HARSH REALM “Merry Christmas, Mr. Pinocchio” By L.C. Holt TEASER INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE - NIGHT A burning fireplace. Merely one in a series of images meant to represent an idyllic New England Christmas. Others: cookies for Santa...a beautiful ornate tree...and frost lining the windowpanes. And then an armchair and a man sitting in it. Three children, two beautiful blonde girls, about 6 and 9, and a cute, brown-haired boy, about 12. Their father smokes a pipe, wears a colorful Christmas sweater, and reads them “NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.” It’s Pinocchio! PINOCCHIO (V.O.) I look around me and I can hardly believe the things I am seeing are real. Faces both familiar and strange. Sights both wonderful and unbelievable. And I am happy. This is my life. I can barely remember how I got here. Pull back revealing a warm, cozy suburban family house. And a wife, tall, blonde hair-blue eyes. The perfect All- American dream. Fade to black. ACT ONE EXT. A DARK NIGHT’S SKY Stars twinkling. Full moon in the trades. It’s beautiful and peaceful. Crickets chirp. Then, a single white snowflake drifts down. Followed by another. And another. And another. REVERSE ANGLE: TOM HOBBES. His face as he sleeps under the stars, in a wooded area. Snowflakes land on his cheeks and quickly dissolve. His eyes open. HOBBES (V.O.) And that is how it began. With a single snowflake. EXT. WOODS - NIGHT Everything is white and frosted over now. Wrapped up as best as they can to stay warm, Hobbes, Pinocchio, and FLORENCE make their way forward. The snow is really falling now. Dexter, the dog, raises his ears. On alert, Pinocchio abruptly stops -- raising his fist. He hears something and now, so do the others. It’s laughing. Children laughing. The three of them emerge at the tree line of clearing. The grass is blanketed with snow. Fluffy white clouds hang over head. And three children play in this white wonderland. A SNOWMAN. His face spread into a smile. Pinocchio looks even more suspicious now. After all, laughter is not a normal thing in Harsh Realm. PINOCCHIO Something ain’t kosher in this situation. HOBBES No kidding. Florence nods in agreement. Just then -- A snowball hits Pinocchio! PINOCCHIO HEY! 1ST BOY Gotcha, mister! 2ND BOY That ain’t no “mister!” It’s Pinocchio from over on Oak and Maple. 1ST BOY Oh, okay! The boy throws another, which Pinocchio ducks. Even these are kids, Pinocchio’s giving them the evil eye and gripping his gun tighter. Hobbes grabs his partner’s arm. HOBBES They’re kids, Mike. PINOCCHIO ‘Bout to be dead kids. HOBBES (laughs) Pull yourself together. It’s just a snowball. Not the end of the -- SMACK! A snowball hits Hobbes square in the head. Smiling and playing along, Florence becomes like a big kid. Picking up snowballs and throwing them back. Hobbes joins in. An all-out snowball war between two of our heroes and these three kids breaks out. Pinocchio rolls his eyes. Looks ahead. PINOCCHIO’S POV: Through the gentle downfall of snow, lights are visible outlining the steeple of a church. Pinocchio heads that way. Amidst the snowball fight, Hobbes glances over and sees this. HOBBES (CONT’D) Time out! (to Florence) Where’s he going? Florence points to the outline of the steeple. There is a town there. Hobbes and Florence follow Pinocchio. KIDS Awwww, come on!! EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT With the legend, -ROYAL VALLEY- -NEW JERSEY- -HARSH REALM- Picturesque snowy village. 1960s-style automobiles move carefully, patiently down the streets. There’s music. “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” plays over speakers positioned all around the Town Square. PINOCCHIO What the hell is that? HOBBES John Lennon. Store fronts are decorated with ornate glass balls, colorful sparkling lights, and life-sized Santa cut-outs-and-stand- ups. A MAN in a Leave-it-to-Beaver style overcoat and bowler hat passes by the three of them and smiles. MAN Merry Christmas, Mike. PINOCCHIO (dumbfounded) Merry...Christmas. Hobbes sees something, HOBBES Hey. What a coincidence. Hobbes points it out. It’s a hat hanging over a locate business. A hardware store. It says “PINOCCHIO’S HARDWARE AND VACUUM WHOLESALE”. PINOCCHIO Something ain’t right. Let’s cross. Hobbes and Florence follows as Pinocchio crosses the nearly deserted street. TWO OLDER WOMEN out for a leisurely walk pass by them on the cross-walk. 1ST OLDER WOMAN Good evening, Mike. 2ND OLDER WOMAN Give my best to the missus, Mr. Pinocchio. Pinocchio acknowledges them but still doesn’t know what to make of it. The three re-group in the middle of Town Square. HOBBES Something’s weird. I mean besides the obvious. It’s snowing, right? Well, are any of you guys cold? Florence shakes her head no. Pinocchio doesn’t answer, but that’s mostly because he’s a little overwhelmed right now. PINOCCHIO Maybe one of us is just dreaming. Pinocchio catches a WOMAN, dressed