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(Karl slamming
his coffin lid down and growls. Drew awakes and Marty awakes)
Marty – Hey! Big guy! (Karl growls) I’m
all for doing your own thing… but could you do it a little more quietly?
Essie – He’s got it.
Merrill
– The chill.
Essie – Got it bad.
Merrill – Somebody should do something. (Essie plugs her
ears and walks away)
Dr. Murdoch – Passage into adulthood is a daunting experience. We move from our family
into a world, hoping to find in friends, what our family can no longer provide.
(In library. Malcolm coming do
staircase. Sherry and Mimi looking for books)
Sherry – Haven’t you ever dreamed you were in love?
Mimi
– I lust, yah, in love no.
Sherry – Well I had a dream about someone. Some one that I didn’t even
know, but it was wired because I felt like I did know him. We had this connection. He was strong, and kind, and intense...
Mimi – And…?
Sherry – And?
Mimi – What did he look like?
Sherry –
I’m not exactly sure.
Mimi – ah…no fleshy details?! You gotta get your dreams into sharper focus,
girl.
Malcolm – (he sits with them) Hi, Guys!
Sherry – Malcolm.
Mimi – Malcolm.
(He leaves)
Dr. Murdoch – The vampire experiences an even more frightening passage, into his new world... (Karl
comes flying pass) Karl. Is there something I can do for you?
Karl – I’m out of here. NOW!
Dr.
Murdoch – You can’t do that. (Karl opens door) You can’t do that.
Karl – I need to be back
there. Where I was. Where I belong.
Dr. Murdoch – There is no “there” anymore. There’s only
here for you, now.
Karl – Look, my hometown is walking distance from here, man. I just uh… I just need
to go visit. I-I-I won’t be seen. I’ll just… I need to see them.
Dr. Murdoch – No! That’s
not a good idea.
(Karl goes out of office. The other Vampires show up in the cellar doorway)
Marty –
We got a runner!
Dr. Murdoch – Karl! If you go out that door, any real chance of going back to your life is
over. Our experiment here is to give you that chance, (Karl goes back to normal) I believe it’s a very real chance.
(Malcolm sees Karl in the hallway from a distance. Karl goes back in.)
Malcolm – Karl Todman? It can’t
be?
(Karl walks back in office)
Marty – Big guy… Getting “happy feet”, are you?
Karl
- Back off, Marty.
Drew – Back off.
Dr. Murdoch – Could you all sit down please. Drew, Marty,
Now! We need to talk about what just happened.
Karl – There’s nothing wrong with me. I just needed some
air.
Marty – Oxygen. Good for the brain.
Essie – Well then I’ll buy you a tank full.
Merrill
– Karl, Is there something…
Karl – There’s nothing, all right? I’m fine! I just wanted
to…
Dr. Murdoch – Karl are you sure you wanna leave this for now?
Karl – I am sure.
Dr.
Murdoch – All right. Then let’s resume from where we left off yesterday.
(Malcolm in library at laptop.)
Malcolm – Now we’ll see if that doesn’t get some results.
(Sherry and Mimi’s room:
Sherry is writing in book and Mimi’s at fridge)
Sherry – Do you ever miss having a normal family?
Mimi
– Define normal.
Sherry – You know: mom, dad, cat, dog a mini-van.
Mimi – A psychotic brother
who swallowed my angelfish and wants to be adopted by Madonna? Oh, wait, I already have him.
Sherry – I’m
serious. I mean, do you think we’re the way we are because we failed… or because our parents failed us?
Mimi
– In what way are we?
Sherry – Well, here. Without family. Calling this place home. (Knock on door) And
why else would I be hoping some dream guy to come and make my life whole.
Mimi – Pathetic, ain’t it? (Malcolm
enters) And it just got worse.
Malcolm – You are not gonna believe what just happened. I just saw a guy…
in our school… who was the football captain of my old school!
Mimi – Is he cute?
Malcolm –
No, He’s supposed to be dead!
Sherry – Are you sure about this?
Malcolm – They buried him.
So I figured… am I seeing things? No, I’m not the hallucinatory type.
Mimi – Says you.
Malcolm
– I decided to do some research and I posted his sighting on the Internet, because people keep tabs on these kinds of
things.
Mimi – And I bet they look just like you.
Malcolm – Speaking of personal appearances…
you’re no Victoria’s secret model.
Mimi – If I kill him, (backs him to the door) where should we
stash the body?
Malcolm – Oh what, I’m saying is the truth. I’m not crazy! I swear! (She slams door
in his face)
(Morning. A car drives up to Mansbridge. In walks Marian Hackett into Murdochs office)
Marian
– (shows badge) Marian Hackett… I’m with the biomorphic predatory disease agency. There may have been a
vampire sighting here... Who do I speak to about it?
Dr. Murdoch – I guess that would be me.
Marian
– …I’m federal We at BPDA fight certain rare diseases that radically alter body chemistry and body shape,
Such as Hemophagy, lycanthropy....
Dr. Murdoch – Hemophagy? Blood drinking.
Marian – impressive.
Obviously well schooled.
