DARKNESS FALLS "LOVE NEVER DIES" BY MATTHEW BURDORFF SHOOTING SCRIPT FADE IN: EXT. MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM - NIGHT JOEL MCCORMICK is sitting on the curb outside the planetarium staring up at the moon and the night sky. He seems to be off thinking of other things and does not hear HALEY LEWIS come up behind him. She grabs him around the neck and kisses him on the cheek. HALEY I'm sorry I'm late, baby. Astronomy lab took forever. JOEL It's alright. I was just sitting here looking up at the same sky you were. HALEY Oh, but not the same sky. JOEL Hmm? HALEY You couldn't see it the way I could. I could see the rings around Saturn and some moons around Jupiter. JOEL Really? Which one is Jupiter? HALEY (pointing) It's that really bright star right above the tree line. JOEL And I just thought it was a bright star. HALEY Yeah. Its amazing how two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different. JOEL We were seeing it the same way, you just had a telescope. HALEY Yeah. Anyways, come on. Haven't you been sitting out here long enough? I'm hungry. EXT. FRANKLIN STREET - NIGHT Haley and Joel walking down Franklin Street in silence. Joel looks up at Haley and suddenly reaches out and pulls her close and kisses her. HALEY What was that for? JOEL No reason. Have I told you today that I love you? HALEY Yes. Exactly thirteen times. I don't know. Even if you didn't I know how you feel. JOEL I know. Sometimes it's just important to hear it you know. HALEY I know. They continue to walk for a bit. Joel is looking at Haley. JOEL Haley... HALEY What? JOEL Just say it. HALEY Oh, Joel. You know that I do. JOEL Then say it. HALEY I can't. I can't say it if the moment doesn't feel right. Joel looks somewhat hurt. HALEY I do. I just think that saying it when you don't really REALLY mean it makes it... I don't know... less important somehow. JOEL Fine. Don't worry about it. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Joel and Haley are eating across from each other in silence. Joel is not looking up from his food, whereas Haley is watching him closely. HALEY I do love you. JOEL What? HALEY I said I love you. It feels right to me now. JOEL Oh, it feels right to you now. HALEY Baby, I'm sorry that I'm so weird sometimes. Please don't be mad. JOEL I'm not mad. I'm just... hurt. HALEY Hurt? Why? JOEL Well, I don't know. I just... Sometimes I just need some reassurance about things. About us. And when you won't give that to me... HALEY Joel, honey, I'm sorry. JOEL Yeah. HALEY I want you to know that you are the most important thing in my life and that I would never do anything to hurt you on purpose. JOEL Never? HALEY Please. Haven't I done my penance for my stupid youth. Even with all the problems that we had, I never meant to hurt you, I just... didn't think of you at all. JOEL Oh, and that's better. HALEY No, it's not. My point is that all of that is behind me now. Now it's you, and only you. Joel, honey, I want us to be together forever. JOEL Okay. HALEY Do you feel any better now? JOEL A little. HALEY What can I do to make you feel better? JOEL Don't worry about it. I'll be okay. Joel goes back to eating in silence. Haley looks at him hurt, and then does the same. EXT. QUAD - NIGHT Joel and Haley are walking together on campus. She keeps looking over at him. HALEY Joel, just say something. JOEL I'm sorry. I know that I am being worrisome and just huge drag, but I can't really help it. HALEY There's no reason to worry about me. What do I have to do to make you trust me. JOEL I do trust you. I just... HALEY You just still have your doubts. JOEL No. Yes. I don't know. I don't want to talk about this anymore. HALEY But I want this to be better. I want us to be happy together. Forever, Joel. Joel sees REGEN approaching them. He is waving at them. JOEL What's this all about? HALEY What? Oh! REGEN Haley! Hello! HALEY Hello, Regen. REGEN What are you doing out at this time of night? HALEY Oh well, I had an astronomy lab. REGEN I almost would have thought that you would be coming home from some evening ball, perhaps? HALEY Oh, don't be silly. REGEN If you insist. At least you have this young man to accompany you in this hour. HALEY Hmm? Oh yes, this is Joel. JOEL Her boyfriend. REGEN (condescendingly) A pleasure to be sure. JOEL (sarcastically) The pleasure is all mine. REGEN Well, Haley. It was charming as always, but I must be