for a party no doubt as one of Santa’s elves, as she passes. PINOCCHIO (CONT’D) Have you ever heard of Santiago? WOMAN I think it’s in Brazil. PINOCCHIO No, the man. The man Santiago. WOMAN (laughs) Nope. It’s not April Fool’s, Mike. You’re not pulling the wool over my eyes. Woman walks off into the dreamy night. PINOCCHIO (calling after her) HOW DO YOU KNOW ME?!! Woman just laughs, she thinks it’s all a joke. To Pinocchio this is very serious. HOBBES Maybe it’s a trick or something. Florence nods in agreement, raises her automatic weapon defensively. PINOCCHIO I say we pay a little visit to Oak and Maple. And find out. INT. RADIO SHACK - REAL WORLD - DAY Legend: -FORT DIX- -NEW JERSEY- -REAL WORLD- An average electronics store. DING! Someone comes in through the entrance. It’s SOPHIE. She walks to the counter holding a multiple outlet power-breaker. SOPHIE Hi, excuse me. My power-thangamabob broke last night. Can I get another one here? The cashier, a 30-ish year old man with the nametag BORIS, turns to her. He’s friendly, though a bit on the nerdy side. He was conversing with another DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER. BORIS I tell you, the graphics are super-duper awesome, man. Like nothing you’ve seen. (to Sophie) Let me grab one for you. SOPHIE I beg your pardon? BORIS A Current Power 2000. It’s a boss model, trust me. (to the Dude) I’ve got a whole program set up inside it. It’s amazing, man. You’re gonna have to come over and see. Boris leaves the register. Sophie follows. He picks out a newer model power-breaker and hands it to her. BORIS (CONT’D) You like games? Mega-Deth 2K just came out and I’ve got a few on hold for my friends. I could throw one in the back just for you. SOPHIE Gee thanks, but I’m not into that kind of stuff. BORIS Strictly a typer, huh? That’s cool beans. You surf the web much? SOPHIE Occasionally, yes I do. BORIS We’ve got a list of out-of-this-world sites you might wanna check out. Un-freaking-believeable, most of ‘em! SOPHIE No. Just the breaker, please. I’ve got to be getting home. BORIS Oh, okay. Cool. I’ll check you out at the counter. Boris returns behind the register. He rings her up. Sophie gets out her checkbook. BORIS (CONT’D) It’ll be nineteen-ninty-five. As Sophie writes out the check, DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER So where did you find this website? BORIS Well, it wasn’t easy, but I was bumping around you-know-where and I found this program written up by you-know-who and then... DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER Ah, another government hacker job, eh? Boris shushes him and then gestures to Sophie. The Dude gets the message and shuts up. BORIS (to Sophie) Some people can’t keep their mouths shut. I haven’t hacked into anything like that since they put me away for it. CIA can be a real bummer sometimes. SOPHIE I bet. BORIS Besides, I ain’t doing no smash-and-grab job like before. Just a good healthy in-and-out just-for-fun sort of thing. Ever done anything like that? SOPHIE Nope. Sophie gives him the check. Boris accepts it and hands Sophie her payment slip along with the bagged power-breaker. BORIS Come back again soon. Sophie acknowledges with a nod. As she is leaving, she overhears, DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER What’s this thing called? BORIS HRV-3000. It’s top-flight stuff. Better than anything I’ve hacked into yet. The program’s like freaking putty in my hands. Sophie, in the doorway, glances back one more time. Boris and the Dude Behind The Counter see this. Sophie smiles gently, and leaves. DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER Think she was a government spy job? BORIS I don’t know. They can look like anyone these days, you know. DUDE BEHIND THE COUNTER No doubt. EXT. RADIO SHACK - AT DUSK Sophie’s car sits in an alleyway across the street from the store. She sits inside it. Boris exits the front door, locking it back. SOPHIE (on her cell phone) I hate to put you out but I’ve got this aching feeling. I need to check on this one. SARAH’S VOICE No problem. Do what you’ve got to do, just be careful. We’re fine here. SOPHIE Give Faith a little kiss for me, okay? Tell her I’ll be home soon. I promise I won’t be any later than ten. A bus pulls up to the corner stop. Boris gets in. The bus drives away. Sophie’s car cranks and she follows. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - HARSH REALM - NIGHT ANGLE - INTERSECTION STREET SIGNS “Oak St.” and “Maple Ave.” HOBBES, PINOCCHIO, AND FLORENCE arrive on this street corner and look toward the idyllic suburban haven. So beautiful and quiet under the gentle snowfall. PINOCCHIO Does it ever stop snowing here? They walk down the recently salted sidewalk. Pinocchio is the only one very cautious right now. HOBBES There’s something very familiar about this place. PINOCCHIO Your average Suburban U.S. Paradise Hell. HOBBES I’m willing to bet that’s your house up there. PINOCCHIO My house? Why’s that? PINOCCHIO’S POV: A sign by the driveway says “PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!” HOBBES Because it says “Pinocchio’s House.” Pinocchio cuts his eyes at Hobbes, who’s trying not to laugh. Then, he (Pinocchio) trots up on the front yard of his “house,” stooping behind a row of bushes as if expecting gunfire from inside. HOBBES (CONT’D) What are you so nervous about? You think the Cleavers are going to open fire? PINOCCHIO You got a better idea, smart ass? HOBBES Here’s a stretch. Watch. Watch close, now. Hobbes walks up on the front porch, raising his fist to the door -- HOBBES (CONT’D) Are you keeping a close eye on me? Pinocchio gets up from behind the bushes. Hobbes knocks on the door. After a moment, it opens. An older lady, a neighbor, MRS. WORTHINGTON, 75, appears. Cheery holiday music comes from inside the nicely decorated house. MRS. WORTHINGTON Well, well, well -- welcome! We were wondering why it was taking all of y’all so long. Did you have to cran the cranberries yourselves? She laughs. Just then, a little boy (the 12 year old from the teaser) runs out, beelines for Pinocchio, and jumps into his arms. He’s MIKE, JR. Pinocchio’s machine gun drops to the snow. MIKE, JR. Merry Christmas, Daddy! CLOSE - FLORENCE - Not knowing how to react. HOBBES - Also taken aback. Fade. ACT TWO INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Mrs. Worthington welcomes the three of them in. Pinocchio puts Mike, Jr. down just past the threshold. He doesn’t know what to make of this. The house is very Victorian inside. Very festive. Then, a beautiful blonde lady (also from the teaser), comes down the stairs. She’s IZABELLE HODGES-PINOCCHIO. His “wife.” IZABELLE Michael, you’re home! Izabelle runs, throwing her arms around Pinocchio. His reaction to her is unlike his reaction to the boy. He seems to know her...but he can’t believe his eyes. PINOCCHIO Izabelle? IZABELLE Michael Pinocchio, why are you looking at me like you haven’t seen me for ten years? MRS. WORTHINGTON And why, in the name of the heavens, are the three of you dressed like this? A man, very plump and jolly, appears from the kitchen. He’s HECTOR UPCHURCH. Known around these parts simply as “SKIPPER.” SKIPPER Maybe they’re auditioning as extras in a new movie -- “Rural Commandos!” HOBBES Wait a second. You know us? MRS. WORTHINGTON Of course, you’re Thomas and Florence Hobbes. You live right across the street, silly. Hobbes and Florence look at one another. Then, she moves to the window, looking out. FLORENCE’S POV: Across the street sits another beautifully decorated suburban house. Sure enough, on the mailbox reads the name: HOBBES. HOBBES We’re married? SKIPPER Yep. Hey, nice piece you’re packing there, Tommy. What is that, a carbine water-cooled sub-machine gun? HOBBES Something like that. IZABELLE AND PINOCCHIO IZABELLE Kids, your daddy’s home! Then, from the other room, comes running two more children. (As seen in the teaser.) Two pretty little girls, HEATHER, 6, and ROZ, 9. They hug Pinocchio around the waist. IZABELLE (CONT’D) Dinner’s all ready, Mike. But first let’s get you changed outta these ridiculous clothes. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT The closet door opens to a mirror showing Pinocchio’s reflection looking in. The closet is full of normal clothes -- sweaters, khaki pants, tennis shoes. Pinocchio glances around the room. His eye catches on something. HIS POV: On the nightstand sets a framed picture of Pinocchio and Izabelle...on their wedding day! INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Pinocchio comes downstairs wearing a colorful sweater and khaki shorts. Flip-flop shoes. Dexter, who was relaxing on the rug, looks up quick. At the dinner table along with Izabelle, the kids, and neighbors, Hobbes and Florence turn. Pinocchio gives them both a look that could kill. HOBBES From Action Jackson to Mr. Brady? INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Everyone is now sitting down to a yummy Christmas feast. Turkey, mashed potatoes, string beans, desserts-a-go-go. HEATHER Daddy, will you read us a story after dinner? Pinocchio doesn’t know what to say. IZABELLE Let’s not bug Daddy now, girls. He’s had a hard day. I reckon he’d like to just sit down and catch his breath for a little while. Isn’t that right, sweetheart? PINOCCHIO Yeah. Right. Skipper tries to hold back a laugh, winds up nearly spitting mashed potatoes on Florence. SKIPPER I can’t contain myself, I’ve gotta ask -- Mikey, why in the hell were y’all dressed like Arnold Schwartzinjig? MRS. WORTHINGTON Mr. Skipper, please! The children! Pinocchio, Hobbes, and Florence all share a quick glance. PINOCCHIO We were...uh... HOBBES We were auditioning for a part in “Rural Commando,” remember? SKIPPER (laughs) Ah. (pause) Anyhoo, have you decided about the Red Bag Special yet, boss-a-rooney? PINOCCHIO Have I decided about