НАЗВАНИЕ: Fight Club (1999)
ГОД: 1999
СЦЕНАРИСТ: Jim Uhls and Chuck Palahniuk
ИСТОЧНИК: ScriptSlug (PDF) — https://www.scriptslug.com/script/fight-club-1999
URL: https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/fight-club-1999.pdf
СКАЧАНО: 2026-10-12 11:49
ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ: текст чужой, для личного изучения. Не распространять. Не исполнять.
======================================================================

     FIGHT CLUB



     Written by


     Jim Uhls




Based on the book by

  Chuck Palahniuk
SCREEN BLACK

                    JACK (V.O.)
          People were always asking me, did I
          know Tyler Durden.

                                                    FADE IN:

INT. SOCIAL ROOM - TOP FLOOR OF HIGH-RISE - NIGHT

TYLER has the barrel of a HANDGUN lodged in JACK'S MOUTH.
They struggle intensely.

They are both around 30; Tyler is blond, handsome, eyes
burning with frightening intensity; and JACK, brunette, is
appealing in a dry sort of way. They are both sweating and
disheveled; Jack seems to be losing his will to fight.

                    TYLER
          We won't really die.   We'll be
          immortal.

                    JACK
          oor -- ee-ee --uh -- aa-i --

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          With a gun barrel between your
          teeth, you speak only in vowels.

Jack tongues the barrel to the side of his mouth.

JACK (still distorted) (CONT'D) You're thinking of vampires.

Jack tries to get the gun.   Tyler keeps control.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          With my tongue, I can feel the
          silencer holes drilled into the
          barrel of the gun. Most of the
          noise a gunshot makes is expanding
          gases. I totally forgot about
          Tyler's whole murder-suicide thing
          for a second and I wondered how
          clean the gun barrel was.

Tyler checks his watch.

                    TYLER
          Three minutes.

Jack turns so that he can see down -- 71 STORIES.
                                                          2.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The building we're standing won't
          be here in three minutes.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You take a 98-percent concentration
          of fuming nitric acid and add three
          times as much sulfuric in a bathtub
          full of ice. Then, glycerin drop-
          by- drop. Nitroglycerin. I know
          this because Tyler knows this.

Jack manages to SHOVE Tyler away. Then, he leaps onto him
and they fall onto a table, then roll off onto the floor.
The gun falls and slides. They wrestle with each other,
then dash for the gun. Tyler gets there first and grabs the
gun. DURING THE ABOVE:

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The Demolitions Committee of
          Project Mayhem wrapped the
          foundation columns of this building
          with blasting gelatin. The primary
          charge will blow the base charge,
          and this spot Tyler and I are
          standing on will be a point in the
          sky.

Tyler drags Jack back to the glass wall and forces him to
look out at the city skyline.

                    TYLER
          This is our world now.   Two
          minutes.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Two minutes to go and I'm wondering
          how I got here.

MOVE IN ON JACK'S FACE.

SLOWLY PULL BACK from Jack's face. It's pressed against TWO
LARGE BREASTS that belong to.. BOB, a big moose of a man,
around 35 years old. Jack is engulfed by Bob's arms in an
embrace. Bob weeps openly.

His shoulders inhale themselves up in a long draw, then
drop, drop, drop in jerking sobs. Jack gives Bob some
squeezes in return, but his face is stone.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Bob had bitch tits.

PULL BACK TO WIDE ON
                                                       3.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - NIGHT

All the men are paired off, hugging each other, talking in
emotional tones. Some pairs lean forward, heads pressed ear-
to-ear, the way wrestlers stand, locked. Near the door a
temporary sign on a stand:

"REMAINING MEN TOGETHER".

                    JACK (V.O.)
          This was a support group for men
          with testicular cancer. The big
          moosie slobbering all over me was
          Bob.

                    BOB
          I owned my own gym.    I did product
          endorsements.

                    JACK
          You were a six-time champion.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Bob, the big cheesebread. Always
          told me his life story.

                    BOB
          We're still men.

                     JACK
          Yes.   We're men.   Men is what we
          are.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Bob cried. Six months ago, his
          testicles were removed. Then
          hormone therapy. He developed
          bitch tits because his testosterone
          was too high and his body upped the
          estrogen. That was where my head
          fit -- into his sweating tits that
          hang enormous, the way we think of
          God's as big.

Bob hugs tighter, then looks with empathy into Jack's eyes.

                    BOB
          Maybe it's just seminoma. With
          seminoma, you have a hundred
          percent survival rate.

The Leader steps forward and signals everyone.
                                                            4.

                     LEADER
          Okay.   Group hug.

Everyone converges into a cluster with arms thrown around
shoulders, making a big mass of sobbing, smiling goodwill.

                      JACK (V.O.)
          No. Wait.     Back up. Let me start
          earlier.

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jack lies in bed, staring at the ceiling. He hears VOICES
from beyond the wall. A FLY buzzes over his face.

He swats at it, missing.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          For six months. I couldn't sleep.

INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Jack, eyes puffy, face pale, sits before the Doctor, who
studies him with bemusement.

                    DOCTOR
          No, you can't die of insomnia.

                    JACK
          Maybe I already died.   Look at my
          face.

                    DOCTOR
          You need to lighten up.

                    JACK
          Can you give me something?

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Little red-and-blue Tuinal,
          lipstick- red Seconals.

                    DOCTOR (OVERLAPPING W/ ABOVE)
          You need healthy, natural sleep.
          Chew valerian root and get more
          exercise.

The Doctor ushers Jack to the door.    They step into the

INT. HALLWAY

Where the Doctor starts moving away from Jack, picking up a
chart on a door.
                                                         5.

                    JACK
          I'm in pain.

                    DOCTOR
              (facetious)
          You want to see pain? Swing by
          Meyer High on a Tuesday night and
          see the guys with testicular
          cancer.

The Doctor moves into the other room.   Jack stares after him
somberly.

MOVE IN ON JACK'S FACE.

                                              PULL BACK TO
                                                  WIDE ON:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - NIGHT

Jack stares at a group of men, including Bob, who are all
listening to a group member speak at a lectern. The speaker
has death-white skin and sunken eyes -- he's clearly dying.

                    SPEAKER
          I.. wanted to have three kids. Two
          boys and a girl. Mindy wanted two
          girls and one boy. We never agreed
          on anything.

The Speaker cracks a sad smile.   Some men chuckle, happy to
lighten the mood.

                    SPEAKER (CONT'D)
          Well.. she had her first girl a
          month ago.. with her new husband.

Thank God, because she deserves..

The speaker breaks down and WEEPS UNCONTROLLABLY.   Jack is
riveted. He

barely breathes.   CUT TO:

INT. GYM - LATER

A Leader herds people into pairing-off.

                    LEADER
          Find a partner.

Bob starts toward Jack, shuffling his feet. Jack watches
him, still moved by his experience, face full of intense
empathy.
                                                          6.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The big moosie, his eyes already
          shrink-wrapped in tears. Knees
          together, invisible steps.

Bob takes Jack into an embrace.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          He pancaked down on top of me.

                    BOB
          Two grown kids.. and they won't
          return my calls.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Strangers with this kind of honesty
          make me go a big rubbery one.

Jack's face is rapt and sincere. Bob stops talking and
breaks into sobbing, putting his head down on Jack's
shoulder and completely covering Jack's face.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Then, I was lost in oblivion --
          dark and silent and complete.

Jack's body begins to jerk in sobs.    He tightens his arms
around Bob.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          This was freedom. Losing all hope
          was freedom.

Jack pulls back from Bob. On Bob's chest, there's a WET
MASK of Jack's face from how he looked weeping.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Babies don't sleep this well.

INT. JACKS' BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jack lies sound asleep.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I became addicted.

INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT

Jack moves into a "group hug" of sickly people, men and
women. In view is a sign by the door "Free and Clear".

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I felt more alive than I've ever
          felt.
                                                          7.

INT. OFFICE BUILDING BASEMENT - NIGHT

Jack pulls back from a group hug of more sickly people.
They pair-off.

Jack stands with a weeping middle-aged WOMAN. He gingerly
takes her in his arms, pats her back. He begins to cry
along with her. In view is a sign by the door: "Onward and
Upward".

                    JACK (V.O.)
          If I didn't say anything, people
          assumed the worst. They cried
          harder. I cried harder.

INT. CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL - NIGHT

Jack is in an embrace with a YOUNG MAN.   They are both
weeping.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I wasn't really dying. I wasn't
          host to cancer or parasites; no, I
          was the warm little center that the
          life of this world crowded around.

INT. PUBLIC BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

Everyone settles in their seats and a Leader takes the
microphone.

                    LEADER
          Okay, everyone, close your eyes.
          Imagine your pain as a white ball
          of healing light. Go down your
          secret path to your cave and join
          up with your power animal.

EXT. ENTRANCE OF CAVE (JACK'S IMAGINATION)

Jack walks up to the entrance and out comes a PENGUIN.    The
penguin looks at him, smiles.

                      PENGUIN
          Slide.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Jack walks out of a doorway, saying goodbye to people.    He
walks down the sidewalk, his face shining with peace.
                                                          8.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Every evening I died and every
          evening I was born. Resurrected.

                                               CUT BACK TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - *RESUMING*

Jack still hanging in an embrace with Bob.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Bob loved me because he thought my
          testicles were removed, too. Being
          there, my face against his tits,
          getting ready to cry -- this was my
          vacation.

MARLA SINGER enters. She has short matte black hair and
big, dark eyes like a character from Japanese animation.

                    MARLA
          This is cancer, right?

She raises a cigarette to her lips.   The men gape at her,
dumbfounded.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          And *she* ruined everything.

                                                    CUT TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - LATER

Everyone paired-off. MOVE THROUGH ROOM    and catch snippets
of intimate, painful CONVERSATION.

FIND JACK'S FACE as it stares, over Bob's shoulder, eyes
full of deep hostility.

                     JACK (V.O.)
          Liar.   Faker. Liar.

MOVE THROUGH ROOM, hearing more CONVERSATION.

FIND MARLA'S FACE, over the shoulder of a MAN she's being
embraced by, SMOKING, blowing smoke rings.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          This.. chick.. Marla Singer... did
          not have testicular cancer. She
          had no diseases. She was a liar.
          I saw her at "We Shall Overcome,"
          my melanoma group Monday night..
                                                         9.

INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT

Marla sits with the group, smoking, while a member speaks.
Jack glares at her.

INT. CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL - NIGHT

Everyone sits with eyes closed while a speaker takes them
through a meditation. Various COUGHING around the room.
Jack's eyes open and he glares at Marla. Her eyes are
closed and she's smoking a cigarette.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          ... at "Seize The Day," my
          tuberculosis group Friday night.

                                              CUT BACK TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - RESUMING

Jack continues to glare at Marla. Her eyes briefly catch
his, then roll. Another puff of the cigarette.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Marla -- the big tourist. The
          faker. With her there, I was a
          faker, too. Her lie reflected my
          lie. And all of a sudden, I felt
          nothing.

With her there, I couldn't cry.

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jack, fully clothed, lies on top of his bed, holding a
cordless phone to his ear. He stares at the ceiling and
swats at a fly.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          So, once again, I couldn't sleep.

Jack hears something on the phone.   He sits up.

                    JACK
          I've been holding for thirty
          minutes.

Spread all over the floor by Jack's feet are INVOICES for
CREDIT CARDS.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Yes, that's right. Yes, but I
          transferred part of my balance to
          my Visa to get the lower rate.
                    (MORE)
                                                     10.
                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Oh, wait. No, it wasn't your Visa.
          Okay, I transferred all of the
          MasterCard.. to.. Look, can I just
          come down in person? I live here --
          in Wilmington. Yes, all my credit
          cards have main headquarters here.
          No? Why not? Why can't I speak to
          an account rep? No, wait, don't
          put me on --

Jack reacts to being put on hold.

INT. BATHROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jack sits on the toilet. He digs through a magazine rack.
IKEA catalogues, Pottery Barn catalogues and more of the
kind. Jack opens an IKEA catalog and flips through it.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I had become a slave to the IKEA
          nesting instinct. If I saw
          something like the clever Njurunda
          coffee tables in the shape of a
          lime green Yin and an orange Yang --

Move in on PHOTO of the tables.   CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Completely EMPTY.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I had to have it.

The Njurunda tables APPEAR.

INSERT - PHOTO OF SOFAS

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The Haparanda sofa group..

INT. JACK'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The sofa group APPEARS.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          ... with the orange slip covers by
          Erika Pekkari. The Johanneshov
          armchair in the Strinne green
          stripe pattern.

The armchair APPEARS.
                                                       11.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The Rislampa/Har lamps from wire
          and environmentally-friendly
          unbleached paper.

The lamp APPEARS.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The Vild hall clock of galvanized
          steel.

The clock APPEARS.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The Klipsk shelving unit.

The shelving unit APPEARS.

INT. BATHROOM - RESUMING

Jack flips the page of the catalogue to reveal a full-page
photo of an entire kitchen and dining room set.

                     JACK (V.O.)
          I would flip and wonder, "What kind
          of dining room set *defines* me as
          a person?"

Jack drops the catalog down, open to this spread. PAN OVER
to the magazine stack -- there's an old, tattered PLAYBOY.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          It used to be Playboys; now --
          IKEA.

INT. JACK'S KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

-- Looking exactly like the photo in the catalogue.   Jack
walks in with

the cordless phone still glued to his ear.

                    JACK
          I want to transfer my balance to
          get a lower interest rate.

Jack looks over the whole kitchen, dining room, and the
living room beyond.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          The things you own, they end up
          owning you.

Jack opens a cabinet, takes out a plate.
                                                      12.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          My hand-blown green glass dishes
          with the tiny bubbles and
          imperfections, proof they were
          crafted by the honest, simple, hard-
          working indigenous peoples of
          wherever.

He rummages through the refrigerator. It's practically
empty. Jack takes out a jar of mustard, opens it and uses a
butter knife to eat it.

INT. BEDROOM - LATER

Jack lies on the bed, phone still at his ear.

                    JACK
          I want to talk to a live person.

Jack reacts, listens, impatiently punches a single number;
waits, listens, punches another single number; listens. He
rolls over, looks at one of the bills on the floor and
punches an entire credit card number.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Next support group, after guided
          meditation, the white healing ball
          of light, after we open our
          chakras, when it comes time to hug,
          I'm going to grab that little
          bitch, Marla Singer, squeeze her
          arms down against her sides and
          say..

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Marla, you liar, you big tourist.
          Get out.

Jack yawns, rubs his eyes. They stay wide open. He punches
another number into the phone. He sees a LEVITATING,
STEAMING Starbucks paper coffee cup move from side to side
in front of his face.

INT. COPY ROOM - DAY

Jack stands over a copy machine. The Starbucks cup sits on
the lid, moving back and forth as the machine makes copies.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          With insomnia, nothing is real.
          Everything is far away. Everything
          is a copy of a copy of a copy.

Other people make copies, all with Starbucks cups, sipping.
                                                      13.

INT. OFFICE AREA - DAY

Floor-to-ceiling glass instead of walls. Industrial low-
pile gray carpet. Walls of upholstered plywood. There are
four small offices connected by a hallway to one large
office.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE - SAME

Jack, sipping from a Starbucks cup, stares blankly at his
Starbucks bag on the floor, full of newspapers.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          When deep space exploitation ramps
          up, it will be corporations that
          name everything. The IBM Stellar
          Sphere. The Philip Morris Galaxy.

Planet Starbucks.

Jack looks up as a pudgy MAN in his late thirties, enters.
Starbucks cup in hand, pulls up a chair, and slides a stack
of reports on Jack's desk. He pats Jack's back in a
superficially-friendly way.

                    PUDGY MAN
          I'm going to need you out-of-town a
          little more this week. We've got
          some "red-flags" to cover.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          It must've been Tuesday. My Boss
          was wearing his cornflower-blue
          tie.

JACK (listless "management-speak") (CONT'D) You want me to
de-prioritize my current reports until you advise of a
status upgrade?

                    PUDGY MAN - "BOSS"
          You need to make these your primary
          "action items".

                    JACK (V.O.)
          He was full of pep. Must've had
          his latte enema.

                    BOSS
          Here's your flight coupons. Call
          me from the road if there's any
          snags. Your itinerary..

Jack hides a yawn and pretends to listen.
                                                      14.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          When you have insomnia, you're
          never really awake and you're never
          really asleep, either.

INT. SMALL PROTESTANT CHURCH - NIGHT

Jack walks in and joins the crowd.

                    LEADER
          Okay, everyone. Chloe.

Jack catches sight of Marla, scowls at her. Taking the
lectern is CHLOE, a pale, sickly girl whose skin stretches
yellowish and tight around her bones. She wears a head
bandage. OVER the beginning of her SPEECH:

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Chloe looked the way Joni
          Mitchell's skeleton would look if
          you made it smile and walk around a
          party being extra nice to everyone.

                    CHLOE
          My status update is.. I'm still
          here -- but I don't know for how
          long. That's as much certainty as
          they can give me. I'm in a pretty
          lonely place. No one will have sex
          with me. I'm so close to death and
          all I want is to get laid for the
          last time. I have pornographic
          movies in my apartment, and
          lubricants and amyl nitrate..

The LEADER hardly knows what to do. He inches his way to
the lectern, and gingerly takes control of the microphone.

                    LEADER
          Thank you, Chloe. Everyone, close
          your eyes for meditation. Go to
          your cave and find your power
          animal.

EXT. ENTRANCE OF CAVE (JACK'S IMAGINATION)

Jack walks up to the entrance and finds MARLA -- smoking a
cigarette blowing smoke into his face, rolling her eyes in
condescension.

                    MARLA
          Slide.
                                                         15.

INT. CHRUCH - RESUMING

Jack's eyes snap open and turn to Marla.   He glowers,
watching her smoke with her eyes closed.

INT. CHURCH - LATER

The Leader, smiling opens his eyes and looks around the
group.

                    LEADER
          Good. Now. Pair off for the one-
          on- one. Pick someone special to
          you tonight.

Everyone stands and mills about, slowly pairing-off. Jack
sees the ghastly spectre of Chloe coming towards him. He
smiles at her. She smiles back; it takes her some time to
amble to him.

                    CHLOE
          Hello, Cornelius.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I never gave my real name at
          support groups.

                    CHLOE
          I'm showing signs of improvement.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Everyone was always getting better.
          They never said "parasite"; they
          said "agent".

She smiles at him with a twisted, dying mouth. Her eyes
eerily bright with desperation. Jack's lip trembles as he,
in a sincere attempt at levity, chokes out:

                    JACK
          You.. look.. like a pirate.

Chloe laughs, a little too much. Jack squeezes out a laugh.
Then, he sees Marla, off by herself. Someone is heading for
her. Most people have paired-off. Jack gives a quick nod
to Chloe and darts for Marla, grabbing her. Chloe watches
in sad surprise.

STAY ON JACK AND MARLA as he drags her off to the periphery.
He whispers into her ear.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          We need to talk.
                                                        16.

                       MARLA
          O - *kay*.     Sure.

                    JACK
          You're a faker. You aren't dying.
          Okay, in the brainy brain-food
          philosophy way, we're all dying.
          But you're not dying the way Chloe
          is dying.

                    LEADER
          Tell the other person how you feel.

                    MARLA
          You're not dying, either..
              (reading his nametag)
          ... *Cornelius*.

                    LEADER
          Share yourself completely.

                    JACK
          These are my groups.     I found them!

                    MARLA
          I saw you practicing this.

                       JACK
          What?

                    MARLA
          -- Telling me off. Is it going as
          well as you thought it would?

                    JACK
          I'll expose you!

                       MARLA
          Go ahead.

                    MEDIATOR
          Let yourself cry.

Marla puts her head down on Jack's shoulder as if she were
crying.

Jack pulls her head back up.     She deadpans at him.

                    JACK
          I've put in some serious time on
          these groups -- I've been coming
          for a year.
                                                           17.

                       MARLA
             Must've been tough to pull off.

                       JACK
             Anyone who might've noticed me in
             that time has either died or
             recovered and never come back.

                       MARLA
             Why do you do it?

                       JACK
             Why do you?

No answer.    The Leader passes right by Jack and Marla.

