Green Mile Part 6

COFFEY
I punished them bad men. I punished them both.

PAUL
Why? Why Wild Bill?

COFFEY
I saw in his heart when he grabbed my arm. I saw what Wild Billy
had done. Saw it plain as day. You can't hide what's in your heart.

PAUL
What? You saw what?

COFFEY
Take my hand, boss. You see for yourself.

Paul hesitates about taking Coffey's hand.

BRUTUS
Paul...no.

COFFEY
Please.

Paul takes Coffey’s hand. Paul groans.

PAUL
No, no.

COFFEY
Please. l gots to, boss. I gots to give you a little bit of myself.
A gift.

Paul hears children laughing.

COFFEY
A gift of what's inside of me so you can see for yourself.

Girls are singing and skipping rope.
Brutus calls Paul loudly, but Paul can't hear.

BRUTUS
Paul!

Light is leaking out.

WOMAN
Klaus! Suppertime! Bring the girls.

KLAUS
Girls! You heard your mama!

GIRLS
Yes, Papa! We're coming!

The girls are coming back. Wild Bill is looking at them hungrily with a
smile. He is a worker on Klaus's farm.  Paul is crying.

KLAUS
Come on, Billy. I worked you enough for one day. Come get
you some supper.

GIRLS
God is great, God is good, and we thank you....

Paul sees Wild Bill go to the sisters at night.

WILD BILL
You love your sister? You make any noise,you know what happens?
I'm gonna kill her instead of you. You make any noise,I'm gonna
kill her. You understand? You understand?

SISTERS
Shh.

Paul breaks free of John's hand.  He is still crying.

COFFEY
He killed them with they love, they love for each other.
Now you see how it is. That's the way it is every day.
That's the way it is all over the world.

Paul grunts.

INT. GREEN MILE
Police have come to investigate the murder.  Percy is unconscious.
They are asking him questions.

POLICEMAN1
Percy.

POLICEMAN2
Percy Wetmore.

POLICEMAN1
Son?

POLICEMAN2
Percy. Percy Wetmore.

POLICEMAN1
Son? Son, can you hear me?

POLICEMAN2
Speak up if you can hear us.

POLICEMAN1
I think this boy's cheese slid off his cracker.

POLICEMAN2
Percy, l got to ask you a few questions.


DEAN
That's right. One minute, he was fine, and the next, blammo.

BRUTUS
Dirty bastard grabbed him through the bars.
Scared the boy so bad, he wet hisself.

HARRY
See, we didn't even see it happen.

HAL
I'll cover for you as much as I can...even if it means my job.
But l have to know...does this have anything to do with what
happened at my house?  Does it, Paul?

PAUL
No.

A man is singing on the radio.

JAN
Does Hal know? That Coffey's innocent, l mean.

Paul shakes his head.

JAN
Well, can he help? Does he have the influence to do
something about this? Stop the execution?

PAUL
No.

JAN
Then don't tell him.

JAN
If it can't help, don't tell him. Ever.

PAUL
I won't.

JAN
There's no way out of this for you,
is there?

PAUL
No.

PAUL
And l've been thinking about it, believe me. I've been running
it through my head any number of ways. No. I'll tell you the
truth, honey. I've done some things in my life that I am not
proud of...but this is the first time I've ever felt real danger
of hell.

JAN
Hell? Oh, Paul. Talk to him. Talk to John. Find out what he wants.

INT. COFFEY'S CELL
Paul visits Coffey.

COFFEY
Hello, boss.

PAUL
Hello, John. I guess you know we're coming down to it now. Another
couple of days.

Coffey nods.

PAUL
Is there anything special you wanna eat that night? We can rustle you
up most anything.

COFFEY
Meat loaf be nice. Mashed taters, gravy. Okra. Maybe some of that fine
corn bread your missus make...if she don't mind.

PAUL
Now......what about a preacher? Someone to say a little prayer with.


COFFEY
Don't want no preacher. You can say a prayer, if you like.

PAUL
Me? Suppose l could, if it came to that. John.... I have to ask you
something very important now.


COFFEY
I know what you gonna say. You don't have to say it.

PAUL
No, I do. l do. I have to say it. John, tell me what you want me to do.
You want me to take you out of here? Just let you run away?
See how far you could get?

COFFEY
Why would you do such a foolish thing?

PAUL
On the day of my judgment when I stand before God and he asks me why did I....
Did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I going to say?
That it was my job? It's my job.

COFFEY
You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. I know you're hurting and
worrying. I can feel it on you. But you ought to quit on it now. I want it to be
over and done with. I'm tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow
in the rain. I'm tired of never having me a buddy to be with to tell me where we's
going to, coming from, or why. Mostly, l'm tired of people being ugly to each other.
I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world...every day. There's too much
of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head...all the time. Can you understand?

PAUL
Yes, John, l think I can.

BRUTUS
Well, there must be something we can do for you, John.
There must be something that you want.

COFFEY
I ain't never seen me a flicker show.

INT. THE SCAFFOLD
Coffey is watching a movie.

JERRY
Heaven
I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so
That I can hardly speak

And l seem to find
The happiness l seek
When we're out together
Dancing cheek to cheek
Why, they's angels.
Angels, just like up in heaven.

INT. COFFEY'S CELL
Paul and Brutal have come to take John to the electric chair.  They are very sad.

COFFEY
I'll be all right, fellas. This here's the hard part. I'll be all right in a while.

PAUL
John, l should have this just for now.

Paul takes the pendant that Melinda gave Coffey.

PAUL
I'll give it back after.

COFFEY
You know, I fell asleep this afternoon and had me a dream.
I dreamed about Del's mouse.

