The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 3, Episode 16 - Nothing in the Dark - full transcript

( theme music playing)

YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH
ANOTHER DIMENSION...

A DIMENSION NOT ONLY OF
SIGHT AND SOUND, BUT OF MIND,

A JOURNEY INTO A WONDROUS LAND

WHOSE BOUNDARIES
ARE THAT OF IMAGINATION.

YOUR NEXT STOP,
THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

( footsteps in snow)

( clanking)

( car door closing)

( gasps)

( footsteps)



( muffled cry of fear)

( trash can clattering)

( gasping for breath)

( whistle blows)

( two gunshots)

( gasps)

( clattering)

( gasping for breath)

( car drives away)

Man ( strained): HELP!

PLEASE HELP!

WHO IS IT?

GO AWAY.

I'VE BEEN SHOT.



I NEED HELP.

WHO ARE YOU?

AN... OFFICER.

POLICE.

PLEASE, OPEN THE DOOR.

I NEED HELP.

YOU'RE LYING TO ME.

I KNOW YOU.

YOU CAN'T FOOL ME.

HELP.

YOU'RE LYING.

YOU'RE NO POLICEMAN.

WHY CAN'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE.

AN OLD WOMAN
LIVING IN A NIGHTMARE.

AN OLD WOMAN WHO HAS FOUGHT
A THOUSAND BATTLES WITH DEATH

AND ALWAYS WON.

NOW SHE'S FACED
WITH A GRIM DECISION:

WHETHER OR NOT TO OPEN A DOOR.

AND IN SOME STRANGE
AND FRIGHTENING WAY,

SHE KNOWS THAT THIS
SEEMINGLY ORDINARY DOOR

LEADS TO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

WON'T SOMEBODY HELP?

( gasping)

( struggling): UNLESS
YOU HELP ME,

I'M GOING TO DIE.

I... I DON'T THINK I CAN MOVE.

DON'T SAY THAT, IT ISN'T FAIR.

YOU'RE TRYING TO TRICK ME.

DON'T MOVE.

I-I-I'LL CLOSE THE DOOR.

WHAT?

I'VE BEEN SHOT.

I'M BLEEDING TO DEATH.

PLEASE.

MY NAME IS HAROLD... BELDON.

I NEED A DOCTOR.

PLEASE, CALL THE HOSPITAL.

I HAVEN'T GOT A TELEPHONE.

I'D HAVE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR.

YOU CAN'T ASK ME TO DO THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

YOU UNDERSTAND.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HELP ME?

YOU'RE GOING TO LET ME DIE?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

BUT... IT HURTS.

( inhales sharply)

OH, IT HURTS.

STOP. STOP.

WHY DO YOU TORTURE ME?

IT ISN'T FAIR.

I... I CAN'T MOVE.

I... OOH, IT HURTS.

IT ISN'T FAIR.

IT ISN'T FAIR.

I'M STILL ALIVE.

( liquid pouring)

( humming)

( humming)

( coughs)

NOW, LISTEN, YOU SHOULD
TRY AND GET SOME REST.

REALLY, I FEEL MUCH BETTER.

WHEN THE DOCTOR GETS HERE,
HE'LL TAKE ME OFF YOUR HANDS.

YOU DIDN'T CALL THE DOCTOR.

WHY NOT?

I HAVEN'T GOT A TELEPHONE.

BUT COULDN'T YOU GO TO
ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS?

THERE AREN'T ANY,
THEY'VE ALL MOVED AWAY.

TRUCKS CAME AND TOOK
AWAY THEIR FURNITURE.

FIRST ONE AND THEN ANOTHER.

AND...

EVEN-EVEN IF I COULD
CALL A DOCTOR SOMEHOW,

I COULDN'T TAKE A
CHANCE AND LET HIM IN.

DON'T YOU SEE?

HE MIGHT BE HIM.

HIM?

MR. DEATH.

I KNOW HE'S OUT THERE.

HE'S TRYING TO GET IN.

HE COMES TO THE DOOR AND KNOCKS.

HE BEGS ME TO LET HIM IN.

LAST WEEK HE SAID HE CAME
FROM THE GAS COMPANY.

