DARKNESS FALLS "SEVENTH ECHO" PART ONE By Beth Mayo PROLOGUE EXT. RIVER - DAY (echo zero, circa 1300) Erin, in a monk's robe, is seen walking down to the river. He stops at the water's edge and looks out over the river. VOICEOVER - ADRIAN So, what do you think of your new one? CARRIE He's certainly different. ADRIAN In the end, they're all the same. CARRIE Perhaps. How is yours going? ADRIAN Just fine. She doesn't need me that much, so I don't have to worry about her too often. CARRIE You always pick the boring ones, huh? ADRIAN I'd rather pay attention to you than to them. CARRIE How sweet. ADRIAN Are you coming back to bed? CARRIE In a little bit. I'd like to watch over mine a while longer. ADRIAN I'll be waiting for you. INT. VENABLE HALL - NIGHT (7th echo / dreamworld) CARRIE wanders the halls, in a daze, talking to herself. CARRIE Now where.... She stops to think. CARRIE Why can't I remember the room number? I don't want to be late to class! She continues on. CARRIE Maybe I could ask someone? Where did everyone go, anyway? I haven't seen anyone at all since I came in here. She shakes her head, as if trying to forget something. CARRIE I know it's in here somewhere..... She finds a stairwell and goes down into the basement, which is very dark. She continues to wander around, looking for something that she cannot name. Suddenly, as she nears a darkened doorway, the lights go out. Carrie stands transfixed in fear in front of the doorway. Then, very very faintly, ADRIAN I'll be waiting for you. INT. DORM ROOM - MORNING (7th echo, 2000) Carrie is asleep in bed, tossing and turning. The alarm is going off loudly. Suddenly she sits bolt upright. CARRIE A dream? I was looking for a class somewhere? She notices the clock and what time it is. CARRIE Oh no! I'm late! She jumps out of bed, goes to the closet, and pulls out some clothes. EXT. DORM - MORNING Carrie is seen exiting the dorm and running full throttle to campus. INT. BOTTOM OF LENOIR CAFÉ - MORNING Erin sits at a table drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. One of the ads catches his eye. ERIN Huh. Cymbeline. Someone's going to tackle Shakespeare again. Auditions next week? He permits himself a small smile before getting up and throwing the drink and newspaper away on his way out the door. EXT. LENOIR - MORNING Erin exits the dining hall and stands looking at his watch. Carrie rounds the corner of the building, still running, and mows Erin down. Carrie gets up and offers her hand to Erin who is still on the ground. CARRIE Oh God, I'm so sorry. Are you okay? Here, let me help you up. Erin looks up at Carrie and takes her hand. ERIN Thanks. Their eyes meet as Carrie helps Erin up. Suddenly - EXT. RIVER - DAY (echo zero) Erin, in a monk's habit, is seen standing by the river. Carrie, in a simple, old-fashioned dress, walks along the riverbank. Suddenly she sees something down by the water and starts to run. From afar, a dark figure (Adrian) is seen watching by the river, followed by a shot of the swift-moving river water. EXT. LENOIR - MORNING (7th echo) Carrie and Erin stand staring at each other. Suddenly, they both shake their heads, realizing they've been staring. CARRIE Are you okay? ERIN Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. He turns and walks away. Carrie stares after him CARRIE Where are you going? ERIN To class. CARRIE Oh crap! Now I'm really gonna be late! Carrie tears off down the path and passes Erin on her way to class. Erin continues on his way to class, walking across the quad. He heads towards a building, and looks up just in time to see Carrie disappearing inside. Erin follows her into the building. EXT. HOUSE - DAY (6th echo, circa 1918) Erin, in army fatigues and carrying a large bag, walks up to the door and knocks. A woman opens the door. WOMAN Can I help you? ERIN Yes, I'm looking for Susan Welsh. The woman also looks confused, and then realization dawns. She looks very sad. WOMAN Are you Erin Shepherd? ERIN Yes. Is Susan here? WOMAN I'm so sorry. Susan died in a boating accident about a year ago. ERIN What? WOMAN I don't know why they didn't tell you. I'm so sorry. ERIN No, it's all right. Thanks. He turns and leaves. The woman looks after him, concerned, and then goes inside the house. EXT. BRIDGE OVER A RIVER - DAY (still 6th echo) Erin walks along the bridge. He stops in the middle and looks down at the water. ERIN I went through the war for you, Susan. I was coming home to you. But now I can be with you, Susan. I will. A dark figure (Adrian) is seen standing on