peer out. Empty, dark street. ERIC cautiously extends the lantern, taking a step outside, looking, looking…
ERIC
There’s no one here…
ERIC glances down. A symbol written in FLAMES on the porch — a crude drawing of an EYE, surrounded by rays like the sun — is flickering out. As it disappears, the PHONE rings, making them all JUMP in shock. It takes a second for the import to reach them.
JANICE (excited, relieved)
The phones! The phones are working!
The cordless phone is in the table-wreckage near BRENT, but he doesn’t move. JANICE picks it up and listens for a second. Her eyes widen, her jaw drops. She turns like an accident victim in shock and hands the phone to ERIC.
JANICE
It’s for you. It’s… it’s Kimmy.
KIMMY (on phone; as if from a great distance)
Help me…! I’m lost, and it’s so dark! Come home, Eric! Come home…!
ERIC is pale and half-dead-looking as the phone drops from his hand. He looks at JANICE, then at weeping BRENT. He and JANICE turn to stare at the open door.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. — STREETS — MINUTES LATER
The ADULT versions of ERIC, JANICE, and BRENT walk down the dark, deserted suburban streets like they’re going to their own execution. All the houses are lightless and look deserted.
ERIC
I told you the car wasn’t going to start. It’s not going to work that way — none of it.
JANICE
We could wait until tomorrow and call the police! He’s an escaped patient! This isn’t just us having some hallucination — he’s real!
ERIC
You think that’s going to happen?
JANICE
It makes more sense than walking into your grandmother’s deserted house, looking for him. The lights have to come back on some time… the phones…
ERIC
Let’s find out.
ERIC suddenly steps out of the road and walks across a lawn toward one of the houses. He stops in front of the door and pounds on it.
ERIC
Hello? Can you help us, please? It’s an emergency. (no answer; he knocks louder)
You don’t have to open the door, just talk to us. JANICE
Eric, you’re acting crazy… ERIC
Am I?
He vaults over the hedge to the next yard and begins pounding on that door, too. No answer.
ERIC
Help! Nuclear war! Invasion of wild pigs! Call the police! Call the National Guard!
He picks up a porch chair, heaves it over his head, then SMASHES it through the picture window.
JANICE
Stop it! Why are you doing this!
ERIC
Because there’s nobody there, Janice! No-fucking-body! Look at the windows — no candles, nothing. People in the real world have batteries, Janice. They have radios and flashlights. They still go out and walk their dogs, even when there’s a blackout.
ERIC reaches for a chunk of the windowsill and pulls it away. It comes off like it’s rotten and CRUMBLES into dust in his hands. He pushes his hand through the wall and another section breaks away and dissolves into powder.
ERIC (cont.)
He’s playing with us. Don’t you remember that night, when we were walking on this same road?
JANICE
Stop it. You’re making it worse.
ERIC
Do you remember what I said? He remembers. He’s pulled us back into it — it’s all happening again, but twisted up…
As ERIC speaks, we do a slow DISSOLVE into 1976. The street is still dark, but only because it’s a quiet neighborhood, late at night. There are a few lights in the windows, streetlights, the glow of a television through curtains. YOUNG JANICE and YOUNG TOPHER are walking with YOUNG ERIC, who has stopped in the middle of the street, clearly beginning to feel the acid. JANICE turns and starts back toward him.
YOUNG JANICE
Eric? What you doing? (quietly, now she’s close)
Would you come on? Topher’s making me nervous.
ERIC lets himself be led. As they catch up to TOPHER, ERIC is clearly disoriented.
YOUNG ERIC
Is it… this year? In all the houses?
YOUNG JANICE
What are you talking about?
YOUNG ERIC
I thought… for a minute I thought… I mean, how do we know it’s still now?
TOPHER
Oh, he’s coming on real good.
YOUNG ERIC
No, really. I mean, we don’t know. Time could have just… stopped. For us, I mean. And like everyone else just went on. So in all those houses, it could be twenty years later, but we’re still stuck in this one night, forever. Like we were ghosts.
YOUNG JANICE
Don’t say things like that. You’re giving me the creeps.
TOPHER is swigging from a beer, even more full of manic energy. He’s carrying the rest of the two six packs in a bag.
TOPHER
Twenty years there ain’t gonna be no town here — ‘cause one of these days I’m gonna burn the fucking place down. Maybe I’ll do it tonight. (turns to ERIC)
You want another beer? It’ll cut the harsh on that buzz.
YOUNG ERIC
No. I don’t think so. Not now.
YOUNG JANICE
I feel really strange, Eric. I wish you hadn’t said that. I feel… empty.
TOPHER (oblivious)
I told you we could pimp some brews up at the One Stop, no problem, man. It’s cause we had a chick along, just like I told you. Those older guys, they always want to look cool when there’s a chick around.
YOUNG JANICE
I can see my hand moving — look. It’s all blurry.
TOPHER
