EXT. CARGO SHIP DECK - LONG BEACH HARBOR - MORNING
Los Angeles grows from the shore.
The ship's weathered steel lists up and down in front of the
city.
EXT. BLACK SUV
A Black Cadillac Escalade sails down the 101 Freeway.
Surrounding buildings reflect the morning sun.
INT. BLACK SUV
SUSIE (10), nothing but cute and sweet, rides in front next
to her mother, CARRIE, a hip "power mom" with black rimmed
glasses. Susie is dressed like her mother.
RADIO D.J. (O.S.)
You know what I love about L A,
people? Do you want to know? It's
the smog!
Susie looks out at the passing cars and city.
RADIO D.J. (O.S.)
You wanna know why? Cause it's a
sign. It says to the world, 'hey,
we don't care what it cost, we're
rich. And we love it!'
Carrie flips the radio off.
SUSIE
Smog's bad, right?
CARRIE
Yeah.
Carrie picks up her cell phone and hits the speed dial. Susie
looks at herself in the side mirror.
CARRIE
(phone)
Moshi Moshi Donna! Are you kidding?
I'm so fucking excited! My
expectations are through the
fucking roof. This is huge! I am a
little worried that we only have a
week until the show. I hope so.
Chiao Bella!
EXT. LONG BEACH HARBOR
Carrie and Susie dismount their ride. Carrie marches to a
group of MEN standing in the shadow of the docked CARGO SHIP.
Susie lags behind. She notices JAPANESE MEN in the distance
working on the ship.
FRANKIE, the cargo chief, appraoches Carrie.
FRANKIE
Carrie?
They shake.
CARRIE
Frankie?
FRANKIE
(Texan)
Yeah. Pleasure.
CARRIE
Where's my present?
FRANKIE
This way, Ma'am.
Carrie follows Frankie away.
Susie's attention is drawn by a loud SQUAWK. She turns to see
a SEAGULL dying on the dock. She walks toward it.
It flops on it's side. A wing flaps limply.
OLD SEA MAN (O.S.)
I'd leave that alone, girlie!
Susie looks up. OLD SEA MAN moves barrels. He's had it. He
looks like he could die any minute.
SUSIE
Is it sick?
OLD SEA MAN
Lord knows. Probably got to much of
that water.
He nods to the ocean. Susie turns and runs away. The Old Sea
Man LAUGHS to himself.
INT. CARGO CONTAINER
Carrie walks past secure crates. Light streams in from the
open end behind her. She intensely studies the old crates and
their Japanese labels.
Frankie enter from the light.
FRANKIE
Looks high dollar.
CARRIE
Priceless. Japanese. 18th Century.
First time in the west.
FRANKIE
I'll be. Sign here.
Holds up his clipboard for her to sign and shoots her a
smile.
FRANKIE
Where you gonna show this stuff?
Maybe I'll go check it out.
CARRIE
Actually, it's for private viewing
only. Until it's sold to a museum.
That's how it works.
Carrie hands the pen back and leaves him to descend further
into the crate.
She comes to a bundle of old blankets. She reaches out and
handles them curiously. She feels something inside and
freezes.
Susie rushes up.
SUSIE
What is it, Mommy?
CARRIE
Don't know yet.
Carrie slowly fishes through the blankets.
Frankie looks at his watch.
Susie watches Carrie freeze.
CARRIE
My god!
SUSIE
What is it?
A smile grows across her face.
CARRIE
It's glass.
Susie doesn't register.
CARRIE
A mirror!?
Susie's face lights up as she watches Carrie dig through the
blankets back, revealing--
A twisting dark wood frame etched with repeating plum
blossoms holds the large imperfectly fashioned glass shrouded
with aging and a grey black haze. Only the hint of a
reflection is noticeable behind the fog.
Susie reaches out to touch it. Her mother stops her.
CARRIE
A Shinzu mirror. Magnificent.
INT. FRU-FRU SO CAL HOME - EVENING
Susie backs through the foyer with one end of the dark
mirror. Carrie follows with the other end.
CARRIE
Careful. You got it?
SUSIE
(struggling)
Yeah.
Their voices ECHO in the deep space. Their struggle is echoed
by large and small antique mirrors lining both walls.
A color shift in the Shinzu mirror's muddy reflection catches
Susie's attention as she backs.
LIVING ROOM
The walls are covered with large antique mirrors; reflections
skew with imperfections.