the bridge after Erin jumps off. INT. BUILDING - DAY (7th echo) Carrie comes out of a class with some other students. She walks down the halls, lost in thought. EXT. LENOIR - DAY (7th echo) Carrie helps Erin up from when she ran into him. INT. BUILDING - DAY (7th echo) Carrie continues down the hall. Suddenly, the door to the stairwell in front of her opens up and Erin steps out. Without even looking her way, he turns and heads down the hall. Carrie stops in her tracks EXT. RIVER - DAY (echo zero) Erin stands in a monk's robe and looks out over the water. INT. BUILDING - DAY (7th echo) Carrie shakes her head, walks down the hall and exits the building. She sees Erin on his way across the quad. She runs and catches up with him, CARRIE Excuse me! Erin glances at her and keeps walking, Carrie at his side. ERIN I said I'm okay. Don't worry about it. CARRIE Oh, no, that's not what I wanted to ask you. I guess I was just wondering if you were in a class of mine before. I mean, I think I remember you from somewhere, but I can't think of where. I knew it would bother me until I found out, so I thought I'd just ask you. ERIN Actually, I was wondering the same thing. But I can't think of where I would know you from either. CARRIE Well, that's not too hard. I saw you in the drama building, and I thought maybe you were a drama major like me. ERIN Yeah, I do drama stuff. But I only take acting classes, and I don't remember you from any of those. CARRIE Oh, I haven't taken any acting classes at all 'cause I do tech stuff. Hmm... Did you take Psych 10 last year? That class was huge! ERIN CARRIE Ummm.....what about math? ERIN I finished all my math requirements in high school. CARRIE Oh. Well, what about stuff outside of class? Have you done any plays? ERIN Well, I did Hamlet my freshman year. Shakespeare's the only one worth doing anyway. CARRIE I don't remember anyone doing Hamlet last year. I would have gone if I had known about it. ERIN My freshman year was two years ago. I haven't done any plays since then, 'cause no one's wanted to do any Shakespeare. CARRIE Oh. They have reached a building and Erin stops walking. ERIN Look, I've got to go to my next class. I guess I'll see you around. He turns and starts up the steps into the building. CARRIE Hey wait! At least tell me your name! Erin stops on the stairs and turns towards Carrie. Suddenly, the belltower goes off, ringing the hour. EXT. CHURCH - DAY (echo zero) Erin stands on the steps of a church in a monk's robe while a bell tolls in the background. EXT. BUILDING - DAY (7th echo) Carrie looks confused but comes out of it when the bell stops tolling. ERIN It's Erin. Erin Thomas. CARRIE And I'm Carrie Williams. I'll see you around, okay? ERIN Yeah, I'll see you around. Erin turns and goes up into the building. Carrie smiles to herself and walks off. EXT. RIVER - DAY (5th echo, circa 1800) Several black women are washing clothes in the river. One of them goes out too far into the water. 1st WOMAN Don't go out too far - you might slip! WOMAN IN THE RIVER I'm not gonna slip. Suddenly she does slip and disappears under the water. She surfaces, even further out, arms flailing. WOMAN IN THE RIVER Help! Help me! The other women look worriedly at each other. SECOND WOMAN Ya'll help her - I'll run back to the house. The second woman runs off into the woods. EXT. PLANTATION HOUSE - DAY (still 5th echo) A woman and Erin sit on the porch of the plantation house. Suddenly the second woman runs up. SECOND WOMAN Help! Josephine's drowning in the river! Erin stands up, the seated woman is unperturbed. ERIN Where? SEATED WOMAN Erin, don't bother about it. Go and get some of the men out of the fields to help. SECOND WOMAN But that's so far! It won't be in time! ERIN I'll go! SEATED WOMAN Erin, wait! Erin ignores her and runs off to the river, followed by the second woman. EXT. RIVER - DAY (still 5th echo) The other women are still trying to reach the woman in the river, but she is being swept downstream rapidly. Erin runs out of the woods and dives into the water after the woman. They surface further downstream, Erin bringing the woman to shore. He carries her out of the water and then collapses. The women crowd around the woman rescued from the river, and fail to notice Erin still lying on the ground. Then one of them notices him. FIRST WOMAN Oh Lord... She kneels down beside Erin and listens for his breath. She shakes her head and backs away, terrified. FIRST WOMAN He's dead. A dark figure (Adrian) is seen standing in the woods nearby. INT CARRIE'S