The Shadow Effect Page #2

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In my waking dreams,

I'm chasing people.

I'm killing them.

The mind stores everything.

Television news, movies, billboards.

And these thoughts, these visual cues

can return to us quite

vividly in waking dreams.

How is your relationship with your wife?

What are you suggesting?

I don't make suggestions,

I ask questions.

I don't know, we fight,

I guess, sometimes.

Uh, she's shoved me a few times, but...

Am I going crazy?

No.

You're a hard-working man, Gabriel.

And you're stressed.

When I wake up from these dreams,

I get terrible headaches.

If you can tolerate it,

aspirin would be best.

I'm also going to put you

on a mild sedative.

One tablet in the morning,

one tablet in the evening.

And that's it?

Just take a pill?

Gabriel,

(SIGHS)

sometimes our problems are

not as complex as we'd hoped.

This should help with

the sleep and the anxiety.

(VOICE ON RADIO) Now tell me

that song doesn't make you

wanna dial up your

old high-school sweetheart.

Come on down to Estell's

Department Store,

where you're always treated like family.

Estell's, home away from home.

(HORN HONKS)

(TIRES SQUEALING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(KEYBOARD KEYS CLICKING)

(LOUD THUMP)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC DISTORTS)

We live in the time

When no one knows How to live

Just let them all pretend

Who they've never been Before

Who am I

What is my destination

(DISTORTION ENDS)

It seems I have reached

To the ends of my dream

Now stop

Don't forget who you are

Betraying yourself

Don't forget who you are

Now stop

Don't forget who you are

(VOICE ON RADIO)

The investigation continues.

The murder-suicide came as a shock

to friends and family, stating,

Jack Kenneth and his wife...

That's not your job.

Look, you-you don't understand.

I don't care.

I don't care if they're

left, or right, or center.

It's all the same game.

Right.

I understand that you don't understand.

(VOICE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA)

No. No look, that's not your job.

I'm catching a train.

I'll call you later.

- Hey officer, how you doing?

- Good.

See that guy at the vending

machine over there?

Little weird, just hope

you keep an eye on him.

(MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

POLICE OFFICER:
Can I help you?

Yes, I'm late for a meeting.

Is it the yellow or

the red line to midtown.

Yellow.

- Yellow?

- Right over there.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(SCREAMING)

Freeze!

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Please,

I have a...

(EXPLOSION)

(COUGHS, RETCHING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(YELLS)

Bro, what are you doing?

Do not f***ing touch me.

What the f*** are you doing?

Back the f*** off.

What happened to me last night?

What do you mean?

I want to know what

happened to me last night.

I don't know.

We went to work.

We served customers.

Jesse liked the lamb stew, we

decided to put it on the menu.

What, is that what you wanted to know?

Okay, what happened after?

- After?

- Yeah.

You stayed with Jesse.

I went home.

You guys talked about girls.

You came home, you went to bed,

I woke you up.

No, no, no, no!

That is not what happened!

Do not f***ing lie to me.

That is what happened, Gabriel.

It is what happened!

Do not f***ing lie to me.

- I'm not f***ing lying to you.

- Bullshit.

- Why would I lie to you, why?

- Bullshit you aren't lying to me.

- Why would I lie to you?

- I don't know!

Because you think I'm f***ing crazy!

No, I think that you're sick.

- And that you need help.

- Bullshit.

There's something wrong with you.

Jack Kenneth.

What?

Jack Kenneth.

In my dreams, the man I killed...

I looked him up.

He's a f***ing Washington, D.C. guy.

Look him up.

Look him the f*** up.

We all know that he

was murdered, Gabriel.

You're putting yourself in the news.

It's in your head.

You need to talk to

Dr. Reese again, okay?

You need to go see him.

'Cause I can't take this anymore.

F*** it.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(TICKING)

Um, I need to...

I need to wash my hands.

(WATER SHUTS OFF)

(COUNTRY MUSIC PLAYING

INDISTINCTLY OVER SPEAKER)

Afternoon.

Something I can do you for?

Yes, um, is Sheriff Hodge in?

He's on a call.

Can I help you with anything?

No, I'll... I'll wait.

Well, he's kind of busy.

This is kind of important, so...

Sir, we said he's busy.

Right, and I said I'll wait.

(SHERIFF ON INTERCOM)

What the hell's going on out there?

Can I talk to you for one second please?

SHERIFF:
Get on in here.

Thank you.

Enjoy your doughnut.

Huh.

Okay, what's so urgent?

This is gonna sound crazy.

Okay, just please bear with me.

Um...

Here we go, copies.

These two men, they were killed.

And they were killed while

they were doing something important.

Gabriel, we know they were killed.

You doing okay?

How's the Brinn?

She's...

She's fine, but listen.

These men, right, that were killed.

Someone benefited from their death.

Uh, that'll be all, deputy,

and shut the door on your way out.

Listen, both your parents

passing away last year,

you taking over the diner,

it's a full plate.

You're doing a hell of a job.

We're trying.

You and I, let's hunt some

deer this fall, like old times.

Okay?

Truvio, he's having dangerous thoughts.

Keep an eye on him.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(BELLS ON DOOR JINGLE)

Hey, delivery come?

Yeah, it's in the back.

I also forgot to tell you that

the dishwasher's on

the fritz again, man.

Ugh, seriously?

It was working fine yesterday.

I don't know.

I think it's the hydro line, though.

If not, we'll have to

replace the whole damn thing,

and I just cannot afford that right now.

Oh.

I'll run to the hardware store

after the morning rush.

Till then, we'll just have

to wash them by hand.

By "we," you mean me, right?

Underpaid and overworked,

Oh, heard it all before.

Yeah.

(GRUNTING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC DISTORTS)

When you're all wrong You...

JESSE:
Hey!

(GRUNTING)

(MUSIC SUDDENLY CUTS OFF)

(PANTING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

What the?

Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, man,

what you doing, man?

Who do you work for?

What are you talking about?

Tell me, Goddamn it, tell me right now.

- I don't know.

- Bullshit.

- Who told you to play that song?

- Nobody!

Huh? Do not lie to me, Jesse.

Who do you work for?

- You?

- I swear to God...

Please, please don't hurt me, please.

(PANTING)

(DISHES BREAKING)

I'm sorry.

You all right?

I'm sorry, I've had

a rough couple of days.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

What was I supposed to do, man?

Y... You're scaring us dude,

you're acting insane, bro.

(ENGINE REVVING)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(TIRES SCREECH)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(GUNSHOT)

(EXHALES)

(GRUNTS)

BRINN:
Goddamn it, open the door!

Right now, open it!

(THUDDING)

Open the goddamn door,

or I'm calling the police.

What the f*** is the matter with you?

- What is the matter with you?

- Huh? Huh?

Am I so unbearable to live with?

You can't sleep one night

without having a goddamn nightmare.

GABE:
Really?

What is wrong with you?

No, what is wrong with you?

There's nothing wrong with me!

It's you!

I found the f***ing video camera!

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