by Greg Bear
DAN
Par for the course.
JANINE
I beg your pardon?
DAN
Maybe you wanted to twist the knife a little … for revenge?
JANINE
That’s ridiculous. I am … revising my feelings. We do have a history. Please allow me some confusion?
DAN
And please allow me some dignity.
(Beat)
I’m ready whenever Trevor is.
CUT TO:
EXT. BELLINGER PARK - LATER
Dan and Trevor walk side by side. Trevor clutches two of his books to his chest. It’s a gorgeous day. Trevor walks with a deliberate, quick boy’s gait, to match Dan’s stride. Dan doesn’t seem to be paying the boy much attention; he’s lost in thought.
Trevor glances in Dan’s general direction. Dan doesn’t react. Trevor sees a bench and runs over to it, sits, wriggles, aims his face at the sun with his eyes closed. Dan joins him. His anger is about to spill over.
DAN
Why did you give me the wrong answer, Trevor?
Trevor winces, hides his face.
DAN (CONT’D)
I trusted you. Why would you want to cause trouble for me?
TREVOR
I don’t mess up my room. I’m very neat.
DAN
I need the right answer this time, no fooling. I relied on you, Trevor.
ON TREVOR. He’s trembling, and this is cruel, but Dan is past being sensible.
DAN (CONT’D)
My whole career could be ruined. My life.
TREVOR
I want to tell you. Doctor Kalb says I have an imaginary friend.
DAN
What?
TREVOR
But I think I have an imaginary enemy.
DAN
Don’t go all nutty on me, Trevor.
TREVOR
It gets mad at me when I don’t do what it wants. It messes up my room.
DAN
I don’t have time today.
Trevor swings his arm out there.
TREVOR
It tries to get into people’s heads. It makes their heads hurt.
DAN
Great. Gives us all headaches?
Trevor’s words seem to strike a chord. Dan thinks about this for a second.
DAN (CONT’D)
All right. I’ll bite. What sort of imaginary enemy?
(Satirical)
It lives in your room, right, under the table?
Trevor takes a piece of paper out of the book and places an ANT STICKER on it. Then he pokes the crayon through the paper around the ant, four holes, and sticks four fingers through the holes, poking them up around the ant sticker, wriggling them for Dan’s inspection.
As Trevor demonstrates, and explains, we see a THORNY SPHEROID appear in the air behind Dan. It BREAKS UP INTO THREE, then FOUR.
TREVOR
It lives where I can’t point. In the fourth dimension. It can be lots of places at once, but it’s just one thing. Sometimes I can see it. Sometimes I can’t.
Dan looks down at the paper with some surprise. THE SPHEROIDS FORM SERPENTS, circle behind DAN, but he still can’t see …
TREVOR (CONT’D)
I think it’s lonely.
END OF ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE
EXT. THE PARK - CONTINUOUS
WIDE SHOT ON TREVOR AND DAN, AND THE SPHEROIDS, we resume:
TREVOR
If the reactor works, if you open the tunnel all the way, more will come here. They want to live in us, like … what are those crabs that live in shells?
CLOSER. THE BOY GRIPS HIS ARM. Dan GRIMACES at the pressure.
DAN
Hermit crabs?
TREVOR
Yeah.
Trevor looks very forlorn, as if he’s about to betray a confidence.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
It gets inside Dr. Kalb and then she hurts me.
This is incredible, and Dan is in no mood.
DAN
Forget about “imaginary enemies.” Dr. Kalb would never hurt you, Trevor.
Trevor LOOKS RIGHT IN DAN’S EYES.
TREVOR
It makes her.
DAN
(Very stern)
I know you can give me the right answer. If you don’t, I’ll tell Dr. Kalb that I can’t visit you any more.
Trevor is devastated. He struggles to explain himself.
TREVOR
Please don’t make it mad. Sometimes it moves me around. It peels me off, like this …
HE LIFTS THE ANT STICKER OFF THE PAPER, stuck on the end of HIS FINGER, and waves it in the air, then sticks it on the bench.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
That’s how I escaped before.
Dan stands up from the bench. He’s angry and disgusted at this nonsense.
DAN
This was a bad idea from the beginning. We’re going back.
