The Crow



EXT: BURNING INNER CITY, P.O.V.--BIRD IN FLIGHT APPROACHING LOFT

SUBTITLE: October 30th, Devil's Night.

SARAH(V.O) People once believed that when someone dies a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it, and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right.

EXT: CORNER LOFT, COPS VISIBLE THROUGH ROUND WINDOW. CUT TO

INT: LOFT. ALBRECHT LOOKS OUT ROUND WINDOW AT ERIC'S BODY BEING COVERED. CUT TO: COPS INVESTIGATING CRIME SCENE

[Albrecht turns back to loft. Paramedics are working on a bleeding Shelly, cops dusting for prints, etc. Albrecht picks up wedding invitation and reads it]

COP Hey Sarge. [Gestures to wedding dress]

ALBRECHT Yeah. Shelly Webster and Eric Draven. Wedding was tomorrow night.

COP Who the fuck gets married on Halloween anyhow?

ALBRECHT [Sadly] Nobody.

PARAMEDIC Sir? We gotta move her.

ALBRECHT Do it!

PARAMEDIC Right, guys. Do it. [They take her away]

COP Devil's fuckin' night! What's the count so far?

ALBRECHT A hundred and forty-three fires.

COP They're slackin' off from last year.

ALBRECHT Three hours to go. Maybe they're just slow starters.

EXT: TELEPHONE POLE ON STREET. CROW LANDS ON IT, SITS WATCHING. CUT TO:

EXT: STREET BELOW LOFT. COPS TAKING SHELLY TO AMBULANCE. FIREMEN BATTLING FIRE ACROSS STREET.

TORRES I realize that, but you can't come in here and move her away like this. We got procedures to stick by. You guys shoulda cleared this with me first. This the victim?

ALBRECHT No, it's Amelia Earhart. We found her, detective, and you missed it. TORRES I don't care what her name is, I didn't give the order to move her. Jesus, Albrecht, I can see why they took away your gold shield.

ALBRECHT Yeah, I wasn't a big enough ass-hole. C'mon, let's go.

[Sarah arrives on skate board, pushes through crowd to gurney]

SARAH Shelly?

ALBRECHT Stand back kid.

SHELLY Where is Eric? ALBRECHT Just don't worry about him.

SHELLY Tell him to take care of Sarah.

ALBRECHT Look, I will. You just ... uh, lie back. C'mon, c'mon. [They load her in ambulance. It drives off. He turns to Sarah] You Sarah?

SARAH Yeah. ALBRECHT Yeah, look. Your sister ... she's gonna be okay.

SARAH She's not my sister. Shelly just takes care of me. She's my friend, her and Eric. You lied to her about Eric ...

ALBRECHT Look, I had to.

SARAH And you're lying to me about Shelly. She's gonna die, isn't she?

ALBRECHT Hey ... uh. Now, come on, come on ... s'okay, she's gonna be fine [He puts hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Freeze frame]

SUBTITLE--ONE YEAR LATER

EXT: ABANDONED CATHEDRAL FROM OVERHEAD. CROW LANDS ON FINIAL CROSS.

SARAH [voiceover] A building gets torched, all that is left is ashes. I used to think that was true about everything--families, friends, feelings. But now I know that sometimes, if love proves real, two people who are meant to be together--nothing can keep them apart.

[Overhead shot of Sarah entering graveyard, Cut to: her walking from grave to grave picking up flowers.] SARAH [puts flowers on Shelly's and Eric's graves, stands and looks at them.] Later. [Starts to walk away. Crow lands, caws.] What're you? like, the night watchman? [Rain starts, she leaves] [Crow pecks. She skates away]

EXT: HOTDOG STAND. POLICE CAR PARKED BY IT.

MICKEY Y'know? What this place needs is a good natural catastrophe--earthquake, tornado ... y'know. ALBRECHT No, no, no, Mickey, c'mon man. You gotta put the mustard underneath first.

MICKEY ... Maybe a flood like in the bible.

ALBRECHT Eh, eh, lemme do it. There we go. How about some onions? C'mon, don't cheap out on me, lots of onions. Now we're talkin'.

[Sarah skates up, joins them]

MICKEY Heh, it's the Sarah monster.

ALBRECHT How do you steer that thing on a wet street?

SARAH Pure talent. Hi.

ALBRECHT See now, Sarah, she's a genuine hot-dogger. You hungry?

SARAH You buyin'?

ALBRECHT I'm buyin'.

SARAH No onions though, okay?

ALBRECHT No onions?

SARAH They make you fart big time.

EXT: ARCADE GAMES. A RED T-BIRD PARKED OUTSIDE

T-BIRD [voiceover] You know, Lake Erie actually caught on fire once from all the crap floatin' around in it? CUT TO:

INT: ARCADE, T-BIRD LIGHTING CIGAR.

Ah! I wish I coulda seen that. [whistles] Yee-aaah! [Funboy, Tin Tin and Skank begin vandalizing arcade. T-bird sets timer on bomb]

EXT: CROW ON ERIC'S HEADSTONE, HEAVY RAIN.

P.O.V.--Grave opens, Sarah's flower tumbles away. CUT TO:

P.O.V.--Interior of grave looking out. Hand claws mud.

P.O.V.--Overhead. Eric crawls out, howls in anguish. Collapses, writhing and twitching in mud.

EXT: ARCADE GAMES. FOUR MEN GATHER AROUND CAR, SHOUTING.

ALL Fire it up! Fire it up!

[Intercut action: Eric walking through alleys, led by crow. He's shivering, stumbling, barefoot. Crow leads him to shoes, he barely comprehends what they are. Intercut with T-bird's gang speeding through streets, bragging about exploit.]

MUSIC OVER: (ON CAR RADIO) STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, "Big Empty".

SKANK All right! We busted their machines! [They drive past hotdog stand] Oh shit. Hey guys, look. T-bird, cop car ... cop car!

ALBRECHT Bad people out on the street tonight.

INT: ARCADE, CLOSEUP OF BOMB TIMER COUNTING TO ZERO. EXPLOSION ALBRECHT Dammit!

SARAH What was that?

ALBRECHT You wait right here.

SARAH Be careful!

ALBRECHT Mickey, call it in for me. [runs towards explosion]

EXT: ERIC IN ALLEY, CUT TO LADDER, ROOF, STAIRS, LANDING, LOFT, AS CAMERA FOLLOWS ERIC.

[Eric climbs ladder, slips. Stumbles across roof, crow leads way down stairs, along landing. Finds door with Halloween decoration and crime scene tape. He rips tape, pushes door open, enters loft. He sees Gabriel]

ERIC [Whispering] Gabriel. [picks up cat, FLASHBACK--Skank being clawed. Drops cat.]

[Eric relives his and Shelly's deaths via FLASHBACKS, intercut with his agonized reactions to those memories]

[FLASHBACKs--he experiences them in roughly chronological order]

SHELLY [Hears knock, goes to door] Eric? [T-bird forces it open]

T-BIRD Dept. of Housing ... Code violations ... safety hazards ... place looks fine to me ... let's redecorate ... "Abashed, the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely ..." It's pornography. Virtue? INT: FRONT DOOR OF LOFT.

ERIC Shelly? [Enters loft. Stabbed by Tin Tin's thrown knife]

TIN TIN See ya! FUNBOY [Raping Shelly] No, no, no, no! Me first.

ERIC [Writhing on floor] Please! [Pulls knife out and throws it aside]

SHELLY Eric. [Reaches bloody hand to him]

[T-bird whistles. Tin Tin and Skank hold Eric up by arms. T-bird and Funboy shoot him, each twice. He falls backward through window. They go over and look down at him]

[In present, Eric runs and leaps through window, grabbing bar and swinging out, cutting hands on glass. Swings back inside and crouches on floor looking at hands. Cuts heal]

INT: THE PIT, A BULLET FALLS THROUGH AIR.

MUSIC OVER: FOR LOVE NOT LISA, "Slip Slde Melting".

[Funboy catches bullet in mouth, swallows it with drink, to approving comments]

SKANK Hey, that's good!

FUNBOY See if you can top that man? Can you top that?

