The Shape of Water Page #4

Roughly 20 men working at the same time.

Fleming supervises the entire operation.

The WORKERS are making a mess.

Elisa signs Zelda.

ZELDA:

I don’t know Honey. I don’t know

what they’re doing.

(purposefully loud)

Mostly making a Goddam mess is what

I’d say...

Hoffstetler whispers in Fleming’s ear.

FLEMING:

(dabs his nose)

Zelda, please-Watch the volume.

And, there’s no call for the

blaspheme, please-

ZELDA:

Yessir, sorry, Mr. Fleming, Sir-

FLEMING:

(claps his hands)

A moment of your time- Today, wewill be receiving a new team andasset here in T-4. This here is Dr.

Robert Hoffstetler...

Zelda and Elisa look at each other.

FLEMING (CONT’D)

I don’t want to bolster - or

overstate the matter

(proud laughter)

-but this may be the most sensitiveasset ever to be housed in this

facility...

Hoffstetler looks at Elisa.

Everybody suddenly turns to attention. The sliding steel door

opens and MP’s pour in-

Fleming thumbs them out. The door slowly slides opens and-

Zelda and Elisa pick up their carts and- as they exit

-they see a group of SPECIALISTS wheel a MASSIVE STEEL

CYLINDER into the room. It’s twice the size of an iron lungand more elaborate.

It is escorted by 4 MP's, and a square-jawed, steely-eyed man

dressed in a black, immaculate suit and tie: RICHARD

STRICKLAND, 30’s.

In his right hand: an electric CATTLE PROD.

The CYLINDER SHAKES!! SOMETHING LARGE MOVES INSIDE!! IT

HOWLS!! A WEBBED HAND slams against the glass!!!

A WEBBED PALM HITS THE GLASS!! Elisa jumps, startled.

HOFFSTETLER:

(to Fleming)

They have to leave-

FLEMING:

Yes- yes-

HOFFSTETLER:

You:
help me move the cylinder into

the compressor! There!

They exit. Elisa sees a large form moving in the tank as they

-close the door.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MEN’S BATHROOM - NIGHT 19

ZELDA:

Will you look at this?

Elisa removes dirty towels from the multiple towel racks andputs on fresh ones. Zelda points to the urinals.

ZELDA (CONT’D)

Look-Some of the best minds in our

country- peeing all over the floor

in this here facility.

(beat)

There's pee freckles on the

ceiling!! How do they get it up

there?

ZELDA resumes mopping the checkered floor.

ZELDA (CONT’D)

Just how big a target do they need,

you figure? They get enough

practice that’s for sure. My

Brewster, no one ever called him a

great mind, even he hits the can

seventy percent of the time.

Suddenly, Strickland enters. In his hands: the cattle prod

and a plastic bag of GREEN HARD CANDY. He places them on thesink. They start to leave, but

STRICKLAND:

No. No. That’s alright... Go on-

He washes his hands with the precision and care of a surgeonpreparing to operate.

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