The Skull Ring (44 page)

CUT TO:

INT. DR. FORREST'S OFFICE- AFTERNOON.

The doctor and patient are in the regular positions. Dr. Forrest studies the pentagram drawing.

DR. FORREST

Who do you think left the note?

JULIA

I don't know. Walter. Or the creep they arrested. Or the cops. Or Mitchell.

DR. FORREST

Are you afraid it was your father?

JULIA

Everything doesn't have to be about my father. Sure, he gave me to Satan, left me to die, made me crazy, but that doesn't mean I get to blame him for everything as long as I live.

DR. FORREST

It's only natural for you to feel vulnerable. After what happened with Mitchell—

JULIA

You said we didn't have to talk about that anymore.

DR. FORREST

Of course. We'll have to deal with it eventually, but today, let's work on the note.

JULIA

It's from one of the bad people. They're back. They followed me here.

DR. FORREST

The past is real, the abuse occurred, and you suffered tremendously. But we need to realize that the past is over, or we'll never heal.

JULIA

Sorry. It's not your fault. None of it. If I didn't have you—

Dr. Forrest smiles in triumph.

JULIA (CONT'D)

You're the only thing that's kept me from going off the deep end.

Dr. Forrest goes to the window and looks out at the mountains.

DR. FORREST

Let's stop this talk of going crazy, Julia. You are not crazy. Your scars are not the product of your imagination. Mitchell's attack wasn't a dream. The man peeping through your window wasn't made up. The note is a fact, it exists, it's real.

(beat)

You know who left the note, don't you?

Julia shakes her head, eyes wide, denying.

DR. FORREST (CONT'D)

You know, Julia. Share with me.

Dr. Forrest approaches Julia.

DR. FORREST (CONT'D)

The same one who held the knife.

JULIA

You said it was all in the past—

Dr. Forrest looms over Julia, her voice soft.

DR. FORREST

But the past informs the present, Julia. We are what they have made us.

(beat)

Who held the knife, Julia?

JULIA

(whispers)

He did.

CUT TO:

INT. DARK BARN.

Dr. Forrest speaks with increasing intensity. We see flashes of Julia's memories: flickering fire, movement, confusion.

DR. FORREST (V.O.)

You're in the barn, aren't you? The fires burn and you see the knife and the people are dancing around you in their robes. They're chanting and this isn't one of Daddy's games anymore, this is real—

CUT TO:

INT. DR. FORREST’S OFFICE.

Back in the present again, Dr. Forrest's face is only inches from Julia's.

DR. FORREST (CONT'D)

What does he say?

JULIA

I don't remember.

DR. FORREST

You remember. You told me.

CUT TO:

INT. DARK BARN.

While Julia speaks, POV MEMORY of the man in the hood, holding up the knife, the skull ring on his finger. The man's head is tilted back and the hood shakes as if Julia is chanting in harmony with him.

JULIA (V.O.)

Highness of Darkness, Satan, Master of the World, accept this offering from your loyal and humble slaves, that you may continue to make us free. So mote it be.

CUT TO:

INT. DR. FORREST’S OFFICE.

Cut back to the office and Dr. Forrest's FACE.

DR. FORREST

And the rest of it. The way it really happened.

Julia continues with the chant, and this time Dr. Forrest joins in.

JULIA AND DR. FORREST

(unison)

Lord Master Satan, we offer you this blood in your cursed name, that you may smile upon us and bless us. That you may—

Julia stops speaking and Dr. Forrest finishes alone.

DR. FORREST

—that you may take as your bride, this whore Judas Stone.

Julia is sobbing now.

JULIA

It didn't happen.

DR. FORREST

Julia, ritual abuse is common. So many of our sisters have suffered the same cruelty. I share your pain, Julia. I bleed with you.

JULIA

You don't understand.

DR. FORREST

I've been there with you. I've been there before you.

(beat)

I'm a survivor, Julia. Just as you will be.

JULIA

Survivor?

