Script This is an early script for "Now and Then". It contains deleted scenes and a lot of the dialogue was changed before filming began. Now and Then (The Gaslight Addition) By Marlene King October 19, 1994 The Gaslight Addition EXT. Indiana - Early Evening The sun sits low in the sky and the rolling hillsides take on a golden glow. A rental car cruises down a lonely road which cuts through the countryside. The car passes through an old covered bridge. Int. Car Deep in thought, Samantha Albertson puffs on a cigarette as she drives. Big city hip, Samantha's pale complexion is only made more noticeable by the black turtleneck she wears. She stamps the cigarette out into an overflowing ashtray. Thrown into the passenger's seat is a laptop computer, cellular phone, filo-fax, rental car contract and a carton of Malboro Reds, Samantha reaches for the carton as we -- Cut To: Ext. Doctor's Office - Early Evening A beeper attached to a belt sounds. We pan up to reveal Dr. Roberta Martin. a 33 year old small town family practitioner, as she is about to step into her Jeep Cherokee. Roberta wears minimal make up and although it rarely occurs to her, she's a natural beauty. She wears a doctor's smock over faded 501's and has an appealing tomboyish quality about her that often attracts men and women. She sighs as she turns off her beeper and heads back into her office. Ext. Shelby - Early Evening A long stretch limousine rolls past the city limits sign:" Welcome to Shelby -- population 11,550" Int. Bedroom The song plays on the tape player. Pink pumps tap to the music on the high-low shag carpet. We pan up to reveal 33 year old Chistina Dewitt, a slightly overweight housewife, sitting at her vanity. Avon's been knocking on her door. She wears a pink, polyester ensemble and models hair height only a mid-western beautician could achieve. She sings along to the song as she looks at her re- flection. Something's not right. She reaches for a can of "White Rain" and lifts her hair even higher. We hear the front door swing Page 2 open and slam shut. Roberta (O.S.) Anybody home? Chrissy Be right there. She surveys her look and winks at herself. Hot stuff. Then, slowly she stands. It takes an incredible effect because she's very pregnant. Looking like she could birth a baby whale, we realize she's due any second. Int. Kitchen Roberta sets a case of Bud Light on the counter. She twists open a beer bottle and makes herself at home. Chrissy enters and Roberta fixates on her huge stomach. She immediately jumps back. Roberta Everyone duck, she's gonna blow! Chrissy rolls her eyes. It's not the first joke she's heard. Roberta I think you got bigger overnight. Chrissy Yeah, well if this baby grows another inch, I'm gonna reach in and yank it out myself. Roberta grimaces at the thought then notices the latest issue of "People" magazine lying on the counter and picks it up. Close On: Magazine cover. TV Star, Tina Tercell, remarries her ex-husband. Her fourth marriage in four years. Chrissy Can you believe that tramp? Chrissy loads the beer bottles into the refrigerator. Chrissy What does she have that people get so excited about? Roberta looks at the magazine cover. Roberta Long legs, a tiny waist and large, perky breasts. Page 3 Chrissy (reprimanding) Roberta, you know how I feel about swearing. Roberta Chrissy, breast is not a dirty word. Chrissy covers her ears. Chrissy I can't hear you. Roberta scans the article. Chrissy (with skepticism) It says in there she was orphaned at age seven when her mother died in a freak kitchen accident and her father ran off with a parish nun. Roberta It also says she attributes her three failed marriages to her extreme fear of intimacy (thinking about it) I think that's probably true. Chrissy Please Roberta tosses aside the magazine and glances outside. She looks at a magnificent old tree house which is the focal point of the back yard. Memories. A smile on Roberta's face. Good memories. She snaps out of her daydream and turns back to Chrissy. Roberta Have you talked to Samantha? Chrissy I left another message, but I havent heard from her. She probably thinks she's too good for us now that she's won that book award. Roberta I don't think that's true at all. She's just busy, like the rest of us. Ext Gaslight Addition Samantha's parks her rental car at the curb in front of Chrissy's Page 4 house. She looks around, taking in the neighborhood. A twenty year old residential village where identical, single story brick houses sit side by side. Paint-trim and flowers differentiate the Smiths from the Jones. A Gas lamp post stands in the front yard of every house in the area. Large trees line the streets and garnish the homes. Samantha (V.O.) There's a point in your life when something in your past calls and pulls you back. Chrissy's call came out of the blue, asking me to honor a pact we made the summer I turned 12. I didn't really want to go, but as the time grew nearer I realized I had no choice. With an air of reluctance Samantha grabs a garment bag from the trunk of the car and heads up the driveway towards the front door. She sets down the bag, hesitates for a moment and then rings the doorbell. We hear commotion from the inside the house, then suddenly, the door flings open and Flash! Samantha is momentarily blinded by the glare of a flashbulb as Chrissy snaps her picture. Roberta opens the door and hugs Samantha hello. Roberta It's good to see you. Samantha You look great, Roberta! Samantha turns to Chrissy. Samantha And you... A pink pregnant sight to behold. Samantha (speechless) Look at you. Chrissy hugs her. Chrissy Thanks for coming. Beep Beep! A car horn blares. They all turn to see a long black limousine pulls into the driveway. Little kids run up to see who's inside. The driver opens the passenger door and out steps Tina Tercell. Sexy, blonde bombshell. The kids surround her. She relishes the attention. Tina finally spots her three, long time friends, warching from the porch. Page 5 Tina Hey bitches. Chrissy (flabbergasted) My Lord A hug from Roberta. An air-kiss from Chrissy. And then a moment. Tina and Samantha look at each other then break into smiles. They share a really big hug. Samantha It's good to see you, Teeny, Teeny It's been too damn long. Int. Foyer - Living Room - Moments Later Chrissy waddles as she leads the way into the room. Samantha looks around in amazement. Samantha (thinking it's weird) It looks just like it did when your mother lived here. Teeny I was sorry to hear she passed away. Chrissy (it's still painful) Thanks. An awkward silence falls over them and for a moment. It's uncomfortable. We realize they're not the tight knit group they used to be. Chrissy Well, what can I get you two to drink? Samantha Whatever. Teeny Anything. Roberta (upbeat) How about a beer? Samantha and Teeny Great Page 6 Chrissy Be right back. Roberta Let me help. They leave and Samantha immediately comments on the plastic covered early American decor. Samantha Who do you think she takes the plastic off for? (as Teeny shrugs) I mean, we're company right? If ever trhere was a time to take off the plastic, this would be it. Ext. Backyard - Evening Chrissy's husband fires up the barbecue. Hamburgers and hot dogs sizzle. The women kick off their shoes and pop open some cold beers. The recapture a glimpse of their past as they hang in and around the tree house. Samantha and Teeny rock back and forth on swings, hanging from an overhead branch. Chrissy sips on a Fresca as she sits on the bottom of the aluminum slide protruding out of the tree house. Roberta, inside the tree house, hangs out of a window. Samantha I can't believe you kept the tree house. Chrissy Morton wanted to tear it down and put in a "Dough Boy" but I just couldn't part with it. She looks up at the old tree house with great affection. Chrissy Besides, it's not mine to tear down. It belongs to all of us. (incredibly sincere) I really want to thank you guys for showing up (caressing her round stomach) After two false starts, the third try's got me scared to death. Page 7 Roberta You'll be a great mom, Chrissy... Alittle overbearing and rigid, but I'm sure the kid will grow up to be, by the grace of God, well adjusted. Chrissy gives her a pouty sneer. Teeny I can't believe you're having a baby. Samantha Suddenly, I feel so old. Teeny No shit. Chrissy Could you try, for one day to express yourself without cursing. Teeny (annoyed) What are you, the dialogue police? Roberta jumps out of the tree house and lands solid on her feet. Chrissy (disapproving) Roberta. Roberta (proud of herself) Still got it. Roberta pushes Samantha and Teeny on the swings. Samantha This whole baby thing baffles me. I mean you have