Gothika Page #4

The expansive complex is more Victorian campus than drabprison, with separate wings (male and female), researchunits, libraries, gym and volunteer outpatient center.

10.

INT. WOODWARD INSTITUTE - VARIOUS SHOTS

A bored group of female patients listen to a socialworker lecturing them. A janitor mops a long corridor.

Patients study at the library under the watchful eye oforderlies.

A doctor and two orderlies hold down a patient having anepileptic fit (we'll soon know her as SHELLEY). Theyforce a biting block in her mouth to avoid her swallowingher tongue, prepare a syringe.

Institute director Phil Parsons at a meeting with otherdoctors, discussing a patient's progress on a chart.

Now we are MOVING up the main building's wall and THROUGHlarge windows into -

INT. FEMALE WING STAIRS

Pete rushes up two steps at a time, passing by a NURSEWITH A CART OF MEDS, who nods respectfully as he goes -

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MIRANDA'S CELL

An ORDERLY unlocks the door for Pete. Through the glasspane he can see a visibly upset Miranda arguing with thehead nurse: a tough as nails woman in her 50's: IRENE.

ORDERLY #1

Sleeping beauty is awake.

Peter forces a smile, enters -

INT. MIRANDA'S CELL

MIRANDA:

Peter, what the hell is going on?

Pete nods at Irene: it's okay, he'll take it from here.

PETE:

How do you feel?

MIRANDA:

How do you think I feel? Is this

a joke?

Peter is half-listening to her, half-signaling to thenurse with the meds to come in. Miranda catches all of

this, growing more agitated. She wears the uniform all

patients wear:
a white T-shirt and sweats. Her weddingring is gone.

(CONTINUED)

11.

CONTINUED:

MIRANDA:

What are you doing?

PETE:

Giving you something to calm down.

MIRANDA:

I don't need to calm down. What I

need is an explanation

Pete grabs the meds from the nurse. Irene and the

attendant step closer to help. Miranda feels them

closing in on her. Peter's tone is infuriatingly gentle:

PETE:

Just take this and we can sit down

and chat.

MIRANDA:

Why here, why not in my office?

She looks at the silent faces around her. No sympathy.

Or maybe too much sympathy. Either way it's unnerving.

MIRANDA:

I don't want an anticonvulsant, at

least give me Valium.

PETE:

(nods at nurse)

Fifty milligrams.

MIRANDA:

Jesus Christ, you're gonna knockme out? Ten milligrams.

PETE:

(final offer)

Twenty.

The nurse complies. Miranda stares at the meds, tryingdesperately to put this into some kind of perspective.

MIRANDA:

How would you feel if you woke upin a goddamn cell, dressed like this?

PETE:

We can discuss it at length afteryou take your meds.

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