Wes Craven’s Page #12

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He curls against her, tighter.

DYLAN:

Why does God let there be bad things?

HEATHER:

I honestly don't know. Try to sleep,

baby.

DYLAN:

Can you come with me in my dreams?

Heather pulls the cover over him farther.

HEATHER:

I think that only happens in movies. But

I'll always be here when you get back.

(looks under covers)

And I'll make sure nobody grabs your

toes, either.

She tickles his toes. He lets out a giggle and closes his

eyes. Heather does not close hers. In fact, she reaches

over and finds a still steaming cup of coffee stashed on her

bedside table and takes a long gulp.

UNDER THE COVERS

we see Dylan's HAND reach down and touch REX. He turns the

snarling beast to face the darkness at the bottom of the bed.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY

Sun a warm yellow, CHILDREN playing under the watchful eyes

of MOTHERS. Nearby, Dylan runs a stick around the palings of

a playground rocket, somber and tentative.

PAN TO FIND HEATHER AND JOHN SAXON. The man in immaculate

sweats, tan and fit. A reassuring presence if ever there was

one, listening intently as Heather speaks.

HEATHER:

I know what he's doing is bizarre, but

most of the time he seems so normal, so

well adjusted. I just can't believe it's

him. I mean, and not something outside,

influencing him.

(scared)

Or is that how denial works?

JOHN SAXON:

When it is denial. I don't think that's

the case here, but if you're really

worried, have a doctor check him out.

You'll see, everything's fine.

Heather looks back at him.

HEATHER:

You're not just saying that to help a

crazy friend cope, are you?

Saxon shakes his head.

JOHN SAXON:

All of Dylan's behavior is understandable

for a kid dealing with a parent's death.

How can a child process such a thing?

Heather shakes her head, saying low.

HEATHER:

Don't know. Haven't been able to process

it very well myself.

Saxon looks at her.

JOHN SAXON:

You're not crazy, by the way.

HEATHER:

Thinking I saw Freddy in the grave feels

pretty crazy. And jumping in...

JOHN SAXON:

You didn't jump in.

HEATHER:

That's my memory. And it seemed

absolutely real.

JOHN SAXON:

Seemed, not was.

HEATHER:

(looks off, lower)

It's in my family, you know. My

grandmother died in an institution...

JOHN SAXON:

Really?

(unfazed)

Hell, if having a screwy family made you

crazy, the world'd be one colossal

nuthouse.

She looks at him, well? He laughs and she does, too.

JOHN SAXON (cont'd)

Look, you've got a crazed fan after you.

That's what's making you crazy, and

probably Dylan, too.

HEATHER:

I've never mentioned it to him.

JOHN SAXON:

Kids know when something's bugging a

parent.

(focusing on it)

You've got no idea who this is calling?

She turns and watches Dylan.

HEATHER:

Freddy, for all I know.

JOHN SAXON:

Steady...

Heather tries to smile.

HEATHER:

A man, or a boy with a deep, y'know,

Freddy voice.

JOHN SAXON:

Six weeks of this, and you're surprised

you've got Freddy in your dreams? Hell,

Sonny Bono says after a while he was

seeing his stalker everywhere. Even at

Mass.

HEATHER:

Really?

JOHN SAXON:

Absolutely. And how many times has

Letterman called the cops thinking that

woman was down in his kitchen again? It

gets under your skin if you let it.

HEATHER:

You really think Dylan's okay?

Saxon gives her a paternal look.

JOHN SAXON:

Dylan's fine. You're fine. Hurting, but

fine. Definitely not crazy.

CUT TO THE PLAYGROUND ROCKET

a tall structure standing over 25 feet high. Dylan has

unexpectedly made his way all the way to its top level, and

has squeezed out through a broken guard band. Right now he's

climbing up the outside of the rocket towards its nose cone!

BACK ON HEATHER:

not seeing any of this.

HEATHER:

It's my worst fear, that whatever my

mother had, I'll have. And I'll pass it

along to...

Heather shakes her head and smiles, then looks up and gives a

start, seeing

DYLAN:

who's climbed to the pinnacle of the rocket and is standing

fully upright on its nose cone, way the hell up there, arms

stretched to the heavens!

Heather stands, afraid to move. And now several other

parents, even kids are seeing him, pointing, as

ANGLE PAST DYLAN

stretches up impossibly far, fingers straining. Heather far

below, leaping off the bench and starting to run!

UP ANGLE TO DYLAN

as he stretches even harder, and then with a cry loses his

balance and falls.

HEATHER:

running at top speed.

DYLAN:

falling through space.

HEATHER:

barely making it to him. The boy and her meeting with a bone-

jarring impact. Heather driven to the sand hard, with Dylan

atop her!

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