Kathe and Cora

...and every child. Be my

strength, be my friend...

And then the vision is gone as:

COFFEY

...be with me until the end. Amen.

Coffey rises, offers Paul his hand, helps him up.

EXECUTION CHAMBER

Full house tonight. Bill Dodge is waiting at Old Sparky.

Silence as Coffey is led in, all eyes on him. Klaus and

Marjorie Detterick are in the front row. She mutters:

MARJORIE

Die slow, you bastard.

COFFEY

is faltering as Paul and Brutal bring him to the chair.

COFFEY

They's a lot of folks here hate

me. A lot. I can feel it. Like

bees stinging me. It hurts.

BRUTAL

Feel how we feel, then. We don't

hate you--can you feel that?

Coffey tries to take comfort in it, but flinches as:

MARJORIE

Kill him twice, you boys! You go

on and kill that raping baby-

killer twice, that'd be fine!

She dissolves into tears. Klaus pulls her against his

shoulder, looking dazed by the whole thing.

Paul and Brutal turn John around, sit him down. Paul notices

Dean crying again, his back to the witnesses. They kneel to

apply the leg clamps, while Brutal and Harry secure the arms.

PAUL

Wipe you face before you stand up,

Dean.

Dean nods, wiping his face with the sleeve of his coat. They

rise, stepping back. This time, Paul's out front:

PAUL

Roll on one.

Van Hay cranks the generator. The lights flare hotter and

brighter. It's just like in Melinda's bedroom the night

Coffey cured her with a kiss. Airless and bright, dreamlike.

MARJORIE

Does it hurt yet? I hope it does!

I hope it hurts like hell!

PAUL

John Coffey...you have been

condemned to die in the electric

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?

John hesitates, nods.

COFFEY

I'm sorry for what I am.

MARJORIE

You ought to be! Oh, you monster,

you damn well ought to be!

Brutal takes the mask from the hook to draw it over Coffey's

head. Coffey looks to Paul with terrified, pleading eyes.

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

All right, John.

Brutal puts the mask back, proceeds with the sponge.

IN TIGHT ANGLES

The cap is lowered, the straps drawn. Coffey is breathing

fast, terrified, muttering under his breath:

COFFEY

...heaven...I'm in heaven...

heaven...heaven...heaven...

THE WITNESSES

sit and wait, barely breathing.

JACK VAN HAY

is poised at the switch, wondering why the order won't come.

PAUL

is staring at Coffey, unable to say the words.

BRUTAL

(whispers)

Paul. You have to say it. You have

to give the order.

Paul can't. He reaches out and touches Coffey's hand. Their

fingers clasp. In that moment, staring into his eyes, Paul

hears the last thought that ever goes through Coffey's head:

COFFEY

(whispered V.O.)

He kill 'em with they love. That's

how it is ever' day. All over the

worl'...

Their fingers disengage. Paul steps back, eyes still locked

with Coffey's, and says the hardest words he's ever spoken:

PAUL

Roll on two.

Van Hay throws the switch. Coffey surges forward, fingers

splayed and jittering past Old Sparky's arms.

Lights begin blowing out all over the Mile, raining shattered

glass and sparks. Some of the witnesses scream.

A thin line of blood comes trickling out of Klaus Detterick's

nose. He reaches up, absently wipes it away.

Coffey's eyes are locked on Paul's, riding the lightning all

the way. He finally slumps. Van Hay kills the current.

Coffey's expression is peaceful, as if sleeping. A final pair

of tears drift gently down his cheeks.

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