Trevor is in a PANIC. He gets up and HOLDS ON to Dan as if his life depends on it.
TREVOR
NO! They will find other people to live in. They will hurt them!
His eyes track something on the SIDEWALK and he LETS DAN’S ARM GO.
A RIPPLE IN THE SIDEWALK, a kind of WAVE, advances and BREAKS AGAINST DAN’S FEET. He feels the pressure and looks down, seeing only rough concrete. His CELL PHONE CHIMES. Distracted, he pulls it out of his pocket and answers.
DAN
Shaeffer. Yeah … He’s back? Tell him to wait for me. Yeah. No.
(Heated)
That was a dry run. It did not cause substantial damage!
P.O.V. FROM THE TREE
LOOKING DOWN ON DAN AND TREVOR. In the branches and leaves, SOMETHING IS MOVING. We see a SILHOUETTE, some DETAILS … It could be a kind of SNAKE, floating there, with a head like a LAMPREY, circular teeth OPENING AND CLOSING. The leaves and branches TREMBLE and RUSTLE. It HOVERS within the thick branches, supported by nothing but air. Then it separates … into TWO SNAKES.
ON TREVOR. Trevor grabs a piece of paper and writes furiously, darting glances up at the tree, the SHAPES behind Dan. The SHAPES VANISH.
DAN (O.S.)
Andrea, I don’t care if he hired another consultant. Don’t start it up until I get there. We have a contract—he can’t just fire me! I’ll be there as soon as I can!
Dan CLICKS the phone shut, furious, then swivels on Trevor. Trevor holds up THE PAPER for Dan’s inspection.
DAN’S P.O.V. He takes the paper, covered with equations, and reads it, obscuring his (and our) view of Trevor.
FROM BEHIND TREVOR: Another LAMPREY-SNAKE morphs out of thin air, latches on to TREVOR’S BACK. TREVOR JERKS, FREEZES. HE VANISHES.
DAN
This reverses the polarity on the tunnel. Still not right, damn it! It would suck in—like a vacuum cleaner.
He LOWERS THE PAPER. Trevor is nowhere to be seen. Dan looks around, glances at the books and papers scattered around the bench. SOMETHING RUSTLES in the tree, and Dan turns, looks up at THE TREE. We see A SHADOW, then … nothing.
DAN (CONT’D)
What in hell? Trevor!
He walks, then runs, looking for the boy.
DAN (CONT’D)
TREVOR!
CUT TO:
INT. THE CLINIC - MOMENTS LATER
Michael wheels a cart full of Trevor’s shredded books and papers, stacked on top of a broken chair and parts of the table, past the main desk, where the receptionist is giving Dan a shrug and a blank look. Dan is frantic.
DAN
I didn’t see him leave! He could be anywhere.
MICHAEL
What’s up?
Mr. Shaeffer came back without the boy.
MICHAEL
Dr. Kalb took Trevor out of his room, ten, fifteen minutes ago.
DAN
That’s impossible! He was with me!
MICHAEL
I saw them. She looked pretty upset, but she definitely had Trevor with her.
The pressure is off—for the moment, but not the mystery. Dan scans the mess on the cart. He picks up a broken chair leg, bolts dangling.
DAN
Jesus!
MICHAEL
Quite a night for our young man.
DAN
Is he that strong?
MICHAEL
(Shrugs)
Something is.
Dan picks up a book. It’s badly damaged, covers ripped, pages torn.
DAN
Must have been bad, for him to rip his father’s books.
MICHAEL
His father’s?
DAN
Janine said they belonged to his father. They came with Trevor when he was sent here.
MICHAEL
You must have heard wrong. Dr. Kalb brought Trevor to the clinic. Nobody knows who his father is. She bought him these books because she wanted to encourage him.
(Beat, his eyes narrow)
I keep my counsel around here, Dr. Shaeffer. But I wonder … Do you or Dr. Kalb really care what you’re doing to Trevor? Helping him, or using him? Maybe I’m speaking out of turn.
DAN
Why would she lie?
A stack of paper spills off the cart. Michael and Dan bend over it simultaneously. Dan is amazed: in Trevor’s crayon, there are dozens of drawings of nearly all aspects of the Double Pulse Fusion Reactor: the vessel itself, the quantum tunnel. He THUMBS THROUGH THE DRAWINGS, realization DAWNING. Their EYES MEET.
