Sole Survivor (1984) - full transcript

(tense music)

(Karla screaming)

- She's coming.

(objects rattling)
(Karla gasping)

(Karla whimpering)

(phone ringing)

- All right.

Okay, hold on.

Blake.

It's Karla Davis.

What the hell does she want?
- I don't know.



- What the hell do you want?

- Blake?

What's the name of that
woman at the ad agency?

The one I'm supposed to
do the commercial for.

- Denise Watson.

Is that what you woke me up for?

- Do you know if she's taking
a flight out this morning?

- [Blake] Oh, how the
hell should I know that?

- Something's going to happen.

- Honest to God, Karla,
don't start this crap again.

- I'm not asking you
to do anything, Blake.

Just give me the number
of someone at the agency

that can get in touch with her.

- Just give you the
number so you can



rouse them out of bed in
the middle of the night

and tell them that you
think their producer

is gonna be killed.

- Not killed.

- Fine, then everything's right.

Go back to bed.

- What the hell did she want?

- Oh, same old story.

She hasn't worked in six years.

This commercial's
her last chance

to get her face in
front of the public

and she wants to start
making her midnight calls.

- [Blake's Wife] Great.

(tense music)

(airplane engine roaring)

(radar beeping)

- [Con 86] Metropolitan
Departure Control,

this is Con 86 holding
at (indistinct).

- [Departure Control] Con
86, climb and maintain 6000.

- [Con 86] Thank you, Con 86,
(indistinct) 1500 for 6000.

- Con 86, contact
Bishop Control at 6000.

- [Con 86] Metropolitan,
this is Con 86.

We have a light on
our panel that...

- Con 86, say again?

- [Con 86] Con 86,
stand by, please.

(radar beeping)

(alarm beeping)

(prolongued beeping)

- Jesus.

(helicopter whirring)

(people talking indistinctly)

- [Woman] Got it?

- [Man] Okay.

- Ronnie, you wanna take
this for me, please?

- [Ronnie] Sure.

- Can you tell me your name?

- [Man] Take that part.

- Denise Watson.

- Denise, can you tell
me your middle name?

- Lynn.
- Easy.

- Denise Lynn Watson.

- Denise, were you
traveling alone?

- Yes.

How many made it?

- Just you, I'm afraid.

- Oh.
- You're one lucky lady.

- No.

I saw them move.

I lived with my grandmother
after that mostly

- [Doctor] Mm-hmm.

- My grandmother and
five or six trust funds.

But money can't buy happiness.

- Can't buy poverty either.

- What about you?

- Me?

- Yeah, you've learned
all about me, right?

- My father was a plumber.

My mother is a mother.

And I had asthma.

- And?

- And I outgrew it mostly.

Watch the pencil.

Don't move your
head, just your eyes.

- The nurses say you're single.

- The nurses talk too much.

Okay.

As far as I'm concerned,
you're paroled.

I'd like you to continue
to see Dr. Webber

for that stiffness
in your shoulder.

Sometimes it takes
a couple of months

for it to work itself out.

Oh, by the way, there
are reporters downstairs.

- How many?

- Couple from the papers and
a crew from channel seven.

- See, I told you so.

There's been nothing else
in the news for eight days.

- Well, it was a
pretty big thing.

People are interested.

How do you feel, Denise?

- Great.

I'm the miracle girl, didn't
you see me in the news?

- Denise.

- Didi, okay?

- Didi.

How do you feel?

- Odd.
- Depressed?

I have reasons for asking.

- I feel odd.

I don't know.

Depressed.

Oh, but I've been bounced
with depression before.

I don't know.

- Denise, Didi.

There's a
psychological condition

called survivor's syndrome.

Now, a person in your
position can often feel guilty

about having survived
a catastrophe

that killed everybody else.

A person in your
position may even feel

unworthy of survival.

- Nice try, but that's not it.

I feel neither
guilty nor unworthy.

- Well then, you tell me.

- It's like once I bought
this dress at I. Magnin's.

Expensive, so I charged it.

And it never showed
up on my bill.

So I thought great, a
mistake in my favor,

I'll just keep my mouth shut.

It's kind of the
same thing I felt

when I came to after the crash.

But that's only good
as far as it goes,

like I'm a cause
and effect person.

Now I knew why I never got
the bill for my Magnin,

it was because the
computer screwed up.

But as far as me being alive...

(people chattering)

- Excuse me.

- Yes.

- I've been trying to
get someone to help me

for the last five minutes.

- Look, this is a
hospital, we can't

stop everything we're doing
every time somebody needs help.

- I realize that for sure,
but my name's Kristy Cutler,

I'm Denise Watson's neighbor.

- And?

- I'm supposed...

I was supposed to pick
her up around in back

so she could avoid
the reporters.

- So?

- Well, I've been waiting,
she hasn't come out.

I was wondering if you knew-

If she said she'd be there,
I'm sure she'll be there.

I don't know anything about it.

What?

- Okay.

Just point me in
the right direction.

- Go down here and
take the elevator down,

follow the hollow way
out and it'll let you off

at the loading dock.

- Until next time.

