DARKNESS FALLS "Kiss Him Goodbye" BY LANCE BROWN THIRD DRAFT EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY STEVE slowly approaches the police station. He stops in front of the door for a minute, takes a deep breath and goes inside. INT. POLICE STATION – DAY STEVE approaches a uniformed OFFICER sitting behind a desk. STEVE I think my roommate was murdered. The OFFICER looks up from the paper work he's doing. OFFICER And why is that? STEVE Well, he went home with his girlfriend two weeks ago and he never came back. OFFICER Maybe he's staying with her. STEVE She's the one who killed him! OFFICER Really? STEVE Yes! I mean, they went away together, but she came back with out him! It's obvious what happened. OFFICER And how long ago was this? STEVE Two weeks! I already told you that! OFFICER Now just calm down. What was your roommate's name? STEVE KEN. KEN WEST. OFFICER Alright then, I'll see that a report gets filed about your complaint. STEVE A report? That's all! OFFICER Listen, I can't go running around wasting my time just because you've got some wild hunch about your roommate. STEVE Hunch! He was killed, I know it. OFFICER Calm down, I'm going to file a report. And if you hear anything else, or find any real evidence that a crime has been committed, come on back and we'll see about starting an investigation. STEVE Fine! (STEVE starts to leave, but turns back at the door) And I will be back. (STEVE exits, slamming door) OFFICER (shaking his head) Kids. INT. PARTY – NIGHT A crowded party. AMY is clearly visible dancing with GUY1 in the background. MEGAN and STEVE are in the foreground, just entering the party. STEVE And then he was like "and I can't do anything unless you have any real evidence". So, now I'm supposed to do his job or something. MEGAN Calm down honey. Let's just enjoy the party, 'kay? STEVE Oh, sorry. It just got me so riled up I'm having trouble letting it go. MEGAN I understand, but let's just talk about something else for now. STEVE Alright. So, did you get that paper finished? MEGAN Sheesh, off one set of stress and right to another. How about this, we both set aside our worries and have some fun. STEVE I'll try, but it's tough when you know there's a killer out there. MEGAN Oh come on. You never liked KEN to begin with, and now we've got the room all to ourselves. STEVE Yeah? MEGAN Yeah. (winks) STEVE Maybe we should just forget this party, head back there and . . . MEGAN And? SETVE (looking past MEGAN onto the dance floor) And there she is! Look, its AMY. MEGAN Jesus STEVE, what the hell are you doing? STEVE What? MEGAN Were you even listening to what I was saying? STEVE (Looking at AMY) Sure I was. MEGAN (turning his head back to face her) Forget her! Forget KEN! I'm talking about us! STEVE Yeah, but there'll be time for us later. Something needs to be done about her now, before she hurts anyone else. MEGAN STEVE, listen to me. You are not responsible for what she does. It is not your job to protect the world from her. You don't even know if she's actually dangerous or not. STEVE (Defensively) But I do. MEGAN I know that's how you feel, but this just isn't something you're going to be able to fix. You've got to let it go. STEVE And let her get away with it? (glances at AMY) MEGAN Yes. Regardless of what she may or may not have done, you need to walk away. STEVE But . . . MEGAN It's awfully crowded in here. Why don't we go outside and get some air. STEVE looks back at AMY, but then relinquishes to MEGAN pulling on his arm and follows her outside. EXT. FRAT HOUSE – NIGHT MEGAN comes out of the house, leading STEVE by the hand. They stop a short distance from the door and stand in awkward silence. MEGAN has taken both of STEVE's hands in her own and is staring at him with a concerning/longing look on her face; while STEVE appears distant, his gaze wandering between MEGAN and the door. MEGAN Honey, are you alright? STEVE Huh? MEGAN I mean, with everything that's been happening, are you okay? STEVE Not really. It's just that . . .well, . . . I don't know. MEGAN What don't you know? Is it about KEN? Or AMY? Is there something else going on? STEVE No. I mean, I don't know. Everything's just so muddled. I don't know what to do. MEGAN Do you need to talk some more? STEVE No, I think, maybe I just need to sleep and clear my head a bit. I'll just go back to my room, till I can get all this straightened out. MEGAN Okay, but are you sure you want to go back there? With all KEN's stuff around and everything? STEVE Yeah, I think it will help me put everything in perspective. MEGAN Alright. But if you need anything please call me. STEVE Sure. MEGAN kisses STEVE on the cheek, then turns and walks off into the night. As soon as she's out of sight STEVE reenters the party. INT. PARTY - NIGHT STEVE enters and moves to a dark corner, he sits in relative obscurity looking intently for AMY. HE finally sees her dancing with GUY1. Almost immediately after STEVE sees them the song they were dancing to ends. They embrace and leave the party holding hands. STEVE follows them. EXT. CAMPUS – NIGHT AMY and GUY1 walk back to her dorm with STEVE trailing behind them the whole way. STEVE stays a good distance behind them, barely catching the door to the dorm after they are out of sight. INT. AMY'S