Walking Nightmare
By
Samuel Gunther
ccSamuelGunther2022
samuel.d.gunther@gmail.com
720-227-5230
FADE IN:
1 INT. HOSPITAL WAIT ROOM - MORNING
JORDAN, medium build, early 20's and androgenous, bursts into
a hospital waiting room drenched from the pouring rain
outside. They hold their left arm close to their chest.
JORDAN
Help! Help!
Jordan nearly faints and stumbles into the reception desk.
They throw their arms out to catch themselves, bracing
themselves to reveal...
Their LEFT HAND, wrapped in a blood soaked DISHRAG.
The RECEPTIONIST behind the desk stands, ready to help.
RECEPTIONIST
Get a doctor!
Jordan begins hyperventilating as the DISHRAG unfolds and
reveals a huge cut in the back their hand. Jordan holds up
their hand, exanimating the wound. In shock, they fall to the
ground. The receptionist bolts around the desk.
RECEPTIONIST (CONT'D)
Quick! The gurney!
Jordan's breathing quickens as they pass out.
FADE TO BLACK
2 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Jordan comes to in a surgical chair as a DOCTOR, middle aged,
begins to stitch up the wound in Jordan's hand. Jordan
winces.
DOCTOR
Can you feel this?
JORDAN
No, it's fine.
The doctor continues to sew.
DOCTOR
What did you mean?
JORDAN
What?
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2.
DOCTOR
You said "It's happening again"?
Jordan exhales, worried.
JORDAN
The walking nightmares.
DOCTOR
Oh?
JORDAN
Sorry- when everything starts to feel
like a dream. It hasn't happened since
I was a teenager.
The doctor pauses. Jordan begins to fidget.
DOCTOR
Why would it happen?
JORDAN
I don't know- Sometimes I'd just wake
up and my body would forget to be me.
DOCTOR
Your body forgets?
JORDAN
Yes, I'm worried it might do something
bad.
DOCTOR
Did it happen this morning?
The doctor goes back to stitching. Jordan strains for the
memory.
JORDAN
Kind of...
3 INT. JORDAN'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
Jordan lies asleep in bed. The alarm on their phone goes off.
JORDAN (O.S.)
(To doctor) I remember waking up
early. I was worried.
Jordan sits up, groggy, and turns it off. They stare at the
clock, it reads "7:00AM".
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3.
JORDAN (O.S.) (CONT'D)
But I did everything I normally do.
Jordan gets out of bed.
4 INT. JORDAN'S BATHROOM - EARLY MORNING
Jordan picks up their toothbrush.
JORDAN (O.S.)
I brushed my teeth.
They brush.
JORDAN (O.S.) (CONT'D)
I showered.
They shower.
JORDAN (O.S.) (CONT'D)
I looked in the mirror and it looked
like me- felt like me.
They look into the mirror and examine themselves. Making
faces at the reflection.
JORDAN (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Then I went downstairs.
5 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - EARLY MORNING
Jordan steps into the kitchen. They rub their head and slick
back their wet hair. Their phone begins buzzing in their
pocket.
JORDAN (O.S.)
And...
They pull out their phone and their face falls.
They answer it.
They begin to hyperventilate.
6 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Jordan strains for the memory.
DOCTOR
Is that when this happened?
The doctor indicates to the wound.
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4.
Jordan's demeanor changes. They sit up a bit, more confident.
JORDAN'S BODY
Yeah, I was just making myself some
breakfast when the knife slipped- I
was tryin...
Their voice and the sounds of the hospital room fade out.
JORDAN (O.S.)
Why am I lying? That's not what
happened.
The doctor ignores Jordan. We pull back from the two of them
and see...
7 INT. JORDAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
...The scene playing out on Jordan's bedroom T.V. Jordan is
sitting there, watching it play out. Jordan becomes frantic.
Not realizing where they are.
JORDAN
Doctor! Wait! I'm sorry, I didn't mean
to lie. I just don't want to get sent
away again!
Jordan looks down and sees their hand is fully stitched up.
They look back to the T.V.
On the T.V., they see the doctor finishing up the last
stitch. T.V. Jordan's Body looks up to the clock on the
office wall. It is 11:27.
Suddenly, the T.V. shuts off. Jordan stands up and runs to
the window, seeing the darkness outside. They look to the
clock. It reads "7:27".
JORDAN (CONT'D)
Oh no.
