hold their breath.

LORI

You monster! You’re killing them!

SOUND

SHE STRUGGLES WITH HIM. BLOWS. GLASS BREAKS.

JAMES

Go on, take your best shot. Won’t do any good now.

LORI

I’m calling the police!

JAMES

Too late for that. It’s over.

LORI

(as he chokes her) Let go. . .!

JAMES

Don’t you get it? I’m onto you!

LORI

You’re choking me. . .!

JAMES

(straining as he strangles her) Stop faking. You’re not human. You’re straight from Hell!

LORI

You’re insane. . .!

JAMES

You were going to leave me. . . and take it all! Weren’t you! I don’t have a choice!

SOUND

HER CRIES CHOKED OFF AS SHE PASSES OUT. THEN A LARGER SPLASH AS HE DROPS HER IN THE TUB.

JAMES

There. Now. . . I’ll drag the three of you down to the river. An accident. That’s what they’ll say. Or maybe – you drowned them. And yourself. Sure. You were depressed. The house was empty when I got here. Perfect!

SOUND

THUNDER CLAPS.

CUT OFF SUDDENLY BY:

THE LOUD RINGING OF A TELEPHONE CLOSE TO MIC.

SOUND (cont’d)

INT. – VICTOR’S HOUSE.

HE FUMBLES THE RECEIVER OUT OF THE CRADLE.

VICTOR

(groggy) Hello?

REX

(filtered) Victor?

VICTOR

Yeah. . .

REX

Something wrong?

VICTOR

Uh, I was just – I must have fallen asleep. I was reading.

REX

You were, huh? Anything good?

VICTOR

Or. . . no, wait. I was having a dream. First it was the story. But it changed. . .

REX

Well, you’re not dreaming now.

VICTOR

No. At least I don’t think so. . .

REX

Great to get ahold of you, Vic. Finally!

VICTOR

Who is this?

REX

Well just who do you think? It’s Rex! Rex Christian!

MUSIC

EPISODE SCORE.

FADE DOWN.

ANNOUNCER

We’ll return to Dread Time Stories. . . after this.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

MUSIC

THEME.

ANNOUNCER

And now back to our story. . . “Talking in

MUSIC

THEME.

FADE THRU TO:

SOUND

INT. – VICTOR’S HOUSE – AS BEFORE.

VICTOR

Who?

REX

(filtered) I told you! I got your letter.

VICTOR

You did?

REX

I was passing through, and I thought I’d take you up on your invite. Hope you don’t mind the short notice.

VICTOR

If this is some kind of joke. . .

REX

It’s no joke, believe me. Listen – I’ll hit your town in about, oh, say an hour? I was wondering. Are you free tonight, by any chance?

VICTOR

Uh, I guess so. I mean –

REX

You live alone, right?

VICTOR

Right.

REX

Anybody coming over? For the holidays and all?

VICTOR

Nobody ever comes here.

REX

Perfect. Oh and do one thing for me?

VICTOR

Sure – Rex. Anything.

REX

Don’t mention this to a soul. ’Cause

I’m traveling incognito. You don’t know

REX (cont’d)

how it is when the word gets around.

People gather like flies.

VICTOR

They do? I mean – I bet they do.

REX

Thanks, Vic. I knew you’d understand.

See you in sixty!

MUSIC

EPISODE SCORE.

THRU TO:

SOUND

VICTOR’S BUSY FOOTSTEPS IN THE HOUSE.

BOXES AND FURNITURE SLIDING. POTS AND PANS. A FAUCET HISSING WATER.

NARRATOR

He spent the next hour straightening up. By the time he heard the car outside, he was in a panic. This couldn’t be happening. Could it?

SOUND

(FROM OUTSIDE) A CAR DRIVING OVER CRUNCHNG DIRT, PASSING, AND STOPPING AT A DISTANCE.

THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF.

VICTOR

(to himself) That’s him! What do I do?

What do I say?