it. You raise it. You inevitable screw it up. It resents you. It feels guilty for resenting you. Then it has a baby and the vicious cycle perpetuates. They all look at her and realize her depressing theory. Roberta Well, that's certainly one way of looking at it. Samantha ignores Roberta's retort and an uncomfortable silence abounds. Unbeknownst to Samantha, Chrissy looks at the others and gestures Samantha is crazy in the head. Teeny tries to lighten the mood. Page 8 Teeny So... Sam, what are you working on now? Samantha (sarcastic) My tan Roberta flashes a look at Samantha's pale complexion. Roberta Maybe you should try a lighter sun block. Chrissy If you ask me, you ought to write a book about something people can relate to. I didn't understand half of that last thing of yours I read. Teeny She'll take that as a compliment. Samantha What's not to understand? It was a comprehensive theoretical analysis of Isaac Asimov's work. Chrissy Nobody cares about that crap. Why don't you write a romance novel, like Danielle Steel? Now there's a lady who knows how to write a page turner. Samantha and Teeny stares at Chrissy. They exchange looks and bust up laughing. Chrissy (defensive) Go ahead and laugh, but the jokes on you, not me. Teeny Really? How so? Chrissy You two have become very peculiar people. Teeny You're just jealous Chrissy Of your weirdo life. Not in a quazillion years. It's true, isn;t it Roberta? The longer they're gone the weirder they get. Page 9 Roberta I just think it would be nice to see you guys more often. What's it been? Six years? Chrissy Roberta, for example, has chosen to be alternative, but she is still normal. She hasn't been married four times or gone through a series of monogamous relationships...or wear all black? She's happy. Aren't you Roberta? Roberta (embarrassed and amused) Uh, yeah. Roberta attempts to pull a distant Samantha back into the group. Roberta Samantha, truth or dare? Samantha snorts a chuckle. Samantha (skeptical) Truth I guess. Roberta What were you and Billy Wayne doing in the tree house all night when we had that Fourth of July party here? A slow smile builds on Samantha's face. The others anticipate hearing the story. Samantha (playful) I promised I'd never tell. The others groan as Samantha laughs. She swings higher and higher. She glides up out of frame and when she glides back -- She is a 12 year old girl. We pull back and see Roberta also now 12 pushing Samantha and a 12 year old Teeny on the swings of a colorfull metal 70's swing set. We pan over and see Chrissy at 12 sitting on the bottom of the aluminum slide, braiding her pig tails. Samantha (V.O.) Many of us spend our adult lives denying our childhoods. So strongly, we shut ourselves off from the very things that might help us understand. Samantha jumps out of her swing and runs off, quickly followed by Teeny and Roberta. Chrissy finishes her pig tail and runs off Page 10 after them, into the house. Int. Chrissy's House Chrissy's mother, Mrs. Dewitt, with stiff set hair and a pink apron to match her outfit, puts the finishing touches on her pastel desert concoction. We get the feeling she spends a lot of time in the kitchen. The girls grab homemade chocolate chip cookies from a platter on the counter and exchange "hello's and thank you's' with Mrs. Dewitt. They walk through the house, towards the front door. As we look around, we notice the house does look exactly the same as we saw in 1994. Samantha (V.O.) The summer of 1970 started out like any other summer...school ended and we had three months of freedom ahead of us. But that year freedom wasn't enough. We wanted independence. A place to call our own. That's why we decided to buy the tree house... and the quest to earn the money was our summer goal. As the girls walk out the front door we cut to: Ext. Gaslight Addition The girls exist Chrissy's house and head down the sidewalk. We pan through the neighborhood. It's a lazy summer afternoon in the year 1970. Tiny new trees make the houses look bigger than they did during present day. Everything looks perfect and exact. New houses. New Paint. New lawns and sidewalks. Samantha (V.O.) The four of us lived in the Gaslight Addition. It was a dream neighborhood. A brand new pre- planned community when new was in and old was out. A fresh cut grass and neatly trimmed shrubbery distinguishes the Albertson's house. More than forty bicycles flood the driveway. Ext. Back Yard The biggest game of red-rover you've ever seen. Every kid in the neighborhood has joined in. Fifty kids ranging in age from 8 to 14 form a straight line, join hands and face off against the competition. Down to our four twelve year old girls who stand holding hands. They are all dressed similarly in rolled up cut off Page 11 shorts, various colored shirts tied up at the waist and flip flop sandals. Samantha, the tallest of the group is lanky, has long, straight hair and wears glasses. Chrissy is a little chubby and a lot pristine. Her hair is in pig-tails and she only wears pink. Roberta is a tomboy who'd almost always rather be playing softball. Tina is the smallest of the four, hence her nickname, Teeny. They huddle and decide who to call over. Samantha How about Billy Wayne? Roberta The book worm? Samantha I think he's cute. Roberta What about Bobby Fricker? Chrissy Gross. He's always picking his nose... and eating his boogers. Roberta So what, he's a wimp. Teeny I say we call over Brett Jones. The girls all look over at -- Brent Jones -- a hunk of a guy who's a year ahead of them in school. Teeny This could be my last chance to talk to him all summer. Samantha He could break through without even trying. Teeny (hopeful) And land right on top of me. Chrissy Can you get your mind off boys for maybe a minute? Teeny Gee I don't know. I've never tired. Page 12 Roberta Knock it off you guys. Who's it gonna be? Samantha takes charge and looks over their opponents. Samantha Bobby Fricker. They form a straight line and lock hands. Samantha announces the decision. Samantha Red rover, red rover send Bobby Fricker right over. The opposing team moans and groans. Bobby Fricker - a little geek - pulls his finger out of his nose. He takes a deep breath and charges toward the girls as his teammates cheer him on. The girl's eyes widen as Bobby picks up speed. Roberta Booger alert! Slam! Bobby plows between Samantha and Teeny. They grip-lock hands. Bobby pushes forward but doesn't break the chain. He falls back on his ass and all four girls stand united. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Night A near full moon shines bright. The gas lamp posts in the neighborhood flame. Int. Samantha's Bedroom - Night Lit by moonlight. Numerous bookshelves are filled with fiction and non-fiction all pertaining to ghost, witches, vampires and various other supernatural goblings. A poster of Barnabus Collins, from "Dark Shadows" fame, hangs over the bed. Samantha reads "The Fall of the House of Usher" under the beam of a flashlight. We hear her parents talking. A door slams! Engrossed in her book Samantha's not phased. Mrs. Albertson (O.S.) Ted please. The quarrel escalates, as does the volume of their voices. Page 13 Mr. Albertson (O.S.) Please what? Mrs. Albertson (O.S.) Everybody has problems. Can't we try and work this out? Another door slams. Their argument continues, behind closed doors. Samantha looks up from her book. Angela, her four year old sister, stands at the foot of Samantha's bed. Puppy dog eyes. Samantha Okay. Angela smiles, climbs into the bed and snuggles next to her sister. Samantha turns the page of her book and reads on. Samantha (V.O.) My parents had been fighting for as long as I could remember. It never bothered me. It was the opposite actually. There's comfort in consistency. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Morning Fathers leave for work. Mothers wave goodbye. Int. Roberta's bedroom - Morning Roberta, alone in her room, rips a piece of masking tape from the roll and sticks it to her dresser. Close On: Ten long pieces of masking tape affixed to the dresser. Next to them, a small, black and white photo propped up against the mirror. The woman in the picture is incredibly beautiful. Roberta, wearing her bra and panties, stands sideways in front of her mirror. She assesses her breast size with a measuring tape, marks the spot with her finger and looks at her progress. Frustration. Roberta (discouraged) No matter what I do, they just keep getting bigger. Roberta flattens her boobs and wraps a piece of masking tape around her chest. Then another, as she continues what has become her morning routine. A knock on the door. Page 14 Mr. Martin (O.S.) Better hurry up. Your breakfast's getting cold. Roberta hurries to get dressed. She pulls a baggy shirt from underneath the big golden retriever that sits on her bed. Samanth (V.O.) Roberta grew up with her dad and 3 older brothers. Her mother died when she was four. That's her in the picture. Roberta grabs the photo from her dresser and gently slides it in her back pocket. Samantha (V.O.) Roberta never left the house without that picture. Roberta opens her bedroom door just as two of her brothers shove her third brother across the hallway. He slams into Roberta, who unfazed, shoves him back toward the others. She continues down the hall, without concern, as the boys beat the hell out of each other. Int. Teeny's Bedroom - Morning The walls are covered with movie star posters. A blend of current "Tiger Beat" studs - David Cassidy and Bobby Sherman mixed in with the greats - Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. Teeny (O.S.) Tina, tell us how it felt at the exact moment when you realized you had won. Teeny, modeling heavy make-up, her mother's most glamorous dress and a huge pair of fake breasts, stands in front of the mirror and interviews herself. Teeny Well Rona, I can only say I've thought about this day....dreamed about this day, for as long as I can remember, Her siamese cat lies on the window ledge and curiously watches his master. Teeny To win an Academy Award at such a young age is an enormous accomplishment. Page 15 Teeny (cont.) Where will you go from here? Well, first off Rona, thank you. As for what will come next, I'd like to direct. Samantha (V.O.) Teeny was an only child. Her parents were country clubbers. Never around, really. A typical upbringing for actors and pathological liars. Int. Chrissy's Bedroom - Morning Pink, for as far as the eye can see. A canopy bed with a matching dresser and vanity, which is where we find Chrissy, brushing her curly blond locks. Chrissy Ninety two (another stroke) Ninety three. Chrissy's Mother (O.S.) Chrissy? The bedroom door opens and Mrs. Dewitt enters. Chrissy is a miniature version of her mom, down to their matching pink outfits. She inspects her daughter's room. Spotless. Wrong. She walks across the room and straightens a small crinkle in the bed spread. Chrissy (still brushing) Ninety eight, ninety nine, one hundred. Mrs. Dewitt sits next to Chrissy. Parts her daughter's hair and braids the tighest pig tails in movie history. Mrs. Dewitt Chrissy, I've been thinking about what you asked me? Chrissy About sex? Mrs. Dewitt tenses and pulls the pig tails even tighter. Mrs. Dewitt You say that word so casually. It scares me. Page 16 Chrissy I'm sorry mommy. Mrs. Dewitt I think you're much too young to be informed. But, since your friends are trash mouths, I'd rather you hear the facts from me. Mrs Dewitt ponders how to break the news of the "dirty deed" to her daughter. Mrs. Dewitt This may come as a shock to you ... Chrissy stares up at her mommy, waiting to hear the facts of life. Samantha (V.O) As a direct results of this conversation, Chrissy will spend a significant part of her adult life wondering if she's ever has an orgasm. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Late Morning Samantha, Teeny and Roberta wait for Chrissy. They sit on the street curb in front of her house. To kill time, Roberta throws rocks at a nearby aluminum trash can. Samantha reads her Poe paperback and Teeny plucks the petals off of a wild flower. Teeny (while plucking) He loves me not. He loves me...(distraught) He loves me not. She tosses the bare stem on the grounmd, next to ten other stems and a pile of petals. Samantha turns the page of her book and glances up for a second, noticing Teeny's large round breasts of the day. Samantha What are you using today? Teeny reaches into her shirt and pulls out -- Teeny Nerf balls. I think they work well. She stuffs it back in and sticks out her chest. Teeny Don't you? Page 17 Samantha really gives her chest a serious look. Samantha It's a natural look. Texture wise I mean. Roberta dispassionately looks at Teeny's chest. Roberta They're too round. The older mail man. Mr. Winchester, heads up the sidewalk, toward the girls. Teeny Hey Mister Winchester, did my package come yet? He reaches into his bag. Mr. Winchester Is this what you've been waiting for? He hands her a package and she reads the label. As she rips open the box: Teeny (excited) It's from the David Cassidy fan club. She pulls out a Love Bead Necklace. Teeny Isn't it cool? Mr. Winchester Very cool. He moves on. Teeny puts on the neckless and models it for Samantha and Roberta. Teeny Well? Samantha It looks just like the one he wears on the Partridge Family. Four rambunctious boys, ranging from eight to thirteen years old, tear down the street on their bicycles. Samantha (V.O.) Those are the Wormers. Everyone in the neighborhood felt sorry for their mother. Page 18 Samantha (cont.) Like us, the Wormers' also has a summer goal. It was to make our lives miserable. They were the enemy. Teeny spots the tough guys first. Teeny Here comes trouble. Samantha Just ignore 'em Chrissy walks out of her house and approaches her friends. Teeny It's about time. Roberta stands Roberta (taunting) Hey, wormy Wormers. Just then, the Wormers weave across the road and head straight for the girls. The oldest, Scott, leads the pack. Scott Now. Simulyaneously, Scott and his three yound=ger brothers, Roger, Clay and Eric, pull jello-filled balloons from under their jackets. Roberta Air raid! The girls try to run, but it's too late. Roger Bombs away. Chrissy screams as Splat! The girls are drenched in lime jello. The Wormers ride on. Roberta runs after them. She dives for Scott's bike but misses, landing face first on the pavement. She quickly gets up and ignores her scuffed knees. Roberta We owe you Wormers. And we always pay our debts. Scott looks back over his shoulder. Scott Like we're really afraid of a bunch of girls. Page 19 Roberta You should be! She flips them the bird as the Wormers ride out of sight. Ext. Shelby - Day It's small town America at it most charming. The town square is lined with mom and pop shops, owned by generations of the same families. In the center of the town square stands the old brick county courthouse. On the courthouse lawn, bronze statues remember local war heros from the "Heart of America". And as always, the local soda shop is bustling with activity. Int. Soda Shop This corner drug store and soda fountain is the hang out. "Piece of my Heart" by Janis Joplin plays on the juke box. Samantha, Teeny, Chrissy and Roberta sit at their regular table, a big red vinyl booth, scooted up next to the front pane-glass window. As usual, they're dressed in their summer uniform of cut-offs and tied up shirts. Chrissy counts a pile of change and dollar bills as Teeny conducts the latest "Cosmo" magazine quiz and keeps score. Teeny Your idea of foreplay is "A" a candle lit dinner and moonlit walk on the beach? "B" making out on a bearskin rug at a local mountain cabin? "C" watching a sexy movie and or "D" all of the above. Teeny jots down their answers as they speak up: Samantha B Roberta E... none of the above. Teeny That's not a possible answer. Roberta (sighs) Then B....I guess. Page 20 Chrissy (while counting) Definitely A. Teeny Surprise Surprise. Chrissy What's that supposed to mean, bug brain? Teeny Nothing... (pondering her insult) ...larva lips. Roberta Larva lips...I like that. Not bad at all....for a mucus mouth. Samantha You're all ... feces faces. The girls groan. Samantha wins an unspoken victory of grossness. Teeny I pick D...all of the above. Chrissy Surprise Surprise. Teeny notices a group of four teenage girls at the counter. They're all wearing tube tops and looking very adult. Teeny (envious) Maybe we should incorporate tube tops into our summer look. Roberta Forget it. Teeny quietly relents and tallies up their "Cosmo" score. Chrissy That's eighty two dollars and twenty four cents. She pours the money back into a coffee can. Samantha So how much more do we need? As she flattens a piece of paper out on the table. Page 21 Chrissy Twenty three more dollars and the tree house is ours. Close on: Paper - A page torn out of the Sears catalogue. An ad for a put-it-together-yourself tree house. Back to scene Teeny I say the first night we get it, we have a slumber party. Samantha Definitely. Roberta My dad said he'll pay us fifteen bucks if we paint his new garage door. Samantha Great. We can handle it after the carnival. Chrissy We'll raise at least fifteen dollars there. Samantha And the garage door should put us over the top. We'll definitely get the tree house before the Fourth of July. Roberta glances out the window and nudges Samantha. Roberta (impressed) Get