Carrie heaves her end of the mirror onto a work table in the
middle of the room. She doesn't notice Susie struggling. The
mirror slips from her grip and crashes to the floor.
CARRIE
No! Susie!
Carrie pushes Susie aside and hoists the mirror onto the
table and inspects it carefully.
CARRIE
My god, Susie.
Nothing's broken. She stands up relieved.
CARRIE
You've got to think about what
you're doing.
Susie looks down at her hands. Her palms drip with blood.
CARRIE
Susie!
Carrie rushes forward and grabs her.
BATHROOM
Susie watches the water wash the blood from her hands. Carrie
carefully pats them dry.
CARRIE
Must have had a sharp edge.
Carrie pauses. The bleeding has stopped. No cuts.
SUSIE
What is it?
CARRIE
They must have been very fine cuts.
But what could we expect from such
a great piece?
She smiles at Susie. Susie looks over at the medicine cabinet
mirror. Her mother's reflection stares out in a trance. She
GASPS and quickly looks back at her mother, still looking at
her with a smile.
CARRIE
You okay, honey?
Susie looks back at the mirror. It reflects normally.
SUSIE
Yes. Can I take Earl outside?
CARRIE
You don't want to help me with the
mirror.
SUSIE
Earl needs a walk.
SUSIE'S BEDROOM
Susie lifts the top from an aquarium dressed like an Old West
Town; bank, saloon, brothel, etc...
She reaches in and picks up EARL, Eastern Box Turtle,
swaggering down Main Street.
LIVING ROOM
Carrie bends, inspecting the surface of the mirror.
She scratches a small clear spot in the cloudy film with her
fingernail. She bends closer to inspect the quality of the
glass.
HER EYE REFLECTS IN THE SMALL CLEARING.
Susie BOUNDS passed in the background. Carrie stands and
turns to her...
The reflection of the eye doesn't leave. It stares up for a
moment. Then vanishes.
CARRIE
Be careful! You might reopen the
cuts!
Susie is gone. Carrie is alone with the mirrors.
She turns back to the Shinzu mirror.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET
Carrie stoops to the blacktop and places Earl on the
pavement. He tastes the air then trucks out into the road.
INT. CLOSET
Carrie yanks the light on. The closet if bursting with odds
and ends. She surveys the piles then digs into one for
supplies.
WOOD CLAPPING sound.
Carrie stops and moves back from the closet.
WOOD CLAPPING sound.
CARRIE
Susie?
No response. Carries digs back into the closet.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Carrie enters with supplies in her arms. She stops and looks
around. Then backs up to a radio and turns it on. CLASSICAL
MUSIC lifts the atmosphere.
She arranges the supplies on the work table. She excitedly
runs her hands down the wooden sides. She bends for a closer
look; her hair falls onto the surface of the mirror.
She bends further down; her face brushes the glass--
SHE FREEZES. EYES STARING OUT.
The music stops. The mirror is clear. Carrie lifts herself up
and looks down into the mirror. A JAPANESE WOMAN, TSUU, looks
up at her. The Woman smiles and tilts her head from side to
side and brushes her hair. Carrie can't look away.
A LOW CHANTING NOISE
Tsuu looks over Carrie's shoulder. Carrie turns around. Her
eyes widen. The room's antique mirrors reflect...
NIGHT. Rows of traditionally dressed JAPANESE MEN face away
and kneel, CHANTING. They bow to the ground.
CHANTING
(Japanese)
Our Father, who is in Heaven. HOLY
be Thy Name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done.
Carrie turns back to the Shinzu mirror. It reflects the Woman
pressed against it. Her eyes stare up at Carrie. Blood pools
from her belly, clouding the entire mirror.
EXT. ROADSIDE
Susie SCREAMS! She jumps up from the grass and rushes to the
road. Earl stands in the road. An SUV barrels for him.
Susie runs out. The SUV speeds toward them both then makes a
quick turn into their driveway.
Susie, holding Earl, watches DONNA park get out of her SUV.
INT. FOYER
The front door slowly opens. Donna (38), chic, pokes her head
in.
DONNA
Hello! Carrie! Anybody home!
(BEAT)
I have an axe. I'm going to kill
everybody! (CHUCKLES)
She lets herself in and closes the door. It's dark. Real
dark.
LIVING ROOM
Donna enters.
DONNA
Carrie!
Carrie looks up from the mirror.
CARRIE
Donna.
DONNA
Didn't you hear me?
CARRIE
No. Hear what?
DONNA
I was going to kill you with an
axe.
