Library e-Book : 978-1-5384-7320-7
Trade e-Book : 978-1-5384-7321-4
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NOTES for “Talking In the Dark”
This is the story of VICTOR RIPPON, a lonely man in a small town. Ever since his wife left him he lives a quiet, bleak existence, with no friends to speak of except for JOLENE, a plump, good-natured waitress at the local diner. She’d like to be more than a friend to him, but VICTOR remains withdrawn and oblivious. How can she break through his shell?
His only real interest seems to be his favorite writer, REX CHRISTIAN. VICTOR is obsessed with REX’s horror stories, which somehow seem more real to him than his own boring life. Now, as Christmas draws near, a chance remark from JOLENE gives VICTOR a reckless idea. It’s a last-ditch attempt to reach out to the one person who might understand: REX CHRISTIAN himself.
“Talking in the Dark” is the sad, shocking tale of one man’s search for meaning in the chaos of a life gone wrong. The events may border on the comic but the underlying tone is one of sadness and loss, building to a powerful and tragic climax.
Casting of the three principals is critical.
VICTOR is the lost and vulnerable protagonist. He may not have the words to articulate what he feels. But he is by no means a clownlike simpleton.
JOLENE is warm, compassionate and touchingly human, a woman who sees to the needs of her customers all day long but whose own needs remain unfulfilled.
And REX is the unexpected wild card – a disarmingly flip con man with a dark agenda all his own. He is a small, tightly-wound charmer with an edge of barely-concealed cynicism. Why do his stories have such hypnotic power over his readers, until they believe that they are not only reading them but living them?
Where does such a writer really get his ideas?
Given the right tone, this one should be a classic.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
ANOUNCER
NARRATOR
*VICTOR
– a lonely, divorced man. 30s
*REX
– Victor’s favorite horror writer. 30-50
*JOLENE
– a waitress at the local diner, who may be Victor’s only friend. 30s
JAMES
– a married man who is a character in one of Rex’s stories. 30s
LORI
– James’s wife in Rex’s story. 30s
TAD
– Lori’s son in Rex’s stoy, age 5-8
RAY
– Lori’s other son in Rex’s story, age 5-8
WALT
– owner of the diner. 40s-50s
MAN
– a customer at the diner. 30s
BOY
– his son, age 10-12.
HANK
– a regular at the diner. 50s-60s
SOUND
SIGNATURE OPENING: A BEATING HEART. . . RAPID BREATHING. . . RUNNING FEET. . . A DOOR SLAMMING SHUT. THE DOOR LOCKS AND A CHAIN FUMBLES INTO PLACE. THE HEARTBEAT AND BREATHING SLOW. . . UNTIL A GRANDFATHER CLOCK CHIMES LOUDLY. A GASP. THE HEARTBEAT SPEEDS UP AGAIN, DROWNING OUT ALL OTHER SOUNDS.
MUSIC
THEME
ANNOUNCER
You can run but you can’t hide. It’s far too late for that. Welcome to the darkside, where the night never ends, as Fangoria presents. . . Dread Time Stories!
MUSIC
FADE DOWN.
SOUND
THRU TO:
INT. – HOUSE – NIGHT.
RAIN OUTSIDE (CONTINUING).
A KEY IN THE FRONT DOOR. THE DOOR OPENS AND JAMES ENTERS, THE STORM MOMENTARILY LOUDER. HE CLOSES THE DOOR BEHIND HIM.
JAMES
(calling) Lori?
SOUND
HE CROSSES THE ROOM AND DROPS HIS KEYS ON A TABLE.
JAMES
Honey, are you –?
LORI
(calmly, from within the room) James?
SOND
A FAINT PEAL OF THUNDER OUTSIDE.
LAMES
Why is it so dark in here?
LORI
Is it? I didn’t notice.
SOUND
HE CROSSES AND CLICKS A LAMP.
JAMES
Let me get the lamp. . . There. That’s better.
Sorry I’m late.
LORI
Another meeting?
JAMES
I warned you when we got married. It goes with the territory.
LORI
Well, you’re here now. That’s all that matters.
JAMES
Have you eaten yet?
LORI
I was waiting for you.
JAMES
I should have called. I grabbed a bite on the way. But we can order something, if you like.
LORI
I can manage.
JAMES
What about the boys? They must be hungry.
LORI
Don’t worry about them. I always make sure they’re fed.
JAMES
In bed already?
LORI
They’re having their bath.
JAMES
Those two. They take more baths than any
JAMES (cont’d)
kids I’ve ever seen.
LORI
At least they’re clean. You should be grateful.
JAMES
Oh, I am. Before you came along, this house was empty as a tomb. Sometimes I wonder. What did I do to deserve you three?
LORI
You’re the best thing that ever happened to us, James. I knew it the day we met. At the river, remember?
JAMES
Sure I do. I was so depressed I wanted to jump in. And then I saw you, like something out of a dream. . .
LORI
I thought I was the one who was dreaming.
SOUND
(OFF) DISTANT GIGGLING AND SPLASHING FROM A BATHROOM DOWN THE HALL.
JAMES
I’d better see how they’re doing.
LORI
Don’t you want this first?
SOUND
SHE POURS HIM A DRINK, DROPS ICE CUBES INTO THE GLASS AND BRINGS IT TO HIM.
JAMES
You never forget.
LORI
Single malt. Your favorite.
SOUND
HE DRINKS AND SETS THE GLASS ON THE TABLE.
JAMES
(appreciative) That’s what I call service.
LORI
Would you like anything else, sir?
JAMES
Come here. (nuzzling her)
LORI
The boys. . .
JAMES
What about them?
LORI
They’ve been waiting, too.
JAMES
Have they?
LORI
Of course they have. You’re their father now.
JAMES
(reluctant) All right, I’ll tuck them in. You know, it’s been a long day. (teasing) We could turn in early ourselves. . .
LORI
(amused) Will you go?
JAMES
Yes, ma’am. Dryin’ ’em off over here, boss. . .
SOUND
WE FOLLOW JAMES AS HE WALKS OUT OF THE LIVING ROOM AND DOWN THE HALL. AS HE NEARS THE BATHROOM, THE SPLASHING AND GIGGLING SUBSIDE.
TAD
(off, loud whisper) That’s him!
RAY
(off) Shh! Quiet!
SOUND
JAMES TAPS LIGHTLY ON THE BATHROOM DOOR.
JAMES
Boys?
SOUND
NO ANSWER. ONLY REPRESSED GIGGLING FROM BEYOND THE DOOR.
JAMES
Ahoy in there.
SOUND
INT. – BATHROOM (SLIGHT REVERB).
AS JAMES OPENS THE DOOR AND ENTERS. WATER SLOSHING SLOWLY IN THE TUB.
JAMES
Hey, what the – Are you taking a bath in the dark?
RAY
We like it like this.
JAMES
You do, huh. Where’s the light switch. . .
TAD
(disappointed) Do you have to?
SOUND
THE CLICK OF THE SWITCH.
JAMES
There. Much better.
TAD
(innocently) No, it isn’t.
RAY
Mama said it was okay. . .
JAMES
Come on, out of the tub. Or you’ll get so wrinkly you’ll stay that way.
RAY
Aw, that’s not true.
JAMES
Sure it is. Didn’t you hear what happened?
TAD
What?
JAMES
Well, there was this old guy – lived around here. All the way down the