a load of your mom. Everyone looks. Chrissy (shocked) How short are those shorts? Teeny (with envy) How tall are those boots? Cue Up: Nancy Sinatra's "Boots" as -- Girl Pov. - Samantha's mother struts down the sidewalk, wearing red hot pants and white go-go boots. Samantha (V.O.) I had no idea why, but earlier that summer, my mom began to dress like Nancy Sinatra. Page 22 Back to Scene Teeny Your mom is so cool. Samantha, embarrassed, changes the subject. Samantha You guys it's a full moon tonight. A festival of the spirits who return to earth and walk among the living. Just then, their spooky looking waitress, Wiladine, brings their order, Wearing all black, she's an eccentric kook, with a far away look in her eyes. She sets down four mugs, each filled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and four small bottles of Coca Cola in front of the girls. Wiladine Four black cows. That's a dollar five, boys. They dig into their pockets and hand over the change. Chrissy We're girls. Wiladine I know. The girls pour their Coca Colas over their ice cream and dig in. Outside the Window: Unbeknownst to the girls, Samanth's mom enters an Attorney's office. Wiladine winks at Chrissy and walks away. Chrissy She is so off. Teeny What do you expect? She's a witch. The girls don't believe a word Teeny says. Teeny I swear. She's got voo doo dolls and everything. I saw'em. Samantha Where? Teeny At her house. And hear this. One of the dolls looked just like Principal Page 23 Winters. And do you know what? There was a needle sticking right in the middle of his heart. I saw it the morning before he had his heart attack. Wiladine returns with their change. They can't help but look at her like she's from Mars. She gives them a creepy look right back. Samantha So, do we try another seance tonight? Chrissy It didn't work last time and it won't work this time. Samantha I'm telling you. This is the one night when the barrier between the dead and the living can be broken. I read it in the Encyclopedia of Supernatural Phenomena. It'll work. I promise. Teeny You actually read the Encylopedia of Supernatual Phenomena? Samantha Cover to cover. Chrissy You are so weird. Teeny I'm in. Roberta Me too. Chrissy If I get caught I'm going to be grounded for the rest of the summer. Samantha You're not going to get caught. I say we meet in the cemetery at eleven and don't worry. I'll bring a cross to protect us from the evil demons who lurk about in the graveyard. Page 24 Teeny Okay, here are the scores. (reading from "Cosmo") Roberta, you're a women on the verge. Although your sensuality is yet to be tapped, it is like a volcano ready to erupt... Whoa, look out for Roberta. Roberta That's crap. Teeny (reading) Samantha, you look before you leap and walk the fine line between romanticism and sex appeal. Don't be afraid to take the plunge. You might surprise yourself. Samantha I'll keep that in mind. Teeny (reading) Chrissy, Let go of your inhibitions before you dry up like a prune. Chrissy What's that suppose to mean? The others exchange a look and share a laugh at Chrissy's expense. Teeny Now me. (reading) Teeny, you are a sexual magnet attracting men from the four corners of the world. Pace yourself. She lowers the magazine, revealing a shit eating grin on her face. Ext. Gaslight Addition - Night The Gaslight Addition sleeps. A deep-orange, full moon hangs low in the sky. An orchestra of crickets is all we hear. Int. Samantha's bedroom - Night Samantha lies in bed and reads by the light of her flashlight. Again, we hear her parents arguing behind closed doors. Samantha turns the page of her book. We hear a door swing open. Footsteps Page 25 in the hall. Mr Albertson (O.S.) I'll get the rest when the girls are out of the house. Samantha looks up from her book. Listens. Mrs. Albertson (O.S.) Maybe we should see a counselor. Mr. Albertson (O.S.) Don't you listen? We're past that point. This just isn't working for me. Muffled talking as they move away from Samanth's bedroom door. Samantha jumps out of bed and tries to listen at the door, but can't make out what they're saying. We realize she's fully dressed to sneak out. We hear a car door slam and an engine crank. Samantha moves to the window and parts the curtains. Samanth's POV - Mr Albertson, middle American nice guy, backs his middle class car out of the drive way. Back to scene Samantha waves to him, but he obviously doesn't see her. Stunned and clearly disturbed, Samantha watches until he drives out of sight. We hear maternal footsteps approach. Not wanting to deal with her mother, Samantha dives into bed and pulls on the covers. Mrs. Albertson stands in the doorway. With a worried mother's look on her face, she studies her sleeping daughter. Finally, she leaves and closes the door. Samantha opens her eyes. She looks at the clock on her nightstand, which reads -- 10:50. As Samantha climbs out of bed, slides open her bedroom window and very quietly sneaks out: Samantha (V.O.) I decided not to tell the others about my father. Call me a fool, but I actually thought he'd be back. A wishful notion I held onto for years. At the time no one in the Gaslight Addition has gotten a divorce and the last thing I wanted was to be different from my friends. Page 26 Ext. Cemetery - Night The full moon hangs over this dark and eerie final resting place. Crypts are sealed with overgrown vines. Headstones, some chiseled in the 1800's are worn and weathered. Scattered leaves dance in the wind and massive oak trees seem to have faces in the light and could come to life at any moment. Samantha, Roberta, Chrissy and Teeny sit on a blanket, in the middle of a fenced-off, family plot. Arranged in a cirlce, they take this seance business very seriously. Samantha places three white candles in the center of the circle and lights them, one by one. The candle flame and cast a flickering glow on the girl's faces. Chrissy I'm cold. Roberta removes her sweatshirt and tosses it to Chrissy. Roberta Now I'll be cold, but maybe you'll shut up. Chrissy slips it on. It fits snugly. She looks chubbier than usual and she knows it. Chrissy It makes me look fat. Teeny (matter of fact) You are fat. Chrissy I'm not fat. Am I fat? Samantha Okay people. Lay your hands flat on the blanket and touch your pinkies and thumbs to the person's sitting next to you. They comply and spread their hands out on the blanket, forming a complete circle. Teeny Let's contact Marilyn Monroe. Roberta She didn't cooperate last time. Chrissy No one cooperates. Page 27 Samantha I think we should bring back someone buried in the cemetery. (as she looks around the area) How about Dear Johnny? Close on: A nearby tombstone. The inscription reads: Rest in Peace Dear Johnny. Born 1933 - Died 1945. Samantha let's find out how he died. Teeny Maybe he was skinned alive by some weirdo psycho killer? If we bring him back we'll have to look at his skinless body. Chrissy That's disgusting. Roberta No, this is disgusting. She turns away from the group. Her face hidden. When she turns back towards them, her eyelids are flipped inside out. Although they've seen this a hundred times, the gag still repulses her friends. They groan. Samantha (to Roberta) Are you through now? Roberta Yeah, She pops her eyelips back into place. Samantha Is everyone ready? (as they join hands) Alright, everyone close your eyes. (as they comply) Bless us in our pursuit of the spirit world. Keep our circle safe from those who promote evil and seek to harm. A moment of silence. Samantha Dear Johnny, we know you were just a kid when you died and we want to find out why. Page 28 Teeny I'm heeeeeere. Roberta elbows her. Teeny Ouch. Samantha Concentrate. A strong wind blows and dead leave tumble across the cemetery. Lightning flickers in the distance as a summer storm heads their way. Samantha Can you hear us Johnny? If you can hear me, let us know. Give us a sign, It's okay. We just want to talk to you. Tell us how you died. Distant Thunder as the storm blows nearer. Chrissy (scared) He's here. Teeny, Roberta and Samantha open their eyes and look at Chrissy. She's not the type to put these guys on. Chrissy's eyes remain tightly shut. She rocks back and forth, rhythmically. Chrissy He wants to tell us his story. Samantha Chrissy? Roberta breaks the circle. Roberta Let's stop. Samantha grabs Roberta's hand back. Chrissy He's afraid. Samantha Tell him not to be scared. It's okay. Chrissy He's all by himself. He's lonely. He needs a friend. Page 29 Chrissy cries as the sky thunders. Roberta and Teeny simultaneously break the circle, scared. Roberta Holy shit. Chrissy's cries turn into the giggles. Chrissy Gotcha. Roberta, pissed, punches Chrissy in the arm. Chrissy