ALL [Watching T-bird] Look at that! Look at that!

T-BIRD [Puts bullet on tongue] Here's to Devil's Night, my new favorite holiday. [drinks, puts out cigar on tongue]

BARTENDER [To Darla, in background] You go over there, tell your pals ...

FUNBOY You sick fuckhead. TIN TIN Are you out of your mother-fuckin' mind, man. [stops Skank. Takes his turn, swallowing bullet.] Pussies drink last, man.

SKANK [Pulls gun, points it at Tin Tin] Fuck you, Tin Tin.

TIN TIN Shit ain't even loaded, man. [Pulls knife, holds it to Skank's throat]

FUNBOY This one is. [Pulls his gun, points it at Tin Tin, who pulls another knife]

T-BIRD [Pulls his gun, points at each in turn] Which one of you Motor-city motherfuckers wants to bet me this one isn't? Heh! Fire it up! Fire it up!

ALL Fire it up! Fire it up! Fire it up! ...

DARLA Here's your shooters. Put your guns away, huh guys.

FUNBOY How ya doin', Pussycat? [Darla kisses Funboy, Tin Tin licks her shoulder]

INT: LOFT, FLOOR LEVEL.

[Cockroach scuttles across floor, crow swoops on it, catches it and perches on beam to eat it.]

CUT TO: ERIC AT DRESSING TABLE, CANDLES ALL AROUND, HARLEQUIN MASK HANGING FROM MIRROR. HIS BACK IS BACK BOWED.

[Weeping, Eric looks through stuff in drawers and it reminds him of good times with Shelly and Sarah via flashbacks]

FLASHBACKS:

ERIC [To Shelly, while holding mask to face] Boo!

SHELLY [In Eric's arms] I love you.

ERIC Say that again.

SHELLY I love you.

SHELLY [Backing away from burning saucepan on stove] Oh, boy!

ERIC [Hugging her and steering her away from stove] Restaurant!

SARAH [To Shelly, modeling her wedding dress] Wow! You look great!

[Scenes of a pillow fight between Sarah and Shelly, of Shelly teasing Eric by squirting him with shaving lotion, of Eric and Shelly making love]

[Finally Eric can't take any more and hits mirror in anguish, then sweeps candles to floor.]

MUSIC OVER: THE CURE, "Burn".

[Puts on makeup. Takes costume from suitcase and puts it on. Goes to stand in window, crow on shoulder. Looks over city, lightning illuminates grim face.]

INT: GIDEON'S PAWN SHOP. GIDEON AND Tin Tin BARGAINING.

TIN TIN Couple more rings--that's twenty-four k.

Gideon Twenty-four k, huh? It's eighteen k.--crap! It's probably fake.

TIN TIN Another purse. Leather.

GIDEON Jeez. Whoa, what is this Tin Tin, a bloodstain that's on here? I'll give ya fifty bucks. I hate charities. Now you, take it or leave it. [Throws money down, waits] Right there for you. Decisions, decisions.

TIN TIN [Takes money, walks away] Cheap ass, chrome dome, child molestin', saprophyte motherfucker.

GIDEON Close the gate when you go out.

TIN TIN Ah close this up for yo' reeeeal good, massah! Fuck you! [Gives him the finger. Goes out]

GIDEON Sit on it and twirl, you dirty scum!

EXT: FRONT OF GIDEON'S TIN TIN [Locks gate, walks into street] Lucky I didn't stab your fat ass.

EXT: ROOFTOPS. CROW AND ERIC.

MUSIC OVER: NINE INCH NAILS, "Dead Souls"

[Crow flying, Eric follows across rooftops--strong and swift. Crow spots Tin Tin, leads Eric to him. Tin Tin walks arrogantly down alley, pauses to light cigarette at oildrum fire. Eric drops off of building and lands laughing. Tin Tin hears, looks around, sees Eric approaching ominously]

TIN TIN What the fuck you all painted up for, crackhead, huh? [Eric keeps coming] Halloween ain't 'til manana. [Challenges Eric] C'mon. [Eric rushes him, they fight, Eric unstoppable, stronger. Tin Tin taking beating. Eric throws him up against wall] ERIC You murderer!

TIN TIN I ain't murdered nobody, man! I don't fuckin' know you, man. What the fuck you want, man?

ERIC I want you to tell me a story. A man and a woman in a loft, a year ago.

TIN TIN You're outta your motherfuckin' mind.

ERIC Listen! I'm sure you'll remember. You killed him ... on Halloween.

TIN TIN Yeah, yeah, man, look, on Halloween, yeah. Some dude, some bitch. Whatever. [Eric grabs him]

ERIC Her name was Shelly! [Tin Tin spits on him] You cut her. You raped her.

TIN TIN Shelly ... yeah, I shanked her pink ass and she loved it! [Hits Eric when he bows head in pain, fights again, overpowers Eric, beats him down with lead pipe.]

ERIC Murderer! Murderer!

TIN TIN Let me tell you about murder. It's fun, it's easy. You gonna learn aaaall about it. Heh, heh, heh. [Pulls out knives, takes off coat, gestures with knives] I'd like you to meet two buddies of mine. We never miss. [throws first knife. Eric ducks it. Tin Tin looks worried, throws second knife, Eric bats it away, now Tin Tin's scared]

ERIC Try harder! Try again. [catches third knife, throws it back at Tin Tin, pinning him to stack of pallets. Eric goes up to him, takes another knife and holds it high]. Victims? Aren't we all? [Stabs Tin Tin]

INT: THE TRASH CLUB. GIRL SINGING ON STAGE. T-BIRD AND SKANK WORKING WAY THROUGH CROWD.

MUSIC OVER: MEDICINE, "Time Baby III".

T-BIRD [Complains about crowd] Look at this mess. What's the world coming to. [Pause at bar] I gotta go upstairs--report from the front. [makes way through crowd, cursing at them,] Get outta my way you worms. [goes up stairs] SKANK [To bartender] Give me some of that, over there.

INT: LANDING BEFORE TOP DOLLAR'S ROOMS. GRANGE TALKING TO TWO GIRLS. T-BIRD APPROACHING UP STAIRS

GRANGE [To two girls] Why don't you ladies come back later, check me out.

T-BIRD Hey, guess what? Arcade Games fell down, went boom.

GRANGE Boom?

T-BIRD Can you imagine that? 'S tragic.

GRANGE Gather your soldiers. You're on for tomorrow night, no sweat.

T-BIRD Is The Man in?

GRANGE He's taking a "meeting". [He winks]

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BEDROOM. HE'S SITTING CROSS-LEGGED ON BED LOOKING INTO A SNOWBALL CRYSTAL. A NAKED WOMAN LIES MOTIONLESS ON BED BEHIND HIM. MYCA IS SHOWERING.

[She finishes shower, approaches him wrapping robe around herself. They hug, then she sits next to him on bed.] MYCA You're thinking about the past.

TOP DOLLAR Dad gave me this ... fifth birthday. He said "childhood's over the moment you know you're gonna die". [He hands her crystal, she kisses his forehead]

MYCA [Looking at woman] Is she asleep?

TOP DOLLAR [He pulls woman's shoulder over, she is obviously dead] I think we broke her. [sniffs]

MYCA [Holds knife to dead woman's face] I love her eyes--pretty. [Cut to Top Dollar's face, watching]

INT: TRASH CLUB. GIRL SINGER FINISHING SONG.

EXT: LATER. SARA ON SKATEBOARD, APPROACHING PIT THROUGH TRAFFIC.

Driver Hey kid! Get the hell outta the road!

[Sarah enters The Pit, approaches Darla and Funboy who are necking at one of the tables. "Ahem"s to get their attention]

MUSIC OVER: THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN, "Snakedriver".

DARLA Told ya to stay outta here.

SARAH So, I guess you're not gonna be home 'til a lot later, huh, Darla?

FUNBOY She's busy. Go play with your dolls or something, okay.

SARAH I don't have any dolls.

DARLA [Gives her money] Get some food, huh.

SARAH Somebody already bought me dinner. The police. [Funboy stares impatiently at her. She takes the money and leaves.]

