Anthology

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-------------------------

MATTHEW CHISHOLM AND ALEX COOPER

PRESENT

"An Anthology of Short Stories"

Part I

by:

Matthew Chisholm

and

Alex Cooper

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PART I. . . . . . . . . . . . . MOBILE PHONE

PART II. . . . . . . . . . . . THE CURIOUS CASE OF IAN MCGRAW

PART III. . . . . . . . . . . . SNOW GLOBE

PART IV. . . . . . . . . . . . THE HOLIDAY

PART V. . . . . . . . . . . . . KATHY KEYBOARDS

PART VI. . . . . . . . . . . . THE DREAM DISEASE

ALEX COOPER'S

M O B I L E P H O N E

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The moon glows through the open bedroom window illuminating a
man in his bed. The wind blows lightly at the curtains
covering the window. The man is still lying on his back and
the sheet is laying perfectly over him. When we take a closer
look it seems as though he’s not breathing. That is until his
phone beside him rings.

The phones ring gets louder as it cover the camera view. It
consumes all other sounds and soon enough it wakes the man, he
looks over to the phone.

MAN
Shut up.

The phone continues to ring.

MAN
Shut Up!

The phone suddenly stops ringing. The man looks extremely
satisfied and closes his eyes to go back to sleep.

The phone louder than ever rings again.

The man opens his eyes and looks to the phone.

EXT. ROAD SIDE PATH - NIGHT

A hobo walks down the road with a trolley full of cans and his
belongings. The clattering of the trolleys contents awakes
people in the houses he walks by and angry shouts come from
them.

CUT TO:

A car is driving down the road with two teenage occupants,
they are laughing and joking around till one of them spot the
hobo pushing along his trolley. He taps his friend on the
shoulder and points to the hobo, the other boy smiles.

BOY 1
Lets swerve him, man.

BOY 2
Lets.

The boy pushes down the accelerator a touch and the car speeds
up, he then aligns his steering wheel. The car gets closer and
to the hobo until he’s on feet away. The boy is just about to
swerve out of the way of the hobo when something smashes into
the windshield. The boy lets go of the wheel and shields his
face.

The car stays on course and the hobo sees the car coming for
him. It’s to late to get out of the way. The car smashes into
the hobo. The hobo gets pushed forward into his trolley, the
weak trolley wheels buckle as it hits a wall.

CUT TO:

The man from before stands at his window, he stares down at
the crash in shock. He doesn’t move till he hears a familiar
sound.

A ringing sound shouts out from the crash. The phone lays on
one of the unconscious boys sitting in the car.

The man runs from his window and heads for the door. He
crashes out of his door and into the hallway. He gets back on
his feet and runs to the elevator. He presses the button waits
for a few moments then presses it again, again and again. He
kicks the elevator door and runs for the stairs. Once the man
is out of view the elevator door opens.

The man runs down the steps missing every few steps, every
time he time he gets down a flight he smashes into the wall.
He runs down his final steps and runs out into the foyer.

The man smashes through the front doors and runs to the crash
site. The mobile phone sound isn’t audible.

There are a few people surrounding the crash. The man goes
from running to walking in seconds and approaches the crash
site casually.

MAN
What happened?

A couple turns to the man.

WOMAN
We heard the hobo come down the
street, my husband was yelling at
him when this car came out of no
where and hit him.

HUSBAND
There’s two punk kids in the car,
the bastards must have been
targeting him.

The man puts on a shocked face and feels he should ask more
questions.

MAN
Are the kids still alive?

The woman shrugs.

WOMAN
We don’t know, we called the
ambulance. They’ll be here in a few
minutes. Do you know them?

MAN
Who?

WOMAN
The kids in the car.

The man looks at the unconscious kids in the car and looks
back to the lady, shakes his head, meaning no. The sound of
sirens can be heard in the distance.

CUT TO:

The front seat of an ambulance. The driver roughly cuts street
corners to get to the site. After a few sharp turns and
screeches of the ambulance wheels the crash comes to view.

AMBO 1
Jeez.

The ambulance stops suddenly and the ambo’s run of the car and
to the crash. One of the ambo’s is holding a safety kit ready
to get to business. One heads for the hobo at the front of the
car and the other for the two boys in the car.