Hey, that hurt. Roberta You deserve it, fart ass. Samantha Don't ever do that again. Chissy I'm sorry, but you guys are so gullible when it comes to the this stuff. I mean, it's all just pretend. Right? Crack! A deafening explosion electrifies the sky as a bolt of lightning hits, a nearby tree. The girls scream. Roberta Let's get outta here! They all take off except for -- Samantha I'm right behind you. Rain sprinkles down as Samantha gathers the candles and tosses them into a back pack. An eerie song plays and suddenly very cold, Samantha shivers. She feels someone's presence and startled, turns around quickly. A bolt of lightning flashes and illuminates a scary shadow. Spooked, Samantha quickly hurries after her friends. Samantha Hey, wait up. When she reaches them: Samantha (out of breath) There's someone out there. They all turn back and look. Page 30 Samantha (pointing) Over there. Another bolt of lightning illuminates the grounds but the shadow is gone. Chrissy I don't see anyone. Samantha's eyes search the spot and she no longer sees anyone either. Chrissy What are we waiting for? Teeny It was probably just the wind or something. Samantha reluctantly relents. Samantha Yeah, maybe. Ext. Cemetery Road - Moments Later The rain subsides and the gang walks home. Chrissy takes great care in avoiding every water puddle in her path. Roberta intentionally jumps into every water puddle in her path. Chrissy Roberta, why can't you act like a girl? Roberta You got me. Roberta defiantly jumps into another puddle, sending a few spots of mud splashing onto Chrissy's shirt. Chrissy gasps. Chrissy Now, look what you've done. Roberta What? Chrissy frantically attempts to scratch off the spot. Chrissy You know how much I hate to get dirty. Roberta looks at the minimal damage. Page 31 Roberta Ah, that's nothin'. As they turn the corner everyone stops, frozen in their tracks. We hear a high pitched, rhythmic squeak...squeak. Samantha (whipsers) It's Crazy Pete. The girls forget to breathe when they finally see -- Crazy Pete, a very scary looking old man who rides a battered bicycle down the street. His face drawn and remarkably thin. He looks like a human skeleton. Crazy Pete doesn't notice the girls and that's just how they want to keep it. After he turns the corner and rides the squeaking bicycle out of sight -- The girls breathe a sigh of reief. We realize they're genuinely afraid of this man. Samantha Let's cut through the field. Ext. Field - Moments later Lit by the blue glow of a bright full moon, the girls walk through a field of waist high grass. Roberta Why do you think Crazy Pete only comes out at night? Chrissy (a simple explanation) Because he's crazy. Samantha Maybe he's a vampire. The girls all look to Samantha. Samantha (with eloquence) He lives in a world of darkness because the sunlight could burn a hole right through to his immortal soul. The blood that runs through his veins is the blood of all the children he's sucked the life out of. Young blood is what he's looking for. It keeps him eternal. The girls exchange a frightened look. Teeny considers it: Page 32 Teeny That's a logical explanation. They all pick up the pace and walk out of the field, finding themselves on the back side of the -- Ext. Gaslight Addition Before they go their seperate ways: Chrissy Will someone walk me home? Samantha You're only five houses down. Chrissy But I'm scared of Crazy Pete. Teeny He's probably half way across town by now. Chrissy knows Roberta's her last chance. She looks at her with pleading eyes. Chrissy Pleeeeeese. Roberta Alright. Teeny See you guys tomorrow. Samantha Early, so we can get ready for the carnival. They split up. Roberta walks with Chrissy. Samantha heads to her house and Teeny walks alone towards hers. Ext. Chrissy's house - Noon A colorful bouquet of ballons are tied to the gas lamp post, in the front yard. Ext. Back Yard Page 33 More ballons, Chrissy charges the neighborhood kids a nickel each as they walk through the side gate. Roberta mans the lemonade stand for another nickel a pop. Cue Up: "Come And Get Your Love" by Redbone as we pan over to where most of the action is -- Teeny charges a quarter a pop in the kissing booth. Her boobs are exceptionally huge today. A long line of boys wait their turn as the first boy in line hands Teeny a quarter. She drops the money into a jar, grabs the boy by the collar and plants a kiss on him. He walks away with a big grin on his face. Teeny looks down and notices her right boob-of-the-day has slipped down to her waist. She quickly turns aways from the line and pulls it back into place. She turns back to the boys and -- Teeny Next. Another boy hands Teeny a quarter and gets his money's worth when she delivers a lingering kiss. Several boys in line, including Brett Jones (the cute boy from red rover) start to get antsy as they wait their turn. Another angle - With a king size sheet draped over it, the swing set has become a gypsy fortune teller's tent. The sign outside reads: Fortunes told 25 cents. Int. Tent Samantha, towel wrapped around her head like a turban, sits at a small table. Morton, a nerdy kid, sits across from her and hands over a quarter. They stare into a crystal ball as Samantha caresses it lightly. Samantha Morton, I see a girl in your future. Morton Who is it? Samantha I probably shouldn't say. Why tempt fate? Morton Come on Samantha. Who is it? Samantha Well, if you insist. It's Chrissy. Morton Chrissy Dewitt? Really ? Page 34 Ahhhhhhhhh! A horrifying scream emanates from outside the tent. Morton jumps up and knocks over the table. Ext. Backyard Samantha pops out of the tent and surveys the scene as kids run for cover as the automatic sprinkler system sprays water across the yard. Chrissy is shoved aside as kids run past her. Teeny, now kissing Brett Jones, is drenched by the water but doesn't break away from him. Roberta spots the Wormers, huddled next to the sprinkler switch, appreciating the laugh. Scott waves to her. Scott Hi Roberta. Roberta You're dead, Wormer! She takes off toward him, but slips and falls. Scott Ouch. Teeny, still entranced in her lip lock with Brett, doesn't bother to come up for air. Int. Samantha's Kitchen - Evening Dinner time. Samantha eats meat loaf with her mother and sister. She glances at her father's empty chair. Angela catches the look. Angela Where's my daddy? Mrs. Albertson I told you honey, he had to go away for a little while, but you can visit him soon. Samantha (sarcastic) Every other weekend and holidays? Mrs. Albertson gives Samantha a look. Angela But I want to see him now. Mrs. Albertson I wish you could honey, but you can't. Page 35 She stands and clears the table. Angela, too youg to remotely understand the situation, looks sad. Samantha attempts to cheer her. Samantha (to Angela) Hey, Angela I saw Crazy Pete yesterday. A frightened and curious look comes over Angela's face. Mrs. Albertson You kids leave that lonely old man alone. Do you hear me? Samantha looks at her mother, who wears another hot pants outfit. Samantha Why are you dressed like that, anyway? Mrs. Albertson Like what? Samantha Like ......that. It's embarrassing. Mrs. Albertson looks down at her outfit as Samantha gets up from the table and stomps out of the room. We hear her bedroom door slam. Int. Samantha's Bedroom - Late Night Tick tock tick tock tick tock. The wind up, alarm clock reads 12 o'clock. Midnight. Samantha stirs, enduring a restless sleep. The familiar eerie music plays in the distance. It grows louder, nearer. Builds to a crescendo as the bedroom curtains billow and a gust of wind burts into the room. Her telescope swivels. Samantha shivers in her sleep as the room suddenly gets cold. Her gerbil's go crazy in their habitrail. They run around like mad, screeching and squealing. Samantha stirs then opens her eyes to find -- Spooky Shadows dancing on the wall. A giant shadow resembling a ghostly silhouette moves across the room toward Samantha. It seems to hover over her. Samantha pulls the covers up to her face, leaving only her frightened eyes to peek out. Finally, the music fades aways as the wind dies down and the curtains fall still. Samantha cautiously climbs out of bed and walks to the window. She Page 36 reaches up and yanks on a string affixed to the window sill. Ext. Samanth's house We follow the string up to a tree, across to a light pole then down to a house. Ext. Roberta's bedroom Ding, Ding. Roberta wakes at the sound of the bell. She groggily climbs out of bed. She opens her bedroom window and tugs on the string, signaling she got the message. Int. Teeny's bedroom - Moments later Teeny lies asleep in her bed. A circle of light shines on her face. It turns off and