                        LEADER
             Open up.   share with each other.

                       JACK
             ... If people think you're dying,
             they really listen, instead of just
             waiting for their turn to speak.
             Everything else about credit card
             debts and sad radio songs and
             thinning hair goes out the window.

                       MARLA
             It started with a lump. I went to
             a breast cancer support group. The
             lump turned out benign. But I
             still needed my Monday fix. So, I
             went to lymphoma, just to check it
             out. Dying people are so *alive*.

                       JACK
             It becomes an addiction.

                        MARLA
             Yeah..

Jack almost smiles, then turns sullen.     He pulls back from
her.

                       LEADER
             Now, the closing prayer.

                       JACK
             Look, I can't go to a group with a
             faker present.

Marla's mood hardens.
                                                     18.

                    MARLA
          Well, I can't either.

                    LEADER
          Oh, bless us and hold us..

                    JACK
          We'll split up the week.

Marla starts out of the room.   Jack follows her.

                    LEADER
          ... help us and help us.

EXT. CHURCH - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

Marla gets to the sidewalk, moving quickly along.

                    JACK
          You can have lymphoma, tuberculosis
          and --

                    MARLA
          No, you take tuberculosis. My
          smoking doesn't go over well.

                    JACK
          I think testicular cancer should be
          no contest.

                    MARLA
          You have your balls, don't you?
          Technically, *I* have more of a
          right to be there than you.

                    JACK
          You're kidding.

                    MARLA
          I don't know -- am I?

JACK FOLLOWS MARLA INTO

INT. LAUNDROMAT - CONTINUOUS

As she walks with authority up to an unwatched DRYER. She
takes out all the clothes, sets them on a table and sorts
through them, picking out jeans, pants and shirts.

                    MARLA
          I'll take the parasites.
                                                         19.

                    JACK
          You can't have *both* parasites.
          You take blood parasites and --

                    MARLA
          I want brain parasites.

She opens another dryer and does the same thing again.

                    JACK
          Okay. I'll take blood parasites
          and I'll take organic brain
          dementia and --

                    MARLA
          I want that.

                    JACK
          You can't have the whole brain!

                    MARLA
          So far, you have four and I have
          two!

                    JACK
          Well, then, take blood parasites.
          Now, we each have three.

Marla gathers up all the chosen garments and heads back for
the door.

She whooshes past Jack.

EXT. SIDEWALK - CONTINUOUS

Jack follows, bewildered.

                    JACK
          You left half your clothes.

HONK! Jack starts. Marla's led him into the street with
traffic barreling down. She defiantly stomps in front of
the cars, which screech to a halt and blare their horns.
Jack dashes across. Marla heads into a THRIFT STORE. Jack
follows.

INT. THRIFT STORE - CONTINUOUS

Marla drops all the clothes on a back counter.    An old CLERK
sifts through the clothes, marks on a pad.

                    JACK
          What are you doing?    You're selling
          those clothes?
                                                        20.

Marla steps down hard on Jack's foot.    He jerks, wincing in
pain.

                    MARLA (FOR THE CLERK TO HEAR)
          Yes, I'm selling some clothes.

The Clerk starts to ring up the various amounts he's
assessed.

                    MARLA (CONT’D)
          So, we each have three -- that's
          six. What about the seventh day?
          I want ascending bowel cancer.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The girl had done her homework.

                    JACK
          *I* want ascending bowel cancer.

The Clerk gives Marla and Jack a strange look as he hands
over money to Marla.

                    MARLA
          That's your favorite, too?     Tried
          to slip it by me, huh?

                    JACK
          We'll split it. You get it the
          first and third Sunday of the
          month.

                     MARLA
          Deal.

They shake hands.   Jack starts to withdraw his; Marla holds
it.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          I guess this is goodbye.

                    JACK
          Let's not make a big deal out of
          this.

She walks toward the door.   Jack watches her go.

                    MARLA (NOT LOOKING BACK)
          How's this for not making a big
          deal?

EXT. SIDEWALK - CONTINUOUS

Jack dashes out and catches up to her.
                                                       21.

                    JACK
          Uh, Marla. Should we exchange
          phone numbers?

                       MARLA
          Should we?

                    JACK
          In case we want to switch nights.

                     MARLA
          Uh-hunh.   Sure.

He takes out a business card and a pen. He writes his home
number on the back and hands it to her. She takes his pen,
grabs his hand and writes her number on his palm. She gives
him a quick grin, slaps the pen back into his palm, then
saunters out into the middle of the street, causing more
screeching of tires and honking. She turns back, holding up
the card.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          It doesn't have your name on it.
          Who are you? Cornelius? Any of
          the stupid names you give at group?

Jack starts to yell, but the traffic noise is too loud.
Marla just shakes her head at him, turns, and keeps moving
away. A bus moves into view and stops, obscuring her.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Marla's philosophy of life, I later
          found out, was that she could die
          at any moment. The tragedy of her
          life was that she didn't.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY

As the plane touches down for landing and the cabin BUMPS,
Jack's eyes pop open.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You wake up at O'Hare.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY

Jack snaps awake again, looking around, disoriented.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You wake up at SeaTac.
                                                         22.

EXT. HIGHWAY - DUSK

The rear end of a car is visible sticking up by the side of
the road.

Jack stands near the car, marking on a document.   The SUN
SETS behind him.

INT. AIRPORT - NIGHT

Jack walks up to a gate counter.   An ATTENDANT smiles at
him.

                    ATTENDANT
          Check-in for that flight doesn't
          begin for another two hours, Sir.
          Jack looks at his watch, steps away
          and looks at an overhanging clock.

His eyes are bleary as he reads it, adjusts his watch.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Pacific, Mountain, Central. You
          lose an hour, you gain an hour.
          This is your life, and it's ending
          one minute at a time.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - DAY

Jack's eyes snap open as the plane LANDS.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You wake up at Air Harbor
          International.

INT. AIRPORT WALKWAY

Jack stands on a conveyor belt, briefcase at his feet,
moving slowly with the flow of the belt. His tired eyes
watch people on the opposite conveyor belt, moving past him.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          If you wake up at a different time
          and a different place, can you be a
          different person?

Jack's eyes catch sight of TYLER -- who we recognize from
the opening sequence -- on the opposite conveyor belt. They
pass each other.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT

Jack sits next to a BUSINESSMAN. As they have idle
CONVERSATION, we MOVE IN ON Jack's fold-out tray.
                                                         23.

An ATTENDANT'S HANDS set coffee down with a small packet of
sugar and a small container of cream.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The charm of traveling is:
          everywhere I go -- tiny life.

Single-serving sugar, single-serving cream.

CUT TO: THE HANDS PLACE A PLASTIC DINNER TRAY DOWN. JACK
OPENS THE various containers.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Single-serving butter, single-
          serving salt. Single-serving
          cordon blue.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - NIGHT

Jack brushes his teeth.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Single-use toothbrush. Single-
          serving mouthwash, single serving
          soap.

Jack picks up an individual, wrapped Q-TIP, looks at it.       He
moves out of the bathroom into

                    MAIN AREA
          And sits on the bed. He turns on
          the television. It's tuned to the
          "Sheraton Channel" and shows
          WAITERS serving people in a large
          BANQUET ROOM. Jack stops brushing
          his teeth, feels something near him
          on the bed, finds it, lifts it.
          It's a small MINT.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT

Jack sits next to a frumpy WOMAN and they chat. Jack turns
to look at his food and takes a bite. He turns back and
it's

-- a BALD MAN sitting next to him, talking.   He takes
another bite, TURNS BACK AND IT'S

-- a BUSINESSMAN sitting next to him.   He takes another
bite, turns BACK, AND IT'S

-- a BUSINESS WOMAN sitting next to him.
                                                      24.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The people I meet on each flight --
          they're single-serving *friends*.

Between take-off and landing, we have our time together,
then we never see each other again.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - LANDING

Jack's eyes snap open.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You wake up at Logan.

EXT. CONCRETE LOT - DAY

Surrounded by cinderblock walls. Two TECHNICIANS in uniform
lead Jack to a WAREHOUSE door. They open it, revealing a
BURNT-OUT SHELL of a WRECKED AUTOMOBILE. They move into the

INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

And Jack sets down his briefcase, opens it, and starts to
make notes on a FORM.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I'm a recall coordinator.   My job
          was to apply the formula.   It's
          simple arithmetic.

                    TECHNICIAN #1
          Here's where the baby went through
          the window. Three points.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          It's a story problem. A new car
          built by my company leaves Boston
          traveling at 60 miles per hour.
          The rear differential locks up.

                    TECHNICIAN #2
          The teenager's braces locked around
          the backseat ashtray. Kind makes a
          good "anti-smoking" ad.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The car crashes and burns with
          everyone trapped inside. Now: do
          we initiate a recall?
                                                         25.

                    TECHNICIAN #1
          The father must've been obese. See
          how the fat burned into the
          driver's seat, mixed with the dye
          of his shirt? Kind like modern
          art.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You take the number of vehicles in
          the field

                    (A)
          and multiply it by the probable
          rate of failure

                    (B) (CONT’D)
          , multiply the result by the
          average out-of- court settlement

                    (C) (CONT’D)
          . A times B times C equals X.     If
          X is less than the cost of a
          recall, we don't do one.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - TAKING OFF - NIGHT

Next to Jack, a chubby, middle-aged LADY gawks at him,
appalled.

                    LADY
          ... Which.. car company do you work
          for?

                    JACK
          A major one.

                     LADY
          Oh.

Jack turns his attention to the window as the PLANE ASCENDS.
The lady's VOICE FADES. Jack sees a PELICAN get SUCKED into
the TURBINE.

His face remains bland during the following:

The plane BUCKLES -- the cabin wobbles loosely.   People
begin to panic.

Oxygen masks fall.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Life insurance pays off triple if
          you die on a business trip.
                                                        26.

A forceful IMPACT with the ground and people -- except for
Jack --

LURCH FORWARD, some jerking against their seatbelts,
magazines and other objects fly forward.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          No more expense accounts, receipt
          required for over twenty-five
          dollars.

A BALL OF FIRE swoops forward from the rear of the cabin and
INCINERATES EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY -- except Jack, who
remains in his same position in his seat, with the bland
expression.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          No more haircuts. Nothing matters,
          not even bad breath.

DING! -- the seatbelt light goes OUT.

*EVERYTHING IS NORMAL*.

                     JACK (V.O.)
          Always the same fantasy.   But -- no
          such luck.

Jack's eyes are closed. He seems asleep.     From next to him,
a VOICE we've heard before.

                    VOICE
          There are three ways to make
          napalm. One, mix equal parts of
          gasoline and frozen orange juice.

Jack's eyes snap open and he turns to see *Tyler*, who is
staring out the window. Without turning to Jack, he
continues:

                    TYLER
          Two, mix equal parts of gasoline
          and diet cola. Three, dissolve
          crumbled cat litter in gasoline
          until the mixture is thick.

Jack's smile fades. Tyler turns to him and grins. He
reaches down under the seat in front of him and pulls up a
briefcase. Jack looks at it with trepidation.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          This is how I met --
                                                      27.

Tyler offers his hand, Jack takes it and Tyler squeezes
firmly and shakes hands.

                    TYLER
          Tyler Durden. You know why they
          have oxygen masks on planes?

                    JACK
          Supply oxygen?

                    TYLER
          That's a sharp answer. The oxygen
          gets you high. You're taking in
          giant, panicked breaths and,
          suddenly, you become euphoric and
          docile, and you accept your fate.

Tyler grabs a safety instruction card from the seat pocket
and shows Jack the passive faces on the drawn figures.
Tyler imitates the face.

Jack laughs; he is completely beguiled.

                    JACK
          What do you do, Tyler?

                    TYLER
          What do you want me to do?

                    JACK
          I mean -- for a living.

                    TYLER
          Why? So you can say, "Oh, *that's*
          what you do." -- And be a smug
          little shit about it?

Jack laughs. He points to his own briefcase, under the seat
in front of him.

                    JACK
          We have the same briefcase.

Tyler pops the latches on his briefcase. A beat, while
Jack's expression turns nervous again about what's inside.
Tyler swings the lid up, revealing a full bounty of quaintly-
wrapped bars of soap.

                    TYLER
          I make and sell soap.

He gives Jack one.   Jack takes it, looks it over.
                                                         28.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          If you add nitric acid to the soap-
          making process, you get
          nitroglycerin. With enough soap,
          you could blow up the world.

Jack now looks at the bar of soap nervously.    He looks at
Tyler, slowly smiles and shakes his head.

Tyler takes out a blank BOARDING PASS. He takes out a small
stencil, scrapes a pencil over it, creating a seat number
which looks printed.

Then, he takes out a stamp and ink pad.   He stamps the pass.

                    JACK
          Uh.. why are you going to
          Wilmington?

                    TYLER
          I live there.

                       JACK
          Me, too.

Tyler shuts his briefcase and stands.

                       TYLER
          Excuse me.

Jack stands, allowing Tyler to pass into the aisle.

                    JACK
          So, uh.. we should hook up
          sometime.

Jack hands Tyler a business card. Tyler snatches it, writes
down a number, hands it back to Jack.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Tyler, you're by far the most
          interesting "single-serving" friend
          I've ever met.

A beat as Tyler stares at him, deadpan.

Jack, enjoying his own chance to be witty, leans a bit
closer to Tyler.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          You see, when you travel,
          everything is --
                                                      29.

                    TYLER
          I grasp the concept.   You're very
          clever.

                       JACK
          Thank you.

                    TYLER
          How's that working out for you?     --
          Being clever.

                    JACK (THROWN OFF)
          Well, uh.. uh.. great.

                    TYLER
          Keep it up, then.   Keep it right
          up.

Jack sits and watches Tyler walk up to the curtain dividing
First Class. Tyler show the bogus boarding pass to an
ATTENDANT, who leads him through the curtain.

INT. BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA - WILMINGTON - NIGHT

Utterly empty of baggage, and, except for Jack and a
SECURITY TASK FORCE MAN, utterly empty of people; quiet.
The Security TFM, smirking, holds a receiver to his ear from
an official phone on the wall.

                    SECURITY TFM (TO JACK)
          Throwers don't worry about ticking.
          Modern bombs don't tick.

                       JACK
          Throwers?

                    SECURITY TFM
          Baggage handlers. But when a
          suitcase vibrates, the throwers
          have to call the police.

                    JACK
          My suitcase was *vibrating*?

                    SECURITY TFM
          Nine times out of ten, it's an
          electric razor. One out of ten,
          it's a dildo. Sometimes it's even
          a *man*. It's airline policy not
          to imply ownership in the event of
          a dildo. We gotta use the
          indefinite article: "*A* dildo".
          Never "*Your* dildo".
                                                        30.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           I had everything in that bag. Six
           white shirts, two black trousers,
           six pair underwear, alarm clock,
           contact lens stuff, and.. cordless
           electric razor.

                      SECURITY TFM (INTO PHONE)
           Yeah?   Oh, fuck, now a recording.

The Security TFM punches a few code numbers into the phone,
waits.

                                                   CUT TO:

EXT. EMPTY RUNWAY - NIGHT

A solitary SUITCASE sits on the concrete.

KABOM!   The suitcase explodes.   CUT TO:

INT. BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA - RESUMING

The Security TFM still on hold, entertains Jack.

                      SECURITY TFM (TO JACK)
           You know the industry slang for
           "flight attendant"? "Air
           Mattress".
               (into phone)
           Yeah? Really?

The Security TFM, turns to Jack, shakes his head, hangs up
the phone; shrugs.

EXT. AIRPORT DRIVE - MOMENTS LATER

Jack waits by the curb as a TAXI approaches.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           Things could be worse. A spider
           could lay eggs under the skin in
           your face and the larva could
           tunnel around and baby spiders
           could burst from your nostrils.

INT. TAXI - MOVING - NIGHT

Along a residential street. Jack looks ahead, sees a tall
grey, bland building on the corner.
                                                        31.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Home was a condo on the fifteenth
          floor of a filing cabinet for
          widows and young professionals.

The taxi approaches the intersection.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The walls were solid concrete. A
          foot of concrete is important when
          your next-door neighbor lets her
          hearing aid go and has to watch
          game shows at full blast..

The taxi turns a corner and Jack sees the front of the
building. A diffuse CLOUD of SMOKE wafts away from a BLOWN-
OUT SECTION on the fifteenth floor. FIRETRUCKS, POLICECARS
and a MOB are all crowded around the lobby area.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          -- Or when a volcanic blast of
          burning gas and debris that used to
          be your furniture and personal
          effects blows out your floor-to-
          ceiling window and sails down
          flaming to leave just your condo --
          only yours --

a gutted, charred concrete hole in the cliffside of the
building.

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF BUILDING

Jack, gaping at the sight above him, absently gives the
Cabbie money.

The taxi pulls away.   Jack stands frozen.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          These things happen.

Jack starts toward the building. He enters the fray of
people, pushes through to the lobby. The DOORMAN sees him,
gives a sad smile, shakes his head. Jack starts for the
elevator.

                    DOORMAN
          There's nothing up there.

Jack presses the button; waits.    The Doorman moves next to
him.
                                                          32.

                     DOORMAN (CONT'D)
           You can't go into the unit. Police
           orders. They're investigating for
           arson.

The elevator doors open.    Jack hesitates.   The doors close.

                     DOORMAN (CONT'D)
           Do you have someone you can call?

Jack heads back for the lobby doors.    The Doorman follows.

EXT. CONDO BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

Jack walks past SMOKING, CHARRED DEBRIS -- a flash of ORANGE
from the Yang table, a CLOCK FACE from the hall clock, part
of an arm from the GREEN ARMCHAIR. His feet CRUNCH glass.
He gets to a payphone. The

Doorman stays right with him, watching him.     CUT TO:

CLOSE SHOT - JACK'S STOVE

Hissing.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           Later, the police told me someone
           could've turned the pilot light
           off, turned a burner on.

EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING

Jack picks up the receiver, stares at the numbers on the
phone.

                     DOORMAN
           A lot of young people try to
           impress the world and buy too many
           things.

CLOSE SHOT - JACK'S ENTIRE CONDO - KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM

Sound of the HISS.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           The gas then could have slowly
           filled the condo from floor to
           ceiling in every room. Seventeen-
           hundred square feet with high
           ceilings for days and days.

EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING

Jack's fingers move over the numbers lightly, as he thinks.
                                                           33.

                      DOORMAN
            A lot of young people don't know
            what they really want.

INSERT - CLOSE ON BASE OF JACK'S REFRIGERATOR

                      JACK (V.O.)
            Then, the refrigerator's compressor
            clicked on.

Click.   KABLAM!     SCREEN GOES WHITE.

EXT. PAYPHONE - RESUMING

Jack digs into his pocket, pulls out his business card,
turns it over

-- sees the number Tyler wrote.      He dials it.   Its rings..
and rings.

He waits.

                      JACK (V.O.)
            Tyler Durden. Rescue me.

                      DOORMAN
            Young people think they want the
            whole world.

                      JACK (V.O.)
            Deliver me from Swedish furniture.
            Deliver me from clever art.

                      DOORMAN
            If you don't know what you want,
            you end up with a lot you don't.

                      JACK (V.O.)
            May I never be content. May I
            never be complete. May I never be
            perfect. Deliver me.

Jack sighs and hands up the phone. He starts to push past
the Doorman when the phone RINGS. Jack grabs it.

                        JACK
            Hello?

                      TYLER'S VOICE
            Who's this?

                        JACK
            Tyler?
                                                      34.

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT

A small building, sitting squarely in the middle of a large
concrete parking lot. A few street lamps illuminate the
lot. a freeway runs nearby.

INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME

Jack and Tyler sit at a table in the very back of the room.
A half-empty pitcher of beer shows dried foam scum from the
previous refill.

Five DRUNKEN GUYS at a table at the opposite side of the bar
keep glancing over and chuckling in a potentially hostile
manner.

                     TYLER
          You buy furniture. You tell
          yourself, this is the last sofa
          you'll ever need in your life; no
          matter what else goes wrong, you've
          got the sofa issue handled. Then
          the right set of dishes. Then the
          right bed.

The drapes. The rug. This is how you're good to yourself.
This is how you fill up your life.