The ambo checks the hobo for a pulse.

AMBO 1
He has no pulse. How are they?

The other ambo checking the boys get interrupted by a very
familiar sound.

The phone rings. The phone on the boys lap ring again and
again. The crowd surrounding the crash are all quite.

The ambo picks up the phone and looks to his workmate. He
pushes the button and holds it to his ear.

AMBO 2
Hello?
(beat)
Who are you looking for?

There is a long pause as the ambo listens to the caller on
the mobile phone. Eventually he holds the phone to his chest
covering the receiver.

AMBO 2
Is there a GRETCH present?

GRETCH holds his breath, the couple stare at him, at his
pajamas, written is bold letters on his breast pocket is:
GRETCH ABRAMS.

FADE OUT:

THE END.

MATTHEW CHISHOLM'S

T H E C U R I O U S C A S E O F I A N M C G R A W

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FADE IN:

EXT. BORDERVILLE - DESERT - DAY

Craning high and wide over a small town in the middle of
the desert. The sun beams down, heat rippling on the horizon.

SUPER: BORDERVILLE, TEXAS 1872

CUT TO:

INT. BORDERVILLE BARBER SHOP - DAY

IAN MCGRAW leant back in a barber's chair, being shaved by
LESTER OSSANA, an elderly man. IAN is a strong man, well-built
with smarts and deep green eyes. There are a few other people
in the barber shop, none of whom are important.

IAN
I don't know what's happening to
this place, Lester. We got the
blacks in here, we got the Jews up
our asses. Heard this happened two
towns over, everyone was murdered
in a week. How bout that, huh?

LESTER
Nasty business to be sure, Mr
McGraw.

IAN
Should not have gotten out of bed
this morning, Lester.

LESTER finishes shaving IAN, and he gets up.

IAN
Well, well, well, what'll it be
this time, Lester?

LESTER
Now, now, Mr McGraw, I told you,
your money's no good here.

IAN smiles and walks out.

CUT TO:

EXT. BORDERVILLE BARBER SHOP - SAME

IAN walks out, puts on his hat, stares disapprovingly as
two African-American men walk past, nod respectfully to him.
He does not return the gesture.

IAN lights up a cigar, takes in a huge drag and closes his
eyes. He steps out into the street, nods as an old-timer
walks past and continues on down the street.

He stops in the middle of the road and stares down at his
feet. An African-American woman walks past.

P.O.V. FALLING OBJECT

We come rocketing downwards from the heavens, towards the
ground and land right at IAN's feet.

EXT. BORDERVILLE - STREET

Something large and rounds plummets down from the sky and
lands inches in front of IAN, who jumps back, stumbles and
falls down onto his back.

People swarm, gathering around the small crater now formed
in the middle of the street.

IAN leans in over the crater, reaches in and pulls out. . .

A SPACE HELMET

Very modern, lens cracked in several places and some fresh
blood smeared along the collar.

CLOSE SHOT - IAN

As he studies it with absolute bewilderment.

IAN
What in the Holy fuck. . .?

CUT TO:

INT. BORDERVILLE SHERIFF'S OFFICE - LATER

SHERIFF BILLY CROWE turns the space helmet over in his hands,
then gently places it down in front of IAN.

CROWE
I honestly don't know what to tell
you, Mr McGraw. I have never seen
anything like this in my whole life
but it sure as shit is strange.

IAN
This thing could have killed me,
Sheriff. It was inches away from my
goddamn face. I could have died.

CROWE
What do you expect me to do, huh?
I can't arrest an inanimate object,
now can I?

IAN
I want something done.

CROWE
Go home, Mr McGraw. Go and see your
wife. Get some sleep. You look
tired.

IAN regards him curiously for a moment; then leaves.

CUT TO:

INT. MCGRAW HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATER

Where MORGAN MCGRAW, IAN's moderately attractive wife, is
doing the dishes.

IAN enters through the backdoor. MORGAN drops everything,
tears up and leaps into his arms, kissing him feverishly.

MORGAN
Oh my Dear Lord. . . I heard what
happened, Ian. I thought. . .