FUNBOY [Mocking her] "Somebody already bought me dinner ... the police" [They laugh.]

EXT: CROW FLYING PAST GIDEON'S PAWN SHOP.

INT: GIDEON'S. GIDEON COUNTING RECEIPTS. SEES ERIC'S SHADOW BY DOOR.

GIDEON Ah, who the fuck is this, now. Hey! Piss off! We're closed! Cerrado! [Eric pounds on gate] Go sleep it off somewhere else, dusthead, unless you wanna get mutilated. [Eric wrenches open locked gate, Gideon grabs gun and advances] God damn creatures of the night. They never learn. [Eric taps three times on door] Hey! Hey! [Eric walks through glass door, Gideon retreats. Crow flies by him, frightening him. He stumbles backward, drops gun]

ERIC "Suddenly I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door". [He casually brushes glass off of shoulder]

GIDEON What're you talking about?

ERIC You heard me rapping, right? [Advances on Gideon]

GIDEON You're trespassing. [He finds gun again] And you owe me a fuckin' new door.

ERIC I'm looking for something in an engagement ring ... gold.

GIDEON You're looking for a coroner, shit for brains. [Shoots Eric. Wound heals. He panics] Argh, shit on me! Shit on me. Shit on me! [Eric laughs as he realizes his invulnerability. Advances, throws Gideon across counter, follows, leaping on counter and vanishing as Gideon comes up swinging bat at empty air. Eric reappears swinging upside down, grabs bat from Gideon and hits him with it.]

ERIC Mr. Gideon. You're not paying attention. [He drops down to crouch on countertop. Gideon swings at him, he grabs Gideon's hand, smashes counter glass, takes knife, pins Gideon's hand to counter with it. Covers Gideon's mouth] I repeat, a gold engagement ring, yes? [Gideon nods] It was pawned here a year ago by a customer of yours named Tin Tin. [Stands up, walks a few steps along countertop, then leaps off, spins around to stare at him through grating] He confided in me before he ran out of breath.

EXT: CRIME SCENE. Tin Tin'S BODY CARRIED OFF, STUCK FULL OF KNIVES.

TORRES Who's this sack of shit?

ALBRECHT That's Tin Tin. One of T-birds little helpers. I think you can rule out "accidental death".

TORRES Don't any of your street-demons have real grown-up names?

ALBRECHT This could be a turf hit, but it doesn't look like your usual gang crap.

TORRES Come on, Albrecht, spare me. You're a beat cop now, so be a beat cop.

ALBRECHT I'm s'posed to thank you for that, right?

TORRES A word to the wise--watch your fuckin' mouth. [Sees crow outline on wall] What the hell do you call that?

ALBRECHT I call it blood, detective. I s'pose you'll write it up as ... graffiti.

TORRES You can leave my crime scene now, okay?

INT: GIDEONS. ERIC TRASHING AND SEARCHING.

ERIC Warmer?

GIDEON What're you doing?

ERIC Don't you know this game?

GIDEON What game you talking about? Okay, the rings, I'll tell you about the rings. They're in the metal box, it's under the shelf there. Get your fucking rings, you can chew 'em and choke on them, you sonnuva bitch ...

[Eric finds ring box, sits down behind counter, out of sight of Gideon]

FLASHBACK: ERIC [To Shelly, above him on ladder] Look, it goes up to the attic.

ERIC [Starts picking up rings, tossing each one aside] No. No. FLASHBACK: SHELLY [Opening jewelry box] Oh, it's beautiful. I don't believe it.

ERIC [Still rejecting rings] No. No. [Finds her ring by touching it] [Whispers] Shelly.

FLASHBACK SHELLY I love you. [They embrace]

[Eric puts ring on little finger. Trashes his way back to Gideon, kicking over open gas cans as he goes. Gideon pulls knife out just as Eric reaches him, pointing huge gun at him.]

ERIC You have one chance to live.

GIDEON Look, man. Take anything you want.

ERIC Thank you.

GIDEON Take anything!

ERIC Now you're going to tell me where to find the rest of Tin Tin's little party pals.

GIDEON The Pit. They all hang out at The Pit. All of T-bird's little potato-heads hang out there. Funboy--he lives there, upstairs, alright?

ERIC Funboy ... [FLASHBACK to Funboy raping Shelly] A whole jolly club. [Trashes, pours gasoline] With jolly pirate nicknames!

GIDEON Jesus Christ in a taxicab!

ERIC Hold still! Each one of these [holds up ring] is a life [throws them one by one at Gideon]--a life you helped destroy.

GIDEON I beg you ... don't kill me.

ERIC I'm not going to kill you. Your job will be to tell the rest of them that Death is coming for them ... tonight. [Pours rings into gun barrel] Tell them Eric Draven sends his regards. [walks out, taking a guitar as he goes]

GIDEON Walk outta here, they're gonna erase your sorry ass. You're nothin' but street grease, y'hear? Street grease you motherfucker!

ERIC [Pausing at door] Is that gasoline I smell?

GIDEON No, man. NO! [Runs out back as Eric, standing outside front door, shoots rings into shop, blowing it up. Gideon thrown out back door by explosion, pant leg on fire]

INT: THE PIT. SARA GETTING SODA AT BAR.

MUSIC OVER: (PATRON STARTS JUKEBOX) VIOLENT FEMMES, "Color Me Once". BARTENDER It's the house, kiddo. You know that. One rootbeer. [They look at Darla going upstairs with Funboy] I can't do anything. Your mom? Technically, she's ... off, right now.

SARAH Yeah. Way off.

EXT: OUTSIDE BURNING PAWNSHOP. ERIC WALKING AWAY.

[Police car pulls up. Albrecht gets out, pulls gun on Eric]

ALBRECHT Police! Don't move! I said Don't. Move.

ERIC [He pauses] I thought the police always said "Freeze".

ALBRECHT Well, I am the police, and I say "don't move", Snow White. You move, you're dead.

ERIC And I say I'm dead ...[raises hands, starts walking forward] and I move.

ALBRECHT Not one more step ... I'm serious!

ERIC Then shoot me, if you will, [bows, looking up at him] Officer Albrecht.

ALBRECHT What are you, nuts? Walking into a gun? You high?

ERIC You don't remember me?

ALBRECHT What are you talking about?

ERIC How about Shelly? Do you remember Shelly Webster?

ALBRECHT Shelly Webster's dead, my friend. I want you to move over to the curb there. C'mon, real nice and easy. C'mon, move it! [Eric goes to curb, sits down] I'm waiting for backup. It's getting too friggin' weird for me.

ERIC Oh, it gets better. Do you know someone named T-bird? He had a friend who shouldn't have played with knives. Like the coat?

ALBRECHT You're the guy that murdered Tin Tin.

ERIC He was already dead. He died a year ago ... the moment he touched her. They're all dead, they just don't know it yet.

ALBRECHT [Spotting looters fleeing Gideons] Hey! Get away from there. [Turns back. Eric is gone.] Oh great. Great! A guy shows up looking like a mime from hell and ... you loose him right out in the open. Well, at least he didn't do that ... walking against the wind shit, I hate that. [Backup arrives]

COP Little early for Devil's Night.

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BOARD ROOM. MYCA SITTING ON TABLE TENDING BRAZIER WITH HUMAN EYE IN IT. HE IS PACING.

MUSIC OVER: ROLLINS BAND, "Ghostrider".

MYCA You are very restless.

TOP DOLLAR Just wish I was a little hungry again, that's all.

MYCA Be careful of what you ask for ...

TOP DOLLAR Yeah, I may get it, I know. [Sits, sniffs smoke from burning eye]

MYCA There are energies aligning against you.

TOP DOLLAR Seein' is believin', isn't it? [she kisses him. He licks fingertip, eats some cocaine] Mmm, yummy.

[Grange and T-bird enter]

GRANGE Gideon's pawnshop just burned down, to the foundation.

TOP DOLLAR Nobody cleared this little event with me. [cuts cocaine]

T-BIRD I didn't have nothing to do with that.

TOP DOLLAR Ah, sure. You must be awful disappointed.

T-BIRD I got trouble. One of my crew got himself perished.

TOP DOLLAR Yeah? And who might that be?