                    JACK
          I.. guess so.

                    TYLER
          And now your condo blows up and you
          have nothing.

                    JACK
          I.. guess so.

                    TYLER
          And now you find yourself, sitting
          here, feeling like it's the best
          thing that ever happened to you.

                      JACK
          ... yeah.

                    TYLER
          I don't know you, so maybe I'm
          wrong. Maybe it's a terrible
          fucking tragedy.

                      JACK
          ... no.
                                               35.

                    TYLER
          I mean, you lost a lot of nice,
          perfect, neat little shit.

                    JACK
          Fuck it all.

                     TYLER
          Wow.   That's pretty strong.

                      JACK
          ... yeah.

                    TYLER
          Do you have family you can call?

                    JACK
          My mother would just go into
          hysterics. My Dad.. Don't know
          where he is.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Only knew him for six years. Then,
          he ran off to a new city and
          married another woman and had more
          kids. Every six years -- new city,
          new family. He was setting up
          franchises.

Tyler smiles, snorts, shakes his head.

                    TYLER
          A generation of men raised by
          women. Look what it's done to you.

                      JACK
          To me?

                    TYLER
          We're on our third pitcher of beer
          and you still can't ask me.

                      JACK
          Huh?

                    TYLER
          Why don't you cut the shit and ask
          me if you can stay at my place?

                    JACK
          Well.. uh..
                                                     36.

                    TYLER
          Why don't you cut the shit and ask
          me if you can stay at my place?

                    JACK
          Would that be a problem?

                    TYLER
          Is it a problem for you to ask me?

                    JACK
          Can I stay at your place?

                    TYLER
          Yeah.

                    JACK
          Thanks.

                    TYLER
          -- If you do me one favor.

                    JACK
          What's that?

                    TYLER
          I want you to hit me as hard as you
          can.

*FREEZE PICTURE*

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Let me tell you a little bit about
          Tyler Durden.

EXTREME CLOSE-UP - FILM FRAME

--And we can see it's a PENIS.

INT. PROJECTIONIST ROOM - THEATRE - NIGHT

Jack, in the foreground, FACES CAMERA. In the BACKGROUND,
Tyler sits at a bench, looking at individual FRAMES that
have been cut out of movies. Near him, the PROJECTOR rolls
a film.

                    JACK
          Tyler works some nights as a
          projectionist. A film doesn't come
          in one big reel..

Tyler speaks to Jack normally, not to the camera.
                                                      37.

                    TYLER
          In an old theatre, two projectors
          are used. I have to change
          projectors at the exact second so
          the audience never sees the break
          when one reel starts and one reel
          runs out. You can see two dots on
          screen at the end of a reel -- this
          is the warning.

                    JACK
          He splices single frames of
          genitalia from porno movies into
          family films.

                    TYLER
          One-twenty-forth of a second.
          That's how long the penis flashes
          up there. Towering, slippery, red
          and terrible, and no one knows
          they've seen it.

Jack and Tyler watch the audience of PARENTS and CHILDREN as
an ANIMAL adventure MOVIE plays. Suddenly, children start
becoming uncomfortable and squirming. Some start CRYING.
Some THROW UP.

                    JACK
          Tyler also worked as a..

INT. LARGE BANQUET HALL - NIGHT

Tyler moves the cart around one of many tables, ladling out
soup.

Jack stands in the same position.    FACING CAMERA.

                    JACK
          ... banquet waiter at the luxurious
          Pressman Hotel.

The GUESTS are dressed in resplendent clothes, reeking of
wealth and privilege. They command the WAITERS with snaps
of the finger.

Complaints pop like gunshots. The stiff-necked CATERING
MANAGER contemptuously hawk-eyes the waiters. It's hellish.

INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - NIGHT

Jack turns and WE PAN to Tyler, standing by a CART with a
giant SOUP TUREEN and bowls. His hands are at his open fly
and he's in position to piss into the soup.
                                                        38.

                    TYLER
          Don't watch. I can't if you watch
          me.

CAMERA PANS to original position as Jack continues TO
CAMERA.

                    JACK
          He was a guerrilla terrorist of the
          food service industry.

                     TYLER (O.S.)
          Shit.   I can't go.

After a beat, the sound of WATER SPLASHING the floor. Jack
peeks and sees Tyler pouring out a water glass with one
hand, the other hand at his crotch.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          ... Oh, yeah. *Oh*, yeah.

Jack turns back TO CAMERA.

                    JACK
          He farted on creme brulee; he
          sneezed on braised endive; and,
          with creme of mushroom soup, he..
          he..

                      TYLER (O.S.)
          Go ahead.    Say it.

                    JACK
          Well, you get the idea.

EXT. PARKING LOT OF TAVERN - RESUMING

Tyler and Jack come out of the bar; Jack shakes his head.

                      JACK
          What?

                    TYLER
          Hit me as hard as you can.

Tyler leads Jack into an open area, lit by a streetlamp.

                    JACK
          I don't know about this, Tyler.

                    TYLER
          I don't know either. I want to
          find out. We're virgins. Neither
          one of us has ever been hit.
                                                          39.

                    JACK
          You've never been in a fight?

                    TYLER
          I didn't say that.    I said I've
          never been hit.

                    JACK
          That's good, isnt' it?

                    TYLER
          Listen to me -- hit me.       You're the
          only one I ever asked.

                       JACK
          Me?

Jack stares at him. The five drunken GUYS -- the same ones
who stared at them earlier -- have formed a distant
perimeter, sensing a fight.

Jack glances at them, then back at Tyler.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          I've.. never hit anyone in my life.

                       TYLER
          Go crazy.     Let it rip.

                    JACK
          Where do you want it?       In the face
          or the stomach?

                    TYLER
          Surprise me.

Jack swings a wide, clumsy roundhouse that connects with
Tyler's neck.

It makes a dull, soft flat sound.      Tyler's neck turns red.

                    JACK
          Shit. Sorry. That didn't count.
          Let me try again.

                       TYLER
          Like hell.     That counted.

Tyler shoots out a straight punch to Jack's chest. The
impact makes a dull, barely-audible sound and Jack falls
back against a car. The Guys whoop and clap, moving closer.
Jack's eyes involuntarily well up with tears. He and Tyler
breathe HEAVILY and sprout BEADS of SWEAT on their faces.
                                                        40.

                   TYLER (CONT'D)
         How do you feel?

                      JACK
         Strange.

                   TYLER
         But a *good* strange.

                      JACK
         Is it?

                   TYLER
         We've crossed the threshold.

                   JACK
         ... I guess so.

                   TYLER
         You want to call it off?

                   JACK
         Call what off?

                      TYLER
         The fight.

                   JACK
         *What* fight?

                   TYLER
         I'm tired of watching only
         professionals. I don't want to die
         without any scars. How much can
         you really know about yourself if
         you never go at it, one-on-one?

                      JACK
         Tyler..

                   TYLER
         Are you a pussy?

Jack swings another roundhouse that slams right under
Tyler's ear. The sound, soft and flat. Tyler punches Jack
in the stomach. The Guys move closer, cheering the fight.
Tyler and Jack move clumsily, throwing punches. They
breathe heavier, their eyes red and bright.

They drool saliva and blood. They each hurt badly and
become dizzier from every impact.
                                                       41.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          If you've never been in a fight,
          you wonder about getting hurt,
          about what you're capable of doing
          against another man.

Tyler and Jack keep fighting. The guys mix laughter with
their cheers, looking at each other in wondrous amusement.

EXT. CURBSIDE - LATER

Jack and Tyler sit on the curb, staring at the sparse
headlights on the nearby freeway. Their eyes are glazed
with endorphin-induced serenity.

They look at each other.       Laugh.   Look away.

                    TYLER
          What were you fighting?

                    JACK
          My job. My boss, who fiddles with
          my DOS execute commands. Marla, at
          my support groups. Everything
          that's broken and doesn't work in
          my life. What were you fighting?

                       TYLER
          My father.

A pause as Jack studies Tyler's face.

                    JACK
          We should do this again sometime.

Tyler cracks a smile, gives a sidelong glance to Jack, then
returns his stare to the night sky.

EXT. PAPER STREET - NIGHT

A street sign: "PAPER STREET". An abandoned PAPER MILL
sits on one side and only ONE HOUSE on the other, the rest
of the land being undeveloped grass and weeds. It's an old,
grand, three-story gone to seed. It looks abandoned, too.

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM -SAME

Tyler leads Jack up a staircase to a 2ND FLOOR LANDING, then
opens the door to a room.

INT. ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jack steps into the room, sits down on the old bed.   It
CREAKS. Dust drifts upward.
                                                         42.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I don't know how Tyler found the
          house. He'd been there for half a
          year. It was waiting for re-zoning
          or something.

                                                 CUT TO:

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN PARKING LOT - NIGHT

LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - A group of SIX GUYS watching TWO
GUYS in a

fist fight.   CUT TO:

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING

Jack, his face showing new bruises and cuts, his knuckles
puffy, shoos away cockroaches as he makes coffee with a wire-
mesh strainer. He has a happy little smile.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Nothing worked. The rusty plumbing
          leaked. Turning on a light meant
          that another light in the house
          went out. The stairs were ready to
          collapse.

                                                 CUT TO:

EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT - NIGHT

LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot,
getting further

away, but now with TEN GUYS around two guys fighting.    CUT
TO:

INT. SHOWER - MORNING

Jack, showing some new bruises, with even fatter knuckles,
turns on the water. LOUD VIBRATION from the walls. Water
spits in starts, then

dribbles out.   CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Tyler, in a nice suit, checks over the bars of soap in his
briefcase, then shuts it. Jack walks in, dressed in his
work clothes. He picks up a battered old saucepan with
boiling coal-black coffee and sips. He offers it to Tyler,
who sips. Jack pulls a TOOTH out of his mouth and throws it
into the sink. They both walk out the door.
                                                          43.

EXT. CINEMA PARKING LOT - NIGHT

LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot,
getting further

away, but now with FOURTEEN GUYS around a fight.   CUT TO:

EXT. PORCH - NIGHT

Tyler, in his waiter uniform, sits next to Jack on the lip
of the porch. They both have newer, different bruises and
cuts, sit and guzzle beer. THUNDERCLAPS. RAIN begins to
fall. Tyler gets to his feet.

INT. BASEMENT - SAME

Tyler and Jack are knee-deep in water, standing by a
FUSEBOX. Tyler opens it. He grabs two breaker switches,
waits for Jack. Jack grabs two other switches, apparently,
they have to do this in a certain

order.   Tyler flips his switches, then Jack flips his.    CUT
TO:

EXT. CONSTRUCTION AREA - NIGHT

LONG SHOT - ZOOMING OUT - Resuming from previous shot,
getting further

away, but now with EIGHTEEN GUYS around a fight.   CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Rain DRIPS from the ceiling -- some of it from LIGHT
FIXTURES. Tyler and Jack enter with LIT CANDLES. They sit
down on the decrepit, buckled wood floor. There's not one
item of furniture in the room.

There are, however, THOUSANDS of MAGAZINES.

                      JACK (V.O.)
           The previous occupant collected
           magazines.

They each pick up an opened magazine and resume reading,
adjusting close to the candles.

Tyler lies down next to him, setting his candle next to
Jack's. Tyler picks up a magazine.

                     TYLER
           What are your reading?
                                                         44.

                    JACK
          "I Am Joe's Lungs". It's written
          in first person. "Without me, Joe
          could not take in oxygen to feed
          his red blood cells".

                    TYLER
          Sounds fascinating.

                     JACK
          It's a whole series -- "I Am Joe's
          Prostate".

                    TYLER
          "I get cancer, and I kill Joe".

                    JACK
          What are you reading?

                    TYLER
          Soldier of Fortune, National
          Geographic. New Republic. Forbes.

                      JACK
          Show-off.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Every Wednesday night, after
          fighting like wild animals, we were
          too wired to go to sleep.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

In near DARKNESS as a SLIDE SHOW progresses, run by a
chipper salesman, WALTER. Jack sits, deadpan, with a PUFFY
LIP and a BRUISE on his cheek.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Thursday morning, my Boss didn't
          know what to think.

Boss blocks him from the rest of the room, gives him a
dubious look, turns back to Walter.

                     JACK (V.O.)
          And all I could do was think about
          next week.

Walter advances to the next slide, showing a view of a
COMPUTER SCREEN.
                                                      45.

                     WALTER
          The basic premise of microsofting
          your office is -- make things more
          efficient.

As Walter continues, his sales pitched gets drowned out by
Jack's narration:

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Walter, the Microsoft account exec,
          smiled at me with his steam shovel
          jaw. Walter, with his smooth, soft
          hands. Here he was, doing his cute
          little show. Maybe thinking about
          a free-range potluck he'd been to
          last weekend, but probably not.

Walter moves to Jack and slaps his shoulder.

                    WALTER
          I showed this already to my man
          here. You liked it, didn't you?

Slowly, Jack smiles. His teeth are RED with BLOOD.   They
GLOW eerily in the dim light.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You can swallow a pint of blood
          before you get sick.

                    WALTER
          Jeez, I'd hate to see what happened
          to the other guy.

Jack keeps the smile frozen on his face.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Fuck Walter. His candy ass
          wouldn't last a second in fight
          club.

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT

Out of silent darkness, HEADLIGHTS appear from all
directions. A synchronous WAVE of cars PULLS UP and parks
in the already- filled lot.

Young men get out of the arriving cars and wander into the
tavern. We recognize, among them, the GUYS who watched
Tyler and Jack's *first fight*.

INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME

The men enter; the bartender, IRVINE, calls out:
                                                      46.

                    IRVINE
          Drink up people.    We're closing.
          Let's go.

The crowd consists of men and women YUPPIES: blue collar
REGULARS dressed in work clothes or like cowboys; floozy
barfly WOMEN. MUSIC plays from the jukebox.

The arriving men simply wait. And wait. Tyler and Jack
enter. They, too, stand back against he wall.

The waiting army begins to share secret looks and grins.    A
certain level of eagerness can be seen among them.

Irvine looks at Jack and grins. He flips on LIGHTS. The
drunken customers squint and get the message. They gulp
down their drinks, plop down money and filter out the door.
Irvine hits a button and the jukebox loses power -- the
record simply turns slower until it stops revolving.

Finally, the last of the irritated customers leaves. One
guy locks the door. Two other guys pull down blinds.
Someone else moves over to the BASEMENT DOOR and opens it.

INT. BASEMENT STEPS - MOMENTS LATER

The grinning men march down steps; CHATTER begins.

                    TALL GUY
          I brought my roommate tonight.
          Phil.

                      FAT GUY
          Oh, yeah?    Hi, Phil.

                    TALL GUY
          He kept seeing what I looked like.
          Had to check it out.

INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - SAME

A BOMB-SHELTER -- concrete floor, concrete walls. One BARE
LIGHT BULB hangs by a wire from the ceiling. Tyler nods to
Jack and Jack turns on the light. The guys mill around,
finding partners. The whole mood is very friendly.
Everyone brims with eagerness, but tries to act cool about
it. CHATTER gets LOUDER.

                    FAT GUY
          A mean uppercut.

                    WIRY GUY
          I gotta work on my left.
                                                      47.

                    SHORT GUY
          *He's* got a left.

                    FAT GUY
          Hey, you're wiping the floor with
          dudes who are way out of your
          weight class.

                    TALL GUY (SLAPPING WIRY GUY'S
                    SHOULDER)
          Skinny guys. They fight till
          they're burger.

PEAKING CHATTER, then -- Tyler moves into position directly
under the light bulb. His face is partially in shadow.

Everyone spreads out, forming a circle, the light bulb for a
center.

Tyler's will WIPES through the room and the CHATTER DIES.    A
couple of COUGHS, FEET SHUFFLING. Then, SILENCE.

                    TYLER
          The first rule of fight club is --
          you don't talk about fight club.

The second rule of fight club is -- you don't talk about
fight club.

Jack glances over at a short guy, RICKY, with a BLACK EYE.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          This kid, Ricky -- supply clerk --
          he can't remember whether you
          ordered pens with blue ink or black
          ink..

                    TYLER
          The third rule in fight club is --
          when someone says "stop" or goes
          limp, the fight is over. The
          fourth rule is -- only two guys to
          a fight.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          But Ricky was a god for ten minutes
          when he trounced an actuary twice
          his size.

                    TYLER
          Fifth rule -- one fight at a time.
          Sixth rule -- no shirts or shoes.
                                                         48.

Seventh rule -- fights go on as long as they have to. And
the eighth rule of fight club is -- if this is your first
night, you *have* to fight.

Tyler steps back, and a FAT MAN and a GOATEED MAN take off
their shirts and shoes and step into the center. They
circle each other, then begin throwing punches. SWEAT flies
into the moist air. SHOUTS become

DEAFENING.

                       JACK (V.O.)
             Sometimes you could hear flat, hard
             packing sounds over all the yelling

                       JACK (V.O.)
             as someone caught his breath and
             sprayed:

                       GOATEED MAN
             Ssstop.

INT. OFFICE PARK RESTAURANT - DAY

Jack, eating lunch, is served a refill soda by the BROKEN-
NOSED WAITER with a GOATEE, the man from the above fight.

                       JACK (V.O.)
             Even if I could tell someone they
             had a good fight, I wouldn't be
             talking to the same man. Who you
             were in fight club is not who you
             were in the rest of your world.
             You weren't alive anywhere like you
             were alive at fight club. But
             fight club only exists in the hours
             between when fight club starts and
             when fight club ends.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY

Boss, passing by the doorway, looks in at Jack with
irritated wonder.

Jack, playing solitaire on his computer, daubs blood from
his mouth with a handkerchief.

                       BOSS
             What are you getting yourself into
             every week?

Jack flashes a smile at Boss.     Boss shakes his head, walks
away.
                                                       49.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          After a night in fight club,
          everything else in your life gets
          the volume turned down. You can
          deal with anything. All the people
          who used to have power over you
          have less and less.

Reflexively, Jack's tongue plays with his teeth.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          By this point, I could wiggle most
          of the teeth in my jaw.

INT. BUS - DAY

Jack stands, holding a hand grip. An arrogant MAN in a
three- piece suit brushes past him, knockng his shoulder.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We all started to size people up.

Jack violently knocks the Man's shoulder in return. The Man
turns and he and Jack face each other for a brief moment.
Jack's face is stone.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I'd look at some asshole and *know*
          I could beat him.

The arrogant Man continues down the aisle. Jack notices a
GUY with SMASHED LIP. The Guy grins, giving a slight nod.

INT. PARKING GARAGE - DAY (FLASHBACK)

Jack walks past the parking garage.   He sees a VALET who has
facial bruises.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We were all doing it.

The Valet and Jack share a quick smile. A BMW pulls up and
HONKS at the Bruised Valet. The bruised Valet has no
reaction as a FAT EXEC gets out of his car and tosses the
keys. Jack watches the Bruised Valet size up the Exec, then
hop into the car and loudly PEEL OUT.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I would see them all the time --
          fight club members looking at other
          guys, knowing they could kick their
          asses.
                                                         50.

INT. TAVERN BASEMENT - NIGHT

Jack lands a couple of jabs to HIS OPPONENT'S stomach, then
brings up a left uppercut that smashes the Opponent's jaw.
Tiny spatters of BLOOD adorn the walls, along with sweat.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Fight club was not about winning or
          losing. It wasn't about words.

The Opponent recovers, throws a headlock on Jack. Jack
snakes his arm into a counter headlock. They, wrestling
like wild animals. The crowd CHEERS maniacally.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          The hysterical shouting was in
          tongues, like at a Pentecostal
          church.

The onlookers kneel to stay with the fight, cheering ever
louder. The Opponent smashes Jack's head into the floor,
over and over.

                    JACK
          Stop.

Everyone moves in as the Opponent steps away. They lift
Jack to his feet. On the floor is a BLOOD MASK of Jack's
face -- similar to his TEAR MASK on BOB'S SHIRT, seen
earlier. Tyler pushes through the crowd.

                    TYLER
          Cool.

EXT. BAR - NIGHT

Everyone files out of the bar, sweating, bleeding, smiling.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Afterwards, we all felt saved.

