Int. Prison administration building - day

Paul comes up the stairs to the warden's office...

INT. WARDEN MOORES' OFFICE - DAY

...and enters to find Hal staring out the window.

PAUL

Hal? You wanted to see me?

HAL

Yeah. Paul. Close the door.

Hal's speech is halting, his thoughts disjointed and slow:

HAL

Uh. So you know. You got a new

prisoner coming in tomorrow.

William Wharton. Young kid. Wild

as hell, judging from this...

He picks up the report, trying to focus his thoughts:

HAL

...been rambling all over the

state last few years, causing all

kinds of trouble. Finally hit big

time. Killed three people in a

holdup, including a pregnant

woman. Got " Billy the Kid"

tattooed on his left arm...bad

news all around...

He trails off, no longer able to focus on the words. Paul is

shocked to see tears spill silently down his cheeks.

PAUL

Hal?

HAL

It's a tumor, Paul. A brain tumor.

Paul doesn't know what to say. Hal looks at him.

HAL

They got X-ray pictures of it.

It's the size of a lemon, they

said, and way down deep inside

where they can't operate. They say

she'll be dead by Christmas. I

haven't told her. I can't think

how. For the life of me, Paul, I

can't think how to tell my wife

she's going to die.

Hal Moores, one of the toughest and steadiest men you'd ever

meets, starts to cry. He dissolves into great big gasping

sobs, losing all control.

CUT TO:

INT. PAUL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Paul lies awake, watching Jan sleep. He looks troubled--not

to mention feverish. It occurs to him how badly he has to

pee. He sits up, clutching at a queasy stab of pain in his

groin...

LIVING ROOM STAIRS

...and comes hurrying down the steps, clutching himself...

EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

...and he's moving even faster as he exits the kitchen,

racing for the outhouse. He realizes he's not going to make

it, stops to piss near the woodpile at the corner of the

house...

...and as he does, he's hit with the most stunning pain of

his life. He buckles to his knees--it's only his flailing

hand against the woodpile that prevents him from going face-

first into his own piss. He crams his other hand to his mouth

in an enormous effort not to scream and wake his wife.

He manages to ride it out until his bladder empties. He falls

onto his side, rolls over on the grass, and stares up at the

sky with both hands pressed to his groin.

PAUL

...oh God...oh God...

FADE TO BLACK

IN BLACKNESS, A TITLE CARD APPEARS:

" Coffey's Hands"

CUT TO:

INT. PAUL'S KITCHEN - MORNING

Paul looks feverish and clammy as he buttons up his uniform

jacket. Jan is packing his lunch, throwing him looks, knowing

how sick he is.

PAUL

I'm going.

JAN

What?

PAUL

To the doctor. I'm going.

(off her look)

Today. Just as soon as we get the

new inmate squares away.

JAN

That bad?

PAUL

Oh yeah.

She hands him his brown-bagged lunch, kisses his face.

CUT TO: