? It was a one-time
	shot and we got lucky. I never meant
	it to become my life. And if I hadn't
	gotten rid of her now, I'd have ended
	up writing her forever.
		(touches his briefcase)
	For the first time in fifteen years, I
	think I'm really onto something here.

			SINDELL
	I'm glad to hear that, Paul, I really
	am. But you have to know -- when your
	fans find out that you killed off their
	favorite heroine, they're not going to
	say, "Ooh, good, Paul Sheldon can
	finally write what we've always wanted:
	an esoteric, semi-autobiographical
	character study.

			PAUL
		(passionately)
	Marcia, why are you doing this to me?
	Don't you know I'm scared enough?
	Don't you think I remember how nobody
	gave a shit about my first books? You
	think I'm dying to go back to shouting
	in the wilderness?
		(beat)
	I'm doing this because I have to.
		(Marcia is stopped)
	Now, I'm leaving for Colorado to try
	to finish this and I want your good
	thoughts -- because if I can make it
	work ...
		(beat)
	I might just have something that I
	want on my tombstone.

On the word "tombstone"

CUT TO

PAUL'S TOMBSTONE -- the upside down car with the blizzard
coming gale-force and his motionless body trapped inside the
car.

The WIND screams. PAUL'S EYES flutter, then close.

HOLD

KEEP HOLDING AS --

Suddenly there's a new sound as a crowbar SCRATCHES at the
door --

-- and now the door is ripped open as we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

A BUNDLED-UP FIGURE gently beginning to pull PAUL and the
case from the car. For a moment, it's hard to tell if it's a
man or woman --

-- not to let the cat out of the bag or anything, but it is,
very much, a woman. Her name is ANNIE WILKES and she is
close to Paul's age. She is in many ways a remarkable
creature. Strong, self-sufficient, passionate in her likes
and dislikes, loves and hates.

CUT TO

PAUL AND ANNIE as she cradles him in her arms. Once he's
clear of the car, she lays him carefully in the snow.

CUT TO

PAUL AND ANNIE: CLOSE UP. She slowly brings her mouth down
close to his. Then their lips touch as she forces air inside
him.

			ANNIE
		(Their lips touch again.
		Then --)
	You hear me -- Breathe! I said breathe!!!

CUT TO

PAUL, as he starts to breathe --

-- in a moment his eys suddenly open wide, but he's in
shock, the eyes see nothing --

CUT TO

ANNIE -- the moment she sees him come to life, she goes into
action, lifting PAUL in a fireman's carry, starting the
difficult climb back up the steep hill.

As she moves away, she and Paul are obliterated by the white
falling snow.

DISSOLVE TO

THE WHITE OF WHAT SEEMS LIKE A HOSPITAL. Everything is bled
of color. It's all vague --

-- we are looking at this from Paul's blurred vision.

And throughout this next sequence, there are these SOUNDS,
words really, but they make no sense.

			"...no...worry...
			...be...fine...
			...good care...you...
			...I'm your number one fan..."

The first thing we see during this is something all white.
It takes a moment before we realize it's a ceiling.

Now, a white wall.

An I.V. bottle is next, the medicine dripping down a tube
into PAUL'S LEFT ARM. The other arm is bandaged and in a
sling.

ANNIE is standing beside the bed. She wears off-white and
seems very much like a nurse. A good nurse. She has pills in
her hands.

CUT TO

PAUL. Motionless, dead pale. He has a little beard now. Eyes
barely open, he's shaking with fever.

			PAUL
		(hardly able to whisper)
	...where...am I...?

ANNIE is quickly by his side.

			ANNIE
		(so gently)
	Shhh...we're just outside Silver Creek.

			PAUL
	How long...?

			ANNIE
	You've been here two days. You're
	gonna be okay.
		(relieved)
	My name is Annie Wilkes and I'm --

			PAUL
	-- my number one fan.

And now the gibberish words make sense.

			ANNIE
	That's right. I'm also a nurse. Here.
		(Now, as she brings the
		pills close)
	Take these.

She helps him to swallow, as Paul's eyes close.

DISSOLVE TO

AN EXTERIOR OF THE PLACE. It's a farmhouse -- we're in a
desolate area with mountains in the background.

THE HOUSE is set on a knoll so that Paul's room, although on
the first floor, is ten feet off the ground.

CUT TO

PAUL, in the room. He's not on the I.V. anymore. His fever
has broken. Annie enters, pills in her hand.

			ANNIE
	Here.

			PAUL
	What are they...?

			ANNIE
	They're called Novril -- they're for
	your pain. (helps him take them)

ANNIE applies a cool rag to his forehead.

			PAUL
	Shouldn't I be in a hospital?

			ANNIE
	The blizzard was too strong. I couldn't
	risk trying to get you there. I tried
	calling, but the phone lines are down.

PAUL tries to test his left arm.

			ANNIE
		(Gently, her fingers go
		to his eyelids, close
		them)
	Now you mustn't tire yourself. You've
	got to rest, you almost died.

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP. Sometimes her face shows the most
remarkable compassion. It does now.

HOLD ON IT briefly.

DISSOLVE TO

CLOSE UP ON PILLS IN ANNIE'S HAND.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	Open wide.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM

He lies in bed. His fever is gone, but he's terribly weak.

CUT TO

ANNIE. As she lays the pills on PAUL'S TONGUE, she gives him
a glass of water from the nearby bed table.

CUT TO

PAUL, swallowing eagerly.

CUT TO

ANNIE, watching him, sympathetically.

			ANNIE
	Your legs just sing grand opera when
	you move, don't they?
		(Paul says nothing, but
		his pain is clear)
	It's not going to hurt forever, Paul,
	I promise you.

			PAUL
	Will I be able to walk?

			ANNIE
	Of course you will. And your arm will
	be fine, too. Your shoulder was
	dislocated pretty badly, but I finally
	popped it back in there.
		(proudly)
	But what I'm most proud of is the work
	I did on those legs. Considering what
	I had around the house, I don't think
	there's a doctor who could have done
	any better.

And now suddenly she flicks off the blankets, uncovering his
body.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring, stunned at the bottom half of his body as we

CUT TO

PAUL'S LEGS. From the knees down he resembles an Egyptian
mummy -- she's splinted them with slim steel rods that look
like the hacksawed remains of aluminum crutches and there's
taping circling around.

From the kness up they're all swollen and throbbing and
horribly bruised and discolored.

CUT TO

PAUL, lying back, stunned with disbelief.

			ANNIE
	It's not nearly as bad as it looks.
	You have a compound fracture of the
	tibia in both legs, and the fibula
	in the left leg is fractured too. I
	could hear the bones moving, so it's
	best for your legs to remain immobile.
	And as soon as the roads open, I'll
	take you to a hospital.

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP.

			ANNIE
	In the meantime, you've got a lot of
	recovering to do, and I consider it
	an honor that you'll do it in my home.

HOLD ON HER ECSTATIC FACE. Then --

CUT TO

MISERY'S PERFECT FACE. We're back in SINDELL's office in New
York. The office looks just the same, posters and
manuscripts all over. But she doesn't.

She holds the phone and she is fidgety, insecure.

			SINDELL
	This is Marcia Sindell calling from
	New York City. I'd like to speak to
	the Silver Creek Chief of Police or
	the Sheriff.

			MALE VOICE (o-s)
	Which one do you want?

			SINDELL
	Whichever one's not busy.

CUT TO

A SMALL OFFICE IN SILVER CREEK

... with a view of the mountains.

A MARVELOUS LOOKING MAN sits at a desk, by himself, holding
the phone. In his sixties, he's still as bright, fast and
sassy as he was half-a-lifetime ago. Never mind what his
name is, everyone calls him BUSTER.

			BUSTER
	I'm pretty sure they're both not
	busy, Ms. Sindell, since they're
	both me. I also happen to be
	President of the Policeman's
	Benefit Association, Chairman of
	the Patrolman's Retirement Fund,
	and if you need a good fishing
	guide, you could do a lot worse;
	call me Buster, everybody does,
	what can I do for you?

CUT TO

SINDELL in her office. She pushes the speakerphone, gets up,
paces; she's very hesitant when she speaks about Paul.
Almost embarrassed --

			SINDELL
	I'm a literary agent, and I feel
	like a fool calling you, but I
	think one of my clients, Paul
	Sheldon, might be in some kind of
	trouble.

			BUSTER
	Paul Sheldon? You mean Paul Sheldon
	the writer?

			SINDELL
	Yes.

			BUSTER
	He's your client, huh?

			SINDELL
	Yes, he is.

CUT TO

BUSTER'S OFFICE

He rolls a penny acrossthe back of one hand -- he's very
good at it, doesn't even look while he does it.

			BUSTER
	People sure like those Misery books.

			SINDELL
	I'm sure you know Paul's been going
	to the Silver Creek Lodge for years
	to finish his books.

			BUSTER
	Yeah, I understand he's been up here
	the last six weeks.

			SINDELL
	Not quite. I just called, and they
	said he checked out five days ago.
	Isn't that a little strange?

			BUSTER
	I don't know. Does he always phone
	you when he checks out of hotels?

CUT TO

SINDELL, really embarrassed now.

			SINDELL
	No, no, of course not. It's just
	that his daughter hasn't heard
	from him, and when he's got a book
	coming out, he usually keeps in
	touch. So when there was no word
	from him...

			BUSTER
	You think he might be missing?

			SINDELL
		(shakes her head)
	I hate that I made this call -- tell
	me I'm being silly.

CUT TO

BUSTER. He nods as a WOMAN enters, carrying lunch. It's his
wife, VIRGINIA. She begins putting the food down on a table
for the both of them.

			BUSTER
	Just a little over-protective,
	maybe.
		(beat)
	Tell you what -- nothing's been
	reported out here --
		(he puts Paul Sheldon's
		name with a ? on a 3 x 5
		card)
	-- but I'll put his name through
	our system.
		(he tacks the card to a
		bulletin board)
	And if anything turns up, I'll call
	you right away.

CUT TO

SINDELL. She smiles, a genuine sense of relief.

			SINDELL
	I appreciate that. Thanks a lot.

CUT TO

BUSTER.

			BUSTER
	G'bye, Ms. Sindell.

As he hangs up --

			VIRGINIA
	We actually got a phone call. Busy
	morning.

			BUSTER
		(smiles)
	Work, work, work.
		(gives her a hug)
	Virginia? When was that blizzard?

			VIRGINIA
	Four or five days ago. Why?

CUT TO

BUSTER. The penny flies across the back of his hand. He
doesn't look at it, stares instead out the window at the
mountains.

			BUSTER
		(a beat)
	...no reason...

HOLD ON BUSTER for a moment.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

			PAUL'S VOICE
		(soft)
	I guess it was kind of a miracle...
	you finding me...

ANNIE's soft, sweet laughter is heard. She stands over him,
finishing shaving him with a very sharp straight razor. She
wears what we will come to know as her regular costume --
plain wool skirts, grey cardigan sweaters.

			ANNIE
	No, it wasn't a miracle at all...
	in a way, I was following you.

			PAUL
	Following me?

ANNIE concentrates on shaving him with great care; she has
wonderful, strong hands.

			ANNIE
		(explaining, normally)
	Well, it wasn't any secret to me that
	you were staying at the Silver Creek,
	seeing as how I'm your number-one fan
	and all. Some nights I'd just tool on
	down there, sit outside and look up at
	the light in your cabin --
		(gently moves his head back,
		exposing his neck; this next
		is said with total sincerity,
		almost awe)
	and I'd try to imagine what was going
	on in the room of the world's greatest
	writer.

			PAUL
	Say that last part again, I didn't
	quite hear-

			ANNIE
		(smiles)
	Don't move now -- wouldn't want to hurt
	this neck --
		(shaving away)
	Well, the other afternoon I was on my
	way home, and there you were, leaving
	the Lodge, and I wondered why a literary
	genius would go for a drive when there
	was a big storm coming.

			PAUL
	I didn't know it was going to be a big
	storm.

			ANNIE
	Lucky for you, I did.
		(pauses)
	Lucky for me too. Because now you're
	alive and you can write more books.
	Oh, Paul, I've read everything of
	yours, but the Misery novels...

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP

			ANNIE
	I know them all by heart, Paul, all
	eight of them. I love them so.

CUT TO

PAUL, looking at her. There's something terribly touching
about her now.

			PAUL
	You're very kind...

			ANNIE
	And you're very brilliant, and you
	must be a good man, or you could
	never have created such a wondrous,
	loving creature as Misery Chastain.
		(runs her fingers over
		his cheek)
	Like a baby.
		(smiles)
	All done.
		(starts to dab away the
		last bits of soap)

ANNIE starts cleaning up.

			PAUL
	When do you think the phone lines'll
	be back up? I have to call my daughter,
	and I should call New York and let my
	agent know I'm breathing.

			ANNIE
	It shouldn't be too much longer.
		(gently)
	Once the roads are open, the lines'll
	be up in no time. If you give me their
	numbers, I'll keep trying them for you.
		(suddenly almost
		embarrassed)
	Could I ask you a favor?
		(Paul nods)
	I noticed in your case there was a new
	Paul Sheldon book and...
		(hesitant)
	and I wondered if maybe...
		(her voice trails off)

			PAUL
	You want to read it?

			ANNIE
		(quietly)
	If you wouldn't mind.

			PAUL
	I have a hard and fast rule about who
	can read my stuff at this early stage --
	only my editor, my agent, and anyone
	who saves me from freezing to death in
	a car wreck.

			ANNIE
		(genuinely thrilled)
	You'll never realize what a rare treat
	you've given me.

CUT TO

PAUL. His eyes close briefly, he grimaces.

CUT TO

ANNIE, watching him, concerned. She glances at her watch.

			ANNIE
	Boy, it's like clockwork, the way
	your pain comes -- I'll get you your
	Novril, Paul. Forgive me for
	prattling away and making you feel
	all oogy.

She turns and goes out of the room.

CUT TO

PAUL, watching her.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	What's your new book called?

			PAUL
	I don't have a title yet.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	What's it about?

			PAUL
		(fast)
	It's crazy, but I don't really know,
	I mean I haven't written anything but
	"Misery" for so long that -- you read
	it you can tell me what you think it's
	about. Maybe you can come up with a
	title.

			ANNIE
		(in the doorway)
	Oh, like I could do that?

CUT TO

THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AT THE SILVER CREEK LODGE

Small, neat, one window -- outside, snow covers all.

BUSTER AND LIBBY, THE MANAGER, are going over books and
records. Libby is an old guy, walks with a cane.

			LIBBY
	Nothing unusual about Mr. Sheldon's
	leaving, Buster -- you can tell by
	the champagne.

