INT. DEE’S APARTMENT - DAY

PRESENT DAY

A man, a STALKER (we cannot see the face) opens the apartment door and enters; he studies the simple but ordinary appearing front rooms. A ceramic Halloween pumpkin sits on the mantle.

He looks back to see if anyone observed him. He closes the door and looks around the room. Walking to the overflowing ashtray, he picks it up and shakes his head.

He enters the small KITCHEN and empties the ashtray, washes it, and returns it to the very place he retrieved it from.

Seeing the picture frame with a blonde woman smiling he picks it up and grotesquely licks the glass covering. He places it back and walks down the hall to the

MASTER BEDROOM.

Upon entering he looks around and lifts up the unmade covers of the bed and examines closely. He goes to the lingerie drawer and rifles through it. He finds a black lace teddy and holds it to his face smelling the fragrance. His eyes closed while he relishes the scent.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S APARTMENT - DUSK

Meet DEE ALLEN, same as in the framed photo, blonde, middle thirties, slim build, walks through the door with her five year old daughter MANDY. She has a cell phone to her ear and is talking as she steers the child though the front door.

DEE

(into phone)

I don’t know what to do, it’s

so bizarre. I wish you could

come home. I don’t know how to

explain it.

(beat)

Mom is so strange.

Dee enters and Mandy jumps up turning on the room light. Dee continues talking on the phone while she places her purse and grocery bag on the dining room table. Mandy runs to her bedroom.

Dee removes her coat and picks up the groceries.

DEE

(into phone)

Carl please try. At least

call her. And I’ll call aunt

Edna. Bye.

Hangs up the phone and appears frustrated.

After a beat:

DEE

Mandy, make sure you hang up

your coat.

(beat)

What do you think about

having spaghetti for

supper?

MANDY (O.S.)

Okay, Mama.

Dee starts for the kitchen, but something catches her eye. She stops and looks back to the ashtray. It’s not only empty, but spotless.

DEE

(whispers)

Did I do that? I washed that,

right?

(beat)

Sure, I think.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Dee is preparing supper. Her activity is interrupted by the phone RINGING next to her.

DEE

(into phone)

Hello.

BEN (V.O.)

Dee, you have a problem.

Dee rolls her eyes. It’s her ex-husband.

After a beat:

DEE

(into phone)

Of course I do Ben. What else

is new?

BEN (V.O.)

Dee, your mom was here. She was

looking for you. She thought you

lived here. And she’s mad about,

get this, Rush Limbaugh fixing her

car.

DEE

(into phone)

Are you serious? We’ve been

divorced for eight months, why

would she be looking for me there?

BEN (V.O.)

I know. And your Mom knows, but

she said she forgot.

DEE

(into phone)

Is she still there?

BEN (V.O.)

No, she said she was going home.

And her voice is slurred.

(beat)

Like she’s drunk.

DEE

(into phone)

Okay, thanks. I’ll call and

check on her.

(beat)

Did you say Rush Limbaugh fixed

her car?

BEN (V.O.)

Yep. Your mom really thinks he

botched up the repair job on it.

DEE

(into phone)

Thanks for calling me.

BEN (V.O.)

Yeah no problem. Bye.

DEE

Bye.

Dee hangs up the phone her expression grave. She holds her forehead in frustration, thinking a minute with her eyes closed she leans against the wall.

After a beat:

Dee picks up the phone and dials Nella’s number.

CUT TO:

INT. NELLA’S HOUSE – NIGHT

NELLA, a sixty two year old woman with uncombed hair stands in a dirty, cluttered kitchen. On the wall next to her the phone RINGS. Nella jerks her head up and glances oddly around, not sure of the source of the ring.

NELLA

Hello!

The phone continues to RING. Nella sees a covered pan with a lid on the counter. She picks up the lid and looks into the pan and speaks.

NELLA

Hello!

Nella looks up again and listens to the RINGING.

She puts the lid down and the phone quits ringing.

Nella looks at the pan oddly and peeks back in.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

DEE

Baby, we’ve got to check

on Grandma. Get your coat.

Mandy runs from the bedroom with her coat in her hand.

Dee turns off the burners and leaves the pots on the stove. Hurriedly Dee and Mandy race out the door.

ANGLE ON the tomato sauce in one pot, the spaghetti in a full pot of water next to it.

CUT TO:

EXT. APARTMENT COMPLEX - NIGHT

ANGLE ON the same dark headed man. He watches Dee and her daughter jump into a blue sedan and quickly drive away.

CUT TO:

INT. NELLA’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Dee KNOCKS but doesn’t wait for her mother to open the door. Dee and Mandy rush in.

DEE

(yells)

Mom! Mom!

NELLA THOMAS

(slurred speech)

In here.

Nella enters from the kitchen and joins the frantic Dee in the living room.

Nella has a blue and brown afghan around her shoulders.

DEE

Mom, what’s going on?

NELLA

(slurred speech)

What’s wrong?

DEE

Ben called; he said you were

looking for me.

(beat)

Your speech…

Nella cuts her off.

NELLA

(slurred)

I was. I thought you said,

you would be over there today.

