Twisted Minds

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TRAIN - WILL GRAHAM'S SLEEPER CABIN - DUSK-

They sit opposite one another in a sleeper cabin -- two chairs beside the window with a table, bunk beds and a small bathroom. Old wood. A taste of a Europe from days gone by. The train's RATTLE and CLACK is a constant background. "Hannibal would burn all kinds of barks and incense for me to identify by scent alone. He was charming the way a cub is charming, a small cub that grows up to be like one of the big cats."
"One you can't play with later."

"The day I met Hannibal, he was an orphan. I was meant to meet him with his sister, but he was alone."

"How did you meet him?"

"I was his aunt's attendant. My parents sent me to learn from Lady Murasaki when I was just a girl. I learned from Hannibal, too. He had all the wisdom in miniature."

"He comes in the guise of a mentor, but it's distress that excites him." I say, in all the years ive known Hannibal lecter ive known this statement to be true. "I'm not in distress." I laugh softly, silly girl. "Not anymore. You had a strict rule about taking life and you broke it. Is it on your mind? Do you see killing him over and over?"

"No. I see you. How do you know Hannibal's in Florence?"

"Botticelli." Will hands her an Uffizi Gallery POSTCARD of the Primavera.

"When we find him, I will have steady hands and a slow heart. Will you?" Will offers a faint smile, glances out the window. She stares at him a moment, then glances outside herself. "I've never been to Italy. I never expected to. Birds eat thousands of snails every day. Some of those snails survive digestion and emerge to find they've traveled the world."

"In the belly of the beast." Chiyoh stares at The Couple, then her attention drifts back to the
window and the passing landscape. through the window, the landscape is revealed to be...

PONTE SANTA TRINITÀ - EARLY MORNING-

The arch of the bridge is still quiet as we find JACK CRAWFORD moving across the span. The splendor of ancient Florence around him. The calm waters of the Arno reflecting the gaily-yellow
buildings crowding either bank. Jack walks to the center of the bridge, the Arno River stretching in either direction. The Ponte Vecchio downriver from him.

We now see Jack carries an URN, and he rests it on the edge of the bridge. Watches sunlight dance on the water. A wistful smile. And then Jack lifts the lid from the urn, dips in a hand and
lifts out Bella's ashes. some escape on the light breeze. He leans out and drops them into the water. Watches as they dapple the surface and disappear.

Another handful. And then another. And then he tips the urn and the ashes fall in a sudden rush to the water below... As he releases Bella's remains to the sun-kissed waters. Ponders his hand stained with her ashes, then removes his wedding ring and tosses it into the river. The wedding ring drifts away into dark waters.

PAZZI'S APARTMENT - DINING ROOM - NIGHT-

Jack sits at a table with PAZZI and his beautiful wife, ALLEGRA, in the midst of setting the table. She notices Jack's ring finger and the depression above his knuckle. "You've recently stopped wearing your wedding ring."

"You've just started wearing yours."

"I have a young and lovely wife. Her efforts have ground twelve pounds off my frame."

"La Vita Nuova." She kisses Pazzi and pours wine. "Divorced?"

"Widowed. I met her in Italy. It's strange being here without her."

"What was her name?"

"Bella."

"To Bella. Cin-cin." They drink and Allegra moves back to the kitchen. Pazzi glances at his wife through the door. "I look at her and I think about all the things I want to give her..."