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Jack and Tyler walk through the pools of light cast by
streetlamps.

They both drip blood and sport bruises. They each carry a
4x4 piece of WOOD. As they pass parked cars, they SLAM the
sticks against the front bumpers, setting off the ALARMS and
causing the AIR BAGS to INFLATE.

They come to a bus stop that has a large display ad for
jeans. It has a photo of a shirtless man.
                                                     51.

                    TYLER
          Is that what a man looks like?

                      JACK
          Isn't it?

Tyler smears blood on the ad. They continue on their way.
Tyler comes to a "ROAD WORK" sign. Tyler kicks it into a
deep HOLE. He and Jack tightrope-walk on wooden beams over
darkness.

                    TYLER
          Guys packing into the gyms, all
          trying to look like what Calvin
          Klein says. Fight club isn't about
          looking good.

As they step back onto solid pavement, Tyler kicks one of
the beams, causing it to come loose and fall. The whole
temporary work structure falls into the hole. Tyler and
Jack continue walking. IN the background, a car SKIDS and
FISHTAILS, avoiding the hole.

Sound of a SIREN getting closer. Tyler hands Jack the 4x4
and runs, laughing. Jack stands there a moment, then throws
the stick and runs after Tyler.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          A guy comes to fight club for the
          first time, and his ass is a wad of
          cookie dough. After a few weeks,
          he looks carved out of wood. He
          trusts himself to handle anything.

EXT. ANOTHER STREET - CONTINUOUS

Jack and Tyler, panting, sweat mixing with blood, slow down
and resume walking. Tyler pulls his fingers, popping them --
his knuckles are swollen. He grins at the pain.

                    TYLER
          Self-improvement is masturbaation.
          Self-destruction is the answer.

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON

The PHONE RINGS. Jack enters from the living room,
buttoning his shirt. He answers.

                      JACK
          Hello?

INTERCUT WITH
                                                      52.

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - SAME

She lies on the bed, twisting the phone cord around her neck
like a noose.

                    MARLA
          Where have you been the last few
          weeks?

                       JACK
          Marla?

                    MARLA
          I haven't seen you at any support
          groups.

                    JACK
          That's the idea -- we split them.

                    MARLA
          You haven't been going to yours.

                    JACK
          I found a new one.

                     MARLA
          Really?   Can I go to it?

                    JACK
          It's for men.

                    MARLA
          Like testicular cancer?

                       JACK
          Like that.     Look, this is a bad
          time.

                    MARLA
          I started going to debtor's
          anonymous. You want to see
          *really* fucked up people?

                    JACK
          Look, I'm going out..

                    MARLA
          I'm going out of my mind. I got a
          stomach full of Xanax. I took what
          was left of the bottle. Might've
          been too much.. probably was.

Jack turns TO CAMERA.
                                                        53.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Picture yourself watching Marla
          throw herself around her crummy
          apartment, saying, "I'm dying.
          Dying. Dying. It could go on for
          hours.

                    JACK
          You probably want to die in peace.
          I'll let you go.

                    MARLA
          Stay on the line. I want you to
          hear me describe death.

Jack puts the handset on top of the phone, still off the
hook, and walks out of the kitchen.

                    MARLA'S VOICE
          I want to see if my spirit can use
          the telephone.

INT. BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

GRUNTS OF PLEASURE AND EXERTION. IN DIM LIGHT, WE GET
GLIMPSES OF TORSOS, ASSES, LEGS, ARMS, BREASTS, AND BLACK
FEMALE HAIR -- ALL DRENECHED IN SWEAT. SHEETS RIP. CA-
CHUNK! CA-CHUNK! BODIES HIT THE FLOOR AND ROLL. MORE INSANE
GRUNTING. AND LAUGHING -- CACKLING.

flash of MARLA'S FACE.   Then, groans of ecstasy approaching
climax.

                                                   CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - SUNRISE

Jack sits up in bed, looks around the room.

INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING

Jack steps out of his room, looks down to the next door --
the door is closed.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Tyler's door was closed. I'd been
          living here a month, and Tyler's
          door never closed.

INT. BATHROOM - SAME

Jack stares into the toilet.    CLOSE UP - SIX USED CONDOMS IN
TOILET.
                                                      54.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

Jack sits at the table, sipping coffee, reading Reader's
Digest. He takes in a long yawn, rubs his eyes. He hears
FOOTSTEPS approaching.

                      JACK
            You're not going to believe the
            dream I had.

Marla walks in, straightening her dress. She looks like
she's been raped by a hurricane. Some of her hair is matted
against her head, some of it is sticking out wildly. Jack
gapes at her in shock. She cracks a coy smile and runs a
finger across the back of his neck.

                      MARLA
            I can hardly believe *anything*
            about last night.

She pours herself a cup of coffee. She takes a big gulp,
GARGLES and SPITS it out into the sink. She gives Jack a
lascivious smile. Then, she sips from the cup. She strokes
his hair. He pulls back from her.

                      JACK
            What the fuck are you doing here?!

Marla looks at him a beat, then throws the cup into the sink
and it

SHATTERS.

                        MARLA
            Fuck you.

She kicks open the door to the backyard and walks out. Jack
watches her stomp across the lawn to the sidewalk and down
the street.

Jack turns and -- Tyler is at his shoulder, staring after
Marla. He's in his usual sweatpants. He grins at Jack,
then moves away, pours himself coffee. Jack, smoldering,
slumps at the table and picks up Reader's Digest. Tyler
puts his foot on a countertop and begins to do stretching
exercises.

                      TYLER
            That crazy bitch almost fucked me
            in half. Get this -- I come home
            and the phone is off the hook..
                                                        55.

MOVE IN ON JACK'S FACE as he pretends to read, but glances
up at Tyler.

                                             TYLER'S VOICE
                                                 FADES AS:

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I already knew the story before he
          told it to me.

INT. KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)

Tyler enters through the back door and moves to the phone.

                    MARLA'S VOICE (FROM HANDSET)
          I'll tell you when I'm floating out
          of my body.

Gently, Tyler lifts the handset and listens, smiling.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I don't know why, but Tyler
          actually thought it was a *bad*
          thing that Marla was about to die.

INT. 8TH FLOOR LANDING - LATE AFTERNOON (FLASHBACK)

Tyler reaches the top of the stairs and heads for Marla's
room. Before he can knock, Marla's hand shoots out and
grabs Tyler's arm.

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS (FLASHBACK)

Marla pulls Tyler inside and shuts the door.   Her drugged
eyes look him over.

                    MARLA
          You got here fast.

She staggers and sits on the bed. She slides off, along
with the blanket and sheets, to the floor.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          The mattresses here are all sealed
          in slippery plastic.

She tries to focus her eye on Tyler.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          Did I call you?

SIRENS and vehicles SCREECHING to a halt outside. Doors
opening and SLAMMING; running FOOTFALL. Marla scowls and
RAMS Tyler with her knee, knocking him off her.
                                                       56.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          You called the cops?! Shit!

She gets to her feet, grabs Tyler, hauls him to his feet and
pulls him out the door.

INT. HALLWAY (FLASHBACK)

Marla LOCKS her door, then shoves Tyler toward the
staircase. She and Tyler suddenly flatten agains the wall
as COPS and PARAMEDICS charge by with oxygen.

                    COP
          Where's 8-G?

                    MARLA
          End of the hall.

The rescuers keep running.   Marla and Tyler start down the
steps.

Marla lingers a beat, hearing the cops bang on the door.
She calls out to them:

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          The girl who lives there used to be
          a charming, lovely girl. But she
          has no faith in herself.

Tyler yanks on Marla's arm. They continue down the steps,
with Marla's speech getting louder.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          And she's worried that, as she
          grows older, she'll have less
          options.

She's turned into a monster! She's infectious human waste!
Good luck trying to save her!

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Tyler makes coffee.   Marla slouches against the
refrigerator.

                    MARLA
          If I fall asleep, I die.    You have
          to keep me up all night.

Tyler smiles.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          He was able to handle it.
                                                       57.

INT. TYLER'S ROOM - DAWN (FLASHBACK)

Marla and Tyler, in a wrecked bed.   Tyler's eyes are closed.
Marla kisses his ear.

                    MARLA
          According to ancient Chinese
          custom, you're responsible for me
          forever, because you saved my life.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING - RESUMING

Tyler gulps some coffee, shaking his head.

                    TYLER
          ... And she's spouting this crap
          she got from watching too much
          television.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          If only I hadn't gone to a movie.
          If only I went to her stupid room
          to watch her die.

Tyler sits opposite him, studies his face.

                    TYLER
          You aren't doing her, are you?

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I Am Joe's Raging Bile Duct.

                    JACK
          No.

                    TYLER
          I didn't think so.

                    JACK
          You didn't think so?

                    TYLER
          She's not your type.

                    JACK
          How would you know what my type is?

                    TYLER
          She's just a wild, twisted bitch.

                    JACK
          Oh, and my pace is more librarians
          and den mothers.
                                                    58.

                    TYLER
          Kinky.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          How could someone like Tyler get
          involved with someone like Marla
          Singer? It was impossible.

                    JACK
          Marla doesn't need a lover.    She
          needs a case worker.

                    TYLER
          This is sport-fucking.    She's a
          hosebag.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          She invaded my support groups, now
          she's invaded my home. My
          friendship. Like a cancer.

                    TYLER
          You're okay, aren't you?

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I Am Joe's Clenching Bowels.

                    JACK
          Sure.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Put a gun to my head and paint the
          wall with my brains.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          It's fine, great.

                    TYLER
          Now, listen. You gotta understand
          something about me. I got a little
          rule. Don't ever talk to her about
          me. I can't stand that kind of
          shit.

Tyler fixes Jack with a friendly, but firm stare.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          If you ever mention me to her -- or
          anyone else -- I'll find out about
          it. And you'll never see me again.

                    JACK
          Okay.
                                                        59.

                    TYLER
          You promise?

                       JACK
          I promise.

Tyler abruptly gets up and leaves the kitchen.    Jack watches
him go, smoldering.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Jack sits watching television at HIGH VOLUME.    Sounds of
ROUGH SEX from upstairs.

                                                   CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jack lies calmly, in a Zen state, on his bed, staring at the
ceilng.

Sounds of THUMPS and CRASHES from beyond the wall, along
with Tyler's and Marla's VOICES, SNARLING:

                    MARLA'S VOICE
          You slimy discharge!

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I could've moved to another room,
          one on the third floor -- so I
          wouldn't have heard them. But I
          didn't.

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Jack brushes his teeth.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I wrote little haiku things:

"Worker bees can leave Even drones can fly away The queen is
their slave"

I became the calm little center of the world.    I was the Zen
master.

MOVE IN ON -- KEYHOLE - Jack's EYE

                    MARLA
              (gasping in passion)
          I love you. I want to have your
          abortion.
                                                       60.

INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

Sound of RAIN pelting the house.   Jack flips the fuses off,
walks up the stairs.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          "A tiger can smile A snake will say
          it loves you Lies make us evil"

INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING - SAME

Jack walks up the steps. He hears Marla SCREAM in orgasm.
He reaches the landing. Tyler's door is slightly ajar.
Jack can't help stopping.

JACK'S POV - TYLER'S ROOM

Marla's legs are sprawled on the bed. Her head is down over
the far side, out of view. The door PUSHES OPEN WIDER --
Tyler, naked, stands

CLOSE TO CAMERA.

                    TYLER
          What are you doing?

WIDE ON LANDING

Jack steps back.

                    JACK
          I.. uh.. just going to bed.

Tyler grins and nods toward bed.

                    TYLER
          You want to finish her off?

                       JACK
          Uh.. nah..

Jack continues toward his room.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY

Jack's clothes are PERMANENTLY STAINED with BLOOD. He sits
in his Zen pose, typing. We see his HAIKUS on the screen.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I faxed them around to everyone.

He hits "SEND". Boss enters, reacts with exasperated
irritaiton at the sight.
                                                        61.

                    BOSS
          Is that your blood?

                    JACK
          *Some* of it, yeah.

Boss stares at Jack like he's from Mars.

                    BOSS
          Take the rest of the day off. Come
          back tomorrow with clean clothes.

And get yourself together.

INT. HALLWAY - SAME

Jack, looking like a war casualty, walks past COWORKERS who
coldly stare at him. His face is totally passive.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I got right in everyone's hostile
          little face. Yes, these are
          bruises from fighting. See? It's
          nothing to me? See how cool I am
          about it?

That's right, I'm enlightened!

EXT. PAPER STREET - SUNSET

Jack walks toward the house.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          You give up the condo life, give up
          all your worldly possessions and go
          live in a dilapidated house in the
          toxic waste part of town.

INT. TYLER'S KITCHEN - SUNSET

Jack walks inside. Sound of VIOLENT SEX from upstairs --
THUDS and WHAMS. Pieces of PLASTER fall from the ceiling in
tufts of dust.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          ... And you come home to *this*.

                    TYLER'S VOICE
          Take that, butt wipe!!

Jack rolls his eyes, takes off his pants.    He runs water in
the sink.
                                                        62.

He takes a tiny bit of soap and begins to scrub the blood
stains.

PHONE RINGS.    He answers.

                      JACK
          Hello?    Speaking.

INTERCUT WITH

INT. POLICE STATION - OFFICE

DETECTIVE STERN leans forward in his chair, consulting a
file.

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          This is Detective Stern with the
          arson unit. We have some new
          information about your condo. The
          deadbolt on your front door was
          shattered. Someone sprayed freon
          into the lock to freeze it. Then,
          they tapped it with a cold chisel
          to shatter the cylinder.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I Am Joe's Cold Sweat.

And, in fact, cold sweat beads up on Jack's forehead.   He
scrubs his pants obsessively.

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          The dynamite had a residue of
          ammonium oxalate and potassium
          perchloride -- this means we can
          assume it was homemade.

                    JACK
          This is.. really a shock to me,
          Sir.

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          Whoever set the dynamite could've
          turned on the gas and blown out the
          pilot lights on the stove days
          before the explosion took place.
          The gas was just the trigger.

                    JACK
          Who do you think did it?

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          I'm asking the questions, son.
                                                         63.

                    JACK
          I loved my life. I loved that
          condo. I loved every stick of
          furniture. That was my whole life.
          Everything -- the lamps, the
          chairs, the rugs -- *were* me. The
          dishes were me. The plants were
          me. The television was me.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          I'd like to thank the academy..

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          Do you know anyone who'd have the
          expertise and the motive to do
          something like this?

Jack's eyes move upward, then back down.

                     JACK
          Uh.. no.

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          Well, think about it. If any ideas
          come to you, give me a call. And,
          in the meantime, don't leave town.

                    END INTERCUT
          Jack hangs up the phone, turns to
          see Tyler standing right next to
          him.

Tyler puts a hand on Jack's shoulder, squeezes it
affectionately.

Jack turns away and continues to scrub -- rebuffing Tyler.
Tyler smiles compassionately at him.

Marla's FOOTSTEPS can be heard coming down the stairs.
JACK'S POV --

as he really grinds the soap against the pants, splashes
water all over the place.

JACK'S POV PIVOTS, WIDEN ON ROOM.   MARLA ENTERS.   TYLER IS

                     GONE. JACK
          looks around to the open back door,
          then back at Marla. She lights a
          cigarette.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Except for their humping, Tyler and
          Marla were never in the same room.
                                                      64.

The same disappearing act my parents pulled for years -- one
came in, and the other was gone.

Marla moves very close to Jack and props a leg up on a stack
of magazines near him. She's not wearing underwear. Jack
becomes very aware of his having no pants on, so he pushes
up against the counter.

Marla lasciviously pulls the hemline further up her leg.

                    MARLA
          I got this dress at a thrift store
          for one dollar.

                    JACK
          It was worth every penny.

                    MARLA
          It's a bridesmaid's dress. Someone
          loved it intensely for one day,
          then tossed it. Like a Christmas
          tree -- so special, then, bam, it's
          on the side of the road with tinsel
          still clinging to it.

She leans in very close to his ear and whispers hoarsely:

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          You can borrow it sometime.

                    JACK
          That's hysterical.

Marla blows smoke into Jack's face. He grabs her cigarette,
throws it into the water in the sink. She smiles saucily
and LEAVES the room.

Sound of her FOOTSTEPS going upstairs.

                    TYLER (O.S.)
          Get rid of her.

Jack turns and sees Tyler in the back doorway.

                    JACK
          *You* get rid of her.

                    TYLER
          And don't mention my name.     You
          promised.

                    JACK
          Yes, yes, I promise.
                                                         65.

                     TYLER
          Promise?

                    JACK
          I said I promise!

                    TYLER
          That was three times you promised.

Marla's FOOTSTEPS can be heard coming down the staircase.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Tell her to go.

Jack looks toward the archway, then back at -- ? Tyler is
GONE. Marla glides into the kitchen with a PACK of
cigarettes. She daintily takes one out and lights it.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I'm six years old again, passing
          messages between my parents.

                    JACK
          Uh.. I think you should go now.

Marla begins to do a slow, exotic dance around the kitchen,
sometimes moving very close to Jack, sometimes moving away.
She lifts her dress dangerously high -- does she expose
herself? -- hard to tell. She dances very close to Jack's
body, almost touching it.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          What are you trying to do?!

Marla stops dancing, and BURSTS into loud LAUGHTER.

                    MARLA
          You're such a nutcase, I can't even
          begin to keep up.

She touches Jack's hair.     He slaps her hand away.

                    JACK
          Just get out of here.

Marla's face turns sour.     As she stomps out the back door --

                    MARLA
          I'm already so fucking gone that
          all you see is an after-image.

Jack watches her through the kitchen window.
                                                       66.

                      TYLER (O.S.)
          Good job.

As Jack turns, we WIDEN to include Tyler, standing right
behind Jack, beaming. Through the window, in the
background, Marla can be seen quickly moving away on the
sidewalk. Tyler puts his hand on Jack's shoulder.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Let's get out of this place for
          awhile, take a walk.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Tyler moves forward at a brisk pace. Jack keeps up with
him. Tyler cuts across a paved road and into a WOODED AREA.
Jack follows.

EXT. ALL-NIGHT CONVENIENCE STORE - MOMENTS LATER

Tyler, with Jack following, emerges from the trees and heads
into the parking lot.

A Clerk ambles toward his car, taking off his uniform bow
tie. Tyler suddenly pulls a HANDGUN out of his belt and
rams it against the Clerk's head.

EXT. WOODED AREA - CONTINUOUS

Tyler marches the Clerk, the gun aimed at his head.   Jack
follows.

                    JACK
          What are you doing?!

                      TYLER
          Shut up.

                    JACK
          Are you out of your fucking mind?!

                      TYLER
          Shut up.

Tyler stops the Clerk and pushes him down to a kneeling
position.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Give me your wallet.

The Clerk fumbles his wallet out of his pocket and Tyler
snatches it.

Tyler pulls out the driver's license.
                                                        67.

                   TYLER (CONT'D)
         Raymond K. Hessel. 1320 SE
         Benning, apartment A. A small,
         cramped basement apartment.

                   RAYMOND
         How'd you know?

                   TYLER
         They give basement apartments
         letters instead of numbers.
         Raymond, you're going to die.

                   RAYMOND
         Please, God, no.

                   JACK
         What are you doing?!

                   TYLER
             (to Jack)
         SHUT UP! You have no idea of what
         it is to hit bottom. I've been
         trying to get you there -- I blew
         up your condo.

                   JACK
         ... The.. cops are onto you.

                   TYLER
         No, they think *you* did it.

                                                     TYLER
                                             CONTINUES, TO
                                                  RAYMOND:

                   TYLER (CONT'D)
         Your mom and dad will have to call
         old doctor so-and-so to get your
         dental records, because there won't
         be much of your face left.

Raymond begins to weep, his shoulders heaving. Jack starts
to gasp for air. Growing even paler, he slumps back against
a tree. His mouth becomes dry.

                   TYLER (CONT'D)
         Is this a picture of Mom and Dad?

                   RAYMOND
         Yesss..

                   JACK
         Look, if this is all about me..
                                                       68.

                     TYLER
         You?    Nothing is about you.

                   JACK
         I'm doing okay, aren't I?

                   TYLER
         You don't have your cute, little
         condo or your fey furniture, you're
         living in squalor..