Dr. Murdoch – Oxford.
Marian – Well, Mr. Oxford, Yes, we are talking
about blood drinking. A.k.a Vampires. They do exist.
Dr. Murdoch – They do?
Marian – Yes. Not
as cursed, soulless demons… but, symbiotic organisms, and the protein disease in their blood gives them incredible speed,
strength, and certain physic abilities.
Dr. Murdoch – Physic abilities? Such as?
Marian – We have
documented cases of telekinesis, mind control, even mind travel. (He gets up) Yet, at their most basic, vampires do remain
the creatures of lore.
Dr. Murdoch – And that would be?
Marian – Craven, bloodthirsty animals.
Dr. Murdoch – Just how large is your agency Miss. Hackett? (He jesters her to sit)
Marian – Small,
but determined. (Sits)
Dr. Murdoch – Ah, your work sounds absolutely fascinating. Would you be willing to talk
with to my students? (Sits)
Marian – About what? Career possibilities? I don’t lecture. I hunt.
Dr.
Murdoch – And what is it your hunting out here?
(All the vampires except Karl are looking at the TV screen at
Hackett)
Essie – She… is trouble.
Merrill – I had a friend. Hackett killed her maker.
Essie
– Yeah… And one of her gadgets gave my cousin a scare; she’s forced to forever hide.
Drew –
We don’t get scares.
Essie – Imagine her surprise.
(In Office)
Marian – So. There’s
this Karl Todman, who lived quite near here. Records show that about a year ago he died, what was to believe to be Leukemia.
Died at an extremely accelerated rate.
Dr. Murdoch – There’s never been a Karl Todman enrolled at Mansbridge
Academy.
Marian – No. But you do have a Malcolm Frye here. Correct?
Dr. Murdoch – Malcolm? Yes.
Marian – I need to interview him.
Dr. Murdoch – For what purposes?
Marian – For
my purposes.
Dr. Murdoch – Ah! Well then, of course I’ll get him. You can talk to him in the library.
(On TV: They get up. Vampires still watching)
Marty – Okay… Let’s kill her.
Essie
– Kill her? You’d never get that close.
(In library: A book opens with Karl’s picture)
Marian
– And you’re sure who you saw, was him?
Malcolm – He once stapled me to a tree. I’d know that
jerk anywhere. It was an accurate sighting.
Marian – And that gave you the confidence to post this sighting
on our Internet site?
Malcolm – Absolutely. He was here. I saw him.
Marian – and I want to thank
–you for your invaluable assistance.
Malcolm – Ma’ma, I got to say this.
Dr. Murdoch –
You can go now Malcolm. (He leaves) I should warn you; he’s prone to a hyperactive imagination.
Marian –
That’s what they used to say about me.
(In the Cellar. Karl is on top of steps with football)
Karl –
(whispering) Karl, Karl, he’s are man. If he can’t do it no one can. Hop!
(Goes back for the throw. Drew’s
there. Karl stops)
Drew – Nice jacket.
(Karl runs down steps)
Karl – Haah! (Laughs) I
lettered all-four sports, all-four years, make that almost... I never made it to baseball season.
Drew – Got
made before opening day, Huh?
Karl – Yeah... Man I was good! Wrenfield High was just gonna be the start. I already
had collage offers. (Toss football to Drew)
Drew – Then again, you mighta ripped up your knee. Bam! (Toss it
back) Career over. You wind up swilling beer, getting a gut, and driving a delivery truck. What could have been coulda got
a whole lot worse.
Karl – I’m goin’ home.
Drew – Home?
Karl – Yup. Made
up my mined.
Drew – Karl, you… sun…sizzle. Remember?
Karl – I’ll figure something
out.
Drew – Karl… I don’t think…
Karl – I’m gonna see my mom. She’ll
be real happy when she finds out that I’m still alive.
Drew – No. She’ll flip out.
Karl
– Not true. My mom knows how to handle these things.
Drew – She buried you, Karl. You’re gone to
her.
Karl – Then I’ll tell my buddies. They’ll get with this. We were like blood brothers.
Drew
– Karl… Blood brothers for now means your buddies might be your next lunch.
Karl – No, I would never
do that to them. I never hurt them. We were always there for each other. It’s not like you and Marty… These guys
got real heart.
Drew – Get some sleep, Karl. It’s the middle of the day.
(At night: Merrill over
at Drew’s coffin. She wakes him up)
Merrill –Karl’s gone.
Drew – What?
Merrill
– Karl isn’t here. (Drew sits up)
Drew – What am I suppose to do about it?
Merrill –
You know where he is.
Drew – I do?
Merrill – We all do. He’s got “the chill.”
He’s heading for his grave.
Drew – Again… what am I supposed to do about it?
Merrill –
Find him before someone else does. Or the sun does.
Drew – Merrill, Explain to me why it should be me to go?
Merrill – Because Karl won’t listen to me. But he might listen to you. We both know it.
(Hackett
drives up to Mansbridge Manor. In Murdoch's office the vampires are speaking to Murdoch)
Dr. Murdoch – …You’re
saying Drew went after Karl outside the grounds?