She starts kissing him more and more passionately.

MORGAN
I could have lost you.

He pushes her violently up against the wall, rips open her
blouse and pushes her dress up. She moans as she struggles to
undo his belt buckle, her feet push his pants down to around
his ankles.

IAN positions himself, attaches his lips firmly to hers and
pushes himself inside her.

The first thrust, the overwhelming pleasure of his entrance,
makes her gasp, her back arches, head slamming against the
wall. He groans, hips gyrating as he winces and gasps.

MORGAN's legs wrap around his pelvis and he swings around,
throwing her down onto the wooden dinner table. She groans,
head tilted back - he's sweating now.

He pushes hard up against her, becoming more and more vocal
and forceful until. . .

IAN cums.

MORGAN cums.

IAN collapses onto her, chest heaving up and down, completely
exhausted, still inside of her.

HOLD ON THIS.

FADE TO BLACK:

EXT. BORDERVILLE - NIGHT

The town is illuminated in the night, lights shining brightly
in places.

CUT TO:

INT. MCGRAW HOUSE - BEDROOM

IAN and MORGAN, wrapped in each other's arms, still sleeping
after their intense lovemaking.

CUT TO:

INT. CROWE HOUSE - BEDROOM

SHERIFF CROWE sound asleep with his young mistress.

CUT TO:

INT. OSSANA HOUSE - BEDROOM

LESTER asleep peacefully, his wife rolled over on her front
next to him.

CUT TO:

INT. MCGRAW HOUSE - BEDROOM

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge, limp object hurtles through
their roof and lands with a thump on the floor.

MORGAN screams. IAN leaps up out of bed, surveys the damage.
He looks over at the object that fell.

CLOSE SHOT - THE ASTRONAUT

Still in his silver spacesuit, blood all over his face, limp
and dead, limbs bent at odd angles.

Suddenly, there is a huge crash from outside.

IAN races for the door.

IAN
Stay there!

He races outside.

CUT TO:

EXT. MCGRAW HOUSE - NIGHT

IAN comes bursting out of the house to find that another
astronaut has fallen through the porch roof and onto the deck
where he lies, dead and horribly disfigured.

A huge WHUMP from behind him, IAN spins around. A third
astronaut, this time a woman, has fallen from the sky and
landed hard on the ground.

Two more land on the ground behind him and soon, there is a
shower of dead bodies. IT'S RAINING ASTRONAUTS.

MORGAN joins IAN out on the street, frantic and crying.

MOGRAN
What's happening, Ian?

He can't answer. More and more people have gathered, and the
astronauts are falling in their dozens now. LESTER pushes his
way through the crowds and joins IAN and MORGAN. They are
joined by CROWE now, who all look on bewildered.

CUT TO:

FALLING OBJECT'S P.O.V.

Another astronaut comes falling, twisting and tumbling through
the air before landing on the ground in front of IAN.

He swings around, frantic now. He doesn't know what to do.

WOMAN (O.S.)
Look out!

Everyone looks skywards as AN ENORMOUS SHUTTLE comes rocketing
downwards, hits the ground, taking many people with it,
bounces along, demolishing buildings and finally comes to a
rest with its tail pointed in the air.

The townspeople gather around flabbergasted. No one says
anything for the longest time, until. . .

IAN
I told you I shouldn't have gotten
out of bed. . .

They stand in silence.

We PULL BACK across the streaked and starry sky as the rain
of astronauts continues around us.

FADE OUT:

THE END.

ALEX COOPER'S

S N O W G L O B E

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAWN

The living room is decorated with Christmas decorations; there
is tinsel holding up cards around the walls and a huge
Christmas tree showcased in the middle of the room.

A boy is at his knees in front of the Christmas tree, he picks
up his presents and looks at them but he makes no attempt to
open them.

He looks over his shoulder to the staircase for a moment but
then averts his attention back to his presents.

He sees one present sticking out from all others so he picks
it up. He puts it in front of him and stares at it for a few
moments with a ‘should I open it’ expression on his face. He
peels on piece of sticky tape off of the presents wrapping,
then another and then another.