going. Long night ahead. JOEL It's a bitch when you're not smart enough to not study for exams, huh? REGEN Exams? Oh, right. Yes, well. You leave the daytime to the early birds, I'll take the night anytime to get my studying done. HALEY Have fun, Regen. REGEN Oh, I will. Haley, I am sure that I will see you soon. (to Joel) And it was nice to meet you... JOEL Joel. REGEN Joel, yes. I have a terrible memory for names. Goodnight, Haley. Joel. Regen walks off into the night. JOEL What a prick. HALEY What? What's wrong now? JOEL He was hitting on you. HALEY Oh stop it, Joel. This whole paranoia thing is really starting to get tiresome. JOEL The guy was trying to get into your pants! And what'd that mean that he would see you later? HALEY He meant that he would see me later. In class. JOEL But what was with the rest of it? Him forgetting my name? And if he's not studying, then what is he doing? Going to pick up drunk sorority girls! HALEY Jesus, Joel. Just let it rest. You're freaking out over nothing. I mean just because I want to sleep with the guy... Joel stops dead in his tracks. CUT TO: C.U. Joel's face. MALE VOICE (o.s) Jesus! She said that! INT. MIKEY'S APARTMENT - DAY Joel is sitting on a couch in MIKEY BRADFORD's apartment. Sitting in the room with him is Mikey. JOEL Well, she didn't exactly say that in so many words, but it was what I heard, ya know? MIKEY Yeah, well. Do you really think that it's true? I mean after everything she said about wanting to make you guys finally work? JOEL I don't know, Mikey. I don't know. There is definitely more going on there than she's letting on. MIKEY Be careful, buddy. I know how you get. This wouldn't be the first time that you screwed up some relationship on some wrong assumption. Because you know when you make an assumption, you make an ass out of- JOEL You and Umption. Yes, I know. MIKEY Listen, Joel I don't want you to screw this up. In all the years that I have known Haley, I've never known her to lie straight through her teeth to anyone. JOEL Really? MIKEY Like when we real little and my mom caught us playing doctor, she just up and said that she wanted to see my weenie. JOEL Jesus, Mikey. You're not helping in the least. MIKEY Sorry, my point is that she doesn't really lie to anyone, and if she couldn't lie to someone like my mother then what are the chances that she can tell a lie this big to you? JOEL You're right. But I still don't feel right about it. MIKEY Well, okay. Don't take my word for it. Why don't we go talk to her roommate. JOEL Who, Kathryne? MIKEY Yeah. You know her right? JOEL Yeah, I mean a little. In passing. It's kinda hard not to know the friends of someone who you are dating. MIKEY It never stopped me. But why don't we go and talk to her, huh? She'll know what Haley's been up to, right? JOEL I suppose. MIKEY (teasing) That is unless she's become the world's greatest conwoman that even her roommate doesn't know what's going on. Joel groans. INT. DORM HALLWAY - DUSK Joel and Mikey are standing outside the dorm door when it opens to reveal KATHRYNE BYRNE inside. KATHRYNE Joel. Haley's not here. MIKEY Surprise. JOEL I'm not here for Haley, I wanted to talk to you. KATHRYNE Okay, but I've got chem. lab in a half an hour, so you got to make it snappy. Mikey elbows Joel. JOEL Alright. Listen, KATHRYNE. Have you seen anybody new around here? KATHRYNE What do you mean? MIKEY He means has Haley been spending time with anyone out of the ordinary. KATHRYNE Oh. You're worried about Regen. That's so sweet- in a pathetic kind of way. JOEL Thanks. I think. KATHRYNE Listen, you don't have to worry about Regen. Haley is completely loyal to you. JOEL Are you sure? KATHRYNE Joel, you're crazy. And Haley's crazy about you. You're just overreacting. MIKEY He just wanted to do everything he could. KATHRYNE But what are you going to do? Haley's a big girl and can pick her own friends. Besides, even if she was sleeping with him, there's not a lot you could do. Joel groans. MIKEY (sarcastically) Thanks. You've been a huge help. KATHRYNE Well, I try. EXT. THE PIT - DUSK Mikey and Joel are returning from the dorm. MIKEY Well, did that ease your mind any? JOEL A little I suppose. MIKEY Well, tell you what you need to do. You need to just get your mind off of her for a little while. Bryan Davies is having a party this weekend. Joel stops. JOEL Oh my god. CUT TO: JOEL's P.O.V. Haley and Regen are standing at