BRAD (O.S.)

As I live and breathe!

They gasp and spin. Brad Dolan stands in the doorway.

BRAD

Fooled you, didn't I Got yourself

a little love nest here, I see...

He pauses, seeing Mr. Jingles.

BRAD

...what the fuck? Is that a mouse?

PAUL

Don't hurt him, okay? Okay?

BRAD

It's a goddamn mouse, y'old fool,

they carry all kind'a disease...

Brad grabs an old garden hoe--the blade's rusted, but still

sharp enough to cut a mouse in two.

BRAD

...now step aside.

Paul rushes in front of Brad, fists clenched, yelling:

PAUL

You leave him alone, Percy! You

leave him alone, or by God I'll--

Brad gives Paul a hard shove, pins him against the wall.

BRAD

Who you calling Percy? Name's

Brad, you senile fucker. And I'm

gonna nail that mouse, you can

take that to the everfucking bank.

Elaine is suddenly at Brad's elbow, seething with fury:

ELAINE

How dare you? Get out!

BRAD

Piss off, you wrinkeldy old bitch.

Me and Paulie are talking.

ELAINE

His name is Mr. Edgecomb. If you

ever call him Paulie again, your

days of employment at Georgia

Pines will end.

BRAD

Who the hell you think you are?

ELAINE

I am the grandmother of the man

who is currently Speaker of the

Georgia House of Representatives.

A man who loves his relatives, Mr.

Dolan. All it would take is a

phone call.

Brad's smile falters. Elaine steps closer.

ELAINE

At first I thought I'd let you be.

I'm old, and that seemed easiest.

But when my friends are threatened

and abused, I do not let it be.

(icy beat)

Now get out, or you won't work

another day here. Not another

hour. I swear it.

Brad eases his grip on Paul...and backs off.

BRAD

Don't know what you're getting so

het up about. Just a damn mouse.

ELAINE

Get out, you ignorant man. What

little mind you have is ugly and

misdirected.

Brad flushes red, heads for the door. He pauses.

BRAD

Don't bother coming back here

tomorrow...Mr. Edgecomb Gonna be

a new lock on this door. This is

off-limits to residents, no matter

what Mrs. My Shit Don't Stink has

to say about it.

And off he goes. Paul tries to control the shaking in his

hands, looks to Elaine.

ELAINE

Little trick I learned from Percy

Wetmore.

PAUL

Is your grandson really Speaker of

the House?

ELAINE

He is.

Paul bends down, picks Mr. Jingles up.

PAUL

You gonna thank the lady? She just

saved your old mousie hide.

The mouse stretches his neck forward, nose twitching,

smelling Paul's breath. Paul looks to Elaine. Softly:

PAUL

I think Mr. Jingles happened by

accident. I think when we

electrocuted Del, and it all went

so badly...well, John could feel

it, you know...and I think a tiny

part of whatever was inside of him

just leapt out...

(beat)

Me, I was no accident. John had to

give me a little part of

himself...a gift, like...so I

could see for myself what Wild

Bill had done. When John did that,

a part of whatever power worked

through him spilled into me.

ELAINE

He...what? Infected you with life?

Paul looks at the mouse, strokes him gently between the ears.

PAUL

That's as good a word as any. He

infected us both, didn't he, Mr.

Jingles. With life.

(beat)

I'm a hundred and five years old,

Elaine. I was forty the year John

Coffey walked the Green Mile.

ELAINE

...oh my God...

CAMERA PUSHES SLOWLY IN on Paul as:

PAUL

I haven't even had a cold since

1935. I've had to watch my friends

and loved ones die off through the

years...Hal and Melinda...Brutus

Howell...my wife...my son...

(beat)

...and you, Elaine. You'd die,

too, and my curse is knowing I'll

be there to see it...

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