SOUND

(FROM OUTSIDE) FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING. THEN A METAL DOOR KNOCKER ON THE WOODEN DOOR (SLIGHT REVERB). VICTOR HURRIES TO OPEN IT.

REX

(cheerful) Vic?

VICTOR

Yes. . .?

REX

Well, put ’er there, pal! How’s it hangin’?

MUSIC

EPISODE SCORE.

FADE THRU TO:

SOUND

A CRACKLING FIREPLACE.

NARRATOR

They sat by the fireplace. Rex was shorter than he expected, a small man, dwarfed by a long overcoat. Victor hardly knew what to say. But that was all right. Rex seemed to be in charge of the dialog.

VICTOR

Do you want to take your coat off?

REX

Don’t worry about me, Vic.

VICTOR

Sorry about the mess.

REX

Are you kidding? This is perfect.

VICTOR

It is?

REX

The furniture – all of it.

VICTOR

My folks saved everything. I should put it in storage.

REX

Why? It’s great! Look at that wall. Souvenirs, medals. . . That your dad’s picture?

VICTOR

Yeah. He was in the Infantry.

REX

The rifle’s a classic.

VICTOR

Prob’ly doesn’t even work anymore.

REX

And the sword. . .

VICTOR

My grand-dad’s. From World War Two. He brought it back from Okinawa. I can’t just throw it away.

REX

Why should you? Nobody could think up details like that.

VICTOR

You could.

REX

Not on your life. I only write what I know.

SOUND

EMPTY BEER BOTTLES SET DOWN ON A TABLE.

VICTOR

I’ll get a couple more beers.

REX

Not for me.

VICTOR

You sure?

REX

One’s plenty. I like to keep a clear head. So I can remember it all.

VICTOR

I guess you have to. So you can – describe things. When you write.

REX

Bingo. And not just things. People. The way they look, how they talk – that’s my bread and butter. So. . . this is where my biggest fan lives!

VICTOR

Pretty far out of the way for you.

REX

Not a problem. It’s worth it.

VICTOR

It is?

REX

More than you know.

VICTOR

Did you. . . have any trouble finding the place? Not much of a road.

REX

No, no. I planned it out in advance. On the map.

VICTOR

You did?

REX

All part of the trip.

VICTOR

Are you on vacation?

REX

Not me. I don’t take time off.

VICTOR

How come?

REX

A writer’s work is never done.

VICTOR

Oh, I get it. You’re on your way to sign books. At bookstores. We don’t have any good ones around here. You have to go to the city for that. Where you headed? Portland? Seattle? If I’da known, I’da closed the shop so I could be there.

REX

Would you really.

VICTOR

Heck, yeah.

REX

Well, you can relax. I don’t do bookstores.

VICTOR

You don’t?

REX

Too many people.

VICTOR

(trying to understand) Really?

REX

The wrong kind of people. The ones who show up out of curiosity. To kill time.

VICTOR

Then your trip’s not for – publicity?

REX

No way.

VICTOR

So then why –?

REX

You might say this is part of my. . . research.

VICTOR

You must do a lot of that.

REX

Whatever it takes to get what I need. I go on a trip like this every year. Rent a car, visit people around the country. I like to surprise them. My real fans.

VICTOR

Bet you have plenty.

REX

A few. It’s my way of paying them back.

VICTOR

You have a secretary?

REX

What for?

VICTOR

All the letters. You prob’ly get a ton.

REX

I open every one myself.

VICTOR

You do?

REX

You never know. Take yours, for example.

VICTOR

You read it – personally?

REX

Duh. And guess what? It was the best.

VICTOR

(disbelieving) Sure.

REX

You think I’m lying? That’s one thing I never do. And neither do you. I could tell. Yours was the real deal. Straight

REX (cont’d)

from the heart. That’s why I put it at the top of the list.

VICTOR

The – list?

REX

For my research. They don’t get any better than that.

VICTOR

You didn’t have to come all this way.

REX

Of course I did. I had

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