Man in the Dark Page #4

box of candy for your best girl.

You're my best-

[ People Shrieking ]

Oh!

[ Ragged Breathing ]

Never take me. Never

catch me, put me in a cage.

[ Groaning ] Steve.

Steve, darling. Wake up.

You were having

a bad dream.

You all right?

I guess so.

I never should have

left you alone with them.

Here, darling.

Have a cigarette.

Why did you do that?

You always used to do that.

Huh.

Was I that broke?

You said you wanted

to cut down on your smoking.

Oh, Peg. Peg!

Steve darling, don't!

I'm all mixed up.

My brain is in a scramble.

Who am I? What am I?

It's the beating you took.

I'm to blame, darling.

I was hurt. I thought you

were trying to fool me too.

No.

These are nothing.

They hurt on top, not inside.

And you know why?

'Cause there's...

there's nothing inside to hurt.

I'm dead.

Your friends oughta be arrested

for beating up a corpse.

If I'd only known

you were so sick.

Peg.

What I was saying just now

in that dream,

did it- did it make any sense?

You said

you were being chased.

That's right.

I was on an amusement pier.

It was Christmas Eve.

It was like a jungle.

I kept running.

I don't know why.

I was blocked

everywhere I turned.

Then I was in a post office.

I don't know how I got there.

They were gonna mail me away

with a three-cent stamp.

And you were in that dream, Peg.

You were running

the wheel of fortune.

You were spinning it.

I won a box of candy from you.

The wheel must have been fixed.

Don't you think

you'd better get some sleep?

[ Sighs ]

Funny why all this...

Why an amusement pier, huh?

Why did I always

keep running, Peg?

Steve Rawley

was frightened.

He was always frightened.

Maybe I shouldn't

have said that.

No. Go ahead.

If I'm this character

everybody says I am,

maybe I'd better

find out about myself.

You could find it

in any police blotter.

That jungle you mentioned, Steve...

we were both in it.

It was awhirl like a flea circus.

Everybody packed in.

The scramble for nickels

never stopped.

We grew tough.

Do you wanna hear more?

Go ahead.

I like to hear you talk.

You must be feeling better.

[ Chuckles ]

I guess I'll be all right

if I can just find my head.

One thing.

Yes?

Whatever else I was,

I had good taste.

Monotonous, isn't it?

Yeah, this is the fifth day.

Any action?

Well, one of 'em went out this

morning, got some groceries,

came right back.

They must have some plan.

We're in the unfortunate position.

We have to wait.

I've waited so long, a little

excitement would kill me.

When it happens,

it won't be little.

Don't go playing bingo.

It could happen soon.

I'll see ya.

Aw, come on, boys.

Let me in the game, will ya?

I- I won't cheat anymore.

You think he's sorry?

You think he's repentant?

Nah, he'll never change.

What do you got?

Twenty.

Hmm. You win again.

You here to talk, Steve?

I came to borrow

a cigarette... two of 'em.

Here. Take the pack.

Thanks.

You know, Steve,

I'm a businessman.

Is that so?

Yeah.

And with businessmen,

time is money.

- Get to the point.

- I look at it this way.

You spent a year on ice.

That oughta be worth something.

Say, 50% of the take.

That's, uh, 65 grand net.

So let's stop kiddin' each other.

None of us are gettin'

any younger.

I don't like being pushed around.

So even if I did suddenly remember

where I stashed the money,

it wouldn't do you any good.

I'd still charge you

the other 65 grand for damages.

Sit down, Arnie.

Okay, Steve.

You got your smokes.

Now go on back in the kitchen

and start thinkin'.

You got exactly one hour.

If you don't come across

by then,

well, we'll be out of money...

and you'll be out of time.

Do I make myself clear?

Sure.

But you better get me

when my back is turned,

because I'm gonna take at least

one of you with me when I go.

You gave him the ticket.

Don't get in an uproar.

Just an idea I had to get

him to lead us to the dough.

I left the back door unlocked.

You what?

Where he goes, we go.

Wait downstairs. Give us

the high sign when they skip.

Right.

They gave me an hour.

What?

They're businessmen,

didn't you know?

In exactly 60 minutes, they're

gonna liquidate their assets.

They're bluffing. Anything happens

to you, they'll never find the money.

If they work on me once more,

I swear I'll...

[ Plate Shatters ]

No, Steve, don't! That's the

old Steve... wild and crazy.

You said I came from

a jungle, didn't you?

I thought I found

a new Steve.

Look, this is me,

whoever I am.

Don't try to put a halo

around my head. It doesn't fit.

Oh, Steve. Steve.

Just stick with me, will ya?

You mean we're gonna start running

again? We've gotta get out of here.

I need something

to jimmy that door.

Maybe this will work.

Peg.

[ Whispers ]

Peg, it worked. Easy.

Come on.

Peg, we're gonna need money.

I've got $10.

Oh, that's great.

I got a ring we could hock.

No. No, Peg. Big money.

We gotta find that dough.

Steve, you can't be serious.

Why not? It's mine, isn't it?

I stole it. I served time for it.

Now it'll give us a clear start.

A clear start to where?

No, Steve darling.

We can leave town, get work.

I can model.

We'll make out.

Wait a minute. In that nightmare,

there was a post office.

Could this be a box number?

Driver, take us

to the post office.

Steve, change your mind.

Maybe it's here somewhere.

Throw it away.

Then we can

throw away the past.

I have no past. It's

a blank wall. Come on.

There it is... 1133.

Can you tell me

who rents box 1133?

1133?

Just a moment. I'll see.

Yes. That's, uh, rented

by Hillside Linen Import Limited.

- Are you sure?

- They've had the box for over 15 years.

Thank you.

Dreams. Next thing

it'll be tea leaves.

I must be getting soft

in the head.

We don't need the money.

We don't, huh?

I haven't got change

of a quarter.

The post office

is only part of that dream.

Most of the time, I was

running up and down the pier.

It's a long shot, but let's

give it a try. Come on.

[ Bell Ringing ]

[ Horn Honks ]

[ Tires Screech ]

#[ Calliope ]

[ Barkers Chattering, Shouting ]

[ Bell Ringing ]

[ Barker Shouting ]

It's only a nickel!

[ Barker #2 ]

Win a prize here, folks!

[ Mechanical Doll Cackling ]

[ Cackling ]

She was in my nightmare.

She gave me that laugh every time

the police got close to me.

Come on.

[ Air Rifles Popping ]

[ Woman ] Win a prize, folks.

Just a few more numbers open.

How's about one, mister?

Win her a box of candy.

That's where I won

the box of candy from you.

It was a crazy dream,

Steve.

All right. Check your packages.

Get your packages checked here.

Twenty-five cents.

Thirty cents.

I said 25.

Thank you.

All right. Who's next?

Check your packages.

Ladies, take a load off your feet.

Check your packages.

Uh, one...

Hmm.

[ Chuckling ]

Great little woman I married. You'd

think this concession was all hers.

When did you leave it,

mister?

About a year ago,

just before Christmas.

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