                                                    TYLER
                                            CONTINUES, TO
                                                 RAYMOND:

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          An expired community college
          student ID card. What did you used
          to study, Raymond K. Hessel?

                       RAYMOND
          S-S-Stuff.

                     TYLER
          "Stuff".   Were the mid-terms hard?

Tyler shoves the gun against Raymond's temple.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          I asked you what you studied.

                    RAYMOND
          Biology, mostly.

                       TYLER
          Why?

                    RAYMOND
          I don't know.

                    TYLER
          What did you want to be Raymond K.
          Hessel?

A long beat while Raymond weeps and says nothing.   Tyler
COCKS the gun.

Jack JERKS back, wincing, sweating.

                       JACK
          ... Tyler?
                                                        69.

                     TYLER
         I'm busy.

                                                     TYLER
                                             CONTINUES, TO
                                                  RAYMOND:

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          The question, Raymond, was "what
          did you want to be"?

Tyler begins to squeeze the trigger.

                    JACK (CROAKING WITH DRY MOUTH)
          Answer him!

                    RAYMOND
          A VETERINARIAN!

                     TYLER
          Animals.

                    RAYMOND
          Yeah.. animals and s-s-s --

                    TYLER
          -- *Stuff*. That means you have to
          get more schooling.

                    RAYMOND
          Too much school.

                    TYLER
          Would you rather be dead?

Tyler shoves Raymond's wallet back into his pocket.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          I'm keeping your license. I know
          where you live. I'm going to check
          on you. If you aren't back in
          school on your way to being a
          veterinarian, you will be dead.
          Now, get the hell out of here.

Raymond staggers into the darkness. Tyler watches. Jack,
still clinging to a branch with a deathgrip, looks at Tyler.
Tyler slowly turns to face Jack.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Raymond K. Hessel, tomorrow will be
          the most beautiful day of your
          life.
                    (MORE)
                                                         70.
                       TYLER (CONT'D)
             Your breakfast is going to taste
             better than any meal you've ever
             eaten.

Jack's eyes light up. He looks at the fleeing Raymond, then
back at Tyler. He sighs, then shakes his head, then cracks
his weird, little crooked smile. His eyes glow. He looks
with almost religious reverence at Tyler.

Tyler turns and smiles at Jack.

                       TYLER (CONT'D)
             To make soap, first you have to
             render fat.

CLOSE UP - SIGN:    "DANGER - BIOHAZARD"

PULL BACK TO WIDE ON

EXT. FENCED-IN BIOHAZARD WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT

Tyler is on the ground, inside the fence. Jack's at the top
of the fence, trying to get through the BARBED WIRE. He
does so, but wobbles and gets his shirt snagged. Tyler
tries to help him. Jack falls, ripping his shirt. Tyler
breaks the fall, gets Jack to his feet.

FOOTSTEPS.    FLASHLIGHT BEAM.   Tyler pulls Jack down behind a
DUMPSTER

-- one of DOZENS in the site.    A silhouette of a SECURITY
GUARD moves

along the perimeter, waving the flashlight around. He
finally walks back toward the adjacent building, goes
inside.

MOVE BACK to Tyler and Jack, who emerge from hiding. Tyler
eagerly grabs the lid of the closest dumpster. Jack gapes
at the "biohazard" sign.

                       TYLER
             The best fat for making soap --
             because the salt balance is just
             right -- comes from human bodies.

Tyler lifts the lid -- it CREAKS. Jack breathes heavily,
afraid to look. Tyler pulls out an industrial-sized, think
plastic bag full of PINK GOO. Jack reacts to the smell,
turning away. His eyes focus on the side of the adjacent
building and its SIGN: "BODY SCULPTING

CLINIC".
                                                       71.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          >From the asses and thighs of rich
          women, paydirt.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Jack watches at Tyler stirs a boiling pot.

                    TYLER
          As the fat renders, the tallow
          floats to the surface of the water.

EXT. WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT (RESUMING)

Tyler and Jack climb back over the fence, each carrying
several bags of fat. One of Jack's bags gets caught on the
barbed wire and rips, spilling the goo all down the fence.
Jack's pants and shoes get covered; he slips and slides.
Tyler starts laughing. Jack starts laughing.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT (RESUMING)

Tyler shows Jack two pots which have a skinned-over layer.

                    TYLER
          When the tallow separates, there
          will be a clear layer on top. It's
          glycerin. We can mix it back in
          when we make the soap.

EXT. WASTE DUMP SITE - NIGHT (RESUMING)

Tyler helps Jack over the fence. They both fall to the
ground on the other side, laughing. They try to get up and
they both slip in fat, falling on their asses. They laugh
louder. FOOTSTEPS; FLASHLIGHT.

Still hysterically laughing, they both get up, slide and
fall down again, get up yet again and stagger away,
disappearing around a corner.

INT. TAXICAB - MOMENTS LATER

Jack and Tyler, slimed with fat, hold their bags, giggling.
The CAB DRIVER gives them a deadpan look.

                                          END OVERLAPPING
                                           INTERCUT. CUT
                                                      TO:

INT. KITCHEN - LATE NIGHT

Tyler and Jack have fat stains and rips on their clothes
from the waste dump. The pots boil. Tyler stirs.
                                                      72.

He sticks a spoon into a pot and lifts up a scoop of the
glycerin layer. Then, he grabs a can, opens, it.

                    TYLER
          Lye -- the crucial ingredient for
          making soap. A paste of lye and
          water can burn through an aluminum
          pan. A solution of lye and water
          will dissolve a wooden spoon.
          Combined with water, lye heats to
          over two hundred degrees.

Tyler licks his lips until they're gleaming wet. He takes
Jack's hand and KISSES the back of it. The saliva shines in
the shape of the kiss.

Tyler poises the can of lye over Jack's hand.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          This is a chemical burn, and it
          will hurt more than you've ever
          been burned.

Tyler pours a bit of the flaked lye onto Jack's hand.
Jack's whole body JERKS. Tyler holds tight to Jack's hand.
Tears well in Jack's eyes; his face tightens.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Look at your hand.

Jack looks at the burn is swollen glossy in the shape of
Tyler's kiss.

Jack's face spasms, but he forces himself to endure it.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Tyler's kiss was a bonfire or a
          branding iron on my hand at the end
          of a long, long road I pictured
          miles away from me.

Jack takes his gaze off his hand and his eyes become glazed
and detached.

                    TYLER
          Come back to the pain.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Guided meditation worked for cancer
          it could work for this.

                    TYLER
          Don't shut this out.
                                                           73.

                      JACK (V.O.)
            I didn't think of the words "pain"
            or "searing flesh". I was going to
            my cave to find my power animal.

Quick CUT TO:

INT. CAVE

Marla, looking beautiful in a stunning black dress.

As soon as Tyler speaks, we CUT BACK TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Tyler squeezing Jack's hand.    Jack's eyes re-focus on Tyler.

                      TYLER
            This is the greatest moment of your
            life and you're off somewhere,
            missing it. Listen. Your father
            was your model for God. And if
            your father bails out, what does
            that tell you about God?

Jack's face spasms in pain.    He keeps his attention on
Tyler.

                      TYLER (CONT'D)
            You have to consider the
            possibility that God doesn't like
            you. He hates you. This is not
            the worst thing that can happen.
            His hate is better that His
            indifference.

Jack becomes dazed again.   CUT TO:

INT. CAVE

Marla drops to the ground and pulls Jack on top of her.
Jack moves to kiss her.

                                                   CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Tyler tugs at Jack's arm.

                      TYLER
            We are God's middle children, with
            no special place in history and no
            special attention.
                      (MORE)
                                                      74.
                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Unless we get God's attention, we
          have no hope of damnation or
          redemption.

Jack looks at Tyler and they lock eyes in a stare.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          The lower you fall, the higher you
          fly. The farther you run, the more
          God wants you back.

Jack does his best to stifle his spasms and quivers of pain.
Tears drip from his eyes.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Someday, you will die. And until
          you know that, you're useless to
          me.

Tyler's eyes fill with tears and he smiles. Suddenly, Jack
starts breathing heavily and he shakes his hand.

                       JACK
          Fuck, man.     This HURTS.

Tyler laughs; Jack, bearing the pain, cracks a weird little
crooked smiles, his eyes wide.

INT. KITCHEN - SUNRISE

Tyler watches as Jack cuts several perfectly shaped bars of
soap.

Tyler finishes wrapping one. The wrapper says: "The Paper
Street Soap Company" in quaint writing.

INT. BARNEY'S - DAY

Jack and Tyler, wearing trenchcoats and looking like death-
warmed-over, wait by a counter and trendily-dressed and
finely- coiffed SALESPEOPLE zip around. Tyler is the
picture of cool. Jack looks around as if expecting to get
arrested. He looks at his BANDAGED HAND, shakes it.

A BUYER, a woman, comes to the counter, smiles at Tyler; he
smiles back. MOS while Jack's VOICE is OVER the following:
the Buyer looks over a sample bar of soap. She nods, smiles
and begins to fill out forms.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Tyler sold it to the stores at
          twenty bucks a bar. God knows what
          they charged. We were selling rich
          women their own fat back to them.
                                                         75.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Jack and Tyler march down the sidewalk, full of purpose,
like gunfighters heading for a show-down.

                    TYLER
          Look at the guys in fight club.
          The strongest and smartest men who
          have ever lived -- and they're
          pumping gas and waiting tables; or
          they're slaves with white collars.
          Advertising has them chasing cars
          and clothes. A whole generation
          working in jobs they hate, just so
          they can buy shit they don't really
          need.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - NIGHT

MEN are entering the gymnasium for the testicular cancer
support group "Remaining Men Together". Bob starts to file
in with the rest, and suddenly, Jack darts forth from the
shadows and blocks his way.

                      BOB
          Hi.

                      JACK
          Hi, Bob.

Bob tries to go through the door, but Jack blocks him.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Are you really a man?

                    BOB
          Yes.. we all are.

                    JACK
          I'm not so sure.

Jack forcefully pushes Bob. Caught off-guard, he backs into
a locker with a bang. Jack slaps Bob's face.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Come on, you big moose.   Let's see
          if you are.

Jack punches Bob in the stomach. Bob puts up his hands to
block. Jack throws more punches. Finally, Bob punches Jack
in the face, knocking him staggering. Jack comes back and
they pummel each other. Bob's face gets redder with anger.
                                                         76.

Then, Jack steps back, holding out his hands to signal
"stop".

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Let's take this somewhere else.

INT. BASEMENT - ELECTRONICS WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

The crowd screams insanely as Bob and Jack go at it in the
circle of light. Bob's eyes are wild with glee.

EXT. BASEMENT DOOR - ELECTRONICS WAREHOUSE - LATER

Everyone quietly sneaks out of the new location -- we've
seen none of these guys before -- this is a new chapter.
Jack and Bob stagger out last. They are both dripping blood
and covered with bruises -- Jack being in worse shape -- and
they both grin with religious serenity.

Bob hugs Jack.

                       BOB
          Thank you.     Thank you.

Bob relaxes the hug and Jack drops to the ground like a
sack, enervated from the beating he took.

                    JACK
          You're welcome.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Fight club -- this was mine and
          Tyler's gift -- our gift to the
          world.

EXT. STREET - DAY

Ricky grapples with a YUPPIE.    They fall to the sidewalk,
pounding each other.

                    YUPPIE
          WHO ARE YOU?! WHY DID YOU ATTACK
          ME?!

The Yuppie maneuvers Ricky toward a metal fence and insanely
tries to impale him on a spike. Tyler and Jack shoot INTO
VIEW and grab the YUPPIE, laughing.

                    YUPPIE (CONT'D)
          WHO ARE *YOU*!!
                                                          77.

INT. TRUCK GARAGE - NIGHT

Ricky and the Yuppie fight each other while the crowd --
still even more new guys -- cheers.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We started a fight club for every
          night of the week.

CLOSE UP - BUMPERSTICKER

Which reads: "DRUNK DRIVERS AGAINST MOTHERS".

A HAND presses it down in all corners. PULL BACK TO REVEAL -
the bumper, THEN the whole car -- a luxury sedan. THEN -
the entire PARKING STRUCTURE wherein ALL the bumpers have
the sticker.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We started pulling pranks.

EXT. STREET - LATE NIGHT

Jack, Tyler and Ricky quickly paste up a basic, black-on-
white-lettering BILLBOARD. It says: "DID YOU KNOW.. ? YOU
CAN USE YOUR OLD MOTOR OIL TO FERTILIZE YOUR LAWN! --
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY".

                    TYLER
          We're the middle children of
          history, with no special purpose or
          place.

We don't have a great war in our generation, or a great
depression.

The great depression is our lives.   The great war is a
spiritual war.

EXT. LARGE PARKING LOT - DAY

Jack and Bob, armed with a toolbox, change the "Enter" and
"Exit" signs around. They walk away. In the background, a
car drives into the "entrance" and the front tires EXPLODE
from the BLADES in the ground.

EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Jack walks toward an intersection, beyond which is a large
CITY PARK.

A group of people are LEAVING A PUBLIC BUILDING in front of
him. Marla is among them -- it's a support group adjourning
for the night. Jack catches Marla's eye.
                                                         78.

He simply smiles and waves. Marla stares at him, deadpan.
She turns and walks away, JUST AS..

Tyler STEPS INTO FRAME, looking straight ahead at the park.
He signals Jack and they move forward. From out of nowhere,
Bob joins them.

EXT. PARK - OUTDOOR BEER FESTIVAL - NIGHT

A bad BAND plays German music. BANNERS advertising American
beer are everywhere. People wear shirts and hats with beer
ads. Jack, Bob and Tyler sneak up to the side of a portable
TOILET. They shove it until it falls against the next
toilet. An ENTIRE ROW of portable toilets falls like
dominoes. They dart behind a row of trees, then casually
walk away.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We were raised by television to
          believe that someday we'll all be
          millionaires and movie stars and
          rock stars -- but we won't. And
          we're learning that fact.

                    TYLER
          And we're very, *very* pissed-off.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - ON GROUND - DAY

Two AIRPLANE MAINTENANCE MEN -- with bruised faces -- rip
open a box from a PRINT SHOP. They dig up handfuls of
AIRLINE SAFETY INSTRUCTION CARDS and begin to inset them
into each seat back pouch. We MOVE IN and SEE a card -- it
shows passengers SCREAMING and FLAILING ABOUT IN

TERROR.

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING

Jack, dressed for work, receives a sheet of paper from
Tyler.

                     TYLER
          Make two dozen copies.   We're going
          to have --

INT. PHOTOCOPY ROOM - DAY

Jack stands over a copy machine, getting hit by the flashes
of light.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          -- more than one fight club on
          every night of the week.
                                                      79.

Jack looks around. Other faces illuminated in FLASHES.
HALF of them are bruised. He smiles, his eyelids getting
heavy and his head nodding.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE - LATER

Jack sits in his cubicle, playing a game on his computer.
Boss enters.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          He was wearing a yellow tie. It
          must be Thursday. I didn't even
          wear a tie to work anymore.

Boss slaps a piece of paper down on Jack's desk.

                    BOSS
          "The first rule of fight club is
          you don't talk about fight club".

Jack stares at him stoically.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I was still half-asleep all the
          time. I left the original in the
          copy machine.

                    BOSS
          Is this yours? "The second rule of
          fight club is you don't talk about
          fight club". Is it yours or not?
          You don't get paid to abuse the
          copy machine.

                    JACK
          "Abuse" the copy machine.   What an
          image.

                    BOSS
          Let's play pretend. You're me.
          You find *this*. What would you
          do? Hmm? Make a managerial
          decision. What would you do?

Jack slowly rises, walks softly to his office door, shuts it
and faces the boss.

                    JACK
          I'd be very careful who I talked to
          about this.
                    (MORE)
                                                      80.
                    JACK (CONT'D)
          It sounds like someone dangerous
          wrote this, and this buttoned-down
          psychotic could probably snap at
          any moment and stalk from office to
          office with an Armalite AR- 180
          Carbine gas-operated semiautomatic.
          He's probably at home every night
          with a little rattail file, filing
          a cross into the tip of every one
          of his bullets. This way, when he
          pumps a round into.. *someone*.. it
          will split along the filed grooves
          and spread open the way a dum dum
          flowers inside you to blow a load
          of guts out through *someone's*
          spine. This is probably somebody
          you've know for years.

Boss stares at him with a tinge of outrage, a tinge of fear.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Tyler's words. Me clowning around.
          And I used to be such a nice
          person.

Jack's phone RINGS.   Jack answers.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Compliance and Liability.

                    MARLA'S VOICE
          My tit's going to rot off.

                    JACK (TO BOSS; BIG SMILE)
          Could you excuse me? I need to
          take this call.

Boss goes to the office door opens it, stares at Jack a
beat, then leaves.

                    JACK (CONT’D)
              (into phone)
          What are you talking about?

INTERCUT WITH

CLOSE-UP OF MARLA

In dim light, her face very pretty with make-up.

                    MARLA
          I need you to check and see if
          there's a lump on my breast.
                    (MORE)
                                                        81.
                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          I can't afford to blow the cash on
          a doctor just to find out.

                    JACK
          I don't know..

                    MARLA
          You're the only one I can turn to.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          She didn't call Tyler.    I'm neutral
          in her book.

                    MARLA
          Meet me at work.

EXT. MORTUARY - LATE AFTERNOON

Jack goes through the front door.

INT. MORTUARY - SAME

Jack walks into the dim, dramatically-lit foyer.    He sees
Marla at a

desk. She does not see him.   She's wearing a black formal
dress --

like a gorgeous angel of death. A VERY FAT MALE CUSTOMER
holds an URN the size of an egg cup. Marla studies the urn
and the Customer's body with a dreary expression.

                    MARLA
          Sir, you couldn't get the ashes of
          your *neck* in here.

The Customer turns and stomps out the door.    Jack steps
forward to the desk.

                    JACK
          Employee of the month?

Marla looks up at him and smiles.

EXT. MARLA'S HOTEL - SUNSET

Jack watches as Marla takes two boxes from a van with sign
"MEALS ON WHEELS".

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Marla leads Jack inside.
                                                       82.

                    JACK
          You know, this is a sweet side of
          you.

                      MARLA
          Think so?

                    JACK
          Picking these up for..
              (reads off boxes:)
          "Mrs. Haniver" and.. "Mrs. Raines".
          Where are they? Top floor?

                    MARLA
          They're dead. I'm alive and I'm in
          poverty. You want any of this?

                    JACK
          No, thanks.

                      MARLA
          Good.

He stares at her while she wolfs down food.   Marla takes a
napkin and wipes her mouth.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          This napkin is "one-hundred percent
          recycled". So is my toilet paper.

Can you imagine.   The worst job in the world -- recycling
toilet paper.

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - NIGHT

Marla stands in front of a mirror with her shirt open. Jack
stands behind her with his hand on the bottom side of her
breast. Her hand guides his.

                     JACK
          Where?   Here?

                      MARLA
          Here.

                      JACK
          There?

                      MARLA
          Here.

                      JACK
          Here.
                                                      83.

                    MARLA
          Feel anything?

                       JACK
          No.

Jack's head is behind Marla's. His eyes close.   Both of
them speak more slowly, softer.

                       MARLA
          Make sure.

                      JACK
          Okay.    Okay, I'm sure.

                    MARLA
          You feel nothing?

                       JACK
          Nothing.

He almost kisses her neck. Marla turns around, faces him
and begins to slowly button up her shirt.

                      MARLA
          Whew.    That's a relief.   Thanks.

                    JACK
          No problem.

                    MARLA
          I wish I could return the favor.

Jack touches his breasts, shakes his head.

                    JACK
          I think everything's okay here.

                    MARLA
          I could check your prostate.

                       JACK
          Uh.. nah.

                    MARLA
          Well, thanks.

Marla kisses him -- and lingers for a bit longer than just
friendly.

Jack pulls away.

                    JACK
          Are we done?
                                                         84.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          I gotta go.

Marla's voice turns acid:

                    MARLA
          Yeah, we're done.   Get the fuck
          outta here.

Jack goes to her door, opens it, looks back at her.

                       JACK
          I'm sorry.