MICHAEL
There’s a lot of odd stuff happening, Mr. Shaeffer. Do you really think a ten-year-old-boy could rip up heavy furniture like this? I know you’re friends with the boy … But Dr. Kalb, she works him sometimes day and night, and that isn’t right.
DAN
(Fear and resolve)
I’ve got to go.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE STREET - SECONDS LATER
Dan is in his car, a Miata convertible. He SPINS IT OUT of its parking space, SWINGS ACROSS TRAFFIC, tires SCREECHING everywhere, and the Miata FISHTAILS dangerously back to a straight course down the street.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAMPUS OF BURLINGTON UNIVERSITY - MOMENTS LATER
Dan runs toward the lab building. The BALL-BEARING WIND SOUND comes from the building.
CUT TO:
INT. FUSION REACTOR LAB - MOMENTS LATER
ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE. The REACTOR is running FULL BORE, shaking, powder drifting down around its concrete piers, making that incredible SOUND. SERPENT SHADOWS dart around the lab, LAMPREY-SNAKE heads merging, flowing. (See sketches)
John, Cindy, Andrea, are sprawled on the concrete floor, INERT. MATT IS STANDING, weaving as if drunk, his face SCRATCHED. He KEELS OVER.
ON JANINE, standing beside the console, in the shadow of the REACTOR. She clutches TREVOR. Their hair is blown back by passing SHADOWS. Janine propels Trevor to the console, forces him into the seat. But Trevor is withdrawing, crossing his arms.
JANINE
Do what it wants!
ON DAN. He enters the lab and sees Janine standing by the reactor. Trevor has withdrawn and sits at an angle, with arms crossed, fist-open, fist-closed, in the console swivel chair.
DAN
What is going on?
JANINE SCREAMS and JERKS.
JANINE
It’s in my HEAD, DO WHAT IT WANTS!
We see a STAIN OF SHADOW outline her head, her torso, FAN OUT as SHADOWY TENTACLES.
DAN
JANINE!
JANINE
You opened the door! Your machine let it in!
Dan tries to pull Matt back from the chaos, manages a few yards, but it’s useless. He turns as if to run away.
JANINE (CONT’D)
DON’T LEAVE US HERE!
ON DAN. He’s terrified, his courage is nothing like Trevor’s.
DAN
I don’t understand, there’s nothing I can do!
JANINE
Trevor kept giving you the wrong answers, to break the machine!
Her entire demeanor CHANGES from fear to RAGE, then to GLOATING TRIUMPH.
JANINE (CONT’D)
I tried to tell him how stupid that was! It’s given me such power. It’s showed me how I can change my life! It takes me wherever I want to go, around the world … instantly!
Janine’s shadow aura BRIGHTENS and she is MOVED INSTANTLY to stand beside Trevor at the console.
JANINE (CONT’D)
I can have jewels, money, lifted from all over the planet. I can live like a Queen in a world filled with servants! No more taking care of broken people—no more dealing with losers! All I have to do is arrange for its friends to cross over.
ON DAN, kneeling beside Matt. He can’t believe what he’s hearing.
DAN
Why Trevor? He’s just a boy!
JANINE
(Absolute zero chill)
Because you’re the only other mathematician I know … and I loathe you! We need a bigger door, Dan. Fix it! If you don’t do what it wants, I’ll have it kill Trevor … and then kill you!
Dan makes his decision. He rolls Matt over, takes the CONSOLE KEY from Matt’s hand. A shadow BREEZES past his head, nearly knocking him over, and wrestles with his arm, but he breaks free and RUNS past Janine to the console.
Dan SPINS Trevor around in his chair, then shouts to the shadows, to Janine.
DAN
Don’t hurt him! I’ll do it!
The shadows GATHER around Dan and Trevor, expectant, pulsing. Dan pulls Trevor to him and whispers in his ear.
ECU ON DAN AND TREVOR.
DAN (CONT’D)
Let’s do it right this time! Like you showed me in the park!
The shadows SPIN UP like slugs mounted on a wheel, distracting him.