OH, HE'S CLEVER.

AFTER THAT, HE CLAIMED TO BE A
CONTRACTOR HIRED BY THE CITY.

I KNEW WHO HE WAS.

HE SAID THIS BUILDING
WAS CONDEMNED

THAT I'D HAVE TO LEAVE.

I KEPT THE DOOR LOCKED,
AND HE WENT AWAY.

HE KNOWS I'M ONTO HIM.

MR. DEATH?

IS THIS A PERSON,
LIKE YOU OR ME?

I KNOW IT SOUNDS
CRAZY, BUT IT'S TRUE.

I KNOW IT'S TRUE.

BUT PEOPLE DIE ALL
OVER THE WORLD.

NOW HOW COULD ONE
MAN BE IN ALL THOSE PLACES

AT ONCE?

I DON'T KNOW.

DON'T ASK ME THAT.

MAYBE THERE IS MORE THAN ONE.

MAYBE...

PLEASE DON'T CRY, I...

I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU.

PLEASE, I'M SORRY.

THERE.

AT FIRST, I COULDN'T BE SURE.

IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

I WAS ON A BUS.

THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN

SITTING IN FRONT OF ME KNITTING.

SOCKS, I THINK.

THERE WAS SOMETHING
ABOUT HER FACE.

I THOUGHT I KNEW HER.

THEN THIS YOUNG MAN GOT ON.

THERE WERE EMPTY SEATS,
BUT HE SAT DOWN BESIDE HER.

HE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, BUT...

HIS BEING THERE UPSET HER.

HE SEEMED A NICE YOUNG MAN.

WHEN SHE DROPPED HER YARN,

HE PICKED IT UP,
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

HE HELD IT OUT TO HER.

I SAW THEIR FINGERS TOUCH.

HE GOT OUT AT THE NEXT STOP.

WHEN THE BUS REACHED
THE END OF THE LINE...

SHE WAS DEAD.

HMM.

BUT YOU SAID YOURSELF
SHE WAS AN OLD WOMAN.

BUT I'VE SEEN HIM
SINCE, SEVERAL TIMES.

I'VE SEEN HIM IN CROWDS,
I'VE WATCHED FOR HIM.

EVERY TIME SOMEONE I
KNEW DIED, HE WAS THERE.

ONCE HE WAS A YOUNG SOLDIER,

A SALESMAN, A TAXI DRIVER...

SOMEONE YOU WOULDN'T NOTICE

UNLESS YOU WERE WATCHING.

I WONDERED WHY I COULD SEE HIM

AND THAT NO ONE ELSE COULD.

THEN I KNEW.

IT WAS BECAUSE I
WAS GETTING OLDER

AND MY TIME WAS COMING.

I COULD SEE CLEARER THAN
YOUNGER PEOPLE COULD.

ALL RIGHT.

BUT IF YOU KNEW WHAT HE
LOOKED LIKE, WHY BE AFRAID?

YOU COULD AVOID HIM.

BECAUSE HIS FACE IS ALWAYS
DIFFERENT, I COULDN'T BE SURE.

HOW ABOUT WHEN YOU GO OUT?

COULDN'T HE TOUCH YOU
THEN IF HE WANTED TO?

I NEVER GO OUT.

NEVER?

I HAVEN'T BEEN OUT FOR YEARS.

WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT FOOD?

A BOY DELIVERS IT.

I LEAVE HIM MONEY AND A LIST.

AND I ALWAYS WAIT
UNTIL HE'S GONE AWAY

BEFORE I UNLOCK THE DOOR.

HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THIS?

IF I DON'T LIVE LIKE
THIS, I WON'T LIVE AT ALL.

IF I DON'T WATCH OUT,

IF I LET DOWN EVEN FOR A MOMENT,

HE'LL GET IN.

I KNOW HE WILL.

I HAVEN'T ALWAYS
LIVED LIKE THIS.

I WAS YOUNG ONCE.

PEOPLE SAID I WAS PRETTY.

I LIVED OUT IN THE SUNLIGHT.

PEOPLE SAID I'D SPOIL
MY FINE COMPLEXION.