T-BIRD [Myca sprawls seductively on table. T-bird can't quite keep his eyes off her] Tin Tin. Somebody stuck his blades in all his major organs in alphabetical order.

TOP DOLLAR [Myca gets down from table, perches on arm of Top Dollar's chair. He steadies her with a hand on her inner thigh.] Well, gentlemen, by all means, I think we oughta have an introspective moment of silence for poor old Tin Tin [sniffs line of coke] You're workin' for me tomorrow night, right?

T-BIRD Whatever you say, I can do.

TOP DOLLAR Good, that's very reassuring. I still ain't heard the story on why Gideon's burned down, is that a natural catastrophe, or act of God or something? Call it my "need to know".

EXT: CROW FLYING. CUT TO: PIT ENTRANCE.

[Sarah exiting The Pit. Rides skateboard into path of taxi. Eric snatches her clear. Skateboard scoots across street. She struggles in his grasp]

SARAH Let me go, you creep! [He puts her down, flashs back to her and Shelly. Hides his face, turning away and reaching blindly for the support of a telephone pole. She shouts after taxi] You didn't even slow down, you dickhead!

ERIC He couldn't have stopped.

SARAH He was a buttface. I coulda made it. [looks closer at him] What're you supposed to be, a clown or something.

ERIC [not looking at her] Sometimes. [she goes back to street, gets on skateboard]

SARAH It's more like surfing than skating. I wish the rain would stop, just once.

ERIC It can't rain all the time.

SARAH Eric? [turns, but he's vanished]

EXT: POLICE STATION. CUT TO:

INT: ALBRECHT'S DESK. POLICEWOMAN ANNIE COOPERSMITH BRINGS HIM FILE.

ANNIE Don't thank me. Are we fighting the good fight?

ALBRECHT Double homicide, a year ago. No convictions. Annie, look at that [hands her petition].

ANNIE [reads] "We the undersigned tenants of 1929 Calderon Court Apartments" ... what is this, a petition?

ALBRECHT A big "kick-me" sign for a very nice girl who found herself a cause ... that cause got her killed.

ANNIE She was fighting tenant eviction in that neighborhood?

ALBRECHT Shelly Webster and her nice rock-and-roll boyfriend, Eric Draven.

ANNIE You know, the last time you went snooping around on a case is when you got put back on the beat.

ALBRECHT Yeah, I know--Torres keeps reminding me.

ANNIE Oh ho, I bet he does. [Albrecht draws Eric's clown makeup on photo] You're gonna wind up working a school crosswalk.

ALBRECHT I'm cool.

ANNIE You didn't get that file from me, okay. Don't tell me you "owe me one". [she walks away]

ALBRECHT Uh ... I owe you one.

ANNIE Yeah, right.

ALBRECHT [looking at Eric's picture] Damn!

INT: FUNBOY'S ROOM, BOOMBOX PLAYING. HE AND DARLA ON BED.

FUNBOY [He's shooting Darla up] Tomorrow night, we can get high, and watch this whole fuckin' city burn, from that window.

EXT: ERIC SITTING ON SIGN. CUT TO:

MUSIC OVER: (FROM FUNBOYS BOOMBOX) MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE, "Golgotha Tenement Blues". INT: FUNBOY'S ROOM.

[Crow flies into room, lands on TV. Darla, high, and necking with Funboy, spots it.]

DARLA There's a big fuckin' bird over there.

FUNBOY It's a squab. [laughs] C'mere, bird. Hey bird, birdy. Here birdybirdybirdybirdy. [repeats]

[Eric sees them through crow's eyes, hears them from outside. Enters room through window, carrying guitar.]

ERIC Here, Funboy. [rubs forehead against lightbulb, approaches bed] FUNBOY What the fuck? [Eric feints an attack] No, man, don't do that! You nearly gave me a fuckin' heart attack. [Darla giggles. To Darla:] Don't sweat it. [Eric turns away, hangs up guitar. Funboy pulls gun.] 'S time for you to get your bird and leave, freako. [Eric pulls up chair, straddles it and places hand against end of gun]

ERIC Take your shot, Funboy. You got me, dead bang.

FUNBOY You are seriously fucked up. Did you look in a mirror? You need professional help. [Shoots Eric through hand. Eric cries out, jumps up, spins away pretending to be hurt. Funboy stands up on bed] Bingo! Hah! He shoots! He scores! [Eric turns back laughing and whooping in triumph. He shows them his hand, looks at them through hole, which heals as they watch] Je-sus Christ!

ERIC Jesus Christ. Stop me if you've heard this one. [He approaches Funboy] Jesus Christ walks into a hotel ... [Funboy shoots him in shoulder. It heals] Ow. He hands the innkeeper three nails, he asks ... [Funboy shoots him in stomach. It heals]

FUNBOY Don't you ever fuckin' die? ERIC Can you put me up for the night? [He rushes Funboy, giving him a wide-armed smack, which causes Funboy to shoot himself in the leg. He collapses onto the bed.]

ERIC [Picks up gun and leaps to squat on bed next to Funboy] Does that hurt? [Darla flees into bathroom, locking herself in]

FUNBOY Fuck! Does it .. fuck, does it hurt? [Grabs leg.] Oh God. Look what you've done to my sheets. [Passes out. Eric drags him into bathroom by injured leg, forces door, dumps him in shower. Darla grabs razor.

FLASHBACK: FUNBOY [Taking off pants] I've got a gun in my pocket. You're happy to see me, aren't you?

[Eric turns on shower.]

DARLA [Screaming and sobbing] Stay away from me! Stay away from me. Noooo! Aaaaa ... [He takes razor from her, forces her to look at herself in mirror]

ERIC Look! Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children. Do you understand? [Squeezes dope out of scars on her arm] Morphine is bad for you. [She calms down, no longer high, and looks at him in wonder.] Your daughter is out there on the streets, waiting for you. [He lets her go. She flees downstairs. He finds drug paraphernalia, picks up needle]

INT: THE PIT. GIDEON AT BAR, DRINKING.

MUSIC OVER: HELMET, "Milktoast".

GIDEON If I wanted ice, I woulda asked for ice [tosses ice away] Now fill it up.

BARTENDER [Slamming bottle down] Fill it up yourself, macho man.

GIDEON I really need this. [Grange arrives, opens bottle, pours for him] All right. GRANGE You burn yourself playing with matches?

GIDEON Fuck off.

GRANGE You have an appointment.

GIDEON Well, shit on me.

GRANGE Drink up.

GIDEON This is a first. Do I bow or do I curtsey? Get my friend here a glass of blood ... [Darla runs in a panic through bar]

BARTENDER Hey! Good night ... Dar-la.

GRANGE You stay put. Right there [Puts hat on Gideon, patting it down on injured head. Grange nervously makes his way up to Funboy's room.]

INT: FUNBOY'S ROOM. ERIC HOLDING NEEDLE IN ONE HAND, HOLDING FUNBOY DOWN WITH OTHER.

FUNBOY Get away, steamhead.

[Grange finds Funboy dying with needles in chest and crow outline in blood on his chest. Eric, in window, puts finger to lips and vanishes.]

INT: ALBRECHT'S APT. TV STORY ABOUT LAST YEAR'S FIRES. HE'S IN KITCHEN, WEARING T-SHIRT, SHORTS AND POLICEMAN'S HAT, DRINKING BEER AND LOOKING AT PHOTOS FROM ERIC'S FILE.

NEWSCASTER ... As you can see, I'm here on the corner of Twenty-seventh street and East Washington Place, the site of last year's biggest Devil's Night conflagration. It was exactly one year ago that the building you see across the street from me was totally demolished by fire. The fire that was won by seven fire companies but lost the lives of two firefighters. In fact, if it weren't for the constant surveillance by the local police precincts ...

[Albrecht hears suspicious sound, walks into bedroom, but it's empty.]

ERIC Freeze! [Albrecht jumps, drops beer, sees Eric]

ALBRECHT Jesus! Don't ever do that, man. Fuck. ERIC [Looks at photo Albrecht's drawn on] Good likeness.

ALBRECHT I saw your body man, you ... you died, you got buried.

