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ER
"Storm Front"
Act One
Scene opens back at Carlucci's. Focus on Carol sitting alone at her table, tapping her fingers on the
table while supporting her chin with her other hand. She is bored. She looks at her watch again and
gets up from the table. Follow her as she walks back to the hostess and approaches her politely.
Carol:
Do you have a telephone I could use, please?
Hostess:
Yes, Ma'am, the phones are just outside the door.
Carol (nods):
Thank you.
Carol walks out, finds the phone, puts money into the coin slot and punches a number. She holds
the receiver and lets it ring, her growing annoyance starting to show in her attitude.
Carol (mumbles aloud softly):
Come on, Doug! Where ARE you?
Getting no answer, Carol gives up and bangs up the receiver. She collects her money and puts it
back into the coin slot, quickly punching another number. We hear only her side of the conversation
at first...
Carol (sharply):
Jerry, it's Carol, is Mark Greene still there? Yeah, let me talk to him, please.
Cut screen to show both conversation parties at their respective phones.
Mark:
Hey, Carol, what's up?
Carol (starting to anger):
Is Doug there by any chance?
Mark (confused):
No, he was meeting you...
Carol (slow boil setting in):
Yeah, well, he never bothered to show up! I can't believe I was so stupid as to
actually THINK he might have changed.
Mark (trying to calm her):
What do you mean he never showed up?
Carol:
Just what I said! I've been waiting here over an hour. He's not here. He's never
been here. He probably had no intentions of ever coming here!
Mark (half alarmed for Doug, half concerned for Carol):
Maybe he got tied up in traffic or something....
Carol (cuts him off sharply):
Or maybe he's just playing me for a fool!
(softens her anger)
Things have been going so well between us lately, Mark. I can't believe he
would stand me up like this.
Mark (quietly):
Listen, Carol, trust me, Doug had NO intentions of standing you up. This
evening really meant a lot to him. Something must be wrong. Look, I'll take my
car and start out the route he would take to Carlucci's from here, OK?
Carol (sighs):
OK. I'll wait here until you come.
Focus on Carol as she hangs up the phone. The look on her face is a cross between anger and
despair. Follow her as she walks out of Carlucci's and out to her car to wait for Mark.
Cut back to show Mark hanging up the phone in the ER. The look on his face is confusion and
concern. He quickly erases his name from the board and grabs his jacket.
Mark (calls out):
I'm leaving, Haleh!
Haleh (calls back):
Have a good evening, Dr. Greene!
Follow some of Mark's path as he drives towards Carlucci's. Focus on his face as he passes cars
under street lights and strains to look at them in the dim light. As he passes each one, he shakes his
head.
Cut to show Mark's car pulling into Carlucci's parking lot beside Carol. Focus in Carol as she turns
to the headlights and recognizes Mark's car. She gets out of her car and walks to meet him as he
parks his car and gets out of it.
Carol:
You didn't see him? Anywhere?
Mark (shakes his head):
Didn't pass a sign of him at all. I don't understand this, Carol. Something's
wrong.
Carol (anger building):
I'll tell you what's wrong! I was STUPID enough to let him do a snow job on
me and think he could be different! I should have known that leopards don't
EVER change their spots...
Mark (grabs her quickly by the shoulders and shakes her):
Stop it! Just stop it! Don't do this to yourself!
Carol (angrily):
Well, what am I supposed to think?
Mark (angry as well):
The same thing I think! That something is wrong! That something must have
happened! Give him the benefit of a doubt this time, Carol....please! (Mark lets
goes of her shoulders and turns away, somewhat distraught)
Carol (touches his shoulder lightly):
Something really IS wrong, isn't it?
Mark (nods his head):
This evening was going to be very special...for both of you...he would have
been here...something's wrong here, Carol...something is VERY wrong...
Carol (concerned):
What do we do? Call the police?
Mark (shakes his head):
We can't even file a missing person's report for 24 hours. Did you try calling his
apartment?