The present stares up at him, he is amazed to find that the
present is a snow globe. He picks up the globe and shakes it a
few times to watch the snow fall over the globes items.

Eventually he gets bored of his present and looks up at the
hall tree. Looking down from above the tree the kid looks
small and insignificant.

The boy sees a candy cane on the tree, he puts down the snow
globe and reaches for it, its just out of his reach, he tries
again standing on his tip toes and just touches the end with
the tip of his fingers.

He tries again on his tiptoes and as he does he looks over his
shoulders to the stairs. He stops reaching for the candy cane,
picks up his now globe and walks to the bottom of the stairs;
he stops and stares up into the darkness of the second floor
of the house.

Very slowly and carefully he walks up the stairs making sure
he’s holding on to the stair banister very tightly. When he
gets to the top he walks over to a door that’s slightly ajar.
He uses one hand to push it open.

From the view of the bed that’s facing the door we see light
enter the room as the kid opens the door. A foot is seen above
the covers of the bed sheets.

The boy stands at the entrance of the room, the foot goes out
of focus and the boy goes in focus.

KID
(murmurs)
Dad...

Focus goes back onto the man, there is no movement accept a
twitch of the foot.

Focus on boy. The boy takes a small step forward.

KID
(louder)
Dad...

Focus on foot. Nothing happens, not even a twitch.

Focus on the boy. He takes a bigger step forward.

KID
(normal talking volume)
Daddd...

Focus on man. The foot doesn’t move but a small snore is
heard.

Focus on boy. The boy takes a wide step forward and is now
standing at the end of the bed, right next to the toe. He
cups his hands around his mouth and takes in a big breath.

KID
(yells)
Dad!

VIEW ON MAN, he wakes up with a fright and looks around the
room, no one is there. He notices light coming from down
stairs and decides to go investigate. He’s strong built and
only wearing boxer shorts.

He scratches his head as he leaves his room. He stops and
looks down the hall to the stairs. He doesn’t notice the snow
globe sitting by the edge of the stairs top. He walks towards
the stairs but doesn’t walk down them. Instead he bends down
and looks around the first floor. Nothing is there so he turns
back to his room.

As he turn the boy, now screaming, runs at him and pushes him
with all force.

The man balances on the stairs edge for a moment but then
loses balance and falls down the stair. Every hit a crack is
heard. The man tumbles down the stairs the most painful way
possible. The man finally reaches the floor, he hits it with a
thud and lies there breathing heavily and awkwardly.

The boy watches from the top of the stairs, holding the snow
globe, he begins to walk down. The camera follows him as he
does. When the boy gets to the bottom of the stair he puts
the snow globe by the man and walk back to the tree.

The man coughs and opens his eyes slightly, directly across
from his chest is a snow globe he looks at it confused. He
hears the crushing of paper and looks to the tree and sees a
boy opening a present. The boy looks at him smiling as the man blacks out.

FADE OUT:

THE END.

MATTHEW CHISHOLM'S

T H E H O L I D A Y

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FADE IN:

BLACK FRAME. COMPLETE SILENCE.

TITLE CARD:

DAY ONE

CUT TO:

EXTREME CLOSE SHOT - SUNGLASSES

A perfect pair of black sunglasses with a white Mickey Mouse
insignia in the upper corner of the left lens. Everything else
in the background is completely out of focus.

Then, a distant, high-pitched squeaking is audible, becoming
stronger and stronger until. . .

JILL CRAWFORD

wheels into frame. She is an elderly woman, possibly in her
sixties with a healthy crop of greying hair and a thin build.
She looks old, frail. She has a portable phone attached to
her ear.

JILL
Yes, I realise that, Caroline. I
know. That's what I told him. But
you know Harry, never bloody
listens to a word anyone says.
(pause)
Ah-huh, my plane leaves in a few
hours. I'm all packed and ready for
three amazing weeks in Florida. I
was thinking I should check out a
few of the homes up there. See if
the nurses make enough money for
them not to steal from me.
(pause)
Well I have to go in sooner or
later, Caroline. I can't live on my
own forever and ever. Not with my
paralysis reaching these levels.
(pause)
That reminds me, I haven't packed
my pills. They're still in the
bathroom. And before you ask, no I
haven't forgotten my sunglasses,
I'm looking right at them. They're
on top of the TV.
(pause)
Yes, I'll have to let you go now.
I need to pack my pills before they
slip my mind again. All right, ta.

