Death of a Rose: Scene viii

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Scene viii

Fade in

James, sitting in the office of the museum, pounding his head. Claire walks in and sits next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Claire: Hey, hey, everything is going to be alright.

James: Claire, it’s not. I had him, he was right there, I could have touched him. And he was gone like that. He all but confessed to me.

Claire: Hey, it’s fine. We’ll find it.

James: They have probably sold it by now! (James stands) It’s probably sitting in Pennie’s office as we speak!

Claire: What is doing this going to do? Hmm? Is this going to help?

James: No it’s not, I missed that chance by missing that guy!

Claire: It’s not your fault James!

James: It is, I should have given Penny that stupid painting. I go through this gallery every day, I give those tours and I walk by that painting and all I can think of is that in some bizarre way, it caused all of this! (sitting and throwing his head into this hands).

Claire: Maybe it did James. But do you know what else it caused? (pulls his chin up)

James: What? (looking into her eyes)

Claire: We met looking at that painting James. I would rather you never get rid of it, cause everytime I look at it, I find that I remember the moment you came and told me to leave the museum. That goofy tour guide who I liked so much. That painting is a memory. A memory that I hold so dear to myself. It caused some bad, but look at all the good it caused. We are here now because of it. Did you think of that?

(Tears well up in James’ eyes, they look at each other, she smiles. He then hugs her)

James: I love you Claire.

Claire: I love you to.

(The finish hugging and James pulls back, looks at her and kisses her. She kisses back)

James: It has caused so much good.

Claire: I know.

James: I don’t think I can part with it now. I don’t think I can part with you Claire. Not ever. (Embraces her again)

Claire: I don’t think you can either.

James: I won’t

Claire: We won’t then.

(Just then, we hear a shuffle from outside the office, we see figures moving through the museum through the windows of the office.)

Claire: What was that?

James: (turning around) What?

Claire: I saw something move in the museum. Was it the night guards?

James: Some should still be with the police at that warehouse. Or outside with the other police.

(He walks out of the office. He hears noises coming from the room with the Temeraire. Claire following.)

James: Stay back a bit.

(He continues to walk, he gets into the room with the Temeraire).

James: Stop!  (he hits the lightswitch)

(A man, wearing all black is standing in front of the Temeraire with another man near him, dressed the same. Claire stands behind James. The man in the nearest to them pulls off a mask revealing the British Tourist).

British Tourist: Ugh, I didn’t expect you here.

James: Why are you doing this?!

British Tourist: It doesn’t belong to you.

James: What will you do with it? It’s not like London can take it back!

British Tourist: Ahh, but someone will.

James: I thought you needed it? You wouldn’t just give it to anyone.

British Tourist: (laughs) You really think I need it? You actually thought that I was crazy fanatic?

(James is silent). This painting has been a target for a long while. Once it was moved to a lower class museum in America, it just seemed too easy to get.

James: I won’t let you have it.

British Tourist: What will you do? (Pulling out a pistol)

James: (Holding his hands up and whispering to Claire) Go…...go get the police.

(Claire starts to move, the British Tourist aims his gun at her, the other man pulls out a gun and points it at James).

British Tourist: Ah ah ah! Frank, shoot one of them if they move. I’m going to carefully dismantle this painting.

James: No, just let her go. Let her go, please.

British Tourist: So she could tell the police? I don’t think so. (starts to dismantle as Frank has his gun pointed at Claire).

James: Don’t, don’t point that gun at her!

(Franks smiles)

James: Please don’t.

British Tourist: (casually) I wouldn’t keep talking, or Frank might get antsy.

(James looks at Claire, who is calm, surprisingly. She has a face saying everything will be alright. The British Tourist keeps dismantling the painting. It is only a 3 by 4 foot painting, easily carryable by one man. He finishes it, and has it on the ground).

British Tourist: Now, I’m going to carry this to that emergency exit back there and put it in our van. Frank, any of them move, shoot them.

James: Hey, I want one answer!

British Tourist: What is it?

James: Why did you take The Death of A Rose?

British Tourist: We were payed.

James: By who?

British Tourist: Can’t tell you.

James: Why not?

British Tourist: We can’t have you telling everyone. (Smiles deviously) Now, behave. (He starts walking to the door).

James: Please don’t…….(He keeps walking.)

(Claire looks at James, assuring him).

James: Will you just let us go?

(Frank does not answer, the British Tourist comes back in.)

British Tourist: Well, that is sorted out. I’m terribly sorry we had to meet again like this James.

James: No you’re not.

British Tourist: True.

James: Who payed you?

British Tourist: Must you still drone on about that painting. It was crap. It was a silly man, crying over something he lost. Kind of like you.

James: (Now festering with anger and fists clenched) Did you come back here just to tell me this? To tell me that i’m a silly man.

British Tourist: I wanted to let you know that the world does not revolve around you. Somethings in life are a gift, and they can easily be taken away. It took me ten seconds to dismantle both of your paintings. See, easy. And what can you do? Nothing, or we shoot you (smiling, while he pulls out his gun, brandishing it)

(Frank looks at the British Tourist and chuckles with him. In the panic that ensues, James jumps at Frank to get a hold of the gun, but the British Tourist shoots Claire and they both run. James freezes in place, in complete and utter pain as the killers run away and he looks back to see Claire, clasping her belly, and her book which is now drenched in blood, and slowly falls to the ground. ).

James: Claire! (he runs to her, cradling her).

Claire: James…….it’s…...it’s going to be alright.

James: Claire, it’s not too late, we can get you to the hospital.

Claire: James, I love you. I love you so much, you’ve grown so much. Don’t let it stop.

James: Don’t talk like that you will be alright.

(policemen come into the museum from outside)

Policemen: Is everything alri…..(notices Claire on the ground, and turns to another officer). Get a doctor, or a medic, or anything! (He then rushes to Claire). Sir, what happened?

James: I…...I….I don’t know, i don’t know, it all happened so fast. I just……Claire…….it’s going to be alright.

Claire: (pained) James…….

Policeman: Sir…

James: Will you get here out of here!!! Why isn’t someone here to help her?!!

Policeman: We are trying…

James: Well hurry it up!

Claire: James, it’s okay……….

James: No it’s not i’m not losing you. Not now.

(Medics run in with a stretcher and load her on to the stretcher).

James: Is she going to be alright?

Medic: We’ll have to see. We’ll have a look at her. (Trying to give James a Smile).

(She is carried out to an ambulance vehicle and we have a pan outward. As we see James’ face, as he walks out of the museum after the medics.)