The Sandman Page #3

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This afternoon, I received

a rather alarming call

from your pediatrician.

He said your niece had

a number of bruises on her arm.

What's she talking about?

Nothing.

Look, I explained to him

that she was playing

in the house.

- She fell.

- He also told me

he was unable

to rule out physical abuse.

Okay, hold on.

Claire would never hurt a child.

Maybe it wasn't Claire.

Unfortunately,

even the suspicion of abuse

is enough

to suspend temporary custody

until an investigation

can be completed.

I have a letter from the state

authorizing me

to remove Madison

from your home.

- Wait, what?

- Ms. Blake,

don't make this any harder

than it needs to be.

Okay, just hold--

maybe we ought to consider this

a good thing.

No! You're not taking her.

Ms. Blake,

allow me to remind you

that if you don't

participate willingly,

I will be forced

to take punitive action.

Fine, go ahead.

Have it your way, Ms. Blake,

because I will be back

with the proper authorities.

CLAIRE:
Great!

And we'll be here!

Claire, seriously.

Madison, honey,

Wyatt and I are gonna outside

and have a little

adult conversation, okay?

It's me.

No. Unfortunately the aunt's

being stubborn.

We're probably gonna

have to call the police.

You know what?

I'm gonna have

to call you back.

- Are you out of your mind?

- What?

You know she could come back

with the police and arrest you.

Do you what would happen

if they got their hands on her?

Claire, this isn't some kid

who just wets the bed

or plays with matches, okay?

You are way, way out

of your league here.

My brother spent a long time

trying to protect her.

Ever think maybe he was trying

to protect peopfrom her?

There's a big difference there,

don't you think?

Our whole childhood,

we were just shuffled around.

My mom was a drunk.

My dad was gone

before I was even born.

All we had was each other.

I owe it to him

to protect her.

[knocking]

Madison?

[light switch clicking]

Are you in here, sweetie?

Don't you think it's better

that she's with someone

that knows how to handle her?

Who? The bad people?

Wyatt, that's what

she calls them.

How many people has she hurt?

Because what I think

we should be doing

is talking about

the definition of "bad" here.

Madison, I wanna help.

MADISON:
Go away.

[sobs]

It's not safe for you here.

I'm gonna to take you

someplace better,

where you'll be happy.

I'm happy here!

You can't stay here, Madison.

I know you don't understand

right now,

but one day you will.

There's no need to worry.

I'm not the one

I'm worried about.

[growling]

[distant scream]

Hey, what's going on?

[screaming continues]

I'm sorry.

[screaming]

NURSE:
You're doing fine.

Remember your breathing.

You're doing great.

NURSE:
Something's wrong.

COLTON:
What's happening?

What is going on? No!

What is happening?

Breathe, breathe.

Female, 28, intrapartum.

She's crowning!

[squirt]

[no audible dialogue]

[crying]

[gasps]

[panting]

Wyatt doesn't like me.

That's not true.

Right?

Madison, I think we should talk

about what happened last night.

You said it was all

gonna be over soon.

What did you mean by that?

Is that what you were doing

when your daddy died?

Did your dad find a way

to stop this?

WYATT:
We gotta call the police.

And say what?

There's nothing left.

There's no body,

there's no evidence.

What do you suggest?

I'm not just gonna sit around

while she wishes everyone

into a cornfield.

I told you

how important she is to me.

And you saw what she did

to that woman.

What she almost did to you.

I'm... I'm worried about you.

She wouldn't hurt me.

Like she wouldn't

hurt your brother?

The detectives were asking

what he doing upstate.

What if my brother found a way

to help her stop this?

WYATT:
More like he was wishing

not to get thrown in jail.

Would you watch her

for a couple hours?

- Are you serious?

- Please, I just--

I don't want her to go outside.

That's the smartest thing

I've heard you say all day.

Are you gonna help me or not?

Couple hours.

That's it.

Okay.

CLAIRE:
Thanks for letting me

take a look.

You know, she hasn't

stopped crying about it.

I gotta say, Ms. Blake,

we've been over this car

half a dozen times,

and no one's come up

with a stuffed animal.

I know. I just figured

if I looked, maybe I'd find it.

She hasn't said anything,

has she?

She's an eight-year-old

little girl who lost her father,

spends most of her time

crying in her room.

Detective.

COP:
I'll need you to sign

this access form.

[line ringing]

Hi, you've reached Dr. Amanda.

- Please leave a message.

- [beep]

Hi, my name is Claire Blake.

I believe you spoke

to my brother Colton

about my niece Madison.

Call me, please.

[door closes]

Hello?

Wyatt?

[sighs]

Where are we?

Well, it's a surprise.

Is Claire coming?

I thought that this should be

something we could do together.

Get to know each other

a little better, hmm?

Okay.

Why don't you go ahead?

I'll be out there.

[exhales]

You can do this.

[phone ringing]

Are you coming?

Pretty cool, huh?

Yeah.

Hey, how about that doll

right over there?

MADISON:
Where?

Right over by the...

the truck.

You see it?

Just to the right.

I don't see anything

but old junky cars.

What are you doing?

Madison.

- Were you gonna hurt me?

- Calm down.

This is why you didn't

bring Claire, isn't it?

Do you want her to get hurt?

I don't.

Madison, okay.

Okay, I need you to calm down.

Madison, okay, look,

I made a mistake, okay?

Madison?

Please.

I think you should run now.

[rustling]

What? Wha--

[screaming]

[Wyatt screaming]

- Sir.

- Bring her in, Heller.

Yes, sir.

Yo-ho, all aboard

'cause here we go

Time to hoist the anchor

and sail off

Come and take a journey

to places unknown

So pack your bags

and plot your course

Extra whipped cream,

just like you asked.

Thanks.

Thank God.

I was so worried about you.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Where's Wyatt?

Madison?

What did you do to Wyatt?

I'm ready to go home now.

Sure.

Can we stop somewhere

on the way home?

Yeah, okay.

[phone ringing]

I need to take this.

I'll meet you there, okay?

[ringing continues]

- Hi.

- Claire?

Yes. Um...

Is she with you now?

- Can you help her?

- Yes.

Are you familiar with the theory

of hypnotic image therapy?

Well, it started as a way

to treat soldiers

who were suffering

from acute PTSD.

Doctors used hypnosis

to rewrite their nightmares,

so they no longer

felt threatening.

You want to hypnotize my niece?

Your brother believed she was

using the power of the caul

to manifest

a nightmarish figure.

The Sandman.

However, if we could remove

this so-called Sandman

from her mind...

She wouldn't be able

to bring it to life.

Exactly.

You haven't seen

what she's capable of.

I don't know if messing with

her mind is such a good idea.

Your brother believed

it was a risk worth taking.

All I want is to give Madison

a chance at a normal life.

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