She hangs up the phone, wheels across the lounge room and
puts them down on the glass coffee table.

Then, she begins wheeling herself back over to the television,
which rests upon a rather tall credenza that has videos and
other such paraphernalia contained inside. The top of the TV
is too tall for JILL to reach on her own.

She reaches up, her fingers falling too short, so she strains
and struggles to reach, but still her fingers are too short to
make the distance. JILL collapses in her chair.

Frustrated, she reaches down the side of her chair and flicks
the safety release, which locks the wheels in place.

Shakily, JILL stands on the metal foot platforms at the base
of her chair. She grips both sides of the television and uses
them as leverage to pull herself up level with the top of the
television. She stops here for a moment, allows herself to
catch her breath. She's exhausted already. Then she reaches
out, groping for the sunglasses.

CLOSE SHOT - THE WHEELCHAIR

As it moves ever so slightly under her weight.

CLOSE SHOT - THE SUNGLASSES

JILL's fingers wrap around them tightly.

CLOSE SHOT - THE WHEELCHAIR

As it SUDDENLY TIPS to its side.

MEDIUM SHOT - JILL

As she tumbles backwards, hits the ground, the wheelchair
tips as well and lands on top of her, pinning her onto the
floor of her lounge room, face-down and helpless.

JILL
Ahhh.

She winces through the pain, attempts to pull herself up.

Finds she can't.

JILL attempts to roll over onto her stomach.

Finds she can't.

She attempts to reach around and push the chair clear.

Finds she can't.

Eventually, she slumps forwards and breaths out. She looks
around.

JILL'S P.O.V.

She looks from the ground, up to the telephone, then down to
the Mickey Mouse sunglasses still in her hand.

INT. JILL'S LOUNGE ROOM

She begins getting worried; frantic.

JILL
Hello? Can anybody hear me? I need
help! Can somebody help me?

She's frantic now, yelling and screaming, kicking, trying to
do something, anything.

And then, she gives up and cries.

BLACKOUT:

WE HEAR A PHONE RING.

TITLE CARD:

DAY TWO

CUT TO:

INT. JILL'S LOUNGE ROOM - DAY

Her phone is ringing. JILL looks up in hope.

The phone rings out, then the beep of the machine.

JILL'S VOICE
Hi, you've reached the home of Jill
Crawford. I am sorry that I'm not
here to take your call, but if you
would leave your contact details I
will get back to you as soon as I
possibly can. Thank you and have a
nice day.

The beep. Immediately, JILL starts yelling.

CLOSE SHOT - THE MACHINE

Resting on the kitchen counter.

JILL is in the background, out of focus.

JILL
Hey! Hey! Can you hear me? Help me!
Help me!

Throughout the following, JILL will continue yell and scream
in this manner.

WOMAN'S VOICE
Hey, Jill, it's Marie, your stylist
and I know you're off on your big
holiday in Florida, you lucky bitch
but I was just calling to say. . .
(MORE)
. . . that our rescheduled time on
Tuesday the eight is not going to
work for me, so I'm afraid we'll
have to push it back to the tenth.
I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I've
double booked a couple of slots.
You had better be having up there
in the States. I'll see you when
you get back, bye.

The beep as MARIE hangs up.

CLOSE SHOT - JILL

JILL is crying, desperately reaching out for the phone.

JILL
NOOOO! PLEASE! NOOOO!

BLACKOUT:

TITLE CARD:

DAY THREE

CUT TO:

INT. JILL'S LOUNGE ROOM

JILL, on the floor, pinned under the wheelchair. Her skin is
grey and pale, her lips are cracked and she is dehydrated.
Badly.

Suddenly, she begins shaking, sweating and hyperventilating.
She looks more scared than ever as she utters two words:

JILL
Oh no. . .

We SWING IN FAST and nail JILL with an ENORMOUS CLOSE UP.

CLOSE SHOT - THE PILLS

Sitting in the bathroom cabinet. Although we cannot see the
exact prescription or condition what we can see is the label:

DIGITALIS.