on. It's coming in through the window. She immediately grabs a flashligh from under her bed and hurries to her bedroom window. Int. Roberta's bedroom Roberta shines her flashlight into Teeny's room. Across her backyard we see the beam of Teeny's flashlight returning the signal. Int. Teeny's bedroom Teeny grabs a walking talkie from her nightstand and talks into it. Teeny Base to Chrissy. Base to Chrissy. Int. Chrissy's bedroom Chrissy stirs in her sleep as she hears the walkie talkie on her nightstand blare: Page 37 Teeny (over walkie talkie) Base to Chrissy, Do you copy? Over? Chrissy grabs her receiver. Chrissy (into the walkie talkie) What? Teeny We need a secret meeting Chrissy Now? Ext. Drive In - Moments later The secret meeting place. Behind the Gaslight Addition. We find the Skyline Drive-in. Prime. You don't see these anymore. It's two in the morning and the place is abandoned for the night. The girls, in their pajamas and robes are silhouetted against the giant white screen as they walk back and forth on the wooden plank at its base. Samantha Remember, I thought I saw someone in the cemetery the night of the seance? Teeny Yeah. Samantha Well, I wasn't sure until tonight, when it came into my bedroom. Teeny Who? Samantha Dear Johnny. Chrissy Give me a break. Samantha (hooking them) It wasn't like he was a person, but I felt his presense. He came in through the window and instantly filled the room. He was everywhere all at once. Page 38 A chill runs up her spine. Samantha I could feel his icy breath on my neck. They all look at her, being reeled in by her persuasive tone. Teeny It's him. It has to be. Chrissy Oh, come on you guys, this is ridiculous. Roberta Why? Chrissy Because, the seances were just for fun. None of us actually believed we could bring someone back from the dead. Teeny I did. Chrissy Why am I not surprised? You think Marilyn Monroe's your guardian angel. Teeny She is, so shut up bacteria breath. Chrissy You shut up, butt brain. Roberta I believed too. Chrissy (convincing herself) It was lightning. Or the wind or something. Roberta They why did you haul ass out of the cemetery like you'd seen a ghost. Samantha We have to go back there. Chrissy (hopeful) Tomorrow right? Page 39 Ext. Cemetery - Later that night Wrong. Samantha shines the way with her flashlight as the girls walk through the cemetery. It's late. It's scary. Chrissy (worried) We shouldn't be out here this late. I mean, what do you expect to find? Samantha I think Dear Johnny might feel more comfortable hanging out here with the dead. Chrissy (more worried) I really don't think this is a good idea. A hoot owl bellows and the girls slow their pace, continually look around, as if they expect the Boogie Man to jump out from behind a tombstone at any minute. Chrissy This is definitely a bad idea. Everyone's nervous and Chrissy is making it worse. Roberta Shut up Chrissy. You're bugging the shit out of me right now. Teeny Ditto Samantha (scared but excited) We're almost there. They move onward until Samantha trips over something lying on the ground. She lands flat on her face, in the dark. Samantha What the -- Teeny picks up the flashlight and shines it down on Samantha, who's face is right next to -- Dear Johnny's tombstone which is laying flat on the ground, cracked down the middle. Samantha, startled by the sight, quickly climbs to her feet and they all stare down at Dear Johnny's grave. Roberta Son of a bitch. Page 40 Teeny We did it. We actually friggin' did it. Samantha He's back... and we brought him here. We hear an enormous whoosh as the hoot owl swoops down over their heads. Chrissy screams and on her cue they all take off running. Int. Roberta's Bedroom - Later Roberta pulls a rosary out of her dresser and hangs it on the bed post before calling it a night. Int. Teeny's Bedroom Teeny lays in bed and looks, nervously, around her room. Her closet door is open and her clothes look like people, lurking in the dark. Teeny hops out of bed and slams the closet door shut. Int. Chrissy's Bedroom Chrissy turns off the light and slips into bed. A moment later, she turns the light back on, crawls out of bed and onto the floor. She cautiously lifts her comforter and peeks under the bed. All clear. Chrissy climbs back into bed but this time, she leaves the light on. For someone who doesn't believe in ghosts, she's sure got the spooks. Int. Samantha Bedroom Samantha lays in bed and watches the silhouetted shadows dancing on her wall. She pulls the covers up over her head. Ext. Shelby Library - Late Morning Teeny, Roberta and Chrissy sit on the library steps, eating orange push ups. Samantha exists the library. Samantha There's nothing on Dear Johnny. Page 41 As Teeny hands Samantha her push up: Samantha Everything before nineteen forty eight was lost in a fire, but Miss Wendy said the Greenfield library keeps copies of all the county papers. Chrissy Well, that settles that. Samantha What settles what? Chrissy We can't ride our bikes all the way to Greenfield (dreading the response) Can we? Country Road - Late Morning A deserted, country lane, lined with large maple trees on both sides. The girls ride their bikes down the center of the road and pass a sign - Greenfield 9 miles. As they cruise along, Teeny belts out with a unique Diana Ross flair, her rendition of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Teeny And if you should miss my lovin' One of those old days. If you should ever miss the arms that used to hold you so close. Or the lips that used to touch yours so tenderly. Just remember what I told you the day I set you free. Samantha Bring it home, sister. Teeny (giving it her all) Ain't no mountain high enough. Ow! Ain't no valley low enough. Ow! No river wide enough. Nothin' can keep me. Keep me from yoooou.... The ride over a hill and out of sight. Teeny's crooning voice drifting off into the horizon. Ext. Pond Road - Later The girls ride past a clear country pond. Page 42 Ext. Uncle Beans Corner Store - Noon A general store five miles from anywhere. Four bikes are parked in front. A nearby road sign: Greenfield 5 miles. Samantha dumps change into a soda machine and grabs four bottle of pop. Lunchtime. Chrissy, Teeny and Roberta sit at a picnic table and unpack a knapsack. Sandwiches, candy bars and chips. Chrissy chows down. Teeny Truth or dare Roberta? Samantha approaches and hands out the sodas. Roberta Truth. Teeny How big are your boobs now? Roberta Drop Dead. Samantha gives Chrissy the change and she quickly counts it then deposits it back into the "tree house money" coffee can. Everyone eats. Teeny She has to say, doesn't she Sam? Samantha exchanges glances with Roberta, who is embarrassed, looks down at the table. It's apparent the boob thing is a real issue with her. Samantha She doesn't have to say if she doesn't want to. Teeny Well, then... can we see 'em? Roberta No, you can't see them. Chrissy Weirdo. Page 43 Teeny (confessing) I don't have any real one's yet. Roberta You'll get them and you'll hate them. Teeny You're lucky Roberta. Men love 'em when they're big. Teeny sticks her chest out, modeling today's falsie job. Teeny Look how big mine are today. They all survey her breasts. Samantha (impressed) They almost look real. Teeny proudly reaches into her shirt and pulls out a balloon. Teeny It's filled with pudding? Samantha Pudding? Teeny The Wormers actually gave me the idea, but jello was too jiggly. Pudding has a heavier more realistic texture. She hands the balloon to Samantha who holds it in her hand testing its weight. Samantha I think you may have finally got it. She hands the balloon back and Teeny stuffs it back into her brazier. Chrissy What flavor is it? Teeny Vanilla Chrissy nods, thinking it's a good flavor choice. Teeny Chrissy, truth or dare? Page 44 Chrissy I don't want to play. Roberta Truth or dare? Chrissy (reluctantly yielding) Truth. Teeny Have you ever been french kissed? Chrissy Are you kidding? I don't want to get pregnant. Roberta You can't get pregnant from kissing. Chrissy I know that beetle brain. But, it's common knowledge, if you tongue kiss a boy, he automatically thinks you'll do the deed with him. It's the male curse. Roberta The deed? Samantha (egging her on) What deed would that be? Chrissy You know. Planting the seed and watering the flower. Teeny What flower? Chrissy The flower a woman grows when she's about to make a baby with her husband. They give her a confused look. Chrissy Isn't that how it works? The man uses his watering can and sprinkles it on the flower? Laughter from the others. Page 45 Chrissy Well, if that's not what happens then how does it work? Roberta leans over and whispers to Chrissy. As she listens intently her