what? SKIPPER The Red Bag Special. What’s the deal, pill, are you keeping it on ‘til New Year’s or what? PINOCCHIO What’s the Red Bag Special? Izabelle looks at Pinocchio, curiously. Mrs. Worthington laughs and that makes the little girls chuckle. This older neighbor has a funny-sounding cackle. IZABELLE “What’s the Red Bag Special?” SKIPPER It’s only your most brilliant brain-child of a marketing ploy since the Blender Blowout! Two Hoover Deluxe Wind-Model Tornados for the price of one, December 21 through the 25 only. Are we carrying it through to the new year or not, boss man? PINOCCHIO Let me guess, the hardware store, right? Pinocchio shakes his head. He can’t imagine himself as the owner of a small town hardware and fix-it shop. This makes Izabelle even more curious, she looks at Skipper. Skipper looks back. Hobbes notices this, blurts out, HOBBES Could somebody pass the mashed potatoes. One of the little girls does. HOBBES (CONT’D) I think you should do it, Mikey. After all, I’ve been telling you I could use a good Wind- Model Hurricane Vacuum...thing. SKIPPER Aha! Another potential customer. What do you say, Mike? PINOCCHIO Yeah. Sure. Whatever. Just then, HEATHER Daddy, please read us a story after dinner! Pinocchio cuts his eye over at the young girl. Then, something strange happens to his face...he smiles! EXT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - NIGHT Pinocchio steps out on the front porch after dinner with Hobbes and Florence. Music and laughter continue from inside. HOBBES I have honestly never seen anything like this before. PINOCCHIO We’ve got to get outta here. Quick. HOBBES Look, Mike, this is not a bad set-up. We’ve got a good bed to sleep in for the night. Food to eat. And, best of all, no tyranny. PINOCCHIO Yeah, yeah, yeah. It isn’t your mind that’s being played with here. This is a trick or something. Nothing’s this warm and fluffy. We’ll stay the night but, I swear to God, both of you had better keep your weapons handy. We might need to bust outta here come reindeer time. They’ll probably be packing uzi’s. INT. HOBBES RESIDENCE - NIGHT Hobbes and Florence come in the front door and turn on the light. The foyer is illuminated. This place is awesome. A grand staircase, wonderful Christmas decorations, and a burning fireplace. Florence walks over to the mantle, reviewing some of the photographs that sit on it. She gestures Hobbes over and he takes a look. One picture is of Hobbes and Florence on their happy honeymoon at Niagara Falls...another is their wedding day...and another is the two of them in bed, Dexter in between them. HOBBES Wait ‘til the Sisterhood hears about this one. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Mrs. Worthington and Skipper are saying their good-nights to Pinocchio and Izabelle. MRS. WORTHINGTON Thank you for inviting me over. I don’t get out much these days since Harve died. SKIPPER See you at work tomorrow, big bopper. And they leave. Just as soon as they do, Heather and Roz run in, they carry “NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.” They pull Pinocchio by the hand into his armchair by the fireplace. Izabelle laughs. Mike, Jr. appears and shoves a pipe into his “father”’s mouth. Izabelle lights it for Pinocchio. HEATHER Read to us! Read to us! IZABELLE Just for a little while, kids. Then, it’s off to bed. You know Santa doesn’t come until you’re sound asleep. Pinocchio cracks open the book. He looks really awkward. Then, he glances up and sees the kids’s faces. PINOCCHIO Oh, what the hell. (begins) “’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...” PULL BACK. It’s the scene from the teaser. Pinocchio reading to his newfound family. They all look so happy. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - BEDROOM #1 - NIGHT All pink with floral patterns. Izabelle carries Heather in. Pinocchio carries Roz. Puts them each in their separate beds. ROZ Good-night, Daddy. PINOCCHIO Uh-huh. Good-night. Roz pulls him down and kisses him on the cheek. Pinocchio doesn’t know how to react. He kisses her on her cheek. Izabelle hugs Heather good-night. HEATHER Daddy, kiss me! Kiss me! Pinocchio hesitantly goes over to Heather’s bed. He looks down at her. She’s looking up at him, her eyes full of love. HEATHER (CONT’D) This was the best Christmas ever. PINOCCHIO Yeah. For me too. HEATHER Tuck me in. PINOCCHIO Sure. Whatever you want. Pinocchio tucks Heather into bed. She snuggles down on her pillow. He and Izabelle go to the door and shut off the light. IZABELLE Are you going to put Mikey, Jr. in for the night? INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - BEDROOM #2 - NIGHT The walls in here are plastered with superhero posters and WWF stars. Pinocchio comes in and sits on the side of Mike, Jr.’s bed. Izabelle lingers in the doorway. MIKE, JR. I can’t wait until practice gets started again, Dad. Can you? PINOCCHIO Whatever you say. MIKE, JR. You are still gonna coach, aren’t you, Dad? PINOCCHIO Coach? Sure, okay, yeah. Have...uh...have pleasant dreams and everything, okay. Good- night. Mike, Jr. hugs his “dad.” IZABELLE Good-night, champ. MIKE, JR. ‘Night, mom. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT Pinocchio has changed into silk pajamas. They have a big “M.P.” on the breast pocket. Izabelle is in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. She emerges in a nightgown. IZABELLE What’s the matter with you, Michael? The way you acted tonight, it was like you’d never seen Skipper, or Mrs. Worthington, or the kids, or me, for that matter, before. Are you feeling okay? PINOCCHIO This is a dream, ain’t it? I feel like I’m going to wake up any second. IZABELLE It seems like one. But it’s all real. We can look around us. Look at the life we’ve made for ourselves. It’s like none I’d have ever dreamt of for myself. It’s almost too good. But we have it. Pinocchio gets into bed, under the covers with Izabelle. He begins to kiss her on the neck, then the lips. PINOCCHIO You’ve grown up. You’re a woman now. We’ve gotta catch up. Izabelle kisses him back. Passion ensues. INT. HOBBES RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Hobbes and Florence stand side-by-side in the doorway to the Master Bedroom staring blankly at the single full size bed in the middle of the room. HOBBES The perfect Suburban U.S. Paradise Hell and there’s only one bedroom in the whole house. They look at one another. HOBBES (CONT’D) This is very awkward for me. I’ll take the couch. Hobbes walks out. Florence smiles and goes toward the bed. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - LATER Their romantic evening has just ended. Candlelight fills the room. Pinocchio lies under the covers holding Izabelle. PINOCCHIO What if I told you, in another world, I haven’t seen you for nearly twenty years? That, in sixth grade, you moved away. Broke my heart. What if I said that everything you remember as being our life never happened to me? IZABELLE You mean what if you followed your dream? Went into the military? Didn’t settle down? I’d say “what a nightmare.” PINOCCHIO I never went into the military? So this is what Mike Pinocchio could have been. A vacuum cleaner salesman. This is my family that I never had. IZABELLE Of course you have us. You have us, just look around you. It’s all real, Michael. Your kids, your life, your business. And me. That other world you were talking about must have just been a dream. We’ve always been here. And we always will be. And so will you, won’t you? Pinocchio looks at Izabelle’s pretty face. He smiles and nods his head yes. They begin to kiss again. Disappear under the covers. IZABELLE (CONT’D) Oh, Michael... EXT. MOON IN THE NIGHT’S SKY Full, white, glowing. Then, something begins to move over it. Like a wave of black, it’s locomotion is almost organic. Like water made of pure blackness and when it’s done, the moon is consumed, there is only a dark, starry sky. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - THE NEXT DAY Bright, sunny. Blue sky, soft light. The perfect morning. Hobbes appears on his front stoop and finds the paper. After a moment, he trots across the street to Pinocchio’s house. He’s in his overcoat. Knocks. Izabelle comes out, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. HOBBES Hi, uh, where’s Pinocchio? IZABELLE He’s gone to work. Can I get you a cup of coffee, Tom? Hobbes looks confused -- “Gone to work?!” EXT. MAIN STREET - MORNING Hobbes walks at a brisk pace down Main Street toward Pinocchio’s Hardware Store. He wears a plaid shirt and jeans, looks like a normal guy again. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HARDWARE AND VACUUM WHOLESALE - MORNING Hobbes enters quickly and is approaches by Skipper. SKIPPER Howdy-do, Tommy. Interest you in that Tornado this morning? HOBBES Yeah, yeah, whatever. Where’s Pinocchio? Just then, Pinocchio comes down stairs. Hobbes is shocked -- he’s wearing a suit and tie. Sunglasses. HOBBES (CONT’D) Are you feeling alright? PINOCCHIO Just fine, Hobbes. Come to buy a vacuum? HOBBES No, actually I came to see if you were ready to leave yet. PINOCCHIO A family man is not a family man without a family. It’s very simple. I think I’m going to stick around a while. Besides, I have to coach my kid’s wrestling team come the new season. Should I put you and the missus down for tickets...Tommy? Pinocchio shines a big smile, which creeps Hobbes out big time. Fade to black. ACT THREE EXT. MAIN STREET - THE REAL WORLD - DAY Legend: -DEEKERVILLE- -NEW JERSEY- -THE REAL WORLD- This is both a familiar and a strange place. The Town Square, the Main Street, everything looks just like it did in the Realm only alot less homey. More run-down. Rusty. The sidewalks are cracked. Grass is overgrown. Almost like a ghost town. The bus drives through. Followed by Sophie’s car. INT. SOPHIE’S CAR - DAY She’s looking around. Making herself aware of her surroundings. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY ANGLE - INTERSECTION SIGNS “Oak St.” and “Maple Ave.” but nothing like what we saw in the Realm. The signs are eaten up by BB gun attacks. The houses on this street are anything but suburban paradises. On the lot where, in the Realm, Pinocchio’s house sets, is a boarding house in the real world. That’s where the bus drops off Boris. Sophie’s car pulls to a stop and she watches Boris go in. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - DAY Sophie comes in, walks to the LADY AT THE FRONT DESK. LADY AT THE FRONT DESK Yeah, what can I do you for? SOPHIE Hi. There was a guy who just came in here. I think his name’s Boris. Which room is he in? INT. CORRIDOR - DAY Sophie comes up the stairs and looks around. The corridor is very grimy and narrow. She passes a FAT DRUNK MAN who’s getting sick on the carpet. At the end of this hallway, there’s a room -- Boris’s room. The door is open and, when Sophie looks in, she SEES: A room with bare walls, except for a few framed pictures, and tons and tons of computer equipment. Homemade consoles, wires running all over the floor and up the walls, monitors displaying a range of different graphics all at once. A hacker’s dream world. And there, in the middle of it, sits Boris. He’s working feverishly on one of the computer setups. SOPHIE’S POV - CLOSER On the screen Boris is currently typing on is an overhead computer layout of Royal Valley. The ideal New England hamlet that’s an exact copy of Deekerville. Only better. INT. COFFEE SHOP - HARSH REALM - DAY Legend: -ROYAL VALLEY- -HARSH REALM- Pinocchio shovels spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee. Hobbes is barely even drinking his. All the waitresses and busboys here are perfectly happy and polite to all the patrons. PINOCCHIO I may be outta my mind but all I know is that I have a chance to have a life here. And so do you. HOBBES Yeah, but as Florence’s husband? What kind of a world is this? PINOCCHIO Not as harsh as I thought it was. This is possibly the best place I’ve ever been. Hobbes shakes his head in disagreement. HOBBES I’m in no mood to settle down. Do what you have to do but me and Florence, we’re moving on. With or without you. PINOCCHIO Well, I guess I’ve made up my mind. Now, you guys will have to make up your’s. (calling out) Check please! INT. MRS. WORTHINGTON’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY Standing at the sink, Mrs. Worthington whistles “Silver Bells” as she washes a bunch of green-and-red colored glasses. There’s a ladder nearby where she was taking down her Christmas decorations. Finishing up, Mrs. Worthington turns to dry her hands. ANGLE IN THE SINK: Something scurries out of the drain pipe. Something that’s so quick we can’t even get a good look at it. INT. MRS. WORTHINGTON’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY She turns on the vacuum cleaner and begins to vacuum the living room rug. ANGLE: Several, large black creatures scurry across the ceiling. They look something like oversized bugs. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY In the real world, Boris notices a small alert that’s flashing at the bottom of his computer screen. *SYSTEM FAILURE* it’s flashing. BORIS Dammit, they’re back! Little megabyte sons of... Quickly, with the speed of a wizard, Boris is typing a code into his computer. Engaging it. *VIRUS ANTIVENOM* flashes on the screen. Sophie watches all of this from the doorway. The Fat Drunk Man is sneaking up behind her. She doesn’t know it. INT. MRS. WORTHINGTON’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY Mrs. Worthington vacuums the rug, unaware of the three large spider-like creatures crawling up the sofa directly behind her. They are about four inches long, and thick. Black and slick, no hair. Not entirely real-looking. Obviously a computer graphic. Then, the spiders begin to digitize and they vanish! INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY The Fat Drunk Man grabs Sophie from behind. She screams in reaction, and in shock. FAT DRUNK MAN GOTCHA! SPY! Sophie spins around, struggling to get away. Boris springs out of his seat and comes to her defense. He shoves the drunk man out the door, slams it, and locks it. Sophie doesn’t know what to do. Trapped in the apartment. Scared. Boris turns to her. BORIS I know you. You’re the woman from the store. Don’t make me sorry I shoved him outta here, babe. Are you a spy? SOPHIE What? A-A spy? BORIS A CIA incognito, the fuzz, men-in-black, FBI, Secret Service? Are you working for that communism punk that calls himself Uncle Sam? Boris goes to the window, defensively looking out. Looking for anything suspicious. SOPHIE No. I’m alone. Nobody sent me. BORIS But now you have something on me. Unless, of course, you’re dense enough not to know you’ve just caught me with my hand down the nation’s blouse. SOPHIE I don’t know anything about