CARRIE
What?
Donna shakes her head no.
DONNA
What are you doing?
She crosses to the mirror.
CARRIE
It's a remarkable piece.
DONNA
It's from our Japanese shipment!?
CARRIE
Yeah, isn't it beautiful.
Carrie stares down into the mirror.
DONNA
What are you doing with it?
CARRIE
I know. I went to check on the
pieces and saw this mirror. A
mirror. I wanted to restore it
before the show.
DONNA
You can't do that. You don't have
the permission.
CARRIE
Nobody will know. It'll be worth
ten times more.
DONNA
That doesn't matter. What if you
fucked it up?
CARRIE
I won't.
Donna turns away.
DONNA
I can't believe you did this. You
didn't even ask me. Or at least
tell me. Fuck, Carrie! You can't do
it. I won't let you.
Carrie looks up. Her stare is blank.
CARRIE
You're right, Donna. I'm sorry.
Carrie walks away. Donna is left standing with the mirror.
Alone. She looks around the room.
DONNA
Carrie?
No answer.
Donna inspects the mirror. She reaches out and rubs the wood.
She jerks her hand back! A splinter.
DONNA
Shit! Carrie!?
She sucks on her finger and walks back toward the hallway.
DONNA
Carrie, have any tweezers?
HALLWAY
She enters a long dark hallway. She walks slowly. She stops
at the kitchen and looks in. Then continues to the stairs.
DONNA
Carrie?
She walks up the stairs.
UPSTAIRS
Donna walks toward a mirror at the end of the hall. A FAINT
WHISPER (Japanese) comes from behind a door. She stops and
slowly pushes it open.
DONNA
Carrie, I've got the axe again.
BATHROOM
Carrie stairs into the bathroom mirror. She's changed into
her white nightgown.
She looks over at Donna.
CARRIE
It's so beautiful. It needs to be
restored.
DONNA
What?
Carrie looks to Donna. The reflection in the mirror is the
Japanese Woman.
CARRIE
It's so beautiful.
DONNA
You have any tweezers?
Carrie moves toward Donna.
CARRIE
Down the stairs.
HALLWAY
Donna walks in front. Carrie glides behind.
DONNA
Some dealers will pay more for a
mirror that isn't restored.
Carrie reaches out to Donna's back as they reach the stairs.
DOWNSTAIRS
Donna TUMBLES down the stairs. Her body lands at the bottom,
TWISTED and BROKEN.
DONNA
(faint)
Help.
She is dragged away.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Susie enters with Earl and goes to the work table. She sets
Earl next to the mirror and inspects it.
SUSIE
No Earl.
She moves Earl away from open chemicals.
Carrie enters and stops. Susie turns to her.
SUSIE
Where's Donna?
CARRIE
She had to leave.
Carrie crosses to the table. Susie grabs Earl.
SUSIE
When's lunch?
CARRIE
Lunch?
Carrie stops.
CARRIE
Oh, god. I almost forgot.
INT. KITCHEN
Carrie and Susie sit at the table. Sandwhiches in front of
them. Carrie pours juice. Susie starts to eat then Carrie
grabs her hand. Susie is shocked.
CARRIE
Dear Lord, thank you for this meal
we are about to receive. The will
of God we serve. Amen.
Susie looks at her mother. Shocked. Carrie bites into her
sandwich.
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
Susie sits in the middle of the floor watching Carrie work on
the mirror on the table.
Earl crawls in her lap.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Susie lies spread out on the floor asleep. Carrie still works
on the mirror.
Earl inches out of the room.
Carrie turns to Susie. She puts down her tools.
THE MIRROR
Has been partially cleaned. Brass nails shine from the frame.
Carrie scoops Susie into her arms.
STORAGE CLOSET
It's dark. The outline of mirrors and other antiques is
visible from light streaming in around the closed door.
Susie is asleep on the floor.
She suddenly wakes with a GASP. She looks around confused.
She stands and tries to exit. The door is locked. She BANGS
on it.
SUSIE
Mommy!
She bangs again then bends and looks through the wide antique
keyhole.
LIVING ROOM
Carrie works on the mirror. Her hair is combed down to both
sides.
SUSIE (O.S.)
MOMMY! HELP!!!
STORAGE CLOSET
Susie backs away from the door. She tips a large mirror. It
shakes then falls over. The antiques collapse on her.
She lies on the floor unconscious.