Merrill – Karl’s got “the chill.”
Dr.
Murdoch – There’s only one place they could be headed...
Essie – The Cemetery.
Marty –
That ole bone yard. Cut me loose and I’ll run a rescue mission on the both of ‘em.
Dr. Murdoch –
No. I want the rest of you to stay below until I figure out what to do. (Knock on door) Go. (They take off) Come in!
Marian
– I’m happy to report that none of my instruments show any evidence of bio morphic infection.
Dr. Murdoch
– Ah!
Marian – The Frye boy…
Dr. Murdoch – Malcolm.
Marian – Is he a…
special needs student?
Dr. Murdoch – Miss. Hackett, all students have special needs. I’m sorry you wasted
your time.
Marian – Oh, I’m not done. I’m gonna to take a swing by the local cemetery. Check up
on Todman’s gravesite. And give it a look-see.
Dr. Murdoch – So this is where our tax dollars go?
Marian
– I’m one of the good guys, Dr. Murdoch. You only have to see a single vampire victims throat ripped out, to realize
that.
Dr. Murdoch – Duly noted.
Marian – So… can you give me directions to the cemetery?
Dr. Murdoch – Yes of course I can but uh, before you go traipsing around in the dark, how about, we have a cup
of tea?
Marian – Looking for company, are you?
Dr. Murdoch – Well, Everyone can use a little company
now and then, don’t you think? Why don’t we have it in the foyer? I’ll… join you there in… just
a minute. (Picks up phone)
(The cemetery: Curtis and Kevin are in front of Karl’s grave. Karl is in the distance
beside a tree)
Curtis – Imagine if he was her, man?
Kevin – He is. (Holds up can) Still remember
you, Karl. (Drinks)
Curtis – Who’ll a thought? A year ago today dead at 18.
Kevin – We coulda
used him this year against Ethan central.
Curtis – Coulda used him all season long.
Karl – (about
to speak)
Kevin – Wherever he is, do you think he ever thinks about us? (Crushes can and Curtis gives him another
one)
Curtis – To Karl!
Kevin – To Karl! Hah! (Opens can and cuts his finger)
Karl –
(growls)
Curtis – What was that? (Karl chases them away and starts digging in his grave)
Drew –
Karl! Karl?! What are you doin’, man? What you got some bone there you’re tryin’ to bury there?
Karl
- I don’t know what I’m going! I guess I’m losing it!
Drew – No you’re not. Karl! It’s
something else. It’s called “the chill.” We all go through it. It’s like a homing device that calls
us back to our grave. One year, to the day. We get the call.
Karl – Really?
Drew – Yeah. I went
back... My dog was still there. Still posting watch. So I tried to say hello to him. I mean, he couldn’t tell anyone
right? But um, He just kept barking and barking at me. Showing his fangs. Actually, “the chill” never really goes
away. You just learn to live with it. That’s all.
Karl – So... I guess I can never go back them…
not ever.
Drew – No. (grabs some dirt and gives it to Karl) Come on. (Stands) Say good-bye to the you that was.
Be thankful there’s a you that still is. Ready to go?
Karl – Yeah.
(Marian shows up. Gets out
of car)
Marian – I want the two of you to stay exactly where you are? (They go) DO NOT MOVE! (They goes super
seed and she fires destroying a tombstone)
Sheriff Roc – Drop you’re weapon, ma’ma.
Marian
– I’m a federal agent.
Sheriff Roc – And I’m the town sheriff. Drop you’re weapon. (She
puts down gun) Hands on the car! (She does) You gotta tell me somethin’, (handcuffs her) why would a federal agency
feel the need to take out one of our tombstones. Hey?
Marian – Tell me… what brought you out here anyways?
Sheriff Roc – Anonymous tip ma’ma. (Takes her to car)
Marian – Yah!
(At the Manor:
Merrill sitting waiting for them to return. They enter. She gets up)
Merrill – Good to see you back, Karl. (Hugs
him)
Marty – Big guy… It’s a cruel world out there. That’s why you gotta hang out with your
blood-sucking homies.
Essie – I might hug you. Nope, too filthy, Back-back-back-back.
(Marian drives
up to manor. In Murdochs Office)
Marian – I let myself in.
Dr. Murdoch – I noticed. Cup of tea?
Marian – Taxpayers wouldn’t like that, would they?
Dr. Murdoch – (laughs)
Marian
– You know, you intrigue me.
Dr. Murdoch – Well, I’ll take that as a complement.
Marian
– What you’re attempting here at Mansbridge; that takes a rather… special sort of man.
Dr. Murdoch
– I’m glad you noticed.
Marian – I can spot another professional. I hope our paths cross again.
Dr. Murdoch – One can always hope.
Marian – Then we’ll have to make it happen. I’ll
let myself out as well/
Dr. Murdoch – You always do. (Writing in book) In truth, vampires and mortals experience”
the chill.” That yurning for what we once called home. That cold memory of what forever lost time and place. And, for
all of us, there’s only the hope of finding a new home, a new family.
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