the edge of the pit chatting. She is twisting her hair and laughing at something he is saying. MIKEY She's flirting with him! JOEL I know. Regen and Haley conclude their conversation and part ways. Regen walks away and Haley heads towards Davis Library. MIKEY You need to go talk to her. JOEL I know. MIKEY Do you want me to follow him? JOEL Jesus. No. MIKEY Because I could. I've followed people before. Joel looks at him with a strange expression. MIKEY What? JOEL Just leave him alone. I have to go talk to Haley. MIKEY Alright man. Good luck. INT. DAVIS LIBRARY 6th FLOOR - DUSK to NIGHT Haley is sitting a desk studying. Joel sits down in a desk directly behind her. He leans over to her. JOEL (whispering) Haley! HALEY (whispering) Joel, what are you doing here? JOEL I came to talk to you. HALEY That's so sweet. How did you know I would be here? JOEL I saw you in the pit talking to Regen. HALEY Oh. Joel, don't get started again. There's nothing going on. JOEL (raising his voice) I'm not a fool, Haley. A STUDENT nearby looks up and shushes them. Joel makes a rude face in return. HALEY No one is saying you're a fool. JOEL I'm just going to ask you outright, and I hope you can be honest about this. HALEY Okay. JOEL What is going on between you and him? HALEY Jesus, Joel. Nothing is going on between us. JOEL So you're just friends. Haley pauses. HALEY Yes. JOEL Why did you pause? HALEY Jesus, Joel. You know this is really getting old. I don't appreciate feeling like I am being examined under a microscope all the time. JOEL I don't like feeling that my girlfriend is sleeping around behind my back. HALEY How dare you? How dare you think that of me? Do you think that I am just some little slut that can't control herself? You think that I just go around banging my brains out when you're going to class or hanging out with Mikey? I have a life too, Joel and I'm sorry that it's not as tawdry and dirty as you would like to think. Haley stands up to leave. HALEY Call me when you grow up a little and decide to make an attempt at having a real relationship. She walks off. Joel sits at the desk for a moment longer and finally just leans over and thumps his head on the desk. INT. DORM HALLWAY - NIGHT Mikey knocks on the door twice before Joel answers it. JOEL Well? MIKEY I spoke to her. I don't know what you said to her, but she was pretty mad. JOEL Yeah, well I said a lot of things that I probably shouldn't have. MIKEY She basically said that she didn't want to you until you were really ready to talk. Joel sighs and flops down on his bed. MIKEY Listen, Joel. I would be very careful what I said and did right now if I were you. I mean, you're about to ruin any chances that you might have with her. Are you sure you want to do that? JOEL I don't want to do that at all! MIKEY Then what are you doing sending me to talk to her and carry messages like some sort of spy? Go talk to her, just quit it out with all the unfounded accusations. JOEL But she's furious with me. MIKEY And she's going to stay that way until you apologize to her and start treating her properly. She really doesn't deserve this. JOEL I know, I know. I just can't help but think that there is something going on there. MIKEY We all flirt, Joel. Do you want me to call you on it every time that you get all googly eyed talking to some attractive Carolina girl out on the quad? No, so stop being so hypocritical and go over there and make this right. Because I swear to god if I have to listen to you moaning and whining for the whole next semester- JOEL Alright, alright. I'm going, I'm going. Joel leaves. CUT TO: INT. OUTSIDE HALEY'S ROOM - NIGHT KATHRYNE is standing in the doorway in her robe. She looks as if she just woke up. KATHRYNE No, she's not here. She must still be at the library. JOEL Trust me, she left the library awhile ago. KATHRYNE What'd you do this time? JOEL Nevermind. Do you have any idea where she is? KATHRYNE Other than the library, no. Why are you so worked up? JOEL Why are you not? It's like two in the morning. KATHRYNE And this is also college. Are you in bed by ten every night? JOEL Listen, it's important that I find her. KATHRYNE Joel, calm down. You're freaking out. She's probably just studying or went to Miami Subs for some food or something. JOEL She hates Miami Subs. KATHRYNE Listen, you have nothing to worry about. Go home. Get some sleep. I'll have her call you when she gets in. JOEL