ERIC You still have your hat on.

ALBRECHT [Removes hat] I gotta sit down. [Eric wanders into kitchen, opens refrigerator, takes out beer, brings it back to Albrecht] Shit. Holy shit. Say, a-are you some kind of ... of ghost?

ERIC Boo! [Opens beer, hands it to him, gets serious. Sits down and looks up] I don't know what I am. I need you to tell me what happened to us.

ALBRECHT Well, you took a six-story swan dive out of a window. She, uh ... was beaten and raped ... died at the hospital. [Eric winces] Hey, you asked, man. Hey, c'mon, read the file! [Picks up file] Shelly Webster ... held on for thirty hours in intensive care, her body finally just gave it up. I saw it man--I couldn't do jack for her. [Holds file to Eric. Eric bypasses files, puts hands on Albrecht's head, relives his memories. FLASHBACKs to Shelly in ICU. He cries out and staggers away]

ERIC [Holding his head in agony] Don't touch me! [collapses in chair across room]

ALBRECHT Hey ... You okay?

ERIC I saw her ... I saw her through your eyes. You stayed with her the whole time.

ALBRECHT Yeah, well ... you gotta understand something, alright? I was ... I was hoping she'd come out of it, you know? Give me something I could work with. [lights cigarette] Yeah ... what the hell.

ERIC Why didn't you do something about it?

ALBRECHT You think any of those people in that building, even the ones who signed the petition, would talk after what happened to you? I kept asking questions and ... finally got busted for sticking my nose where it wasn't wanted.

ERIC [Picks up photo of woman] This your wife?

ALBRECHT Yeah. We ... uh, well ... not anymore. We're getting a divorce.

ERIC It's funny. Little things used to mean so much to Shelly ... I used to think they were kind of trivial. Believe me--nothing is trivial. [Takes Albrecht's cigarette and takes a drag, holds it up ruefully] You shouldn't smoke these--they'll kill you. [Gets up, starts to walk away]

ALBRECHT You gonna vanish into thin air again?

ERIC [Almost in tears, holding self with crossed arms] I thought I'd use your front door.

ALBRECHT Look, man ... uh. I'm sorry as hell for what happened to you and your girlfriend.

ERIC Yeah. [He looks back at Albrecht sadly]

ALBRECHT [Whispers] Yeah. [Sound of apartment door opening and closing softly.]

EXT: UPPER STORIES OF TRASH CLUB, WHERE TOP DOLLAR LIVES.

MUSIC OVER: PANTERA, "The Badge".

GIDEON (V.O.) I got stabbed! I shot the sonnuva bitch. I watched the bullethole close by itself.

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BOARDROOM. GIDEON SEATED IN MIDDLE, GRANGE WATCHFUL BEHIND HIM, MYCA ON TABLE NEXT TO HIM. TOP DOLLAR WALKING ABOUT.

GIDEON And then my business gets blown up real good. Other than that, my day sucked.

GRANGE Yeah. I saw him too--he had a guitar. He winked at me before he jumped out of a fourth-floor window like he had wings.

TOP DOLLAR He winked at you? Tsk. Musicians. What else did you see?

GIDEON So far I haven't heard shit about what you're gonna do about all this crap. I mean, what do I get? My livelihood gets flushed away and went swirling.

TOP DOLLAR You ain't lost everything.

GIDEON Yesss. And maybe you're not such a big shot eit- ... [He starts to stand, Grange forces him down] Ow ... Jesus!

TOP DOLLAR Fair enough. Catch! [Tosses him human eye]

GIDEON [Dropping it in horror] Fuck ... Jesus!

TOP DOLLAR Say hello to the last fellow who wouldn't cooperate with me.

GIDEON What're you telling me ... you're telling me this thing is real?

TOP DOLLAR All the power in the world resides in the eyes, fella. Sometimes they're more useful than the people who bear them. [Opens sword case, takes out a sword]

GIDEON You're directly outta your fuckin' mind, y'know that?

TOP DOLLAR Yeah. Eyes see! It's one of the most important things I learned from my sister.

GIDEON Your sister? She supposed to be your sister [laughs].

TOP DOLLAR My father's daughter ... that's right. What's the matter? You don't see the resemblance? [Holds sword to Gideon's throat. Myca puts foot on Gideon's shoulder, Grange puts hands on his shoulders.] Now, let's take it from the top, friend? With a lot of detail. Whaddya say?

GIDEON [Frightened] He had a bird with him--nearly picked my face off. He told me to tell T-bird that death was on its way, whatever the fuck that means. Draven ... he said his name was Eric Draven. Want to relax that thing now?

TOP DOLLAR [Walks away] And this "bird-man", he just happened to let you live, huh? You sure you ain't makin' all of this up just to save your own ass?

GIDEON I ain't makin' all this up. I ain't ... twisted like you two fucks. [Myca removes foot and draws back.] TOP DOLLAR [To Grange] Alright. [Grange removes his hands and steps away] A boy and his bird ... awful touching. [Gideon laughs, Top Dollar chuckles, then spins and thrusts sword through Gideon's throat, who convulses in chair] For the fuck's sake, die! will ya! Gimme that thing [takes gun from Grange, shoots Gideon twice, hands it back] Thanks.

GRANGE Funboy said he saw a black bird too, a big one ... then he choked to death on his own blood. I'll have the janitor ... come on up.

EXT: ROOFTOPS, GUITAR PLAYING IN BACKGROUND. TRACK TO: LOFT WINDOW, CAT EATING FROM CAN AND PURRING. TRACK UP WALL TO ROOF. BACK VIEW OF ERIC SITTING, PLAYING GUITAR, CROW WATCHING.

INT: DARLA'S APT.

[Sarah enters, looks through records, pulls out Hangman's Joke album, sets needle in track to play "Fire in the Rain". Drums fingers, waiting for music to start. Crow lands on open window, squawks. She goes to it.]

SARAH You again? You lost? Or hungry? Hi. [Crow flies away. Needle sticks on phrase "Can't rain all the time"]

EXT: CROW ON ROOFTOP LOOKING DOWN ON TWO MEN APPROACHING.

T-BIRD (V.O.) ... I don't know, how many times I gotta tell you? We're in this together. If one part falls, we all fall.

CUT TO: EXT: STREET LEVEL. T-BIRD AND SKANK WALKING DOWN BLOCK.

T-BIRD You know how long it took us to put this together!

SKANK

Yeah, a long time.

T-BIRD That piece of ratshit made Tin Tin into a fuckin' voodoo doll. SKANK Tin Tin's was a dick.

T-BIRD Tin Tin ... sheesh! BOTH Fire it up! Fire it up! Fire it up! Fire it up!

SKANK ... Fire it up!

T-BIRD [Stops, looks around, checks watch] No Funboy.

SKANK Probably still [grabs parking meter, does bump and grind against it] banging away on Darla.

T-BIRD [Whistles, gestures towards liquor store] Smokes and road beers, be quick.

SKANK I'm on it. [Enters store, picks up stuff]

T-BIRD [T-bird goes to car, gets in. He lights cigar. Crow lands on hood. Eric sits up in back seat holds gun to his head, frightening him, he has own gun out but not quick enough.] What the fuck are you supposed to be, man?

ERIC I'm your passenger. [Removes T-bird's gun and cigar, grabs top of T-birds head, turns it to front] Drive. [T-bird starts car and pulls away]

SKANK [In store, with mouthful of potato chips. He sees them] What's all this happy horseshit? [They peel out, he runs after] Hey, T-bird! T-bird! [Hatchback hits him, breaks windshield, he rolls over top, lands in street. Driver stops, gets out, hauls him to feet]

DRIVER What's the fuck the matter with you? You stupid ass-hair! You hit my car! [He hits Skank who hits back, knocks him down and takes his car to follow T-bird]

INT CAR: T-BIRD DRIVING FAST, ERIC HOLDING GUN ON HIM, STILL HOLDING TOP OF HEAD.

T-BIRD Whaddya want, man? Money? Drugs? I got 'em. We could use you--you did Tin Tin. This is business, right?

ERIC [Cocks gun] Faster.