- [Woman On Intercom]
Betty Campbell, 3257.

Betty Campbell, 3257.

- Didi.

Do me a favor.

Will you keep it in mind that
what happened was just luck,

pure and simple?

I mean, don't make
anything more out of it.

It's just like that dress
you never got billed for.

- Oh, I got billed
for it, all right.

Those stupid computers.

They may make a mistake, but
they eventually find you.

- [Woman On Intercom]
(indistinct) 3115,
(indistinct) 3115.

(ominous music)

- Oh, excuse me...

Oh!

Oh, excuse me.

- What are you doing
down here, honey?

- I'm a patient.

I mean, I was a patient.

It was sort of
arranged that I could

leave through a back door.

- The door is right
around that corner.

Make sure you close
it behind you.

Sending people down here.

What do they think
this is, the fun zone?

(mysterious music)

- Have you seen anything
of a girl in a car?

Like in the last few minutes?

Are you all right?

Are you supposed to
be in the hospital?

Are you sick?

If you want, I can
take you inside.

(suspenseful music)

(Denise screams)

(truck bangs)

Hey, what are you trying to do?!

(Denise gasps)

- Where you been?

I've been waiting
all over for you.

- Did you just see that?

This truck almost crushed me.

- Yeah?

You ought to be more careful.

The brakes go out on
these things all the time.

- [Denise] I should have told
somebody about that girl.

- [Kristy] Forget her.

(solemn music)

How'd things turn
out with that doctor?

- [Denise] Oh,
well I struck out.

- Yeah?
- Yeah, real bad.

- [Kristy] I thought he
was coming on to you.

- [Denise] Yeah,
that's what I thought.

He took a real interest in me.

You know, kept stopping
by for little chats,

asking me how I felt.

- [Kristy] Sounds dull.

- [Denise] No, it was nice.

Damn, he was really friendly.

Open, easy to talk to.

Pleasant.

Gentle.
(Kristy laughs)

- [Kristy] Yeah, we had a
German sheperd like that once.

Listen, I'm going
to a party tonight.

There'll be guys there.

- Yeah, you forget, I've
seen some of the guys

you hang out with.

Boy, I hope I never
get that hard up.

- They're all gray in the dark.

(birds chirping)

Look, if you need anything,
I'm right across the street.

- [Denise] Okay, thanks.

Maybe I'll drop by later.

- [Kristy] Except I
won't be home later.

The party, remember?

- [Denise] Right,
gray in the dark.

(phone ringing)

Hello, this is Denise Watson.

I'm unable to come to
the phone right now,

but if you leave
your name and number,

I'll get back to you
as soon as I can.

Thanks for calling.

(machine beeps)

- [Brian] This is
Brian Richardson.

I was just calling to
check to see how you-

- Hi, what a surprise.

- I didn't think you were home.

- [Denise] Well, I just
turned on the machine

because I wanted to
get a little work done.

- Oh, well, I won't keep you.

- Oh, no, no.

That's all right.

This isn't a
professional call. Is it?

I mean, this isn't part
of the outpatient service.

- No, no.

I just got home and I
thought I'd give you a call

to see how you were feeling.

- Hang on just a second, okay?

Well, well, well.

Hi, I'm back.

This was really
very sweet of you.

- Well, to tell you the truth,

I sort of got used to
stopping in and seeing you.

And I was also thinking about
what you said this afternoon.

- What was that?

- About your cure for the blues.

Work is okay, but I don't
think you should overdo it.

- Oh, well, you may be right.

I've got this coffee
spot to do on Tuesday.

Other than that, there's
not much going on.

- A what?

- A coffee commercial.

You may have heard of it.

Roaster's Blend?

(Brian gasping)

- What was that?

Yes or no?

- Ooh.

Sorry.

Nope.

- [Denise] You sure?

Nine out of 10 doctors
prefer Roaster's Blend.

- Well, I don't.

- Ah, so you're the 10th doctor.

I was wondering who you were.

(Denise laughing)

And it's with Karla Davis.

She did all those beach
movies in the sixties.

"Surf's Up" and all that stuff.

(fire crackling)

(clock ticking)

(phone beeping)

What was that?

- Oh, I have another call.

I gotta hang up.

- Listen, don't be so
judgmental about what I do.

If you want, drop by sometime.

- I'll do it.

Tuesday maybe.

- Yeah.

Tuesday maybe,
about 2:30, three?

Sure.

Bye.

(knocking on door)

(mysterious music)

- [Kristy] Where you been?

I've been waiting all over for.

(ominous music)

You ought to be more careful.

(phone ringing)

- Yes. Hello?

Yes it is.

Who is this?

- This is Karla Davis.

I'm sorry.

They gave me your
number, the agency.

- [Denise] Oh, Miss
Davis, of course.

Is there a problem with
the shoot on Tuesday?

- Oh, oh no.

I was just calling because...

I was wondering how you were.

- I'm fine.

- I just wanted to tell you...

Keep your doors locked.

(clock ticking)

(Denise gasps)

- [Kristy] Didi?

- [Denise] Kristy?

- [Kristy] Oh, man, I
hope we didn't scare you.

Wait a second.