A phone begins ringing downstairs. Jordan hears it then
rushes out of the room
8 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan answers their landline. NIKKI, early 20s and a friend,
is on the line.
JORDAN
Hello?
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5.
NIKKI (O.S.)
Oh thank god! I've been blowing up
your cell!
Jordan realizes their phone is missing and their boots are
covered in mud.
JORDAN
Sorry, I've been out of it today.
NIKKI (O.S.)
No shit. You missed work- are you
okay?
Jordan looks at the countertop. There's only a single bloody
KNIFE in the middle of a cutting board and the resulting pool
of blood. Jordan gasps and covers their mouth.
JORDAN
I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll be in
tomorrow.
NIKKI (O.S.)
Okay...
Jordan hangs up the phone; then rushes to the computer. They
pull up the "FindmyPhone" app.
JORDAN
8 hours...
The app pings a business nearby.
JORDAN (CONT'D)
I could've done anything.
They stand up.
9 EXT. JORDAN'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Jordan runs down their driveway and gets into a car. They
look around and see blood covering the left side. Jordan rubs
the stitches on their hand. Choking down their nausea, they
start the car and drive off.
10 EXT. DINER - NIGHT
Jordan pulls up to the diner and steps out of the car.
11 INT. DINER - NIGHT
Jordan enters. They look around the run-down diner. A
WAITRESS looks up from the till.
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6.
WAITRESS
Back so soon?
JORDAN
I think I left my phone.
WAITRESS
Let me check.
Jordan examines the diner. Looking for any clues to what time
they were there.
WAITRESS (CONT'D)
Here.
She hands Jordan their phone. Jordan looks at it- realizing
it's cracked.
JORDAN
Did I say anything when I came in?
WAITRESS
Well, you were just muttering
somethin' about how it should've been
you in that car.
JORDAN
Who?
WAITRESS
Your brother... or your mother- I
couldn't quite hear.
Jordan's eyes widen.
JORDAN
(weakly) No...
WAITRESS
You alright sweetie?
JORDAN
I'm fine.
Jordan leaves the diner.
12 EXT. DINER - NIGHT
Thunder cracks and rain pours as Jordan rushes down the steps
to the back of their car. Jordan pauses for a moment,
fighting down their panic. They open the trunk.
There's no body.
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7.
Jordan breaths a sigh of relief. They compose themselves, and
examine the contents of the trunk. Inside they find a dirty
shovel and a tarp.
Jordan pulls out their phone and looks at the call log for
the day. They scroll past all the missed calls from Nikki to
a call at 7:27am. Jordan panics.
The call was from their mother.
All they hear is rain.
13 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
A YOUNG JORDAN, 13, sees DANIEL, 16, Jordan's older brother
arguing with their MOM, mid 40's.
14 EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
Earlier that day, rain pours as Jordan's Body approaches
Daniel's grave, shovel in hand.
15 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Mom angerly waves a bottle of pills around. Then throws it at
Daniel. Young Jordan watches in in horror.
16 EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
Jordan's Body rubs the stiches on their hand, then starts
digging in the spot next to the grave.
17 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Mom begins throwing Daniel's clothes into a bag.
18 EXT. GRAVEYARD - AFTERNOON
Jordan's Body continues digging, the grave hole is now a few
feet deep and filled with rain water.
19 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Mom now shoves the bag of clothes into Daniel's hands.
20 EXT. GRAVEYARD - AFTERNOON
Jordan's Body keeps digging, the grave is deeper.
21 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan watches from the window as Daniel gets into his car
and starts it.
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8.
22 EXT. GRAVEYARD - TWILIGHT
The grave Jordan's Body digs is almost complete. They wipe
rain from their brow.
23 EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Daniel drives off into the rainy night.
24 EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT
Jordan's Body climbs out of the finished grave.
25 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
A look of horror attacks Young Jordan's face as police lights
shine in through the window.
26 EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT
At the head of the grave stands a crudely carved wooden
headpiece only reading:
"Mother"
27 INT. JORDAN'S CAR - NIGHT
Present day Jordan snaps back to reality. They look around
their car. On the passenger seat sits a large kitchen KNIFE.
They look out the front windshield to reveal...
They're parked outside their childhood home.
JORDAN
Oh no.
They quickly pull out their cell and call their Mother, who's
now in her 50s.
JORDAN (CONT'D)
Come on, pick up!