			BUSTER
	Maybe you can, Libby.

			LIBBY
	No, see, he always ordered a bottle
	of Dom Perignon when he was ready to
	go. Then he'd pay up and be out the
	door.

			BUSTER
	No long-distance phone calls, Federal
	Express packages -- anything at all
	out of the ordinary?

			LIBBY
		(head shake)
	I don't think Mr. Sheldon likes for
	things to be out of the ordinary.
	Considering who he is and all, famous
	and all, he doesn't have airs. Drives
	the same car out from New York each
	time -- '65 Mustang -- said it helps
	him think. He was always a good
	guest, never made a noise, never
	bothered a soul. Sure hope nothing
	happened to him.

			BUSTER
	So do I...

			LIBBY
	I'll bet that old Mustang's pulling
	into New York right now.

			BUSTER
	I'm sure you're right.

But you can tell he's not sure at all as we

CUT TO

A SPOON FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH BEEF BARLEY SOUP.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

He lies in bed. Sun comes in the lone window. ANNIE sits on
the bed, a large bowl of soup in her hands, feeding him.

			ANNIE
		(almost shy about this)
	I know I'm only forty pages into
	your book, but...

She stops, fills the spoon up again.

			PAUL
	But what?

			ANNIE
	Nothing.

			PAUL
	No, what is it?

			ANNIE
	Oh, it's ridiculous, who am I to make
	a criticism to someone like you?

			PAUL
	I can take it, go ahead.

			ANNIE
	Well, it's brilliantly written, but
	then everything you write is brilliant.

			PAUL
	Pretty rough so far.

			ANNIE
		(a burst)
	The swearing, Paul.
		(beat)
	There, I said it.

			PAUL
	The profanity bothers you?

			ANNIE
	It has no nobility.

			PAUL
	Well, these are slum kids, I was a
	slum kid, everybody talks like that.

CUT TO

ANNIE. She holds the soup bowl in one hand, the
muddy-colored beef barley soup close to spilling.

			ANNIE
	They do not. What do you think I say
	when I go to the feed store in town?
	"Now, Wally, give me a bag of that
	effing pigfeed and ten pounds of that
	bitchly cow-corn" --

PAUL is amused by this.

CUT TO

THE SOUP, almost spilling as she gets more agitated.

			ANNIE
	-- and in the bank do I tell Mrs.
	Bollinger, "Here's one big bastard of
	a check, give me some of your Christing
	money."

CUT TO

PAUL, almost laughing as some soup hits the coverlet.

			ANNIE
		(seeing the spill,
		suddenly upset)
	There! Look there! See what you made
	me do!

CUT TO

PAUL -- his smile disappears.

CUT TO

ANNIE, and she is just totally embarrassed.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
	Sometimes I get so worked up. Can you
	ever forgive me? Here...

She hands him his pills and starts to clean the soup off the
coverlet. Then she makes the sweetest smile.

			ANNIE
	I love you, Paul.
		(more embarrassed than
		ever)
	Your mind. Your creativity --
	that's all I meant.

Flustered, she turns away as we --

CUT TO

A ROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS. Piles of snow all around but it's
been ploughed enough so it's driveable.

CUT TO

A CAR coming into view. Up ahead is the sign we've already
seen: "Curved Road, Next 13 Miles."

CUT TO

INSIDE THE CAR.

BUSTER AND HIS WIFE VIRGINIA: Virginia is driving while
Buster intently studiesthe terrain. He reaches fora large
thermos, pours some coffee, offers it to her. She shakes her
head. He begins to sip it.

			VIRGINIA
	This sure is fun.

She puts her hand on his leg.

			BUSTER
		(removing it)
	Virginia, when you're in this car,
	you're not my wife, you're my
	deputy.

			VIRGINIA
	Well, this deputy would rather be
	home under the covers with the
	Sheriff.

CUT TO

THE CAR. Suddenly, it goes into a little icy spin -- she
fights it back under control.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE CAR.

			BUSTER
		(suddenly)
	Stop -- stop right here.

			VIRGINIA
	What? What is it?

CUT TO

THE CAR, skidding, slowing, stopping. BOTH OF THEM get out,
go to the edge of the road. Mountains of snow. Nothing much
else visible. Then Buster points.

			BUSTER
	Look at that broken branch there...

CUT TO

VIRGINIA, seeing it, unconvinced.

			VIRGINIA
	Could be the weight of the snow.

			BUSTER
	Could be -- or a rotten branch or a
	mountain lion could have landed on it.
	Could be a lot of things.

He steps off the road, starts down.

CUT TO

VIRGINIA, watching him, worried -- it's very slippery.

CUT TO

BUSTER, graceful, in great shape, navigating down easily.

CUT TO

THE TREE that the car ran into. BUSTER reaches it, studies
it.

CUT TO

VIRGINIA, staring out after him -- she can't see him because
the drop is both too steep and covered with trees and mounds
of snow.

			VIRGINIA
	Anything down there?

			BUSTER'S VOICE (o-s)
	Yeah. An enormous amount of snow.

CUT TO

BUSTER. He's moved away from the tree now, going toward
where the Mustang is buried.

CUT TO

THE MOUND OF SNOW with the Mustang inside.

CUT TO

BUSTER, making his way closer to it, closer, staring around.

CUT TO

THE AREA. Nothing to be seen -- everything is covered with
mountains of snow. You could have a house down there and not
be able to see it. Just glaring white.

CUT TO

BUSTER, angry, frustrated, turning around and around and

CUT TO

BUSTER from another angle, from behind the mound with the
Mustang inside -- and out of his sight, glistening in the
sun, a bit of the door protrudes. But, of course, Buster
can't see it.

HOLD ON BUSTER, in a sour mood, staring around as the edge
of the door continues to glisten.

CUT TO

VIRGINIA, on the road as Buster makes his way back up, still
ticked.

			VIRGINIA
		(they move to the car)
	You really think Sheldon's out there?

			BUSTER
	Hope not -- if he is, he's dead. Let's
	go to the newspaper office.

As they get in the car --

ANOTHER CAR DRIVING BY -- it's Annie in her Jeep -- neither
she nor Buster notice each other.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

The door opens and ANNIE enters.

			ANNIE
	Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to
	wake you.

			PAUL
	It's fine.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Paul's eyes fluttering awake to see the hardback copy of his
novel, Misery's Child, in Annie's hands. She's never been
more excited --

			ANNIE
	They had it at the store, Paul, there
	was a whole batch of them there. As
	soon as I saw it, I slammed my money
	down. I got the first copy.

			PAUL
	Then the roads are open...

			ANNIE
	The one to town is, but that's about it.
	I called the hospital and talked to the
	head orthopedic surgeon. I told him who
	you were and what had happened. He said
	as long as there's no infection, you're
	not in any danger, and as soon as the
	road to the hospital is open, they'll
	send an ambulance for you.

			PAUL
	The phones are working?

			ANNIE
	Well, mine's still out. But the ones in
	town were working just fine. I called
	that agent of yours.
		(soft now)
	Oh, Paul, I peeked at the very
	beginning.
		(looks at him)
	What a wonderful first page -- just to
	read the name Misery Chastain...

			PAUL
	My daughter must be going nuts.

			ANNIE
	...it's like a visit from my oldest,
	dearest friend.

			PAUL
	I was supposed to be home for her
	birthday three days ago.

			ANNIE
	Your agent said she would tell her you
	were okay. But I'm afraid you'll have to
	wait until tomorrow if you want to speak
	to her yourself.

She starts to leave, stops at the door.

			ANNIE
		(She looks at him now
		with almost a look of
		amazement)
	Oh, Paul, what a poet you are...

As she leaves --

DISSOLVE TO

PAUL, watching as she enters, moves to him, carrying a tray.

			ANNIE
	I made you my speciality -- scrambled
	eggs a la Wilkes. And I'm on page 75.

			PAUL
	I guess that means it's okay.

			ANNIE
	No. No, it isn't, it's --
		(halts)
	-- oh pooh, I can't think of any words.
	Would "great" be insulting?

			PAUL
	I can live with "great."

He starts, with effort, to eat.

			ANNIE
		(as she turns, goes)
	No, it's not just great, it's perfect,
	a perfect, perfect thing.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. MID-AFTERNOON.

ANNIE is clearing Paul's tray. She hands him his Novril; he
quickly swallows them.

			ANNIE
	I'm up to page 185. I always get sad
	when I pass the halfway point. Will
	you do me a favor? I'd love it if you
	would autograph my copy. I already
	have your autograph on a picture, but
	it would mean so much to me to get it
	in person. I know you're right-handed,
	so don't worry if it's not so legible.
	I'll cherish it anyway.

As PAUL signs the book:

			ANNIE
	I don't mean to pry, but I've read in
	two magazines now where you were seeing
	this model who does those disgusting
	jeans commercials. And I said it can't
	be true. Paul Sheldon would never waste
	his time with a trampy woman like that.

			PAUL
	Well, you can't believe everything you
	read in magazines.

			ANNIE
	I knew it. I knew it wasn't true. Boy,
	how do they get away with printing
	stuff like that?

			PAUL
	You'd be amazed at what some people
	will believe.

He finishes the autograph, hands the book back to her.

			ANNIE
	Thank you so much.

			PAUL
	My pleasure.

DISSOLVE TO

THE WINDOW. LATE - AFTERNOON SUNLIGHT.

CUT TO

THE DOOR. IT opens and guess what -- a sow lumbers in.

CUT TO

PAUL, kind of stunned as this female pig skitters its way
around the room, excited, confused, slipping and sliding.

CUT TO

ANNIE, all smiles and happiness, laughing in the doorway.

			ANNIE
	I thought it was time you two should
	meet. Paul, say hello to my favorite
	beast in all the world, my sow, Misery.

			PAUL
	Misery?

CUT TO

THE PIG, snorting around the room.

CUT TO

PAUL AND ANNIE, watching it.

			ANNIE
	Yes. I told you I was your number-one
	fan.

			PAUL
	I'm getting to believe you.

			ANNIE
	This farm was getting kind of dreary,
	what with just the few cows and chickens
	and me --
		(happy)
	But when I got Misery here, everything
	changed -- she just makes me smile so.

			PAUL
	She's a fine...uh...pig is what she is...

			ANNIE
		(scooping up the pig,
		holding it tight as she
		stands by Paul)
	I'm on page three-hundred now, Paul, and
	it's better than perfect -- it's divine.
	What's the ceiling that dago painted?

			PAUL
	The Sistine Chapel?

			ANNIE
	Yeah, that and Misery's Child -- those
	are the only two divine things ever in
	this world...

PAUL watches as the pig skitters out of the room with ANNIE
in pursuit, happily imitating the pig.

			ANNIE
	Woink! Whoink! Whuh-Whuh-WHOINK!

CUT TO

PAUL staring after them -- what the hell was that?

CUT TO

THE WINDOW. DUSK.

ANNIE'S VOICE is heard softly.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	When my husband left me... I wasn't
	prepared, it wasn't an easy time...

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

ANNIE, standing at the window, her back to the room.

In bed, PAUL is dealing with a bedpan, peeing.

			ANNIE
	For a while I thought I might go
	crazy.

			PAUL
	I know how that can be.

			ANNIE
	I don't know about you, but what I did
	to get through it was I dove into work --
	days, nights -- night shifts can be
	lonely at a hospital. I did a lot of
	reading. That was hen I first discovered
	Misery. She made me so happy. She made
	me forget all my problems.
		(She smiles now)
	'Course, I suppose you had a little
	something to do with that too.

There is a peeing sound.

			PAUL
	Yeah, well...

He is embarrassed.

			ANNIE
		(She isn't)
	I just kept reading them over and over.
	I know when I finish this one -- and
	I've only got two chapters to go -- I'll
	just turn right to the front page and
	start reading it again.

			PAUL
	I'm...

			ANNIE
		(She turns around,
		moves to the bed)
	Done?

			PAUL
	Yeah, thanks.

			ANNIE
	No problem.

As she takes the bedpan...

			ANNIE
	Don't get me wrong. I'm not against
	marriage per se. But it would take a
	pretty special guy to make me want to
	go down the aisle again.

			PAUL
	Well, it's not something you should
	enter into lightly.

			ANNIE
	It boils down to respect. People just
	don't respect the institution of
	marriage anymore. They have no sense
	of real commitment.

CUT TO

PAUL, attempting to smile. There is not much he can say to
this.

			ANNIE
	I'd love to stay here and chat, but
	I'm right at the end and I gotta find
	out what happens.

			PAUL
	Well, I hope you like it.

			ANNIE
	Of course I'll like it. Misery's about
	to have her child. What's it gonna be,
	a boy or a girl? Ooh, don't tell me.

With that, she exits.

CUT TO

THE WINDOW. MOONLIGHT.

CUT TO

PAUL. He's been dozing but now his eyes flutter awake as we

CUT TO

THE DOOR. It opens and ANNIE enters, comes to his bedside.

CUT TO

PAUL. Hard to see. He squints up as we

CUT TO

ANNIE. CLOSE UP: her face is ashen pale.

			ANNIE
	You...you dirty bird. She can't be
	dead. Misery Chastain cannot be dead!
	How could you?

			PAUL
	Annie, in 1871, women often died in
	childbirth, but her spirit is the
	important thing, and Misery's spirit
	is still alive --

			ANNIE
		(screaming)
	I DON'T WANT HER SPIRIT! I want HER!
	And you MURDERED her!

			PAUL
	I DIDN'T...

			ANNIE
	Then who did?

			PAUL
	No one -- she just died -- she slipped
	away, that's all.

			ANNIE
		(screaming)
	She slipped away? She slipped away? She
	didn't just slip away. You did it. You
	did it. You did it. You did it. You
	murdered my Misery.

And now she has lifted a chair -- it's heavy but she's very
strong -- and she raises it and turns on Paul, and it's high
above her head, and PAUL realizes that this might be it, she
might shatter him with it, crunch his skull -- and that's
just what she seems she's about to do -- and then she swings
it, not against him but against the wall, and it shatters
and she's panting from the effort as she turns on him again,
her voice surprisingly soft.

			ANNIE
	I thought you were good, Paul, but
	you're not good, you're just another
	lying old dirty birdie and I don't
	think I better be around you for
	awhile.
		(she crosses to the
		door, then stops)
	And don't even think about anybody
	coming for you, not the doctors, not
	your agent, not your family -- because
	I never called them. Nobody knows
	you're here. And you better hope
	nothing happens to me because if I die,
	you die.

CUT TO

PAUL, watching as she closes the door behind her. Then there
is a RATTLE OF A KEY and the sound of the door to his room
LOCKING.

CUT TO

ANNIE, getting in her Cherokee and gunning away.