- [Denise] What were
you doing out there?

- We knocked on the front
door, but nobody answered,

so we came around back.

Roxy almost fell in
your swimming pool.

- Yeah, like what
the hell is a pool

doing out there anyway?

- It used to be in
the living room.

Roxy?

- Yeah, this is Roxy.

We were at this party
and Roxy was blown away

when I told you you
were my neighbor.

- You both look
pretty blown away.

- Like, I was wondering if
you were heavy into God,

do you like pray a lot
or meditate or something?

- Roxy's really into that stuff.

- Because I was
wondering, why you, man,

out of all those people?

- Yeah, if you think about
it, it is kind of weird.

- [Announcer] From
her Malibu beach home,

actress Karla Davis
talks about coffee.

- Let's have another
cup of coffee

and read through
the script again.

- Oh, I need to
work on the part,

but the coffee'll
keep me awake tonight.

- Oh, nonsense.

It's Roaster's Blend.

As an actress, I learned the
value of a good night's sleep.

That's why I drink
Roaster's Blend.

It's decaffeinated.

- Mm!

- You know, nine out of 10
doctors prefer Roaster's Blend.

- [Woman] Fine, stop tape.

- [Woman] That's not
the line, Miss Davis.

- [Man] That was
take 68, 69 is up.

- [Woman] B, please.

- [Man] She must have made the
same mistake in over 20 cuts.

- [Man] We're gonna suck
eggs on this one, Blake.

- She hasn't been
feeling well lately.

Maybe she's got the flu.

- And I'm getting an ulcer.

- [Man] We're not
getting our money's worth

out of this, Blake.

- She'll be on top
of it tomorrow.

I guarantee you.

- Did anybody notice the
way she acted around me?

- [Man] You in particular?

- Yeah, she got so
nervous at one point

she could hardly
hold a coffee cup.

- Well, look, you're in
charge and she's screwing up.

- No, that's not it.

She phoned me last week.

- [Man] What did she want?

- I don't know.

I didn't understand it.

She said she was sorry for
calling me and just hung up.

- Well, something biting
her, that's for damn sure.

- [Karla] Nine
out of 10 doctors-

- [Man] Cut.

- [Woman] That's not
the line, Miss Davis.

- Can we drop some of
the key lights on Karla?

Maybe kill some of the
shadows under her eyes?

If she doesn't look
any better tomorrow,

we're not gonna be
able to use the spot.

- Miss Watson.
- Yeah?

- Can I call you Denise?
- Didi.

- I'd like to
apologize for Karla

bothering you the way she did.

- Oh, there's no
need to apologize.

I just wish I knew
what was bothering her.

- Well, to tell you the truth,
I think she was drinking,

and when she drinks,
she makes phone calls.

- [Denise] I see.

- Look, I've spoken
to her about it.

And, well, I think tomorrow
things are gonna go

a whole lot better.

- [Denise] I hope so.

- Can we keep this just
between the two of us?

- [Denise] Hey, no problem.

- Excuse me.
- My fault.

- It's funny you should
show up right now,

because I was just getting an
uncontrollable urge to scream.

Is there a doctor in the house?

- I saw her once in one
of those beach movies.

I thought she was
pretty foxy at the time.

"Riders of the Wild
Surf" was the name of it.

I was in the seventh grade.

- "Rider of the Wild Surf?"

- Yeah.

I thought Karla Davis tried to
kill herself a few years ago.

- You were in the seventh
grade when you saw that?

- Yeah.

In fact, this is
gonna sound awful,

but I thought she was dead.

- Just out of work.

Same old, same old,
in certain respects.

I was in the eighth
grade when that came out.

- "Riders of the Lost Surf?"

- Wild Surf.

When's your birthday?

- April 6th.

- I'm nine months
older than you.

- So?

- Nothing, I guess.

- How are you feeling?

Okay?

- Well, I've been having
a little trouble sleeping.

Is there something I could take?

- A nap.

- Oh, I see.

A joking doctor.

- Well, I'm a little old
fashioned about these things.

I think if you want
to sleep, you should

try relaxing and going to sleep,

not automatically pop a pill.

- Come on.

I don't get hung up on pills.

- Famous last words.

- You know, it seems
to me you're taking

a lot of interest in me.

I mean, didn't you
say that the reason

you liked emergency
medicine is because

you could patch people up
and send 'em on their way?

Not get involved or anything.

Come here.

(gentle music)

Last year I took three
classes in assertion training.

This is the first time
it's really paid off.

Mm.

(people chattering)

Oh, Jesus.

It's even better when you help.

- Lauren Bacall, "To
Have and Have Not."

- I can't help it.

My mind's gone blank.

I can't think of
anything original.

- I didn't even clean
up my apartment.

It's really a mess.

- Mine's neat as a pin.

Wanna see it?

- This is very unprofessional.

- It's out in Forrester Hills.

Open countryside all around.

- I have to be on duty
at one in the morning.

- We better hurry.

It's an hour drive
any way you slice it.

- Where's your car?

- It's over there.

- My car's over there.

I'll meet you at your
car in five minutes

and follow you out, okay?

- Right.