STORAGE CLOSET - MORNING
Light streams in from a small window. Carrie wakes under the
junk. She quickly looks up to the door. She sees a key
hanging to the side.
HALLWAY
The storage closet door opens. Susie slides out. The house is
dark.
She breathes heavily.
STAIRS
Susie slowly descends the stairs. She peaks over the banister
and sees Carrie's shadow disappear. She continues down the
stairs. Quietly.
HALLWAY
She turns from the stairs and sees something. She jumps into
a shadow.
Carrie passes into the kitchen. Susie shakes with fear. A HUM
comes from the kitchen. The HUM changes to a HYMN, sung in
Japanese.
CARRIE (O.S.)
(Japanese)
The man of God's own choosing.
Don't ask who that may be? Christ
Jesus it is He, Lord Sabaoth His
name.
Susie peers around out of the shadow at Carrie. Carrie stops.
CARRIE
Hi, honey. Come out of there.
Susie doesn't.
CARRIE
There's nothing to be afraid of.
SUSIE
(breaking)
You don't speak Japanese.
CARRIE
English was much more difficult.
She smiles down at Susie.
Susie breaks off into a run down the hallway. She runs past
the antique mirrors toward the front door.
At the end. Carrie steps out. Susie barely stops before
hitting her mother's white nightgown. Her breath blows her
mother's hair back.
FOYER
CARRIE
You mustn't interfere with Mommy's
work.
Susie catches her breath.
SUSIE
You're not my Mommy.
CARRIE
Don't be silly, Susie.
Susie takes a step back.
Carrie steps forward. A kitchen knife is hidden in her hand.
Susie notices Carrie's weird hand position.
CARRIE
Everybody sins. Trust me. Honey?
Carrie reaches out with her left hand. Her nightgown and long
hair resembles the forgiving Jesus.
SUSIE
We don't believe in that shit.
Carrie's smile drops. Susie sprints back down the hallway.
Carrie follows. Susie turns as she runs and pulls at the
large walls mirrors. They fall, missing Carrie.
LIVING ROOM
Susie turns the corner. Carrie is there. She extends her
arms.
Susie backs away. She bumps an antique crochet set.
CARRIE
Susie. You need to repent.
Susie grabs a crochet mallet from the rack. Carrie steps
forward. Susie swings with the mallet and HITS Carrie in the
head. Carrie drops to her knees and closes one eye.
CARRIE
The mirror.
Susie stares at her mother in horror for a moment then drops
the mallet and runs through the living room to the foyer.
FOYER
Susie runs in tears toward the door then stops and turns. She
looks into the living room at Earl slowly walking across the
floor.
Susie thinks for a moment then rushes back into the living
room to Earl.
LIVING ROOM
Susie picks him up from the floor. She glances to the work
table. The mirror is gone. She looks to the wall. The Shinzu
mirror hangs. A step latter sits in front of it.
THE REFLECTION
Is almost clear.
Susie stands and looks at it. The reflecting subtly shifts.
Susie looks over at her mother splayed onto the floor then
back at the mirror.
She takes a step closer to it. Her reflection in the mirror
is muddy and disfigured. A grey cloud moves across the
mirror.
Susie's eyes are locked on the mirror.
A FLASH IN SUSIE'S EYES
NIGHT. A small Japanese village. Houses burn. CORPSES lie
around. Tsuu bends over her Shinzu mirror looking at herself.
TSUU
Why? Why did this happen.
A JAPANESE soldier approaches from behind.
SOLDIER
The red haired man. He brought your
mirror. And he brought your God.
That caused us all to die.
TSUU
Everyone must suffer for their
sins.
The Soldier lifts his sword and plunges it into her back. It
sticks into the bottom of the mirror's frame.
She collapses onto the mirror. Blood pools in the frame. She
stares at her own eyes as she dies.
TSUU
Must suffer for the sins.
NIGHT. The modern city of Los Angeles is engulfed in flames.
People scream and run through the streets.
NIGHT. Flames flicker in Tsuu's eyes.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Flames flicker in Susie's eyes.
She turns and walks toward Carrie.
INT. PANTRY
Dark. A MOAN. Things CRASH. A light is turned on.
Carrie stands in her white gown. Donna lies twisted at her
feet.
Carrie SCREAMS and falls back against a shelf of canned food.
She drops to the ground and feels Donna's body for a pulse.
She's dead. She falls back and sobs then stops.
CARRIE
Susie!