CUT TO

THE ROOM.

PAUL lies still. He looks around the room and listens for
sounds. All he hears are the SOUNDS OF A WINTER NIGHT in the
mountains. After a few beats, he takes a deep breath and
then begins his greatest effort of all: to force his body
out of bed, to make it move.

He's still weak from what he's endured, but that's not the
main thing: it's the pain. Any attempt at movement and his
legs scream. He sags back, lies there still a moment. Slowly
he tries to maneuver his body off the bed. He rolls over
onto his stomach, then tries to lower himself onto the floor
by moving down head first. His good arm hits the floor, and
he is able to hold himself up but, realizing there is no way
to get out of bed without causing tremendous pain, he girds
himself and flings himself out of bed and comes crashing to
the floor.

The pain is excruciating. After he regains his composure, he
slowly crawls toward the door.

He reaches up and tries the handle. It is, in fact, locked.
He awkwardly tries to slam up against the door, but it is
much too painful and to no avail. He crawls back over to the
bed, realizes there's no way to climb back in, then grabs
the blanket from the bed, wraps it around himself, and
closes his eyes.

DISSOLVE TO

BUSTER'S OFFICE. DAY.

He sits alone at his desk on the telephone, staring at the
Rocky Mountain Gazette spread in front of him.

CUT TO

THE NEWSPAPER'S FRONT PAGE.

In a prominent spot on the top is what is most likely a
book-jacket photo of Paul. Above the picture is the
following: "HAVE YOU SEEN PAUL SHELDON?"

BUSTER is on the phone with Marcia Sindell.

			BUSTER
	No, Ms. Sindell, there's no point in
	coming up here now. Everything that
	can be done is... Yes, we're working
	closely with the state police, and
	the FBI has been informed. Right...
	Right... As soon as we know anything
	we'll let you know. No, it's no
	bother. Call anytime. Bye, Ms. Sindell.

VIRGINIA enters, carrying some files.

			VIRGINIA
	Here's the list of all Sheldon's
	credit charges. Nothing after the
	Silver Creek.
		(With a glance at his
		dour face, she
		indicates the photo)
	Any calls?

			BUSTER
	Just from his agent.

CUT TO

BUSTER. His eyes flick up to her. An almost imperceptible
shake of the head.

HOLD FOR A MOMENT, then --

FACES. They are distorted, and they come into view but
briefly, then change into the next distorted face. All kinds
-- there is no order to them -- young, Oriental, female,
male, pretty, sad, black, not so pretty, happy, white, old
-- what we HEAR is this:

"...You've changed my life..."

"...I'm your number one fan..."

"...I'm a really big fan of yours..."

"...I'm your biggest fan..."

"...Don't ever stop writing those Misery books..."

"...I've read all your books, but the Miserys... well..."

"...I'm your numbe rone fan..."

"...You've given me such pleasure..."

"...I feel like you're writing just for me..."

AND NOW, IT GETS KICKED UP IN SPEED AND ALL GOES FASTER,
MANY TIMES OVERLAPPING.

"...I love you...I'm your number one fan...I'm your
biggest
fan...We love you...number one...love
you...biggest...love
you...number one...number one... you poor dear thing..."

This last was said by Annie, out of focus, and for a moment,
she stays that way --

CUT TO

THE ROOM, AS IT SNAPS BACK INTO FOCUS -- ANNIE is standing
by the bed. It is dusk.

She wears a dark blue dress and a hat with a sprig of
flowers. Her eyes are bright and vivacious -- the fact is,
this is the prettiest ANNIE WILKES has ever looked.

			ANNIE
	What are you doing on the floor?
		(crossing to the bed)
	It's my fault. If I'd had a
	proper hospital bed, this never
	would have happened. Here, let me
	help you back in.
		(She lifts him back
		into the bed, which
		causes considerable
		pain)
	I know this hurts, but it'll only
	take a few seconds. There you go.
	Comfy?

			PAUL
		(in pain)
	Perfect.

			ANNIE
	You're such a kidder. I have a big
	surprise for you. But first there's
	something you must do.

			PAUL
	I don't suppose I could have a
	little snack while I wait for the
	surprise?

			ANNIE
	I'll get you everything you want,
	but you must listen first. Sometimes
	my thinking is a little muddy, I
	accept that. It's why I couldn't
	remember all those things they were
	asking me on the witness stand in
	Denver.

Now she turns, goes to the doorway, keeping on talking. She
is never out of sight.

			ANNIE
	But this time I thought clearly. I
	asked God about you and God said "I
	delivered him unto you so that you
	may show him the way."

			PAUL
	Show me the way?

			ANNIE
	Yes.

She exits and re-enters wheeling something toward his bed.
It's a charcoal barbecue, the kind you use in summer for
cooking hamburgers. She holds several items in her arms: a
box of Diamond Blue Tip wooden matches, a can of lighter
fluid. And most noticeably, Paul's manuscript.

CUT TO

ANNIE AND PAUL. He watches, mute, as she takes off the
grill, puts the manuscript into the barbecue itself where
the charcoal goes, spritzes it with lighter fluid. The grill
is close enough to the bed for him to reach out and drop a
match.

			PAUL
	When I mentioned a snack, I was
	thinking more along the lines of a
	cheese and crackers kind of thing.

CUT TO

ANNIE, looking at him.

			ANNIE
	Paul, this is no time for jokes. You
	must rid the world of this filth.

She hands him the box of kitchen matches.

			PAUL
	You want me to burn my book?

			ANNIE
		(she nods)
	Yes.

			PAUL
	You want me to burn my book?

			ANNIE
	I know this may be difficult for
	you, but it's for the best.

			PAUL
	This isn't difficult, my agent's
	made dozens of copies. There's gonna
	be an auction on this, and every
	publishing house in New York is
	reading it now. So if you want me to
	burn it, fine. You're not ridding the
	world of anything.

CUT TO

ANNIE, watching him.

			ANNIE
		(quietly)
	Then light the match, Paul.

			PAUL
	No big deal.

			ANNIE
	So you've indicated. Do it.

CUT TO

THE MATCHES. PAUL'S HANDS are starting to tremble now. He
can't do it.

			ANNIE
	I know this is the only copy, Paul.
	When you were twenty-four you wrote
	your first book and you didn't make
	a copy, because you didn't think
	anybody would take it seriously.
	But they did. And ever since you've
	never made any copies because you're
	superstitious -- it's why you always
	come back to the Silver Creek Lodge.
	You told that story to Merv Griffin
	eleven years ago.

			PAUL
	You know, Annie, this book never
	would have survived without you.
	When it gets to new York, there will
	be a big auction, and whatever it
	brings we can split.
		(pause)
	God knows you're entitled to it.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul. This isn't about money.
	It's about decency and purity. It's
	about God's values.

			PAUL
	You're right. You're right. I don't
	know what I was thinking. I'll tell
	you what. It doesn't have to be
	published. Nobody ever has to see it.
	I'll just keep it for myself. No one
	will ever have to know it exists.

			ANNIE
	As long as it does exist, your mind
	won't ever be free. I think you
	should light the match, Paul.

There is a long silence. PAUL doesn't move.

			ANNIE
	Can't you see it's what God wants?

She's holding the can of lighter fluid in her hand as she
speaks and absentmindedly flicks a few drops of the fluid on
the bed.

			ANNIE
	You're so brilliant. I would think
	you'd certainly be able to see that.
		(More drops fall on
		the bed)
	We're put on this earth to help
	people, Paul. Like I'm trying to help
	you.

PAUL watches as the fluid continues to drop on the bed.

			ANNIE
	Please let me help you.

CUT TO

PAUL. His hands shaking. Almost robot-like, he strikes one.
It flames.

			ANNIE
	You're doing the right thing, Paul.

CUT TO

THE BARBECUE, as Paul's hand appears, drops the match on the
fluid-soaked manuscript. For a moment -- nothing --

-- and then, KABOOM, the goddam thing practically explodes
and

CUT TO

PAUL, staring, dazed, and as the flames leap higher,

CUT TO

ANNIE, suddenly scared and startled at the heat and the size
of the flames and the full baking heat and

			ANNIE
		(crying out)
	Goodness!

CUT TO

THE BARBECUE. The sound is LOUDER as the flames leap up and
now charred bits of paper begin floating upward and

CUT TO

ANNIE, watching, as more bits of paper rise.

			ANNIE
	Goodness -- Goodness -- Oh, my
	gracious --

And she starts trying to catch them.

CUT TO

A PIECE OF BURNING PAPER in midair, floating against the
gauzy curtain, and for a moment it looks like the curtain
will catch fire and

CUT TO

ANNIE, panicked, racing out of the room, going "Goodness,
heavens to Betsy" --

CUT TO

THE BARBECUE, and what's left of the book.

CUT TO

PAUL, and he cannot take his eyes off the disaster.

CUT TO

ANNIE, hurrying back in, carrying a big bucket, slopping
water as she lifts the bucket.

CUT TO

THE LAST of the manuscript as the bucket of water is tossed
onto it -- there's hissing and steam and as the steam clears
it all looks now like a log in a brackish pond.

			ANNIE
	Well, isn't that an oogy mess?

As she starts to wheel the barbecue out, suddenly there is a
new and different sound as we

CUT TO

PAUL, head turning toward the window.

CUT TO

ANNIE taking a step toward the window, stopping for a
moment. The sound we're hearing is a motor. A HELICOPTER
MOTOR. And it's getting louder. Annie goes to the window
now, looks toward the sky as we

CUT TO

A HELICOPTER flying along.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE HELICOPTER.

BUSTER and a PILOT are in the machine. Buster has a pair of
binoculars looped around his neck, a map rumpled in his lap.

			BUSTER
		(pointing out)
	That's the Steadman place up there.
		(The pilot nods.
		Buster points again)
	The only other place up here is the
	Wilkes farm.

Another nod. The PILOT points down. BUSTER stares through
the binoculars.

WHAT HE SEES: ANNIE'S JEEP parked in front of her house.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE HELICOPTER.

			BUSTER
	That's no '65 Mustang. There's
	nothing else out this way --
	circle on back.

As the pilot starts to change direction

CUT TO

ANNIE at the window, watching, as the helicopter turns,
starts off.

CUT TO

PAUL, listening as the MOTOR sound recedes.

CUT TO

ANNIE, staring out the window.

			ANNIE
	I do believe the winters are getting
	shorter and shorter every year.
	People say it has something to do
	with the ozone layer. What do you
	think?

			PAUL
	I don't know.

			ANNIE
	Yeah, well, it's a theory. Here's
	your Novril.
		(she wheels the
		barbecue to the
		door; stops)
	How does tuna casserole sound for
	dinner?

			PAUL
	Great.

She exits. PAUL takes the two Novril, stares at them, then
deliberately tucks them under his mattress.

DISSOLVE TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

As PAUL is finishing the last of his tuna casserole. There
are two Novrils on his tray. We hear strains of TV GAME SHOW
THEME MUSIC. These sounds are not surprising. Paul has heard
them before.

CUT TO

ANNIE'S ROOM. NIGHT.

It is much smaller than Paul's and filled with religious
bric-a-brac, pictures of Paul Sheldon, and a TV on a
portable stand. Annie lies in bed, with an open bag of
Cheetos resting on her stomach and a big quart-sized plastic
bottle of Coke on the nightstand. As she munches away, she
is heavily engrossed in her favorite TV show, "The Love
Connection." As Chuck Woolery extracts the embarrassing
details of a couple's romantic interlude, we

CUT TO

Paul faintly hearing the sounds of the TV. He has now
finished eating. He takes the two Novril from under the
mattress. He then undoes the sheet, takes his fork and
delicately pokes a hole in the mattress, then stuffs all
four pills back into the hole.

DISSOLVE TO

FARMHOUSE.

Coming up to dawn.

CUT TO

PAUL'S DOOR slowly opening.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring at the door.

CUT TO

WHEELS, seen from underneath the bed, being rolled around
the foot of the bed. We realize PAUL is in a wheelchair with
ANNIE pushing him.

			ANNIE
	See, isn't this nice?

			PAUL
	Great. I've always wanted to visit
	the other side of the room.

			ANNIE
	And look what I've got for you. An
	electric razor so you can shave
	yourself now.

			PAUL
	If I knew this was gonna be the
	surprise, you could've gotten me to
	burn all my books.

			ANNIE
		(She hands him some
		Novril)
	Now don't josh. This is a very big
	day for you, Paul. Here. You just sit
	tight, and I'll set everything up.

ANNIE exits.

CUT TO

PAUL, quickly shoving the Novril into the mattress.

			PAUL
	Set what up?

			ANNIE (o-s)
	That's the big surprise. Your new
	studio -- after all, writers do need
	a place to work.

			PAUL
	Work? You mean write? What in the world
	do you think I'd write?

			ANNIE
	Oh, but Paul!
		(flushed)
	I don't think, I know! Now that you've
	gotten rid of that nasty manuscript,
	you can go back to doing what you're
	great at --
		(beat)
	-- you're going to write a new novel --
	your greatest achievement ever --
	Misery's Return.

CUT TO

PAUL. Stunned.

			PAUL
		(after a beat)
	Misery's Return?

			ANNIE
	I know you didn't mean it when you
	killed her, and now you'll make it
	right.

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP. In an almost religious fervor.

			ANNIE
	Yes. It will be a book in my honor.
	For saving your life and nursing you
	back to health. I'll be the first
	one to read it.
		(beat)
	Oh, Paul, you're going to make me
	the envy of the whole world...

CUT TO

PAUL.

			PAUL
	You just expect me to whip something
	off, that it?

			ANNIE
		(nods)
	I expect nothing less than your
	masterpiece.

			PAUL
	You do understand that this isn't the
	ordinary way books get written -- I
	mean, some people might actually
	consider this an oddball situation.

She rolls him over to a table she has set up by the window.

			ANNIE
	I have total confidence in your
	brilliance -- besides, the view will
	inspire you.

CUT TO

THE WINDOW, as the wheelchair approaches it.

The sky is innocent of clouds. There's a green forest
climbing the flank of the nearest mountain. A plot of open
ground between the house and the mountain. A neat red barn
where the livestock stay. A Jeep Cherokee, maybe five years
old. A Fisher plow. And no neighbors in sight. This is a
desolate place.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	You just inhale that. I'll be right
	back.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring out the window.

			PAUL
		(calling out)
	I guess you don't get bothered by
	neighbors much.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	Don't worry about that. You'll have
	total solitude so you can
	concentrate on your work.

			PAUL
	Great.

CUT TO

ANNIE in the doorway, carrying reams of typing paper,
pencils, pens and sharpener.

