The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985–1992): Season 6, Episode 1 - The Lonely One - full transcript
After discovering the body of the latest victim of the serial killer known as The Lonely One, Lavinia persuades her friends to go to the movies to take their minds off the tragedy. The result is a long, scary midnight walk home for the increasingly terrified Lavinia.
[music playing]
[eerie music]
RAY BRADBURY: People ask,
where do you get your ideas?
Well, right here.
All of this is mine,
magician's toyshop.
I'm Ray Bradbury.
And this is--
[theme music]
[church bells ringing]
[peaceful music]
Lavinia?
Here I am, Lavinia.
- Yes.
And as always, just as I've
poured myself a fresh lemonade.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I'll just lock up.
Don't you get lonely, living
in a big house like this
all by yourself?
Old maids love to
live alone, Francine.
Come on.
It's a fine night for a movie.
Mhm.
WOMAN: Where you going, girls?
Oh, to the movies, of course.
Going to see a thriller.
Real scary, I'm told.
Won't catch us out on no
not like this, eh, Adeline?
Not with that Lonely One around.
We're going to lock
ourselves up real tight.
Aren't we, dear?
- Mhm.
You do that.
Come on, Francine.
[laughs]
[horn honks]
Lavinia, you don't really
believe all that stuff
about the Lonely One, do you?
- Oh, of course not.
Those ladies just love to blab.
Besides, they're
not much at risk.
[laughs]
Well, maybe we-- we
shouldn't go to the--
Francine, we're
going to movies.
Where do you think you're going?
- To the movies.
I'm not going down there.
Yes you are.
I hate it down there.
I don't care.
It's still early.
And the Lonely One won't
be out until later.
Besides, it's the best shortcut.
Come on.
[sighs]
[laughter]
[birds chirping]
Lavinia, you can
laugh all you want.
But as far as I'm
concerned, there's
nothing funny about the ravine.
Hey, what do these
steps remind you of?
I don't know.
Come on, when you were a kid.
The story of the bogeyman
coming into your house and you,
upstairs, in the bedroom.
Hattie McDawls was killed
a month ago, you know.
And Roberta Ferry,
a month before that.
Must have been the bogeyman.
Lavinia.
LAVINIA: Now he's
on the first step,
moving slowly up to the second.
FRANCINE: And Elizabeth Ramsal
hasn't been seen for two days.
LAVINIA: Elizabeth Ramsal ran
away with a traveling salesman,
I bet.
And now he's on the fifth
step, coming up to the sixth.
You know, they were
all found strangled,
with their tongues sticking
out of their mouths.
Aha, and the bogeyman is now
coming up to the 14th step.
FRANCINE: Lavinia, stop it.
LAVINIA: And now he's
entered the bedroom.
And he's standing by the bed.
FRANCINE: I hate it down here.
LAVINIA: And now he's got ya!
[screams]
Oh, don't.
Don't.
Elizabeth!
[cicadas chirping]
[church bell ringing]
Bring it in.
All right, guys, let's get
in here and seal it off.
Let's lay 'em down over
here, where it's flat.
All right.
Let's tie over there
on that branch.
You ladies can go home now.
We'll call you tomorrow.
Well, get straight home then.
Thank you, Officer Kennedy.
Wait, Francine, look,
it's almost 8:30.
We're going to go pick up
Helen and go to the show.
The show?
We can't--
We have to.
It's very important.
We've got to forget all this.
And if we went home,
we'd remember everything.
Now, we'll just go
to the show and act
as though nothing happened.
That's Elizabeth
there, our friend.
Not much we can
do about it now.
The least we should do
is call Elizabeth's mother
and tell her ourselves.
But I don't know if I can.
Leave it up to me.
CHILD: Wow, another murder.
FRANCINE: You boys over there!
You-- you go home!
You get out!
Get out!
Get out!
Francine?
Only an hour late, that's all.
Well, what happened?
We-- well--
There was this commotion.
What Kind of a commotion?
They found Elizabeth Ramsal.