When she gets in? KATHRYNE Yes. Now good night Joel. She closes the door and Joel is left standing there like a fool. EXT. HALEY'S DORM - NIGHT Joel exits the dorm and is walking away dejected when he happens to glance up and see Regen and Haley standing at the curb talking. Joel steps into the shadows to watch. Haley and Regen start walking together and Regen slips his arm around Haley's waist. Joel looks furious. Joel moves to follow. EXT. MIAMI SUBS - NIGHT Regen and Haley exit the restaurant laughing and eating French fries. Joel conceals himself the best he can next to a trash can. His cover is almost blown when a HOMELESS MAN taps him on the shoulder and asks him for change. EXT. A DORM BUILDING - NIGHT Joel watches furious as Regen opens the door to the building for Haley and holds it as she walks in. Joel runs out to catch the door just at it is closing and he follows them inside. INT. DORM BUILDING - NIGHT Joel creeps up the stairs and peeks into the hallways and sees that they are quite nearby. He pulls his head back quickly and peeks again as Regen lets Haley into his room. EXT. DORM BUILDING - NIGHT Joel runs out of the building and counts the windows over from the door to find a lighted one. Suddenly Regen comes to the window and looks out. He pulls down the shade. Joel looks furious and crushed at the same time. A few moments later the light goes out. Joel collapses into the grass. CUT TO: Fast motion effect of sun coming up over the bell tower. INT. JOEL'S ROOM - DAY Joel is lying in bed awake, staring at the ceiling. A KNOCK comes at the door. Joel pulls himself out of bed and answers it. It's Mikey. MIKEY Jesus, did you not go to class today? JOEL No. MIKEY What happened last night? What did Haley say? JOEL I didn't talk to her. MIKEY Then what happened? JOEL I saw her. With him. MIKEY You... Jesus, Joel, I'm sorry. JOEL You know all that stuff you said about her not being able to lie. Well apparently she learned. MIKEY What happened? JOEL I followed them. Mikey gives him a look. JOEL I followed them back to his room and then they went inside and didn't come out. MIKEY What do you mean they didn't come out? JOEL I mean I sat there until four in the morning. They didn't come out. MIKEY What are you going to do? JOEL What can I do? I'm a goddamn fool. MIKEY You can break up with her. Do you still want to be with her? JOEL God, I don't know. MIKEY You can end it with her. Either she'll be crushed at losing you, or you'll just be rid of her. Either way your situation is improved. JOEL Break up with her. MIKEY Yeah, let her have it. Show her you can't eff with Joel McCormick. JOEL Yeah. Yeah! INT. OUTSIDE HALEY'S ROOM - DAY Joel POUNDS on the door with a vigor. KATHRYNE answers the door. JOEL Where is she? KATHRYNE Joel? JOEL Where is she? Where's Haley? We've got some talking to do. KATHRYNE No one told you? How could no one tell you? JOEL Tell me what? KATHRYNE Haley. They found her last night. JOEL What? What do you mean? KATHRYNE Haley's dead, Joel. Joel staggers back. CUT TO: Close-up Joel's face. PRIEST (v.o.) Close friends, followers of Christ, we are here today to lay to rest a young life cut too short. EXT. DAY - CEMETARY Joel is standing alone staring at a tombstone after the funeral. PRIEST (v.o.) Haley Lewis was one of the lord's own angels that heaven could not do without. Mikey walks up behind Joel and puts a hand on his shoulder. Joel begins to cry. PRIEST (v.o.) So the lord called her back into his bosom so that she may serve in the kingdom of the lord. Joel and Mikey walk away from the tombstone. INT. KATHRYNE'S ROOM - NIGHT KATHRYNE is reading a book at her desk. A KNOCK comes at the door. She opens it and Joel bursts in. JOEL Why did you lie to me? KATHRYNE What... I- Mikey follows him in. MIKEY Joel, calm down! JOEL Calm nothing! (to KATHRYNE) You knew about Haley and Regen and now she's dead! KATHRYNE I didn't know she was going to die. MIKEY So you did know? KATHRYNE Yes, but it's not... JOEL But nothing. He killed her don't you see? It doesn't matter what the cops think happened. I saw her that night with him and I know that she was with him all night! KATHRYNE You saw her? JOEL Yes. Now where is he? I'm going to rip his head off! MIKEY Joel, take a breath. KATHRYNE I... I don't know where he is. REGEN (v.o.) But, I'm right here. Joel and Mikey spin to see Regen standing in the doorway. He walks in calmly