Ⅳ
FIGHT CLUB
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Jack moves into a "group hug" of sickly people, men and
women. In view is a sign by the door "Free and Clear."
INT. OFFICE BUILDING BASEMENT - NIGHT
Jack stands with a weeping middle-aged WOMAN. He begins to
cry along with her. A sign by the door: "Onward and Upward."
JACK (V.O.)
If I didn't say anything, people
assumed the worst. They cried
harder. I cried harder.
INT. PUBLIC BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone, including Jack, sits back in their seats, EYES
CLOSED. The Leader speaks into a microphone.
LEADER
Tonight, we're going to open the
green door -- the heart chakra...
JACK (V.O.)
I wasn't really dying, I wasn't host
to cancer or parasites; I was the
warm little center that the life of
this world crowded around.
LEADER
...And you open the door and you
step inside. We're inside our
hearts. Now, imaging your pain as a
white ball of healing light. That's
right, the pain itself is a ball of
healing light.
Jack, eyes closed, is silent...
LEADER
It moves over your body, healing you.
Keep this going and step forward,
through the back door of the room.
Where does it lead? To your cave.
Step forward into your cave.
INT. CAVE - JACK'S IMAGINATION
Jack walks along, moving through an ICE CAVERN...
LEADER'S VOICE
That's right. You're going deeper
into your cave. And you're going to
find your power animal...
Jack comes upon a PENGUIN. The penguin looks at him, cocks
his head to signal Jack forward.
PENGUIN
Slide.
The penguin jumps onto a patch of ICE and slides away.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Jack walks out a doorway, saying goodbye to people. He
walks down the sidewalk, shining with peace.
JACK (V.O.)
Every evening I died and every
evening I was born again. Resurrected.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH MEETING ROOM - RESUMING
Jack's still in an embrace with Bob.
JACK (V.O.)
Bob loved me because he thought my
testicles were removed too. Being
there, my face against his tits,
ready to cry -- this was my vacation.
MARLA SINGER enters. She has short matte black hair and
big, dark eyes like a character from japanese animation.
JACK (V.O.)
And, she ruined everything.
Marla looks around, raises a cigarette to her lips.
MARLA
This is cancer, right?
Bob and Jack stare, dumbfounded.
INT. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH MEETING ROOM - LATER
Everyone paired-off. MOVE THROUGH ROOM... FIND JACK'S FACE
as he stares... MOVE THROUGH ROOM... FIND MARLA'S FACE.
She's drinking coffee, smoking a cigarette.
JACK (V.O.)
This ... chick ... Marla Singer ...
did not have testicular cancer. She
was a liar.
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Marla sits with the group, smoking, listening intently while
a member speaks. Jack spies on her.
JACK (V.O.)
She had no diseases at all. I had
seen her at my melanoma Monday night
group ...
INT. CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL - NIGHT
Marla sits at the end of a row, smoking. All the faces down
the row are turned toward her, incredulous...
JACK (V.O.)
... and at "Free and Clear," my blood
parasites group Thursdays.
Jack leans out further than the others, scornful.
JACK (V.O.)
-- And, again, at "Seize The Day," my
tuberculosis Friday night.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH MEETING ROOM - ANOTHER NIGHT
Jack watches... Marla's eyes are closed, her head on the
shoulder of the MAN she's embraced by. She opens her eyes,
catching Jack's stare. Jack looks away.
JACK (V.O.)
Marla -- the big tourist. Her lie
reflected my lie.
Marla rests her chin on the man's shoulder. Tears roll down
her cheeks. She wipes at them.
EXT. FIRST METHODIST CHURCH - NIGHT
Marla walks out, The support group's dispersing. Jack
exits amongst them. He spots Marla walking away.
JACK (V.O.)
And suddenly, I felt nothing. I
couldn't cry. So, once again, I
could not sleep.
Jack stares after Marla for a long moment. He walks away.
INT. BEDROOM - LATER
Jack, in underwear, is cross-legged on the floor, assembling
IKEA furniture, CORDLESS PHONE shouldered to his ear.
JACK
(into phone)
No, I just can't believe that card is
declined -- Okay, okay, let me give
you a different card number.
Jack gets his wallet off the floor, pulls out another card
and, MOS over the following, he reads it into the phone.
JACK (V.O.)
Next group, after guided meditation,
after we open our chakras, when it's
time to hug, I'm going to grab that
little bitch, Marla Singer, pin her
arms against her sides and say...
INT. MEETING ROOM - NIGHT - JACK'S IMAGINATION
CLOSE ON JACK as he CLAMPS his arms around Marla.
JACK
Marla, you liar, you big tourist. I
need this. Get out.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Jack, in pajamas, stares at Home Shopping Network on his TV.
JACK (V.O.)
When you have insomnia, you're never
really asleep and you're never really
awake. I hadn't slept in four days...
INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT
Jack walks in and joins the crowd, looking around. People
are chattering with each other.
JACK (V.O.)
-- But, in here, in everyone, there's
the squint of a five-day headache.
Yet they forced themselves to be
positive. They never said
"parasite;" they said "agent." They
always talked about getting better.
LEADER
Okay, everyone.
Everyone sits in chairs. Jack catches sight of Marla.
LEADER
To open tonight's communion, Chloe
would like to say a few words.
Taking the lectern is CHLOE, a pale, sickly girl whose skin
stretches yellowish and tight over her bones. She wears a
head bondage. She clears her throat.
JACK (V.O.)
Ahh, Chloe. Chloe looked the way
Joni Mitchell's skeleton would look
if you made it smile and walk around
a party being extra nice to everyone.
CHLOE
Well, I'm still here -- but I don't
know for how long. That's as much
certainty as anyone can give me. but
I've got some good news -- I no
longer have any fear of death.
APPLAUSE from around the room.
CHLOE
But... I am in a pretty lonely place.
No one will have sex with me. I'm so
close to the end and all I want is to
get laid for the last time. I have
pornographic movies in my apartment,
and lubricants and amyl nitrate ...
The LEADER gingerly takes control of the microphone.
LEADER
Thank you, Chloe. Everyone, let's
thank Chloe.