Well, what do you
mean, they found her?
Well?
In the ravine.
Dead?
Was she dead?
Yes.
Oh my god.
Well, who found her?
Well--
We don't know.
Do we, Francine?
Oh, poor Elizabeth.
I've got a mind to go back
in there and lock the door.
You do that.
Lock the door.
We're going to the movies.
Lavinia?
Come on now.
[ominous music]
We're crazy to be out
at a time like this.
Come on, they say
there's safety in numbers.
And besides, it's too soon.
Those killings only
come once a month.
- Gotcha!
- Oh!
Jeez!
I'm the Lonely One
Frank Dillon, don't
you ever do that again!
[gasping]
Gee, I--
I'm sorry.
Just-- didn't you hear
what happened in the ravine?
What's the matter with you?
Good Lord, now get
out of the way. .
Francine, he was only joking.
Why is she crying so hard?
I'll tell you later.
Let's not be late
for the movies.
Come on, Francine.
Oh, come on, lighten up now.
FRANCINE: We should be
indoors, like everybody else.
LAVINIA: That's just where
we are going, Francine.
Thanks.
MAN (ON RADIO): --to
be as the Lonely One.
Thanks.
Sure look nice
tonight, ladies.
We'll a quarter's worth
of peppermint chews, please.
CLERK: You looked real
pretty this afternoon,
Miss Lavinia, when you was
in for your chocolate soda.
- You all right?
- Yeah.
You all right?
And so pretty, someone
was asking after you.
Oh?
Sure.
A man was sitting at
that table, right there.
Watched you walk out.
Said, say, who's that?
Why, Lavinia Nibs, prettiest
maiden lady in town, I said.
She's beautiful, he said.
Where does she live?
You didn't tell
him, I hope, did you?
No, no, no.
I just said something
like, on Park Street,
you know, near the ravine.
Oh, you fool.
Well, I'm sorry.
Look, I'm sure it was nothing.
Well, I know what
I'm going to do.
I'm calling a taxi
to get us home.
MAN (ON RADIO): --especially
after dark, and especially
if unaccompanied.
Maybe he's the Lonely One.
Well, no taxis for me.
If I'm meant to be the next
victim, I will be the next.
Might be kind of exciting.
[laughs]
Listen, I made him tell
me what the man looked like.
He was a stranger in a dark
suit with a-- a very long,
pale face, and-- and very thin.
I hear this is really scary.
Don't be so upset, Francine.
Come on, calm down.
It's all right.
And besides, I'm
not that beautiful.
Oh, but you are, Lavinia.
You are the loveliest lady
in town now that Elizabeth--
if you'd just learn
to relax, you would
have been married years ago.
If you two want to
take a taxi, then go.
Because I'm going to the movies.
And I'm going to
walk home alone.
Thanks very much.
No, no, no.
We can let you do that.
Oh, you can't?
Lavinia.
Hey, I'll have two tickets
for the scaredy cats,
and one ticket for me, please.
The police have asked
us to cut the cartoon
and the coming
attraction so we can
all be out at a decent hour.
Now, the main feature's
going to be over by 10:45.
Please, go straight home.
He means us.
MAN: Someone has
to go down there.
And it might well be me.
WOMAN: Rick, you can't.
RICK: I must.
I must destroy him before
he destroys us all.
WOMAN: Rick!
RICK: Yes, darling?
WOMAN: I love you.
You'll come back?
RICK: Save a pillow for me, kid.
[ominous music]
Ah, he touched me!
It's the Lonely One!
[screaming]
Get out!
Get out!
It's the Lonely One!
[projector slows, stops]
[women screaming]
Get out!
How embarrassing.
[laughs]
I'm sorry.
The theater manager's
brother from Racine.
[laughs]
I apologized.
[laughter]
We shouldn't have stopped
for these sodas, you know.
The police told us to--
Oh, bosh, the police.
Come on now, the Lonely One's
probably a million miles away.
Closing-up time, ladies.