DAN (CONT’D)
Damn! How can you tell how many there are?
Trevor opens his eyes, STARES DAN IN THE FACE. Dan PRESSES THE KEY into Trevor’s HAND, then guides it to the console LOCK. Trevor TURNS THE KEY. Dan types into the console, biting his lower lip in concentration, distracted by the shadows …
ON JANINE, taking a step toward them, WATCHING with deep concern.
DAN (CONT’D)
How about a little reversed polarity? Let’s suck all the genies back into the bottle.
Dan initiates his—and Trevor’s—change.
DAN (CONT’D)
(Shouting)
HERE IT COMES! BRING ALL YOUR FRIENDS!
The SOUND ramps up into an even harsher GRIND. The reactor’s vibrations BLUR its contours.
The SHADOWS AND SHAPES slow their spinning, STOP … REVERSE
ON JANINE. Her rage becomes puzzlement, then SHOCK. She steps forward to wrestle Dan away from the console. THEY STRUGGLE.
ON TREVOR. He pulls himself together, types in an additional simple instruction, and
ECU Presses the ENTER key.
The QUARTZ BOX EXPLODES, scattering shards all over the chamber.
THE SOUND REVERSES, and the SHADOWS AND SHAPES DEFORM. They struggle against an incredible pressure that is SUCKING THEM into the open area where the quartz box was. One by one, the SHAPES contort, lengthen, and are VACUUMED UP into the reactor bottle with weird cries of RAGE AND PAIN.
ON JANINE, as Dan breaks free. Her face shows PANIC. Her SHADOW AURA elongates toward the reactor, and she is DRAG
GED ALONG with it. She REACHES for DAN.
JANINE
Help me!
Dan tries to grab her hand, but the fingers slip through.
TREVOR WATCHES.
And Janine is SUCKED IN WITH HER SHADOWY MASTER.
The reactor SHUTS DOWN. The SOUND DROPS IN PITCH, STOPS.
The CONSOLE DISPLAY blinks RED, RED, RED.
THE DISPLAY, in a BLACK SQUARE, flashes: Experiment concluded.
THEN, Reactor offline.
Dan HUGs Trevor, who grasps his arm and turns his face into Dan’s shoulder.
DAN
You’re a brave boy. A very brave boy.
HOLD ON THIS, PULL BACK and BACK until we take in the entire lab, smoke drifting, the reactor knocked from its concrete piers. Out of action. A mess. The post-docs and Matt slowly come to, get on their feet, disoriented, surveying the damage.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE GLORIA P. DUNHAM CLINIC - MORNING
Trevor walks down the hall carrying an old, battered suitcase. He’s still Trevor, still an autistic boy, but his step is quicker, livelier, and his manner less stiff.
Michael WATCHES and smiles as Trevor walks past.
MICHAEL
See you around, Trevor.
Trevor gives a sideways nod. He SEES SOMEONE. His FACE BRIGHTENS.
It’s DAN. He takes Trevor’s suitcase, and holds the boy’s hand. Together, they walk past the main desk.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE CLINIC
Dan and Trevor descend the steps.
CONTROL VOICE (V.O.)
The mystery of knowledge is hidden within. We are who we are, and when the nightmares flee, we remain, changed only a little …
ON TREVOR, glancing up at Dan. Dan SMILES.
CONTROL VOICE (V.O.) (CONT’D)
In the memory of our survival.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. A BASEMENT HALL, SOMEWHERE, YEARS LATER
A YOUNG MAN in a rumpled and stained lab coat JINGLES a ring of KEYS as he nonchalantly approaches a big STEEL DOOR. He’s carrying a clipboard with a checklist.
THE DOOR is marked Equipment Storage.
He unlocks the door and pushes it open with a ghastly SQUEAL of hinges. He grimaces at the sound, then FLICKS a light switch. Far away, hovering over piles of boxes and several big CRATES, a VERY SMALL BULB switches on, providing dim illumination.
He makes a face at the dimness, then steps through and around crates and boxes, checking against serial numbers and labels on the bigger crates. He TURNS …
AND WE SEE A BIG, VERY BIG, FRAMEWORK CRATE. Inside, unmistakable, is our KLEIN BOTTLE REACTOR VESSEL.