I DIDN'T CARE.

I LOVED OUTDOOR THINGS.

I LIVED OUT IN THE SUNLIGHT.

I'VE ALWAYS HATED
THE DARK AND THE COLD.

I'M OLD.

I'VE LIVED A LONG TIME.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

I'D RATHER LIVE IN THE DARK

THAN NOT LIVE AT ALL.

HERE.

THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.

WE'RE ALONE HERE.

AND THERE'S NOBODY AT THE DOOR.

YOU NEED SOME
REST... ( gasps in pain)

AND I NEED HELP.

( footsteps approaching)

( knocking at door)

NO.

THERE'S NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF.

YOU BETTER ANSWER IT.

( knocking louder) GO ON.

THAT'S RIGHT.

GO AHEAD.

( knocking loudly)

GO AHEAD, ANSWER IT.

( breathing hard)

I'M SORRY, LADY, BUT
I'VE GOT MY ORDERS.

I CAN'T FOOL AROUND ANY LONGER.

EASY, LADY.

JUST LIE QUIET

TILL YOU GET YOUR STRENGTH BACK.

YOU GAVE ME QUITE A SCARE
WHEN YOU CAVED IN LIKE THAT.

AND STILL I LIVE.

YOU GOT TO
UNDERSTAND, MA'AM, I...

I DON'T GET NO PLEASURE
OUT OF BUSTING IN DOORS.

YOU DON'T SEEM TO REALIZE

HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.

I'VE GOT A-A CREW AND
EQUIPMENT COMING IN AN HOUR

TO PULL THIS TENEMENT DOWN.

BEGGING YOUR PARDON,
MA'AM, BUT IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

I'M SURPRISED IT'S
STILL STANDING.

AND YOU'RE REALLY...
NOT MR. DEATH?

WELL...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

ALL I KNOW IS

I GOT A CONTRACT TO
DEMOLISH THIS ROW OF BUILDINGS.

EVERYBODY ELSE
MOVED OUT LONG AGO.

UNTIL THE OTHER DAY,

I THOUGHT THIS
BUILDING WAS DESERTED.

I SEEN THEM WINDOWS BOARDED
UP, AND I FIGURED YOU MOVED, TOO.

YOU WANT ME TO GO OUTSIDE?

YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE HERE?

I CAN'T.

YOU WERE NOTIFIED
MONTHS AGO, RIGHT?

I'M JUST TRYING TO DO MY JOB.

THESE BUILDINGS WERE
CONDEMNED BY THE CITY,

AND I'M THE ONE

WHO'S GOT TO TEAR THEM DOWN.

HOW CAN YOU.

THIS BUILDING HAS HAD IT.

IT'S WORN OUT, USED UP.

ALL THESE BUILDINGS
HAVE GOT TO COME DOWN.

I AIN'T A MONSTER, LADY.

I... I'VE GOT A HEART
JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE,

BUT, UH...

I CAN SEE HOW YOU COULD
GET ATTACHED TO A PLACE

AND NOT WANT TO SEE IT WRECKED,

BUT WHEN A BUILDING
IS OLD, IT'S DANGEROUS.

IT'S GOT TO COME DOWN TO
MAKE ROOM FOR A NEW ONE.

THAT'S LIFE, LADY.

OLD MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW.

WELL, PEOPLE GET THE IDEA

THAT I'M KIND OF
DESTROYER, BUT...

THEY THINK I GET KICKS
OUT OF TEARING STUFF DOWN.

THAT AIN'T THE WAY IT IS.

I... I JUST CLEAR THE GROUND
SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN BUILD.

IN A WAY, I HELP THEM DO IT.

LOOK AROUND... IT'S
THE WAY THINGS ARE.

A BIG TREE FALLS, AND A NEW ONE

GROW RIGHT OUT OF
THE SAME GROUND.

OLD ANIMALS DIE AND...

YOUNG ONES TAKE THEIR PLACES.

EVEN PEOPLE STEP
ASIDE WHEN IT'S TIME.

I WON'T.

THE DOOR.

THERE'S NO NEED IN THAT.