[laughter]
Lavinia, maybe we
should walk you home.
I mean, after all,
you're the pretty one.
Through the ravine?
But Francine, you'd have to
go back through yourself.
And you know, if you stepped
on a twig, you'd die of fright.
Well, maybe we could
all stay at your house.
Sure, why not?
Come on, let's sing.
(SINGING) Row, row, row your
boat gently down the stream.
(SINGING) Row, row, row your
boat, gently down the stream.
(SINGING) Merrily,
merrily, merrily,
merrily, life is but a dream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily,
merrily, life is but a dream.
Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily,
merrily, merrily.
Life is but a dream.
Merrily, merrily--
Shh!
(WHISPERS) Listen.
[distant creaking]
Gotcha.
[gasps]
[laughs]
Lavinia, honestly.
[eerie music]
Well, made it home, Francine.
Goodnight.
Lavinia, Helen, why don't
you stay here tonight?
I mean, it's almost midnight.
You can sleep in the parlor and
I'll make hot chocolate, and--
I don't think so.
Oh, but I don't want
you to die, Lavinia.
Francine, I'll phone
you soon as I get home.
- You will?
- Yes.
And I'll tell you that I'm safe.
And tomorrow we'll
have a picnic.
I'm going to live
forever, you know.
Live.
Yes, OK.
Forever.
Mhm.
OK.
Goodnight, Helen.
Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, Francine.
Night-night.
[church bell rings]
LAVINIA: 9--
[church bell rings]
10--
[church bell rings]
11--
[church bell rings]
12.
Hmm.
Well, Helen, guess
I'll be going on.
I don't suppose
it's any use asking
you to come back with me?
No use at all.
'Night.
Lavinia?
You've been acting
so odd tonight.
What's going on?
[laughs]
I'm just enjoying myself.
I'm having some fun.
You know, sometimes I think--
well, that people want to die.
Don't be silly, Helen.
I'm going to be home safe
in my house in five minutes.
Right?
Right, Lavinia.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, Helen.
[exhales]
[crickets chirping]
[eerie music]
[DISTANT WHISTLING, "ROW, ROW,
ROW YOUR BOAT"]
[whistling volume increases]
[whistling continues]
[breathing deeply]
[approaching footsteps]
[metal jingling]
MAN: Well, I'll be damned.
Miss Nibs.
Is that Officer Kennedy?
Who else?
Say, it's late.
You shouldn't be out here.
Let me walk you
across the ravine.
No.
No thank you.
It'll be safer.
No trouble at all.
I wouldn't walk across
the ravine with any man.
And how do I know you're
not the Lonely One?
OK.
Get on.
I'll stay right
here, see you safe.
OK.
Thank you.
Officer Kennedy--
Officer Kennedy?
[owl hoots]
[ominous music]
OK.
Let's hear it for the bogeyman.
(WHISPERS) Now he's
on the first step.
Now he's on the second.
And now he's on the
fourth step, reaching
over to the fifth, and the
sixth, seventh, getting closer.
He's coming up to
the eighth and ninth.
And 10th.
My goodness, she's reaching
the top of the landing.
Closer.
Closer.
And he breathes in because
he's about to open the door.
And he comes, opens the door.
And he looks inside.
And then he--
[owl screeches]
[screams]
[gasping]
[screams]
[gasping]
[ominous music]
[screams]
[twigs crackling]
[breathing heavily]
[ominous music]
[rustling]
[twigs crackling]
[gasps]
Oh!
[panting]
[suspenseful music]
Oh!
[gasping for breath]
[keys jingling]
[sobbing]
[breathing deeply]
[sighs]
[inhales]
[sighs]
Francine?
Yes, of course, it's me.
No.
I'm just an out-- out
of breath because I--
I couldn't find my key.
Oh, Francine, the ravine is
as safe as it always was.
No, no.
We'll be fine.
We're going to have a
picnic tomorrow, right?
OK.
That's what we'll do.
Yes, yes.
Bye bye, I'll see you tomorrow.
