Read In Dreams: Screenplay Page 7

empty, and out into the street.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. HOTEL NELSON - DAY

  Oliver looks around, noticing that there are no cars or people anywhere. He looks to his left, along Prince of Wales Road, and sees Emily running away from him.

  OLIVER

  (Shouting)

  HEY!! Uh... Whatever your name is... WAIT!

  He starts to run after her.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. PRINCE OF WALES ROAD - DAY

  He stops running and looks around again to try to find Emily. He sees her across the road and runs towards her but she runs away down a side street. As he reaches the spot where he saw her from across the road he stops and looks back. Emily is now standing 50 yards further up the road in the opposite direction to the way that she had been running. She immediately begins to run even further away from where Oliver is standing. He runs after her until he reaches the end of the road and has to make a left hand turn.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. CATHEDRAL GROUNDS - DAY

  Oliver runs around the Cathedral until he runs straight into Johnny. This nearly knocks both of them to the ground, but they both remain standing.

  OLIVER

  Johnny!

  (A beat)

  Have you seen her?

  JOHNNY

  No mate. Can’t say I have

  OLIVER

  Look I... I’ve got to go

  JOHNNY

  I have to go too... But you shouldn't leave just yet. Sit down with me for a bit... I can guarantee you'll find her...

  (A beat)

  Come on... A little time for an old friend. You'll get to her if you just stay with me a while longer... There are things that should be said...

  (A beat or two)

  Look mate, I’m really sorry. I know yer should've been there... But you weren't and yer can't blame yourself for that forever... He was the one with the knife and he was a bloody psycho. And that's not really a great combination... It's not like either of us knew that. If we had we'd have backed down wouldn't we...

  (A beat as

  Oliver nods

  in agreement)

  I mean that's not to say I wasn't a little bit pissed off about things. But I figure that's a pretty normal reaction to dying...

  (Smiling)

  Yer know that in a lot of ways you've made it so I've always been with you and I really don't think that's been a good thing... You’ve made yourself into a ghost and that wasn't how it was meant to be... Remembering what happened should’ve made yer remember that you survived. You’re still alive. That should kind of make yer feel better... You've been down for seven years Olly and that's seven years too long really mate. It's time yer felt better...

  CUT TO:

  EXT. SCHOOL - DAY

  Oliver and Johnny hide from Miss Coyle in a tree.

  JOHNNY

  Remember the good times... Would either of us have got through school if we hadn’t known each other?

  CUT TO:

  EXT. HIGH SCHOOL PLAYING FIELD- DAY

  They walk through the playing field slowly.

  OLIVER

  I guess not... But we aren’t kids anymore

  JOHNNY

  That's right. So maybe you should stop living your life...

  CUT TO:

  INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY

  They stand in the corridor, watching as Jim Brady and his gang walk past.

  JOHNNY

  Like something bad might happen. Like yer might get hurt... Because it might and you might but yer shouldn't be afraid... Yer shouldn't be afraid to hate or love or even just feel. You've denied yourself enough and you've been through far too much, my friend

  CUT TO:

  EXT. CATHEDRAL GROUNDS - DAY

  They sit on the grass in the Cathedral grounds.

  JOHNNY

  You’ve gotta realise that there’s nothing yer can change that’s in the past

  (A beat)

  And I think we both need to be moving on

  OLIVER

  (A beat or two)

  Will I ever see you again?

  JOHNNY

  You already know the answer to that...

  (A beat)

  When yer think about it there are loads of different types of feelings. What yer have to ask yourself is if the feelings stirred up by a book or play are really any different to what yer can feel in your hands or taste on your tongue. Because if they're the same and if you're able to imagine it, then imagine things and make them real... If yer do that then maybe things can be beautiful for yer

  Johnny stands up, turns and walks away from Oliver, who watches him as he goes.

  JOHNNY

  (Turning back

  to Oliver)

  Oh yeah, just a little guidance mate... Please don’t forget to remember

  Oliver looks towards where Johnny was but his friend is gone. He looks on for several seconds before he gets to his feet and runs again.

  CUT TO:

  EXT. NORWICH CASTLE GROUNDS - DAY

  Oliver runs up a small incline to the castle and stops to catch his breath. He looks to his side and finds he is standing next to Emily.

  OLIVER

  Hello... So this is where you are

  Emily grabs both of his hands and pulls him close to her.