MOM
Hello?
JORDAN
Oh thank God.
28 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Mother sits in bed reading while talking to Jordan on her
phone.
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9.
MOM
Are you still coming over? You hung up
this morning in such a rush.
JORDAN (O.S.)
Are you at home?
MOM
Of course, why?
29 EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan braces their hand against their head.
JORDAN
I'm worried I can't keep it together.
MOM (O.S.)
Me too... It's hard to believe it's
been ten years since Daniel... Left
us.
Jordan tears up.
JORDAN
That's not what I mean. I'm losing
control again.
30 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Mother stands up, and goes to her window.
MOM
Then come stay here.
She looks out and sees the car in the rain.
MOM (CONT'D)
Please.
JORDAN (O.S.)
I can't. I'm outside in the car with a
KNIFE right now. You need to go
somewhere safe.
MOM
Everything you've wanted to do to me
I've thought about doing to myself.
Come inside and we can talk.
She continues to watch Jordan's car, we can see a note left
her desk.
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10.
31 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan's face fills the frame. Between labored breaths they
plead.
JORDAN
Mom... Please.
MOM (O.S.)
I'll die before I let what happened to
your brother happen to you. Please,
come stay with me.
JORDAN
You're not safe!
Jordan cries. They don't hear Mom's response.
JORDAN (CONT'D)
Mom?
They hang up their landline. They're back in their house.
Jordan runs to the door and opens it. To their surprise, the
door leads nowhere. Jordan sprints to the T.V., turning it on
to watch...
32 EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan's Body shuts their car door and makes for the house.
It holds the kitchen KNIFE.
33 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan gets the same KNIFE from atop the cutting board.
JORDAN
Let me out!
Jordan swipes with the KNIFE, cutting their leg.
34 EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan's Body mimics the action- cutting their own leg. It
collapses for a brief moment and braces against the open door
to the house.
35 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan pulls themselves off the floor. They yell.
JORDAN
I know you felt that! Give me control!
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11.
The landline begins to ring. Jordan answers it.
JORDAN'S BODY (O.S.)
Talk.
36 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan's Body limps through the house- KNIFE in one hand,
phone in the other.
JORDAN (O.S.)
I'm sorry I ignored you for so long.
JORDAN'S BODY
I'm sorry I didn't protect you sooner.
37 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan positions themselves in from of the T.V., watching
their body shamble about their childhood home.
JORDAN
Killing mom won't help. Daniel's
already dead, you can't protect him.
JORDAN'S BODY (O.S.)
Then I'll avenge him.
38 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Jordan's Body begins climbing the stairwell.
JORDAN (O.S.)
It wasn't her fault!
JORDAN'S BODY
She kicked him out!
JORDAN (O.S.)
I'm not letting you hurt her.
Jordan's Body is hit with a wave a pain. It looks down and
pulls the KNIFE out of its forearm.
JORDAN'S BODY
Then I'll kill you too.
39 INT. JORDAN'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Jordan hangs up the phone and grips the KNIFE tightly, ready
to attack.
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12.
JORDAN
I'm counting on it.
The image of Jordan's Body approaches T.V. screen. Every
light in the house begins to flicker. The storm picks up
outside. Jordan's Body pierces the glass of the screen with
its KNIFE and tries to pull itself through.
Before it makes it through, Jordan lunges forward- stabbing
Jordan's Body in the gut.
It goes limp, and slips back through the T.V. pulling the
KNIFE out of Jordan's hands.
40 INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT
Jordan opens their eyes, home again in their body. Their
relief turns to terror as they watch their mother collapse
onto the floor- KNIFE planted square in her gut.
Jordan collapses beside her and cradles her head. They begin
to panic.
JORDAN
Oh god- oh god... I didn't mean to.
Between pained breaths, she speaks.
MOM
I know... it's just a nightmare.
JORDAN
(Breaking down)I'm so sorry-
MOM
I forgive you... I should've protected
you and Daniel.
JORDAN
You did your best.
She clutches her chest, and coughs.
MOM
I could've done better. When the
police get here- give them the note.
She points to her desk.
MOM (CONT'D)
Don't worry, I've got you.
She tries to hug Jordan.
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13.
JORDAN
I love you
MOM
I love you too-
She exhales and goes limp. Jordan clutches her lifeless body
and weeps.
Police sirens ring out and lights flash outside the house.
FADE TO BLACK
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