Dr. Forrest unfastens the bottom two buttons of her blouse. She shows her belly, the raised welts purple against her pale flesh. On Dr. Forrest, the pentagram has been completed.

DR. FORREST

(buttoning blouse)

Now we move forward. Now we are ready. Now we can become whole.

Julia stands unsteadily. Dr. Forrest folds the pentagram drawing and slips it in her pocket.

DR. FORREST (CONT'D)

It would be best if I kept this for you. You have enough to deal with.

JULIA

I don't know who I'd be without you.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS BY THE RIVER- AFTERNOON.

Rick O'Dell leads Julia through the woods.

RICK

Are you a crime scene junkie?

JULIA

I just wanted to see where they found the body.

RICK

The medical examiner's preliminary report said ritualistic markings, made with a blade. No fingerprint match. No head means no dental records. Autopsy showed traces in the system of morphine and-get this- belladonna.

JULIA

You mean, like witch bane? Black magic and Satan worship?

RICK

So you're ready to buy my conspiracy theory?

Rick stops walking and makes an evil face.

RICK (CONT'D)

Satan is everywhere. He owns us all.

JULIA

Don't do that, Rick.

Rick presses closer, his dumb idea of a come-on.

RICK

He's come to take you as his bride, Jooolia.

For a moment, a GOAT'S FACE is superimposed over Rick's, a trick of Julia's mind. Julia backs away from him, turns and flees.

RICK (CONT'D)

Hey, come on. I was only fooling around.

Behind Rick, THREE ROBED FIGURES emerge from the trees and close in on him.

RICK (CONT'D)

Damn. I've got to work on my pick-up lines.

The ROBED FIGURES are closer, their faces hidden by hoods. Rick turns and sees them. Rick screams. Julia, now out of sight of Rick, shakes her head and keeps walking.

JULIA

(to herself)

Cry wolf, you loser.

CUT TO:

EXT. MABEL COVINGTON'S YARD—AFTERNOON.

Julia walks to Mabel Covington's house. Mabel sits in her porch rocker.

MABEL

How was your trip to see your fella?

JULIA

He's a creep. Like all the rest.

MABEL

You could do worse. Like Walter.

Julia approaches the porch as Mabel lights a cigarette. A black cat jumps in the woman's lap.

JULIA

What's wrong with Walter?

MABEL

Oh, nothing, if you call losing your wife a good thing.

JULIA

What happened?

MABEL

She disappeared about seven years back up on Cracker Knob.

(waves direction)

Mysterious circumstances. Some around these parts say Walter had a hand in it. Mighty convenient that her body was never found.

JULIA

Walter seems okay to me.

MABEL

Been around your house a mite regular lately. Even when you're gone.

JULIA

He's been doing some work there.

MABEL

All I'm saying is I'd keep an eye on him.

They hear a car. Walter drives up in his Jeep.

MABEL (CONT'D)

Speak of the devil.

(louder, to Walter)

Hi, Walter. How you been?

Walter waves to Julia and calls from the Jeep.

WALTER

I'm fine, Mrs. Covington. How are you?

MABEL

Call me 'Mabel.' How many times I got to tell you?

WALTER

Every single time.

(to Julia)

I came by to see how you were doing.

JULIA

I'm getting better.

WALTER

You were already pretty good.

JULIA

Got time to look at something? My clock's broken again.

WALTER

I got nothin’ but time. Get in.

MABEL

(calling after them)

Mind what I said, Julia.

WALTER

(to Julia as she gets in Jeep)

What's with her?

MABEL

She told me about your wife.

WALTER

I was going to tell you.

JULIA

When? After I started to trust you?

Walter pulls out of the driveway toward Julia’s house.

WALTER

I get the feeling you never trust nobody.

JULIA

With good reason. You have a key to my house. And Mabel says you've been snooping around a lot.

WALTER

It ain't what it looks like.

JULIA

It never is.

WALTER

This was Wheatley's house. And I think he had something to do with my wife's death.