                    MARLA
          GO, ASSHOLE!

EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER

Jack walks down the sidewalk. He glances back up at Marla's
window as he crosses the street. He sees her. She moves
away from the window and -- Jack's BUMPED -- very lightly --
by a PASSERBY -- it's *Tyler*.

                    TYLER
          What are you doing?

                    JACK
          Uh.. I.. was.. coming back from..
          a.. thing..

Tyler throws an arm around Jack and leads him down the
sidewalk.

                    TYLER
          We need to talk.

INT. BOSS'S OFFICE - DAY

Jack steps into the open doorway and lightly knocks against
the frame.

Boss looks up from his large, expensive desk.

                    JACK
          We need to talk.

                    BOSS
          Okay. Where to begin? With your
          constant absenteeism? With your
          unpresentable appearance? I might
          as well tell you now -- you're
          going to be put up for review.
                                                         85.

THIS NEXT LINE *NOT* IN V.O.:

                    JACK
          I Am Joe's Complete Lack Of
          Surprise.

Boss sits up in his seat, becoming enraged.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Let's pretend. You're the
          Department of Transportation. And
          you knew that our company
          intentionally left a front seat
          mounting bracket that never passed
          collision tests? Did nothing about
          leather seats -- that were cured in
          third world countries with a
          chemical we know causes birth
          defects? Brake linings that fail
          after a thousand miles.

Turbochargers that blow up and cut off legs at the knees.
Fuel injectors that burn people alive. All of these
accidents where "cause of failure" is stamped "unknown". I
know where the bodies are buried.

Call it job security.

                    BOSS
          Just who the fuck do you think you
          are?! Get out of here! You're
          fired!

                    JACK
          I've got a better idea. You're
          going to keep me on payroll as an
          outside consultant. In exchange
          for my salary, I'll perform the
          task of not telling anyone what I
          know. I won't need to come into
          the office. I can do this job from
          home. Call it early retirement,
          with pension.

Boss stands, moves around his desk, glaring with rage.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Yes, I am shit and crazy, to you
          and this whole fucking world, but
          I'm your responsibility.

Jack PUNCHES HIMSELF in the nose. Blood starts to trickle
down. He punches himself in the jaw, harder.
                                                      86.

He throws himself back, acting as if the force of the punch
knocked him. His back SLAMS against a framed painting and
SHATTERS the glass. He and the frame and the glass and the
painting fall to the floor.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          I Am Joe's Smirking Revenge.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Please don't hit me again.   Please.

Jack gets back to his feet and punches himself in the
stomach, then punches himself in the jaw again. He reels
backwards and falls into a hanging shelf, ripping it off the
wall, sending it's contents flying.

He falls to the floor again.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          For some reason, I thought of my
          first fight -- with Tyler.

Jack crawls along the carpet toward Boss, dripping blood.
He tries to keep up the act, but he sporadically GIGGLES.
He grabs Boss's leg.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Please.. give me the paychecks like
          I asked for. You won't see me
          again. You won't have any trouble.

Jack climbs up Boss's leg. Boss, aghast, tries to shake him
off, and, in doing so, stumbles back in to his desk,
knocking off photos, stacks of paper, paperweights.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Under and behind and inside
          everything this man took for
          granted, something horrible had
          been growing.

Jack crawls up high enough to grab Boss's belt and hoist
himself up further. He's getting blood all over the Boss's
clothes. Jack SMUDGES blood from his face onto the knuckles
of both Boss's hands. The horrified man SCREAMS.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          And right then, at our most
          excellent moment, security guards
          decided to walk in.

Two SECURITY GUARDS come inside and gape at the sight.
Behind them stands a crowd of curious workers, also taking
in the sight.
                                                      87.

JACK (gurgling blood) (CONT'D) Please don't hit me again.

INT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - JACK'S ROOM - DUSK

Jack, all bloody, lies in his bed, asleep. He awakens,
hearing the BACK DOOR SLAM. He painfully hauls himself out
of bed.

INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Jack enters to see Tyler taking beers out of the fridge.
Jack waves a

PAYCHECK.

                        JACK
            I did it.

                      TYLER
            That's fucking great!

Jack sees that Tyler is dressed in combat fatigues. He's
splattered with various colors of PAINT. There's a rope and
rappelling mechanisms lying on the table.

Tyler nods toward the living room and hands Jack all the
beers.

                        TYLER (CONT'D)
            Go on in.    We're celebrating.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Jack, a little bewildered, saunters in, carrying the beers.
Tyler does NOT follow him. Bob, Ricky and several fight
club guys are in front of the TV. They are all dressed like
Tyler, all splattered with paint.

Jack hands them their beer. One of the guys is sixteen year
old with an angelic face. He notices the TV.

                       ANGEL FACE
            SHHH!   They're back to it!

Jack looks at the TV as it shows a LIVE shot of a BUILDING,
which is identified at the bottom of the screen as the TRW
building. It has a GIANT GRINNING FACE PAINTED on it.

The two EYES are broken, charred windows with SMOKE pouring
out. Firetrucks spray water into the windows.

                      REPORTER
            Police Commissioner Jacobs has come
            down.. just a second..
                      (MORE)
                                                        88.
                    REPORTER (CONT'D)
          excuse me, could you tell us what
          you think this is?

The COMMISSIONER JACOBS, a wrinkled man with baleful eyes,
turns to camera.

                    COMMISSIONER JACOBS
          We believe this is related to the
          other recent acts of vandalism
          around the city. It's some kind of
          organized group. And we're
          investigating thoroughly.

Jack turns back and sees Tyler in the archway, watching the
TV. Tyler pulls back, out of sight. Jack turns to the
others.

                    JACK
          What did you guys do?

They all BURST INTO LAUGHTER, look at Jack and shake their
heads. Jack just stares at them. Suddenly, the guys' faces
turn to stone.

                    BOB
          The first rule of Project Mayhem is
          -- you don't ask questions.

Jack stares at them.   CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL BALLROOM - NIGHT

A loud, luxurious banquet ensues. Commissioner Jacobs
guzzles champagne and puffs on a cigar. Jack, in a waiter's
uniform, serving another table, stares at Jacobs. Then,
Jack looks apprehensively

toward certain other waiters:    Tyler, Bob, Ricky and Angel
Face --

mixed in with the mass of waiters.

INT. BATHROOM - SAME

Commissioner Jacobs enters, puffing the cigar, and walks
toward a urinal. Jack, Tyler, Bob and Ricky leap out of the
corner and attack him. Jack's heart isn't in it -- he
barely helps the others. Tyler knocks the cigar out of
Jacob's mouth and slaps a piece of tape over it.

INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - SAME

Jack holds the door while the others drag the struggling
Commissioner inside.
                                                      89.

They hold him down and pull down his pants. Bob snaps a
rubber band, then reaches down to Commissioner Jacob's
crotch.

                    TYLER
          Wrap it around the top of his ball
          sac.

Ricky holds a knife to Commissioner Jacob's testicles.
Jack, red-faced, keeps his distance. Tyler leans in and
whispers in the frightened man's ear.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          You're not going to continue your
          "rigorous investigation". You're
          going to publicly state that there
          is no underground group. Or --

imagine, the rest of your life with your ball sac flapping
empty.

                     COMMISSIONER JACOBS
          No.   Please. Stop. Please.

                    TYLER
          One to the *New York Times* and one
          to the *Los Angeles Times*. Press
          release style. Remember this. The
          people you're after are everyone
          you depend on. We're the people
          who do your laundry and cook your
          food and serve your dinner. We
          guard you while you sleep. We
          drive the ambulances. We process
          your insurance claims. We control
          every part of your life. So don't
          fuck with us.

Ricky makes a dramatic cut with the knife -- he holds up the
severed

RUBBER BAND.

EXT. HOTEL - LATER

Jack, Tyler and the others file quickly out the back service
entrance.

Tyler slaps Angel Face's back. Angel Face smiles at him.
Everyone splits up in different directions.
                                                       90.

INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

Fight club in full swing. Jack squares off with Angel Face.
He BEATS the SHIT out of Angel Face with a viciousness

heretofore unseen. The crowd shouts maniacally, save for
Tyler, who watches with an inscrutable stone face.

Angel Face tries to speak, but Jack pounds him too hard.
Blood flies everywhere. The crowd becomes QUIETER.
Finally, Angel Face, on the floor, is clearly unconscious.
Jack stops, stares at him, numb. The crowd seems a little
spooked. Tyler scans the faces, looks at Jack.

EXT. STREET - LATER

Tyler and Jack walk through pools of streetlight.

                     JACK
          I felt like destroying something
          beautiful.

                       TYLER
          Excellent.

An idling car HONKS. Tyler leads Jack toward it.    A bruise-
faced VALET PARKER throws keys to Tyler.

                    VALET
          There you go, Mr. Durden.

                    JACK
          After you, *Mr. Durden*.

INT. STOLEN CAR - MOVING - LATER

RAIN GUSHES down. Tyler drives. Jack sits slumped in the
passenger seat. They are BARRELING down a two-lane HIGHWAY,
intermittently illuminated by oncoming headlights. Jack
stews in silence. Tyler glances at him.

                    TYLER
          What's the problem?

                    JACK
          Nothing. Why wasn't I told about
          "Project Mayhem"?

                    TYLER
          You *were* told about it.

                    JACK
          Uh-huh. Yeah. Fine.      If you can't
          talk to me about it..
                                                       91.

                    TYLER
          That's the whole point -- you
          *don't* talk about it.

                    JACK
          So, I can't even ask?

                    TYLER
          What do you want me to say? That
          Project Mayhem will knock over the
          pillars of civilization like
          dominoes? That it's going to bring
          about a prematurely-induced dark
          age? Should I E-mail you? Should
          I put this on your "action item
          list"?

                    JACK
          Fine.

                    TYLER
          Recognize the make and model of
          this car?

                    JACK
          Yeah -- so what?

                    TYLER
          The front seat mounting bracket
          never passed collision tests.

Tyler pulls the car into the opposite lane.   HEADLIGHTS in
the distance get closer very, very quickly.

                    JACK
          What are you doing?!

The oncoming car gets closer and closer, honking and
flashing it's lights. Jack tries to grab the wheel. Tyler
uses one arm to pin down Jack's arms. He uses one hand to
steer.

                   JACK (CONT'D)
          TYLER! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU
          DOING?!!

                    TYLER
          If you died right now, how would
          you feel about your life?

                    JACK
          I WOULD FEEL NOTHING ABOUT MY LIFE!
          IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR?!
                                                      92.

                    TYLER
          I want to hear the truth.

The car swerves at the last second.

                    JACK
          Fuck my life. Fuck fight club!
          Fuck you and fuck Marla. I'm sick
          of this shit! How's that? Huh?

                    TYLER
          You don't have any concept of what
          it is to hit bottom.

An oncoming TRUCK honks and flashes it's lights. It moves
to the other side of the road. Tyler steers there, too.
The truck moves back; Tyler moves back. More honking and
flashing. The truck moves; Tyler moves.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          HITTING BOTTOM ISN'T A WEEKEND
          RETREAT! IT'S NOT A SEMINAR! ONLY
          AFTER YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING ARE
          YOU FREE TO DO ANYTHING! YOU SEE,
          YOU LISTEN, BUT YOU DON'T GET IT!
          YOU HAVE TO FORGET EVERYTHING YOU
          KNOW, EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU
          KNOW!

Just seconds to impact with the oncoming truck and -- Tyler
swerves.

Now the car heads straight for a STALLED CAR on the side of
the road, surrounded by flares. Jack stops struggling to
get his arms free.

                    JACK
          I am nothing in the world compared
          to you. I am helpless. I am
          stupid and weak and all I do is
          want and need things. I *am* my
          little shit job. I *am* my condo
          and my Swedish furniture. I am
          SHIT!

Tyler lets go of Jack's arms and lets go of the steering
wheel. He and Jack look at each other as their car barrels
toward the stalled car.

Their faces are illuminated by the light of the flares.

They SMASH into the stalled car. Both airbags inflate, but
the front seat LURCHES forward, loose, causing the men's
legs to bang against the dash.
                                                         93.

Tremendous momentum makes the back of the car whip around
and carry it into a ass-over- teakettle ROLL down the hill.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          I'd never been in a car accident.
          This was what all those statistics
          felt like before I wrote them into
          my reports.

INT. FAMILY CAR (JACK'S IMAGINATION)

The car that Jack saw, post-wreck, in the warehouse,
FLAMING, tumbling END over END; the FATHER, MOTHER TEENAGE
GIRL and BABY all SCREAMING.

INT. TYLER'S STOLEN CAR - RESUMING

The hill goes on further and further -- it's a deep RAVINE.
The car finally hits the bottom, lying on its roof.

EXT. OVERTURNED CAR

Tyler crawls out and goes around, opening Jack's door.    He
drags Jack out into the mud. He grabs Jack's face and
squeezes it, shaking it.

                    TYLER
          You just had a near-life
          experience.

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

Jack lies in bed, staring at the ceiling.   Tyler sits in a
chair, next to the bed, speaking softly.

                    TYLER
          The world I see -- you're stalking
          elk through the damp canyon forests
          around the ruins of Rockefeller
          Center. You wear leather clothes
          that will last you the rest of your
          life. You climb the wrist-thick
          vines that wrap the Sears Tower.
          You see tiny figures pounding corn
          and laying strips of venison on the
          empty car pool lane of the ruins of
          a superhighway.

INT. JACK'S BEDROOM - DAWN

Jack lies in bed, staring at the ceiling.   Tyler is gone.
Faint sounds of SAWING and HAMMERING.
                                                      94.

INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Jack sits at the table, sipping coffee. He's pale, dazed.
He seems broken. He hears the faint sounds of sawing and
hammering again; he's unsure of where they're coming from.
He glances out the window, sees nothing.

Marla walks into the kitchen. Jack looks up at her. She
looks at him, unsmiling. There's a bruise on her face and
arm. She pours herself a coffee and lights a cigarette. A
beat of silence, then:

                    MARLA
          I'll be out of your way in a sec.

She seems to be as weak as Jack.

                    JACK
          You.. don't have to.. rush off.

                    MARLA
          Sarcastic prick.

                    JACK
          No, really..

Marla's eyes drift away from his. Jack gets up, tries to
move closer to her. She pulls away. He retreats and they
wind up on opposite sides of the room. Jack leans against
the wall near the BASEMENT DOOR, which is AJAR.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Why are we both.. caught up like
          this.. with..?

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          I came so close to saying Tyler's
          name, I could feel it vibrate
          inside my mouth.

Marla looks at him curiously, waiting.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Why does a weak person go out and
          find a strong person to.. hang
          onto?

                    MARLA
          It's a real sick relationship.    You
          don't think I know it?

                    JACK
          Does it *have* to be?
                                                           95.

                       MARLA
          Does it?

Faint sound of sawing and hammering.    Jack can't quite
figure where it's coming from.

                    JACK
          You hear that?

                       MARLA
          Hear what?

                    JACK
          That.. sawing and hammering.

                    MARLA
          We have to change the subject?
          Have we been talking too long?

                    JACK
          I just don't understand what you
          get out of such a sick
          relationship.

                    MARLA
          What the hell do *you* get out of
          it?

Jack turns and sees, through the slim space of the open
door, Tyler, at the bottom of the basement stairs, staring a
silent warning. Jack turns back to Marla.

                       JACK
          Nevermind.

                    MARLA
          No. That day you came over to
          check my breast..

                    JACK
          Let's just stop right here.

                    MARLA
          Come on! You *want* to pull
          yourself out of whatever you're
          stuck in.

Marla moves slowly toward Jack.

                    JACK
          Conversation over.
                                                     96.

Marla strokes Jack's hair. She sees the kiss-scar on his
hand. She grabs his hand and studies it. Jack tries to
pull it back, but Marla keeps a tight grip.

                    MARLA
          What is that?! Who did that?!

                    JACK
          ... A person.

                    MARLA
          Guy or girl?

                    JACK
          Why would you ask if it's a guy or
          a girl?!

                    MARLA
          Why would you get bent if I asked?!

                      JACK
          Go.

                    MARLA
          What does it mean?   You're afraid
          to say?

                      JACK
          Go!   Go!

Marla kisses Jack's hand, putting her lips right onto the
scar, leaving an imprint of lipstick. Jack jerks his hand
away from her. He tries to wipe off the lipstick and it
smears. He unconsciously licks it off.

                    MARLA
          MMMMMMMMMM.. Swallow it.

                    JACK
          Get the hell out of here!

Stung, Marla stomps toward the back door.

                    MARLA
          Go fuck yourself -- that's probably
          how you like it best.

And out she goes. Jack watches her stomp through the
backyard and out to the sidewalk. Tyler comes up from the
basement, passes Jack and goes through the archway. Sound
of his footsteps going up to the second floor. Jack goes
down the basement steps.
                                                      97.

INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

TRIPLE-DECKER BUNKS clutter the basement, as many as can fit
into the space.

                    JACK
          What's this for?

>From upstairs, the sound of the DOORBELL.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Jack opens the door. Ricky stands on the porch, staring
blankly ahead in subordinate military style. He's dressed
in black pants, black shirt, black shoes. He holds a brown
paper bag. An army surplus mattress sits in a tied-up roll
at his feet.

Jack is about to say something, when Tyler steps past Jack
and speaks very softly to Ricky:

                    TYLER
          I'm sorry. You're too young to
          train here.

Tyler steps back inside and shuts the door.

                    JACK
          "Train" here?

                    TYLER
          He's not. If the applicant is
          young, we tell him he's too young.
          Old, too old. Fat, too fat.

                      JACK
          Why?

                    TYLER
          This is how Buddhist temples tested
          applicants going back for bah-
          zillion years. If the applicant
          waits at the door for three days
          without food, shelter or
          encouragement, then he can enter
          and begin training.

                    JACK
          Begin training?

Tyler grins at him.
                                                        98.

EXT. PORCH - MOMENTS LATER

Jack bursts out the door, faces Ricky.

                    JACK
          GET OUT OF HERE! GO! HE TOLD YOU
          YOU'RE TOO YOUNG! GET OUT!

It's clear there will be no response from Ricky, who's like
a statue.

Jack goes back inside, closes the door.

EXT. PORCH - NIGHT

Ricky stands in the same spot. Jack bursts out with a
broom, knocks the brown paper bag out of Ricky's hand, kicks
it off the porch. Ricky remains in place, motionless.

                    JACK
          ARE YOU STUPID?! I TOLD YOU TO GET
          OUT OF HERE! YOU'RE NEVER GETTING
          INSIDE THIS HOUSE!

EXT. PORCH - MORNING

Ricky in the same spot.    Tyler slinks out the front door,
smiling.

                    TYLER
          I'm sorry about the
          misunderstanding. Look, friend,
          it's not the end of the world.
          Just go away. Nothing personal,
          but I'm going to have to call the
          police. You're trespassing.

EXT. PORCH - NIGHT

Ricky, same spot. Jack bursts outside with the broom again.
He WHACKS Ricky in the shoulder.

                    JACK
          YOU'RE NEVER GETTING THROUGH THIS
          FUCKING DOOR, YOU STUPID LITTLE
          WEASEL!!

INT. JACK'S ROOM - LATER

Jack drinks a beer, smokes a cigarette and stares down at
the PORCH, which he can see from a sideward//downward angle.
Ricky stands in the same spot.
                                                       99.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Sooner or later, we all just became
          what Tyler wanted us to be.

EXT. PORCH - MORNING

Ricky's in the same spot. Next to him now is Bob, dressed
in black with brown paper bag and Army surplus mattress.
Tyler steps out the front door. Jack lights in the doorway,
locking eyes on Bob.

                    TYLER (TO RICKY)
          Get your stuff.
              (to Bob)
          You're too old to train here.
          Sorry.

Tyler and Ricky go inside and Tyler slams the door.

INT. 2ND FLOOR LANDING - LATER

Jack stands in the open bathroom doorway, watching Tyler
SHAVE off all of Ricky's HAIR. When he's done, Tyler gives
the top of Ricky's head a sharp slap.

                    TYLER
          A monkey, ready to be shot up into
          space, ready to sacrifice himself
          for Project Mayhem.

