The Killing Spirit

by Jay Hopler

  But I felt nothing. This was in the time before the invention of feeling, before the division of thought, before the panic and the guilt and all the choices. So we sat there, hopeless in shock, while around us the uproar subsided and understanding spread concentrically outward from our silence. Two waiters were hurrying toward us, their faces loopily amazed, and it was only when they reached us, and we began to talk, to blabber, that I learned that Clarissa’s word was “telephone.” The congregation had wasted its money on the wrong man.

  THE ASSASSIN

  David Ray

  In the dream the assassin keeps forgetting

  to do his chore, doing me in, though he has every intention

  of keeping his contract. He just keeps dropping asleep, that’s all.

  He’s an unemployed cabdriver, has grown a hobo’s beard,

  simply can’t get it together. But he’s got the fee

  in hand, dirty crumpled-up cash, and he’ll get round to it,

  proving that sooner or later he can do something worthwhile.

  Sure, he can do something right, give him time. His name is Bob.

  As soon as he gets this done and gets himself a shave

  he’ll stand up straight, self-respecting,

  stroking his smooth scented chin like a new man.

  SHELTER

  David Kost

  Fade In:

  EXT. NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE NIGHT

  Snow lines the highway, as a dark sedan with New York plates veer slowly off at the New Brunswick exit.

  INT. SEDAN NIGHT

  Four tough and deadly serious men ride in the car. They are dressed in dark, expensive suits with black overcoats. SAL, a lean, muscular Italian-American with sharp features and a thin mustache, sits in the passenger seat, watching the town as it drifts by, while BENNIE, the driver, speaks nervously.

  BENNIE

  Jeez, Sal, I just can’t picture you growin’ up around here.

  SAL

  Me neither.

  SAL seems far away. He watches solemnly as they roll past a high school and a church. In the back seat DENUNZIO loads a revolver as RICCI dozes.

  cut to:

  EXT. STREET NIGHT, MOMENTS LATER

  SLAM-SLAM-SLAM!, the doors of the dark sedan close almost in unison, as the four men emerge. Their breath fogs, as they survey the quiet snowy street. Christmas lights adorn the tightly spaced row houses, and small apartment buildings.

  SAL, the apparent leader, pops open the trunk, handing each man a suspiciously long and narrow box wrapped festively as a Christmas present. Closing the trunk, SAL starts across the street toward a narrow, four-story, brick apartment building. The others follow in tight formation.

  At the entrance, SAL motions BENNIE to cover the front, and sends RICCI to the back. SAL and DENUNZIO steel themselves with a glance before heading up into the building.

  INT. APT. STAIRWELL NIGHT

  SAL and DENUNZIO go through two sets of glass doors, and up the first flight of stairs. They walk shoulder to shoulder, and cradle their packages anxiously. Their steps are almost in sync, and they create an ominous rhythm that echoes all up and down the stairwell.

  Halfway across the third-floor landing, SAL halts DENUNZIO, and motions for him to be quiet. SAL listens intently, slowly leaning over the stairwell, looking down. DENUNZIO leans even further, trying to see what is concerning SAL.

  Suddenly, SAL steps back, tearing open his package, but almost simultaneously, a shot rings out, and DENUNZIO is knocked up and back from the stairwell. SAL produces a heavy-gauge shotgun from his box, and pins himself to a wall. DENUNZIO falls at sAL’s feet, his nose a bloody hole.

  There are more shots outside, and voices all over the building. SAL thinks fast, sizing up the landing. There is an apartment door directly across from him, and another at the opposite end of the landing. On the floor above, a door opens, and SAL watches the ceiling as he listens to footsteps overhead. Out a window to his right, he sees three men with shotguns running through the building’s narrow parking lot. Guns cock on the floor below. More footsteps above, and SAL has made up his mind. He blasts into the ceiling twice as he runs full bore for the apartment door directly across, lowering his shoulder.