CUT TO

CUT TO

PAUL, watching her -- it's all kind of amazing. She hands
him a box of typing paper.

			ANNIE
	I got you this expensive paper to
	type on.

CUT TO

PAUL, looking at the paper. It's Corrasable Bond. An idea
hits him; he masks it as best he can.

			ANNIE
		(putting the rest
		of the paper on the
		table)
	And I got a great deal on this
	fifty-pound clunker -- on account
	of it's missing an "n." I told the
	saleslady "n" was one of the
	letters in my favorite writer's
	name.

			PAUL
	It's two of the letters in my
	favorite nurse's name, Annie.

			ANNIE
		(embarrassed, blushing)
	You -- fooler...!
		(turns, grabs up pens,
		pencils, paper)
	Did I do good?

			PAUL
		(gesturing to the
		box of paper)
	You did great, except there's just
	one little thing -- I can't work
	with this paper. It's Corrasable
	Bond, it smudges. Maybe you could
	go back into town and bring me some
	white, long-grained mimeo.

			ANNIE
	But mine cost the most so I don't
	see how it could smudge.

			PAUL
		(quickly taking a
		sheet of paper, making
		a pencil mark on it)
	C'mere, I'll show you.

As she approaches, he rubs his thumb over the pencil mark.

			ANNIE
		(looking at it)
	Well, it does smudge after all --
	isn't that fascinating?

			PAUL
	I thought you'd be interested. I'd
	like you to be in on everything,
	Annie. Not just the finished book,
	but how it's written.

			ANNIE
	Thank you for thinking of me.
		(She can be so
		charming when she
		wants)
	Anything else I can get while I'm
	in town? Any other crucial
	requirements that need satisfying?
	Would you like a tiny tape recorder?
	Or maybe a handmade set of writing
	slippers?

			PAUL
	No, just the paper will be fine.

			ANNIE
		(suddenly very agitated)
	Are you sure? 'Cause if you want,
	I'll bring back the whole store
	for you.

			PAUL
	Annie, what's the matter?

			ANNIE
	What's the matter? I'll tell you
	what's the matter. I go out of my way
	for you. I do everything to try and
	make you happy. I feed you, I clean
	you, I dress you. And what thanks do
	I get? "You bought the wrong paper,
	Annie. I can't write on this paper,
	Annie." Well, I'll get your stupid
	paper, but you just better start
	showing me a little more appreciation
	around here, Mister Man.

With that, she throws the ream of paper in PAUL'S LAP,
causing considerable pain.

CUT TO

THE DOOR as she slams it shut, locks it, stomps off and

CUT TO

THE WINDOW. Annie, in a parka, can be seen storming out in
the direction where her Cherokee was parked. She gets in and
drives off.

CUT TO

PAUL. He heaves a sigh, reaches out toward his tortured
knees, then drops his head. He sees something.

CUT TO

A BOBBY PIN on the floor.

CUT TO

PAUL, as he moves toward the bobby pin. Or tries to. It's
brutally hard for him. The chair moves half a foot. Stops.
Paul strains again. Another half foot. Another.

CUT TO

The BOBBY PIN. The wheelchair is beside it now. PAUL reaches
down for it. Can't make it. Tries again. Can't. He takes a
deep breath, forces himself to bend, ignoring the pain. The
bobby pin is in his hands.

CUT TO

PAUL, inserting the bobby pin into the keyhole, beginning to
jimmy the lock.

CUT TO

THE LOCK -- it makes a SOUND -- something has caught.

CUT TO

PAUL, excited, trying to force the bobby pin and he's doing
great-

-until it slips from his hands, falls to the floor again.

			PAUL
		(furious)
	Shit...

CUT TO

THE BOBBY PIN. Paul reaches for it. The pain has him. He
reaches again, involuntarily cries out. But he grabs it,
clutches it tight.

CUT TO

THE KEYHOLE. Paul is trying to jimmy the lock a second time.

No luck.

CUT TO

PAUL. In wild frustration.

			PAUL
	You've written how to do this --
	now do it!

CUT TO

THE KEYHOLE. There is a loud CLICKING sound.

CUT TO

THE DOOR as Paul turns the knob. The door opens a crack.

			PAUL
		(amazed)
	What do you know, it actually works.

CUT TO

PAUL, trying to get out of the room -- but it's a bitch
because in order to get to the lock he had to move the
wheelchair up to the door and in order to get out, he's got
to maneuver it out of the way of the door and every turn of
the chair's wheels is an effort for him. He works at it and
works at it, but his energy is failing him. He's pale,
perspiring. Finally he succeeds, barely forces his way into
the hall.

CUT TO

PAUL, in the hallway outside. He looks around for a phone.
Doesn't see one. He wheels himself over to the front door,
tries it. It's locked from the outside.

			PAUL
	What a surprise.

He looks off into the living room, and...

CUT TO

THE TELEPHONE.

CUT TO

PAUL, wheeling into the living room. Dark red predominates.
It's a musty room. Over the mantel, a photograph of a
six-year-old ANNIE, with her mother and father in front of
the family car -- a new 1952 Buick. These were happier
times.

The windows have bars on them.

As PAUL begins to wheel as fast as he can toward the phone
--

CUT TO

THE PHONE as PAUL at last grabs for it, gets it, punches the
"operator" button --

			PAUL
	Operator...
		(nothing)
	...OPERATOR...
		(wildly frustrated)
	...Shit!

He shakes the phone. It's terribly light. He picks it up,
turns it over -- it's hollow, just a shell of a telephone.
He stares at it for a long moment, shaking his head, the
disappointment plain.

			PAUL
	You crazy bitch...

He puts the phone back on the table.

CUT TO

THE GENERAL STORE. DAY.

Annie exits the store, carrying new paper, hops into her
Cherokee and drives off.

CUT TO

THE STUDY, as PAUL enters. He looks around.

It's stuffed with heavy, graceless furniture as well as lots
of coffee tables covered with knickknacks. As he, with
effort, wheels across it --

CUT TO

A shelf of BOOKS. PAUL SHELDON books. EVERY Paul Sheldon
book.

CUT TO

PAUL, pausing, looking at her collection. The only book on
the shelf that isn't his is a large scrapbook. The title on
the back reads "My Life."

He glances back at the shelf as he forces his wheelchair
across the study, and we

CUT TO

A SMALL TABLE with little ceramic doodads on top. The
wheelchair his it, one of the doodads topples -- it's a
penguin, fragile looking, and as it's about to fall to the
floor and shatter --

CUT TO

PAUL, grabbing for it, catching it, putting it back where it
was. He continues his slow way across the room and

CUT TO

THE HALLWAY.

Out in the hallway, on his way toward the kitchen, PAUL
notices a door to his right. He wheels over and surprisingly
it opens. However, this is not a door to the outside of the
house, only a storage pantry. He looks around -- nothing but
canned goods, potato chips, cereals and large plastic Coke
containers, etc. Just as he is about to close the door, he
notices an open cardboard box. He opens the flap and sees
all kinds of prescription drugs. Among them are a couple of
strips of Novril encapsulated in blisters. He grabs them and
stuffs them into his sweatpants. Now he closes the pantry
door and heads to the kitchen.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN.

As PAUL approaches it. He starts to wheel his way in, but he
has trouble.

He backs up slightly, wheels forward again --

-- but the door is too narrow for the chair to fit through.
He pounds his fists on the chair arm, staring as we

CUT TO

THE BACK DOOR. It's at the far end of the kitchen leading to
the outside. It seems somehow less formidable than the front
door did. The windows around the kitchen are barred.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring at the kitchen door --

-- then without warning, he makes his move, starting to
lower himself out of the chair gently to the floor --

-- only it doesn't work that way. It's too awkward, he
doesn't have the strength to maneuver properly --

-- and his body tilts awkwardly out of the chair, slams hard
against the hard floor.

CUT TO

PAUL, crying out in pain as he lands. He lies there for a
moment. Little droplets of sweat are on his forehead now. He
is hurting.

He closes his eyes, gathering strength --

-- and then slowly, very slowly, inch by inch, he moves his
body across the floor toward the kitchen door.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN DOOR. It's still a long way away.

CUT TO

PAUL, ignoring his pain, his awkwardness, making his body
move.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN DOOR. Closer now.

CUT TO

PAUL, growing pale, but he won't stop, and now the door is
just ahead of him, and with his good arm he reaches out and
up and grabs the doorknob --

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN DOOR. Locked solid.

CUT TO

PAUL: CLOSE UP. The disappointment and anger is plain on his
face. His arm drops. He lies still for a moment, panting
from his effort. Then --

CUT TO

PAUL, and his eyes are wide for a moment. You can feel his
wild excitement, as we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

Sitting on the counter: A SET OF CARVING KNIVES sticking out
of a slotted wooden block.

They seem to be out of reach, but that doesn't stop him. He
starts to crawl over to the counter.

CUT TO

THE ROAD.

ANNIE is driving along in her Cherokee. She is heading home.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN.

Now at the counter, PAUL tries to pull himself up with his
one good arm, but even though he is able to chin himself up
to the top of the counter, he is still unable to reach the
knives. He makes a desperate attempt which sends him
crashing to the floor.

As he starts to force his way up again -- from outside there
comes a sound -- the motor of a car.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE ANNIE's.

ANNIE, driving up to the house.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN.

PAUL, throwing himself back to the floor, starting a wild
crawl back across the kitchen toward the wheelchair and

CUT TO

OUTSIDE ANNIE'S.

ANNIE, getting out of her Jeep and

CUT TO

KITCHEN.

PAUL, crawling, crawling and

CUT TO

OUTSIDE ANNIE'S.

ANNIE, walking around to the back of the Jeep and

CUT TO

KITCHEN.

PAUL, scrambling wildly up into his wheelchair, starting to
get it turned and

CUT TO

ANNIE'S.

ANNIE, opening the back of the Jeep and lifting out several
rectangular boxes of paper and

CUT TO

PAUL, straightened out now, forcing the wheelchair to move,
and now we're into a race, a crazed life-and-death race and
the cuts go fast --

-- and ANNIE closes the door of the car --

-- and PAUL is suddenly stuck, there's no traction on the
rug --

-- now ANNIE, purchases in hand, starts away from the car
for the house --

-- and now PAUL is finally moving toward the bedroom.

-- and ANNIE is moving swiftly toward the front door.

-- She drops one of the packages of paper.

CUT TO

PAUL, still biting down, churning his arms with all the
strength he has left. PAUL'S ARMS, aching, start to turn to
rubber.

CUT TO

ANNIE'S FEET, walking quickly across the snow-covered area
in front of the house and

CUT TO

THE BEDROOM DOOR as Paul gets through it, shuts it, and
attacks the bedroom lock with the bobby pin and

CUT TO

ANNIE, unlocking the front door of the house and

CUT TO

THE BEDROOM DOOR, as it locks and

CUT TO

THE FRONT DOOR, unlocking and

CUT TO

ANNIE balancing the bundles under her chin as she jiggles
the key out of the front door lock and

CUT TO

PAUL, soaked.

			ANNIE (v-o)
		(her voice from the
		hallway, close and
		growing closer)
	Paul, I've got your paper.

CUT TO

PAUL. He wheels to exactly where he was when she left him.
He at last allows himself a sigh of relief.

CUT TO

THE DOOR as the sound of a lock CLICKING is heard.

			ANNIE (v-o)
	Just the kind you asked for.

And as the door opens --

CUT TO

PAUL -- looking down. Paul's waistband -- a half a dozen
strips of Novril ominously stick out.

As the door swings open, he quickly covers the Novril with
this hands.

CUT TO

ANNIE, in the doorway, a strange look on her face.

			ANNIE
	Paul, you're dripping with
	perspiration, your color is very
	hectic -- what have you been
	doing?

			PAUL
	You know goddam well what I've been
	doing -- I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE
	SUFFERING. I need my pills.

			ANNIE
		(tenderly, as she
		starts toward him)
	Poor dear...Let's get you back in
	bed and I'll get them for you.

			PAUL
		(exploding -- a real
		child's tantrum)
	I want my pills NOW!

			ANNIE
	It'll only take a second.

			PAUL
	I want my pain to go 'way, Annie --
	make it go 'way, please Annie --
		(She looks at him --
		you can't tell if
		she's buying it or not)
	-- please...

CUT TO

ANNIE. She stares a moment more, then turns, starts for the
door.

			ANNIE
		(upset)
	It just breaks my heart to see you
	like this...

CUT TO

PAUL watching, and the instant she is out the door in the
hallway, he stuffs the Novril into his pants.

			ANNIE
		(o-s, coming closer)
	I've done a lot of thinking on the
	drive...

CUT TO

ANNIE, entering the room, the Novril in her hand. She is
genuinely contrite.

			ANNIE
	...and I'm absolutely convinced that
	the main reason I've never been more
	popular is because of my temper. You
	must be so mad at me. The truth now.

She hands him the pills. And rolls him over to the bed.

			PAUL
	Well, I don't hold grudges. After
	all, who doesn't let off a little
	steam once in a while.

CUT TO

PAUL putting the pills in his mouth, as she picks him up
from the chair and puts him gently down in bed.

			ANNIE
	My genius needs his rest before he
	writes.

She hands him a pad and pencil.

			ANNIE
	Here, in case you think of any ideas.

			PAUL
	Yeah, well I wouldn't expect too much.

			ANNIE
	Don't be silly. You'll be brilliant.
	Think of me as your inspiration.

CUT TO

THE DOORWAY, as ANNIE starts to it.

			ANNIE
	I have faith in you...
		(beat)
	...my darling...

On that she turns -- for the first time, a coquettish look
comes to her face.

			ANNIE
	Catch this --
		(she throws him a
		kiss -- it's grotesque)
	-- ummmm-wahhhh.

CUT TO

PAUL, summoning up all his courage, as he mimes catching it
and forces a smile on. She waves, closes the door.

HOLD ON PAUL. The smile dies. He reaches in and pulls the
two Novril capsules out of his mouth. Now --

CUT TO

THE SOUND OF A HELICOPTER.

CUT TO

INSIDE THE HELICOPTER.

BUSTER AND PILOT flying along. Buster is all bundled up as
he stares out, using the binoculars...

CUT TO

SOMETHING SHINY reflecting the sun.

HOLD AS IT ALMOST BLINDS US -- we're looking at the part of
Paul's Mustang that was revealed by the snow when Buster
almost found the car.

			BUSTER
		(to Pilot)
	Walter, we could be skipping lunch
	today.

CUT TO

CRASH SITE.

Paul's car being hoisted by chains from the ground and, as
it starts to rise up into the afternoon air...

