JACK
Marla, you liar, you big tourist. I
need this. Get out.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Jack, in pajamas, stares at Home Shopping Network on his TV.
JACK (V.O.)
When you have insomnia, you're never
really asleep and you're never really
awake. I hadn't slept in four days...
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Jack walks in and joins the crowd, looking around. People
are chattering with each other.
JACK (V.O.)
-- But, in here, in everyone, there's
the squint of a five-day headache.
Yet they forced themselves to be
positive. They never said
"parasite;" they said "agent." They
always talked about getting better.
LEADER
Okay, everyone.
Everyone sits in chairs. Jack catches sight of Marla.
LEADER
To open tonight's communion, Chloe
would like to say a few words.
Taking the lectern is CHLOE, a pale, sickly girl whose skin
stretches yellowish and tight over her bones. She wears a
head bondage. She clears her throat.
JACK (V.O.)
Ahh, Chloe. Chloe looked the way
Joni Mitchell's skeleton would look
if you made it smile and walk around
a party being extra nice to everyone.
CHLOE
Well, I'm still here -- but I don't
know for how long. That's as much
certainty as anyone can give me. but
I've got some good news -- I no
longer have any fear of death.
APPLAUSE from around the room.
CHLOE
But... I am in a pretty lonely place.
No one will have sex with me. I'm so
close to the end and all I want is to
get laid for the last time. I have
pornographic movies in my apartment,
and lubricants and amyl nitrate ...
The LEADER gingerly takes control of the microphone.
LEADER
Thank you, Chloe. Everyone, let's
thank Chloe.
EVERYONE
Thank you, Chloe.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - LATER
LEADER
Now, you're standing at the entrance
to your cave. You step inside your
cave and you walk. Keep walking.
Jack's face, eyes closed, is motionless.
JACK (V.O.)
If I did have a tumor, I'd name it
Marla. Marla...the little scratch on
the roof of your mouth that would
heal if only you could stop tonguing
it, but you can't.
LEADER
Now, find your power animal.
INT. CAVE - JACK'S IMAGINATION
Jack finds Marla smoking a cigarette. Marla cocks her head,
indicating whe wants him to --
MARLA
Slide.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - RESUMING
Jack's eyes open and turn to Marla, watching her blow smoke
rings with her eyes closed.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - LATER
Everyone stands and mills about, pairing-off.
LEADER
Pick someone special to you tonight.
Jack sees the ghastly spectre of Chloe ambling towards him.
He tries to smile. She smiles with a twisted, dying mouth.
CHLOE
Hello, Mr. Tayler.
JACK (V.O.)
I never gave my real name at support
groups.
JACK
Hi, Chloe.
CHLOE
We've never actually talked.
Chloe's eyes are eerily bright with desperation. Jack, in
a sincere attempt at levity, chokes out:
JACK
You look good. You ... look ... like
a pirate.
Chloe laughs, a little too much. Jack squeezes out a laugh.
Then he sees Marla, off by herself. Someone heads for her.
JACK
Excuse me, I have to...
Jack gives a quick nod to Chloe and darts towards Marla.
Chloe watches him go.
STAY ON JACK AND MARLA as Jack CLAMPS his arms around her.
He whispers into her ear.
JACK
We need to talk.
MARLA
Sure.
JACK
I'm on to you. You're a faker. You
aren't dying.
MARLA
What?
JACK
Okay, in the Sylvia Plath philosophy
way, we're all dying. But you're not
dying the way Chloe is dying.
LEADER
Tell the other person how you feel.
JACK
You're a tourist. I saw you at
melanoma, tuberculosis and testicular
cancer.
MARLA
And I saw you practicing this...
JACK
Practicing what?
MARLA
Telling me off. Is it going as well
as you hoped... ?
(reads his nametag)
"... Mr. Taylor."
JACK
I'll expose you.
MARLA
Go ahead. I'll expose you.
LEADER
Share yourself completely.
Marla puts her head down on Jack's shoulder as if she were
crying. Jack pulls her head back up. She deadpans at him.
JACK
Why are you doing this?
MARLA
It's cheaper than a movie, and
there's free coffee.
JACK
These are my groups. I was here
first. I've been coming for a year.
MARLA
A year? How'd you manage that?
JACK
Anyone who might've noticed either
died or recovered and never came back.
LEADER
Let yourself cry.
MARLA
Why do you do it?
JACK
I... I don't know. I guess... when
people think you're dying, they
really listen, instead...
MARLA
-- Instead of just waiting for their
turn to speak.
JACK
Yeah.
Brief recognition between them, broken as the Leader passes.
LEADER
Quietly, now. Share with each other.
Jack waits till the Leader's out of earshot.
JACK
(warning)
It becomes an addiction.
MARLA
Really?
Jack sighs, then pulls back.
JACK
Look, I can't cry with a faker
present.
MARLA
Candy-stripe a cancer ward. It's not
my problem.
JACK
Please. Can't we do something... ?
Marla starts out of the room. Jack follows her.
LEADER
Now, the closing prayer.
EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Marla gets to the sidewalk, moving quickly along.
JACK
We'll split up the week. You can
have lymphoma, tuberculosis and --
MARLA
You take tuberculosis. My smoking
doesn't go over at all.
JACK
I think testicular cancer should be
no contest.
MARLA
Well, technically, I have more of a
right to be there than you. You
still have your balls.
JACK
You're kidding.
MARLA
I don't know -- am I?
Jack follow Marla into...
INT. LAUNDROMAT - CONTINUOUS
Marla walks with authority up to an unwatched DRYER. She
takes out clothes, picks out jeans, pants and shirts.
MARLA
I'll take the parasites.
JACK
You can't have both parasites. You
can take blood parasites --
MARLA
I want brain parasites.
JACK
Okay. I'll take blood parasites and
organic brain dementia --
MARLA
I want that.
JACK
You can't have the whole brain!
MARLA
So far, you have four and I only have
two!
JACK
Then, take blood parasites. It's
yours. Now we each have three.
Marla gathers the chosen garments and heads out past Jack...