  EMILY

  Don’t forget to remember, for it would be a shame; to forget Guildhall Hill, London Street and Upper Goat Lane... But worst of all it would be a horrific state, if you forgot to remember, on a day in November, the name Colegate

  OLIVER

  Let me guess, a little more guidance...

  (A beat as

  Emily nods

  her head)

  I’m really sorry for before...

  (A beat or

  two as she

  nods again)

  I think you ought to know... I have to leave tomorrow.

  She looks at the ground and doesn't look up.

  EMILY

  I thought so... You obviously won’t listen to anyone who tries to help you

  OLIVER

  I want to

  EMILY

  Then why don’t you do what you want to do?

  OLIVER

  I’m sorry... I can't. I want to but it's all too much

  EMILY

  Please try harder and don’t give up yet. Don't be scared about something bad happening?

  OLIVER

  Nothing's ever made me think that it won't

  EMILY

  (A beat as

  she sighs)

  Is this going to be goodbye then?

  OLIVER

  I don’t know... It could be

  EMILY

  But I don’t want to say goodbye

  OLIVER

  Nor do I

  EMILY

  (She grabs

  his hand)

  Then let’s just lie here and hope we never wake up

  Oliver and Emily lay down together on the ground in each other’s arms.

  EMILY

  (V.O)

  So, we’ll go no more a roving

  So late into the night,

  Though the heart be still as loving,

  And the moon be still as bright...

  FADE TO:

  INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY

  Oliver and Emily lay together on the floor in each other’s arms.

  EMILY

  (V.O)

  For the sword outwears its sheath,

  And the soul wears out the breast,

  And the heart must pause to breathe,

  And love itself have rest...

  FADE TO:

  EXT. Forest - DAY

  Oliver and Emily are together in each other’s arms in the snow surrounded by bluebells.

  FADE TO:

  EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

  Oliver and Emily lay together in a wheat field.

  EMILY

  (V.O)

  Though the night was made for loving,

&nb
sp; And the day returns too soon,

  Yet we’ll go no more a roving

  By the light of the moon

  FADE TO:

  EXT. MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK - EVENING

  Oliver and Emily lay on the ground outside the car park in each other’s arms.

  OLIVER

  (Looking around)

  This is where we met

  EMILY

  (A beat as

  they both

  sit up)

  I still don’t want to say goodbye... Even though I think I ought to...

  (Silently mouthing

  the word and

  then starting

  to cry)

  Do you really need another prompt?

  END DREAM SEQUENCE.

  SUPER: "That day..."

  FADE IN:

  INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING

  Oliver gets out of bed and rubs his head. He moves around the room and slowly begins to pick up the empty bottles from the previous night.

  CUT TO:

  INT. HOTEL RECEPTION - MORNING

  Oliver walks into reception and approaches Rose at the desk.

  OLIVER

  Hello... I thought I should let you know I’ll be checking out today... I've got to catch a plane at three

  Rose nods her head.

  Rose

  Thank you sir, would you like to settle your bill now?

  Oliver checks his pockets for money. All he finds is his room key.

  OLIVER

  Uh... Could I leave it till I check out?

  Rose

  (Smiling and

  nodding)

  As you wish Mr Bell

  CUT TO:

  INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY

  Oliver packs his things into his suitcase slowly and methodically. He takes his alarm clock from the bedside table, his toothbrush and toothpaste from the bathroom and puts them all into his suitcase. The book of poetry is the final thing he places on top of everything else in the suitcase.

  FADE TO:

  INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY

  Oliver sits on the bed in silence. He looks at his watch - it is 2pm. He gets up, picks up his suitcase, briefly walks around the room, and then goes out through the door.

  CUT TO:

  INT. HOTEL RECEPTION - DAY

  Oliver walks into reception, carrying his suitcase and goes to the desk.

  OLIVER

  Okay then... May I have my bill please?

  He is given his bill, which he puts on the desk as he gets his wallet from his pocket, and then his credit card from his wallet. He hands the card to Rose, who puts it into the bottom of a handheld credit card machine, which she then hands over to him

  OLIVER

  Thanks...

  He takes the machine, enters in his PIN number and hands it back. She takes the credit card out of the machine and hands it, along with a small receipt, to Oliver.

  ROSE

  Thank you Mr Bell

  OLIVER

  Thank you

  He begins to walk away from the desk.

  Rose

  Mr Bell?

  (A beat as

  Oliver turns

  back)

  If you don’t mind me asking, how are you getting to the