DARKNESS FALLS "INTO THE VOID" BY ANDY SPAIN AND OWEN PALMER FIRST DRAFT Fade In EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DEAD OF NIGHT Fade Out Fade In INT. APARTMENT - FOYER Fade Out Fade In INT. APARTMENT - STAIRS Fade Out Fade In INT. APARTMENT - BATHROOM Fade Out Fade In INT. APARTMENT - BEDROOM THOMAS is tossing and turning wildly in his sleep (obviously having a nightmare). He gets progressively more violent until he awakes. He is disoriented and breathing heavily. He pops some pills in his mouth from a bottle [CLOSE UP of bottle] on a night stand and drinks some water. BATHROOM THOMAS is washing his hands hunched over the sink. He gets wild and begins cursing to himself violently under his breath. FOYER THOMAS comes down the stairs wearing gloves. CLOSE UP OF TABLE THOMAS grabs his keys and walks outside. SHOT OF CAR FROM APARTMENT DOOR THOMAS opens the trunk of his car. He struggles with something inside and finally heaves it out. FOYER Thomas drags in a body. BEDROOM Thomas is frantic, takes more pills. BATHROOM Thomas is crying into the sink holding a knife. An appendage hangs over the side of the bath tub. MORNING - DUMPSTER THOMAS drives up, gets out, looks around, deposits a large garbage sack from his trunk into the dumpster, struggling with it all the while. Fade Out DINER THOMAS enters looking half dead, his friend JAMES sees him. JAMES Well if it isn't Mr. Punctuality. THOMAS Sorry, man... Didn't sleep well last night. THOMAS orders a coffee. JAMES Jesus, those nightmares still keeping you up? THOMAS Yeah.. I don't think I can take much more of this. JAMES Don't worry about it.. It may just take awhile for those pills to start working. THOMAS I don't know.. Maybe I've been taking too many of them. JAMES What do you mean? Didn't Dr. Feldman tell you to take them whenever you felt the least bit nervous? THOMAS Well.. yeah... I don't know.. JAMES Don't sweat it, I'm sure he knows what he's doing.. (holding up newspaper) Hey, at least you're not one of those poor guys. THOMAS reads a bit of an article describing "yet another body found, limbs severed, left in a garbage bag." He gets a little nervous. The article also tells of the total five bodies found, each one a mental hospital patient suffering from anti-social personality disorder. THOMAS Jesus.. that's awful... JAMES Hell yeah.. Poor crazy sons-a-bitches.... Someone must really have it out for them. THOMAS looks up at him. JAMES Oh.. yeah, sorry dude. Well, an anxiety disorder isn't half as bad as anti-social. That's what Feldman said. So don't worry about it. THOMAS I guess you're right. I mean, you said he's a good guy and a good friend, and I'm sure I can trust your judgment. JAMES Yeah, that's true.. Oh that reminds me, don't you have an appointment sometime today? THOMAS Yeah, in about an hour or so. JAMES Good, good.. I'm sure he'll be able to help you out if anything's still bothering you. THOMAS Yeah, hopefully.. (gets up to leave, lays down some money). Well, have fun at work... See you tomorrow. JAMES Take it easy Thom. AFTERNOON, OUTSIDE DOCTOR'S OFFICE THOMAS drives up, gets out, goes inside, sits down. RECEPTIONIST Hello Thom.. How has your week been? THOMAS A little sleepless, a little unproductive... RECEPTIONIST Well did you hear about those 5 men that were killed? Don't you think that's just horrible? THOMAS [a little bewildered] Yeah.. yeah I read about it this morning... It's awful.. DR. FELDMAN enters. DR. FELDMAN Thomas, hello... Glad to see you're on time. Are you ready? THOMAS Yeah, sure. //INSERT PATIENT/DOCTOR DIALOGUE [Dr. Feldman very subtly lays guilt and blame all over an oblivious Thomas]// REPEAT INTRO APARTMENT SCENE THOMAS awakes suddenly and violently again, takes pills, almost loses it. He again goes downstairs to drag in another body. He cries again over the sink and throws various bottles and toiletries against the wall. He vomits into the toilet. REPEAT MORNING-DUMPSTER SCENE THOMAS is less careful watching out for people as he carries it out this time. THOMAS meets up with JAMES again at the diner, orders a coffee. JAMES Late again, my boy. THOMAS Yeah, well, if you'd had a night like mine, you be at home crying your eyes out. JAMES Woah, gettin' defensive there buddy. THOMAS [sighs] Sorry man.. I just keep getting less and less sleep every night. Ya know, maybe I should get something active going in my life, like going back to work or something... JAMES Well, uh, I mean, that