  INT. APT. NIGHT

  CRASH!, and the door gives way, sending SAL to the ground of the dark and cluttered apartment. He struggles quickly back to his feet, looking around. The place is empty, and SAL kicks the door shut. Looking down out of the living-room window, he sees five men watching his car. He moves quickly toward the bedroom, but something in the kitchen gets his attention. He pulls a large carving knife from the dish rack and pockets it. Entering the bedroom, he locks the door and approaches the window. There is a fire escape leading down into a narrow, empty alley.

  EXT. ALLEY NIGHT

  Taking the fire escape too fast, SAL slips on the icy steps, and tumbles halfway down. He picks himself up, but before he gets to the next set of stairs, he freezes. Two GUNMEN appear at the rear corner of the building. SAL slowly presses himself against the second-floor window, sinking into shadow till only his fogging breath still shows.

  One of the men stays at the corner, while the other walks slowly down the alley, directly beneath SAL. Suddenly, a light goes on in the bedroom behind him. Although the curtains are closed, SAL finds himself fully illuminated and a sitting duck. Keeping his cool, he pulls the kitchen knife from his pocket, holding it by the blade and checking it for balance. His throw is quick and strong, and the knife lands with a thunk in the back of the GUNMAN at the corner.

  The wounded GUNMAN drops to the ground, coughing and gasping. His partner runs back to the corner, thinking the knife came from the rear of the building. He positions himself with his back to SAL, and aims his rifle around the corner. He sees nothing, but his wounded ally points weakly up behind him. Slowly he turns his head to see SAL standing at the edge of the fire escape aiming his rifle dead at him. He gulps. BLAM!, the GUNMAN goes down.

  The curtain draws suddenly in the window behind SAL. He is startled not just by the movement, but by the near apparition of the hard and weathered BOSS gunman, who aims through the window with a .38 snub-nose, and burns through SAL with eyes like coals. SAL throws himself back over the railing, partly as a desperate escape, and partly out of sheer shock. A shot shatters the window as SAL flips backward, falling one story down, and landing noisily on metal trash cans.

  A shot from above bangs wildly, ricocheting down through the steel of the fire escape. SAL struggles painfully to his feet and pins himself to the wall, breathing heavily and straining to see up through the framework. High above, men have followed him out the third-floor window, and are out on the fire escape. They loosen snow that filters down through the stairways and landings, and falls in clumps around SAL.

  The BOSS gunman sees the men above and steps away from the window, exiting the room.

  Realizing he is holding his side, SAL checks his hand and sees blood. Looking under his coat, he has apparently been grazed or cut by the shattering glass. He is shaken, but not seriously wounded. The men are starting down the fire escape, but SAL is pinned beneath, as he would be an easy target if he ran in either direction.

  Men appear at the street end of the alley. SAL quickly squats using the metal trash cans as cover from their pistol fire. He must make a run for the back of the building. Decisively, he grabs a trash can and uses it as a shield as he backs out of the alley firing his shotgun wildly with one hand. Shots ricochet off the can, making strange echoing noises inside. As he reaches the corner, he trips backward over the bodies of the two gunmen he earlier dispatched and spills garbage over them. He rolls around the corner and is out of range.

  EXT. REAR OF BUILDING NIGHT

  He sprints to the other corner and peeks around looking up the parking lot side of the building, toward the street. The BOSS has just come out, and is yelling something to the men guarding SAL’S car. He is unaware of SAL, who has him dead in his sights, but a pull of the trigger produc
es a meager “click.” He is out of ammo. He throws down the weapon in disgust and runs for a low fence behind the building.

  EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

  SAL throws himself over the fence. There is a small hill on the other side sloping down to a vacant, white-blanketed parking lot. SAL tumbles down like an oversized snowball. Pulling himself up, he runs for the street, his overcoat flying behind him. He corners a building just as four rival gunmen get to the fence. Three follow SAL, and the last turns back.

  cut to:

  EXT. TRAIN OVERPASS NIGHT

  A commuter train rattles noisily overhead, casting moving shadows on SAL who pauses trying to catch his breath. He looks around a corner, back in the direction he just came. The three gunmen are a few hundred yards behind, following his tracks in the virgin snow. He continues running.

  cut to:

  INT. APT. STAIRWELL NIGHT

  The gunman from the fence, DOM, rushes past two men strugglin to carry a body through the double-glass doors. The BOSS holds th inner door open for them.