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

THE AREA BY THE CAR -- BUSTER is there and a bunch of STATE
POLICEMEN and various MEDIA PEOPLE are there -- Buster
stands with the STATE POLICE CHIEF watching as the car is
hoisted via derrick; the sound of the powerful MOTOR lifting
the car is enormous and as the car keeps rising higher and
higher and PEOPLE take pictures and stare and

CUT TO

THE STATE POLICE CHIEF is addressing maybe a dozen
REPORTERS. It's very cold. BUSTER stands slightly away from
the group.

			STATE POLICE CHIEF
	The presumption must now be that Paul
	Sheldon is dead. We know he somehow
	crawled out of his car. But we have
	been unable to locate his body in the
	vicinity of the crash. We also know
	if anyone had found him, they would
	have taken him to an area hospital.
	His body is undoubtedly out there
	buried somewhere in the snow. We'll
	find him after the first thaw --
	unless the animals have gotten to
	him first.
		(beat)
	I'll take questions.

After the first sentence, a very cold and very unhappy
BUSTER leaves the gathering.

CUT TO

PAUL'S CAR as Buster studies it, especially the area by the
driver's side where there are still dents visible from
Annie's crowbar.

VIRGINIA moves to him now. They exchange a glance, start
walking together toward their car.

CUT TO

THE CHIEF, surrounded -- people are asking questions,
raising hands for attention, and as he answers them --

CUT TO

BUSTER AND VIRGINIA, close together, walking toward their
car.

			VIRGINIA
	You don't think he's dead, do you?

			BUSTER
	He might well be. But not the way
	they say. He didn't crawl out of that
	car by himself. You saw those dents
	on the door -- someone pulled him out.

			VIRGINIA
	It was an old car -- those dents
	could have been there forever.

			BUSTER
	There's two kinds of people that
	drive around in old cars: the ones
	that can't afford new ones, and the
	ones who wouldn't give 'em up for
	anything in the world. That second
	bunch don't drive around with twenty-
	five-year-old dents.

As they drive off...

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

PAUL lies in bed listening to the strains of "The Love
Connection," coming from upstairs. As Chuck Woolery drones
on, Paul is intently involved in folding a piece of paper
from his pad. He is making a container of some sort. He
finishes, then reaches down and grabs the Novril capsules
that he has been stashing in the mattress.

Carefully, he opens one and pours it into the palm of his
hand. First he smells it -- no odor -- then he takes a tiny
bit on a finger and tastes it -- no taste. Then, he takes
his paper container and empties the contents of all the
pills into it, then places it under the mattress.

Now, what to do with the empty capsules. He thinks for a
second, then -- what the hell -- he swallows them. He then
places the packet back in the mattress.

CUT TO

THE TYPEWRITER. DAY.

The window is visible behind it. From this angle, it almost
seems to be staring at PAUL, broken "n" and all. PAUL tests
his wounded arm. He's able to raise it a few inches, but
that's it.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.

ANNIE is visible heading for the barn, followed by MISERY,
the pig. For a moment, she stops, turns to look back.

			ANNIE
		(calling out)
	Don't be nervous --
		(beat)
	-- just remember, I'll treasure
	whatever you do.

Now, as she turns again, moves quickly away --

CUT TO

THE TYPEWRITER.

CUT TO

PAUL. He rolls in a piece of paper, types briefly.

CUT TO

WHAT HE'S WRITTEN, AND IT'S THIS:

			"Misery's Retur ."
			by Paul Sheldo
			for A  ie Wilkes.

CUT TO

PAUL, studying the paper. He takes it out, starts to roll in
a new sheet.

CUT TO

THE MACHINE as the new sheet is rolled in.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring at the blank page. He takes a deep breath,
glances outside, then back to the paper.

CUT TO

THE BLANK PAGE.

CUT TO

PAUL, and now there's a brief light behind his eyes and
suddenly he types a burst, stares at what he's written.

CUT TO

THE PAPER and these words: "fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck."

CUT TO

PAUL. He closes his eyes briefly, mutters something, kind of
nods, opens his eyes, grabs for another piece of paper,
rolls it in and starts mechanically to type.

DISSOLVE TO

A NEW PIECE OF PAPER with the words "Chapter Two" and a half
paragraph of writing as we

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PAUL WORKING in his room. ANNIE enters, the first pages of
manuscript in her hands. It's dusk.

			ANNIE
	I'm sorry, Paul. This is all wrong,
	you'll have to do it over again.

			PAUL
		(totally stunned)
	What? What happened to "I'll treasure
	whatever you do?"

			ANNIE
	Paul, it's not worthy of you. Throw
	it all out except for the part of
	naming that gravedigger after me.
	You can leave that in.

			PAUL
	I really value your criticism, but
	maybe you're being a little hasty
	here.

			ANNIE
	Paul, what you've written just isn't
	fair.

			PAUL
	-- not fair?

			ANNIE
	That's right -- when I was growing up
	in Bakersfield, my favorite thing in
	all the world was to go to the movies
	on Saturday afternoons for the chapter
	plays...

			PAUL
		(it just comes out)
	-- cliff-hangers --

			ANNIE
		(suddenly angry)
	I know that, Mister Man -- they also
	call them serials. I'm not stupid,
	you know.
		(and she's a child again)
	Anyway, my favorite was Rocket Man,
	and once it was a no-brakes chapter,
	the bad guys stuck him in a car on a
	mountain road and knocked him out and
	welded the doors shut and tore out the
	brakes and started him to his death
	and he woke up and tried to steer and
	tried to get out, but the car went off
	a cliff before he could escape and it
	crashed and burned and -- I was so
	upset and excited and the next week
	you better believe I was first in line
	and they always start with the end of
	the last week and there was Rocket Man
	trying to get out, and here came the
	cliff and JUST BEFORE the car went off
	he jumped free and all the kids
	cheered --
		(standing up now)
	-- but I didn't cheer, I stood right
	up and started shouting, "This isn't
	what happened last week -- have you
	all got amnesia? -- THEY JUST CHEATED
	US -- THIS WASN'T FAIR --"

ANNIE: CLOSE UP. Still in her childhood reverie. Shouting:

			ANNIE
	"HE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE COCKADOODIE
	CAR!"

			PAUL
	They always cheated like that in
	cliff --
		(stops himself)
	-- chapter plays.

			ANNIE
	But not you. Not with my Misery.
	Remember, Ian did ride for Dr. Cleary
	at the end of the last book, but his
	horse fell jumping that fence and Ian
	broke his shoulder and his ribs and
	lay there all night in the ditch so he
	never reached the doctor, so there
	couldn't have been any "experimental
	blood transfusion" that saved her life.
	Misery was buried in the ground at the
	end, Paul, so you'll have to start
	there.

As she goes --

			PAUL
	Look at this, I've got Lizzie Borden
	for an editor, here.

PAUL slumps, staring barefully at the typewriter.

DISSOLVE TO

OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE. NIGHT.

DISSOLVE TO

OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE. NEXT MORNING.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. DAY.

PAUL is at the table. He takes the Novril off his breakfast
tray, wheels over to the bed, and stuffs them into the
mattress. He hears FOOTSTEPS coming down the hall. He
smoothly wheels back to the table. A pause.

ANNIE enters to remove the tray.

			ANNIE
	What's the matter, Paul? You haven't
	written a word.

			PAUL
	I can't write this anymore.

			ANNIE
	Don't be silly. Of course you can.

			PAUL
	I'm telling you, I can't.

			ANNIE
	You can -- you have the "gotta" --

			PAUL
	The what?

			ANNIE
	The "gotta." Remember, you talked
	about it in Playboy magazine. You
	said there's a million things you
	can't do in this world; you can't
	his a curve ball, you can't fix a
	leaky faucet or make a marriage
	work -- but there's one thing you
	always have, and that's the power
	of the "gotta."

			PAUL
	I said that?

			ANNIE
	You said you can make it so they
	gotta turn the page. You know, "I
	'gotta' know will she live," "I
	'gotta' know will he catch the
	killer." "I gotta see how this
	chapter ends." You said it. I don't
	usually buy that magazine. I only
	got it, 'cause they were
	interviewing you.

CUT TO

PAUL: CLOSE UP. Blinking.

			PAUL
		(quietly)
	What about a bee...?

			ANNIE
	What?

			PAUL
	Nothing.

CUT TO

THE KEYBOARD as the piece of paper slides in and the keys
start to move. Annie stands there for a moment, then quietly
backs out of the room.

DISSOLVE TO

THE WINDOW. It's late afternoon.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

PAUL in the wheelchair watching as ANNIE finishes reading.

			PAUL
	Well, is it fair? Should I keep
	going?

			ANNIE
	You better. Oh, Paul, when Ian
	realized that the reason they'd
	buried Misery alive was because
	the bee sting had put her in that
	temporary coma --

CUT TO

ANNIE, in a fervor.

			ANNIE
	-- and when Gravedigger Wilkes
	remembered how thirty years earlier,
	the same thing had happened to Lady
	Evelyn-Hyde --
		(hands clasped)
	-- and then old Dr. Cleary deduced
	that Misery must be Lady Evelyn-
	Hyde's long-lost daughter because of
	the rarity of deadly bee-stings --
	my heart just leapt.

CUT TO

PAUL, watching her. It's as if he had nothing to do with
anything she's read as she goes on.

			ANNIE
	I've known from the very first book
	that Misery had to be born of
	nobility and I was right!

			PAUL
		(mumbling to himself)
	Yeah, yeah...

CUT TO

THE TWO OF THEM; she touches the pages as if they were gold,
rubbing gently with the tips of her fingers.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul, can I read each chapter
	when you finish? I can fill in the
	"n"s.
		(Paul nods, and
		she's off again)
	Will she be her old self, now that
	Ian has dug her out, or will she
	have amnesia...?

			PAUL
	...have to wait.

			ANNIE
	Will she still love him with that
	special perfect love?

			PAUL
	Have to wait.

			ANNIE
		(pleading)
	Not even a hint?

Paul shakes his head.

CUT TO

ANNIE, spinning around the room like a happy child.

			ANNIE
	Misery's alive! Misery's alive. Oh,
	it's so romantic -- this whole
	house is going to be filled with
	romance. I'm going to put on my
	Liberace records --
		(stops, looks at Paul)
	-- you do like Liberace, don't you?

			PAUL
		(quickly)
	Whenever he played Radio City, who
	do you think was right there in the
	front row?

			ANNIE
	I'm going to play my records all day
	long -- to inspire you -- he's my
	all-time favorite.

And with that, she starts to leave.

			PAUL
	Annie?

She stops at the door.

			PAUL
	Would you have dinner with me tonight?

She can't speak.

			PAUL
	To celebrate Misery's return. I
	couldn't have done it without you.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul. It would be an honor.

ANNIE dashes excitedly out of the room. PAUL wheels over to
the bed, pulls the packet of Novril poder out from the
mattress and stuffs it in his pants. The sound of Liberace
playing "Tammy" with orchestra and chorus booms in from
beyond the door.

			PAUL
	Jesus Christ.

CUT TO

BUSTER'S OFFICE. DUSK.

VIRGINIA is on the phone.

			VIRGINIA
		(into phone)
	No, he's not here. I don't know where
	he went. He never tells me anything
	anymore. He's probably out having an
	affair somewhere. Wait a minute. I
	think I hear him coming.

BUSTER enters carrying a bagful of books.

			VIRGINIA
		(to Buster)
	It's Jim Taylor. He wants to know who
	you've been having an affair with.

CUT TO

BUSTER. He puts the bag down, shoots Virginia a look and
grabs the phone. VIRGINIA looks in the bag.

			BUSTER
	Hey, Jim, what's doing? Uh-huh...
	uh-huh...Jim, we've been over this.
	If you're gonna have benches in
	front of your store, people are
	gonna sit on them. I don't like him
	either, but I'm not going to come
	over there and tell him to move.
	Give my best to Denise. Bye.

			VIRGINIA
		(looking through the
		books; all paperback
		Misery novels)
	Well, whoever she is, she sure likes
	to read a lot.

			BUSTER
	Virginia, I'm flattered you think I
	got that much energy. I just figured
	if I can't find Paul Sheldon, at
	least I can find out what he wrote
	about.

			VIRGINIA
	What do you expect to find? A story
	about a guy who drove his car off a
	cliff in a snowstorm?

			BUSTER
	Now, you see, it's that kind of
	sarcasm that's given our marriage
	real spice.

CUT TO

STUDY. NIGHT.

PAUL is sitting at a table that Annie has set up with her
best china and silverware. It is as romantic as Annie Wilkes
gets. ANNIE enters, carrying a basket of rolls. She sits and
serves Paul.

			ANNIE
	I hope you like it.

			PAUL
	It looks wonderful. And so do you.

			ANNIE
	Oh...

They eat in awkward silence. Finally:

			PAUL
	I've never had meatloaf this good,
	what do you do to it?

			ANNIE
	My secret is I only use fresh
	tomatoes, never canned. And to give
	it that little extra zip, I mix in
	some Spam with the ground beef.

			PAUL
	Oh.
		(pause)
	You can't get this in a restaurant
	in New York.

After another pause:

			PAUL
	Annie, I think we should have a
	toast.

			ANNIE
	A toast?

			PAUL
	Yes, to Misery. Let me pour you some
	more wine.

Paul pours more of the Gallo wine, then raises his glass.

			ANNIE
	To Misery.

			PAUL
	Wait, let's do this right. Do you
	have any candles?

			ANNIE
	Oh, I don't know. I think so. I'll
	go look.

She exits into the kitchen. PAUL quickly pulls the pasket
filled with Novril powder from his pants. He empties it into
her glass of wine, stuffs the empty packet back into his
pants, talking the whole time:

			PAUL
	Did you study decorating, or do you
	just have a flair?

			ANNIE (o-s)
	Oh, you. I just picked things up
	over the years.

			PAUL
	Well, it certainly says you.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	You really think so?

			PAUL
	Absolutely. Listen, if you can't
	find any, it's okay. I just thought
	it might be nice.

ANNIE re-enters with a candle.

			ANNIE
	Are you kidding? If anyone ever told
	me that one day I'd be having a
	candlelit dinner with Paul Sheldon
	in my own house, I woulda checked
	both legs to see which one was being
	pulled. Will this do?

			PAUL
	It's perfect.

She places the candle on the table. With a slight tremor in
her hand, she lights the candle. PAUL raises his glass.

			PAUL
	To Misery and Annie Wilkes, who
	brought her back to life.

ANNIE raises her glass.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul, every time I think about
	it, I get goosebumps.

They clink glasses.

And with that, her emotions having gotten the best of her,
she knocks over the candle. In trying to right the
situation, she places her glass back down, and as she
reaches for the candle, she knocks over her glass, spilling
the wine.

