Big Fish Page #5

Edward holds up his hand, counting the names on his fingers.

EDWARD (cont’d)

Not a one of us knew what was in store.

As his hand moves past the light, we

COME TO:

A flashlight SWEEPS past. We are...

EXT. FIELD AT THE SWAMP EDGE - NIGHT

The night is WHIRRING and BREATHING, alive. The moon hangslow, casting long shadows.

Five kids walk past in silhouette. Four have flashlights on.

The fifth keeps tripping, crashing into YOUNG EDWARD (10).

EDWARD:

Zacky, turn your flashlight on!

ZACKY:

I don’t got any batteries!

Red-headed ZACKY PRICE is 10. His brother DON PRICE is 12,

and a lot bigger than the others.

DON PRICE:

Then why’d you bring it?

ZACKY:

I don’t want to be in the swamp with awitch and no flashlight.

12.

WILBUR FREELY, also 10, is the black asthmatic son of asharecropper. Redheaded RUTHIE MACKLIN, 8, is happy just tobe there.

EDWARD:

Is it true she got a glass eye?

WILBUR FREELY:

I heard she got it from Gypsies.

EDWARD:

What’s a Gypsy?

ZACKY:

Your momma’s a Gypsy.

DON PRICE:

Your momma’s a b*tch.

RUTHIE:

You shouldn’t swear. There’s ladies

present.

DON PRICE:

Sh*t.

ZACKY:

Damn.

WILBUR FREELY:

Screw.

EDWARD:

(whispering)

Turn off your flashlights! She’ll see

‘em.

MOVING UP behind the kids, we find ourselves at the gatesof...

EXT. A CREEPY OLD HOUSE - NIGHT

ADULT EDWARD (V.O.)

Now, it’s common knowledge that mosttowns of a certain size have a witch,

if only to eat misbehaving children andthe occasional puppy who wanders intoher yard. Witches use those bones to

cast spells and curses that make theland infertile.

13.

We PULL BACK, and BACK, revealing more of the Gothicallycreepy house: its broken windows, strangling vines, andeerie gargoyles half-buried in the dirt. Even bats are

afraid to fly over it.

In the moonlight, the house is especially sinister. Who

knows what is lurking in the shadows?

ADULT EDWARD (V.O.)(cont’d)

Yet of the all the witches in Alabama,

there was one who was the most feared.

For she had one glass eye, which wassaid to contain mystical powers.

We finally come to the kids, staring in through the gate.

WILBUR FREELY:

I hear if you look right at it, you cansee how you’re gonna die.

EDWARD:

That’s bull-s-h-i-t, that is. She’s

not even a real witch.

DON PRICE:

You’re so sure, why don’t you go in andget that eye? I heard she keeps it ina box on her nighttable.

Edward looks back at the spooky house.

DON PRICE (cont’d)

Or are you too scared?

EDWARD:

I’ll go in right now and get that eye.

DON PRICE:

Then do it.

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