style="font-size:15px;"> PHOTOGRAPHER
(sotto voce)
Hey – did you get anything?
REPORTER
(sotto voce)
Dark wind, blah blah.
PHOTOGRAPHER
It’s some atmospheric hooey.
Or electrical.
GRAVES moves up the steps of the now-ruined building. He examines the destruction, curious, alert.
REPORTER
Hey – you thirsty?
PHOTOGRAPHER
Nah, I’m on the wagon. Promised Martha I’d lay off.
The wind begins to pick up, swirling around the building, accompanied by a high-pitched screeching. GRAVES alone looks interested.
A sudden series of bangs at street level. All turn to look for the source of the sound: a wall cracks, the rubble on the floor begins to shake before exploding like an earthquake, ripping out of the building and down through the middle of the street. The movement is violent, rushed – people and cars go flying.
The mysterious force then flies up into the air, swirling through the city, diving in and out of alleyways, before crashing down into a subway station.
CLOSE ON GRAVES, as he examines the destruction of the street.
A mingled roar and howl emanates from the bowels of the earth.
SCENE 6
Watching NEWT walk, we see in him an unselfconscious Keatonesque quality, a sense of a different rhythm to those around him. In his hand he clutches directions on a small piece of paper, but he still shows a scientist’s curiosity about this alien environment.
SCENE 7
NEWT, intrigued by the noise of shouting, approaches a rally of the New Salem Philanthropic Society.
MARY LOU BAREBONE, a handsome mid-western woman in a 1920s version of Puritan dress, charismatic and earnest, stands on a small stage at the steps to the City Bank. Behind her stands a man parading a banner emblazoned with the organisation’s symbol: hands proudly grasping a broken wand amid bright yellow and red flames.
MARY LOU
(to the assembled crowd)
… this great city sparkles with the jewels of man’s invention! Movie theatres, automobiles, the wireless, electric lights – all dazzle and bewitch us!
NEWT slows down and watches MARY LOU as he would observe a foreign species: no judgement, simply interest. Nearby stands TINA GOLDSTEIN, hat low on her head, upturned collar. She is eating a hot dog, mustard smeared on her upper lip. NEWT accidently bumps into her as he makes his way to the front of the rally.
NEWT
Oh… so sorry.
MARY LOU
But where there is light there is shadow, friend. Something is stalking our city, wreaking destruction and then disappearing without a trace.
JACOB KOWALSKI moves nervously down the street towards the crowd, wearing an ill-fitting suit and carrying a battered brown leather case.
MARY LOU (O.S.)
We have to fight – join us, the Second Salemers, in our fight!
JACOB makes his way through the gathered crowd, also pushing past TINA.
JACOB
Excuse me doll, just trying to get to the bank – excuse me – just trying.
JACOB trips over NEWT’S case, disappearing momentarily. NEWT hauls him up.
NEWT
I’m so sorry – my case—
JACOB
No harm done—
JACOB struggles on, heading past MARY LOU and up the steps of the bank.
JACOB
Excuse me!
The kerfuffle around NEWT draws MARY LOU’S attention.
MARY LOU
(charming, to NEWT)
You, friend! What drew you to our meeting today?
NEWT is startled to find himself the centre of attention.
NEWT
Oh. I was just… passing.
MARY LOU
Are you a seeker? A seeker after truth?
A beat.
NEWT
I’m more of a chaser, really.
ANGLE ON people moving in and out of the bank.
A smartly dressed man flips a dime towards a beggar sitting on the steps.
CLOSE ON the dime, falling in slow motion.
MARY LOU (O.S.)
Hear my words and heed my warning.
ANGLE ON some little paws, which have appeared in the narrow crack between the lid and the body of NEWT’S case.
ANGLE ON the dime hitting the steps with a musical clang.
ANGLE ON the paws, now trying hard to prise open the case.
MARY LOU
… and laugh if you dare: witches live among us!
MARY LOU’S three adopted children, adults