  DOM

  (Out of breath)

  The last one’s givin’ us a run, Boss, but I got three men on him. I don’t think he’ll get far.

  The BOSS regards the body as it passes

  Boss

  (growling at Dom)

  I want everybody on the street …

  cut to:

  EXT. STREET NIGHT

  SAL is in a more affluent neighborhood. The homes are larger, more spaced out, and more elaborately decorated. He is sauntering along where the snow has already been disturbed by numerous footsteps. He seems to have put a comfortable distance on his pursuers. Not too far away, CAROLERS sing “Silent night.” He jogs across the street, stopping at two large granite pillars that mark the entrance to a cul-de-sac. There is something clearly familiar to SAL about these landmarks. He lights a cigarette, taking long calming drags, and glances up the cul-de-sac. The footsteps he’s been following belong to a group of CAROLERS who sing in front of a large colonial home.

  As they finish their song, they move on, and SAL approaches the large colonial. He stares at the place. He seems uncertain, nervous. The CAROLERS begin again, farther up the cul-de-sac. SAL takes a couple steps up the walkway and stops. Realizing how disheveled he is, he tries to straighten himself up. He pulls off his gloves, smooths down his black hair, and fixes his tie. Noticing that blood has soaked through to his right hand, he squats and scrubs his hand in the snow. Rising again, he looks back the way he came as if looking for some other route. There is none. He steels himself, straightens his overcoat, and walks to the porch.

  EXT. PORCH NIGHT

  SAL rings the bell, and savors one last drag before flicking away his cigarette. MRS. DOWNEY, a middle-aged woman with expensive beauty parlor looks answers the door.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Yes? May I help you?

  SAL smiles a broad “Eddie Haskel” smile

  SAL

  Hello, Mrs. Downey.

  MRS. DOWNEY’S expression melts slowly into a grand smile.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Salvatore? Oh my gosh—Salvatore!

  (yelling back into the house)

  It’s Salvatore. Salvatore Vaccionne. Do you believe it?

  (back to Sal)

  Oh! I just can’t believe it. Look at you. You look wonderful. You must be doing well. Come in, Come in, wait till Bobby sees you.

  INT. DOWNEY HOUSE DAY

  SAL steps in closing the door. He seems slightly nervous, not knowing what to do with his hands. MRS. DOWNEY yells upstairs.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Bobby!… Bobby!… come down here. You won’t believe who’s here.

  In the dining room adjoining the entry hall, Bobby’s father and brothers sit at the immaculately set holiday table. Her younger brother, TED, smiles broadly and makes a waving gesture, while MR. DOWNEY and JACK, her older brother, regard him with considerably less enthusiasm. All are dressed in sweaters and ties. SAL smiles weakly at them.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Well what on earth brings you here, Salvatore?

  (answering herself)

  You were with those carolers, weren’t you?—How sweet

  SAL

  Well—sort of, actually I was in town… uh… visiting some friends, and …

  He stops midsentence, when he sees BOBBY coming down the stairs. She stops on the stairway, as soon as she sees SAL. She is SAL’s age, but she is still beautiful in a youthful way.

  BOBBY

  (to herself)

  Sal …

  They stare at each other a long moment, before BOBBY recovers, stepping down to SAL. She takes both his hands and smiles brightly at him. He returns the smile awkwardly, and she embraces him.

  BOBBY

  Sal, God it’s great to see you.

  SAL is slow to return the embrace, he is unnerved by the rest of her family watching. JACK turns to TED shaking his head.

  JACK

  (under his breath)

  I wonder what he wants.

  TED returns him a dirty look. MRS. DOWNEY beams, watching the couple, then turns to speak to JACK and TED.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Don’t just sit there, set an extra place for Salvatore.