(people chattering)
(gentle music)

- [Man Whispering] Denise.

(ominous music)

- You asleep?

- No.

I was just thinking about
that old man in the park.

I don't know why
a crazy old drunk

should get on my
nerves like this.

There was just something
so riveting about him.

- Well, maybe if you
stop talking about him,

you'll forget him.

- Kind of messed
up the night, huh?

- It was great.

What are you talking about?

- Really?

- You bet.

And I ought to know, 'cause
I studied all this stuff.

It was just like in the books.

Accelerated heartbeat.

Involuntary muscular reaction.

Increased respiration.

- Oh, Doctor, what a relief.

- Why?

- Oh, I'd hate to think that
what I thought was passion

turned out to be
an asthma attack.

- Oh, god.

(Denise laughing)

No, please, I give, I
give, I give, uncle.

- Mm.

- I'm about to blow
this whole thing.

- Hmm?

What?

- I wanna know about this
person you're involved with.

- I'm not involved
with a person.

- You said you were.

- You asked me if
I was involved.

Show me a resident that isn't,

and up to his armpits at that.

- Ah, work, that doesn't count.

- Mm-mm.

Oh god, you want to bet?

Jesus.

- God, where's the fire?

Can't you call in
sick or something?

Doctors get sick.

- No, no.

Would you call in sick for
your coffee commercial?

- I would if I thought I
could get away with it.

Thank you.

The only thing
that keeps me going

is knowing that it'll
all be over with

one way or another
this time tomorrow.

- Well, do you want
to get together

for dinner or
something tomorrow?

Maybe you'll be able to
relax with your mind off it.

- [Denise] Sounds great.

Where?

- Well, I came to
your place today.

Why don't you come
to mine tomorrow?

- The hospital?

You mean you're going in now
and you're gonna be there

until tomorrow afternoon?
- Yep, split shift.

There's been a little shake up.

Some people have been suspended.

- Oh, for what?

- We had a body disappear
from the morgue the other day.

- [Denise] God, I
thought things like that

only happened in the movies.
- Yeah.

Well, it's somebody's
idea of a joke.

They took the body
out for half an hour

and then put it back.

- Some joke.

- [Brian] Girl's parents
found out about it

and became understandably upset.

- Girl?

- Yeah.

Little girl.

She drowned in a
boating accident.

God, that must be so hard.

Especially now around
the holidays and
everything, you know?

(solemn music)

The body disappeared right
after she was brought in.

Somebody told the parents
and now the hospital

is putting on a show about
getting to the bottom of it.

But the fact is nobody
knows where the body went

or how it got back.

- [Denise] Coincidence.

(birds chirping)

(water running)

(hairdryer whirring)

(Denise sighs)

- Shit, nerves.

(birds chirping)

- [Reporter] And now a look
at our weather forecast.

A low pressure system
is moving into the area,

and will be bringing
showers with it.

Skies should be turning
cloudy by midday,

with rain expected
this afternoon.

Showers will continue
through this evening

and should taper off
by tomorrow morning.

The storm is expected
to be heavy at times,

and travel advisories are in
effect for outlying areas.

The long range for...

And there should be good news...

(radio changing stations)

(tires squealing)

(Denise groans)

- You idiot!

What the hell are
you trying to do?

Are you trying to kill
yourself or me or what?

Hey!

(ominous music)

Just watch it.

(tires squealing)

- As an actress, I
learned the value

of a good night's sleep.

- Oh, no.

Where is she looking?

- I'm sorry, she's
looking at me.

- Well, tell her to stop it.

She looks shifty.
- Take 106.

Marker.
(tape beeps)

- As an actress, I
learned the value-

- [Woman] Lift up the
coffee cup, Miss Davis.

- Start again.
- Take 107.

Marker.
(tape beeps)

- As an actress,
I learned the val-

- [Woman] Oh, she did it again.

- [Man] Keep your
eyes on Dana, please.

- I'm sorry.

I better come in there.

She's just bugged by me.

- Come on, Didi.

She's supposed to
professional enough

to keep her mind
on the job at hand.

- [Man] Thank you, thank
you, makeup out, please.

- [Man] Again.

- [Man] Boy, we're hot now.

Mark.
(tape beeps)

- [Man] Again.

- [Man] Maybe she's waiting
till the surf comes up.

(people laughing)

- [Man] What, hey!

- [Man] Cut tape.

- Karla.

- What the hell?

- Hold it.

This seems to be
between her and me.

Maybe I can thrash it out.

(baby fussing)

(man whistling)

Oh, excuse me.

(window sliding)

(horns honking)

- We really shouldn't be up
here during the remodeling.

The elevator hasn't
been working right.

Two people got stuck
up here last month.

Look, if this
commercial tests well,

you could be doing a whole
series of these things.

But you cross those guys
downstairs and you've had it.

I mean, you don't know
what they're like.

They'll put out the word on you.

- The word's out.

I drink.

And I'm crazy.

When I was 18, all
this stuff started.

Do you know Ed Pallack?

- No.

- I was in this film
he was producing.

Mr. Pallack's wife was
going to have a baby,

only I knew about it even
before he told everyone.

