CORA STANHOPE, Little Tail's self-appointed queen. She has an overnight bag in one hand.
^
An older gent named ORVILLE BOUCHER passes her going the other way. He's wearing a bathrobe, slippers, white socks. In one hand he's got his plastic toothbrush case.
ORVILLE
Say, there, Cora! Just like camp, ain't it? Someone oughtta put a bedsheet up on the wall and show cartoons!
CORA sniffs, raises her nose slightly into the air, and passes by without a word . . . although she cannot help a horrified glance at ORV'S white and hairy old-man's shins, a generous portion of which are on view above the tops of his socks and below the hem of his robe.
161
131 EXTERIOR: REAR OF THE TOWN HALL NIGHT.
There's a small brick structure in the foreground, and the ENGINE ROAR identifies it as the generator shed. All at once the STEADY ROAR FALTERS; the engine COUGHS.
132 INTERIOR: RESUME TOWN MEETING HALL SIDE AISLE, WITH ORV AND CORA.
The lights FLICKER ON AND OFF; we see the two old folks looking up (any others that have been using the town hall's bathroom facilities, as well) through intervening shutters of darkness.
ORV Relax, Cora, it's just the gennie clearing her throat.
133 EXTERIOR: THE GENERATOR SHED NIGHT. Settles down to a STEADY ROAR again.
134 INTERIOR: RESUME MEETING HALL SIDE AISLE, WITH ORV AND CORA.
ORV
See? Bright as you could ever want!
STORM OF THE CENTURY 197
He just wants to be friendly, but she acts like he's trying to lure her onto one of those hard New England benches so he can do the dirty boogie with her. She hurries on without a word, nose higher than ever. At the end of the aisle are two doors marked with male and female icons. CORA pushes open the one with the woman on it and goes inside. ORV watches her, more bemused than offended.
ORV
(strictly to himself) Cora, friendly as ever, ayuh.
He heads back to the stairs leading to the area below.
135 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE NIGHT.
HATCH comes in from the market area, holding a tray carefully in front of him. Loaded on it are nine Styrofoam cups of coffee. He sets it down on MIKE'S desk, looking nervously at URSULA, who is sitting in MIKE'S chair with her hood back and her coat unzipped. She still looks stunned. At first, when MIKE offers her one of the cups, she doesn't seem to see it.
MIKE Go on, Urse. It'll warm you up.
URSULA I don't think I'll ever be warm again.
But she takes two of the cups and hands one to JOANNA, who is standing behind her. MIKE takes another. ROBBIE hands cups to JACK and KIRK; HATCH gives one to HENRY. When all have been passed out, there's one cup left. HATCH looks toward LINOGE.
HATCH Oh, what the hell. Want a cup?
No reply from LINOGE, who sits in his usual posture, watching.
ROBBIE
(with an edge) Don't they drink coffee on your planet, mister?
198 STEPHEN KING
MIKE
(to JOANNA) Tell me again.
JOANNA
162
I've told you half a dozen times already.
MIKE This'll be the last. Promise.
JOANNA
She said, "I think it was the cane with the wolfs head that made me do it. I wouldn't touch it, if I were you."
MIKE But you didn't see a cane. With or without a wolf's head.
JOANNA
No. Mike, what are we going to do?
MIKE Wait out the storm. It's all we can do.
URSULA
Molly wants to see you. She told me to tell you that. Said for you to set a guard and get back to her. Said you could have as many men as you need; none of 'em are doing much tonight, anyway.
MIKE
That's for sure, (pause) Hatch, step out here with me. Want to talk to you a minute.
They start toward the door leading into the store. MIKE hesitates and looks back at URSULA.
MIKE
You going to be all right?
URSULA
Yes.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 199 MIKE and HATCH go out. URSULA realizes LINOGE is looking at her.
URSULA What are you looking at?
LINOGE goes on looking. And smiling slightly. Then:
LINOGE
(sings) "I'm a little teapot, short and stout. . . ."
136 INTERIOR: THE TOWN HALL LADIES' ROOM NIGHT.
ANGELA CARVER, in a soft and pretty nightgown, is at one of the basins, brushing her teeth.
From one of the CLOSED STALLS behind her, we hear THE RUSTLE OF CLOTH and the SNAP OF
HEAVY ELASTIC as CORA changes into her own nightwear.
CORA
(sings from the stall) ". . . Here is my handle, here is my spout!"
ANGELA looks in that direction, puzzled at first and then deciding to smile. She gives her teeth a final rinse, picks up her overnight bag, and leaves. As she does, CORA comes out of the stall she changed in, wearing woolly pink all the way down to the tips of her toes . . . and a nightcap on her head. Yes! She puts her own overnight bag on one of the sinks, unzips it, and brings out a tube of cream.
163
CORA
You can pick me up and pour me out . . .
137 INTERIOR: THE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE.
The four men and two women watch LINOGE in surprise and perplexity. He MIMES CREAMING
HIS FACE.
LINOGE
(sings) "I'm a little teapot, short and stout!"
HENRY BRIGHT He's totally crazy. Got to be.
200 STEPHEN KING
138 INTERIOR: BY THE MEAT COUNTER OF THE STORE, WITH MIKE AND
HATCH.
It's shadowy and spooky here, with just the fluorescents in the meat counter for illumination.
MIKE
I'm going to leave you in charge here for a little while.
HATCH Oh, Mike, I wish you wouldn't do that. . .
MIKE
Just for a while. I want to take those women back to the town hall in the four-wheel drive while it'll still move. Make sure Molly's all right and let her see that I am. Give Ralphie a kiss. Then I'm going to pack every man who looks halfway useful into the truck and come back here. We'll guard him in groups of three or four until the storm's over. In fives, if that's what it takes to feel comfortable.
c~
HATCH I won't feel comfortable until he's in Derry County Jail.
MIKE I know what you mean.
HATCH
Cat Withers ... I can't believe it, Mike. Cat wouldn't hurt Billy.
MIKE I know that, too.
HATCH Who's holding who prisoner here? Can you say for sure?
MIKE considers this question very, very carefully, then shakes his head.
HATCH This is a mess.
STORM OF THE CENTURY 201
MIKE
Yeah. You going to be okay with Robbie?
HATCH
164
I'll have to be ... won't I? Say hi to Melinda for me, if she's still up. Tell her I'm okay. And give Pippa a little kiss.
MIKE I will.
HATCH How long do you think you'll be gone?
MIKE
Forty-five minutes, an hour at most. And I'll be back with a truckload of wide-bodies. Meantime, you have Jack, Henry, Robbie, Kirk Freeman . . .
HATCH
Do you really think any of us'll make a difference, if that guy starts to rock and roll?
MIKE
Do you really think the town hall's any safer? Or any place on the island?
HATCH
Considering Cat and Billy . . . no.
MIKE goes back into the constable's office. HATCH follows.
139 INTERIOR: LINOGE, CLOSE-UP.
Rubbing invisible cream into his cheeks, humming "I'm a Little Teapot."
140 INTERIOR: CORA, IN THE TOWN HALL BATHROOM.
Rubbing real cream into her cheeks she's making a night mask for herself and humming "I'm a Little Teapot." She seems really happy for the first time since being dragged to the town hall by her son and daughter-in-law. Reflected in the mirror is the ladies' room, now empty.