			ANNIE
		(wiping up the
		spilled wine with
		her napkin)
	Oh, God, what have I done? I'm so
	sorry, Paul. I ruined your beautiful
	toast. Will you ever forgive me?
	Here, let me pour another one.
		(she does)
	Can we pretend this never happened?
	To Misery?

			PAUL
	To Misery.

So they drink their wine.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE. DAY.

The snow, although still present, has melted somewhat. And
starting now and continuing throughout is this: the sound of
typing.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

PAUL, working at his typewriter.

CUT TO

THE MANUSCRIPT. Growing.

CUT TO

ANNIE'S BEDROOM. DUSK.

ANNIE, in her room. Reading and loving it.

CUT TO

BUSTER'S DEN. NIGHT.

BUSTER sitting in his den reading a Misery novel by the
fire. VIRGINIA brings him a cup of tea.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. DAY.

PAUL, the sling off, moving his injured arm. It's more
mobile than before. Testing his strength, he uses his arm to
remove the page and place it on the pile. He puts in another
page and continues to type.

CUT TO

ANNIE, entering Paul's room, carrying a chapter. Handing him
a cup of tea.

			ANNIE
	Paul, this is positively the best
	Misery you've ever written.

			PAUL
	I think you're right.

CUT TO

THE PILE OF PAPER. Bigger.

CUT TO

OUTSIDE THE BARN.

ANNIE, out by the barn. She stares in at the house. Framed
in the window is PAUL, working. She smiles, enters the barn.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

He stretches but only briefly, then back to his typing.

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN.

ANNIE, cooking happily away, reading a chapter.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

PAUL, arm out of the sling. He manages to lift the
typewriter once, sets it back down, puts the sling back on.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. LATER.

ANNIE, bringing a tray of food.

			ANNIE
	I think it's so wonderful that
	Misery would sacrifice her title
	to take up the cause of her people.
	That's true nobility.

Paul hands her some new pages. As she exits,

CUT TO

BUSTER'S OFFICE.

BUSTER, in his office reading. He is alone.

CUT TO

ANNIE'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.

Annie is reading by the fire. Her pig Misery sits beside
her, staring at the pages.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. DAY.

His fingers just fly, faster than he's ever typed and

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

PAUL, staring and

CUT TO

THE PILE, growing, growing and

CUT TO

PAUL'S FINGERS

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

PAUL, ripping open a new ream of paper...

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. DUSK.

His lips move silently. He's not even aware of it as he nods
and...

CUT TO

THE PAPER IN THE TYPEWRITER, line after line being written.

INTERCUT WITH

Paul's face at DAY, NIGHT, and DUSK in rapid succession,
ending with

CUT TO

ANNIE'S FARMHOUSE. NIGHT.

Lightning! Giant deep rolls of THUNDER as RAIN begins...

CUT TO

TYPEWRITER being lifted out of frame, then back in, then out
again.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

The pile of manuscript has doubled. Maybe two hundred pages.

PAUL, with some effort, is pumping the typewriter up and
down. Finally, he places it back down and puts his arm back
in the sling.

CUT TO

PAUL, looking outside breifly.

CUT TO

THE RAIN. Worse. The SOUND hits the roof of the house, hits
the window.

CUT TO

ANNIE, lumbering in -- she's never looked lke this: She's
wearing her slippers and her pink quilted housecoat. Her
eyes are without life. Her hair, loose and straggly, hangs
around her face. Slowly, like a robot, she goes to PAUL, who
looks silently up at her.

			ANNIE
	Here's your pills.

She drops them on the table.

CUT TO

PAUL, as the pills hit his chest and bounce into his lap.

			PAUL
	Annie, what is it?

CUT TO

ANNIE.

			ANNIE
		(half turns away,
		turns back, gestures
		outside)
	The rain...sometimes it gives me
	the blues.

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP. And suddenly it's as if she's been turned
off, gone lifeless.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring at her. No sound but the rain.

CUT TO

ANNIE, seen straight on. No light in her eyes.

			ANNIE
	When you first came here, I only
	loved the writer part of Paul
	Sheldon. But now I know I love the
	rest of him too. As much as Misery
	loves Ian.
		(beat)
	I know you don't love me -- don't
	say you do -- you're a beautiful,
	brilliant, famous man of the world;
	and I'm...not a movie star type.
	You'll never know the fear of losing
	someone like you if you're someone
	like me.

			PAUL
	Why would you lose me?

			ANNIE
	The book is almost finished. Your
	legs are getting better. Soon you'll
	be able to walk. You'll be wanting
	to leave.

			PAUL
	Why would I want to leave? I like it
	here.

			ANNIE
	That's very kind of you, but I'll bet
	it's not altogether true.

			PAUL
	It is.

She slowly reaches into the pocket of her bathrobe and pulls
out a .38 Special.

			ANNIE
	I have this gun, and sometimes I
	think about using it.

She is absentmindedly clicking the empty gun.

			ANNIE
	I better go now. I might put bullets
	in it.

Robot-like, she crosses to the door and leaves. As she
closes and locks the door --

CUT TO

PAUL, stunned, listening, waiting --

-- there is the sound of the front door closing --

-- then footsteps on the outside walk --

-- the sound of a car door opening and slamming shut.

Now comes the GUNNING of the motor.

CUT TO

THE WINDOW as ANNIE drives by, hunched over the wheel. The
MOTOR sound grows fainter, faint...

CUT TO

BUSTER AND VIRGINIA'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

BUSTER AND VIRGINIA are lying in bed. Buster is reading yet
another Misery novel, Misery's Trial. Virginia is also
reading.

			BUSTER
	"There is a justice higher than that
	of man. I will be judged by Him."

			VIRGINIA
	What?

			BUSTER
	They're hauling Misery into court.

			VIRGINIA
	That's nice.

			BUSTER
		(mutters under
		his breath)
	"There is a justice higher than that
	of man -- I will be judged by Him."

CUT TO

ANNIE'S KITCHEN.

The kitchen KNIVES on the counter.

CUT TO

PAUL, now using both arms, forcing his body up toward them.

This isn't easy, it was a bitch the first time he tried it,
but nothing's going to stop him now. He's leaning against
the cupboard, using it for balance --

-- his balance starts to go but he won't let it as we

CUT TO

THE KNIVES, AS HIS HAND grabs the largest one, a fat-handled
sharp beauty and

CUT TO

PAUL, and you can sense the relief as he begins to lower
himself to the floor.

CUT TO

THE STUDY.

PAUL, back in his wheelchair, knife in his lap, carefully
opening drawers of little tables, looking inside. He closes
them, moves on, unmindful of the rain. Now --

CUT TO

THE SHELF OF PAUL SHELDON BOOKS. As before --

-- except the "My Life" scrapbook is gone.

CUT TO

PAUL, glancing around --

-- and there it is, on a coffee table in the living room.
Also on the table are a roll of Scotch tape, a pair of
scissors, and a copy of Newsweek. Paul wheels toward
thetable and the book, which is as big as a folio
Shakespeare play and as thick as a family Bible.

CUT TO

THE LIVING ROOM.

PAUL, opening the book.

CUT TO

THE FIRST PAGE OF THE BOOK, as Paul opens it. It's a
newspaper clipping as is almost all of what follows. A small
article: simply a birth announcement for Anne Marie Wilkes.

PAUL turns the page. This headline reads: "Investment Banker
Carl Wilkes Dies in Freak Fall."

"USC Nursing Student Dies in Freak Fall." That's the
headline on the next page.

Now: "Miss Wilkes is Nursing School Honors Graduate."

Paul turns the page.

Manchester, New Hampshire, Union Leader: "Ernest Gonyar, 79,
Dies After Long Illness."

Now that phrase seems to be what catches our eye -- "after
long illness" is from the next article. "Long illness" from
the one after that. Then, on the next page, a variation:
"Short Illness."

Now we're in Pennsylvania: "New Hospital Staff Announced."

And here come those phrases again on page after page --
"After Long Illness." "After Long Illness."

"After Long Illness."

CUT TO

PAUL, transfixed; he keeps on turning the pages -- the
states keep changing, moving west. Pennsylvania to
Minnesota, Minnesota to North Dakota. And always the
clippings reporting deaths and deaths and --

-- and now we're in Colorado. "NEW HEAD MATERNITY NURSE
NAMED." And now the dead are young and helpless; babies.
More and more of them.

			PAUL
		(stunned)
	Holy shit.

Then a headline which reads:

"HEAD MATERNITY NURSE QUESTIONED ON INFANT DEATHS"

Next page:	"MISS WILKES RELEASED."

Next page:	"THREE MORE INFANTS DIE"

Next page, at last: "DRAGON LADY ARRESTED."

Then a photo: the front page of the Rocky Mountain Gazette.
Annie on the courthouse steps. "DRAGON LADY CLAIMS
INNOCENCE," under which there is a statement by Annie
Wilkes.

Paul turns quickly to the next page and a very large
headline:
		"DRAGON LADY FOUND NOT GUILTY"

PAUL just sits there, shaking his head in bewilderment.

CUT TO

THE BOOK, as Paul turns the LAST page.

CUT TO

PAUL, stunned and now we find out why, as we

CUT TO

THE PAGE IN THE BOOK. It's an article from Newsweek
magazine, a picture of Paul's car being hauled up out of the
snow. Above it this caption: "Presumed Dead -- Paul
Sheldon."

CUT TO

PAUL. Slamming the book shut, putting it back on the coffee
table, then quickly turning his wheelchair as we

CUT TO

PAUL, steering his wheelchair toward the front door. He
tries to position himself for a surprise attack of ANNIE,
but he can't find a way to get close enough. The wheelchair
is too cumbersome. He looks around and decides to head back
to his room. He is faced with the same problem there -- so
he struggles into bed and, lying on his back, he rests the
knife on his chest and stares up at the ceiling.

DISSOLVE TO

PAUL'S WINDOW, hours later. The rain has stopped.

CUT TO

PAUL -- trying to stay awake. After a few beats, he hears
something. It's the sound of a CAR PULLING UP.

HEADLIGHTS can be seen flashing through the window. PAUL
grips the knife and hides it under the covers. The sound of
a CAR DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING, then FOOTSTEPS.

As the FRONT DOOR OPENS, PAUL girds himself for attack. THE
FRONT DOOR CLOSES, then a couple of FOOTSTEPS. Then silence.
Then the FOOTSTEPS continue down the hall and up the stairs.

After a beat, we hear the TELEVISION. Someone is explaining
how you can buy millions of dollars of prime real estate
with no money down.

PAUL, allowing himself to relax, slips the knife under the
mattress. As the TV DRONES ON, Paul lies staring up at the
ceiling.

DISSOLVE TO

OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE. NIGHT.

We hear a clap of THUNDER and once again the rain pours
down.

CUT TO

CLOSE UP: PAUL -- eyes closed. There is another loud
THUNDERCLAP which causes Paul to stir and open his eyes.

He turns his head and another CLAP OF THUNDER is heard,
LIGHTNING flashes and reveals ANNIE standing over his bed.

Before he can react, she jabs a needle into his arm, pulls
it out and starts out of the room.

PAUL tries to raise himself, but the power of the drug
causes him to collapse, unconscious.

CUT TO

THE ROOM. EARLY MORNING.

It's stopped raining, PAUL lies asleep. Now, surprisingly,
we hear a VOICE we've never heard in the movie before --
loud -- for an instant we don't recognize the voice, then we
do: It's LIBERACE talking to his audience on a record going,
"Thank you, thank you, what a wonderful thing it is for me
to be back with you in Paris..." PAUL stirs and awakens to
discover that he is strapped to his bed. He can move his
arms, but that's it.

CUT TO

ANNIE, standing in the room, and she looks very together;
her eyes are bright. Too bright. Way too bright.

She comes to the foot of his bed.

CUT TO

PAUL, groggy from being drugged, tries to clear the cobwebs.

			ANNIE
		(in a soft voice)
	Paul, I know you've been out.

			PAUL
	What?

			ANNIE
	You've been out of your room.

			PAUL
	No, I haven't.

			ANNIE
	Paul, my little ceramic penguin in
	the study always faces due south.

			PAUL
	I don't know what you're talking
	about.

PAUL looks up at her -- he is totally honest and sincere. As
he talks, his hand surreptitiously begins moving toward the
mattress edge.

CUT TO

ANNIE, as she brings the fat-handled knife out of her skirt
pocket.

			ANNIE
	Is this what you're looking for? I
	know you've been out twice, Paul.
	At first, I couldn't figure out how
	you did it, but last night I found
	your key.
		(She holds up the
		bobby pin)
	I know I left my scrapbook out, and
	I can imagine what you might be
	thinking of me. But you see, Paul,
	it's all okay.

CUT TO

ANNIE, as she walks slowly back to the foot of the bed.

And now a THUMP comes from the foot of the bed. Something is
out of sight.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring at her; waiting.

			ANNIE
	Last night it came so clear. I
	realize you just need more time.
	Eventually, you'll come to accept
	the idea of being here. Paul, do you
	know about the early days at the
	Kimberly Diamond Mine? Do you know
	what they did to the native workers
	who stole diamonds? Don't worry,
	they didn't kill them. That would be
	like junking a Mercedes just because
	it had a broken spring -- no, if they
	caught them they had to make sure
	they could go on working, but they
	also had to make sure they could
	never run away. The operation was
	called hobbling.

And with that, she reaches down out of sight and comes up
holding a 16-inch piece of 4 x 4 wood.

			PAUL
	Annie, whatever you're thinking
	about, don't do it.

CUT TO

ANNIE. She wedges the 4 x 4 firmly between his legs, just
above the ankles, secures it and adjusts his feet.

			ANNIE
	Now don't fuss, Paul.

			PAUL
	Why would I run away? I'm a writer,
	Annie -- it's all I am -- and I've
	never written this well -- even you
	said that this is my best, didn't
	you?

ANNIE picks up a sledgehammer.

			PAUL
	Didn't you? Why would I leave a
	place where I'm doing my best work?
	It doesn't make any sense.

CUT TO

ANNIE, positioning herself to the side of his right ankle.

			ANNIE
	Shh, darling, trust me --
		(taking aim at
		his ankle)
	It's for the best.

She takes the sledgehammer back.

			PAUL
	Annie, for God's sake, please.

As ANNIE swings, the sledgehammer makes contact with the
ankle. It breaks with a sharp CRACK.

CUT TO

PAUL: CLOSE UP, shrieking.

CUT TO

ANNIE, moving to the other side of the bed.

			ANNIE
	Almost done, just one more.

And as she breaks the other ankle, PAUL shrieks even louder.

CUT TO

ANNIE: CLOSE UP.

			ANNIE
	God, I love you...