I started having nightmares.

Something was wrong
with the baby.

It was born, a girl, I think.

It didn't live long.

After that, I tried to warn
people, people I dreamed about.

But when you try to tell
people about your nightmares,

they think you're
drunk, or crazy.

I drink.

But I'm not crazy.

- Excuse me for
saying so, Karla,

but half the people in this
business think they're psychic.

- Did Blake tell you
I tried to stop you

from taking that plane?

- No he didn't.

But so what?

I didn't die.
- I never saw you die.

I saw you not die.

- What are you talking about?

- No one can stop it, Denise.

And anyone who gets in the way
or anyone who knows about it

or anyone who even suspects
will be dealt with.

- God, Karla, you're
not making any sense.

- I'm sorry.

- Jeez.

- [Man] Come on, girls.

Got three more
days of rehearsal.

Come on!

- Karla?

(elevator dings)

- [Man] Come on, girls, come on!

(elevator screeches and whirs)

- Hmm.

I think we can make this work.

I think we can take what
we've learned from this

and start all over again.

Aw, come on.

(elevator whirring)

(elevator dings)

(mysterious music)

- [Man Whispering] Denise.

- Hello?

(Denise gasps)

I don't have any money, really.

If you're gonna try
anything, I'm expecting

friends down here.

As a matter of fact, they
should be here right now.

So just be cool, okay?

(suspenseful music)

(Denise gasping)

(elevator screeches and whirs)

(elevator dinging)

- [Man] Didi, where
have you been?

Karla's walked.

- [Man] This places that
whole account in jeopardy.

- [Man] I mean, this
is gonna reverberate

in the front office
like a Chinese gong.

How much do you think we've lost

in these last couple of days?

- [Woman] We're
down 10K right now.

- [Brian] What did the
police have to say?

- Oh, they were great.

They spent most of the time
giving me the third degree.

Didn't I know that every
junkie in the world

was looking for a place
to get in out of the rain?

By the time they finished,
I felt like it was my fault.

This is gonna sound weird...

But it isn't the creep in
the garage or the police...

Or the accident this morning.

It's something...
(thunder rumbling)

I don't know, it's
something in the air.

I feel like I'm
about to be caught.

- Caught?

- That's the feeling.

That's what I couldn't put
my finger on in the hospital.

That awful sort of feeling,
like when you were a kid

and you'd swipe
something from the store

and you knew your
mom had found out

and you're just waiting
for the ax to fall.

- Do you remember what I told
you about survivor syndrome?

Well, there's a
little more to it.

Okay?

A large percentage of the
people who are sole survivors

of catastrophic accidents,
like the one you went through,

die themselves within 24 months.

- Die?

Of what?

- Suicide.

I don't mean they
blow their brains out

or anything, but some do.

They just get careless.

Step out in the street
without looking.

Drive a little too fast.

Maybe go places where
they subconsciously know

they're in danger.

- Now you're beginning
to sound like the cops.

- I'm just telling you.

- And I'm telling you.

I didn't go down in the garage,

the elevator has
been on the Fritz.

It took me down there.

And I didn't run
myself off the road.

This guy walked
out in front of me.

- All right.
(thunder rumbling)

- I don't need a shrink
so much as a bodyguard.

(ominous music)

- Not having enough brains
to come in outta the rain.

Sure are a lot of weird
people in the city.

- How many people do you suppose

to die in this city every day?

- Lots, why?

- [Denise] I was just thinking
of something Karla said.

- [Brian] What?

- Nothing.

She's crazy.

(rain pattering)

(thunder crashing)

(solemn music)

(Denise coughing)

(ominous music)

(upbeat music)

- Full house.

Queens and tens.

- You ought to
marry these cards.

- How can somebody who
stoned most of the time

play cards so good?

- Cosmic awareness.

Come on, ante up.

- Cosmic awareness.

- Yeah, she saw God last week.

- How did he look?

- Not so good.

Like he wasn't eating right.

(clears throat)

- Come on, Jennifer.

We can't expect Randy
to go through with it

if we're not willing to, right?

- All right.

But I hope it's worth it.

- It is.

- I wasn't talking
about me, jerk.

(thunder rumbling)

- What are we
trying to do, Randy?

Guess or wait?

(all laughing)

(rain pattering)

- Okay, now we're down to it.

Come on, Randy, ante up.

- It's only skin, Randy.

Everybody has it.

(women laughing)

(doorbell rings)

Who's that?

- Nobody.

Don't move, Randy.

The game isn't over yet.

Oh, Didi, hi.

- I thought I'd just dropped by.

- Well, I was gonna go
to this party later on.

- Well, the thing
of it is I needed

a little company tonight.

Things have gone
bananas at work.

- Well...

Sure, okay, just a second.

You guys gotta split.

Go out the side.

It's my neighbor.

- Who, that airplane chick?

Yeah.

- The karma's so
it's thick around her

you could cut it
with a butter knife.

- Wait, guys, I
can't find my shoe.

(rain pattering)

(thunder rumbling)

- What's going on?

Did I catch you in the middle
of a shower or something?

- This is Randy Pendergrast.

