This is another flashback to when Elijah was an eight year old child. This scene would have appeared between the present two flashback scenes and just before the scene where the priest is conducting mass...
EXT. FAIR - DAY
LEGEND "1969"
A hazy afternoon. A fair has come to town. They have set up in the vast parking lot of the local high school.
A line of women has formed in front of the portable bathrooms. A woman steps out.
Elijah's mother touches his head and enters the three foot square plastic bathroom. She turns back and gives him a look.
MOTHER
We'll play the water pistol game next.
Elijah nods, "Yes" happily.
The mother closes the cubicle door. Elijah is left alone amongst the line of women. They stare at him blankly. Their eyes move over his leg brace. Elijah doesn't like it. He moves away from the line.
A CRESCENDO OF CHEERS RISES IN THE AIR FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE FAIR. Elijah follows the voices. He carries the stuffed animals through the crowds of people. CLICK, CLICK, CLICK. His metal brace sounds as he walks.
For a moment, he sees nothing but bodies all around him.
He emerges amongst a huddle of teenagers who wait at a turnstile.
A man in a red and white striped coat takes their tickets and waves at them in. Elijah looks up and sees the sign above the turnstile... "The Hurricane."
He watches the teenagers giggle as they each get into a gray cup-like seat. They pull the metal bars down in front of them.
The man in the red and white stripes leaves the turnstile.
Elijah stares up at the multi-colored sign. Beat. He moves quickly. Ducks under the turnstile and climbs onto the platform.
Elijah finds an empty seat. He slips inside the gray metal compartment and sits. He pulls down the rusted metal bar infront of him.
He looks around at all the excited faces. his eyes fill excitement too.
His small hands feel the cold metal of the interior of the compartment. His expression changes.
Elijah looks to the stuffed animals in his arms. He presses them to check their softness. He places the stuffed animals on either side of him on the seat. He's wedged in between them. Feels good.
He reaches out and touches the hard rusted metal bar infront of him, Elijah looks a little anxious. Beat.
He pulls off his sweater and wraps it around the bar. It goes around twice before he ties the arms together. He checks its softness.
Elijah looks around the customized cup-like compartment he sits in. He smiles an eight yearold smile of pride.
AND THEN HE HEARS HIS MOTHER'S VOICE.
He searches around and finds her walking in the waves of people. He hears her calling.
MOTHER
Elijah...
She moves in his direction by chance. She finds herself at the entrance to The Hurricane ride. She looks up at the sign above the turnstile. Her worried eyes immediately start searching the young faces in the gray circular compartment.
her eyes meet Elijah's he waves Her face goes very still.
A HUGE ROAR OF MACHINERY as the ride starts up.
Elijah yells to his mother as the platform starts turning.
ELIJAH
I won't get hurt momma! I'm safe!
HIS WORDS GET EATEN UP BY THE CHEERS OF THE TEENAGERS AND THE GRIND OF MACHINERY.
The platform spins. He sees a glimpse of his mother and the red and white striped man. Shes pointing at Elijah.
The platform turns... Elijah sees a flash of the red and white striped man's angered face as he yells at the frantic woman next to him.
And then the ride speeds up.
The grey circular seats starts to spin on their own. The teenagers CHEER.
Elijah's eyes fill with joy as the wind plays against his face.
Suddenly the ride changes directions. The cup like seats get jerked. Everyone grabs the metal bars to hold on.
Elijah laughs as he smashes into the stuffed animal on his right. It cushions him and then falls to the floor of the compartment along with the other stuffed animal.
Elijah's expression becomes tense as his compartment spins. His hands slide over the rusted metal bar as the sweater unravels.
Elijah looks around... a sudden panic enters his eyes.
THE BLURRING IMAGE OF HIS MOTHER NOW IN A GROUP OF RED AND WHITE STRIPED MEN.
THE SOUND OF MACHINERY GRINDING IS HEARD as the ride changes directions suddenly.
Elijah's hands rip away from the bar as he gets thrown from the side as he gets thrown to the side of the compartment. His shoulder and arm take the brunt of the impact. WE HEAR SOMETHING CRACK.
TEENAGERS SCREAM IN EXCITEMENT. ELIJAH JOINS THEM WITH SCREAMS OF HIS OWN.
The ride spins its passengers. Elijah's small face looks up at the swirling clouds in a mixture of agony and terror.
The ride changes directions.
Elijah is thrust forward. He hits the rusted metal bar square against his chest. WE HEAR MORE CRACKS.
The world spins. Giggles and yells fill the air. Elijah slumps down onto the floor of the compartment.
And then finally, the grind of the machinery slows and then comes to a gradual stop.
THE TEENAGERS MOAN.
Elijah is facing directly up at the sky. The clouds now move slowly over him.
WE HEAR COMMOTION. AGITATED VOICES. HIS MOTHER'S DESPERATE VOICE.
MOTHER (o.s.)
His bones... he's not well...
HER VOICE GETS LOUDER AS SHE MOVES CLOSER ON THE PLATFORM
MOTHER (o.s.)
Elijah baby...
Then her face appears as she finds the cup-like seat Elijah is in. She begins to scream.
Elijah lays on the bottom of the comparment. One arm is clutching his chest. The other is curved horrifically like an "s". His mouth is open. His eyes are bulging. The last thing we HEAR ARE THE SHORT DESPERATE BREATHS of an eight year old child about to black out from pain.
____________________
I recieved this e-mail from Rob and needless to say, it's great news...
I just wanted to let ya know that I live in Philadelphia, actually in South Philadelphia, and I remember the filming.
The point of this email is that I wanted to tell you that I can indeed confirm that the cut "FAIR" scene was filmed. I distinctly recall it because it was about 10 blocks away from my house, and I passed it by. Also there was a call for all types of "old cars" for the shoot. Anyways, it was a pretty small carnival, and everything looked really old and worn. Of course I couldn't get to close, but I can guarantee you it was filmed. It sucks though that they wasted so much money having this huge fake carnival at 2nd and Jackson (that was the location) and then didn't even place it into the film.
Oh well.
Thanks again Rob!