CUT TO

PAUL'S FACE. He is beyond agony.

FADE TO BLACK.

For a long moment, nothing.

Then...a FAINT SOUND. After a moment, it begins to become
more intrusive and we can tell what it is: a car horn
HONKING.

FADE IN ON

SILVER CREEK and ANNIE in her Cherokee, HONKING for another
car to get a move on.

CUT TO

A HAND AND A COIN MVOING ACROSS IT, from finger to finger.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

BUSTER, sitting by the front window of his office, reading
The Rocky Mountain Gazette.

He watches idly as ANNIE yells out the window to the car in
front of her. THE DRIVER of the car yells back. Annie yells
louder. The Driver guns off, and Annie pulls into the
parking space next to the General Store.

CUT TO

ANNIE, getting out, shaking a fist at the other car, calling
out, "You poop!" She enters the store.

CUT TO

BUSTER, staring straight ahead. Something is gnawing at him.

CUT TO

VIRGINIA, in his office, tidying the desk. BUSTER enters,
looks angry.

			BUSTER
	Just leave it, all right?

			VIRGINIA
	Oh, I like that tone.

			BUSTER
	How many times do I have to tell
	you -- I have a system here.
		(rooting through a
		pile of papers)
	Where the hell is that thing?

			VIRGINIA
	What thing?

			BUSTER
	That thing.
		(finding what he's
		looking for, a
		3 x 5 card)
	Here it is. Right where it's
	supposed to be.

			VIRGINIA
	What is it?

			BUSTER
	I'm not sure. Maybe nothing.

			VIRGINIA
	It's good you found it.

			BUSTER
	There's that spice again.

As BUSTER leaves, VIRGINIA goes back to tidying the desk.

CUT TO

A LARGE LIBRARY as Buster leaves his car, hurries inside and

CUT TO

LIBRARY STACKS.

BUSTER, wearing bifocals, sits poring over bound volumes of
The Rocky Mountain Gazette.

CUT TO

BUSTER, frustrated, puts one set of volumes down, picks up
another, starts through it, as we

CUT TO

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GAZETTE, as the pages turn.

-- only now they stop moving.

CUT TO

BUSTER, tense, adjusting his bifocals.

CUT TO

A SERIES OF HEADLINES pertaining to Annie Wilkes' murder
trial.

CUT TO

A HEADLINE which reads, "DRAGON LADY CLAIMS INNOCENCE."

Under a PICTURE OF ANNIE on the courthouse steps, we see a
CAPTION: "Wilkes told reporters on the courthouse steps,
'There is a higher justice than that of man; I will be
judged by Him.'"

CUT TO

BUSTER. He takes the 3 x 5 card out of his pocket.

CUT TO

The CARD -- on it is printed the exact quote we just saw in
the paper.

CUT TO

BUSTER, sitting there, staring at the quote.

			BUSTER
	Interesting.

HOLD ON HIS FACE, then --

CUT TO

ANNIE, carrying a bag of feed, followed by MISERY, the sow,
comes into view. She slows, smiles, waves --

			ANNIE
	Hi, Punkin.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring out at her.

			ANNIE
	Give us a smile?
		(Paul gives her the
		finger. She laughs)
	Such a kidder.

As she exits our view --

CUT TO

PAUL, lifting the typewriter and repeatedly raising it over
his head, this time without any difficulty.

CUT TO

THE GENERAL STORE IN SILVER CREEK. EARLY AFTERNOON.

BUSTER enters. The place is empty. It's one of those
wonderful spots that stocks pretty much everything in what
seems like complete disarray. Buster goes to the coffee urn
behind the counter, helps himself. He speaks to the guy who
sits behind the counter nearby; these two have known each
other forever.

			BUSTER
	Hey, Pete.

			PETE
	Buster.

			BUSTER
	Answer me a couple things?

			PETE
	If I can.

			BUSTER
	Do you have any of those new Paul
	Sheldon books?

			PETE
	We had a batch. Sold 'em all in
	three days.

			BUSTER
	You wouldn't happen to remember if
	Miz Wilkes bought one, would you?

			PETE
	Are you kidding? Every time that
	fella writes a book, she makes me
	set aside the first copy.

BUSTER opens the cash register, drops his coffee money
inside, closes the register.

			BUSTER
	Has she been buying any odd things
	lately?

			PETE
	Miz Wilkes? Same old stuff.
		(beat)
	-- Lest you call paper odd.

			BUSTER
	Newspapers?

			PETE
		(mimes typing)
	No, the typing kind.

CUT TO

BUSTER: CLOSE UP.

			BUSTER
	Oh. That kind. Nothing odd about
	that.

He cannot hide his excitement now as we --

CUT TO

ANNIE, entering Paul's room. He lies back in the wheelchair,
eyes closed. Liberace music playing in the background. From
the start, PAUL'S TONE is different -- strong, he's in
control.

			ANNIE
	Paul, don't you think it's time for
	you to start writing again? It's been
	over a week.

			PAUL
	I don't know, it's weird, but a couple
	of broken bones hasn't done a lot for
	my creative juices. Get the fuck out
	of here.

			ANNIE
	Don't talk to me like that.

			PAUL
		(staring at her now)
	Why, what are you going to do?
		(spreading his arms wide)
	Kill me? Take your best shot.

			ANNIE
		(taken aback)
	Why are you so mean, Mister you'd-
	be-dead-in-the-snow-if-it-wasn't-
	for-me?

			PAUL
	Oh, no reason, you keep me prisoner,
	you make me burn my book, you drive
	a sledgehammer into my ankles...

			ANNIE
	I'll drive a sledgehammer into your
	man-gland if you're not nicer --

			PAUL
		(He spreads his legs)
	Be my guest.

			ANNIE
		(after a beat)
	That's disgusting.

As she exits.

CUT TO

A ROAD. Empty. Hold for a moment -- now a car appears around
a curve.

CUT TO

THE CAR. BUSTER is driving fast.

CUT TO

PAUL in his room. He sits as before, by the window. He
doesn't move. Now he closes his eyes, stretches, sighs as we

CUT TO

THE KITCHEN.

ANNIE, busily making cocoa.

CUT TO

BUSTER IN HIS CAR. He stops at a mailbox. The name on the
box is WILKES. Buster turns his car slowly into the driveway
by the mailbox.

CUT TO

PAUL. He yawns, opens his eyes briefly. Closes them. In the
distance now, growing more and more visible is Buster's car
--

-- and now PAUL'S EYES go open wide, and he's staring out
the window at the car as it keeps on coming, closer, closer
and

CUT TO

BUSTER, looking around. He's driving very slowly, carefully.

CUT TO

PAUL. Fixating on the window and now it's all going to be
all right, everything's going to be all right --

-- and then ANNIE is on him, hypodermic needle in hand,
jabbing it into his arm. He desperately tries to fight her
off, but the drug starts to take hold. He tries to grab her
by the neck, but she fights him off as she wheels him out of
the room, down the hall and towards the cellar door.

			ANNIE
	I don't think I'll ever understand
	you. I cook your meals, I tend to
	you practically twenty-four hours a
	day, and you continue to fight me.
	When are we going to develop a sense
	of trust?

ANNIE opens the cellar door. PAUL is all but limp by now. As
she picks him up and starts to carry him down the steps --

CUT TO

BUSTER pulling up in front of the house. As he gets out of
his car-

CUT TO

ANNIE placing Paul on the cellar floor and heading up the
stairs. PAUL is out.

CUT TO

BUSTER heading up the steps to the front door.

CUT TO

ANNIE stashing the wheelchair in the hall closet. She
crosses to the front door, opens it, revealing BUSTER.

			ANNIE
		(gasping)
	Oh, my!

			BUSTER
	Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.
	You didn't give me a chance to
	knock.

			ANNIE
		all charm)
	I guess you can tell from my
	reaction, I'm not all that used to
	visitors out here. What can I do
	for you?

			BUSTER
	I was just wondering if you happen
	to know anything about Paul Sheldon.

			ANNIE
		(stammering)
	What do you want to know?

			BUSTER
	Anything you can tell me might help.

CUT TO

ANNIE. The words pour out --

			ANNIE
	Well, he was born in Worcester,
	Massachusetts, forty-two years ago,
	the only child of Franklin and
	Helene Sheldon, mediocre student,
	majored in history...

CUT TO

BUSTER, watching her, surprised.

			BUSTER
		(cutting in)
	Excuse me, that's not exactly the
	kind of information I was after. You
	see, he's been missing for quite some
	time now, and...

			ANNIE
	I know. It's so upsetting. I'm his
	number-one fan...I've got all his
	books, every sentence he ever put
	down. I'm so proud of my Paul Sheldon
	collection...
		(stops suddenly,
		almost embarrassed)
	...here I am, prattling on and my
	manners have just flown away. I
	haven't invited you in. Please.

			BUSTER
	Thank you.

ANNIE lets BUSTER in, closes the door. They linger in front
of Paul's door. Buster idly checks out the hallway.

			ANNIE
	'Course you must know about that
	horrible accident.

BUSTER nods and wanders into the living room. ANNIE follows.
He crosses into the study and checks out a bookcase that
contains the complete works of Paul Sheldon. One shelf below
contains Annie's infamous scrapbook.

			ANNIE
	Almost killed me, too. I prayed when
	I heard the news. I got down on my
	knees and begged for it not to be
	true.

CUT TO

ANNIE. She's so moved. Buster wanders into the kitchen.

			ANNIE
	You're going to laugh at what I'm
	about to say, but go ahead, I don't
	care...
		(beat)
	...when I was praying, God told me
	to get ready.

CUT TO

BUSTER, watching her. This isn't at all what he expected.

			BUSTER
	Get ready for what?

CUT TO

PAUL, trying to fight the drug; just his eyes flutter.

CUT TO

ANNIE and BUSTER heading back down the hallway toward Paul's
room.

			ANNIE
	To try and be his replacement -- he
	gave so much pleasure to so many
	people and there's a shortage of
	pleasure on this planet these days,
	in case you hadn't noticed.

BUSTER enters Paul's room. ANNIE follows.

			ANNIE
	God told me, since I was his number-
	one fan, that I should make up new
	stories as if I was Paul Sheldon. So,
	I went to town. And I bought a
	typewriter. And paper to type on. The
	same kind Paul Sheldon used. And I
	turned the guest bedroom into a
	writing studio. Would you like to see
	it?

			BUSTER
	Sure.

			ANNIE
	It's right this way.

BUSTER takes a look in the bathroom. ANNIE waits for him.

			ANNIE
	It's right here. I knew how he wrote,
	the kinds of words he used, the
	wonderful stories he told --
		(moved)
	-- I've spent the last four weeks
	trying to write like Paul Sheldon.
		(sad shake of
		the head)
	But I can't do it right. I try and I
	try and I know all the words --
		(eyes closed
		in despair)
	-- but it's just not the same.

CUT TO

BUSTER. He just stands there, watches her.

			BUSTER
	Well...
		(long pause)
	...maybe it takes time to get the
	hang of it.

			ANNIE
		(holding up pages
		from the
		manuscript)
	I could give you a couple of hundred
	pages of mine, and you could tell me
	what you think.

			BUSTER
	I'm not much of a critic.

			ANNIE
	Well, I just thought -- oh, look at
	me. You'd think I'd never had a
	houseguest before. Would you like
	something to drink?

			BUSTER
	Sure.

			ANNIE
	How does a nice cup of cocoa sound?

			BUSTER
	Sounds good.

As she exits into the kitchen.

			ANNIE
	There's some already made.

BUSTER lingers in Paul's room for a beat, then goes into the
hallway.

			BUSTER
	Must get lonely, living out here
	all by yourself.

			ANNIE (o-s)
	I always say if you can't enjoy your
	own company, you're not fit company
	for anyone else.

			BUSTER
	You got a point there...

As Buster moves up the stairs --

CUT TO

PAUL, still fighting the drug. His arm twitches almost
involuntarily, grazing the barbecue.

CUT TO

BUSTER opening the door to Annie's room. He looks around and
just as he is about to turn to leave --

CUT TO

ANNIE, standing right in front of him.

			ANNIE
	Here you are.

BUSTER heads down the stairs, ANNIE follows.

			BUSTER
	Thanks, Miz Wilkes, but I don't
	want to take up any more of your
	time. I best be going.

			ANNIE
	But you didn't even taste your
	cocoa.

They cross to the front door.

			BUSTER
	I'm sure it's wonderful, but I
	really should be getting back.

BUSTER opens the door.

CUT TO

PAUL stirring.

CUT TO

BUSTER and ANNIE at the door.

			BUSTER
	If you don't mind, perhaps I
	could pay you another visit
	sometime.

			ANNIE
	I'd be delighted. Now that you know
	the way...

With that, she closes the door. We stay with BUSTER. He
stands on the front porch for a beat, thinking, then starts
heading down the porch steps. Just as he reaches about
halfway down, we HEAR A LOUD CRASH coming from inside the
house.

CUT TO

PAUL -- he has managed to partially fight his way through
the drug, and in waking has accidentally knocked over the
barbecue. He fights to clear the cobwebs.

CUT TO

			BUSTER
	Miz Wilkes, are you all right?

There is no answer. He quietly moves into the house.

			BUSTER
	Miz Wilkes?

Again, no answer.

CUT TO

PAUL, still fighting to gain complete consciousness.

			PAUL
		(weakly)
	Here. I'm down here. Down here.

CUT TO

BUSTER. Hearing Paul's muffled call for help, he tracks the
sound to the cellar door. As PAUL continues to call out,
Buster looks around, sees no one, and opens the cellar door.
The shaft of light from the open door pours down on Paul,
who is still lying on the floor.

			BUSTER
	Mr. Sheldon?

But before Paul can answer, there's the sound of a LOUD
EXPLOSION. Seemingly from nowhere a hole is ripped through
Buster's chest, knocking him out of frame, revealing Annie,
smoking shotgun in hand, standing at the top of the cellar
steps.

			ANNIE
	Don't feel bad, Paul. It had to
	happen. I've been waiting for this
	sign.

ANNIE walks toward BUSTER'S BODY and very casually takes his
gun out of its holster.

			ANNIE
	I've known for some time why I was
	chosen to save you. You and I were
	meant to be together forever. But
	now our time in this world must end.
	But don't worry, Paul. I've already
	prepared for what must be done. I
	put two bullets in my gun, one for
	you and one for me. Oh, darling, it
	will be so beautiful.

With that, ANNIE turns and exits the cellar.

Paul's mind races desperately. He looks at the barbecue
again. Next to it is a messy table with a dozen jars and
cans on it.

CUT TO

THE TABLE. One of the cans is LIGHTER FLUID.