you. (re: the computer) What is this? BORIS Something the CIA has been trying to keep under wraps. I think it’s a simulation of some kind. It’s called HRV-3000. I’m not doing anything to it. Just contributing my share to it’s development. Sophie bends and looks at the screen, which now shows a computer graphic of Royal Valley’s Main Street. SOPHIE This is Deekerville. BORIS Only modified. I hate this town, all the grime, and poverty. But, in the game, the simulation, I’ve added a bit of brightness to it. Sophie points to the flashing *SYSTEM FAILURE* at the bottom of the screen. SOPHIE What’s this? BORIS Holy scuddle-bug! Mrs. Worthington! Boris takes his position behind the monitor again. His fingers working a mile-a-minute on the keyboard. INT. MRS. WORTHINGTON’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY In Harsh Realm, suddenly, the vacuum makes a choking sound, begins to smoke, and breaks down. Mrs. Worthington waves her hand in front of her face, dissolving the rising smoke. She bends to the cleaner, opens it’s bag, and looks inside. Something -- SOMETHING LEAPS FROM THE BAG AT HER FACE -- Mrs. Worthington screams! INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY At that same instant, in the real world, Boris’s screen blinks red. He throws his hands up, in anger. Sophie doesn’t understand what’s going on. SOPHIE What was that? What happened? BORIS Every time! Every damn time! SOPHIE I don’t understand. BORIS You build something, it lasts a while, it’s beautiful and perfect and serene, at least in a cyber sense, and then they come. SOPHIE What comes? BORIS The bugs. My Royal Valley has bugs and they’re killing my program! EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY In Harsh Realm, Mrs. Worthington’s screams sound out and echo throughout the entire town. Florence emerges from the house across the street, M-16 in hand. She runs toward the older lady’s house. Skipper, Pinocchio, and Hobbes make it there first and throw the door open. What they see inside causes them to back up in disgust. SKIPPER Not again! HOBBES Again? What is that? Hobbes and Pinocchio share a worried look. PINOCCHIO (realizing) Izabelle! He races next door. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY Pinocchio bursts in, to find Izabelle crying and hold their kids at the base of the stairs. They’re safe. IZABELLE It’s Mrs. Worthington, isn’t it? The bugs got her. Pinocchio lets out a sigh of relief. His family’s alright. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY Boris, mournfully, goes to the window and opens it to get some air. Sophie sits at the main computer console, taking this all in. SOPHIE How do you find this, how do you hack into the CIA? BORIS It’s become a regular pastime for ole Boris. 1987, my crowning achievement. I’d watched “Wargames” one too many times and I decided to break into the National Arms Defense computer. Boris points to a framed newspaper front page from Deekerville. Headline: LOCAL TEEN ARRESTED FOR ESPIONAGE. BORIS (CONT’D) They’ve been monitoring me for all the years since. They messed up my record, my future. I could be Bill Gates, Jr. but they’re afraid to put someone like me in a position of power. How could I not strike back? But this program, it’s like my baby. My brainchild. I just want to make a sunny spot to sit every night when I get home from my crap job. Is that too much to ask? SOPHIE Do you know who these people are watching you? BORIS The black-helicopter types. Bad guys disguised as good guys. Communism Nazi pigs. I don’t care anymore. This bug is killing my baby and I’m going to do whatever it takes to save my Royal Valley. INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT In Harsh Realm, Pinocchio paces the floor. Hobbes and Florence sit on the sofa, Skipper in the armchair. Both Skipper and Izabelle are visibly shaken. PINOCCHIO How are the kids? IZABELLE I put them to sleep. Hopefully, they’ll be able to doze off despise all this commotion. Hobbes speaks directly to Skipper, HOBBES How many times has this happened? SKIPPER More recently than in the past. I don’t know. The city council’s voted to hire an exterminator. HOBBES Insects did that to the lady next door? SKIPPER Superbugs. Like nothing anybody’s ever seen before. In fact, nobody has seen them...and lived to talk about it. (aside) Bridgette! I have to get to my girlfriend’s house. I’ve gotta go. Skipper hurries up and out of the living room, leaving the front door wide open as he exits. Hobbes stands and turns to Pinocchio. HOBBES We have more of an arsenal over at my house. We’ll protect the kids for the night and try to get out of here in the morning. IZABELLE We have to leave Royal Valley? Izabelle runs into Pinocchio’s arms. He holds her. IZABELLE (CONT’D) I’ve never been outside the city. I don’t know if I can go. PINOCCHIO We’ll make it just fine. Hobbes, Florence, get all the ammo we’ll need for tonight. HOBBES Yeah. Hobbes