DORM - NIGHT He then checks to see which floor the elevator stops on and runs up the stairs. He gets to the floor just in time to see what suite AMY and GUY1 go into, but by the time he gets to the suite they have gone into a room and STEVE has lost them. STEVE sits outside the suite. EXT. AMY'S SUITE – MORNING STEVE is asleep outside the suite. He is awakened as AMY leaves her room to take a shower. He quickly gets up and goes into her room. INT. AMY'S ROOM – MORNING STEVE starts rifling through AMY'S room. He starts with her desk and shelves, then her closet and finally her drawers, stopping briefly to smell a piece of clothing. EXT. AMY'S SUITE AMY exits the bathroom and moves to enter her room. INT. AMY'S ROOM The door opens and STEVE dives onto the floor and rolls behind AMY'S bed. AMY grabs her shampoo and leaves. Meanwhile, STEVE has found a shirt crumpled up under the bed. He grabs and unfolds the shirt. STEVE KEN'S shirt. STEVE takes the shirt and a picture off of AMY'S desk and leaves. INT. POLICE STATION STEVE enters the police station, approaches the OFFICER'S desk and slams the shirt down on it. STEVE There! There's the proof you wanted! OFFICER Pardon me? STEVE It's the evidence you told me to get. KEN was wearing that shirt when he left and I found it under her bed. OFFICER Okay, and how did you get it if it was under her bed? STEVE I searched her room. OFFICER So you broke into her room and stole the shirt . . . STEVE I didn't break in, and you're the one who told me to come back with evidence. And look, right there, there's a stain on the shirt. What's that look like to you? OFFICER Ketchup? STEVE It's blood! KEN'S blood on KEN'S shirt in her room! OFFICER Even if it is, you said they were dating. If the shirt got stained he could have just left it at her room. Besides, I can't use evidence you stole from her room. STEVE You can't even start an investigation? OFFICER I can call his other friends, parents and maybe have the school see if he's been attending classes. STEVE (collapses in a chair) KEN never went to class. OFFICER Well, that's really all I can do at this point. Unless someone like his parents or the school reports him missing or a body turns up. STEVE What if I brought you more evidence? OFFICER Listen kid, why don't you back off a bit, okay? I'll make some calls and see if anything turns up. But if this girl did kill your friend, then you should stay as far away from her as possible. STEVE starts to say something; but stops, sighs and walks away defeated. EXT. QUAD – DAY AMY and GUY2 come out of Lanore. They walk towards the Undergraduate Library and part with an embrace as AMY continues to UL while GUY2 starts walking north. STEVE peers out from behind a pillar, checking to make sure AMY is gone and then hurries after GUY2. STEVE Hey! Hey You! (Catching GUY2 from behind and tapping him on the shoulder) GUY2 What? STEVE You're life is in serious danger. GUY2 Are you threatening me? STEVE No. It's AMY, that girl you were just with. She's a serial killer! GUY2 You're kidding right? STEVE I wish I was, but this is no joking matter. I have proof that she's killed once before, and I suspect there are many others who have been her victims. And I need your help to prove it. GUY2 I don't think so. (turns to walk away) STEVE (grabs GUY2 and spins him back around.) Hey! GUY2 (shrugging STEVE's hand off his shoulder) Listen man, if you're right and she's going to kill me, why would I stick around to find out? And if you're lying . . . STEVE I'm not lying! You need protection. GUY2 From you, Maybe. (turns to leave again). STEVE (grabbing GUY2's shoulder again) You aren't safe. GUY2 (spins around, knocking STEVE's hand away and the pushing him to the ground.) If you don't back off you're the one who won't be safe. STEVE You don't understand, she's crazy. GUY2 It seems to me you're the one whose psycho, and if you come near me again . . . STEVE I was just trying to warn you. GUY2 No, I'm warning you. Stay away from us and no one will get hurt. (turns and walks away from STEVE who is still on the ground) STEVE I doubt that. INT. STEVE'S DORM ROOM – DAY STEVE enters and sits on his bed. He picks up the picture of KEN and AMY that he took from her room. He gets up and sits at his desk, setting down the picture of KEN and AMY near a picture of himself with MEGAN. STEVE (talking to the picture of KEN) What do you want me to do? (beat) Should I leave her alone? (beat) Do I need to try harder? (beat) Do you even care? STEVE picks up the two pictures and moves them so it looks like he is next to AMY and covers up both KEN and MEGAN. STEVE (talking to the picture of AMY) And what do I want from you? Phone Rings STEVE (picks up phone) Yes. (beat) Sure, I can be there in ten minutes. (beat) No, no problem. I'm on my way. (hangs up phone) Yes! Finally some progress. INT. POLICE STATION – DAY STEVE enters, walks over to the OFFICER's desk and sits down. STEVE You wanted to see me? OFFICER Yes, and thank you for coming down so quickly. We appreciate you're being so cooperative. STEVE No problem. So, what did you find out? OFFICER What? Oh, I think you're confused. I didn't call you down here about that missing person thing. STEVE It was murder. OFFICER Huh? STEVE What I reported