INT: POLICE CAR, TWO COPS DRINKING COFFEE, WATCHING PASSING CARS.

PASSENGER COP You got that cream stuff? I hate this--they can't even call it cream legally.

[Eric and T-bird speed by]

DRIVER COP What the crap? [He peels out in pursuit, partner spills coffee]

INT: T-BIRD'S CAR [SPEEDOMETER PUSHING 90] T-BIRD Ah look, makin' us popular. When they flash us like that, they ain't friends. [Intercut with exterior shots of three-car chase]

COP This is vehicle 49. We got us a big ol' red hot rod ...

T-BIRD If you got something personal, amigo, we can work it out, right? [More car chase intercut]

SKANK [Trying to follow T-bird] Damn! "dead end" ... Oh my god! Get outta the way. Holy shit. Goddamn foreign cars ... Shit, shit! Oh I hate this ... This ain't good ... [Car chase intercut. He spots T-bird's car passing at end of alley] T-bird! I got you, man, I'm coming. [He's broadsided by cops, falls out, battered but still whole.]

EXT: WHARF. T-BIRD'S CAR ON WHARF. T-BIRD TAPED TO DRIVER'S SEAT, ERIC OUTSIDE WORKING QUIETLY.

T-BIRD Remember? Yeah, I remember everything ... But I don't know what ... what? What? What're you talking about. No, no, no, no. You mean that place downtown? Yeah, I remember her. We needed to put some fear into that little lady--she wasn't going along with our "tenant relocation" program. [Laughs nervously. Eric gets explosives and duct tape out of car trunk] Then her idiot boyfriend shows up, and turns a simple sweep-and-clear into a total cluster fuck! Who gives a shit--it's ancient history. [Starts to get scared] Why? Whaddya want? What is it? What? Speak to me! Speak! [Eric rips off more duct tape]

FLASHBACK: INT LOFT, T-BIRD PUSHES WAY IN, HOLDING PETITION.

T-BIRD Did you send us these complaints? [Flash through rape memories. T-bird reads] "Abashed the devil stood ..." Does it get you sweaty?

PRESENT

T-BIRD I know you. I know you, I knew I knew you .. I knew I knew you. [Almost sobbing] But you ain't you ... you can't be you. We put you through the window. There ain't no comin' back. This is the really real world, there ain't no comin' back. We killed you dead--there ain't no comin' back. [Eric begins taping his head to seat, he gets desperate Quick cut to Skank, stumbling after them.] There ain't no comin' back ... there ain't no comin' back. [Eric rigs steering and accelerator, then triggers grenade] "Abashed the devil stood ..." [Now he's terrified] "and felt how awful goodness is ... felt how awful ... goodness ..."

[Eric tosses grenade in T-bird's lap, sets car to drive off of pier. It peels out, Skank watches. Eric gives it ironic two-fingered wave as it goes off pier and explodes. He squirts lighter fluid, lights it. Flames outline giant crow.]

EXT: DAWN, ERIC'S GRAVE, OPEN AND EMPTY. GRANGE KNEELING BESIDE IT.

INT: MORNING, DARLA'S APT, DARLA COOKING BREAKFAST, TV NEWS PROGRAM ON. SARA SLEEPING CLUTCHING ERIC'S ALBUM. SHE AWAKENS AND ENTERS KITCHEN NEWSCASTER (V.O.) This is the seven a.m. edition of Action News. For over a decade, the night before Halloween has had a darker and deadlier nickname in the inner city--Devil's Night--the name given to what has become an annual plague of arson. Last year over 200 individual blazes were reported, and 11 people lost their lives. Tonight will repeat what may become the biggest and deadliest Devil's Night ever. The mayor has firefighters from all surrounding counties, as well as ...

DARLA You like them up or over? I can't remember.

SARAH What are you doing? I don't even like eggs.

DARLA Wait ... you loved eggs.

SARAH Yeah ... when I was five.

DARLA So, whaddya want now? Black coffee and cigarettes?

SARAH So what did you take to become "mother of the year"?

DARLA Oh, it wasn't drugs. Someone kind of ... woke me up.

SARAH Who?

DARLA Oh! It was nuts.

SARAH You're acting weird. Didya win the lottery or something, Dar-la?

DARLA Oh forget it! [Takes frying pan to trash can] I never was too good at this mommy shit.

SARAH [Standing up] Over easy! [Goes to her] I like 'em over easy ... Mom. [She watches sympathetically as Darla flips one of the eggs. They smile at each other.]

INT: POLICE STATION, AFTERNOON. ALBRECHT WALKING IN GOOD MOOD.

TORRES Hey Albrecht. [Albrecht sighs, stops at his office] This is the third hit in your 'hood in twenty-four hours. [Hands him photos of T-bird] We just fished this out of the river. He's fused to his own car--we're gonna have to I.D. his teeth.

ALBRECHT His name's T-bird. Arson was his specialty, looks like he zigged when he shoulda zagged. Case closed. [Hands back file]

TORRES Bull-fuckin'-shit. C'mere. [They go into office] You're holding out on me. I got a god-damned vigilante killer knocking off scum-bags left and right. And you're covering up for somebody. Who's the cartoon character with the painted face?

ALBRECHT Hey, you're the detective. Why don't you tell me?

TORRES Okay. Gideon's blows all to hell, and you're having a chitchat with some weirdo who winds up in T-bird's car when it zigs instead of zags. Then you steal one of my case files from homicide, and you're saying this is just a fuckin' automobile accident? C'mon!

ALBRECHT Yeah. Good speech though. I didn't want to interrupt you--it sounded good. You gotta write that shit down.

TORRES Alright, smartass. The Captain's got a little love-note waiting for you. Welcome to the first day of the rest of your suspension.

ALBRECHT Suspension? For what?

TORRES Misconduct! [Dials phone, dismissing Albrecht] Yeah, gimme the lab.

EXT: CALDERON COURT APTS, FRONT DOOR BOARDED UP.

[Sarah pulls off boards, begins to climb stairs. Cut to:]

INT: LOFT. ERIC SITTING IN FRONT OF FIREPLACE, BURNING PHOTOS.

FLASHBACKS OF GOOD TIMES WITH SHELLY

SHELLY [Over flashback scenes] One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy ...

[Eric weeps. He hears Sarah approaching. Cut to:]

INT: STAIRWELL.

[Sarah climbs stairs, reaches door. Pushes it open, enters loft.]

INT: LOFT. IT'S EMPTY. FIRE SMOLDERING.

SARAH Eric? [Looks around at empty room] Man, Sarah, you're going crazy. [Spots Gabriel] Gabriel! I thought you were dead! [Picks up cat] You're not dead ... are you? [Explores. Finds half-burned photos, continues looking] I knew it was you. Even with the make-up. I remembered your song. You said: "Can't rain all the time", that is from your song? Right? [No response, no sign of Eric. She sighs in frustration. Crow lands on support beam] Ah, Eric. I know you're here. I miss you, and Shelly ... gets so lonely all by myself. [Gives up] The hell with you. [Picks up skateboard] I thought you cared. [Starts to leave, sun comes out and casts shadow of Eric standing in golden circle from round window]

ERIC [Whispers] Sarah. I do care.

[She turns and sees him. Drops skateboard and runs to him. He kneels to receive her and they hug, weeping]

INT: TOP DOLLAR'S BOARDROOM. TOP DOLLAR, GRANGE AND VERY BATTERED SKANK. PICTURE OF ERIC'S BAND ON TABLE. SKANK [Points to Eric in picture] That's him. That's him. But he looked different--he was all painted up white like some kind of dead whore. I seen him! T-bird, he sent me in for some road beers, right? Then he took him away, man, and I chased 'em down. And he flash-fried T-bird to his fuckin' car ... Ah, T-bird! Here's to you, buddy [drinks]

TOP DOLLAR I think we oughta just videotape this, play it back in slow motion.

SKANK Fire it up! Fire it up! Fire it up ...

TOP DOLLAR Didya see the grave?

GRANGE Empty.

SKANK [Turns to them] Grave! What grave? [Approaches Grange.] What 'bout my fucking grave? [Grange shoves him away] Aargh! Man!

