Int. E block - night. Coffey sits quietly in his cell, a solitary firefly flitting

Coffey sits quietly in his cell, a solitary firefly flitting

in circles around his finger. Paul and the men appear. The

firefly flits away, vanishing through Coffey's tiny window.

COFFEY

Hello, boss.

PAUL

Hello, John.

Brutal unlocks his cell. Paul enters.

PAUL

I guess you know we're coming down

to it now. Another couple of days.

(beat)

Is there anything special you'd

like for dinner that night? We can

rustle you up most anything.

Coffey gives it some careful thought.

COFFEY

Meatloaf be nice. Mashed taters

with gravy. Okra, maybe. I's not

picky.

PAUL

What about a preacher? Someone you

could say a little prayer with?

COFFEY

Don't want no preacher. You can

say a prayer, if you want. I could

get kneebound with you, I guess.

PAUL

Me?

Coffey gives him a look--please.

PAUL

S'pose I could, if it came to that.

Paul sits, working himself up to it:

PAUL

John, I have to ask you something

very important right now.

COFFEY

I know what you gonna say. You

don' have to say it.

PAUL

I do. I do have to.

(beat)

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 can get?

COFFEY

Why would you do such a foolish

thing?

Paul hesitates, emotions swirling, trying to find the right

words.

PAUL

On the day of my judgement, when

I stand before God, and He asks me

why did I kill one of his true

miracles, what am I gonna say?

That is was my job? My job?

COFFEY

You tell God the Father it was a

kindness you done.

(takes his hand)

I know you hurtin' and worryin',

I can feel it on you, but you

oughtta quit on it now. Because I

want it over and done. I do.

Coffey hesitates--now he's the one trying to find the right

words, trying to make Paul understand:

COFFEY

I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on

the road, lonely as a sparrow in

the rain. Tired of not ever having

me a buddy to be with, or tell me

where we's coming from or going

to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of

people being ugly to each other.

I'm tired of all the pain I feel

and hear in the world ever' day.

There's too much of it. It's like

pieces of glass in my head all the

time. Can you understand?

By now, Paul is blinking back tears. Softly:

PAUL

Yes, John. I think I can.

BRUTAL

There must be something we can do

for you, John. There must be

something you want.

Coffey thinks about this long and hard, finally looks up.

COFFEY

I ain't never seen me a flicker

show.

CUT TO:

TIGHT ON COFFEY'S FACE

gazing with wide-eyed, open-mouthed wonder, the light of a

motion picture projector flickering on his skin...