Something Wicked This Way Comes Page #4

only through other men's lives.

Dreaming only other men's dreams.

What a waste.

Sometimes a man can learn more

from other men's dreams

than he can from his own.

Come visit me, sir, if you would

wish to improve your education.

I will. And I may improve yours.

Boys, what the hell's goin' on?

Come to the library tonight.

That's why they had the parade.

so they could find us and kill us.

And so, we had to hide.

because, well... who'd believe us?

- I believe you.

- You do? But we're not grownups.

That's why I believe you.

Now, listen to this.

Diary of my father. Charles Herbert

Halloway, minister of this town:

"October, 1891.

"We have had no good fortune

since there arrived here

"the autumn carnival.

"It seems strange to speak of such

things in these enlightened days.

"A poor, lame servant girl went to the

fortuneteller to inquire how she might run.

"Her leg mended...

"...and then she ran mad.

"It seems they destroy people

"by granting their dearest wishes.

"as has been the way of the devil

"since God created the worid.

"Old folks of this town

"say they remember

such a carnival of evil

visiting many autumns past.

in the days of their youth,"

"The traveling people swore

"they would return, some other autumn.

Each time their visit ended

with a most unusual storm,"

It's Mr. Dark.

Boys, hide, quick.

"By the pricking of my thumbs.

something wicked this way comes,"

"Then rang the bells both loud and deep.

God is not dead, nor doth he sleep,"

"The wrong will fail, the right, prevail.

with peace on earth, good will to men,"

It's a thousand years

to Christmas, Mr. Halloway.

You're wrong. It's here in this library

tonight, and can't be spoiled.

Did Will and Jim bring it with them

on the soles of their shoes?

Then we shall have to scrape them.

Will?

Jim?

Free rides on the merry-go-round.

How would you like to be

king of the carnival, Jim?

The ruler of the rides?

How would you like to be grown up, Jim?

How would that feel, huh?

Not to be looked down at.

Not to be told to run away and play.

To be trusted. To be feared.

To know what grownups do behind

locked doors when children are asleep.

Come out to me, Jim.

I'm the father you've been waiting for...

...my son.

I know who you are.

You are the autumn people.

Where do you come from? The dust.

- Where do you go to? The grave.

- Yes.

We are the hungry ones.

Your torments call us like dogs in the night.

And we do feed, and feed well.

To stuff yourselves

on other people's nightmares.

And butter our plain bread

with delicious pain.

So, you do understand a little.

You are known in this town.

My father knew you.

Your father. The preacher?

That half-man?

- He lived on goodness.

- Tasteless fare.

Funerals, bad marriages.

lost loves, lonely beds.

That is our diet.

We suck that misery and find it sweet.

We search for more, always.

We can smell young boys

ulcerating to be men 1000 miles off.

And hear a middle-aged fool like you.

groaning with midnight despairs.

from halfway around the worid.

Your books cannot hurt me, old man.

Yes, old. Because your heart is old.

Listen to it.

You tell me where the boys are hiding.

and I can make you young again.

I could turn your years back for you to...

...let's say, 30?

Now speak, or you've missed it.

Going...

it's gone.

Year of a man's prime.

loved by many women.

You might still learn to swim.

Oh, 35.

Time to father a family, build a fortune.

the stairs without panting for breath.

Where are they? 38...

Hear your heart, hear my count.

Still young, 39... gone.

Oh, oh! 40.

Dad, no. Don't listen!

And is that the voice

of green grass and sunshine?

Sweet Eden's child.

the innocent young Will?

Your loss!

- You fool.

- Damn you.

A taste of death?

So you'll know it when

it comes again, soon.

Jim? Will?

Time to go.

Jim Nightshade.

What a good...

what a proper name for a carnival.

Dark and Nightshade's

Pandemonium Carnival.

That's your name, Jim.

Mr. Nightshade.

Will, then.

Will?

Your mother was at the carnival tonight.

She rode the carousel.

She went backwards and forwards

until she was quite, quite mad.

You should've heard the one

single sound she made.

Come out now.

Jim?

Jim, you're the clever one.

You tell me where your friend is hiding.

and I can guarantee you

a very special reward.

Now, where would you be filed, I wonder?

Under "A" for Adventure, or "B" for boys?

"J" for Jim, or "N" for Nightshade?

"H" for Halloway...

...or "H" for hidden?

Well, here's a couple of fine new books.

I'll enjoy cutting this one's pages.

Mom!

Seems I made a little mistake.

It must've been your mother.

Jim, at the carnival.

Poor thing. What a tragedy.

Still, you won't be needing her anymore.

Look. You have a fine, new mother now.

Time to quiet these two chatterers.

Time to still these two whisperers.

Lose their tongues until

I choose to find them again.

Quiet, you two chatterers.

Still, you two whisperers.

And give him a brief taste of death.

so that he may recognize

it when it comes again.

Old man, hear your heart beating.

Slow, now.

Slower...

Slower...

Slower...

...slowest.

What times we're

going to have, Jim, you and I.

Dark and Nightshade.

Nightshade and Dark.

And Will...

...we'll ride him backwards, shall we?

Turn him into a little baby.

a plaything for our little friend here.

Harry, is that you?

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Halloway.

I... I was expecting somebody else.

See, I have a message. I have a ticket...

Whatever the messages, they'll be lies.

Go home.

- No, I have to wait here for Harry...

- For God's sake, go home.

The man coming for you

isn't your husband.

But... they told me...

Dad!

Not dead yet, Mr. Halloway?

Come looking in my mirrors

for another chance?

Shall I help you find it?

Would you know it if you saw it?

Here the mirror of dreams, of beauty.

Can Crosetti tell you of

incredible loves he never lived?

Over here...

... see the mirror of

riches beyond wishing,

where Mr. Tetley's buried.

Halloway, look.

Look here for the great and famous.

Ed, the barman hero

of all the football years.

All his cheering crowds gone.

Here, the looking glass

of pride and ruined vanity,

where wars of time are fought and lost.

And now this.

This is your glass of darkness,

Mr. Halloway.

Its name, regret.

Its sum, despair.

Drink deep its funeral sights and sounds.

Your failure as a father and as a man.

Your son hates you.

You've lost him. He's mine.

And young Jim Nightshade, too.

Drown, Halloway.

Drown in your regrets.

Dad!

Dad, please!

I...

I love you.

I love you!

Dad! Dad!

King of the carnival, my son.

- My partner, forever.

- Jim!

Jim! Jim, no!

Don't ditch me!

Jim, please. Don't die.

Stop that, do you hear? Stop it.

Tears, that's what they like!

My God, how they like tears!

Look, that's no way to save young Jim.

Jump around, eh?

Whoop and holler.

Come on, look at me, eh?

Look at me.

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