BLACKOUT:

TITLE CARD:

EIGHTEEN DAYS LATER

CLOSE SHOT - TELEVISION SCREEN

So close it has no boundaries. On the screen, the opening
credits of the Channel Ten news are playing. Then, a MEDIUM
shot of KELLY NESTER, the attractive news anchor.

NESTER
In tragic news tonight, a sixty-six
year old woman is found dead in her
home after being pinned under her
wheelchair for three weeks.

The shot cuts to the exterior of JILL's home as her body is
wheeled out on a gurney.

NESTER (V.O.)
Jill Crawford was packed and ready
for her dream trip to the U.S. A
trip she would never get to make.

A medium shot of a woman, elderly, crying. At the bottom of
the screen appears a presentation banner identifying the woman
as CAROLINE MURPHY - BEST FRIEND.

CAROLINE
I talked to her, only a few hours
before her plane left. She sounded
fine, she was excited about the
holiday. . .

A cut to the interior of her home.

NESTER (V.O.)
It is believed that Jill lived for
three to four days pinned under
her chair before suffering a heart
attack as a result of missing her
daily dosses of digitalis.

A cut to a close shot of the bottle of digitalis.

NESTER (V.O.)
This terrible tragedy has brought
out many tears in the community.

A medium shot of MARIE, Aboriginal, also elderly and crying.

MARIE
God I called her the day after her
plane left. I put a message on
Jill's machine. And to think she
was there, on the floor while I was
leaving that message. . .

She breaks down into tears and burrows herself into a friend's
shoulder and weeps.

NESTER (V.O.)
The funeral will be held at the
Adelaide Royal Cemetery on Tuesday.
Kelly Nester, Ten News.

DISSOLVE TO:

JILL'S BODY BAG

As it is loaded onto the ambulance, which then pulls away
from the house and down the street.

CLOSE ON THE MICKEY MOUSE SUNGLASSES

The pair of sunglasses that ended a life, on the floor,
staring directly at us, almost mockingly.

FADE OUT:

ROLL END CREDITS.

ALEX COOPER'S

K A T H Y K E Y B O A R D S

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FADE IN:

CARL, a man dressed in black pants and a plain shirt walks
KATHY, a twenty year old blonde down the isle of a storage
room.

The camera is walking with them, except in the next isle so
every few seconds a block of shelves block the view.

CARL
Okay, Kathy today is your first
day so I will be showing you how
everything works.

KATHY struggles to keep up with CARL’S power walking.

KATHY
Great, I actually have a question.

CARL
Well that’s what I’m here for, what
is your question?

KATHY
What is... This room called?

CARL
This is the storage room.

KATHY
Okay and why is it called that?

CARL stops in his tracks and looks at KATHY with a pessimistic
frown. He then uses his hand to show KATHY her working space.

CARL
Here is... your working space!

In front of CARL and KATHY is a small desk with only a
computer and a telephone sitting on it.

KATHY
Right, do your and I share a work
space?

CARL
What? This is YOUR work space.

KATHY
Oh! So just hers, where’s mine?

Again CARL just frowns and her, she smiles back with her
eyebrows raised metres above her brow. He walks to the desk
and pulls out the seat.

CARL
Take a seat.

KATHY
Will Your mind?

CARL
Sit down!

The yell from CARL scares KATHY, and she jumps, but soon
recovers and walks over to the seat and sits in it.

CARL then directs her attention to the contents of the desk.

CARL
This is your phone, and this is
your computer.

KATHY
Wow, she really owns a lot of stuff.

CARL cracks and closes his eyes. He finds his centre and is
ready to continue.

CARL
This is yo-

KATHY
Is this her keyboard to?

CARL
That’s it.

CARL grabs the keyboard.

CARL
Yes this is her keyboard, and if
you’ll look at the back of it.

KATHY moves her head closer to the keyboard and CARL swings it
into her face. She falls of her seat and behind the desk.

We slowly drift backwards down the hall watching CARL beat
KATHY who is unseen behind the desk. Screams of primal fury
come from CARL.