Carol (nods):
That was the first thing I did. No answer.
Mark (rubs his hand across his chin despairingly):
I think you should go home in case he tries to call you. I'll keep looking. I know
some places to try.
Carol (scoffs):
What? All the local bars?
Mark (anger building):
Cut him some slack, Carol! He hasn't had a drink in months! Don't let your
disappointment in this shade your thinking! You know better!
Carol (looks down):
You're right, Mark. (nods slowly) I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated right
now...I'm so frightened...
(She looks away quickly, her eyes brim with tears but she doesn't let them
fall)
Mark (rubs her shoulders comfortingly):
It's OK. You just go on home and wait for him to call. I'm gonna see what I can
turn up on my own.
Carol (looks up at him quickly):
You'll call me, right?
Mark (nods):
As soon as I have something to tell you.
(starts towards his car)
Carol (grabs his sleeve quickly)
Either way, Mark. I want to know.
Mark (nods slowly):
Yeah.
Follow Mark as he gets into his car and drives away. Cut back to focus on Carol, leaning against
her car, and lost in thought. Cut to show time lapse. Show Carol pacing the living room at her
home, carrying a portable phone in her hand, and shaking it.
Carol (angrily to the phone):
Ring, damn you! RING!
(sighs deeply)
Damn it, Doug! Where ARE you?
Cut to show Mark arriving wearily at his home. He puts his car in park and leans his head against
the steering wheel and sighs. He gets out of the car and looks towards the sky in thought, sighs
again, and heads for the house. Follow Mark as he starts to mount the steps of his home. He
attention is diverted for a moment by a noise he hears off in the dark. He stops on the steps and
looks carefully towards the noise.
Mark (calls out):
Someone there?
There is no answer and no more noise. Mark shrugs his shoulders and starts back up the steps.
About three steps from the top, he hears something again and stops, peering carefully over the side
railing into the dark.
Mark (calls down):
Who's there?
A bit alarmed, Mark reaches out and picks up a fallen tree limb to use as a weapon and starts back
down the steps. He goes down carefully and slowly. He gets to the bottom of the steps and starts
around the side into the dark pocket under the steps and beside the building. He inches his way
carefully and comes suddenly upon a dark figure sitting on the ground and leaning against the wall
of the building. He reaches down and takes a handful of jacket, jerking the intruder to his feet.
Mark (gruffly):
OK! The act is over, Buddy! Time to go home!
Mark pulls the figure into the light and is shocked to see that it is Doug. His bottom lip is still
bleeding, although not as profusely as before. His eye is very black now, and swollen. He gives
Mark one glance that shows fear and pain rippling from his eyes, and he quickly looks away.
Mark (shock in his voice):
Doug? What the hell happened to you?
Doug (rambling...mumbling...stammering):
I knew you should have left the hospital, but, when I got here I didn't see your
car. I was afraid to knock on the door because of Rachel...
Mark (touches his shoulder gently):
Easy, Doug, slow down! It's OK...
Mark does not notice but Doug carefully and quickly slips his shoulder away from Mark's grasp
and looks at his feet quickly.
Mark(reaches for Doug's arm):
Come on! Let me get you inside...
Doug (pulls back):
No! I think maybe we better go to the hospital...
Mark (eyes him carefully):
You're hurt, then?
Doug (nods his head slowly):
Yeah.
Mark:
You want to tell me what happened?
(Doug doesn't answer, only looks away at Mark quickly with a desperate look
forming in his eyes)
Was this more than just a fight?
(Doug doesn't answer, just continues to stare into space away from Mark's eye
contact)
Doug, talk to me, please?
Doug (looks back at him...tries to break the mood by changing the subject):
Carol must be pretty mad at me by now, huh? I'm hours late by now...
Mark (sternly):
I'm not concerned about Carol right now, I'm concerned about you. Was this
more than just a fight?