- Randy?

The paper boy?

- Actually, he gave up
that route three years ago.

Time marches on?

- I'm hip.

Do you think your parents
would mind if I swiped a drink?

I'm suddenly feeling very old.

- I can't find my other shoe.

- Forget your other shoe.

- Well, what about my coat?

- Forget your coat!

(rain pattering)

(gentle music)
(clock ticking)

If you ask me, you're better
off without Karla Davis.

Whoever heard of her, anyway?

She's in some old movies
they show on channel 13

every once in a while.

Nobody ever watches
them, they're so stupid.

They were made before
I was born, even.

- Lots of things happened
before you were born.

- Like what?

- I don't know.

World War II.

Lots of shit.

- You know, I've been thinking.

You may have something
like senioritis.

I had it all last
year at school.

- Yeah, maybe.

- I don't mean senioritis
exactly, but something like it.

I know I felt like I didn't
fit in all last year at school.

Not with cheerleading,
with anything.

I got in all kinds of
fights with my teachers,

my parents, I ditched school
about four days a week.

Are you ditching work?

(thunder rumbling)

Didi?

Are you asleep?

Yes?

* Dashing through the snow

* In a one horse open sleigh

* O'er the fields we go

* Laughing all the way

Didi.

Out with friends.

(rain pattering)

(thunder rumbling)

(gentle music)
(clock ticking)

(rain pattering)
(thunder rumbling)

(glass breaking)

(tense music)

(glass banging)

Hmm.

Slow.

(rain pattering)

(dramatic music)
(Kristy gasps)

(clock ticking)

- Kristy?

(rain pattering)
(suspenseful music)

(Kristy gasping)

Kristy?

Kristy, are you upstairs?

(suspenseful music)
(water bubbling)

(Kristy screams)

(suspenseful music)

(clock ticking)

(dramatic music)

(rain pattering)

(ominous music)

(clock ticking)

(mysterious music)

(rain pattering)

- [Man On Phone] Hold on,
hold on, take it easy.

Is he in the house now?

- Yes, yes.

- [Man On Phone] Are
you in the house?

- No, I'm across the street.

Please.
- Okay.

Stay away from your house.

We'll have a unit
there in a few minutes.

- Okay please hurry.

(tense music)
(clock ticking)

(Denise gasps)

- [Man Whispering] Denise.

(mysterious music)

(Denise gasps)

(rain pattering)

(dramatic music)
(Denise screaming)

- Drop it, lady.

- Like I told you, we
searched Ms. Watson's house.

Didn't find a thing.

- Well, what about the girl?

She still missing?

- She left a note saying
she'd be with friends.

- [Brian] Overnight?

- Cutler girl
apparently has a history

of this sort of thing.

Neighbors say she is in the
habit of staying away from home,

more so now that her
folks are out of town.

- Okay.

Forget about the
girl for a second.

Denise says you
know who the man is

who broke into the house.

- Yeah.

She saw it.

Identified him as the guy.

- [Brian] Is he?

- No.

He's a state highway inspector.

Been missing for
a couple of days.

Process of searching
through the woods

for Ms. Watson's intruder,
we found him in his car.

Had a heart attack
while driving.

Lost control of the car,
went over an embankment,

piled into a tree.

We found him
deader'n a doornail.

- Excuse me, we still on?

- Yeah, yeah, give me five.

- Okay.

- [Officer] Been that way
a couple of days, I guess.

Look, I haven't known
Denise all that long,

but I don't think she would-

- Well, you know her well
enough to know about this?

It's amitriptyline.

It's an antidepressant.

- Yeah, I know what it is.

- Well, seems she's
been rather casual

about following the dosage.

Last night, by
her own admission,

she was drinking on top of it.

Now, you know as well
as I do, Dr. Richardson,

that could fuck over King Kong.

And we got a lady here
who claims to have been

attacked by a dead man.

Time of the attack,
she was loaded.

You see where we're
coming from on this.

- You know, I just had an idea
about this survivor syndrome.

Maybe you're supposed to
die and there's a screw-up

and you don't, so they
have to set things right.

That's why so many sole
survivors die, they get them.

- They who?

- Don't play those
games with me.

I'm not serious.

I'm just saying it's
an interesting thought.

- One at least worthy of
your friend Miss Davis.

- Well, I'll tell you this much,

either the cops are wrong
about that guy being dead

or there's some real
spooky shit going on.

- Well, let's consider some
more reasonable explanations,

okay?

What about the amytriptyline?

- Oh.

I see Lieutenant
Patterson has given you

his theory of the case.

- [Denise] How come
you never told me

you were doing an
old prescription?

- I did.

- You never told me
it was amytriptyline.

Do you know how
dangerous that stuff is?

- It's a legal prescription.

- And the doctor that
wrote it must have told you

that taking it and drinking
can kill you real fast.

- So we're back to that again.

Look.

I wasn't thinking.

I only took two and one drink.

Will you get this
through your head?

I do not want to die.

I haven't caused any of this.

Well, what do you
want me to say?

What do you want me to say?

Am I supposed to wanna die?

Is that it?

What, what?
- Okay.