CUT TO:

Close up on CARL, holding the blood cover keyboard over his
head, he is out of breath. His eyes are wide open as he stares
down.

YOUR (O.S.)
Uh, Carl. What are you doing?

YOUR, a tall brunette stands metres away from the desk. CARL
lowers the keyboard, looks at it, then hides it behind his
back.

CARL
Oh Your, hi, um how’s it going?

BLACKOUT:

THE END.

MATTHEW CHISHOLM'S

T H E D R E A M D I S E A S E

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FADE IN:

INT. LESTER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

We OPEN ON an extremely close shot of a small DEVIL DOLL,
his pitchfork held aloft in triumph, fangs beared and tail
slithering around his leg.

DOCTOR (O.S.)
I'm afraid that what we're dealing
with here is an extremely aggressive
string of fever. The Dream Disease
some people call it. Basically, your
son will have some pretty intense
dreams tonight, it would be best
not to move him.

Continue pan down along a shelf, where there are computer
games and DVD's stacked up in a row, there are some figurines
of dragons, wizards and other paraphernalia. Swing across to
a medium shot of LESTER BARRINGER, fourteen years old, asleep
on his bed, sweating and shaking. Every now and then he lets
out a fearful moan. His fists clench the bed sheets into a
bunched up ball.

DOCTOR (O.S.)
Unfortunately, there have only been
a few substantiated cases of this in
the United States since 1940, which
means that we don't have a clue what
causes it exactly.

PAN away from LESTER, over to the doorway, where the DOCTOR
and LORRAINE, LESTER's mother, speak quietly, both only ever
seen in dark silhouette.

LORRAINE
Well, is he, er. . . is he in any
danger or something?

DOCTOR
Honestly, Mrs Barringer, we don't
Know. These dreams, triggered by the
fever can be psychologically tense.
Even mentally disturbing. One of the
victims diagnosed, a twenty year old
woman, was admitted to a psychiatric
institution for nine months. There
was a case where a young boy from
South East Asia had dreams so scary
he stayed awake for three days. Then
one night his parents slipped him a
sleeping pill and sent him to bed.
He seemed peaceful for several hours
until sometime in the middle of the
night when the parents were awoken
by their son's terrified screams.
They ran into his bedroom, where
he was found, thrashing and kicking
on his bed, still asleep.
(MORE)

DOCTOR (CONT'D)
He was screaming. They tried to wake
him and, when they did, he slumped
onto the bed. He was just dead. That
was all there was to it.

LORRAINE
Oh my God. . .

CLOSE SHOT - LESTER

As he tosses and turns, sweating in his sleep.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY - DAY (DREAM)

The huge city skyscrapers reach up into the sky. The streets
are not bitumen, but a gently flowing river of water.

LESTER comes walking down the middle of one of the deep
rivers, apparently unconcerned that he is walking on water.
The bright sun blares down on him. He is wearing black with
a red PITCHFORK insignia on the shirt.

He looks up ahead and sees a bright red door sitting in the
middle of the river, water gently lapping against the base of
the frame. LESTER approaches guardedly.

Suddenly, he hears a croak and looks down. Siting at his feet
is a multi-coloured frog, whose skin changes colour as it
moves. LESTER smiles down at it.

FROG
'Allo.

The French accent is very strong.

LESTER
Hi.

FROG You are being followed, no?

LESTER
Yeah. It's coming for me.

FROG
Beware ze pitchfork, huh?

LESTER
What do you mean?

FROG
You must go zrough ze door.

LESTER
I'm scared.

FROG
You should be.

LESTER apprehensively pushes the door open. Beyond the
opening, he can see his own bedroom, dark figures moving
about everywhere.

He looks down at the frog, gives a weak smile.

LESTER
Wish me luck.

FROG
You really don't want me to. You
know why you are 'ere.

LESTER slowly steps through the door, it slams closed
behind him. He steps into his bedroom, sees LORRAINE and the
DOCTOR bent over his bed, where there is another LESTER.

DOCTOR
Lester? Lester can you hear me?

LESTER
Yes.

The LESTER on the bed opens his eyes. DOCTOR ignores this,
starts giving him CPR, pounding on his chest.

BED LESTER
Hey, Lester.

