BLEEDING FOR BEAUTY AND LOVE

Susan is alone in her room wearing a robe over lingerie. She is holding a bouquet of flowers and she reads a card.

SUSAN

Dear God, please let this work out. Please let him love me as much as I love him.

There is a knock on the door. Susan prepares herself and then she answers it. Faust can barely look at her when he comes through the door.

FAUST

I see you got the flowers.

SUSAN

Yes. They're beautiful.

FAUST

Susan, I just wanted to - I wanted to tell you that I'm going away for a while.

SUSAN

Going ? where are you going?

FAUST

It doesn't matter. I need to get away so that I can ?

He reaches out to touch her, but she walks away.

FAUST

Susan, this has nothing to do with you. I need to be alone for a while.

SUSAN

I'm trying to understand, but you keep running away from me. Why would you want to be ALONE? I've been alone all my life. I don't want to be alone.

FAUST

Susan, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to cause you any more pain.

She grabs a rose.

SUSAN

See this rose?

She opens her robe and sticks the thorns in her chest.

This rose doesn't mean to cause me pain. It's just what it is - a beautiful, dangerous thing, but if I stick myself hard enough -

She does so again and again .

It hurts and I BLEED AND HURT MORE. So that must be it Jonathan. You're just nature and I have to bleed when I touch you.

She wails in agony.

SUSAN

This is what we get for touching beauty.

She grabs the whole bunch of roses and begins tearing herself all over with them. He tries to stop her and she fights him off. She continues to tear herself on the thorns.

I'm bleeding for beauty and love Jonathan. I'm bleeding for you. NO. Don't touch me. Please don't. Not now. Leave me alone. PLEASE LEAVE.

FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE

INT. MOTEL ROOM

Faust is sprawled on his bed. He is extremely tired but not really able to relax. In his mind, he sees quick images of the young girl who took him in after his collapse on the street. He is clearly thinking about her when he hears a knock on his door. He gets up and looks out the peephole and then slowly opens the door. Standing outside is the young girl Faust saw in flashes earlier. He is totally stunned. Neither one of them speaks for a few moments.

SUSAN

You told me where you were staying, so I -- I thought maybe I should check on you.

FAUST

Come in. Come in.

She hesitates but eventually accepts.

FAUST (CONT'D)

Wow. I don't remember much. I was just - I'm sorry, I didn't even catch your name.

SUSAN

Oh yeah, of course, I'm Susan. I - you were really out of it.

FAUST

I know I - Why don't you have a seat?

She sits down.

FAUST (CONT'D)

You want anything? I could call -

SUSAN

No. No. I mean, I can't really stay. My father doesn't even know I'm gone and he would - I mean when I brought you into the church, he was really - He made me get on my knees and pray to protect me from -

She hesitates.

FAUST

The devil?

SUSAN

Yeah. I mean I know it's crazy, but- and when I went with you to the hospital, he was -

FAUST

You went with me?

SUSAN

Yeah. I didn't, you know, I didn't want you to be alone.

Faust is touched by her words. They sit and look at each other for a few moments.

SUSAN (CONT'D)

Look, I didn't mean to bother you. I can just -

FAUST

There's no way you could bother me.

SUSAN

I mean if you have stuff to do I could -

Faust impulsively grabs her hand and holds it very meaningfully while he looks at her and when the moment is right he kisses her.

Susan is trembling and almost in tears. Faust is extremely gentle and comforting in his manner. None of the aggression and intensity of previous scenes.

Susan breathes intensely and looks down and around and away but always glancing back at his face and never letting go of his hand.

They are both almost laughing and crying from an overflow of emotion.

FAUST

For once in my life I'm not going to question why something good is happening to me. I'm just going to -

No more words. Just looks and emotions and finally an infinitely tender kiss that fades out and takes Faust back to his dressing room where he is savoring this memory.

OH MOTHER

INT. MOTEL ROOM
Faust opens the hotel room door and two young girls are standing outside. They smile and laugh as he invites them in. Inside the room, they are all happy and laughing and joking. The girls are obviously thrilled to be with Faust and everyone is having a good time. Faust deeply kisses each girl.
INT. DRESSING ROOM
Faust sits alone in his dressing room. He is drinking whiskey from a bottle and looking intently at a clock which reads about 10 to midnight. The light is shadowy.
INT. MOTHER'S BEDROOM
Faust's mother sits at her dressing table. She is smoking and doing her nails as she talks to him.
MOTHER
You shouldn't be so upset about your daddy leaving. He wasn't no good anyway. He owned that filthy club but we never seen anything from it.
She thinks about Faust's father for a moment and then she looks at her nails carefully.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
It's just you and me now.
She gives him an entirely winning smile and then goes back to her primping.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
Gotta get myself looking good for tonight. It's really important for mommy to look good.
She turns to Faust and shows off her beautiful body. The camera lingers to give a sense of appreciating her.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
What do you think? Do you like my lipstick?
She laughs.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
Don't look at me like that. I'm your mommy.
She looks at him disapprovingly for a few moments and there is even the hint of real anger and possible violence, but then she softens and seems again to invite his attention.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
You know, I wish you wouldn't listen to so much of that heavy metal music. It's really dangerous you know. I mean I know I ain't no saint, but that stuff comes from the devil. You really gotta think about your soul honey.
She has finished with her nails and she blows on them a bit. She then picks up a lipstick and begins to apply it to her mouth. The camera again goes in close to suggest the fascination of the boy as he watches his mother. She continues intensely with what she's doing and then finally turns toward her son and gives him a knowing little smile. She stands up and lets her silk robe drop to the floor. She is wearing only lingerie now.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
Time for you to get outta here and let me put on some more clothes.