1. Then I Became Death, Destroyer of Worlds
five pages of
an original screenplay by
Chuck Loch
Chuck Loch
14314 Summertime Lane
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 713-5480
chuck9@sbcglobal.net

2. 75.
INT. TECH LAB BUILDING DAY
OPPIE'S OFFICE
A BOWL OF HOT SOUP, a SANDWICH, sit in front of him.
Fuchs passes by, leans in.
FUCHS
Lunch?
OPPIE
Eating in.
FUCHS
See you later.
He walks away, then comes back.
He reaches into his pocket, produces an OPENED LETTER, hands
it to Oppie.
FUCHS
Picked this up out of your box. Looks
like the censors had a go at it.
OPPIE
Thanks.
Alone, Oppie looks it over. The return address indicates
it's from Haarkon Chevalier, Ph.D., Department of French,
University of California, Berkeley.
He opens it, takes out TWO LETTERS, reads the first.
OPPIE (V.O.)
Dear Oppie: I regret to inform you
your former fiancée and our mutual
friend, Jean Tatlock, was found dead
in her apartment one week ago.
Evidence suggests her death was due
to sleeping pills. The day after I
heard the news, I received the
enclosed letter from Jean addressed
to you. You have my sincerest
sympathy. Your friend, Haarken.
Oppie puts the first letter down, pauses for a moment before
he unfolds the second.
TATLOCK (V.O.)
My Dearest Oppie: I wanted so much
to live and to give but I got
paralyzed somehow. Even though we
were together many times since you
married Kitty I still shivered in
anticipation at seeing you and kissing
you when you got off the train at
Key Station last year. I didn't think

3. 76.
TATLOCK (V.O.)
you'd come. Our little dinner at
Xochimicho's was delightful and my
heart soared when you agreed to stay
the night. Then you were gone and
didn't answer my letters. I couldn't
take being alone. Please remember me
kindly. Jean.
Oppie folds Tatlock's letter.
OPPIE (V.O.)
I couldn't think of her the way she
wanted, I was so damn mad: she left
me.
INT. LOS ALAMOS DORMITORY DAY
With sadness in his walk, Feynman approaches Fuchs who's in
his pajamas, sitting on his bunk, stretching, yawning.
FUCHS
Good gosh, Richard. What time is it?
FEYNMAN
It's early, Karl. I need your keys.
FUCHS
The call came?
Feynman nods.
FUCHS
I'm sorry.
FEYNMAN
I'll probably be back tomorrow.
FUCHS
Keep it for as long as you need it.
Fuchs presses the KEYS into Feynman's hand.
EXT. STATE ROUTE TWENTY-TWO DAY
Fuchs' blue Buick with Feynman at the wheel races along.
INT. CAR DAY
TWO HITCHHIKERS, one OBESE, one GAUNT - a Laurel and Hardy
pair - holding a hand-lettered "Albuquerque" SIGN stand beside
the road.
Feynman slows down, stops for them.
FEYNMAN
Hop in. I could use some company.
The Hitchhikers jump in the car. Feynman drives off.

4. 77.
FEYNMAN
Where you boys headed?
OBESE HITCHHIKER
University of New Mexico?
FEYNMAN
Me too.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR DAY
As Feynman speeds past a ROAD SIGN labeled Santa Fe, a front
tire EXPLODES.
FEYNMAN
Jesus Christ. Not now.
He fights the wheel. The car careens across the road and
back, barely missing a collision with a TRUCK traveling in
the opposite direction.
He pulls off to the side, gets out, surveys the damage.
FEYNMAN
Crap.
EXT. CAR DAY
The Hitchhikers finish changing the tire. They stow the flat
tire and jack in the trunk.
INT. CAR DAY
They're on the road again. Feynman drives more slowly.
Another tire EXPLODES.
He bangs his fists on the steering wheel.
FEYNMAN
We don't have another spare.
Feynman pulls over to the side of the road.
EXT. CAR DAY
The Hitchhikers push the car into a nearby gas station.
EXT. GAS STATION DAY
Feynman talks to the attendant who's working on a car up on
the lift in the station's single bay.
He walks over to the Hitchhikers.

5. 78.
FEYNMAN
Sorry, boys. I'll have to leave the
car here until he can get to it.
Feynman, the Hitchhikers stand by the side of the road.
Feynman holds the sign.
EXT. UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HOSPITAL DAY
A car stops. Feynman jumps out of the back seat, salutes the
driver, runs inside the main doors.
INT. UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HOSPITAL DAY
TB WARD
DOCTORS, NURSES, and ORDERLIES gather around a single bed.
Patients in PAJAMAS and/or HOUSECOATS lie or sit on their
beds, watching the life or death drama unfolding before them.
Some lose themselves in uncontrollable fits of coughing.
Feynman barges into the room, sees the cluster of Medical
Personnel, and wails
FEYNMAN
Arlene.
He rushes to her, pushing Doctors and Nurses out of the way.
HEAD PHYSICIAN
Mr. Feynman you can't---
FEYNMAN
---What are you doing to save her?
Feynman stares him down.
Feynman scoops up Arlene, pulls her limp body out of the
bed, holds her close.
He cradles her head, kisses her hair. He hears each RASPY
BREATH she struggles to take.
FEYNMAN
I've got you now, baby. I won't let
you go.
CUT TO:
INT. UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HOSPITAL DAY
Arlene lies still, hands folded across her chest. She doesn't
struggle to breath anymore.
Feynman sits next to her body, his head in his hands.

6. 79.
A Nurse enters and hands him a form to sign. It's her DEATH
CERTIFICATE.
He stares at it a moment before he signs it.
He glances at the DIGITAL CLOCK - one of the first - sharing
the table beside her bed with a box of Kleenex. The clock is
stopped at nine twenty-two.
He looks back at the Death Certificate. The "Time of Death"
is listed as nine twenty two.
FEYNMAN
I gave you that clock seven years
ago, when you first got sick. It's
served you well. Now it stopped when
you stopped, but I've got to go on.
INT. TECH LAB BUILDING DAY
OPPIE'S OFFICE
Fuchs sits with Oppie. They drink coffee, discuss a memo
from Groves.
OPPIE
The General thinks we should choose
a name for the field test as quickly
as possible - to avoid confusion. He
suggests Project T. "T" for test.
Procurement calls it Project S. The
Business Office calls it Project A.
And the Secretary's Office refers to
it as Project J. Personally, I don't
like any name that has only one
letter.
Feynman appears in the doorway. He tosses the keys to Fuchs.
FUCHS
What happened?
FEYNMAN
She's dead...how's the program going?
OPPIE
Pull up a chair.
CUT TO: