David Morrell - NightScape

She sags against a console.

JAMIE

Okay, so we made a bargain. No contact. No…

(a frustrated gesture)

communication…

(a fatalistic shrug)

which reminds me of whatever his name was. I hope the ceramic doll he married divorces him because…

(a grin)

the secret I never told him was that he snored.

BEEP. She stares at the floor.

JAMIE

Just one "hello"?

She turns and frowns toward…

A section of wall that's recessed. There's a glowing box above it. And a door.

JAMIE

See, I'm…

(trembles)

a little…

(clutches her arms)

after all this time…

(shuts her eyes)

scared.

She frowns harder toward the door.

JAMIE

Does that mean I failed? Lord, I hope so. Please stop this. Please say "hello" and… Please unseal the hatch. Please let me out.

BEEP.

JAMIE

"The forests are my land. The rivers are…" No. They're not anybody's. Except…Whatever's in…Please don't make me do it again. Don't make me go in there. I know I agreed. I signed your damned contract. Nine months in here in exchange for…

(flinches)

But all the money you promised doesn't matter now. Keep it! Just say "hello." Then tell me I don't have to go in there again! I'm not…

(trembling)

alone. Can't you talk to me? Can't we discuss what's happening to me? Don't you understand? I don't care about the money anymore. I want out!

She spins toward the mural of the moon. Glaring, she grabs the model of the habitat and throws it across the room. Its glass and metal SHATTER.

JAMIE

Home! I want to go home! I want to see people! Breathe fresh air again! Eat chocolate cake! Walk barefoot in grass! Smile at the stars! I want to be…

Her shoulders sag. In despair, she rubs her forehead.

JAMIE

Free.

She gazes up, hoping.

No response.

BEEP.

JAMIE

(her voice drops)

Free.

She stoops to pick up sections of the model she destroyed.

JAMIE

I never understood what that meant before.

Suddenly animated, she crushes the remnants of the model and hurls them away. They CRASH against the consoles.

JAMIE

(angry)

But you won't release me from our contract, will you? This is what you wanted, isn't it? To watch me fall apart!

(paces)

You think you're so clever? No way! What you don't realize is you made a mistake! You didn't tell me it would be here with me!

(gestures in fury toward the door)

Full disclosure. Ever heard of it? You didn't tell me everything. You held back crucial information! And one thing I learned from my fiancee, whatever his name was, is a contract demands good faith.

(another furious gesture toward the door)

And that thing in there is definitely not good faith. What kind of monsters are you? Let me out of here!

Jamie storms toward a bare wall, the only one in the room, and pounds on it in desperation.

JAMIE

Null and void! You hear me! The contract's… I want to be free!

Abruptly a SIREN WAILS. Jamie flinches and covers her ears. THE SIREN KEEPS SHRIEKING.

JAMIE

No! Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!

THE SIREN PERSISTS. Beneath it, the BEEP continues.

Jamie sinks to her knees, still clutching her ears.

JAMIE

I'm sorry! Don't! Please, stop the…!

(cringing from the SIREN'S WAIL)

I'll do it! Yes! Whatever you want! Whatever I promised! If only…! Stop the…! Forget what I said!

(tears trickle)

I'll keep my word! I'll obey the contract! Whatever you want…!

(she shudders, in pain)

I'll do it!

THE SIREN BEGINS TO DIMINISH, ITS WAIL LESS TORTURING.

Jamie eases her hands from her ears, testing the threat.

As THE WAIL BECOMES FAINTER, she shudders again and slowly relaxes.

JAMIE

Thank you. I will. I'll do it.

(presses her hands together, as if in prayer)

Thank you. Thank you.

Wiping tears from her eyes, she struggles to stand. Unsteady, she again surveys the control room.

The siren has finally stopped, but the BEEP continues.

JAMIE

(as if hypnotized, to the rhythm of the beep)

"The oceans and the forests, the earth and the sky belong to…"

(faltering)

God help me.

THE SIREN BLARES, A SHRILL ATTENTION-GETTER.

She stiffens and glares toward the ceiling.

JAMIE

I told you I promised!

With a frightened glance toward the door, she shuffles toward a section of the control room that we haven't seen.

There, she reaches a treadmill, breathes deeply, and straps what looks like a blood-pressure cuff to each arm. Wires lead out of the cuff to a monitor.

Nervous, she glances toward the door.

JAMIE

If you'd just been honest…If you'd only prepared me…

THE SIREN WARNS HER. JAMIE cowers.

JAMIE

I know! I know! I hear you! But why won't you talk to me?

With a frantic gaze, she studies the ceiling.

No answer.

Distraught, she steps on the treadmill and pushes a button. The treadmill begins to move beneath her. She starts to walk.

CLOSE UP on the monitor to which her cuffs and wires are attached. Like an EKG, it shows FLASHING RED NUMBERS-blood pressure, pulse, and other numbers that we don't understand.

Jamie walks in place, the treadmill moving beneath her.

A WHISTLE BLOWS.

Jamie presses another number on the treadmill.

The treadmill moves faster.

The monitor's numbers increase.

Jamie paces increasingly faster and begins to recite.

JAMIE

My name is Jamie Neal. I'm an assistant professor of deep-space psychology.

THE WHISTLE BLOWS AGAIN.

Flinching, Jamie presses another number on the controls. The treadmill moves faster. She hastens her pace.

THE FLASHING RED NUMBERS go higher.

Despite the effort of her increased pace, Jamie continues reciting.

JAMIE

Specialty – adaptation to confinement. Reactions to a limited environment. Potential aberrant behavior caused by the stress of…

When THE WHISTLE SHRILLS AGAIN, Jamie presses another number on the treadmill's console. She's forced to pace even faster.

JAMIE

Claustrophobia.

Sweat beads on her brow.

JAMIE

Five rooms. Two here in this central unit…

(a nervous glance toward the door)

three others, an entrance bay, a solar power station, and sleeping quarters, linked to this central unit by corridors.

(swallows, wipes sweat from her brow)

But I can't reach my sleeping quarters…

(an even more nervous glance toward the door)

unless I pass through there.

ANOTHER SHRILL WHISTLE. Jamie hurriedly presses another button. As the treadmill increases speed, she's almost forced to run.

JAMIE

And we all know what's in there.

She shudders.

JAMIE

You bet. For sure. We all know what I have to face in there.

(out of breath)

After you've made me fulfill my bargain.

The FLASHING RED NUMBERS on the monitor go higher.

Jamie's running now.

JAMIE

After you've put me through my paces for today.

(wipes sweat from her brow)

Or is this yesterday? I don't know anymore. Isn't that what you want to find out? How much stress can someone take?

On the monitor, THE RED NUMBERS FLASH as if out of control.

Instead of the whistle, THE SIREN ONCE AGAIN BLARES.

Breathing rapidly, Jamie presses another number on the treadmill's console. Her pace decreases. Nervous but relieved, she presses more numbers, reducing her speed until the treadmill stops and she steps off.

At once, after raising her Lakers sweatshirt to wipe her face, she stares toward the ceiling, then the door, in apprehension.