and shuts the door behind himself. REGEN You were looking for me, Joel? JOEL You killed her! JOEL lunges for Regen's throat, but Regen flicks him away like a gnat. Joel flies across the room hitting the wall and landing on Haley's bed. REGEN (to Mikey) Have a seat, friend. Regen flicks his fingers and Mikey flops back onto the bed. KATHRYNE goes to Regen's side KATHRYNE Where have you been? REGEN Remember child, unlike you, I cannot walk in the daylight. JOEL What? Mikey, what is he talking about? REGEN Pathetic really that you haven't figured it out by now. Doubted your own true love even when she pleaded her innocence. JOEL Don't talk about Haley you murderer. REGEN I didn't murder your Haley anymore than I slept with her. JOEL What? REGEN Really. Must I spell it out for you? MIKEY Joel... Joel, this is going to sound really crazy. JOEL What is? REGEN Yes, young one. Let's hear the crazy thought. MIKEY Joel, I think he's a vampire. JOEL A what? Regen laughs heartily and in doing so bares long fangs in his mouth. REGEN I'm afraid your friend has it quite right. Although I don't like the term vampire, it has such negative connotations. Nightwalker sounds so much more romantic don't you think? KATHRYNE Definitely. JOEL So you what... You drank Haley's... blood? REGEN And quite delectable it was. You never know a woman's true essence until you taste her blood. MIKEY Wait, if you guys are vampires, then why can she go out in the daylight? REGEN Kathryne here is no vampire. She is my daywalker. She takes care of what I cannot deal with by night. KATHRYNE But you'll still change me one day, right? I want to change before I grow too old. REGEN Soon my child. JOEL But then, what about Haley? REGEN Haley... Regen turns towards the now open door and Haley is standing in the doorway. She is in her funeral dress. JOEL Haley... MIKEY Jesus Christ... HALEY Hello Mikey. Hello... Joel. JOEL Haley, what has he done to you? HALEY Only what I asked him to. REGEN You see Haley understood the benefits of being part of the brood. It's not the first time that someone has willing traded in their humanity for eternal life. MIKEY But you're monsters! REGEN Because we live forever? Because we walk at night? Because we drink blood? HALEY Joel, its wonderful, really it is. REGEN Soon you will be like us. Then you will understand. JOEL Why would I want to be like you? HALEY Don't you see? So we can be together forever, Joel. Joel is silent. MIKEY You're horrible. You're an abomination of nature. I would never want to be like you. REGEN Who said you would? HALEY Joel, we can always have each other. That's what you wanted wasn't it? This way we can. REGEN Yes, it's not the first time that lovers have turned to the brood to make their promises of spending eternity together much more literal. A truly pathetic human notion, love is. JOEL You... You wanted ...this? HALEY I wanted to prove to you that it was always you I wanted and it always will be. I gave my life for you. Now we can have a new life together. We can start anew! JOEL We can be together? MIKEY Joel? HALEY Forever. REGEN There is of course a small task that you must perform in order to prove your new loyalty. MIKEY Joel? KATHRYNE brings out an ornamental knife. Regen holds it up. REGEN You must take a life to buy your own of everlasting. MIKEY Joel! HALEY It will be perfect, Joel. REGEN You must take your friends life. HALEY Do this and we will be together forever, Joel. MIKEY Joel!! JOEL I... Regen puts the knife in Joel's hand. REGEN You don't have much choice do you. HALEY It was always you, Joel. It was always you I wanted. MIKEY JOEL!!! JOEL Haley... HALEY Just this little thing. For me. MIKEY For Christ's sake, Joel! Snap out of it! HALEY I love you, Joel. Joel tears start to pour out of Joel's eyes. He turns and plunges the knife deep into Mikey's gut. His hand comes away covered in blood. Mikey stumbles back and collapses on the bed. He stares at the knife and starts to laugh at the same time starts to cough up blood. MIKEY (to Joel) You... Haley... Vampires... Oh my god... Mikey coughs up some more blood and then is still. His eyes focus far away but never close. Joel looks up to Haley with tears in his eyes. JOEL I love you too. Haley bares her fangs and descends on Joel. The camera moves away, Regen and KATHRYNE look on with approval. There is a FLESHY RIP and a SCREAM. MUSIC rises. FADE TO BLACK: THE END.