NOW, WHAT'S THE SENSE
OF LOCKING A DOOR

THAT WON'T EVEN
BE HERE IN AN HOUR?

IF YOU'VE GOT ANY POSSESSIONS
YOU'D WANT TO KEEP,

I'D MOVE THEM
OUT. I'LL HELP YOU.

NOW, LOOK, I'VE BEEN
TRYING TO GO EASY,

BUT IF YOU INSIST
ON STAYING HERE,

I'LL HAVE TO CALL A COP.

PLEASE COOPERATE, LADY.

OF COURSE.

EXPLAIN TO HIM.

TELL HIM THE REASON
I CAN'T GO OUT THERE.

YOU'LL HELP ME, WON'T YOU?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?

MR. BELDON IS A POLICEMAN.

PLEASE TELL HIM.

I'M SORRY, BUT IF
YOU'RE STILL HERE

WHEN THE CREW ARRIVES,

I'LL HAVE TO CALL A COP.

WHY DIDN'T YOU HELP ME?

I THOUGHT YOU UNDERSTOOD.

YOU.

HE LOOKED RIGHT AT
YOU AND DIDN'T SEE YOU.

NO!

LOOK IN THE MIRROR, WANDA.

YOU TRICKED ME.

IT WAS YOU ALL THE TIME.

YES.

I TRICKED YOU.

BUT WHY?

THE MOMENT I LET YOU INSIDE,

YOU COULD HAVE
TAKEN ME ANY TIME.

BUT YOU WERE NICE.

YOU MADE ME TRUST YOU.

BUT I HAD TO MAKE
YOU UNDERSTAND.

AM I REALLY SO BAD?

AM I REALLY SO FRIGHTENING?

YOU'VE TALKED TO ME,
YOU'VE CONFIDED IN ME.

HAVE I TRIED TO HURT YOU?

IT ISN'T ME YOU'RE AFRAID OF.

YOU UNDERSTAND ME.

WHAT YOU'RE AFRAID
OF IS THE UNKNOWN.

DON'T... DON'T BE AFRAID.

BUT I AM AFRAID.

THE RUNNING'S OVER.

IT'S TIME TO REST.

GIVE ME YOUR HAND.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE.

TRUST ME.

NO.

NO.

MOTHER, GIVE ME YOUR HAND.

YOU SEE, NO SHOCK.

NO ENGULFMENT.

NO TEARING ASUNDER.

WHAT YOU FEARED WOULD
COME LIKE AN EXPLOSION

IS LIKE A WHISPER.

WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS THE END

IS THE BEGINNING.

WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?

WHEN WILL WE GO?

GO?

LOOK.

WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.

THERE WAS AN OLD
WOMAN WHO LIVED IN A ROOM

AND, LIKE ALL OF US, WAS
FRIGHTENED OF THE DARK,

BUT WHO DISCOVERED IN A
MINUTE LAST FRAGMENT OF HER LIFE

THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN
THE DARK THAT WASN'T THERE

WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE ON.

OBJECT LESSON FOR THE MORE
FRIGHTENED AMONGST US, IN OR OUT

OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Announcer: ROD SERLING,
CREATOR OF THE TWILIGHT ZONE,

WILL TELL YOU ABOUT
NEXT WEEK'S STORY

AFTER THIS MESSAGE.

AND NOW, MR. SERLING.

NEXT WEEK, ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE,

WE LET YOU IN ON A... AN
EXTRAVAGANT PRACTICAL JOKE.

A MAN WHO WANTS
TO CONVEY AN ILLUSION

THAT THE WORLD IS
COMING TO AN END.

NOW THERE ARE JOKES
AND THERE ARE JOKES,

BUT THIS ONE
STANDS ALL BY ITSELF

AS AN EXERCISE IN THE VERY
DIFFERENT AND THE VERY BIZARRE.

OUR PLAY IS CALLED
"ONE MORE PALLBEARER,"

AND WE COMMEND IT TO YOU
AS SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL.

THIS IS JAMES ARNESS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY A SHORT HOP

FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE
TO DODGE CITY IN GUNSMOKE.

SATURDAY NIGHTS OVER
MOST OF THESE STATIONS.