[suspenseful music]
[man clears throat]
[breathing deeply]
[gasps]
[approaching footsteps]
[theme music]
[music playing]
[eerie music]
RAY BRADBURY: People ask,
where do you get your ideas?
Well, right here.
All of this is mine,
magician's toyshop.
I'm Ray Bradbury.
And this is--
[theme music]
[church bells ringing]
[peaceful music]
Lavinia?
Here I am, Lavinia.
- Yes.
And as always, just as I've
poured myself a fresh lemonade.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I'll just lock up.
Don't you get lonely, living
in a big house like this
all by yourself?
Old maids love to
live alone, Francine.
Come on.
It's a fine night for a movie.
Mhm.
WOMAN: Where you going, girls?
Oh, to the movies, of course.
Going to see a thriller.
Real scary, I'm told.
Won't catch us out on no
not like this, eh, Adeline?
Not with that Lonely One around.
We're going to lock
ourselves up real tight.
Aren't we, dear?
- Mhm.
You do that.
Come on, Francine.
[laughs]
[horn honks]
Lavinia, you don't really
believe all that stuff
about the Lonely One, do you?
- Oh, of course not.
Those ladies just love to blab.
Besides, they're
not much at risk.
[laughs]
Well, maybe we-- we
shouldn't go to the--
Francine, we're
going to movies.
Where do you think you're going?
- To the movies.
I'm not going down there.
Yes you are.
I hate it down there.
I don't care.
It's still early.
And the Lonely One won't
be out until later.
Besides, it's the best shortcut.
Come on.
[sighs]
[laughter]
[birds chirping]
Lavinia, you can
laugh all you want.
But as far as I'm
concerned, there's
nothing funny about the ravine.
Hey, what do these
steps remind you of?
I don't know.
Come on, when you were a kid.
The story of the bogeyman
coming into your house and you,
upstairs, in the bedroom.
Hattie McDawls was killed
a month ago, you know.
And Roberta Ferry,
a month before that.
Must have been the bogeyman.
Lavinia.
LAVINIA: Now he's
on the first step,
moving slowly up to the second.
FRANCINE: And Elizabeth Ramsal
hasn't been seen for two days.
LAVINIA: Elizabeth Ramsal ran
away with a traveling salesman,
I bet.
And now he's on the fifth
step, coming up to the sixth.
You know, they were
all found strangled,
with their tongues sticking
out of their mouths.
Aha, and the bogeyman is now
coming up to the 14th step.
FRANCINE: Lavinia, stop it.
LAVINIA: And now he's
entered the bedroom.
And he's standing by the bed.
FRANCINE: I hate it down here.
LAVINIA: And now he's got ya!
[screams]
Oh, don't.
Don't.
Elizabeth!
[cicadas chirping]
[church bell ringing]
Bring it in.
All right, guys, let's get
in here and seal it off.
Let's lay 'em down over
here, where it's flat.
All right.
Let's tie over there
on that branch.
You ladies can go home now.
We'll call you tomorrow.
Well, get straight home then.
Thank you, Officer Kennedy.
Wait, Francine, look,
it's almost 8:30.
We're going to go pick up
Helen and go to the show.
The show?
We can't--
We have to.
It's very important.
We've got to forget all this.
And if we went home,
we'd remember everything.
Now, we'll just go
to the show and act
as though nothing happened.
That's Elizabeth
there, our friend.
Not much we can
do about it now.
The least we should do
is call Elizabeth's mother
and tell her ourselves.
But I don't know if I can.
Leave it up to me.
CHILD: Wow, another murder.
FRANCINE: You boys over there!
You-- you go home!
You get out!
Get out!
Get out!
Francine?
Only an hour late, that's all.
Well, what happened?
We-- well--
There was this commotion.
What Kind of a commotion?
They found Elizabeth Ramsal.
Well, what do you
mean, they found her?
Well?
In the ravine.
Dead?
Was she dead?
Yes.
Oh my god.
Well, who found her?