PAUL
Did you, John?

COFFEY
I dreamed Mr. Jingles got down to that place Boss Howell talked about.
That Mouseville place. I dreamed there's kids. And how they laughed at
his tricks. My! I dreamed that those two little blond-headed girls was there.
They's laughing too. I put my arms around them and set them on my knees.
And they was no blood coming out of they hair, and they's just fine.
We all watched Mr. Jingles roll that spool. How we did laugh. Fit to bust, we was!

INT. EXECUTION CHAMBER
The parents of the murdered girls are sitting, waiting to watch the execution.  Coffey
staggers.

PAUL
John.


COFFEY
They's lots of folks here that hate me. Lots! I can feel it.It's like bees stinging me.

BRUTAL
Well, feel how we feel, then.

PAUL: We don't hate you. Can you feel that?

KLAUS
Kill him twice, you boys! You go on and kill that raping baby killer twice!
That’d be fine!

HAL
Wipe your face before. You stand up, Dean.

Dean is crying.

DEAN
Yes, sir.

PAUL
Roll on one.

KLAUS
Does it hurt yet? I hope it does.I hope it hurts like hell.

Paul speaks to Coffey.

PAUL
John Coffey, you’ve been condemned to die in the chair by a jury of your peers.
Sentence imposed by a judge in good standing in this state.
Do you have anything to say before sentence is carried out?

COFFEY
I'm sorry for what I am.

Harry tries to cover John’s face with a black cloth.

COFFEY
Please, boss...don't put that thing over my face. Don't put me in the dark.
I's afraid of the dark.

Paul and Brutal look at each other.

PAUL
All right, John.

COFFEY
Heaven, l'm in heaven
Heaven, heaven
I'm in heaven
Heaven, heaven
I'm in heaven

PAUL
John Coffey...electricity shall pass through your body until you are dead in accordance
with state law. May God have mercy on your soul.

Dean is crying. Paul can’t say the final words.

BRUTAL
Paul. You have to say it. You have to give the order.

Paul reaches out and shakes Coffey's hand.

COFFEY'S VOICE
He killed them with they love.
That's how it is every day all over the world.



PAUL
Roll on two.

Coffey is electrocuted and dies.

INT. RETIREMENT HOME
Paul is talking to Elaine.

PAUL
It was the last execution I ever took part in.
I just couldn't do it anymore after that. Brutal either.
We both transferred out, took jobs with Boys' Correctional.
It was all right. "Catch them young" became my motto.
You don't believe me.

ELAINE
I don't imagine you'd lie to me, Paul. lt's just that-

PAUL
lt's quite a story.

ELAINE
It's quite a story. One thing I don't understand. You said you
and Jan...had a grown son in 1935. Is that right?

PAUL
The math doesn't work, does it? Do you feel up to taking a walk?

INT. CABIN
Paul and Elaine walk to an abandoned cabin.  Paul helps Elaine inside.
It's old and dark.

PAUL
Watch your step. Now let your eyes adjust. There.

Paul takes out an old mouse.

PAUL
Hey. Wake up, old fella. Wake up.

ELAINE
Paul, it isn't. lt can't be.

PAUL
Come over here, boy. Come on over here and see this lady.

ELAINE
That can't be Mr. Jingles.

PAUL
Go on, you can do it. This isn't exactly the Mouseville we had in
mind, is it? But we make do. Don't we, old fella? I think Mr. Jingles
happened by accident. I think when we electrocuted Del, and it all went
so badly...well, John could feel that, you know. And l think a part of
whatever magic was inside of him just leapt into my tiny friend here.
As for me, John had to give me a part of himself -a gift, the way he saw it
so that l could see for myself what Wild Bill had done. When John did that -
when he took my hand, a part of the power that worked through him spilled into me.

ELAINE
He what? He infected you with life?

PAUL
It's as good a word as any. He infected us both, didn't he, Mr. Jingles?
With life. I'm 108 years old, Elaine. I was 44 the year that John Coffey
walked the Green Mile. You mustn't blame John. He couldn't help what happened.
He was just a force of nature. Oh, l've lived to see some amazing things, Ellie.
Another century come to pass. But l've.... I've had to see my friends and
loved ones die off through the years. Hal and Melinda...Brutus Howell...
...my wife, my boy. And you, Elaine. You'll die too. And my curse is knowing
that I'll be there to see it. It's my atonement, you see. It's my punishment
for letting John Coffey ride the lightning. For killing a miracle of God.

EXT. CEMETERY
Paul is at Elaine's funeral.  She is in a coffin.

PRlEST
Almighty, everlasting God the source of all being and life....

PAUL
You'll be gone like all the others. I'll have to stay. Oh, l'll die eventually.
Of that I'm sure. I have no illusions of immortality. But I will have wished for
death long before death finds me. In truth, l wish for it already.

A woman sings on a radio.
INT. E BLOCK
Paul finds Mr. Jingles when he is young on the Green Mile.

PAUL
Mr. Jingles? Where you been? Been worried about you, boy. You hungry?
Let's go see if we can't find you something to eat. A few crumbs anyway.
I know you'd like that. Look at you.

Old Paul starts to talk.

PAUL
I lie in bed most nights thinking about it. And l wait. I think about all the people
I've loved...now long gone. I think about my beautiful Jan...how l lost her so many
years ago. And l think about all of us walking our own Green Mile...each in our own time.
But one thought more than any other...keeps me awake most nights:lf he could make a mouse
live so long...how much longer do I have? We each owe a death. There are no exceptions.
But, oh, God...sometimes the Green Mile seems so long.