  SAL and BOBBY separate.

  SAL

  Oh no, I don’t wanna impose, please.

  MRS. DOWNEY

  Don’t be silly, we’d love to catch up with you.

  JACK is displeased, he looks to MR. DOWNEY for support. MR. DOWNEY returns a shrug of pained resignation.

  SAL

  I just stopped by to… I mean, I was just in the area. I didn’t mean to bust up your nice dinner here.

  BOBBY

  (quietly to Sal)

  Please, Sal, don’t run, it’s been so long.

  SAL smiles, giving in.

  cut to:

  INT. APT. STAIRWELL NIGHT

  The BOSS is loading his .38 as he exits the apartment that SAL broke through. DOM is waiting in the hallway.

  BOSS

  What?

  DOM nods toward BENNIE who is kneeling at DENUNZIO’S corpse.

  BENNIE

  The guy you’re lookin’ for grew up in this town.

  A single drop of blood lands on the Boss’s forehead. They all look overhead seeing where SAL shot before busting down the door. He obviously got lucky, as blood now gathers around the splintery holes. The Boss seethes silently as he dabs his forehead with DOM’S kerchief.

  BOSS

  You get paid when this guy’s dead

  The BOSS exits, not turning back. DOM follows.

  BENNIE

  Hey, I did my part.

  (to himself)

  Can’t trust no one.

  cut to:

  INT. DOWNEY HOUSE NIGHT

  SAL is in the study, directly across the entry hall from the dining room. The study is dominated by a large Christmas tree, whose lights flash on and off. SAL, popping a cigarette in his mouth, shields the phone from the open door, through which we can see BOBBY joining her brothers, as they set an extra place, and bring out food. A gruff voice comes on the phone.

  VOICE OF CALABRESE

  Hello, you have reached the Calabrese residence. Sorry, but no one is available to answer your call right now, but if you leave your name and number at the tone, your call will be returned as soon as possible.

  SAL looks at the phone incredulously, his frustration mounting

  SAL

  We got problems here. No delivery on them X-mas presents, and I lost all my elves tryin’. I’m okay, but I gotta get a lift outta here. I’m at this number …

  He squints, reading the number off the phone.

  SAL

  (cont.)

  2-0-1 area code, 8-5-7 4-3-0-9. Merry Christmas.

  As he hangs up, SAL’s frustration and anger slowly give way to nostalgia. His cigarette dangles limply from his lip.

  SAL

  (to himself)

  8-5-7 4-3-0-9.

&nb
sp; He smiles, looking back into the dining room. BOBBY straightens the flowers in the table’s centerpiece.

  cut to:

  EXT. STREET NIGHT

  The three men are still trailing SAL, though slowly. They seem confused by the numerous footsteps, but as they turn a corner they are at the large granite pillars of the cul-de-sac entry.

  cut to:

  INT. DOWNEY HOUSE BATHROOM

  SAL inspects his side in the mirror, the blood is dried around the wound, as well as on his shirt. As he tucks the shirt back in, he adjusts the small automatic he keeps on his back.

  He checks that his suit jacket conceals the bloodstain, and then flicks his cigarette into the toilet, flushing. He splashes his face with cold water, taking a moment to look at himself coldly in the mirror.

  cut to:

  INT. BOSS’S CAR NIGHT

  The BOSS sits in the back seat next to BENNIE, listening intently to a cellular phone. DOM is at the wheel, he monitors the Boss’s face with anticipation. The BOSS hangs up.

  Boss

  Church and Cherry

  DOM throws it into gear

  cut to:

  INT. DOWNEY HOUSE

  MRS. DOWNEY brings the turkey out of the kitchen to a chorus of “oohs” and “ahs.” She sets it in front of her husband, as SAL seats himself, smiling forcefully at everyone. TED and JACK sit across the table, and BOBBY takes the seat next to SAL. MR. DOWNEY carves the bird as his wife returns to the kitchen.

  TED

  So how yah been, Sal?

  SAL

  Good. Very good. What about you, Teddy?