Well--
We don't know.
Do we, Francine?
Oh, poor Elizabeth.
I've got a mind to go back
in there and lock the door.
You do that.
Lock the door.
We're going to the movies.
Lavinia?
Come on now.
[ominous music]
We're crazy to be out
at a time like this.
Come on, they say
there's safety in numbers.
And besides, it's too soon.
Those killings only
come once a month.
- Gotcha!
- Oh!
Jeez!
I'm the Lonely One
Frank Dillon, don't
you ever do that again!
[gasping]
Gee, I--
I'm sorry.
Just-- didn't you hear
what happened in the ravine?
What's the matter with you?
Good Lord, now get
out of the way. .
Francine, he was only joking.
Why is she crying so hard?
I'll tell you later.
Let's not be late
for the movies.
Come on, Francine.
Oh, come on, lighten up now.
FRANCINE: We should be
indoors, like everybody else.
LAVINIA: That's just where
we are going, Francine.
Thanks.
MAN (ON RADIO): --to
be as the Lonely One.
Thanks.
Sure look nice
tonight, ladies.
We'll a quarter's worth
of peppermint chews, please.
CLERK: You looked real
pretty this afternoon,
Miss Lavinia, when you was
in for your chocolate soda.
- You all right?
- Yeah.
You all right?
And so pretty, someone
was asking after you.
Oh?
Sure.
A man was sitting at
that table, right there.
Watched you walk out.
Said, say, who's that?
Why, Lavinia Nibs, prettiest
maiden lady in town, I said.
She's beautiful, he said.
Where does she live?
You didn't tell
him, I hope, did you?
No, no, no.
I just said something
like, on Park Street,
you know, near the ravine.
Oh, you fool.
Well, I'm sorry.
Look, I'm sure it was nothing.
Well, I know what
I'm going to do.
I'm calling a taxi
to get us home.
MAN (ON RADIO): --especially
after dark, and especially
if unaccompanied.
Maybe he's the Lonely One.
Well, no taxis for me.
If I'm meant to be the next
victim, I will be the next.
Might be kind of exciting.
[laughs]
Listen, I made him tell
me what the man looked like.
He was a stranger in a dark
suit with a-- a very long,
pale face, and-- and very thin.
I hear this is really scary.
Don't be so upset, Francine.
Come on, calm down.
It's all right.
And besides, I'm
not that beautiful.
Oh, but you are, Lavinia.
You are the loveliest lady
in town now that Elizabeth--
if you'd just learn
to relax, you would
have been married years ago.
If you two want to
take a taxi, then go.
Because I'm going to the movies.
And I'm going to
walk home alone.
Thanks very much.
No, no, no.
We can let you do that.
Oh, you can't?
Lavinia.
Hey, I'll have two tickets
for the scaredy cats,
and one ticket for me, please.
The police have asked
us to cut the cartoon
and the coming
attraction so we can
all be out at a decent hour.
Now, the main feature's
going to be over by 10:45.
Please, go straight home.
He means us.
MAN: Someone has
to go down there.
And it might well be me.
WOMAN: Rick, you can't.
RICK: I must.
I must destroy him before
he destroys us all.
WOMAN: Rick!
RICK: Yes, darling?
WOMAN: I love you.
You'll come back?
RICK: Save a pillow for me, kid.
[ominous music]
Ah, he touched me!
It's the Lonely One!
[screaming]
Get out!
Get out!
It's the Lonely One!
[projector slows, stops]
[women screaming]
Get out!
How embarrassing.
[laughs]
I'm sorry.
The theater manager's
brother from Racine.
[laughs]
I apologized.
[laughter]
We shouldn't have stopped
for these sodas, you know.
The police told us to--
Oh, bosh, the police.
Come on now, the Lonely One's
probably a million miles away.
Closing-up time, ladies.
[laughter]
Lavinia, maybe we
should walk you home.
I mean, after all,
you're the pretty one.
Through the ravine?
But Francine, you'd have to
go back through yourself.