DORM ROOM - DAY (7th echo) Carrie sits at her computer. She stops typing and sits thinking. EXT. LENIOR - MORNING (7th echo) Carrie helps Erin up from when she ran into him. EXT. RIVER - DAY (echo zero) Erin stands by the river in a monk's robe. INT. CARRIE'S DORM ROOM - DAY (7th echo) The phone suddenly rings and snaps Carrie out of her reverie. She answers it. Conversation shows shots of Carrie in her room as well as Melanie in her dorm room. CARRIE Hello? MELANIE Carrie? It's Melanie. CARRIE Oh hey! How are you doing? MELANIE Pretty good. I've gotta run to class in a little bit, but I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch together later on. CARRIE Sure! In the dining hall? MELANIE Yeah. I'll meet you downstairs a little after twelve, okay? CARRIE Okay. I'll see you later! MELANIE Bye! CARRIE Bye! Carrie hangs up the phone, pauses, and then starts typing again. EXT CAMPUS -DAY Carrie is seen walking Erin to class. INT. CARRIE'S DORM ROOM - DAY Carrie shakes her head, and then calls up the university's web page. CARRIE Student directory. Last name Thomas, first name Erin. Junior, majoring in history with a minor in acting. Lives in Harrison Residence Hall. But that still doesn't explain where I'm supposed to remember him from! She sits, staring frustrated at the computer. Finally, she sighs and turns it off. She turns off the lights and lies down in her bed to take a nap. EXT. CAMPUS - DAY Erin exits the building he went into earlier and heads off down the path, lost in thought. He is walking through a courtyard when Dan sees Erin and calls to him. DAN Erin! Hey, Erin! Erin continues walking, looking at the ground. DAN Erin Thomas! Erin looks up and sees Dan. He tries to remember Dan's name as he approaches. DAN Hey, Erin. What's up? I haven't seen you in a long time. What have you been up to? ERIN Not much. Going to class and stuff. What have you been doing? DAN Well, Company Players is having auditions for Cymbeline next week. Are you in? ERIN Oh, Dan! It's been a while, I almost didn't remember you. DAN Really... Almost two years since we did Hamlet. Is there any role in particular you looking at, or are you just going to get the lead automatically, like last time? ERIN That was a fluke, okay? I don't know what the director was thinking, casting a freshman as Hamlet. I totally butchered it. Your Horatio was what saved the play. DAN The director was thinking that he picked someone who did a hell of a job and sold out the show every single night! You should give yourself some credit, man. I'm just glad that someone got the guts to try Shakespeare again, because I was getting sick of all that pansy crap that went on last year. ERIN Yeah, really. Guess that's why I didn't see you around at all, I didn't even bother to show up for any auditions. Shakespeare is the only one worth doing anyway. DAN I don't see why you don't try something else. You were the perfect Hamlet, and that's the hardest role to pull off in theatre! Anything else should be a piece of cake for you! ERIN I still don't see how I get cast in stuff to begin with. DAN Always playing the humble one, huh? I'll turn you around sometime. Well, I gotta run to class. I'll see you at the auditions for Cymbeline next week, okay? ERIN Yeah, definitely. See you around! DAN Bye! Dan runs off to class, and Erin stands there thinking. Then, to himself, ERIN Cymbeline.... EXT. CAMPUS - DAY Dan runs along the path and then into a building. INT. CLASSROOM - DAY Dan enters a classroom, but the class has already started. He mumbles an apology and sits down next to Melanie. INT. CARRIE'S DORM ROOM - DAY Carrie is lying asleep in her bed. INT VENABLE HALL - NIGHT (7th echo / dreamworld) Carrie stands before the darkened doorway where her last dream ended. She looks down and realizes that she is now in a simple, old-fashioned dress. Not remembering why she is in the building, she walks down the hall and exits the building. EXT. VENABLE HALL - DAY (still dreamworld) Carrie exits the building and goes off into the woods. WOODS - DAY (still dreamworld) Carrie wanders through the woods, not sure where she is going. She comes upon a river. RVIER - DAY (echo zero / dreamworld) Carrie wanders along the riverbank, still not sure where she is going. She suddenly sees something down by the water and starts running towards it. She stops at the river's edge and collapses onto a dark shape that is impossible to make out. A dark figure is seen standing in the woods, looking at Carrie on the riverbank. The dark figure in the woods is seen close up - it is Adrian. He gazes at Carrie. ADRIAN I'll be waiting for you. INT. CARRIE'S DORM ROOM - DAY (7th echo) Carrie wakes up with a start but remains lying down. Terrified, she whispers to the empty room. CARRIE Who are you? EXT. OLD-FASHIONED FARM HOUSE - DAY (4th echo - circa 1700) A woman sits on the porch mending clothes and humming to herself. Suddenly, a small child runs out of the woods towards the house. CHILD Mama! Mama! The woman puts down her sewing. WOMAN What is it, Sarah? The child reaches the porch, gasping for breath. CHILD Mama - it's Erin. He went down to the river to go fishing, but he fell in and now he won't wake up. The woman stands, agitated. WOMAN Oh, dear Lord. Sarah, run and get your papa. The child runs into the house while the woman takes off for the river. EXT. RIVER - DAY (still 4th echo) Erin lies dead by the water, in old-fashioned clothing. The woman runs down to the bank and sees him. She collapses at his side, crying. Adrian is seen at a distance through the trees. INT. CLASSROOM - DAY (7th echo) Dan sits in class next to Melanie. The class ends, and Dan gets up and leaves. However, the camera remains on Melanie, until she gets up and leaves. The camera follows her out of the building. EXT. LENOIR - DAY Melanie is seen walking along the path and then she enters the dining hall. INT. LENOIR - DAY Carrie is sitting at the same table were Erin was that morning, reading a newspaper. Melanie approaches her. MELANIE Carrie? CARRIE Melanie! How've you been? MELANIE Pretty good. Did you have a good winter break? CARRIE Yeah, it was decent. I slept a lot, hung out with some friends from high school. The usual. What did you do? How was the beach? MELANIE It was fun, but too cold to go swimming. If it weren't for my friends, I would have been bored out of my mind. I'm glad to be back at school. CARRIE Yeah, me too. Let's go get some lunch - I'm starved. I slept in this morning and missed breakfast. Carrie gets up and the two go upstairs. MELANIE I'm sorry! Why didn't you wake up? Forget to set the alarm? CARRIE I had a bad dream or something. I think I just didn't hear the alarm go off. I took a nap before lunch and I had another weird dream too, but I don't really remember it. MELANIE Huh! I hope that isn't a bad sign, have nightmares to start off the new semester. Did you eat something weird last night? They have reached the top of the dining hall and are looking at the food. CARRIE No, but I think I might have to now. I always forget how...interesting...the food is in the dining hall. MELANIE When in doubt, get a salad. That's what I always do. CARRIE Sounds like a good idea. They get their food and then go and sit down at a table near a window. CARRIE So, did you meet anyone new at the beach? MELANIE No, that kind of thing usually only happens in the summer. It would have been nice, but I'm not that lucky. . So, what about you? Meet anyone new recently? CARRIE Y'know, it's funny that you should mention that. This morning I ran into this guy, I mean I literally ran into him, and now I can't get him off my mind. MELANIE Did you talk to him at all? CARRIE Well, not really, but I saw him in the drama building after class and I walked with him to his next class. I had this weird feeling that I recognized him, and I was going nuts trying to figure out how. The funny thing was, he said that he felt the same way, like he knew me from somewhere.. MELANIE Did you get his name? CARRIE He said it was Erin Thomas. When I got back to my dorm, I looked him up in the online directory. He's a junior, and a history major to boot, with a minor in acting. But that's pretty much all I know about him. That, and the fact that I feel certain that I should remember him from somewhere, but I have no idea where. MELANIE That's really interesting. CARRIE Yeah, I ended up asking what classes he'd taken, and what plays he'd been in, but I came up with nothing. There's no way that I can think of that I would know this guy, and yet I can't shake the feeling that I do. She pauses, deep in thought. CARRIE But the one thing that really struck me was his eyes. He looked like he was really upset, and yet he acted like nothing was wrong. Like being upset was completely normal. At first I thought that maybe he had fought with his girlfriend or something, but the more I think about it, the more I feel that it was something more than that. But I don't know what it could possibly be. MELANIE Hmm... Sounds like we've got a real story here. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if you run into him again, and then see where that takes it. CARRIE I suppose you're right. There's not much else we can do. Dan approaches them. DAN Excuse me. Melanie and Carrie look up at him. Dan addresses Melanie. DAN Hi, I'm Dan. You're Melanie, right? MELANIE Yeah. Have we met? DAN Well, not exactly. I think you're in my English 58 class. The 11 o'clock with Professor Philips? I was sitting next to you. MELANIE Oh yeah, you came in late today, right? DAN Yeah, and I was wondering if you wrote down the homework. I guess I just wasn't listening. MELANIE Homework? But it's the first day of the semester, he didn't assign anything except to get the textbook. DAN Oh, yeah. Well, um, I was really wondering if I could get your phone number, so if I do forget the homework, I would have someone to call. Y'know, in case I miss class or something. MELANIE Uh-huh. Why didn't you ask me during class? DAN Uh... I forgot? Melanie shoots Carrie a questioning look, and Carrie smiles. Melanie sighs. MELANIE Fine. She pulls a notebook out of her backpack, writes down her number, tears it off and hands it to Dan. He takes it and then takes a scrap of newspaper out of his pocket and writes down his number and then hands it to Melanie. DAN Thanks a lot. I'll see you in class! He turns and walks off. Melanie and Carrie stare after him. CARRIE Now that was random... MELANIE Was he hitting on me? CARRIE He was trying to! Here, let me see that. Melanie hands the piece of newspaper to Carrie. Carrie looks at it, then turns it over and reads the other side. Her eyes widen. MELANIE What is it? CARRIE It's an ad announcing auditions for a play next week. MELANIE Which play? CARRIE I've never heard of it before - Cymbeline? MELANIE Oh, Shakespeare. Wow, no one did Shakespeare last year. That's pretty cool. CARRIE Are you sure it's Shakespeare? MELANIE Of course I'm sure. Why? CARRIE That guy Erin I told you about, he had a thing for Shakespeare. MELANIE Huh. Apparently Dan was thinking about auditioning for it. Do you think Erin will? CARRIE Maybe. I don't even know what it's about. I guess I'll have to go and see it. MELANIE I'll come too. It's a really good play. CARRIE Well, I need to run to my afternoon class. MELANIE Okay. The two get up and head out, still talking. EXT. LENOIR - AFTERNOON Melanie and Carrie are seen leaving the dining hall. They talk for a little while and then Carrie heads towards the quad while Melanie goes the opposite way. Suddenly Adrian appears from behind something. He watches Melanie leave and then turns to follow Carrie. INT. LIBRARY - AFTERNOON Erin is seated at a table reading a book. EXT. CAMPUS - AFTERNOON Dan is seated on a wall reading from a book. DAN And though he came our enemy, remember, He was paid for that: though mean and mighty, rotting Together, have one dust, yet reverence (That angel of the world) doth make distinction Of place 'tween high, and low. The cover of Dan's book is seen. It is the play Cymbeline. INT. LIBRARY - AFTERNOON The cover of Erin's book is seen. He is also reading Cymbeline. EXT. CAMPUS - LATE AFTERNOON Carrie is walking back to her dorm after class. Adrian follows a good distance behind her. He then catches up to her. ADRIAN Excuse me. Carrie stops and turns around. Seeing him, she looks confused. CARRIE Me? ADRIAN < glad and desperate at the same time> Yes, Carrie. You. CARRIE Um, do I know you? Adrian stops, looks crestfallen. She doesn't remember him. He draws himself up, determined. ADRIAN We knew each other a long time ago. I'm not surprised you don't remember. EXT. RIVER - DAY (echo zero) Adrian stands watching the river. EXT. CAMPUS - LATE AFTERNOON (7th echo) CARRIE From where? EXT RIVER - DAY (echo zero) Carrie walks along the riverbank. EXT. CAMPUS - LATE AFTERNOON (7th echo) Adrian smiles. ADRIAN I'm sure it'll come to you. Just give it a little time. Carrie decides that she's not going to buy it - he must be trying to hit on her. She rolls her eyes, turns and starts to walk away. ADRIAN Carrie! She keeps walking. Adrian looks at the ground. ADRIAN I'll be waiting for you. Carrie stops dead in her tracks. Slowly she turns to regard him with a look of dreamlike incredulity. CARRIE What did you say? ADRIAN You may not remember me now, Carrie. But you will. And until you do, I will always be waiting for you. CARRIE Who are you? ADRIAN I'll be waiting for you, Carrie. He turns and walks away. Carrie stands, dumbfounded. She staggers back a few steps. CARRIE I don't understand this...what's going on? 1