DISSOLVE TO: EXT. LOUISIANA-DAY (1791)
(A disheveled Louis, hair in pigtail, in deep pocket frock coat, rides
his horse through the fields of indigo, passing an overseer and slaves
at work. He passes slave quarters and the distant colonial mansion of Pointe
du Lac. He is in front of an elaborate tomb one in Greek Style, drinking
at the foot of a statue.)
LV: I had lost my wife in childbirth, she and the infant had been buried
less then half a year.
(The statue is of a marble angel, feminine, her arms crossed on her
chest)
LV: I would have been happy to join them,(Crickets chirping. He drinks
from a pocket-flask. His face is ashen.) I couldn't bare the pain of their
loss, I longed to be released from it.
INT. WATERFRONT TAVERN-NIGHT
(Chicken clucking, more crickets, Tavern People)
(Louis in ragged lace and dirty brocade sitting between two whores
at a gaming table, drinking absinthe. All around him flatboat men, whores,
gamblers, black African freedmen.)
LV: I wanted to loss it all, my wealth, my estate, my sanity.
(Whore hugging Louis, Louis displays a hand of four aces.)
Man Playing Cards: How many aces are in that deck?
L: You calling me a cheat?(Man at the table stands in fury, over turning
money, cards, drinks. The gambler pulls out a pearl-handled pistol and
points it at Louis. The crowd hushes and draws back)
Man Playing Cards: I'm calling you a piece of stinking awful.(Man Raise
gun, Louie smiles, and opens his lace shirt, exposing his chest. Man's
finger on the trigger, his hand shakes.)
L: You lack the courage of your convictions sir, do it.
(Lestat Enters, looking down from the second floor at Louis.)
LV: Most of all I longed for death, I know that now, I invited it.
A release from the pain of living.
EXT. WATERFRONT-Night (Loud, crowded riverfront taverns full of ruffians.
Louis staggers down, an arm around a whore, drinking, from a bottle. A
pockmarked pimp follows behind.)
(Lestat watches quietly, on the street.)
LV: My invitation was open to anyone, (Chickens clucking) to the whore
at my side, to the pimp that followed, but it was a vampire that accepted.
(Lestat standing prominate)
EXT. WHARF - Night
(Louis, quite insensible, being propped up against a wall by the whore
in a dank wharf over the water. The pimp rifles his pockets, then pulls
a knife, about to slice his throat)
Pimp: (The Pimp holds the dagger at Louis throat.) Give me your money
or you die.
(A shadow falls over him. He turns, and we see the face of Lestat,
who lifts him into the air by his throat, breaking his neck, the whore
screams and Lestat's other hand clamps over her mouth. Lestat drags her
towards him. Louis falls to the ground, supported no more, insensible.
Close on his face, as we hear the last breaths of life of the whore.)
(Lestat hisses, and bites Louis. Louis Gasps. On Louis's face every
muscle rigid, teeth clenched, as the blood is drained from him. They float
in air. They are hovering above the ground, like two quivering dancers.
The wind billows through the ghostly white sails and rigging of the boats
around the wharf. Lestat floats higher, with Louis in his arms, draining
his blood. ).
Lestat (E): Do you still want death? Or have you tasted it enough.
L: (Louis can barely get the words out) Enough.
(Lestat drops Louis, Louis falls