I didn’t want to drive all the

way to Midland, so I was just

going to catch you there.

DEE

I don’t remember saying I was

going to be at Ben’s.

NELLA

You said the other day that

you were going to pick up Chase

and take him home with you.

DEE

I meant over the weekend.

Dee holds her chest in relief. After a beat:

DEE

He also said… something about

Rush Limbaugh, and your car?

NELLA

(slurred)

That whorefucker’s confused.

Dee shocked, quickly covers Mandy’s ears.

DEE

Mom, that’s my kid’s father.

(beat)

Ah… have you been drinking?

NELLA

(slurred and angry)

No! He just screw’s up everything I

say.

(beat)

I guess you haven’t eaten?

Mandy removes Dee’s hands covering her ears.

Dee looks at Mandy as she hops onto the sofa.

NOW the room’s disarray catches her attention. There are dozens of grocery sacks placed on chairs and floor and along the LIVING ROOM wall. It’s a heaped up mess.

DEE

I was cooking spaghetti.

(beat)

Let me help you put this stuff up.

NELLA

(slurred)

No, I can do it. Why don’t you

fix Mandy a sandwich.

Glances at the TV.

NELLA

(continues)

Cops! I love that show. They

always get them assholes.

DEE

(bewildered mouths)

Assholes… whorefuckers?

Dee follows her mother into the kitchen. They enter the

KITCHEN, we see the countertops are totally covered with stacks of dirty dishes. Dee looks around in astonishment.

As she passes it, Dee glances into the trash looking for signs of beer cans or liquor bottles.

DEE

Mom, these dishes!

NELLA

What?

Nella begins making sandwiches.

Dee removes her coat and rolls up her sleeves. She begins washing the dishes. Dee watches Nella, her mannerism is gentle but her occasional use of profanity and slurred speech is startling. Dee watches her mom suspiciously.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Dee carries the sleeping Mandy on her shoulder and shuts the door with her foot. She turns on the room light, drops her purse by the door and continues down the hall.

Dee ENTERS MANDY’S room and gently removes the child’s coat and places her under the covers.

Dee ENTERS the LIVING ROOM and sits down on the sofa. She looks around for the TV remote, but it’s not there.

Disgusted, she gives up and turns on the TV without it.

Sitting back on the sofa she drifts off to sleep.

ANGLE ON the stove top; the pots that Dee had left earlier. The sauce has been dumped in the trash and the pot cleaned. The other remains on the stove full of water with the spaghetti in it just as Dee left it.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL –REHAB UNIT - DAY

Dee walks up to the desk and smiles at her friends.

REX tall, late thirties, dark hair, pulled into a ponytail, joins her at the front desk.

DEBBIE NERREN, mid forties, walks up behind and listens.

REX

Running away from ICU?

DEE

Anytime I can get.

REX

Joan said you called last night?

DEE

Yeah, I’m worried about my Mom.

(beat)

I know something’s wrong with

her, but I don’t know what it is.

She’s real forgetful and odd.

REX

So she forgets a lot of things,

that’s not abnormal.

DEE

But, it’s really strange. Okay, for

example, her house, I don’t think

she has cleaned it in two months.

REX

I’m sorry, but I don’t think

that’s proof of a problem.

Rex laughs as he places a chart into the rack behind them.

DEBBIE

(sarcastic)

Don’t come to my house.

DEE

No, listen, she has always been

a neat freak. It’s so unlike her.

And she’s starting to cuss a lot.

That may not seem odd to you,

but for her, it’s unreal.

(beat)

As a kid, she would have washed

my mouth out with soap for that.

She doesn’t even do it when she

is mad. It’s eerie; she’s so

sweetly saying, whorefucker.

And her speech, it’s slurred.

REX

Okay, you’re worried. So make

her a doctor’s appointment.

Ease your mind.

DEE

And I might as well make one for

me too. I’m getting so absurdly

absentminded.

(beat)

I can’t remember washing the ash-

tray or where I placed the remote.

I feel paranoid, like I’m being

watched.

REX

You’ve been under a lot of stress.

DEBBIE

You have.

REX

Look at all the sudden changes.

You just divorced eight months ago.

You have a new job, in critical

care… which is high stress, and in

a new town. You’ve had to make new

friends. You also probably feel

rejected after your son’s went to

live with their dad.

(beat)

Now your mother is… strange.

He grabs another chart.

REX

(continues)

Of course you’re going to

forget things.

Debbie leans in and taps Dee on the arm for emphasis.

DEBBIE

Oh yeah, what about that

crazy guy you dated? He

almost pushed you to murder.

DEE

Damien! He was certifiably

psycho. I’m so glad I got

rid of him.

REX

All of that combined is enough

to drive a sane person nuts.

DEBBIE

And honey, ICU.

(beat)

It makes everyone crazy.

DEE

You’re right. I’m just stressed.

Dee feels reassured by her friends.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S APARTMENT - DAY

Dee enters the apartment and runs for the RINGING phone. Mandy walks in, jumps on the sofa, picks up the remote, and turns on the TV.

DEE

(into phone)

Hello. Hello.

No one replies, then a CLICK, then a dial TONE.

Dee turns around and sees Mandy holding the remote.