LESTER
Er. . . hello.

BED LESTER
You shouldn't be here.

LESTER
I know.

BED LESTER
This is a bad place.

LESTER
I know.

BED LESTER
RUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!

Suddenly, the door is blasted open and a huge SHADOW,
wreathed in fire, explodes into the room with a mighty roar.
LESTER screams and runs.

We STEADICAM with him as he dives out of his room, into the
corridor, flies down the stairs, the entire house behind him
is bursting into flames.

He reaches the front door, flings it open and steps out
into. . .

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT - DAY

LESTER looks around, there are rolling hills of blindingly
white sand in every direction. The wind gently caresses his
hair.

Suddenly, footsteps behind him. LESTER spins around and sees
a MAN dressed in a tuxedo coming towards him.

LESTER
Do you know-

MAN
Where you are?

The same FRENCH voice.

LESTER
Aren't you the frog?

MAN
Aren't you?

LESTER pauses.

MAN
You're in ze wrong place. You're
running, running from what you've
no possible chance of escaping.
Beware ze pitchfork. Over there,
that is where you must go.

He points to a large hill behind him. LESTER turns to look at
it for a moment, then turns back. When he does, the MAN is
completely naked with a multi-coloured frog sitting on top of
his head. He smiles at LESTER and then, in an American woman's
voice, says:

MAN
Have a nice day.

Both he and the frog melt into a puddle of multi-coloured,
phosphorous goo.

Suddenly, a wave of BLACKNESS begins passing over the sand,
turning every grain black, until it reaches LESTER's feet. He
turns to run as the entire SANDFIELD shoots an enormous wave
of thick RED BLOOD into the air.

LESTER runs, pounding the sand with everything he has until
he reaches the base of the enormous sand dune.

He looks back, as the wave of blood hurtles towards him at an
amazing speed. He screams and falls to his knees, looks behind
him and makes his decision.

LESTER begins climbing the enormous sand dune.

DISSOLVE TO:

A MONTAGE OF LESTER

Climbing, clawing, struggling, rising.

EXT. SAND DUNE - DAY

LESTER appears over the sand dune, looks over the crest of
the hill and sees nothing but more desert, rolling on.

He collapses onto the ground in a heap.

CLOSE SHOT - LESTER

As his head hits a solid patch of GREEN GRASS.

He looks around, now completely un-exhausted, and rises,
revealing that he is standing in the middle of an enormous
field of green grass.

Footsteps from behind him. LESTER spins around to see that
THE DEVIL is moving towards him. He looks exactly like the old
figurine seen in LESTER's bedroom.

LESTER looks extremely confused.

LESTER
Dad?

THE DEVIL
Yes. And no.

LESTER
Who are you?

THE DEVIL
I'm the devil.

LESTER
Beware the pitchfork.

THE DEVIL
There's nothing to be afraid of.

LESTER looks behind him.

He sees LORRAINE and DOCTOR bent over his bed, watching over
him fearfully.

THE DEVIL
They can never know, Lester. What
it is like to be who you are.

LESTER
They'll never know?

THE DEVIL
Never. Do you know why I have to do
this to you?

LESTER
Yes. I'm scared.

THE DEVIL
Fear is what lets you know you are
still alive. Let it go. You think
you know, why you're here? What is
coming next? Your journey is only
just beginning, Lester.

THE DEVIL approaches him, raises his pitchfork.

LESTER
Will it hurt?

THE DEVIL
You already know.

He plunges the pitchfork deep inside LESTER.

CUT TO:

INT. LESTER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - END DREAM

LESTER suddenly wakes up for a moment, chokes for air,
begins convulsing and drops back onto his bed. All sound is
lost as his eyes roll back in his head. DOCTOR drops onto
his knees besides the bed, attempts to revive LESTER.

LORRAINE stands in the doorway, completely horrified, she's
crying uncontrollably.

CLOSE SHOT - LESTER

Pale. Motionless. Silent.

DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE SHOT - LESTER'S TOMBSTONE

The sun shining down on LESTER's tombstone, which reads
"LESTER GORDON BARRINGER. 1992 - 2006."

BLACKOUT:

ROLL END CREDITS.

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