eyes go wide and a horrified look comes across Chrissy's face. Chrissy (disbelief and shock) He sticks it in? Ext. Country Road - Afternoon The girls continue their journey as they listen to a Transistor radio tied to Teeny's handlebars. Tony Orlando and Dawn's Knock Three Times" plays. All Oh my darlin' Knock Three Times on the ceiling if you want me. Twice on the pipe-- (Chrissy dings her bike bell twice) -- if the answer is noooo. In the distance, a squawking sound grows louder. Samantha stops her bike. Samantha Listen. (as everyone brakes) Turn that off. Teeny switches off the radio and we are overwhelmed by the sound of a thousand screaming birds. Roberta Where are they? Samantha In there. Across the road, a wheat field stretches for as far as the eye can see. The stalks are waist high. No birds are visible but the sound is incredibly loud. Teeny There must be a thousand of them. She climbs off her bike, picks up a stick and tosses it into -- Samantha Don't. Page 46 Too late. The stick goes flying. As it lands in the wheat field, a hundred blackbirds flap their wings and take flight. The sky becomes a moving black cloud. The girls watch in amazement until -- plop. Bird poop lands on Teeny's bicycle seat and Roberta laughs. Plop Plop Plop. It's everywhere and suddenly not so funny. Samantha Let's get out of here! Teeny jumps on her bike and they all tear down the road, away from the moving black cloud. The squawking's almost unbearable as it rains bird shit. Chrissy freaks out. When she realises she's been hit, she bursts into tears. Chrissy Grooooooss! She loses it as they all ride toward an old barn. Int. Barn They enter the barn and wait for the flock to pass over them. Chrissy, completely repulsed, sobs hysterically. Roberta Chrissy it's okay. It's only bird shit. Chrissy calms herself and stops crying for a moment. Then she looks down at her dirty clothes and goes nuts again. Samantha Real smart, Teeny Teeny I didn't know. Samantha Next time think. You don't always have to be the center of attention, you know? Teeny looks at the ground, rejection waves heavily on her. Teeny I'm sorry. Ext. Barn - Moments later The birds pass over and out of sight. Samantha watches as they fly away. Page 47 Samantha They're gone. Ext. Pond - Moments Teeny and Samantha, fully dressed, stand on a small cliff. Below them a sparkling. fresh water stream. Samantha jumps. Teeny follows. Splash! They dive into the water, pop their heads up and stand, the water up to their waists. Teeny Are you still mad at me? Samantha ponders the question then smiles. Samantha Teeny, even if I try, I can't stay mad at you. Teeny's all smiles. She splashes Samantha. Samantha returns the favor. Chrissy (O.S.) Wooooooooooooooooooo! Chrissy slides down the hill on her butt. Ouch. She lands in the water with a splash. Samantha and Teeny applaud as Chrissy pop her head up. She stands in the water and takes a bow. Roberta (O.S.) Lookout beloooow! The girls look up to see -- Roberta standing on a tall tree branch, hanging over the water. It's a twenty foot dive into waist high water. Samantha Roberta don't. It's too shallow. Roberta Bombs away. She dives off the branch and disappears into the water. The girls watch for her to come up for air, but she doesn't pop out of the water. Samantha Where is she? Page 48 Teeny dives under the water. Chrissy panics. Chrissy Roberta? Samantha dives under as Teeny comes up for air. Chrissy's POV. - Down stream, Roberta floats toward the shoreline, her face in the water. Chrissy No! Teeny grabs Samantha and they swim as fast as they can toward Roberta. Chrissy follows, but as always lags way behind. Teeny and Samantha grab Roberta, drag her out of the water and onto the shore. Samantha puts her ear to Roberta's mouth. Samantha She's not breathing. Teeny Somebody's gotta give her mouth to mouth. Samantha I'll do CPR. You do mouth to mouth. Teeny Other way around. Chrissy finally reaches them. Chrissy Out of the way. She takes charge and shoves Samantha and Teeny aside. When she bends down to start mouth to mouth resuscitation-- squirt. Roberta spits a mouth full of water into her face. Roberta I'm touched. She was faking the entire time. Everyone falls back, relieved. Roberta (to Samantha and Teeny) It's good to know who your true friends are. Teeny Hey, I was gonna do it. Samantha Me too. Page 49 Roberta Yeah, right. Roberta swings her arm around Chrissy. Roberta Chrissy here's the only one who -- Chrissy draws her fist back and pow! She socks Roberta in the eye. Chrissy Don't you ever do anything like that again. Ever! They're all momentarily stunned. Violence is not one of Chrissy's character traits. Roberta It was just a joke. Samantha (V.O.) That wasn't the first time Roberta faked her own death. Earlier that year, during a slumber party at Teeny's house, she held her breath until she passed out. And the year before, she scared the hell out of us when she jumped off her roof and pretended she broke her neck. We hear a splash! Teeny What was that? We hear voices and laughter coming from around the river bend. Samantha and Teeny leave to check it out. Roberta I'm sorry. (as Chrissy pouts) Look, if it means anything, I really appreciate that you would've done the mouth to mouth thing. Chrissy You scared me to death. Roberta I'm sorry. Chrissy You're my best friend, Roberta. It's a moment. Roberta smiles, embarrassed. Page 50 Roberta (making a fist) Helluva right hook you've got there. Chrissy Don't swear. Teeny (O.S.) (quietly) You guys, come here. Roberta and Chrissy join Samantha and Teeny. They peak over the top of the ridge. Chrissy gasps. Girls POV. - The Wormers skinny dip in the river. Buck naked, Scott climbs out onto a tree branch and dives into the water. We see a lot of white butts as the brothers roughhouse. Back to Scene The girls duck down behind the hill. Teeny Oh. My. God. I saw his penis. Samantha & Roberta Whose? Chrissy (reprimanding) You guys. Teeny And the balls. Samantha & Roberta Whose? Teeny Scott's. Samantha and Roberta peak back over the ledhe and stare wide eyed at Scott's penis. The duck back down behind the hill. Samantha & Roberta Oh my God! Chrissy Great, now I'm the only one who hasn't seen Scott's thing. Roberta So? Page 51 Chrissy I know you guys. It'll be the topic of conversation for the rest of the summer. You're forcing me to look. Samantha Nobody's forcing you to do anything. Chrissy Okay, I'll look. But, I want to make it clear. I'm looking under protest. Teeny Yeah, right. Chrissy peaks over the hill and stares with a blank look on her face that doesn't change. The others look at her curiously as she climbs back down, unfazed. Chrissy It's not very big. The other girls bust up laughing. Chrissy What's so funny? Roberta It's only big when the guy has a hard on. Teeny And when that happens, they get like -- (gesturing two feet) -- this big. Samantha I walked in on my dad in the bathroom once. And I saw his, you know, balls. Well, let me tell you... once guys get older, they hang down like cow utters. Teeny and Roberta Gross. Chrissy What's a hard on? They all give her looks. Samantha Doesn't your mother tell you anything? Chrissy (distressed) I'm beginning to think she's been misinformed. Page 52 Roberta's gaze shifts toward a pile of clothes hanging in the bushes across the way. Roberta nudges Samantha, who nudges Teeny, who nudges Chrissy. They all have the same idea and smile simultaneously. Roberta Let's do it. Roberta sneaks toward the Wormer's clothes. Her friends follow suit. Samantha Get ready to make a mad dash for the bikes. Roberta (to Chrissy) You better start now. Chrissy Buzz off hog head. Roberta I'm serious. Get going. Chrissy gives in and heads toward the covered bridge. Teeny This is too easy. The stand at the edge of the cliff and call down to the boys. Roberta Hey, Wormers. The boys look up. Roberta It's pay back time. Roberta waves a pile of clothes. Roberta Come and get 'em suckers Scott You better put those down. Roberta Dream on, asshole! Covering their privates, the Wormers rip out of the water and make a mad dash for the girls. Page 53 The girls run toward their bikes, clothes in tow. The chase is on, across a meadow toward the barn. The girls reach their bikes as a car approaches. The Wormers duck behind an assortment of trees and bushes. Scott peeks out from behind a tree, suddenly very vulnerable. Scott Come on, jokes over, huh? Roberta Wrong! The girls hop on their bikes and start down the road. Roger Give us our clothes, damn it. Clay and Eric (suddently sweet) Pleeeease Chrissy Come and get 'em nimrods. As the girls peddle toward the home stretch of their journey, they drop an item of clothing about every fifty