- Are you sure this highway
inspector is the guy?

- Positive.

He's the same guy that I
almost ran over yesterday.

- Okay.

The cops have been wrong before.

Look, I know a couple of
guys who work over at County

where they took the body.

I'll stop off there
this afternoon

when I get off work and
check it out, all right?

(Denise sighs)

- Oh.

I hope you don't mind, I gave
your number to my service.

Told them I'd be
here for a while.

I kinda don't wanna be alone.
- Sure.

- Thanks.

Really.

- Look at this.

Here you got a kid that
gets so bum-tripped

over flunking algebra that
he wolves down 20 caps

of Mommy's Percadin
in and checks out.

Dumb as shit.

Somebody should have told
him that five years from now,

nobody'd give a rat's
ass whether or not

he even went to high school.

- Yeah.

Artie, look, I really
came by to find out

about that guy they
just brought in.

- Oh, the dude from
streets and public works.

- No, highways.

- Well, same thing.

All civil service bullshit.

Hey, look, do yourself a
favor and stay at Memorial.

The worst mistake on my life
is coming over here to County

and getting mixed up
with civil service.

- Okay, about this guy.

- Oh, a highway inspector.

Can you imagine this guy
has a massive coronary,

drives off the highway
and bites the big weenie?

Cars going back and forth
and nobody sees him.

- Okay, now that's what
I was wondering about.

Can you let me see
a workup on him?

- What for?

- Well, I think maybe the
cops made a few mistakes.

- You bet they did.

I told 'em the report was wrong.

(clears throat)

But you know the
cops, civil service.

(phone ringing)

- Hello?

Yes, Karla.

- I've been thinking
about yesterday.

Blake, my agent, says it
wasn't such a hot thing

for me to walk out.

As a matter of
fact, he dropped me.

- I'm sorry.

- Listen.

About what I said.

I get a little carried
away sometimes.

Everybody knows that.

But I feel I could do the job.

And I was wondering if we
could work something out.

- I'm really sorry about this,

but there's nothing
I can do about it.

I tried to warn you.

- Well, I just thought...

- I'm really sorry
this didn't work out.

- That's all right.

Denise.

Did someone break into
your house last night?

(ominous music)

- Yeah.

That's why I didn't
go into work today.

- Goodbye, Denise.

(tense music)

- I get the feeling you
know something about this.

What?

- Well, look, this guy
may have been involved

in breaking into a house.

Okay?

Now maybe the cops chased him
and he ran back to his car

and then had a heart attack.

- Maybe.

When was all this
supposed to have happened?

- Last night.

- What?

Not a chance.

The guy was in the car
for at least 48 hours.

I was here when
they brought him in.

He was pretty ripe, if
you know what I mean,

clothes all wet,
covered with mud.

- Wait a minute.

He was dead in his car for
two days, why would he be wet?

It only started to
rain last night.

I mean, if he was in
there all the time.

- Who knows?

Maybe the cops dropped
him or something

and didn't report it.

They botched the report anyway.

- How?

- They said they found
the guy lying face down

in the front seat of the car.

- So?

- So if the guy died
lying face down,

all the blood in his body
would've settled along here.

- Didn't it?

- No.

Every drop of blood in that
guy's bod drained into his legs.

No way did he lie around for
any two days on his face,

he died standing up.

- Artie, don't be stupid.

How could the guy
die standing up?

He was in a car.

- That's what the cop said.

All I know is the
blood was in his legs.

How it got there is
not my department.

Look, we had the same
fight over some old geezer

they found in the park.

The report says "kidney failure,

found lying in a
prone position."

Kidney failure, yes,
prone position, no.

All the blood was in his legs.

I point that fact out to this
asshole captain in Metro.

"How'd the blood get
in his legs?" he says.

"Not my department," I says.

For all I know he was up and
walking around after he died.

- All right, thanks.

- This captain's got
no sense of humor.

(water running)

(gentle music)

- Karla.

Karla.

It's a part you're
going to play.

A part.

(tense music)

It's me.

I got the part.

I got the part.

(phone ringing)

- [Woman On Phone] Doctor
Richardson's residence.

- This is Richardson,
I'm trying to reach

someone in my house.

Would you let the
phone ring, please?

- [Woman On Phone] Oh, Doctor.

I have a message from a Didi.

"Took a cab home to get
my car and some clothes.

Back in time for dinner.

Maybe I do need a
shrink," it looks like.

- When did you get the message?

- [Woman On Phone]
About 20 minutes ago.

Do you still want me
to let the phone ring?

- No.
(bell ringing)

- [Man On Radio] Okay, here
we are on line number six.

Let me press the
magic button there.

Hello, are you there?

- [Barbara] Yeah, hi.

- [Man On Radio] Hi.

What's your name?

First name only.

What's your name?

- Barbara.
- Barbara.

(birds chirping)

Okay, you know the
topic of the day.

So go ahead and
tell me, darling,

what do you do to
turn your man on?

- [Barbara] I use sexercises.

- [Man On Radio] What is
that, within the boundaries

of your text?

- [Barbara] Sexercises?

It's just like regular exercises

except I take off my clothes
while I'm doing them.

