KATIE.

Busy.

BILL.

Katie, are you sure - KATIE.

She's the only one left - it had to be her. Bill, I'm scared. Will you drive me out there?

BILL takes the phone from her.

BILL.

What's her number?

KATIE.

555-6169.

BILL dials. Gets a busy. Hangs up and punches 0.

OPERATOR (filter) Operator.

BILL.

I'm trying to reach my sister-in-law, operator. The line is busy. I suspect there may be a problem. Can you break into the call, please?

INT. THE DOOR TO THE TV ROOM.

All three kids are standing there, silent and worried.

INT. THE PHONE NOOK, WITH BILL AND KATIE.

OPERATOR (filter) What is your name, sir?

BILL.

William Weiderman. My number is - OPERATOR (filter) Not the William Weiderman that wrote Spider Doom?!

BILL.

Yes, that was mine. If - OPERATOR (filter) Oh my G.o.d, I just loved that book! I love all your books! I - BILL.

I'm delighted you do. But right now my wife is very worried about her sister. If it's possible for you to - OPERATOR (filter) Yes, I can do that. Please give me your number, Mr. Weiderman, for the records. (She GIGGLES.) I promise not to give it out.

BILL.

It's 555-4408.

OPERATOR (filter) And the call number?

BILL (looks at KATIE) Uh . . .

KATIE.

555-6169.

BILL.

555-6169.

OPERATOR (filter) Just a moment, Mr. Weiderman . . . Night of the Beast was also great, by the way. Hold on.

SOUND: TELEPHONIC CLICKS AND CLACKS.

KATIE.

Is she - BILL.

Yes. Just . . .

There's one final CLICK.

OPERATOR (filter) I'm sorry, Mr. Weiderman, but that line is not busy. It's off the hook. I wonder if I sent you my copy of Spider Doom - BILL hangs up the phone.

KATIE.

Why did you hang up?

BILL.

She can't break in. Phone's not busy. It's off the hook.

They stare at each other bleakly.

EXT. A LOW-SLUNG SPORTS CAR Pa.s.sES THE CAMERA NIGHT.

INT. THE CAR, WITH KATIE AND BILL.

KATIE'S scared. BILL, at the wheel, doesn't look exactly calm.

KATIE.

Hey, Bill - tell me she's all right.

BILL.

She's all right.

KATIE.

Now tell me what you really think.

BILL.

Jeff snuck up behind me tonight and put the old booga-booga on me. He was disappointed as h.e.l.l when I didn't jump. I told him I was case-hardened. (Pause) I lied.

KATIE.

Why did Jerry have to move out there when he's gone half the time? Just her and that little tiny baby? Why?

BILL.

Shh, Kate. We're almost there.

KATIE.

Go faster.

EXT. THE CAR.

He does. That car is smokin.

INT. THE WEIDERMAN TV ROOM.

The tube's still on and the kids are still there, but the horsing around has stopped.

CONNIE.

Dennis, do you think Aunt Dawn's okay?

DENNIS (thinks she's dead, decapitated by a maniac) Yeah. Sure she is.

INT. THE PHONE, POV FROM THE TV ROOM.

Just sitting there on the wall in the phone nook, lights dark, looking like a snake ready to strike.

FADE OUT.

ACT II.

EXT. AN ISOLATED FARMHOUSE.

A long driveway leads up to it. There's one light on in the living room. Car lights sweep up the driveway. The WEIDERMAN car pulls up close to the garage and stops.

INT. THE CAR, WITH BILL AND KATIE.

KATIE.

I'm scared.

BILL bends down, reaches under his seat, and brings out a pistol.

BILL (solemnly) Booga-booga.

KATIE (total surprise) How long have you had that?

BILL.

Since last year. I didn't want to scare you or the kids. I've got a licence to carry. Come on.

BILL AND KATIE.

They get out. KATIE stands by the front of the car while BILL goes to the garage and peers in.

BILL.

Her car's here.

THE CAMERA TRACKS WITH THEM to the front door. Now we can hear the TV, PLAYING LOUD. BILL pushes the doorbell. We hear it inside. They wait. KATIE pushes it. Still no answer. She pushes it again and doesn't take her finger off. BILL looks down at: EXT. THE LOCK, BILL'S POV.

Big scratches on it.

EXT. BILL AND KATIE.

BILL (low) The lock's been tampered with.

KATIE looks, and whimpers. BILL tries the door. It opens. The TV is louder.

BILL.

Stay behind me. Be ready to run if something happens. G.o.d, I wish I'd left you home, Kate.

He starts in. KATIE comes after him, terrified, near tears.

INT. DAWN AND JERRY'S LIVING ROOM.

From this angle we see only a small section of the room. The TV is much louder. BILL enters the room, gun up. He looks to the right . . . and suddenly all the tension goes out of him. He lowers the gun.

KATIE (draws up beside him) Bill . . . what . . .

He points.

THE LIVING ROOM, WIDE, BILL AND KATIE'S POV.

The place looks like a cyclone hit it . . . but it wasn't robbery and murder that caused this mess; only a healthy eighteen-month-old baby. After a strenuous day of trashing the living room, Baby got tired and Mommy got tired and they fell asleep on the couch together. The baby is in DAWN'S lap. There is a pair of Walkman earphones on her head. There are toys - tough plastic Sesame Street and PlaySkool stuff, for the most part - scattered h.e.l.l to breakfast. The baby has also pulled most of the books out of the bookcase. Had a good munch on one of them, too, by the look. BILL goes over and picks it up. It is Ghost Kiss.

BILL.