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Death's Bargain

A suicidal soldier strikes a bargain with an angel... He must find others to donate his body parts to.

Vanilla_Chino · History
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18 Chs

Act 3: Part 5

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Talking behind my back is very

rude.

FRANKLIN

There he goes again.

Jill takes a moment to study Franklin.

JILL

You know... I've been wondering

what to diagnose you as.

FRANKLIN

Excuse me?

JILL

Yeah... you talk to yourself a lot.

FRANKLIN

I'm talking to the angel!

JILL

Mmmhmmm.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

I don't think she believes you.

JILL

You know what I think Franklin?

FRANKLIN

(begrudgingly)

What..?

Jill pats him on his shoulder.

JILL

I think you have a lot more to give

than your body parts.

Franklin makes a confused expression. The guardian angel nods

in an agreeable mood.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

I think I like this lady.

FRANKLIN

I think I know my worth.

A look of realization appears on Jill's face.

82.

JILL

Ah there it is! I know what's going

on here.

Franklin is getting irritated with her smug attitude.

FRANKLIN

What-

JILL

You want validation. You want to be

worth something to others.

Jill leans in close and points a finger at Franklin's chest.

JILL (CONT'D)

You never wanted to die alone.

Perhaps you conjured up this

illusion to sell yourself a better

life worth living. One where people

need you. A death worth dying for

where you don't feel so alone.

Franklin rolls his eyes in disbelief. He turns to the angel

who is sitting in a pensive state, stroking their chin, and

pondering Jill's words.

FRANKLIN

Angel, tell her she's speaking

nonsense.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

I don't know... I think she's

making a lot of sense here.

FRANKLIN

What the-! How are you... MY

GUARDIAN ANGEL, being convinced you

aren't real?

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Well if she's right and I really am

a figment of your imagination

then... how would I know? I only

know what you know, and she's

saying you're confused!

Jill laughs at Franklin's internal dialogue as he speaks to

the wind. She tries to hide it behind her hand but she can't

help but laugh louder the harder she tries to conceal it.

83.

JILL

(still laughing)

Sorry... I'm not supposed to laugh

at my patients.

FRANKLIN

Patient? There's nothing wrong with

me, I'm not your...

Jill raises a questioning brow which causes Franklin to

abruptly trail off.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Hey don't let this ground breaking

news shatter your psyche. Why does

it matter?

FRANKLIN

Why does it matter if you're real

or not? Because! Because...

because...

The angel drifts away with the wind, fleeting with the reason

Franklin had for its existence.

JILL

What matters is that we need you.

Isn't that what you wanted? To feel

needed again?

Franklin takes a moment to soak it all in.

FRANKLIN

But... my friends they still need..

JILL

Goh will be fine. I doubt Sumi and

Bach want your ears and eyes bad

enough to make you gouge them out.

She lets out a nervous laugh. Her attempt to lighten the mood

did not go through to Franklin. He is still deep in thought.

FRANKLIN

What about the sorrow I felt when I

choose to take my life? I know that

was real. I'm still unsure about

the angel... but I know for sure I

lost my wife. My child. My friends.

My home.

Jill puts an arm around his shoulder and pulls him close for

an embrace.

84.

JILL

All of us here have lost someone.

Many of us have lost parts of

ourselves. This can be your new

home.

In the distance, the screaming curses of a Nazi soldier being

dragged off can be heard.

The commander had been retrieved from the plane and was now

currently being escorted to a make shift cell.

As the commander passes Jill and Franklin, he manages to flip

them off.

JILL (CONT'D)

Not all of you guys are bad, but

that guy... I have a feeling he's

going to stay locked up for a very

long time before we let him go.

FRANKLIN

You're going to let him live?

JILL

We don't just kill people here.

FRANKLIN

Well, we can't let him go... he'll

come back for us and kill us all.

JILL

Who knows... he might change. You

did.

FRANKLIN

Not really. I've never been as bad

as that guy.

They laugh.

CUT TO:

EXT. FOREST VILLAGE - SEVERAL YEARS LATER

Franklin is pouring liquor over Bach's grave. Sumi, Goh,

Tito, Jill, and the rest of the village are in a somber mood.

A ceremonial catholic burial is taking place, but it only

felt right to pour out one last bottle.

85.

FRANKLIN

I can't believe he really drank

himself to death...

JILL

That man was battling many unspoken

demons...

Sumi puts a hand on Bach's tombstone and Goh hops over on his

crutches beside her.

GOH

Don't worry sweetheart. We'll see

him in heaven... along with your

mother.

Franklin chuckles. Everyone turns to him in annoyance and

confusion for his rude jester.

FRANKLIN

(breaking out in laughter)

Oh. Sorry, I was just remembering

the time when you thought Jill was

a miracle worker.

Nobody laughs.

GOH

She is. She heals people.

FRANKLIN

(still laughing)

Yeah but you thought she could

raise your wife from the dead.

Still, no one laughs.

GOH

I still miss my pot. I haven't

fully forgiven you on dumping my

wife out on-

FRANKLIN

Saving your life? Fair trade. Let

the dead rest. She couldn't have

died twice. Or... maybe she did.

Think of it this way. She had to go

so that you and your daughter could

move on. I could feel her spirit

urging me to sacrifice her in your

stead. It's touching if you really

think about it.

Nobody laughs. They all leave shaking their heads.