- [Driver] I love it.

- [Man On Radio] Kind
of exercises you do?

- [Barbara] Oh, jumping
jacks, knee bends.

- Excuse me, ma'am, what do
you do to turn your man on?

Anything in particular you
might wanna share with me?

I'm open right now for
any kind of enlightenment.

(driver chuckles)

(birds chirping)

Ma'am, that'll be $42.80.

Listen, if you don't
have the dough,

I'm sure we could
work something out.

Is your old man at home?

- You must be putting me on.

- Can't blame a guy
for trying, right?

See you in church.

(ominous music)

- Kristy?

- [Woman On Radio] He rubs
baby oil all over my body

and I rub baby oil
all over his body.

- Mm!

- [Man On Radio] That sounds...

- I heard about things like
that, but I've never done 'em.

- [Man On Radio] Suddenly
I've become very worried.

- Hello, sweetheart.

- [Man On Radio] Never
used to bother me before.

The same effect with
oil shale, would it?

- Hey!

- [Woman On Radio]
No, I don't think-

- Honey!

You want a ride?

It's gonna rain.

I just dropped off some broad.

I gotta drive all the way
back into the city anyways.

(ominous music)

I could use some company,
you know what I mean?

So what do you say?

You gonna go for it or not?

- I was just over there.

The back door's open
and there's stuff

dumped all over
the kitchen floor.

Somebody's been in her house.

- [Man On Phone] Is this the
woman who reported a prowler-

- Yes, Denise Watson,
30641 Harvard.

- [Man On Phone] Okay.

Well, we'll have a unit
there in about an hour.

- An hour?

Don't rush, okay?

- [Man On Phone] Well, we
have had a few cutbacks.

- Oh, all right.

(mysterious music)

- [Man On Radio] Name of the
program is Feminine Phone-In.

- [Man On Radio]
Well, I'm phoning in

and I'm rather feminine.

- [Man On Radio] I know, and
you do sound like it, Linda,

but after all, I
mean, we do have...

(solemn music drowning
out radio chatter)

(mysterious music)

- [Man On Radio] Bye.

(gentle music)

- [Man On Radio] Line
number there eight,

haven't been up
there in a while.

Hello, hello.
- God.

- [Mary] Hello.

- [Man On Radio] Hello.

Boy, do you sound (indistinct).

What's your name?

- [Mary] I'm Mary.

- [Man On Radio] Mary.

Oh boy, Mary, I can tell
that you're just ready.

What do you do to
turn your man on?

- [Mary] I dress
like his mother.

- [Man On Radio] What?!

Give me a break, you dress
up like the guy's mother?

- [Mary] Well, not
his real mother.

His stepmother, we're not sick.

- [Man On Radio] Oh yeah, okay.

- Bye.
- Bye.

(engine rumbling)

(tires screech)

- [Man On Radio]
Hello, are you there?

- [Woman On Radio] I'm here.

- [Man On Radio] Hi,
what's your name?

Just your first name.

(record scratching)

(tense music)

(ominous music)

- Didi!

(Brian panting)

Come on, let's get...

(suspenseful music)

- No!

God, Kristy.

- [Man Whispering] Denise.

- You're not Kristy!

You're not!

- [Man Whispering] Denise.

(ominous music)

(tense music)
(engine stalling)

- [Denise] Please!

(engine roars)

(suspenseful music)

(Denise screaming)

(tires schreech)

(ominous music)

(mysterious music)

(Denise gasping)

(engine stalling)

(suspenseful music)

(banging on car)

Stop it!

(men chuckling)

(Denise grunts)

(gun clicks)

- Hey, lady.

Watch that gun, we're
not gonna hurt you.

She's too chickenshit
to shoot anybody.

Come on.

(ominous music)

- That's funny, isn't it?

God, everything's racing
around in my head.

The police should be
at my place by now.

Do you think I should
give 'em a call?

God, Karla, except for
you, there's nobody else

who knows about this but me.

They'll never believe me.

You see...

- Four years ago,
I was in the...

But if you tell
him what you know,

that's the important thing.

Is that people know.

How can it go on
if the people know?

(gun clicks)

(gunshot bangs)

(dial tone ringing)

(ominous music)

- [Operator] If you'd
like to make a call,

please hang up and try again.

If you need help, hang up
and then dial your operator.

(phone line beeping)

- Well, if you wanna
be around long enough

to get your pension,
get Patterson on
the line, right now.

- Patterson.

Okay, so you knew
the guy, so what?

- Well, it makes
sense with what he was

asking me about yesterday.

This Davis woman, what
little blood was left in her

drained into her legs.

Same thing with the cab driver.

And the Cutler girl, same deal.

No, she may not be unrelated.

Yeah, I know she drowned,
but how did the blood

get in her legs?

(Artie groans)

How do I know?

Yeah, I got the DR forms.

Thanks.

There's something going on here.

Maybe this time we'll
see if we just can't

get to the bottom of it.

I'm gonna walk this sucker
all the way to the top.

Might be a promotion in it
once I get it figured out.

(typewriter clacking)

- [Man Whispering] Arthur.

(solemn music)