And, so, all those with shaved heads will henceforth be
termed "SPACE MONKEYS".

EXT. PORCH - LATER

Jack looks out the window. Bob continues to stand,
motionless. Ricky comes out the front door with the broom.

                    RICKY
          YOU'RE TOO FUCKING OLD!   GET OUT OF
          HERE!

Ricky WHACKS Bob with the broom several times, then goes
back inside,

                                             SLAMMING THE
                                           DOOR. CUT TO:

EXT. PORCH - NIGHT

CLOSE ON JACK'S FACE, staring out the window.
                                                     100.

                    VOICE
          YOU'RE TOO SKINNY!     GET OUT OF
          HERE!

FULL BACK TO REVEAL a SPACE MONKEY we've never seen before,
with the shaved head, whacking a SKINNY APPLICANT with the
broom.

INT. LIVING ROOM - SAME

Jack pulls back from the window. SPACE MONKEYS, all dressed
in black, all with shaved heads, are ALL OVER THE PLACE.
There are tables set up for them to wrap bars of soap. Jack
lopes into the

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

Where Space Monkeys render fat and make soap. Several, off
to the side, stir a large vat of RICE. One of them recites
a memorized statement:

                    FRECKLED SPACE MONKEY
          "You are not a beautiful and unique
          snowflake. You are the same
          decaying organic matter as
          everything else. We are all part
          of the same compost pile."

                    JACK (V.O.)
          Planet Tyler Jack dips a spoon into
          the rice vat and chomps on some
          rice in an irritable way.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          It could be worse. I could get hit
          by lightning and my head could burn
          down to a smoldering baseball and
          my zipper could weld shut.

HE MOVES BACK OUT TO THE

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

And tromps up the steps to the 2nd floor landing.

INT. TYLER'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jack enters. Bob reads a book and makes marks on a chart.
All along the floor are baskets; each one is labeled with a
number in sequence:

"1, 2," etc. The first ten are under a sign that says
"WILMINGTON".
                                                       101.

Then, there's a sign over some that says "NEW YORK", then
"CHICAGO", and other cities. There are dozens of BOOKS on
FINANCE. Jack looks in basket number "1" and sees the word
"CITIBANK" at the top of a page.

He starts flipping through it; then the next basket.

Bob grabs Jack's hand and leads him away from the baskets.

                    BOB
          The first rule of Project Mayhem is
          you don't ask questions.

                    JACK
          This is me, Bob.     Tyler's been gone
          for over a week.     What the hell is
          going on?

                    BOB
          The first rule of Project Mayhem is
          you --

                     JACK
          Right.

Jack leaves the room.

INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Jack barges in among the laboring Space Monkeys. They pinch
herbs into the soap mix. They also use vodka. Jack grabs a
bottle of vodka and takes a long pull off it.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I had to hug the walls, being a
          mouse trapped inside this clockwork
          of space monkeys, cooking and
          working and sleeping in teams. The
          house became a living thing, wet on
          the inside from so many people
          sweating and breathing. So many
          people moving, the house moved.

The PHONE RINGS.   Jack snatches it.   All the Monkeys stare
at him.

                    JACK
          Project Mayhem.

                    TYLER'S VOICE
          Don't answer the phone like that.

Jack turns away from the others, moves to a corner, talks
sotto voce.
                                                     102.

                      JACK
          Tyler!    Where have you been?

                    TYLER'S VOICE
          Don't ask questions.

There's a tense pause.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I Am Joe's Broken Heart because
          Tyler dumped me. Because I'm just
          another cog..

                    TYLER'S VOICE
          Be quiet and listen.

Jack reacts with surprise -- did Tyler hear his thoughts?

                    TYLER'S VOICE (CONT'D)
          I'll tell you everything when I get
          back. Right now, you gotta do
          something for me.

                        JACK
          Me?   When?

                        TYLER'S VOICE
          Tonight.

EXT. FRONT PORCH - LATER

Jack, Bob, and two other Space Monkeys step out the front
door, laden with boxes and equipment.

                    SKINNY SPACE MONKEY
          "We are the all-singing, all-
          dancing crap of the world".

The group of four steps off the porch and heads for a VAN.

EXT. PARK - NIGHT

A piece of ART adorns the top of a hill: a metal TOWER, wide
at the base and a hundred feet high, in design somewhat
similar to the Eifel Tower. At the top is a giant GLOBE
made of circular poles and wires.

Jack, Bob and the other two monkeys attach the explosive
packets to the globe; wire the packets together; use
sandbags to cover the packets.
                                                        103.

EXT. PARK - LATER

The group of four huddle behind some bushes, staring at the
globe. Bob holds a small metal electronic box with a button
-- a detonator. He presses the button.

A RAPID SERIES of EXPLOSIONS runs from the base of the tower
to the top, along the four main structural supports. They
are contained, shaped blasts. The tower crumbles straight
down. Bob turns to smile at Jack.

                    BOB
          Exactly the way it was supposed to
          work.

The globe falls free, bangs into the top of the hill and
begins to roll. When it gets to the street, it bounces onto
the top of a parked LIMO -- and becomes a FLAMING, raised
"GUTTERBALL" -- it never hits the street -- it rolls over
one parked limo or expensive luxury car after another,
crunching the roofs, causing the windows to explode outward.

Fifty cars get this treatment.

Then, it arrives at the lobby of a HOTEL, BROADSIDES a
couple of limos, CAROMS off them, TURNS and rolls directly
into the front of a large

(closed) STARBUCKS, SMASHING DOWN the windows and the front
door and setting the place ON FIRE.

EXT. PARK - AERIAL VIEW

As Jack, Bob and the two other Monkeys FLEE, LAUGHING
hysterically at their handiwork. They split up and move in
different directions.

MOVE IN ON JACK, sprinting, keeping hidden by bushes.
SIRENS can be

heard. He's stripping off his ski mask, his gloves, his
combat gear --

as he runs.   Underneath are street clothes.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          In that moment I "clicked". I
          became what Tyler wanted. I was
          his limb, his appendage -- an
          extension of his will, nothing
          more. And he knew it. I could
          feel him knowing it.
                                                        104.

Jack dumps the wad of clothes into a trashcan and pulls up
the surrounding trash to cover them. He breaks into a
sprint again, heading for the edge of the park.

GUNSHOT. Jack's smile fades. He stops, looks toward the
direction from which the sound came. He turns, heads down
along a row of hedges.

HE COMES TO A

INT. CONCRETE STAIRCASE - CONTINUOUS

And moves to the top step, looking down. A COP is near the
bottom, running down to the sidewalk. Next to a STREETLAMP
LIES a ONE of the MONKEYS in full combat attire and ski
mask. The body is MOTIONLESS, SPRAWLED. In the hand is the
DETONATOR -- looking somewhat like a gun.

The Cop pulls off the ski mask, revealing the DEAD FACE of
Bob, a BULLETHOLE through the head.

Jack flinches backwards as if punched in the stomach. He
gasps for breath. The Cop looks up and catches sight of
Jack. He lifts his gun and his PB radio. Jack jerks back
out of sight.

EXT. PARK - CONTINUOUS

Jack hobbles along. Nearby, from beyond a hedge, he hears
the crackling of a PB with a VOICE coming from it. Then:

                     COP'S VOICE (INTO PB)
          Yeah.   We found some clothes.

Jack, sweating like a pig, picks up his pace and heads for
the edge of the park.

EXT. PAPER ST. HOUSE - NIGHT

Jack, panting, white as a ghost, trembling, approaches from
the sidewalk. He sees the front door open and four Space
Monkeys come out, carrying LUGGAGE.

                    BIG-EARED MONKEY (A SOLEMN CHANT)
          We are now the..

                    OTHER MONKEYS & BIG-EARED (UNISON)
          ... right hands of Tyler Durden.

Jack steps up onto the porch and sees that they are all
holding FLIGHT COUPONS. Jack notices that all of them have
the KISS-SCAR on their left hands. They ignore him with
military demeanor and walk down to the sidewalk and head for
the bus stop.
                                                       105.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           Under and behind and inside
           everything I took for granted,
           something horrible had been
           growing.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jack walks inside to see a Space Monkey, BEET-RED but
silent, holding out his hands while LYE BURNS the inside of
the TOPS of his FINGERS.

Other Monkeys sit and await the process.

                     JACK (V.O.)
           They were using lye to burn off
           their fingerprints.

INT. TYLER'S ROOM

Jack barges into the room, goes to the desk and rifles
through drawers.

His elbow bangs against the top of an ANSWERING MACHINE.      It
plays MESSAGES.

                     MARLA'S VOICE
           Look, don't get bent, okay? But..
           there's a therapist that I think
           could really help you. Give me a
           call. Okay?

Click.   Next message:

                     DETECTIVE STERN'S VOICE
           This is Detective Stern with the
           arson unit. I've called four times
           in the last two days. I need you
           to come in for some further
           questioning.

Jack shivers, snaps OFF the machine, then more furiously
continues his search. He finally finds flight coupons --
both used and unused. The used ones have the flight
information, including the destination cities. He stuffs
all of them into his pocket.

CLOSE SHOT:   SIGN:   "LAGUARDIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT".

INT. BAR - NIGHT

Jack walks in and sees several MALE PATRONS with FIGHT
BRUISES. Jack goes to the bar, sidles next to the bruised
men and the BRUISED BARTENDER. They stare at him.
                                                       106.

                    JACK
          This is an emergency.    I'm looking
          for Tyler Durden.

                    BRUISED PATRON
          Never heard of him. Sir.

He and the other bruised patrons and the bartender WINK at
Jack and crack slight smiles.

                                           MONTAGE - DAY &
                                                    NIGHT:

"WELCOME TO" AIRPORT SIGNS -- Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas,
Phoenix, Los Angeles".

FACES -- bruised, smiling, tight-lipped.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          In every city, I branched out from
          the airport to downtown and checked
          bars. There was always a fight
          club. Tyler was setting up
          franchises, all over the country.

INT. ANOTHER BAR - NIGHT

Jack walks in and sits at the bar.   The BARTENDER wears a
NECK BRACE and has a black eye.

                    BARTENDER
          Welcome back, Sir. No one's in
          here. It's always empty the day
          after fight club.

                    JACK
          Talk to me. Have you ever met
          Tyler Durden?

                    BARTENDER
          Is this a test, Sir?

                    JACK
          Yeah, it's a test.

                    BARTENDER
          You were in here last Thursday
          night. You were standing right
          there, asking me about how good our
          security is. And it's tight as a
          drum.

                    JACK
          Who do you think I am?
                                                     107.

                    JACK (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Please return your seatbacks to
          their full upright and locked
          position.

                    BARTENDER
          You're the person who did *this* to
          me.

The Bartender shows Jack his hand -- it has the kiss-shaped
scar.

                    BARTENDER (CONT'D)
          You're Tyler Durden, Sir.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Jack bursts inside, runs to the phone, punches a number.    He
doesn't bother to turn on the lamp.

INTERCUT WITH

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - SAME

Marla answers the phone.

                     MARLA
          Yeah?

                     JACK
          It's me.   Have we ever had sex?

                    MARLA
          What kind of stupid question is
          that?!!

                    JACK
          Is it stupid because the answer's
          "yes" or because the answer's "no"?

                    MARLA
          Is this a trick?

                    JACK
          Will you just answer, for God's
          sake?!

                    MARLA
          Oh, you mean, you want to know if I
          think it was "making love" or just
          two animals going at it?

                    JACK
          So we *did* make love?
                                                       108.

                    MARLA
          Is that what *you're* calling it?

                    JACK
          ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!

                    MARLA
          You fuck me, then snub me. You
          love me, you hate me, you show your
          sensitive side, you turn back into
          an asshole!

                      JACK
          Oh, God.

                    MARLA
          Is that a pretty accurate
          description of this relationship?

                    JACK
          What's my name?

                    MARLA
          Tyler Durden.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          We've just lost cabin pressure.

                    MARLA
          I'm coming over.

As Marla hangs up, we END INTERCUT.    Jack stares at the
receiver a beat, then realizes..

                      JACK
          Oh, shit!    No!   I'm out of town!

He punches Marla's number like a maniac. Listens.. just
ringing and ringing. He turns, sees TYLER -- sitting on the
bed, staring at him with an ominous poker face. Jack drops
the receiver. The room is only lit by dim moonlight through
the window.

                    TYLER
          You broke your promise.

                    JACK
          Why do people think I'm you?

                    TYLER
          Because we happen to share the same
          body.
                                                     109.

                    JACK
          What the hell are you talking
          about?

                    TYLER
          Sometimes *I* control it and you
          imagine watching me.

INT. BAR BASEMENT - NIGHT (JACK'S MEMORY)

Jack stands near the back of the crowd as Tyler stands in
the middle of the light.

                    TYLER
          The first rule of fight club is --

JUMP CUT - SAME SHOT - (ALTERED FLASHBACK) -- it's JACK in
the light, talking, behaving like TYLER.

                    JACK
          -- you don't talk about fight club.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING

Jack gasps and wheezes.   Tyler grins and nods.

                    JACK
          But we fought --

                     TYLER
          When *you're* controlling the body,
          you see me and hear me. But no one
          else does.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - NIGHT (ALTERED FLASHBACK)

Jack sits next to an empty seat and "looks" at the blank air
beside him, eyes focusing on "someone" close.

                    JACK
          What do you do Tyler?
              (pause; listens to reply)
          I mean -- for a living.

Jack listens to the reply, then laughs.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING

Jack has trouble catching his breath.

                    JACK
          What about when we were together
          around other people?
                                                      110.

                    TYLER
          You never talked.

EXT. PARK - NIGHT (ALTERED FLASHBACK)

Jack (Tyler) has his face right in front of the Police
Commissioner's.

                    JACK ("TYLER")
          We'll send one ball to the "New
          York Times" and one ball to the
          "Los Angeles Times". Sort of press
          release style.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING

Tyler sits down on the bed, takes Jack's hand.   He presses
his lips to the kiss-scar.

                    TYLER
          And when you fall asleep, I go
          places and do things without you.

EXT. BUILDING (FLASHBACK)

We see that the building is "TRW". Jack, Bob, Ricky, Angel
Face and another GUY rappel down the die and start SPRAYING
PAINT. Everyone is more or less paired off. Jack IS
"TYLER" in his demeanor, mannerisms, speech. He's next to
Angel Face.

                    JACK ("TYLER") (TO ANGEL FACE)
          You are not your job. You are not
          how much money you have in the
          bank.

Suddenly, the TWO WINDOWS SHATTER OUTWARD and two of the men
yell out the windows:

                    BRUISED MAN #1
          I AM NOT MY JOB!

                    BRUISED MAN #2
          I AM NOT HOW MUCH MONEY I HAVE IN
          THE BANK!

INT. HOTEL ROOM - RESUMING

Jack shakes his head in disbelief.

                    JACK
          But you.. you.. you rent the house.
                                                     111.

                    TYLER
          The house is rented in your name.

                    JACK
          You're a projection? A personality
          disorder? A psychogenic fugue
          state?

                    TYLER
          Fuck that. You're *my*
          hallucination.

                    JACK
              (points to his body)
          I was here first.

                    TYLER
          Who's done more with it?

                    JACK
          You're not going to do any more
          with it.

                    TYLER
          What are you going to do? You
          couldn't even figure this out.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          It's been staring you in the face
          for months. I had to drop my busy
          schedule and come here and tell
          you. How are you going to fuck
          with me? You think there's any
          possibility that I haven't prepared
          for? Do you think anyone you care
          about is safe?

Jack quivers with shock, shaking his head, sweating more
profusely.

                    JACK
          No. This is all.. it's not
          possible. Tyler. Tyler.. it's a
          joke, right? Right?

Jack FAINTS and falls to the floor, UNCONSCIOUS.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY

Jack's eyes snap open.   He shoots to his feet.

                      JACK
          Tyler.. ?
                                                        112.

He remembers the revelations of the previous night.. he
looks at himself in the mirror. A sledgehammer of emotions
hits him. He looks at the clock -- 1:35p.m.

BAM!

INT. HALLWAY

The room door slams against the wall as Jack bursts out of
the room, SPRINTING for the stairs. Fuck the luggage.

INT. STAIRWELL

Jack takes three steps at a time.

INT. LOBBY

Jack storms for the front door, passing the length of the
front desk.

A DESK CLERK calls out to him.

                       DESK CLERK
             SIR?!

Jack catches sight of the Clerk, who waves a piece of paper.

                       DESK CLERK (CONT’D)
             Please initial the list of phone
             calls.

Jack snatches the bill and looks at it.    There's a MASS of
PHONE

NUMBERS.

                       JACK
             When were these made?

                       DESK CLERK
             It says right there, Sir. Between
             two a.m. and five thirty a.m.

Jack grins. He initials the bill. The Clerk gives him a
copy. Jack stuffs the bill into his pocket and disappears
out the door.

INT. AIRPLANE CABIN - IN FLIGHT - DAY

Jack sits, staring out the window, his face set hard.

EXT. AIRPORT DRIVE - SUNSET

Jack sprints to the curb and leaps onto a taxi.
                                                        113.

EXT. MARLA'S HOTEL - SUNSET

The taxi pulls to a halt by the curb.    Jack leaps out and
runs up the front steps.

INT. HOTEL STAIRS - CONTINUOUS

Jack sprints up the steps, taking two or three at a time.
He gets to a landing and turns and runs down to the end of
the

INT. HALLWAY

Where he pounds on Marla's door.    She opens it.   He endures
her baleful gaze for a beat.

                    MARLA
          Your whacked-out, bald feaks threw
          me out of the house. I thought
          they were going to kill me. They
          almost broke my arm.

                    JACK
          I'm sorry, I..

Jack takes both her hands in his.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Marla, I'm going to tell you
          something and it's going to take a
          tremendous act of faith on your
          part to believe me.

                    MARLA
          Here comes an avalanche of
          bullshit.

                    JACK
          -- A little *more* faith than that.

                      MARLA
          Spill it.

INT. MARLA'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Jack leads her toward the bed.

                    JACK
          Look, did you notice a big
          difference between me when we were
          having sex and when.. we weren't?
                                                     114.

                    MARLA
          Did I notice? You're manic-
          depressive. It's like a neon sign
          all over you.

                     JACK
          No.   It's worse than that.

Jack sits on the bed, pulling Marla down next to him. They
and the sheets and covers SLIDE OFF onto the floor. Jack
keeps his composure and looks into her eyes.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Tyler is my split personality.

                    MARLA
          Then, who are you?

Jack takes out his wallet, shows Marla his driver's license.

                    MARLA (CONT'D)
          You gave me a fake name?    What a
          jerk.

                     JACK
          *I* didn't give you the fake name --
          a *fake person* did. Listen, those
          people all over the house -- you're
          in danger.

                    MARLA
          Okay, what do you want? You want
          me to create my own wonder-bitch
          personality to match? So we can be
          a foursome?

                    JACK
          I WANT YOU TO FUCKING BELIEVE ME!!

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          YOU WANTED TO TALK?! WELL,
          *HERE'S* OUR FUCKING TALK!!!

Jack's eyes well up with tears. He turns away from her.
Marla's face softens. She strokes Jack's hair, turns his
face to look at her.

                       MARLA
          I'm sorry.     This split personality
          thing is..

A beat of silence. She squeezes his hand; he squeezes back.
He looks at her, working up some nerve.
                                                        115.

                    JACK
          I've go to know something. Why did
          you respond to Tyler? Instead of
          me. Sexually.

                    MARLA
          I.. uh.. I don't know what to say --
          *you're* Tyler.

                    JACK
          Okay, however you want to say it --
          the abusive side of me -- the
          asshole who treated you like shit
          and made you leave in the morning.

                    MARLA
          What do you want? You want me to
          say I'm shit and I deserve to be
          treated like shit? Well, I AM!
          And that's how you GOT ME OFF!! AND
          YOU *KNOW IT*!!!

Jack touches her face and she slaps his hand away. He sighs
and gets to his feet. He pulls out an airline FLIGHT COUPON
and shows it to her.

                    JACK
          I want you to get out of town for
          awhile. Whether you believe me or
          not, you're in *real* danger. Is
          there someplace you can go?

Marla grabs the flight coupon, looks it over.