was a murder. OFFICER Okay, but that's not what . . . STEVE Did you find the body? OFFICER No, and that's not why you're here anyway. I called you down because there've been some complaints about you. STEVE Complaints? About what? OFFICER Several people have reported seeing you stalking around a dormitory and trying to look into windows. In addition, we have a report of you harassing and physically assaulting a fellow student. STEVE Who? I don't know what you're talking about, I haven't been peeping in windows and I certainly didn't assault anybody. OFFICER Regardless, we still have to treat these reports seriously. And I have to warn you that further incidents could result in your suspension from the university. STEVE Are you insane? You have to take these bogus complaints seriously but you just ignore my valid report about a murderer walking around on campus? What kind of whacked out system are you running down here? OFFICER Now STEVE, just calm down. I've looked into that complaint you filed. And there just doesn't seem to be any evidence to support your claim that this AMY girl murdered your roommate. STEVE But I've found some other questionable things about AMY. If you would just listen to me. OFFICER No. I'm sorry, but the department has decided that we won't be pursuing that case any farther. And I would suggest you stop as well. I'm beginning to suspect these other complains may have resulted from your own attempts to investigate the matter. Something I have already advised you not to do. You're becoming obsessed and putting yourself in a very dangerous position. I think it's time you let this go. STEVE How can I? You just said yourself that the police aren't going to even investigate the matter. If I don't do something then nobody will. No, it's obvious that it's time I took matters completely into my own hands! STEVE slams his hand down on the OFFICER's desk, jumps out of the chair and storms out of the police station. EXT. QUAD – DAY AMY is exiting a building holding hands with GUY3. When they get to the base of the stairs they embrace and part. As AMY is walking away from the building STEVE emerges from behind a tree and starts following her. AMY is walking purposefully forward, she makes no indication if she knows she is being followed. STEVE is constantly darting behind trees, pots, etc. In attempts not to be noticed if AMY turns around. After a short time of this MEGAN walks past STEVE. MEGAN Hi STEVE. STEVE continues to walk, looking intently at AMY. MEGAN STEVE! STEVE stops and turns around. MEGAN (walking back up to where STEVE is) Hey there honey, got a lot on your mind? STEVE Huh? MEGAN You walked past me in a daze, like you . . . (MEGAN sees AMY as she turns a corner) God Damn it STEVE! Now you're following her around? What is going on with you? STEVE stares at her blankly. MEGAN waits for a minute, anticipating an answer; then she huffs and walks away. STEVE looks back and doesn't see AMY, so he hurries after MEGAN. STEVE Meg, Meg wait. I can explain. EXT. QUAD – DAY MEGAN and STEVE are sitting on the rock wall talking. MEGAN But why are you following her? STEVE Because she killed KEN. MEGAN You don't know that, and even if you did, it's not your responsibility. STEVE I know. (beat) But no one else is doing anything. (beat) Someone killed KEN and no one but me is doing anything. MEGAN STEVE, we don't even know KEN'S dead. STEVE (in shock) How can you say that? You've seen everything I've seen. How can you not be sure knowing all that? MEGAN I just think something else might have happened. STEVE Like what? MEGAN I don't know, it's not important. What is important is that you stop following AMY around. Let's go out somewhere tonight, and I'll take your mind off her. STEVE But I'm so close. I just need a little more time. MEGAN No! You're going to have to make a choice now! Because you obviously only have enough time for one of us. So, is it going to be her or me? STEVE (Taking MEGAN'S hands in his own) Honey, I just need a little more time. MEGAN gets up and starts to walk away. STEVE (yelling) Sweetie! (muttering) I just need a little more time. INT. AMY'S DORMROOM AMY is sitting at her desk when there's a knock at the door. She answers the door and STEVE walks in. He walks past AMY into the room as she shuts the door. STEVE I need to talk. AMY looks inquisitively at STEVE STEVE I know you killed KEN. I think you've killed some other people too. And I'm pretty sure I can prove it. AMY crosses her arms, looking down at STEVE STEVE But I'm not sure I want to anymore. (bashfully) watching you I've . . . I've started to see things. Things that make you special and beautiful. AMY raises an eyebrow and takes a small step back. STEVE steps towards AMY, getting intimately close. STEVE And I think that together . . . AMY stops him by putting a finger across his lips. STEVE brushes her hand aside. STEVE Together we could be wonderful. STEVE kisses AMY, which turns into her sucking and his eyes grow wide. He falls back and fades from existence. AMY wipes a trickle of blood from the edge of her mouth and kicks his clothes under her bed. INT. POLICE STATION – DAY MEGAN, looking frantic, enters. The police OFFICER looks up from his desk. MEGAN I think my boyfriend's been murdered. 9 1