DEE

Mandy, where did you find that?

MANDY

(points down)

Right here.

DEE

Right there?

Dee looks amazed as she stares at the area between the cushions.

Dee shakes off the strange occurrence and walks back to the phone near the kitchen doorway. Picking it up she dials Nella’s number.

It RINGS a few times, finally she hears Nella answer.

DEE

(into phone)

Hello, mom?

NELLA (V.O.)

(crying, slurred speech)

Yes, Dee? Dee is that you?

DEE

(into phone)

Mom, what’s wrong?

NELLA (V.O.)

(desperation)

I, ah, I lost your phone number.

DEE

(into phone)

That’s why you’re upset? It’s

written on the pad next to the

phone.

NELLA (V.O.)

(slurred)

Oh, here it is. I couldn’t find

it earlier.

DEE

(into phone)

What did you need?

NELLA (V.O.)

Nothing. I wanted to find it.

DEE

(into phone)

Really, ah… I was going to make you

an appointment to see Dr. Bennings.

Is that okay with you?

NELLA (V.O.)

Yeah, but why?

DEE

(into phone)

Just a routine check up.

Dee nervously glances to Mandy on the sofa as she is jumping up and down.

DEE

(to Mandy)

Sit down, don’t jump.

NELLA (V.O.)

I’m not jumping.

DEE

(into phone)

I was talking to Mandy. I’ll

call you tomorrow with the time.

NELLA (V.O.)

Time? You don’t need to call

me and tell me the time. But

that’s sweet dear.

Oh, that whorefucker Hunter

is on again. He’s good at killing

them bastards. I got-to-go. Bye.

DEE

(into phone)

Okay…

Click.

Bye.

Beat

KNOCK at the front door is heard.

Dee goes to answer it. Apprehension apparent.

A constable wearing a badge is standing at the door.

DEE

Yes, can I help you?

CONSTABLE

Are you Deeanna Allen?

DEE

Yes.

He hands her an envelope.

CONSTABLE

You’ve been served.

Dee aghast takes it. The man calmly walks off.

After a beat:

Nervously she opens the envelope and jerks out the papers.

Beat.

DEE

Damn!

The bastard is suing me for

child support.

Throwing the papers on the table, Dee walks back to HER BEDROOM in a daze and flops face down on her bed. Burying her face in the pillow she screams into it trying to scream out all her frustration.

Mandy follows Dee and jumps on the bed next to her. Mandy looks at Dee, her eyes wide as she pats Dee’s head in comfort.

Dee looks up and smiles at the gentle gesture of her little girl and kisses her small face.

Dee reaches back and hands Mandy a pillow. Playing, they each bury their faces and take turns screaming.

Unnoticed to both of them a dark-haired man exits from the hall closet and looks into the bedroom at the pair. Quietly he disappears down the hallway and quietly out the front door.

CUT TO:

INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE - DAY

Dr. Bennings walks Dee and Nella out of the office.

He places his hands in his lab coat and smiles to Dee.

DEE

You don’t see anything wrong?

DR. BENNINGS

No, I can’t find a thing. Maybe

a dental appointment is needed.

That could be the problem with

her speech.

Dee doesn’t speak, shaking her head she escorts Nella out the door.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S CAR - DAY

NELLA

(slurred)

Can we stop at Wal-Mart before

you take me home?

DEE

Sure Mom.

Dee’s blue sedan pulls into the parking lot in front of Wal-Mart.

CUT TO:

INT. NELLA’S HOUSE - DAY

The front door opens; Dee and Nella step inside carrying several bags of groceries. Dee stops and looks around at the living room. New sacks of groceries have been heaped on top of the sacks we saw previously and still more boxes and bags are stacked on the furniture, the sofa and coffee table are completely hidden. Dee stares astonished at the sight. There is a small path from the front door to the kitchen, another path breaks off to the recliner, and another breaks off to the hallway.

DEE

Oh my gosh! Mom, this looks

like a warehouse.

NELLA

(slurred)

What’s wrong?

DEE

Those sacks are still full.

They’re full of laundry soap.

Dee points to the numerous Wal-Mart bags.

Dee opens the bag she is carrying. She pulls out laundry soap and holds it up. Then she pulls out the laundry soap from the sack on the sofa. She is now holding two containers of laundry soap.

NELLA

Oh!

Nella puts down her sacks on top of the already large pile. Dee lowers her sack and looks (shocked) into the kitchen; the countertops are again covered with dirty dishes, but more this time; some of the piles appears about to fall. At first, Dee spins herself around (stunned) unable to form words.

DEE

What…the…hell.

Nella has a blank expression. She sees nothing wrong.

CUT TO:

INT. DEE’S APARTMENT – DAY

Dee sits at the dining table talking with her aunt. Meet

AUNT EDNA tall, skinny, dark headed woman in her early fifties. Always has a smile.

DEE

I know something is wrong. Mom

is cussing a lot. And her

house looks like a warehouse. The

doctor said she was fine, but he

doesn’t see what I see. Every time

I call her, she asks me what my

phone number is. It’s written

near her phone, but she says she

can’t find it. It’s there.

AUNT EDNA