Affliction Page #2

Wade inches her toward the circle of children. Gordon spots

them:

LARIVIERE:

Wade! And who's that tiger? Is that

Jill? Come and join us.

Jill in the spotlight, joins the costumed children. A former

classmate calls her name. Wade, relieved, watches, then steps

outside for a smoke.

CUT TO:

EXT. TOWN HALL - NIGHT

Wade steps outside, lights a cigarette. JACK HEWITT, 23,

clean-cut, handsome, cocky, stands with CHICK WARD and FRANKIE

LACOY, local boys.

WADE:

What are you boys up to?

CHICK:

Same old sh*t.

FRANKIE:

You see the damage these little sons-

of b*tches been raising tonight?

WADE:

(to Jack)

You're going to have to move your

pickup.

JACK:

I know.

CHICK:

(offers whiskey pint)

Take a bite.

WADE:

Don't mind if I do.

JACK:

LaRiviere's having a hell of a time

in there. Master of f***ing

ceremonies.

WADE:

Where's that gun you were bragging

on today?

Jack stops over to his double-parked burgandy pickup, removes

a Browning BAR .30/06 with a scope, hands it to Wade.

JACK:

No brag. Just fact.

WADE:

(admires gun)

Got you for -- 450, 500 bucks?

(passes it to Frankie)

FRANKIE:

Nice.

JACK:

(to Wade)

See you got Jill tonight. How'd you

manage that?

WADE:

(turns)

Don't forget to move your truck.

(walks inside)

CUT TO:

INT. TOWN HALL - NIGHT

On stage, LaRiviere arranges the contest winners. A fairy

godmother with a wand beams while, nearby, a hobo writhes in

his mother's grip -- a hard loser.

Wade looks for Jill, first among the winners, then among the

losers; she's nowhere to be found. He heads toward a hall

leading to the restrooms.

Jill stands alone in the corner next to the pay phone, tiny,

forlorn. Wade realizes at once he was wrong to leave her

before she had found a friend.

WADE:

Some party, huh? Sorry I lost sight

of you. I had to step outside for a

smoke. You find anybody you know

here? There must be some kids you

used to know from school. You want

to go tomorrow? See your old teachers?

Be more fun than hanging out with me

all day.

JILL:

No.

WADE:

No what?

JILL:

(lifts mask atop head)

No I didn't see anybody I know. No I

don't want to go to school here

tomorrow. I want to go home.

WADE:

You are home. There are lots of kids

you still know here.

JILL:

I don't want to be here. Don't worry,

I love you, Daddy, I do. But I want

to go home.

WADE:

(sighs)

Jesus. Listen, Jill, tell you what.

Tomorrow morning, you still want to

go home, I'll drive you down. I'll

get off work or something.

JILL:

(pause)

I called Mommy.

WADE:

What? You called Mommy? Just now?

JILL:

Yes.

WADE:

Jesus, why?

JILL:

I... because I want to go home. She

said she'd come and get me.

WADE:

Come and get you! Sh*t! It's a damn

half hour drive each way. Why didn't

you talk to me about it first?

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