                    MARLA
          There's plenty of places I'd like
          to go.

Jack digs into his pocket and produces a wad of cash.    Marla
roughly seizes the cash, checks out the amount.

                    JACK
          Leave as soon as possible. Go to a
          rural little town, away from any
          major city. Go now. Okay?
          Please. Promise?

                    MARLA
          Count on it. And I'm not paying
          this back -- I consider it "asshole
          tax".

                     JACK
          I agree.   More than you know.
                                                       116.

Marla's expression of rage becomes muddled with confusion
over Jack's almost spiritual tenderness. Jack starts toward
the door. A WAVE OF DROWSINESS and FATIGUE hits him. He
staggers, eyes closing. He drops onto a chair for a beat
and rests his hand over his face.

He SNAPS AWAKE.   Marla is GONE.   Jack bolts up out of the
seat.

                       JACK (CONT'D)
          Marla?!

INT. HALLWAY

Jack leaps out of the room, looks down the hall in both
directions.

                       JACK
          Marla?!

EXT. PAPER STREET - SUNSET

The taxi screeches to a halt.    Jack leaps out.

                       JACK
          Wait here.

INT. PAPER ST.    HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Jack walks inside to find it completely EMPTY and DESERTED.
He gawks at the bathtub and canisters that hold vast amounts
of liquid. He sees bottles labeled "nitric acid". He TIP-
TOES to the

INT. KITCHEN

And picks up the phone. He pulls out the hotel bill and
scans the phone numbers. Through the window, the LAST bit
of SUNLIGHT slowly SINKS.

Jack punches the first number.

                    VOICE (FROM PHONE)
          Maintenance.

A brief silence while Jack absorbs this and adjusts.

                    JACK
          Uh, excuse me. I'm not sure I have
          the right number. I've been
          calling maintenance departments all
          over the city, regarding the water
          supply. Which maintenance
          department is this?
                                                            117.

                    VOICE
          Very good, Sir.

                       JACK
          Excuse me?

                    VOICE
          Don't worry about us, Sir.      We're
          solid.

Jack hangs up the phone.      He punches the next number.

                    DIFFERENT VOICE (FROM PHONE)
          Maintenance.

                    JACK (IMITATING TYLER)
          Give me your position.

                     DIFFERENT VOICE (BAFFLED)
          Huh?   Who's this?

                    JACK
          Oh, excuse me. I'm calling from
          the water company. I've mixed up
          my phone numbers. Which
          maintenance department am I talking
          to?

                    DIFFERENT VOICE
          You almost had me there, Sir.
          Everything's A-okay here.

Jack hangs up the phone.      He punches the next number.

                    ANOTHER DIFFERENT VOICE (FROM PHONE)
          Maintenance.

Jack hangs up; punches the next number.

                    YET ANOTHER DIFFERENT VOICE (FROM
                    PHONE)
          Maintenance.

Jack hangs up; punches the next number.

                    EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
              (from phone)
          Maintenance.

A beat while Jack thinks.

                    JACK
          There's been a change in the plan.
                                                       118.

                     EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
           You told me you'd say that, Sir.

                     JACK
           I don't care what I told you --
           there's *really* a change of plan!

                     EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
           You told me you'd say *that*, too,
           Sir.

                     JACK
           Now, listen to me, you stupid fuck!
           I've got the phone numbers mixed
           up! Tell me where you are! Now!

                     EVEN YET ANOTHER VOICE
           This is a very good test, Sir. You
           sound like you mean it.

Jack hangs up the phone and KICKS IT. He flushes red, looks
around at passersby. He lifts the receiver again and
punches the next number on the hotel bill.

                     SCRATCHY VOIC
               (from phone)
           Mason Industrial Electronics.

                     JACK
           This is Tyler Durden.

                     SCRATCHY VOICE
               (harsh whisper)
           Are you outta your fucking mind?!
           What the fuck are you doing,
           calling me in the daytime?!

                     JACK
           I.. have some questions about..

                     SCRATCHY VOICE
           Jesus! I showed your guys how to
           use it! A four-year-old could take
           that shit and break through any
           security system in the world! If
           you can't then fuck you, moron!
           Now, don't ever call me again!!

Click.   Disconnect.   Jack looks at the receiver, hangs it
up.

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN - NIGHT

Jack gets out of the cab, turns to the CABBIE.
                                                      119.

                    JACK
          I gotta have you wait again.     Leave
          the meter running.

The Cabbie grins.

                    CABBIE
          There's no charge, Mr. Durden.

Jack gawks at him, backs away.

INT. LOU'S TAVERN - SAME

Jack darts inside and signals to Irvine. Irvine comes out
from behind the bar and he and Jack move to a corner. Other
men with BRUISED FACES turn and watch them.

                    JACK
          Look, I need to know where the
          nitroglycerin was taken.

Irvine scowls at him a beat, then slowly smiles.

                    IRVINE
          Right, Mr. Durden.

                    JACK
          This isn't a test.     There's been a
          mix-up.

                    IRVINE
          You told me you'd say that.

                    JACK
          Where are all the maintenance
          departments?!

                    IRVINE
          You told me you'd say that, too.

Jack bristles with rage.   He grabs Irvine's shirt collar.

                    JACK
          Did I tell you I'd call you a
          motherfucking asswipe dickhead?!

                    IRVINE
          Yes, you did.

Marla walks into the tavern, makes a beeline for Jack.

                    JACK
          WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!
                                                      120.

                    MARLA
          You told me to meet you here at ten
          till.

                      JACK
          WHEN?!

                    MARLA
          Back in my room.     When you dropped
          into the chair.

                      JACK
          SHIT!

Irvine and a couple of the bruised-faced guys grin at Marla
and take a few steps towards her. Jack grabs her and drags
her out the door.

EXT. LOU'S TAVERN

Jack ignores the waiting cabbie and heads for the main road.
He's stomping along at a brisk pace. His face hardens into
a mask of psychotic determination. He pulls Marla with him
onto a run-down side street.

HE DARTS INTO A

INT. PAWN SHOP

He immediately points to something high on a shelf.

                    JACK
          Let me see that trumpet.

The OWNER, a huge, gruff man, pushes a ladder to the spot
starts to climb. Jack throws himself onto the countertop
near the register, looks around, pulls up a HANDGUN.

                      OWNER
          Hey!

Marla GASPS. Jack checks the clip -- it's fully-loaded.      He
sprints for the door, dragging Marla.

EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS

Jack steps out into traffic. A LEXUS screeches to a halt.
Jack goes to the DRIVER'S door and whips it open.

                    JACK
          Police emergency.

                      DRIVER
          Bullshit!
                                                      121.

Jack shoves the gun barrel into the Driver's temple. The
Driver gets out of the car and FLEES. Jack points the gun
at Marla and motions her to get into the car. Overwhelmed
by all this, she complies. Jack leaps behind the wheel and
stomps on the gas.

EXT. GREYHOUND BUS STATION - LATER

Jack drags Marla into the passenger loading area. A
Greyhound bus is taking on passengers. Jack sees the
DESTINATION -- PHOENIX -- and he impulsively averts his
eyes, but too late.

                   JACK
          SHIT! I can't know where it's
          going! Come on, let's find another
          one.

Jack drags her to another loading bus.   He keeps his eyes
averted from the DESTINATION sign.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Get on the bus.

                    MARLA (READING THE DESTINATION)
          But I don't want to go to --

                     JACK
          SHUT UP!   Don't tell me where it's
          going!

                    MARLA
          But, the people there talk funny
          and their teeth are rotten.

                   JACK
          Shit! Now, I know it's the rural
          South!

Jack jams the gun barrel into Marla's ribs.

                    JACK (CONT'D)
          Get on that fucking bus right now!

Marla starts for the bus. Jack keeps himself from seeing
the destination sign, but watches Marla get on board. Then,
the doors close. Then, the bus pulls away. Then, the bus
gets to the end of the road and turns a corner.

Jack turns and walks off the passenger platform and out into
the
                                                        122.

EXT. STREET NIGHT

He sees a Space Monkey on the corner, watching him.   He
looks down and sees another Monkey in the opposite
direction, also watching him.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          They probably had a map of the city
          with little push pins. I felt like
          a migrating goose on "Wild Kingdom.
          Well, fine. They could watch me do
          *this*".

INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT

Jack walks past desks of PLAINCLOTHES DETECTIVES until he
sees a private office. He glances down at a business card,
then keeps moving forward.

INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Jack steps inside the office to see Detective Stern at the
desk.

                    JACK
          I want you to arrest me. I'm the
          leader of a terrorist organization
          that's about to set off bombs all
          over the city.

Detective Stern scowls at Jack.

INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Jack, handcuffed, is led by Detective Stern.    Several other
DETECTIVES follow. A somber mood prevails.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Stern enters and leads Jack to a table. All the other
Detectives file inside. The last one closes the door. Dim
light from a single bulb overhead creates the tone of a
torture chamber. Cigarette smoke becomes thick. Jack sighs
with relief. It's finally over. The Detectives all stare
harshly at Jack.

Then, they all BURST into HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER.   They slap
and punch Jack's shoulder.

                    DETECTIVE STERN
          Very good, Mr. Durden.

Jack uses all his strength to stifle his utter shock.    He
forces a thin smile.
                                                      123.

                    DETECTIVE STERN (CONT'D)
          Operation Domino has everyone a
          little skittish right now. But
          it's all going like clockwork.

Jack, ready to explode, keeps the smile plastered on his
face and forces his hand -- like a palsy victim -- to form
the gesture "thumbs up".

The Detectives give him the same gesture in reply.

EXT. BACK OF POLICE STATION - NIGHT

A door opens and Jack is playfully shoved outside. LAUGHTER
of Detectives rings out. Jacks starts to walk away from the
police station.

EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS

Jack steps out into the street.   In a state of shock, he
lopes forward, dizzy.

                    JACK
          ... Operation Domino.. "fall like
          dominoes".. SHIT! ONE, TWO, THREE!
          YES!

Passersby look at him as if he were a homeless, insane guy.

                    JACK (CONT’D)
          THE BANKS! What was the first
          one?! Number one, number one..
          *CITIBANK*!

INT. STOLEN LEXUS - MOMENTS LATER

Jack RACES along the streets, swerving and passing cars,
HONKING.

After a beat a MOTORCYCLE COP appears behind Jack and turns
on his SIREN and FLASHING LIGHT. Jack reflexively slows
down. The motorcycle moves up beside Jack and the COP
SMILES, waving Jack forward. The Cop provides an ESCORT.
The Lexus turns a corner and heads for the

EXT. CITIBANK BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

Jack leaps out of the car.   He sprints into the

INT. LOBBY - NIGHT

Two Space Monkeys take over the escort and lead Jack toward
the elevators.
                                                     124.

                    JACK
          I'll take the stairs.

Jack darts to the side, throws open the stairwell door.

INT. STAIRWELL

Jack dashes DOWN the steps.

INT. PARKING AREA

Jack races from the stairwell into the parking area, eyes
combing the place. He darts from one SUPPORT POST to
another, his eyes frantically searching.

He moves around a support post and sees -- Tyler, sitting on
the ground, his back against the post.

                    TYLER
          Looking for something?

                    JACK
          Where are the charges at?!

                    TYLER
          Don't end a sentence with a
          preposition.

                    JACK
          WHERE ARE THE CHARGES AT,
          *FUCKHEAD*?!!!

                    TYLER
          Listen to "Elephant Balls".. shit,
          slinging a gun. *Where did I go
          right*?

                    JACK
          I'll find them.

Jack moves away, continues looking around support posts.

                    TYLER
          There's eight floors of parking.

                    JACK
          I don't give a shit.

                    TYLER
          You do -- because you don't have
          enough time.

Tyler grins, points to his watch.
                                                       125.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          ... Ten minutes.

Jack stalks back toward Tyler, gun raised.

                    JACK
          TELL ME WHERE THE CHARGES ARE!

                    TYLER
          They're all up and down the
          building. They're not just here.

                     TYLER (CONT'D)
          If you tried to stupidly pull a
          fuse on a charge, you'd just cause
          it to blow up. The charges are set
          to go in a specific order -- so
          that the building will implode and
          collapse. If you *did* defuse one
          of the charges, you'd fuck up the
          sequence, and the building might
          fall the wrong way. Why don't you
          just find a television and watch
          the party?

                    JACK
          I'm awake. I have control of the
          body. You can't give orders.

                    TYLER
          I don't have any orders left to
          give. It's all set.

Jack boils over, then cracks. He drops the gun, falls to
his knees and clutches at Tyler. He touches Tyler's face.

                    JACK
          Tyler. You're real, aren't you?
          This is all a big joke, isn't it?

You *are* real, you son of a bitch!

Tears well up in Jack's eyes.   He hugs Tyler.   Tyler hugs
him back.

                    TYLER
          We're both real.

Jack squeezes harder, then lifts his head -- he's hugging
ANOTHER JACK.

The real Jack gasps, flinches backwards, landing on the gun.
He turns, grabs the gun, and turns back around. Fifty feet
away, Tyler, standing, leans against a pillar. He winks.
                                                       126.

Jack raises the gun, turns it around and aims it at his own
head.

                      JACK
            There's only one way to stop all
            this.

Jack shoves the barrel into his mouth.

                      TYLER
            You better not. If our body is
            found dead, the Space Monkeys have
            orders to kill Marla.

                      JACK
            Marla is gone -- and you don't know
            where.

Tyler's hand suddenly DARTS INTO FRAME, CLOSE-UP and
SNATCHES the gun.

NEW ANGLE

Tyler, laughing, holding the gun, dashes for the elevator.
Jack sprints after him.

INT. ELEVATOR

Jack manages to leap inside just as the door closes. He
lunges at Tyler and fights for the gun. Tyler, laughing,
manages to retain it.

The elevator climbs rapidly -- blinking numbers indicate
floors whizzing past.

INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY

The elevator doors open and the struggling pair whirl out
and toward the GLASS WALLS. Tyler SHOVES Jack's HEAD
against the window, turns it so Jack is looking down.

ANGLE ON STREET

A GREYHOUND BUS sits idling right by the front lobby doors,
having been allowed through the cordon.

INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY - RESUMING

As Tyler and Jack continue to stare downward.

                      JACK
            That's.. not the bus.
                                                          127.

                    TYLER
          You know it is.

Tyler swings Jack away from the window and shoves him
backwards.

                    TYLER (CONT'D)
          Now, can you grasp that there's
          nothing you can do?

Jack raises the gun, aiming at Tyler.    Tyler laughs, but
flinches --

just as Jack FIRES.   The bullet chews out a CHUNK of the
wall.

                    JACK
          I'm not going to kill myself.    I'm
          going to kill *you*.

Tyler laughs, but he starts rapidly moving down the hallway.

                    TYLER
          You can't kill me!    How can you
          kill me?!

Jack FIRES again, missing Tyler.    Tyler breaks into a
sprint. Jack does the same.

INT. HALLWAY

Jack turns a corner, sees Tyler at the end of the section of
hallway, heading for an intersection. Jack aims the gun at
Tyler. RAPID CUT

                                                          TO:

SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY

Jack aims the gun at himself.    RAPID CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY

Jack FIRES.    As Tyler flinches down -- RAPID CUT TO:

SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY

*Jack* flinches down, having shot at himself.    RAPID CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY

Jack resumes sprinting until he turns a corner to
                                                          128.

INT. NEW SECTION OF HALLWAY

Jack sees Tyler turn, freeze, then leap sideways toward a
room. Jack

FIRES.   The bullet GRAZES Tyler's leg.   RAPID CUT TO:

SECURITY CAMERA POV - HALLWAY

Jack, with the gun still aimed at his own leg, falls
backwards,

bleeding from   the graze wound his just gave himself.     RAPID
CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY

Jack pulls himself to his feet, and, his face now looking
completely insane, runs with his limp, holding the gun up,
ready to fire. He turns a corner to --

INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY

And suddenly, Tyler LEAPS onto Jack.   RAPID CUT TO:

SECURITY CAMERA POV - LOBBY

Jack crumples to the floor and wrestles with himself. He
punches himself, he tries to trap pin his own arms, he kicks
himself.

                                             RAPID CUT TO:

INT. TOP FLOOR LOBBY

Tyler leaps to his feet and dashes away.    Jack pulls himself
up and follows into a --

INT. LARGE SOCIAL ROOM

With floor-to-ceiling windows showing a view of the city.
There are a HUNDRED DUFFEL BAGS lining the floor, along the
walls.

Tyler leaps onto Jack seizes the gun. Jack holds onto
Tyler. Tyler shoves the gun barrel into Jack's mouth.

                      TYLER
           Okay -- let's kill you -- let's
           kill *both* of us. Be a martyr for
           the cause.

Tyler pushes Jack against a glass wall.    Jack, exhausted, is
losing his spirit.
                                                     129.

                    JACK (V.O.)
          I think this is about where we came
          in.

                    TYLER
          Two minutes.

Jack collapses to the floor. Tyler moves down with him,
keeping the gun in Jack's mouth. He sits on Jack.

                    JACK
          Either way -- the building blows us
          up or you pull the trigger -- it'll
          finally be over.

                    TYLER
          This building isn't going to blow
          up. It's the observation room.
          Pay- per-view. So, what are you
          going to do? You don't even have
          the guts to make a decision.

Jack looks into his eyes for a moment, then reaches up and
PULLS THE TRIGGER. *GO TO SLOW MOTION* AS -- KABLAM! his
cheeks INFLATE with gas from the gun. His eyes bulge, BLOOD
flies out backwards from his head.

SMOKE wafts out of his mouth.

RESUME NORMAL SPEED as Tyler gapes at Jack, then reaches
behind his head and feels -- there's a HOLE BLOWN OUT THE
BACK. Tyler's eyes glaze over and he falls backwards,
plopping on the floor, DEAD, with a grin on his face.

A throng of Space Monkeys -- two of whom drag Marla --
RUSHES into the room. They see Jack, ALONE, holding a gun,
bleeding profusely from the side of his face, where he's
SHOT A HOLE through HIS CHEEK. He stares at the empty floor
in front of him with his weird, little smile.

                    TALL SPACE MONKEY
          ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, SIR?!!

The two Space Monkeys who hold Marla press forward through
the crowd.

One of them puts a GUN to her head.   He COCKS it.

                    TALL SPACE MONKEY (CONT’D)
          ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, SIR?!!

Jack takes in the sight of Marla and the gun at her head.
He cracks a Tyler-esque grin.
                                                       130.

                    JACK
          Everything's fine.   Give me the
          girl.

The Monkeys release Marla. She moves next to Jack, now
becoming more shocked by his bloody state. Jack grabs her
arm. She digs through her purse and pulls out a wad of
tissue paper. She puts them into his mouth to plug the
hole.

                    MARLA
          What the fuck is going on?!

Jack cracks his weird, little smile; his eyes are wide and
half-insane-looking. He winks at Marla and squeezes her
hand.

                    JACK
          Tyler's dead.

The Space Monkeys all grab their duffel bags and file out of
the room, saluting Jack as they go.

Now, Jack and Marla are completely alone. He struggles to
get to his feet. She helps him. They look out the window.

MASSIVE EXPLOSION -- a building a quarter of a mile away.
It's destruction is completely visible from here. The glass
walls RATTLE LOUDLY from the shock wave. They both stare
out the window.

                    JACK (CONT’D)
          Listen, you met me at a really
          weird time in my life..

Marla looks at Jack, then looks back out the window.   He
reaches for her hand. She takes his hand.

They are SILHOUETTED against BRIGHT FLASHES as ANOTHER
BUILDING EXPLODES and COLLAPSES. ANOTHER BUILDING EXPLODES.
And ANOTHER BUILDING. And ANOTHER BUILDING.

The FILM SLOWS DOWN, then ADVANCES ONE FRAME at a TIME --
SHOWING the SPROCKET HOLES on the SIDES. It's CAUGHT in the
mechanism of the projector's GATE. EACH FRAME is the
EXPLODING BUILDINGS -- then, *ONE FRAME is a PENIS*. Then,
EXPLODING BUILDINGS again. SPEED UP the frames, LOSE the
sprocket holes, RESUME NORMAL SPEED.

                                                FADE OUT

                           *THE END*