She quickly gathers herself and frantically searches for a
way out. She finds a corkscrew. She lines it up on the lock
and jams it in. The door's flimsy wood spits. She furiously
drives it into the wood. The lock is exposed.
HALLWAY
Carrie emerges from the Pantry covered with sweat and
exhausted. The house is silent. She slowly descends the
hallway.
LIVING ROOM
Carrie enters and sees Susie standing in the middle of the
room. Staring up at the mirror.
THE MIRROR
It's covered with a brown paper film. Susie carefully climbs
up the step ladder. She gently pulls the paper from the
mirror's surface. The glass is revealed in perfect condition.
CARRIE
Susie? What are you doing?
The room, filled with antiques, is revealed. As the paper is
pulled further, Carrie is revealed, staring up at the mirror.
Carrie's eyes widen at her own appearance. Then her face
changes as she realizes...
CARRIE
The mirror!
Susie doesn't respond. Her dark eyes stare ahead.
Carrie rushes forward and grabs Susie from the ladder. As she
pulls her back Susie pulls the last of the paper from the
glass.
CARRIE
No!
They both stop and stare up into the mirror.
SUSIE
It's so beautiful.
Susie takes a step toward the mirror.
Carrie looks back at the mirror. It reflects Susie walking
toward it and a mirror on the opposing wall casting an
infinite number of reflecting mirrors. Susie moves closer.
CARRIE
Susie.
Carrie notices a quick shift in the angle of the reflections
in the mirror.
CARRIE
Susie!
Susie faintly smiles.
THE MIRROR
Reflects Carrie and Susie side by side. Tsuu, in her white
gown and hair combed down straight, steps out into the 13th
reflected mirror.
Carrie turns around. Tsuu is not behind them or in the
opposing mirror. She turns back to the Shinzu mirror. Susie
looks up in pleasure.
CARRIE
Get away Susie!
Susie turns her palms toward the mirror.
SUSIE
(ghostly Japanese)
I ask forgiveness.
Carrie sees Tsuu step from the 13th reflection into the 12th,
growing larger.
Carrie quickly looks around. She runs to the fireplace and
grabs an iron wood poker. She runs back to the mirror and
smacks it with the poker. It doesn't break. Tsuu closer
through more mirrors, growing larger. Carrie attacks it with
the poker again.
CARRIE
Leave my Susie alone!
Tsuu reaches the surface mirror as Carrie delivers a last
devastating strike to the glass. The mirror shatters outward
in an explosion of glass pieces around Susie. Carrie and
Susie fall to the floor.
Carrie raises up in a pool of broken mirror shards. Pieces
protrude from her skin.
CARRIE
Susie! Susie?
Carrie crawls across the shards to Susie. Her searching face
reflects in hundreds of mirror pieces on the floor.
Susie lies motionless in a circle without shards. Carrie
reaches her and rolls her over.
CARRIE
Honey?
Susie slowly wakes up.
SUSIE
Mommy?
Carrie begins to cry. She pulls Susie into her arms.
SUSIE
What's wrong?
Carrie can't respond. She looks across at herself and Susie
in the opposing mirror.
Tsuu passes through the mirror.
CARRIE
No.
Carrie leaves Susie and grabs the fire poker. She runs across
the room and smashes the antique mirror.
She looks to another antique mirror in the room. Tsuu passes
through it. Carrie runs over and smashes it. Tsuu appears
across the room in another.
CARRIE
Goddamn you!
Tsuu appears in a mirror next to Carrie. Carrie smashes it.
CARRIE
Leave us alone!
Carrie rushes around and smashes the remaining mirrors.
Exhausted, she breaks the last one as Tsuu stares back at
her. She collapses to the floor. The room is covered in
broken glass.
A BLACK SUV PASSES BY OUTSIDE
It's tinted windows reflect Carrie's home.
LIVING ROOM
Susie approaches Carrie.
SUSIE
Mommy.
Carrie reaches up and takes her hand.
SUSIE
Are you okay? Why did you break all
the mirrors.
Carrie pulls her into her lap.
EXT. CITY STREET
The Black SUV drives down a street. Tsuu's faint reflection
passes across the window.
It passes a TV shop. Tsuu's reflection appears on the TV shop
window.
A man stands across the street waiting for the WALK sign.
Tsuu walks through the reflection on his eyeball. The WALK
SIGN lights up.
The tallest modern building in LA stands in the afternoon
sun. It's steel and glass facade reflects the city and
passing cars..
Tsuu's faint reflection passes across the building.
THE END.
(
geocities.com/timessquare)