CUT TO

PAUL. He stares at it for a moment. An idea hits him --

-- now, PAUL struggles and crawls over to the table. He
grabs the lighter fluid in his hands, jams it into the rear
of his pants and scrambles back to where ANNIE left him.

CUT TO

ANNIE returning with her .38 Special and a hypodermic
needle. She stops at the top of the stairs.

			ANNIE
	Now don't be afraid. I love you.

She starts toward him.

			PAUL
	I know you do. I love you too, Annie.
		(this stops her)
	And you're right. We are meant to be
	together. And I know we must die.
	But it must be so that Misery can
	live. We have the power to give
	Misery eternal life. We must finish
	the book.

			ANNIE
	But the time is now. Soon others
	will come.

			PAUL
	It's almost done. By dawn we'll be
	able to give Misery back to the
	world.

ANNIE stares at Paul. She could go either way on this. Then,
without a word, she turns and goes back up the stairs.

			ANNIE
	Here, Paul. I'll fix you something
	to eat.

She exits. PAUL hesitates for a moment, then realizes he has
no choice. He starts dragging himself over BUSTER and up the
stairs.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. NIGHT.

PAUL working. Typing like a madman, totally concentrated on
the white paper. His lips move but he's not even aware of
it.

ANNIE enters quietly, holding a few pages.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul. It's beautiful.

			PAUL
	Three more chapters to go.

She looks at him now, enthralled.

			ANNIE
	The stranger staying at the Inn, is
	he someone from Misery's past?

			PAUL
	Maybe.

			ANNIE
	This is so exciting. It's Windthorne,
	her first love, right?

			PAUL
	Maybe. Are you ready for the next
	chapter?

He taunts her with it.

			ANNIE
		(brimming with
		enthusiasm)
	Oh you!

She takes the pages and goes.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. LATER.

PAUL types a moment then rips out the page and starts over.

CUT TO

ANNIE, putting the coffee down for him, putting the pages
back on the main pile.

			ANNIE
		(more excited now
		than the last time)
	It WAS Windthorne. I knew it -- what
	does that do to her love for Ian? --
		(thinks)
	-- of course, if she hadn't thought
	Windthorne was murdered she never
	would have fallen in love with Ian
	in the first place.
		(Paul glares at her,
		she turns to the door)
	Sorry, it's just that this is so
	wonderful.

			PAUL
	I'm glad you like it.

			ANNIE
	Paul, this will be our legacy.

			PAUL
	It will.

He hands her a few more pages, she starts reading as she
exits.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM. MUCH LATER.

PAUL rubs his eyes. For a moment, he sags, but he fights it.
He puts a clean page into the typewriter.

ANNIE bursts in.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul. I'm dying. Does she wind
	up with Ian or Windthorne? You have
	to tell me.

			PAUL
	You'll know very soon. I'm starting
	the last chapter. And when I finish,
	I want everything to be perfect. I'll
	require three things.

			ANNIE
	What things?

			PAUL
	You don't know?

			ANNIE
		(smiling)
	I was fooling, silly.
		(ticking them off)
	You need a cigarette, because you
	used to smoke but you quit except
	when you finish a book, and you
	just have one, and the match is to
	light it. And you need one glass of
	champagne.
		(thinks)
	Dome Pear-igg-non.

			PAUL
	Dome Pear-igg-non it is.

AS ANNIE exits.

CUT TO

THE WINDOW.

The first light of morning is starting to break through.

CUT TO

PAUL, stretching. He makes sure everything is set.

			PAUL
		(calling out)
	Annie! Annie!

With that, she enters.

			ANNIE
	Yes, Paul.

			PAUL
	I'm almost done.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul, this is so romantic. Ian
	and Windthorne dueling for the right
	to Misery's hand. Does Ian win? Oh,
	don't me. It's Windthorne, right?

			PAUL
	You'll know everything in a minute.
	Get the champagne.

			ANNIE
		(dying from the
		suspense)
	Ahh!!!

She exits; PAUL adjusts the manuscript on the table and then
types the last line.

CUT TO

ANNIE IN THE KITCHEN. She takes the bottle of Dom Perignon
out of the icebox, places it on a tray with two glasses --
opens a drawer -- takes out the gun -- places it in her
pocket -- then takes out the hypodermic needle and places it
on the tray.

CUT TO

PAUL'S ROOM.

ANNIE enters with the tray. She sets it down on the table.

			ANNIE
	Did I do good?

			PAUL
	You did perfect. Except for one thing.
	This time we need two glasses.

He takes the last page out of the typewriter.

			ANNIE
	Oh, Paul.

As soon as she exits, PAUL drops the manuscript to the
fllor, pulls the lighter fluid from his pants, and starts
dousing the manuscript with lighter fluid. He grabs the last
chapter and twists the last few pages together torch style.
He douses it with the fluid and holds the match out of
sight.

He smiles as we

CUT TO

ANNIE entering with the second glass...

			PAUL
	It's all right here, Annie. Remember
	how for all those years no one ever
	knew who Misery's real father was, or
	if they'd ever be reunited? It's all
	right here. Will Misery finally lead
	her countrymen to freedom? Does she
	finally marry Ian or will it be
	Windthorne? It's all right here.

CUT TO

THE MATCH, as he strikes it and

CUT TO

ANNIE screaming --

			ANNIE
	Paul, you can't.

And as her hands fly out beseechingly --

CUT TO

THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE -- it falls to the floor, explodes like
a torpedo, shards of glass all over, curds of foam
everywhere --

			PAUL
	Why not? I learned it from you...

And on that --

CUT TO

THE LAST CHAPTER as Paul brings the match close to it and it
bursts into flame. And Paul, holding it like the torch it
is. Annie starts moving forward now.

			ANNIE
	No, no, NOT MISERY -- NOT MY MISERY...!

He drops the last chapter into the soaked manuscript and

CUT TO

THE MANUSCRIPT, as KABOOM!, it bursts into flame and --

CUT TO

ANNIE, transfixed by the sight for a moment,

-- AND THEN SHE CHARGES.

CUT TO

THE FIRE as ANNIE rushes to the book, stoops down, grabs it
with both hands, brings the burning mass up to her body,
both arms across it, trying to smother the flames --

CUT TO

PAUL, grabbing the typewriter, raising it high above his
head, then throwing it down on her with all his power and

CUT TO

THE TYPEWRITER, crashing into the back of her head.

CUT TO

ANNIE, screaming, driven to the floor by the blow, the book
beneath her, and the flames fly up, her sweater is starting
to burn and she's covered with shards of glass from the
shattered bottle of champagne and some of the manuscript is
hissing from the liquid, but she is able to struggle to her
knees --

			ANNIE
	I'm going to kill you, you lying
	cocksucker...

As she struggles to her feet, she pulls out the gun and
shoots at Paul, hitting him in the shoulder. Just as she's
about to shoot again, Paul quickly wheels the chair up to
her, throws himself out of the chair, and tackles her. The
gun flies out of her hand and lands in the hallway, going
off as it lands. They wrestle on the floor.

Flames still around them, PAUL gets on top of her, grabs
some burning pages, stuffs them into her mouth, shouting --

			PAUL
	Here. Here. You want it? You want it?
	You can eat it -- eat it -- eat it
	till you fucking CHOKE -- you sick,
	twisted fuck.

And as he forces more paper into her mouth --

CUT TO

ANNIE, and she's hideous -- blistered, her hands claw at her
throat. She makes horrible sounds, spitting the charred
chunks of manuscript out of her mouth. Shards of glass are
in her hair. Now a shriek and a tremendous jerk of her body
and

CUT TO

PAUL, falling away --

CUT TO

ANNIE, still making the sounds as she gets to her feet, and

CUT TO

PAUL, trying to crawl away after her.

CUT TO

ANNIE -- heading for the door, she takes a step away from
Paul, then another, then

CUT TO

PAUL, suddenly kicking out with his shattered leg, screaming
in pain as it crashes into her ankle and

CUT TO

ANNIE, trying to keep her balance, not doing well, her arms
windmilling as she fights for balance one last moment,
fights and loses, and now, as she topples over --

CUT TO

THE TYPEWRITER as she falls and her head slams into it,
collides with the sharp metal and a great wound opens in her
head. There is one final cry. Blood pours. It's over. All
over. We are looking at a dead body.

CUT TO

PAUL, exhausted, panting, lying there, trying to gather his
energy. He starts to crawl for the door. Just as he reaches
the doorjamb, an arm grabs his leg, and

CUT TO

PAUL, shrieking, and

CUT TO

ANNIE, pulling herself up his body and

CUT TO

PAUL, trying to buck her off, but he can't and

CUT TO

ANNIE, the stronger, relentless, moving up on him, and

CUT TO

PAUL, his grip broken as he turns and

CUT TO

ANNIE, all-powerful, looming over him and

CUT TO

PAUL, hitting up at her and

CUT TO

ANNIE, swelling, and the blood pours down and if she feels
his blows she doesn't show it and

CUT TO

PAUL, whatever energy he has left he uses now, trying to
twist and strike and as his body moves --

CUT TO

A METAL BASED FLOOR LAMP and

CUT TO

PAUL, grabbing the thing, suddenly bringing it across his
body, clobbering Annie in the face and

CUT TO

ANNIE, startled by the power of the blow and for a moment
she is stopped and

CUT TO

PAUL, as with everything he has left, he crunches her
forehead with the sharp heavy metal base, just creams her as
the air is forced out of her --

CUT TO

ANNIE. Her eyes roll up into her head. For a moment all we
see are the whites --

-- then she collapses on PAUL, a motionless mountain of
slack flesh.

CUT TO

PAUL, scrambling free, pushing her off him, crawling for the
door-

CUT TO

-- outside the door, as PAUL crawls into view, makes it to
the corridorr, reaches back, closes the door, locks it.

Safe, he collapses, exhausted against the wall opposite the
door.

DISSOLVE TO

PAUL. HOURS LATER. It is dawn. He is awakened by a loud
smashing at the front door. After a couple of heart-stopping
pounds,

CUT TO

THE FRONT DOOR smashes open, revealing two cops with guns
drawn.

THE POLICEMEN, hurrying to PAUL. The YOUNGER COP kneels
beside Paul.

			YOUNGER COP
	It's the writer -- the dead one --

			PAUL
		(trying to keep
		himself together)
	-- right! I'm the dead one --

			OLDER COP
	Where's Sheriff McCain?

			PAUL
	He's in the cellar. She killed him.

			OLDER COP
	Annie Wilkes?

			PAUL
	Yeah. She's in there.

CUT TO

The OLDER COP, taking the key to the room, unlocks the door,
throws it open, and as he steps inside --

CUT TO

INSIDE THE BEDROOM.

The OLDER COP has his gun ready to fire, but even with it
tight in his hand, he's edgy as hell.

He looks around --

-- glass and bloodstains on the floor. The charred remains
of a manuscript.

He kneels quickly, glances under the bed -- nothing.

He looks at the window -- wide open.

CUT TO

PAUL and the YOUNGER COP. Pause. The OLDER COP is in the
doorway now.

			OLDER COP
	Mr. Sheldon? There's no one in there.

CUT TO

PAUL: CLOSE UP. In shock.

DISSOLVE TO

PALM COURT, PLAZA HOTEL

This legend appears:

			ONE YEAR LATER

MARCIA SINDELL is seated at a table. PAUL enters, walking
briskly, and he's never looked this good before. He's gained
his weight back, his color is normal again. He appears to
be, for the first time in the movie, a jaunty, happy figure.

			PAUL
	Sorry I'm late. Jenny's basketball
	game went into overtime. If anybody
	ever told me I'd have a daughter
	who'd get a triple double, I'd...

			SINDELL
	Did they win?

			PAUL
	Yeah. They're in the semis.

			SINDELL
	Here it is.
		(big moment)
	Very first copy.

And she hands him a wrapped package. PAUL sits, begins
unwrapping it. It's a book. A new one by Paul Sheldon. The
Higher Education of J. Phillip Stone. Paul turns it over
gently in his hands.

CUT TO

SINDELL.

			SINDELL
	The word I'm getting is the Times
	review is gonna be a love letter.

			PAUL
	That'd be a first.

			SINDELL
	And my contacts at Time and Newsweek
	tell me they're both raves. And don't
	laugh -- for the first time, I think
	you've got a shot at some prizes.

			PAUL
		(flatly)
	Great.

			SINDELL
	I thought you'd be thrilled. You're
	being taken seriously.

			PAUL
	I'm delighted the critics are liking
	it, and I hope the people like it, too.
	But it's not why I wrote the book.

CUT TO

PAUL: CLOSE UP. There is a genuine sense of peace about him.
He has been through the fire and survived.

			PAUL
	I like it. Remember how you once said
	I live my whole life as if I'm in
	danger of being found out? Well, I
	believe I've managed to get that guy
	down on paper.
		(He touches the
		book. Beat.)
	Don't think I'm completely nuts, but
	in some way, Annie Wilkes, that whole
	experience, helped me.

			SINDELL
	Paul, since you brought her up, I have
	to ask you this, or I'd be drummed out
	of the agents' union -- what about a
	non-fiction book? The truth about what
	went on in that house.

			PAUL
	Gee, Marcia, if I didn't know you
	better, I'd think you were suggesting
	I dredge up the worst horror of my
	life just so we could make a few bucks.

			SINDELL
	Now you've hurt me, Paul.

As Paul glances around...

CUT TO

PAUL, looking past MARCIA.

CUT TO

DESSERT TROLLEY, some distance away, being pushed by a
waitress. It is ANNIE.

CUT TO

PAUL AND SINDELL.

			SINDELL
	I thought you were over it.

			PAUL
	I am. Well, maybe not completely --

He glances toward the trolley.

CUT TO

THE DESSERT TROLLEY, moving inexorably closer to PAUL. ANNIE
reaches down and pulls out a very sharp knife.

CUT TO

PAUL AND SINDELL.

			PAUL
	I don't know if you can ever be
	totally over something like that --
	I just don't think about it as much
	anymore, and when I do, it's not so
	terrifying.

CUT TO

ANNIE, with the knife raised.

CUT TO

PAUL, staring up at ANNIE.

			PAUL
	I mean, once they found her body,
	my nightmares stopped.

CUT TO

PAUL AND ANNIE -- only it isn't Annie, just a WAITRESS. She
stands by the trolley, the knife in her hand, ready to slice
whatever anyone wants.

			WAITRESS
	Would you care for anything?

			PAUL
		(smiles)
	Cut me something sinful...

CUT TO

PAUL. The smile holds. In the background now, soft music:
someone might be playing "Liberace."

HOLD ON PAUL.

FINAL FADE OUT.

			THE END
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