A Nightmare on Elm Street Page #18

FADE UP ON UCLA's WESTWOOD CAMPUS and PAN TO SIGN:

UCLA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

INSTITUTE FOR THE

STUDY OF SLEEP DISORDERS

108. INT. A LABORATORY SLEEPING CHAMBER. 108.

A NURSE applies sencors to the head, breast, arms, and fingers of

NANCY THOMPSON. The girl is lying on a simple broad cot, in her

pajamas. The room is subdued in color and holds only this single

bed. A large mirror set into one wall hides an observation room

beyond.

NANCY:

But I just don't feel... ready

to sleep yet. Please, do I

have to?

109. WIDER, REVEALING DR SAMUEL KING, a young, curly-haired internist; 109.

intelligent and wry. He treats NANCY at all times like a young

adult, never patronizing. He winks as the NURSE finishes.

DR KING:

Don't worry, you're not gonna

change into Bride of Frankenstein

or anything.

NANCY manages a smile, but she's haggard and visibly thinner.

MARGE, background, looks downright distraught.

DR KING (CONTD)

Nancy have any severe childhood

illnesses? Scarlet Fever?

High temperatures -- concussions?

MARGE:

No, nothing.

NANCY:

He means, did you ever drop me

on my head.

The doctor and girl share a nervous laugh; MARGE doesn't even

smile.

DR KING:

Nightmares are expected after

psychological trauma. Don't

worry, they go away.

MARGE:

I sure as hell hope so.

NANCY:

I don't see why you couldn't

just give me a pill to keep me

from dreaming...

DR KING:

Everyone's got to dream.

If you don't dream, you go...

(he drills his finger

at his temple)

All set?

NANCY:

No.

MARGE:

They're just simple tests,

Nan. We'll both be right

here.

DR KING:

Look, I know it's been fright-

ening, I know your dreams have

seemed real. But... it's

okay. Okay?

MARGE:

Please, Nancy. Trust us.

The girls gauges her mother, the doctor, the situation very

carefully. Then lowers her eyes.

NANCY:

It's not you I don't trust.

It's...

(gives up)

Okay. Let's do it.

Greatly relieved, MARGE gives NANCY a goodnight kiss, then

follows the doctor through a doorway near the mirror. As soon as

her mother is out of sight, NANCY'S eyes drift to the mirror

itself. In its reflection she sees herself looking back, alone

on the bed.

DISSOLVE TO:

110. INT. THE OBSERVATION ROOM. 110.

MARGE and DR KING overlook NANCY's sleeping chamber through the

one-way mirror. And KING monitors the girl even more closely

with a bank of instruments -- a mass of glowing dials, graphs and

meters. His manner with MARGE is slightly more sober.

DR KING:

How long's this been going on?

MARGE:

Since the murder. She was fine

before that.

DR KING:

Not to worry. No signs of path-

ology in Nancy's EEG or pulse

rate. I'd guess what we've got

is a normal young girl who just

happens to have gone through

two days of hell.

MARGE:

It's just made her think...

her dreams are real...

KING adjusts a dial, watching the EKG like a hawk.

DR KING:

Ever hear the old Buddhist tale

about the King who dreamed he

was a beggar who dreamed he

was a king?

MARGE twitches. Then there's a slight alteration in the sound of

the EKG. KING nods in satisfaction.

DR KING (CONTD)

Okay, good. She's asleep.

MARGE:

(immensely relieved)

Thank God.

MUSIC RISES SOLEMNLY, MAJESTICALLY into a haunting transition as

we

DISSOLVE TO:

111. A MONTAGE OF SHOTS, of the EKG GRAPH, its inky needles calming, 111.

of a METER tracing the quieting of NANCY's pulse, and of OTHER

INSTRUMENTS, indicating life processes we can only guess. All

smoothing out.

112. CLOSE ON NANCY on TV MONITOR, asleep like the child she is. 112.

Innocent.

MARGE lights a cigarette, angry at her helplessness.

MARGE:

What the hell are dreams, anyway?

DR KING:

Mysteries. Incredible body

hookus pokus. Truth is we

still don't know what they

are or where they come from.

As for nightmares...

(leans closer)

Did you know that in the last

three years twenty Philipino

refugees in California died

in the middle of nightmares?

Not from heart attacks, either.

They just died.

He gives a "Ah don' know" shrug. MARGE looks out into the

sleeping room. NANCY is a motionless bundle in the middle of the

bed.

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