feet. The Wormers dart from trees to bushes as they hide from passing cars and gather their clothes. The girls hoot and holler, enjoying the show. Roberta (ecstatic) All for one and one for all. They join hands and ride side by side down the road. Ext. Geenfield Library - Late afternoon Int. Library Basement It's dimly lit and musty. The girls sit at a large table and flip through pages of old newspaper headlines, now hard bound for a quick reference. Chrissy sneezes. Page 54 Chrissy I think I'm allergic to dust. Roberta slams shut a book. Dust scatters and Chrissy sneezes again. Chrissy Thanks. Roberta scoots the book aside. Roberta Nothing happened in April. Teeny Nothing ever happens in Shelby. Chrissy I kind of like it that way. Roberta stands and reviews the shelves of hard bound newspapers. Samantha reaches the end of her book and closes it. Samantha Nothin' (to Teeny) What month is that? Teeny May. Roberta brings a book back to the table, sits down and flips through the newspaper articles. She stares at an article. Angle on: A 1962 photo and headline...Local Teacher Killed. A large photo shows a car smashed to hell. Besides it, there's a smaller photo. The same picture Roberta carries in her back pocket. Roberta reads the article. Chrissy notices her and watches the look on Roberta's face change from curious to pained. Chrissy What's wrong? Roberta It's my mom. They all look at the newspaper. The picture says it all. It was a violent end. As Roberta reads: Roberta It was a head on collision. The driver of the pick up truck fell asleep at the wheel. Page 55 She was pinned in the car for an hour and a half before they could get her out. She was fully conscious while rescue workers attempted her extraction from the demolished vehicle. She died during the night at Green County Hospital of massive head injuries and severe internal bleeding. Roberta stares at the picture of the smashed car. She seems anguished and confused. Roberta I don't understand this. Chrissy What do you mean? She doesn't respond to Chrissy's question and continues to stare at the photo. Roberta It must have been awful for her. (imagining) A lot of pain. Teeny swallows hard, choked up. Nobody knows what to say. Chrissy reaches for Roberta's hand and holds it in hers. Roberta welcomes her friend's comfort. Heavy tears fill Roberta's eyes but she fights them. Roberta (trying not to cry) She was really beautiful, wasn't she? Teeny Like a movie star. Suddenly embarrassed, Roberta tries to compose herself. She wipes her runny nose with her shirt sleeve then stands and carries the book across the room. She xeroxes a copy of the article. Her friends watch her, wishing they knew what to say. Roberta carefully folds the xerox and slips it into her pocket. She returns to the table. Everyone silently continues the search for Dear Johnny's obituary. As they flip through pages and pages of old newspapers Teeny quietly hums to herself. We make out the tune to be the Carpenters, "Close to You". Without thinking, Samantha joins in the humming. Soon after, Chrissy hums along also. Even Roberta can't resist. Samantha Wait, I think I found something. Page 56 Teeny Read it... Samantha (reading) Funeral services will be held on Saturday for 12 year old Jonathan Simms and his mother 36 year old Beverly Anne Simms. Services begin at noon at the third street Presbyterian Church. The grieving husband and father asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be given to the church. Due to the unexpected and tragic circumstances involving the deaths, the family has asked that the services remain private and ... Samantha turns the page, looking for more. Samantha (surprised) That's it. Teeny What do you mean, that's it. How did they die? Samantha flips a few pages forward. Samantha Wait a minute. The book skips from June 12 to June 16th. Four pages are missing. Samantha opens the book as wide as possible, revealing -- Samantha They've been torn out. (reeling them in) Somebody has gone to a lot of trouble to keep Dear Johnny's death a mystery. Ext. Country Road - Late Afternoon The girls tackle the long ride home. Roberta, still a little emotionally removed, leads the pack, a few yards ahead of the others. Teeny I wonder how they died. Page 57 Samantha I think we need to be very cautious about who we talk about this with. Chrissy Why? Samantha Because it's entirely possible that whoever ripped those pages out of the library in Greenfield started the fire at the Shelby Library. The others silently agree. As the peddle through the rolling countryside: Samantha (V.O.) Shelby, Indiana was not the most exciting place to grow up. In fact, the most common cause of death before puberty was boredom. Our quest for the tree house was all we had to look forward to that summer... until we discovered the suspicious lack of details surrounding Dear Johnny's death. It was like a gift from God. A mystery only we could solve. The four of us had no way of knowing the answers we were lookig for would change each one of us forever. Ext. Country Road - Early Evening The girls continue their journey home as day becomes evening. They pass another sign - Shelby 2 miles. Almost home. They slowly gain ground on a hitchhiker. He is Private James Conelly (19), a Vietnam vet. Still wearing half his uniform, he back packs down the road, with a slight limp. Teeny is the first to ride past him. Teeny Hi. Conelly Hi. She circles around and rides back to him. The other girls catch up. Curious, they size up the vet as they head down the road together. He wears an earring, pony tail and a friendly smile. Roberta Are you in the army? Page 58 Conelly Was. Samantha Vietnam? Conelly Was. Roberta Did you kill anyone over there? Conelly Not because I wanted to. Teeny (noticing his limp) Did you get shot? "Mama told Me" by Three Dog Night plays comes on Teeny's transistor radio. Conelly Good song. Teeny studies his face. He's handsome. Interesting. Older, but not too old. Teeny pulls a Orange Crush bottle out of her bicycle basket. Teeny Wanna sip? Conelly takes the soda. Conelly Thanks. He swigs then hands it back to her. Roberta Does your leg still hurt? Conelly Like hell, but getting shot was the best thing that ever happened to me. Roberta What do you mean? Conelly It got me a seat on a plane home. Samantha looks at him with keen interest, waiting to hear more. He offers no more, until she probes. Page 59 Samantha But we're winning, right? Conelly Nobody's winning. Conelly sits down in the grass, pulls out a cigarette and lights it. He notices the girls watching him and offers over the pack. Conelly Smoke? A moment. They realize he's treating them like adults. Samantha Teeny Roberta Sure Yeah I'd love a smoke. The climb off their bicycles and join him in the grass. Chrissy reluctantly follows. Samantha takes a cigarette from the pack and Conelly lights it for her. Samantha takes a drag and exhales. Samantha Smooth. Teeny lights up. Followed by Roberta. Conelly offers a cigarette to Chrissy who shakes her head no. Chrissy Smoking stunts your growth. Conelly looks her over and cracks a slight smile. Conelly You're funny. They pass around the Orange Crush and enjoy their smokes. Samantha On the news they said the U.S. was really starting to gain ground over there. Conelly Forget what you saw on the news, okay? You can't believe what you see about it, or what you read about it, or what someone tells you. Even people who have been there lie about what they've seen... (with remorse) ... or done. They sit in a moment of silence. Samantha takes a drag off of her cigarette. She exhales and watches the smoke rise up and fade away. Page 60 Samantha It doesn't seem like we can believe in much anymore. Chrissy and Teeny look at her, not understanding where this sentiment comes from. Roberta No, it doesn't. Roberta takes a long, deep drag off her cigarette. Conelly Yourself maybe, if you're lucky. Samantha immediately feels a kinship with him. A shared sense of disappointment. After all, he's really no more than a kid himself. Samantha Are you going to be sticking around here for awhile? Conelly Nah. I try not to stick around anywhere. You know what I mean? Genuinely having no clue: Samantha Roberta Teeny Yeah Sure Definitely Conelly is different from the local yokels and makes Chrissy nervous. She really looks him over. Chrissy Is that an earring you're wearing? Conelly Yes. Chrissy (judgmental) You're a hippie aren't you? Conelly (chuckling) You're a trip. Chrissy (holding her ground) My mom says all hippies are sex fiends. Conelly I'm going to tell you something I wish someone would have told me when I was your age. Page 61 Chrissy (snooty) And what's that? Page 1 | Page 2