Doug (continues to change the subject):
She probably think Ole Doug still hasn't changed! I used to stand her up all the
time...
Mark (gruffly...takes Doug by the shoulders and shakes him):
Doug! Talk to me! Was This More Than Just A Fight?
Doug closes his eyes tight as if Mark's mere touch hurts him. His body stiffens in Mark's strong
hold on his shoulders. He opens his eyes, but, does not look at Mark. He lowers his head and nods
it slowly, casting his eyes to his feet.
Doug (softly):
Yeah.
Mark (quietly as well):
Are you OK?
Doug (shrugs):
I don't know.
Mark (still very quietly):
Were you assaulted?
Doug can't answer. He looks up at Mark quickly and for one brief instant allows his eyes to make
contact with Mark's. Mark looks directly into Doug's eyes, still keeping a strong grip on his
shoulders. Doug returns the stare and the light shines to show a brimming of tears welling up, but he
does not allow them to spill over. He looks quickly back at his feet and nods very carefully.
Cut back to show Mark's hurt reaction. His eyes register pain of his own and he closes them as he tilts his head to the sky. He opens his eyes and focuses back on Doug quickly, patting his shoulder comfortingly.
Mark (starts away, grasps Doug by the arm):
Come on. Let's get you taken care of.
Doug (stops quickly, stopping Mark with him):
You'll do it, right? The exam?
Mark (nods):
Sure. But, you know I'm going to need help. Is there somebody you prefer?
Should I call Carol?
Doug (quickly):
No, not Carol. Not now. Not yet. I'm not ready for that.
Mark (quietly):
If not Carol, then, who? Maggie Doyle? (Doug gives him a strong 'no' look
from his eyes) Kerry? (again, another 'no' look from Doug) Look, Doug, this is
just my advice, OK? If it were me, and this situation were reversed, you know I
would trust you, right? And I would come to you just like you've come to me,
right? (Doug nods quickly, but, doesn't look at Mark...stays focused on his
feet) Then, who else do you trust?
(Doug looks at him for an instant, his eyes confused and clouded with fear,
pain, and emotion)
This should be handled by people you trust...so who else do you trust?
Doug (quietly):
Call Carol.
Mark (smiles slightly, pats Doug on the shoulder gently):
Will you wait in my car while I go in and call her? (Doug nods) OK, here's the
key. (Mark hands Doug the car keys) Just unlock the car and wait for me. I'll be
right there.
Doug (quickly as Mark starts away):
You won't tell her anything, will you?
Mark (shakes his head):
Not if you don't want me to. (Doug eyes him carefully) But, once we start the
exam, you know she'll know anyway, right? (Doug nods slowly) It's gonna be
OK, Bud. We're gonna take care of you.
Doug nods his head slowly, takes Mark's keys, and starts for his car. Cut to show Mark going on
into his house and heading for the phone. He quickly dials a number and we hear only his side of
the conversation.
Mark (into phone):
Carol? Yeah, I found him! Listen, can you meet me at the hospital?
No...no...he's OK...nothing real serious, but, he does need some help. Yeah.
That'll be fine. Thanks!
Show Mark as he hangs up the phone and sighs heavily. Cut to show Rachel
standing in the doorway with Ruth standing behind her.
Ruth:
Everything OK?
Mark (turns to them and smiles):
Yeah! Everything's fine! But, something's come up at the hospital. Can you stay
a little longer, Ruth?
Ruth (nods):
Sure.
Rachel (whining):
You aren't staying home?
Mark (stoops down to her level):
I can't, Honey. Somebody needs me at the hospital really bad.
Rachel (looks into his eyes):
But I need you here, too!
Mark (sighs):
I know you do, Honey. I won't be long, OK? (kisses her forehead) I promise!
I'll be home in time to tuck you in, OK?
Rachel doesn't answer...just trudges away disappointed...leaving Mark in despair about leaving her.
But, he turns quickly and walks out, heading for his car...
Fade Act One to black...