GRANGE Three out of four. He's working his way back to this speed freak right here.

SKANK It's not fair! It was Funboy's fault. That boy was outta control! T-bird, he came in there, [whistles] "Waste 'em both" Now this ghost's gonna kill my ass, next. [Top Dollar gets up, hits him, pushes him into Grange's arms, who drops him into seat] Aaaaah, this ghost gonna kill my ass next ... this ghost gonna kill ...

TOP DOLLAR Hey. That ain't no ghost.

MYCA [Entering] They have all arrived.

TOP DOLLAR [To Grange] Watch him. We might need him.

[Grange settles down in front of Skank to watch him]

EXT: MICKEY'S HOTDOG STAND. SARA EATING QUIETLY WITH GABRIEL ON COUNTER NEXT TO HER.

MUSIC OVER: (FROM BOOMBOX ACROSS STREET) RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, "Darkness".

[Albrecht pulls up, gets out, sits down next to Sarah]

ALBRECHT He like this plain or with onions? [Sarah doesn't respond] Fine, don't talk to me.

SARAH When someone's dead, they can't come back, can they?

ALBRECHT That's what I thought. Are you referring to anyone in particular?

SARAH You'll just think I'm nuts.

ALBRECHT Yeah, well, then maybe they'll have to lock us both up.

[Eric's music starts up in background]

SARAH You see him too?

ALBRECHT I saw ... somebody. Maybe it was your fairy godfather.

SARAH Eric didn't come back for me. He can't be my friend anymore because ... I'm ... alive.

ALBRECHT You want a friend to walk you home? [She nods]

[Eric's music get loud, drowning them out]

CUT TO: ROOFTOP, ERIC PLAYING GUITAR.

[He plays increasingly louder and angrier, until finally, with red sunset sky in background, he smashes guitar and throws everything off of roof]

INT: TRASH CLUB. BAND PLAYING, INSANE CROWD.

MUSIC OVER: (FROM BAND) MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT, "After the Flesh".

CUT TO: TOP DOLLAR'S BOARDROOM. OVERHEAD TRACKING SHOT SHOWING MEN, GUNS, MONEY, DRUGS SPREAD OUT ALONG TABLE. TOP DOLLAR, MYCA, GRANGE (DRAGGING SKANK) APPROACH HEAD OF TABLE.

TOP DOLLAR Boys ... it seems our friend T-bird won't be joining us this evening, on account of a slight case of death. [To Skank] You wanna sit down. Well, well, well. Devil's Night is upon us again. Thought we'd throw a little party, start a bunch of fires, make a little profit.

MYCA I like the pretty lights.

TOP DOLLAR Problem is, it's all been done before, y'see what I'm sayin'.

SOLDIER 1 That's no reason to quit.

TOP DOLLAR Wrong! Best reason to quit. Only reason to quit. [Begins to walk around table] A man has an idea. The idea attracts others, like-minded. The idea expands. The idea becomes ... an institution. What was the idea? See, that's what's been bothering me boys. But I'll tell you, when I used to think about the idea itself, I'd put a big old smile on my face. [Stops at head of table again, braces hands on table, looking at assembled men] You see, gentlemen, greed is for amateurs. Disorder, chaos, anarchy ... now that's fun!

SOLDIER 2 What about Devil's Night?

TOP DOLLAR What about it? I started the first fires in this god-damned city ... before I knew it every charlatan and shitheel was imitating me. Shit, you know what they got now?

CUT TO: ERIC AND CROW SITTING OUTSIDE, LISTENING. HE LOOKS UP.

CUT BACK TO: BOARDROOM

TOP DOLLAR Devil's Night greeting cards! Isn't that precious? Tsk! Yeah, the idea has become the institution, boys. Time to move along.

SOLDIER 3 You don't want us to do "light my fire" time for the whole city?

TOP DOLLAR No. No, I want you to set a fire so goddamn big the gods'll notice us again, that's what I'm saying. I want all of you boys to be able to look me straight in the eye one more time and say "Are we havin' fun or what!" [Turns to Skank] Hey, you! What's-your-name, Skank? You don't feel that?

SKANK I feel like a little worm on a big fuckin' hook!

TOP DOLLAR "Feel like a little worm on a big fuckin' hook". Well, boy, your momma must be damned proud of you. [Crow flies in, lands on table. Skank recoils, rest are curious.] How the hell did that thing get in here?

ERIC [Appearing out of shadows] Gentlemen! [Soldiers back away from end of table and Skank panics as Eric walks up, tosses chair aside and hops up to sit cross-legged on end of table]

TOP DOLLAR You're him huh? The "avenger", the "killer of killers". Nice outfit, I'm not sure about the face though.

ERIC I just want him. [Points to Skank]

TOP DOLLAR Well, you can't have him.

ERIC Well, [Rises to his feet to stand on table] I see you have made your decision. Now let's see you enforce it.

TOP DOLLAR Ah, this is already boring the shit outta me. Kill 'im!

[Everybody shoots at him, he falls off table. They laugh, start to relax]

TOP DOLLAR Ooooh! That had to hurt. [all laugh]

SOLDIER 4 That guy was crazy! [Looking under table for Eric's body. Myca tries to grab crow, misses.] He's gone! [He is shot in head]

[Eric emerges shooting. Fight scene ensues. Top Dollar, Myca, Grange escape, while Eric fights all the rest as he pursues Skank. One by one he kills them]

ERIC [Pausing a moment] You're all going to die. [Finally only Skank is left. Eric grabs him.] Guess it's not a good day to be a bad guy, huh, Skank?

SKANK I'm not Skank. There's Skank right there. Skank's dead!

ERIC [FLASHBACK of Skank holding Shelly down] That's right! [He throws Skank out of window to land on approaching police car. Cops invade boardroom]

COP Hold it! That's all she wrote! Move and we shoot.

[Eric dances off, they open fire. He jumps through window onto fire escape, cops outside shoot. He begins running on rooftops. Albrecht pulls up, sees him, begins to follow in own car. Helicopter chases Eric across rooftops, finally he jumps down into alley and Albrecht pulls up and opens door for him.]

ALBRECHT Come on! Move it. [Eric stumbles groaning against car, falls in. Albrecht peels out.] My advice--next time, duck! So many cops, you'd think they were giving away doughnuts. [A few seconds later he brakes to avoid police car and Eric leaps out and disappears] I knew you were going to do that.

INT: CAR DRIVING OVER BRIDGE, GRANGE DRIVING, TOP DOLLAR AND MYCA IN BACK, CITY PASSING IN BACKGROUND.

TOP DOLLAR Look at that out there--the whole city oughtta be in flames by now. The sky oughtta be red.

GRANGE So that, I take it, was the late great Eric Draven.

MYCA He has power, but it is power you can take from him.

TOP DOLLAR I like him already.

MYCA The crow is his link between the land of the living and the realm of the dead.

GRANGE So, kill the crow ... and destroy the man.

EXT: QUIET STREET, CROW FLYING AHEAD, ERIC WALKING SLOWLY.

[Eric removes Tin Tin's coat. Pauses by scaffolding and leans wearily against it] ERIC Coming home, Shelly. [Costumed kids approach, laughing, dancing around him. He laughs sadly in return. Freeze frame on his pained smile]

EXT: ERIC'S GRAVE. SARA CURLED UP, SLEEPING NEXT TO IT. ERIC APPROACHES, KNEELS, GENTLY WIGGLES HER FOOT TO WAKE HER

SARAH [Waking up] You're gonna say I shouldn't be in a cemetery in the middle of the night, right?

ERIC Safest place in the world to be.

SARAH It's 'cause everybody's dead. I knew you'd come here.

ERIC It's really late, Sarah.

SARAH You didn't say goodbye.

ERIC You're just going to have to forgive me for that.

SARAH And you're never coming back?

ERIC [Removes engagement ring from around neck, holds it so she can see] I gave this to Shelly once. [Reaches forward to tie it around her neck] I think she'd like you to have it. This way you'll always remember her.

SARAH I'll never take it off. [They hug, weeping.] I better go sneak back in the house. [Walks a few steps, turns] [Whispering] Bye.