And you know, if you stepped
on a twig, you'd die of fright.
Well, maybe we could
all stay at your house.
Sure, why not?
Come on, let's sing.
(SINGING) Row, row, row your
boat gently down the stream.
(SINGING) Row, row, row your
boat, gently down the stream.
(SINGING) Merrily,
merrily, merrily,
merrily, life is but a dream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily,
merrily, life is but a dream.
Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily,
merrily, merrily.
Life is but a dream.
Merrily, merrily--
Shh!
(WHISPERS) Listen.
[distant creaking]
Gotcha.
[gasps]
[laughs]
Lavinia, honestly.
[eerie music]
Well, made it home, Francine.
Goodnight.
Lavinia, Helen, why don't
you stay here tonight?
I mean, it's almost midnight.
You can sleep in the parlor and
I'll make hot chocolate, and--
I don't think so.
Oh, but I don't want
you to die, Lavinia.
Francine, I'll phone
you soon as I get home.
- You will?
- Yes.
And I'll tell you that I'm safe.
And tomorrow we'll
have a picnic.
I'm going to live
forever, you know.
Live.
Yes, OK.
Forever.
Mhm.
OK.
Goodnight, Helen.
Goodnight.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, Francine.
Night-night.
[church bell rings]
LAVINIA: 9--
[church bell rings]
10--
[church bell rings]
11--
[church bell rings]
12.
Hmm.
Well, Helen, guess
I'll be going on.
I don't suppose
it's any use asking
you to come back with me?
No use at all.
'Night.
Lavinia?
You've been acting
so odd tonight.
What's going on?
[laughs]
I'm just enjoying myself.
I'm having some fun.
You know, sometimes I think--
well, that people want to die.
Don't be silly, Helen.
I'm going to be home safe
in my house in five minutes.
Right?
Right, Lavinia.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, Helen.
[exhales]
[crickets chirping]
[eerie music]
[DISTANT WHISTLING, "ROW, ROW,
ROW YOUR BOAT"]
[whistling volume increases]
[whistling continues]
[breathing deeply]
[approaching footsteps]
[metal jingling]
MAN: Well, I'll be damned.
Miss Nibs.
Is that Officer Kennedy?
Who else?
Say, it's late.
You shouldn't be out here.
Let me walk you
across the ravine.
No.
No thank you.
It'll be safer.
No trouble at all.
I wouldn't walk across
the ravine with any man.
And how do I know you're
not the Lonely One?
OK.
Get on.
I'll stay right
here, see you safe.
OK.
Thank you.
Officer Kennedy--
Officer Kennedy?
[owl hoots]
[ominous music]
OK.
Let's hear it for the bogeyman.
(WHISPERS) Now he's
on the first step.
Now he's on the second.
And now he's on the
fourth step, reaching
over to the fifth, and the
sixth, seventh, getting closer.
He's coming up to
the eighth and ninth.
And 10th.
My goodness, she's reaching
the top of the landing.
Closer.
Closer.
And he breathes in because
he's about to open the door.
And he comes, opens the door.
And he looks inside.
And then he--
[owl screeches]
[screams]
[gasping]
[screams]
[gasping]
[ominous music]
[screams]
[twigs crackling]
[breathing heavily]
[ominous music]
[rustling]
[twigs crackling]
[gasps]
Oh!
[panting]
[suspenseful music]
Oh!
[gasping for breath]
[keys jingling]
[sobbing]
[breathing deeply]
[sighs]
[inhales]
[sighs]
Francine?
Yes, of course, it's me.
No.
I'm just an out-- out
of breath because I--
I couldn't find my key.
Oh, Francine, the ravine is
as safe as it always was.
No, no.
We'll be fine.
We're going to have a
picnic tomorrow, right?
OK.
That's what we'll do.
Yes, yes.
Bye bye, I'll see you tomorrow.
[suspenseful music]
[man clears throat]
[breathing deeply]
[gasps]
[approaching footsteps]
[theme music]
[music playing]