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"Untitled"
FADE IN:
INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT
CHRIS sits by his telephone, tapping it.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Is something bothering you, Chris?
Chris picks up the receiver and dials.
CHRIS (V.O.)
No.
On the other end, an ANSWERING MACHINE picks up.
CHRIS
Donna, it’s me…
(beat)
Call me when you get home.
He hangs up.
CUT TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
Chris is at a window seat. His forehead presses against the
glass.
ELAINE (V.O.)
So there’s nothing new to report.
CHRIS (V.O.)
No.
The bus stops. The doors HISS as they open.
Chris watches a red-headed woman step on board.
She smiles at him, he nods at her.
The bus lurches forward again.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE – DAY
ELAINE is behind her desk. Chris sits before her.
ELAINE
No more headaches?
CHRIS
No. Those pills you gave me, they
did the trick.
ELAINE
Good.
(beat)
Something bothering you?
CHRIS
Didn’t you already ask me that?
ELAINE
You’ve got that stare again.
CHRIS
Stare?
ELAINE
Like you aren't here.
Chris looks at the woman.
CHRIS
I am here. I'm not dreaming this.
ELAINE
No. What’s up?
Chris groans and runs his hands through his hair.
CHRIS
It’s stupid.
ELAINE
It’s driving you up the wall.
It can’t be that stupid.
Chris looks away for a moment, then says:
CHRIS
I can’t sleep. Can’t even shut
my eyes.
ELAINE
Just last night or...
CHRIS
Last couple of weeks.
ELAINE
Why, Chris?
CHRIS
A dream. Intense. Awful.
ELAINE
About?
Chris is quiet for a moment, then:
CHRIS
A girl.
FADE TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
The red-headed woman sets her green canvas bag down.
CHRIS (V.O.)
I see her every day on the bus.
She’s small, cute.
She takes a book from the bag and begins to read.
ELAINE (V.O.)
You know her?
CHRIS (V.O.)
No. I’ve never even talked
to her.
The bus stops at a corner, and Chris stands. As he’s
passing the woman, she looks up.
CHRIS (V.O.)
But in this dream I do. And
she’s so...willing.
Their eyes meet for a moment, and she smiles again.
CHRIS (V.O.)
The beginning of it - very
“letter to Penthouse”, you
know?
He hurries past her.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUS – DAY
Chris leaps down the stairs to the sidewalk, and the doors
close behind him.
ELAINE (V.O.)
And then?
The bus pulls away from the corner.
CHRIS (V.O.)
I strangle her. While I’m -
(beat)
- inside her, I strangle her
with my bare hands until she
is dead.
He watches it leave.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT – DAY
Chris discovers no messages on his machine.
He picks up the phone and dials, but gets Donna’s machine again.
CHRIS
Donna? Just wondering if you
were around. Call me. ‘Bye.
He hangs up, then shrugs off his jacket. He flops into a chair.
INT. KITCHEN – DAY
Chris is making a sandwich. The phone rings, and he rushes to
answer it.
CHRIS
Donna?
(beat)
No. He doesn’t live here.
He hangs up and returns to his sandwich.
ELAINE (V.O.)
You know, Chris, dreams like
that aren’t usually about the
circumstances.
CHRIS (V.O.)
I know. But it felt real.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Was it?
Chris throws the sandwich in the trash.
CHRIS (V.O.)
No.
CUT TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
Chris is by a window.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Do you want to talk to this
girl?
CHRIS (V.O.)
Yeah. But what about?
ELAINE (V.O.)
I don’t know. Just be yourself.
The bus stops. The doors open. The red-head comes on again.
She smiles at Chris in passing.
CHRIS
(after a moment)
Hi.
Her smile brightens. It’s a very nice smile.
RED-HEAD
Hi.
She sits in her usual seat, then looks at him again.
RED-HEAD
I love riding the bus.
CHRIS
Huh?
RED-HEAD
All my friends are beholden to
their cars, so they think I’m
nuts.
CHRIS
Uh-huh.
RED-HEAD
I, on the other hand, believe
public transportation is where
it’s at.
CHRIS
Yeah.
She takes a book from her bag and starts to read.
CHRIS (CONT’D)
My car’s in the shop.
RED-HEAD
Leave it there. We’ll start a
campaign to get people to take
the bus. Hand out leaflets and
such.
CHRIS
And my car’s the first sacrifice
for the cause?
She lowers the book, her eyes serious.
Chris arches an eyebrow.
The woman’s look fades as she smiles. The red-head returns
to her book.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT
Chris dials the phone, but still can’t get past the answering
machine.
CHRIS
I’m coming over there, Donna.
If you get this before I show
up, wait for me.
He hangs up and grabs his jacket.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Chris is driving.
CHRIS (V.O.)
It just spooks me is all.
ELAINE (V.O.)
What?
CHRIS (V.O.)
That I could do that.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Kill that girl.
CHRIS (V.O.)
While I'm inside her.
ELAINE (V.O.)
In a dream.
CHRIS (V.O.)
Yeah.
CUT TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
Chris looks at the red-head.
CHRIS
I got my car back.
She frowns a bit.
RED-HEAD
Oh. So I guess I won’t see you
tomorrow.
CHRIS
Actually, I’d still like to see
you. Just not on the bus.
She smiles.
Chris smiles, too, and gingerly extends his hand.
CHRIS
I’m Chris.
She laces her fingers with his.
CUT TO:
INT. DONNA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Chris opens the door with a key.
The apartment is black. He flips on a light.
CHRIS
Donna?
He opens a door just off the entrance, and turns on a light in
that room. He pokes his head in, glances around, then comes
back out, closing the door.
He turns and sees a green canvas bag on the couch.
CHRIS (V.O.)
Oh, God.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Chris? What’s wrong?
CHRIS (V.O.)
I dreamed it. I know I did. But
it’s just so vivid.
Chris, panicked, runs to an opposite door and opens it.
CUT TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
RED-HEAD
I’m Donna.
CUT TO:
INT. DONNA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
He turns back into the room, face pale. Trembling now, he dashes
out of the apartment.
CUT TO:
INT. BUS – DAY
They smile at each other, and Chris relaxes.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR – NIGHT
A shaken Chris slams the car door and slumps forward, hugging
himself.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Then keep telling yourself that.
CHRIS
...just a dream, Chris, just a dream...
CUT TO:
EXT. BUS STOP – DAY
The bus doors WHOOSH open and Chris and the red-head step off.
Chris is about to walk away when:
RED-HEAD
You want to come over for a drink
or something? I’m, like, a block
away.
He turns back to her.
CHRIS
Yeah, I would.
She takes his hand again and they walk toward her apartment
together.
ELAINE (V.O.)
Chris?
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE – DAY
He seems to hear her again.
CHRIS
Yeah.
ELAINE
Did you take my advice?
CHRIS
Advice.
ELAINE
About that girl.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Chris is still hugging himself, rocking a little.
CHRIS (V.O.)
Yeah, doc.
Chris wipes his eyes, then starts the car with trembling
hands and drives away.
CHRIS (V.O.)
Her name’s Donna.
FADE OUT.
THE END.
All content (except where noted) copyrighted 2000-2003, by The Beaumont Group.