Labyrinth Page #2

SARAH:
Do not be swayed by my pleasure at the sight of you, my Lord

...

Suddenly, something stops her cold.

SARAH (yelling angrily): Someone has been in my room!

Through the mirror WE SEE what she sees: an empty space on one of the

shelves. She swirls around and rushes out the door.

8INT:
THE HALLWAY - NIGHT

SARAH bursts out of her room.

SARAH:
Where's Lancelot?

She stomps down the hallway.

SARAH:
Where's my bear?!!

9INT:
NURSERY - NIGHT

SARAH enters FREDDIE's room. She searches the nursery.

SARAH:
Nobody listens to a thing I say.

She opens a toy box and rifles through it.

SARAH:
How many times have I told them to stay out of my room ...

She gets to the crib and looks down. FREDDIE is wide awake, gurgling

at Lancelot, SARAH's tattered old teddy bear.

SARAH:
And you, you can just give me back my bear!

She yanks it out of the crib and leaves. FREDDIE looks hurt and his

face starts to cloud up.

10INT:
SARAH 'S ROOM - NIGHT

SARAH is curled up on her bed, cuddling her bear. MERLIN sits beside

her. She looks at the DOG.

SARAH:
You're the only one who understands me, Merlin.

He licks her face. She gets up and holds the bear out in front of her.

SARAH:
Do not be swayed by my pleasure at the sight of you, my lord

...

She is interrupted by FREDDIE's cries.

SARAH:
Go to sleep, Freddie!

The cries get louder. SARAH sighs and repeats her favorite litany.

SARAH:
Why does everything have to happen to me?

11INT:
NURSERY - NIGHT

SARAH enters and approaches the howling INFANT.

SARAH:
I don't need this.

She pulls the blanket up over him and attempts to tuck him in.

SARAH:
There, isn't that nice ...

But FREDDIE doesn't think so. He pushes the blanket off and howls

even louder. SARAH sees one of his toys on the floor and picks it up

and gives it to him. She speaks through gritted teeth.

SARAH:
Want your nice toy?

But FREDDIE doesn't. He flings the toy across the room. SARAH bends

over the crib and speaks softly.

SARAH:
You know, Freddie, I heard that the only thing to do with a

baby who won't stop crying is to get some goblins to come over and

teach him a lesson ...

FREDDIE lowers his screams to a whimper, but a loud whimper.

SARAH:
How would you like that, kid? A nasty evil goblin ...

FREDDIE is quiet for a moment, almost as if he is considering. Then

he really howls. SARAH sighs and picks him up. She begins to pace

back and forth, and starts to hum. FREDDIE goes back to a mere

whimper.

SARAH:
Oh, you like that, do you?

She begins to hum even louder and more melodically as she places the

BABY back into the crib. She then begins one of the moat macabre

lullabies you could ever imagine. She sings of how scary the dark is,

how "the shadows on the wall like to eat you when you're small" and

how "a baby doesn't stand a chance when the Goblins start their

dance." She throws herself into her performance; adding to it a wild

dance that has her whirling around the room, leaping into the air,

making strange shadows on the wall. Finally, the dance ends when too

many crazed pirouettes result in her stumbling against FREDDIE's

dresser. She staggers a bit and then the lights blink as a crack of

thunder is heard, followed by a flash of lightning.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Little FREDDIE is wailing. He hasn't understood a thing that SARAH

has sung but he can sense that something is wrong.

SARAH:
Ah, c'mon, Freddie. It was just a song.

They are interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. SARAH reacts with

a gasp of surprise. FREDDIE, for some inexplicable reason, is

suddenly quiet.

12INT:
FOYER - NIGHT

SARAH approaches the front door with some trepidation. She starts to

open it, then realizes what she is doing. She fastens the chain and

only then opens the door.

13EXT:
HOUSE - NIGHT

SARAH'S POV

Through the door opening SARAH can see a very elegantly dressed,

quite good-looking MAN of an indeterminate age. He has a worldly air,

or is it other-worldly? Before he can speak a flash of lightning

illuminates his face. He is a mesmerizing sight and SARAH can't help

but gawk.

MAN:
Excuse me, is this the home of Sarah Williams ... Sarah

Williams, the actress?

SARAH's jaw drops.

SARAH:
That's me.

MAN:
Allow me to introduce myself ... (he holds out his hand) I'm

Robin Zaker.

SARAH squeals with delight.

SARAH:
You wrote the play!

He smiles.

SARAH:
Just a second.

14INT:
FOYER - NIGHT

SARAH's hand hesitates over the chain for just a moment, and then she

unfastens it and opens the door. ZAKAR enters and extends his hand.

ZAKAR:
It is an honour, Miss Williams. I understand you make a

delightful Queen Meander.

SARAH:
Well, we've just started rehearsal, but how did you know?

ZAKAR:
I was passing through this part of the country and heard that

it was going to be done here. This is the first amateur production of

the play, which of course is delightful for me.

SARAH:
You know we were supposed to open tonight, but we got delayed.

The firemen had to use the hall.

ZAKAR:
Yes, I know, that's why I wanted to stop by to see you.

They are interrupted by a particularly loud crash from upstairs. And

then FREDDIE begins to howl.

SARAH:
That's my brother ...

There is another crash and SARAH starts up the stairs.

SARAH:
I'll be right back!

ZAKAR watches her run up the stairs. He glances around and then walks

right to the liquor cabinet and takes out a bottle.

15INT:
NURSERY - NIGHT

FREDDIE in standing in his crib crying his eyes out. SARAH rushes in

and sees that the storm has blown open the basement window and it is

crashing against the wall. She rushes to close it. FREDDIE's screams

are piteous.

SARAH:
Oh, Freddie ...

There is more thunder, and then lightning flashes across the darkened

room.

ZAKAR (VO):
Perhaps I can soothe him ...

SARAH gasps and whirls around. ZAKAR is framed in the doorway. He has

a drink in his hand. SARAH holds the BABY close.

SARAH:
You shouldn't be up here!

ZAKAR (smoothly): I just wanted to help ...

SARAH rushes by him, still clutching the BABY.

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