[He's too choked up to reply. She walks away, he kneels before Shelly's grave. She walks despondently through gate, past church front. Grange watching from shadows, he grabs her, drags her inside church] GRANGE Shhh, shhh. Take it easy, sweetheart.

INT: CHURCH. TOP DOLLAR AND MYCA WAITING. GRANGE ENTERS WITH SARA.

TOP DOLLAR [Watches Myca fingering Shelly's ring. He reaches for it] What's that? Some sort of souvenir there, from your pal? [Snatches it from her neck] I'll just keep it for good luck, whaddya say?

MYCA [Holding Sarah's face] Her eyes ... are so innocent.

EXT: ERIC STILL KNEELING BEFORE SHELLY'S GRAVE, HOLDING SARA'S FLOWERS.

[He starts to reach out, when crow sends him image of Sarah being dragged away, calling his name. He leaps to feet, enters church, crow flying ahead. Walks down nave to confront Top Dollar. Myca ties Sarah in bell tower. Grange in pulpit with laser-scope rifle. Crow lands. Grange sights on Eric, swings to shoot crow. Eric is jolted, spins around. Top Dollar walks out from concealment]

TOP DOLLAR Quick impression for you: [makes "wings" with hands] Caw, caw! Bang! Fuck! I'm dead!

ERIC Give me the girl, and I'll let you walk out of here.

TOP DOLLAR Well, well. Why don't you just gimme a minute to think about that, huh. [He walks off a few feet, pretending to think. Eric looks down at crow, struggling on floor, injured but not dead] Nah, fuck it! [He turns, shoots Eric in shoulder, staggering him]

ERIC [Gingerly touching bullet wound] Ah, fuck! [Staggers back and falls]

TOP DOLLAR Well, well, well. It does seems to me that our little life has undergone a rather significant change in the past few minutes, wouldn't you agree? [Hits Eric, who collapses in agony at his feet. Touches bloody wound] Well, for a ghost, you bleed just fine.

GRANGE [Spots crow] It's still alive.

TOP DOLLAR Well, then kill it!

GRANGE [Aims at crow] Bye, bye birdie.

[Before he can shoot crow, Albrecht shows up, shooting. Gun fight between him, Grange and Top Dollar ensues, with Eric trying to dodge bullets. Albrecht kills Grange. Myca grabs crow, flees to bell tower. Top Dollar follows Myca. Albrecht joins Eric]

ALBRECHT [Finding shotgun is empty] Ah shit! Well, just came by to pay my respects and here you are getting all shot up again.

ERIC They've taken Sarah.

ALBRECHT How many?

ERIC Two more. [Gasps in pain] I can handle it, don't worry.

ALBRECHT I'm not worried. Look, here's the plan--you stay in front and when they run out of ammo, I'll arrest them.

ERIC That sounds like a great plan. There's just one problem [shows Albrecht bullet wound]

ALBRECHT Shit! You're bleeding all over the place. I thought, y'know, you were invincible.

ERIC I was. I'm not any more.

ALBRECHT [Sighs] Well, I guess you really will need my help, won't you? C'mon. [He helps groaning Eric to feet, they go to stairwell]

TOP DOLLAR [In stairwell, Top Dollar hands Myca gun] You take that. [Kisses her, takes Sarah up stairs.]

[Myca shoots down at Eric and Albrecht, wounding Albrecht.]

ERIC You were supposed to stay behind me.

ALBRECHT I think I messed up.

[Eric painfully climbs stairs, faces Myca holding bird, aiming gun at him.]

MYCA This is all the power you ever had. Now, it is mine. Pity, there's not more time ... [aims at him] for us. [Starts to shoot Eric, crow attacks, pecking out her eyes. She falls down stairwell]

SARAH [From rooftop, where Top Dollar has dragged her] Help, Eric. I'm scared! [Struggling] Lemme go!

EXT: ROOFTOP. TOP DOLLAR HOLDING SARA AT FAR END, ERIC CLIMBS OUT AT OTHER. RAIN SQUALL HITS. ERIC [Stalking towards them] Let her go! [Stops in front of them] You can have me. I won't fight you.

TOP DOLLAR Alright! [Throws Sarah over the side, draws sword]

ERIC NO!

[Sarah slides down roof, catches handhold on edge. Top Dollar fights Eric with sword. Eric grabs finial cross as lightning strikes and uses it for defense. Top Dollar slowly overpowers him. Sarah losing her hold, crying his name. Top Dollar drops ring, which rolls down roof, to stop at edge. Eric beaten down, looks at Sarah, his back to Top Dollar] ERIC [Sees Sarah hanging, losing hold] Sarah!

SARAH [Sees Top Dollar's attack] Look out!

[Sarah's warning is too late, Top Dollar drives sword entirely through Eric's body. He arches up in agony, mouthing 'Oh dear God', turns and slumps against roof, gasping, facing Top Dollar]

TOP DOLLAR You know, my daddy used to say--"every man's got a devil and you can't rest 'til you find him". What happened back there with you and your girlfriend, I cleared that building. Hell, nothing in this town happens without my say-so. So I'm sorry if I spoiled your wedding plans there, friend. If it's any consolation to you, you have put a smile on my face. You got a lot of spirit son, I am gonna miss you.

ERIC I have something to give you. I don't want it any more. [He reaches forward, grabs Top Dollar's face] Thirty hours of pain! [Top Dollar recoils. Eric puts other hand, forcing him back] All at once! [FLASHBACKS to Shelly's death in ICU] All for you!

[Top Dollar's brain is fried by memories. He falls off roof and is spitted by gargoyle. Eric pulls Sarah to safety, they hug. They stagger down stairwell and find Albrecht]

ERIC Go help him. [She runs ahead and kneels by Albrecht, he follows more slowly, painfully]

SARAH Are you alive?

[Eric joins them, sits down, gasping in pain]

ALBRECHT Ah. God, I need a cigarette. [Fishes pack out of pocket] Everybody else dead? [Eric takes pack]

ERIC You helped me. [Taps head] What you kept in here saved me. Thanks.

ALBRECHT Don't mention it. [Eric lights cigarette] I've been meaning to come to church anyway. [Eric puts cigarette in his mouth, he takes a puff, spits it out in disgust] Oh yuck! I'm quitting as of now ... if I live.

[Sirens in background. Eric stands]

ERIC Stay with him until help comes.

SARAH [Looking at Albrecht] He'll be okay, right? [Looks up, Eric has vanished] Eric?

ALBRECHT Unh, he does that a lot.

EXT: SHELLY'S GRAVE.

[Eric collapses in front of grave. Sound of sirens pulling up. He's almost too weak to move. Huddles up by grave, shivering, whispering her name]

EXT: CHURCH STEPS. ALBRECHT BEING CARRIED ON STRETCHER, SARA WALKING BESIDE HIM

TORRES [In background] Alright, what's going on in there?

COP [In background] Multiple homicides.

ALBRECHT At least it stopped raining.

SARAH It can't rain all the time.

TORRES No! I don't believe it! This nightmare your fault, Albrecht?

ALBRECHT [To Sarah] You go on home.

TORRES Want to tell me what's going on?

ALBRECHT Your vigilante's up on the roof ... [grabs Torres by lapel, pulls him down] You missed it.

TORRES Get him outta here.

EXT: GRAVEYARD. ERIC STILL HUDDLING BESIDE GRAVE.

[Shelly approaches, touches him, kisses him back to strength]

EXT: GRAVEYARD. ERIC'S GRAVE INTACT AGAIN, CROW LANDS ON HEADSTONE.

[Sarah approaches crow. It drops ring into her hand.]

SARAH Thanks. CUT TO: EXT: CROW FLYING OVER CITY. SARAH (V.O.) If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them. Buildings burn, people die ... but real love is forever.

Cast

 * Brandon Lee - Eric Draven
 * Rochelle Davis - Sarah
 * Ernie Hudson - Sergeant Albrecht
 * Michael Wincott - Top Dollar
 * Bai Ling - Myca
 * Sofia Shinas - Shelly Webster
 * David Patrick Kelly - T-Bird
 * Angel David - Skank
 * Laurence Mason - Tin Tin
 * Michael Massee - Funboy