would be a great idea and all, but for the sake of your condition, I really wouldn't recommend it. THOMAS Oh, so you're my doctor now? JAMES [stops eating] Damn, calm down Thom. Maybe what you really need to do is just grow up. THOMAS Yeah, screw you. [takes pills, swallows coffee, gets up to leave] JAMES [looking for something to say] Where are you going Thom? THOMAS Don't worry, I'll find somewhere to go. THOMAS leaves abruptly. JAMES maintains a surprised look on his face until THOMAS is gone, then smiles, finishes a quick bite, and leaves quickly. AFTERNOON - PARK THOMAS sits on a bench eating popcorn, looking at the ground. He looks up, very blankly, then leaves. DR.'S OFFICE //THOMAS visits DR. FELDMAN seeking help, advice, whatever. Again, DR. FELDMAN is very condescending and guilt-provoking. % INSERT PATIENT/DOCTOR DIALOGUE// EXT DR.'S OFFICE THOMAS walks around a corner to where his car is parked. He sees JAMES who quickly fumbles some keys into his pocket. THOMAS is, again, oblivious. THOMAS James? What are you doing here? JAMES [slightly nervously] Oh, hey Thom. I thought you might be here.. I just wanted to apologize for being such a dick earlier. THOMAS Oh, it's no big deal, really. I came by here to see what Dr. Feldman could suggest, being that my sleeping habits aren't improving. He thinks I should take more pills. JAMES Yeah... well, that's good I guess... Yeah, maybe you just haven't been taking enough. THOMAS Yeah, I'm really hoping that's the case. JAMES Probably is, just don't worry so much about it, that'll probably only make it worse. THOMAS You're right.. Anyhow.. you want a lift back to work? JAMES No, I'll be alright.. Thanks anyway.. THOMAS Alright man, see you tomorrow.. JAMES Later.. THOMAS drives off. JAMES waits and waves, then goes inside. INT DR.'S OFFICE SLOWLY PANNING TOWARDS DR. FELDMAN and JAMES standing by a window, looking out. JAMES How much longer do you think this can go on? DR. FELDMAN Hard to tell, James.. At least we've accomplished something in the little time we've had him. JAMES looks at DR. FELDMAN who presents a bastardly smile. NIGHT - APARTMENT REPEAT INTRO SCENES once again. THOMAS goes absolutely ballistic this time, crying, screaming, swearing, vomiting. Pulls in another body. He eventually finds Dr. Feldman's home number and calls him. THOMAS [very wearily] .. Dr. Feldman? Yeah.. yes, it's Thomas.. I'm really.. sorry to bother you at this hour.. but, well, we need to schedule an appointment for tomorrow.. I mean, if you're available.... Ok... ok.. that sounds good.. thanks.. sorry again.. ok.. goodnight. MORNING - HILLSIDE THOMAS drives to a parking lot on a woodsy hill, pulls out the garbage bag and just nonchalantly throws it into the woods. //DR.'S OFFICE % INSERT PATIENT/DOCTOR DIALOGUE [DR FELDMAN is downright evil to THOMAS at this appointment. THOMAS eventually gets really agitated and leaves.]// ROAD THOMAS is driving from DR FELDMAN'S office, very irate. He stops in the middle of the road, gets out and opens the trunk. He begins to cry as he looks inside. WAITING ROOM, DR.'S OFFICE THOMAS throws the door open, dragging in a body. RECEPTIONIST Oh my god, Thom! What.. you.. you can't bring that in here.. you can't... oh my god! THOMAS walks past her and kicks open DR. FELDMAN'S door. //THOMAS has it out with DR FELDMAN, yelling, crying, etc., all while holding the body. DR FELDMAN keeps his cool the whole time. TWO MEN eventually come in and take THOMAS away.// //INT MENTAL HOSPITAL TWO HOSPITAL WORKERS are going through the stuff THOMAS had in his pockets prior to being committed.// WORKER #1 Did you hear about this guy? Bringing a dead body into Feldman's office? Jesus Christ, he has some sick patients. WORKER #2 Hell yeah.. so you find anything interesting on him? WORKER #1 Indeed I did, check this out. [He hands WORKER #2 the bottle of pills THOMAS had been taking.] WORKER #2 [reading the label, puzzled] Mefloquine? What the hell would he be doing with this? WORKER #1 I really don't know... Look it up in the PDR, see if it offers any sort of hallucinogenic side effects. WORKER #2 looks through a Physician's Desk Reference and locates Mefloquine. WORKER #2 Ok, here we go. Mefloquine - helpful in treatment of acute malaria infections... blah, blah, blah... hmmm... warning, excess doses can induce horrific nightmares. WORKER #1 Jesus.. that doesn't make any sense... INT THOMAS' PADDED ROOM THOMAS sits in a corner, crying, fidgeting, etc. 1