and Florence head out, across the street. Just then, MIKE, JR. (O.S.) DADDY! Pinocchio and Izabelle freak. He tears up the stairs at a dry run. Makes it to the top, throws his son’s door open INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - BEDROOM #2 - NIGHT Pinocchio SEES: A floor covered with the spiders, a black, ever-moving layer of them. They have encircled Mike, Jr’s bed and now are heading in to devour the boy. Pinocchio lifts his automatic rifle to floor level and begins SPRAYING WILD BULLETS AT THE SPIDERS! Black out. ACT FOUR INT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - BEDROOM #2 - NIGHT Resume: Pinocchio firing wildly at the floor. A pathway all the way to the bed is formed from his gunfire. Pinocchio runs down this clear, spider-less, trail along the carpet, jumps onto the bed, and grabs Mike, Jr. PINOCCHIO (to Izabelle) GET THE GIRLS!! HURRY!! Izabelle, still in shock from all of this, rushes to do as told. Pinocchio sees that the spiders have engulfed the area around the bed again. They are coming up the sheets. Pinocchio’s boots kick them away. He sees the window. Pinocchio kicks out the glass and jumps onto the roof with Mike, Jr. in his arms. EXT. ROOF - NIGHT Pinocchio, carrying his kid, runs along the roof, finally stopping at the front of the house. Looking down, he SEES: Izabelle coming onto the lawn with Heather and Roz. PINOCCHIO Take the kid! Pinocchio hands Mike, Jr. gently down to her. He jumps off himself, landing and rolling like a true soldier. By now, it’s snowing again. Pinocchio quickly turns his attention to the Hobbes Residence across the street. PINOCCHIO (CONT’D) (muttering) Hobbes... INT. HOBBES RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Hobbes and Florence come in the foyer. On the living room rug, Dexter’s head pops up. HOBBES Dexter, are you alright, boy? Just then, three spiders are seen converging on the dog. Hobbes pulls a pistol from his belt and BLOWS THEM AWAY! Battery acid flies. Hobbes snatches up Dexter as some of the acid lands where the dog was, burning through the floor. HOBBES (CONT’D) These things bleed acid. Florence gestures upstairs. They take off running up the grand staircase. Hobbes looks back, an army of the spiders are scurrying up the stairs after them. EXT. PINOCCHIO’S HOUSE - NIGHT Pinocchio, rifle in hand, runs across the street toward Hobbes’s house. Izabelle and the kids are backing out of the driveway in the family’s station wagon. PINOCCHIO GET OUT OF HERE!! GO, GO, GO!! Izabelle, reluctant to leave her husband, fishtails into the street and drives away. Pinocchio sees something -- HIS POV: Toward Main Street and the Town Square, the black starless sky is lit up with fires and explosions. All hell is breaking loose in Royal Valley. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY Boris is working full-time on his computer, trying to save his program. On the screen, the words *WARNING: SYSTEM CRASHING* flash. Sophie watches, wide eyed. BORIS No, no, no! Hang in there, baby. Hang in there. (to Sophie) It’s never been this bad before. I think I’m losing her this time. Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! INT. HOBBES RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Pinocchio bursts in, the floor is covered with spiders. They turn their attention to him. Pinocchio lets loose, screaming, and blowing all the bugs he can find away! INT. HOBBES RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Hobbes and Florence get inside. Hobbes closes the door and tries to hold it shut. No use -- spiders are coming in from under it! Florence, at the closet packing up weapons and ammo, turns and pulls Hobbes away. She FIRE HER M-16 ALL OVER THE DOOR! Spider parts and battery acid fly everywhere! A spider scampers up Hobbes’s leg. He swats it into the air. Florence catches it in her hand. The spider turns to bite her. She throws it into the window. The bug BURSTS and it’s innards melt the glass! HOBBES I’ve got the stuff! Hobbes throws the duffel bag of supplies over his shoulder. With that, Florence kicks the bedroom door open and OPENS FIRE into the hallway/grand staircase. Pinocchio is keeping the spiders back in the foyer. PINOCCHIO What are you guys waiting for, Passover? C’mon! Clearing a path down the steps, Florence grabs Hobbes’s arm and leads him quickly downstairs. The three of them escape the house, barely, as the spiders re-group and follow. EXT. OUTSIDE ROYAL VALLEY - NIGHT WIDE - The idyllic village burns to the ground in the b.g. Hobbes, Pinocchio, and Florence run away from the carnage and destruction. Escaping the ruin. And there, beside the sign saying “WELCOME TO ROYAL VALLEY - YOU’LL NEVER WANT TO LEAVE” stands Izabelle and the kids, along with the station wagon. Pinocchio picks her up into his arms and spins her around. PINOCCHIO You made it! Izabelle now looks down the road, the road leading away from Royal Valley. It’s dark down there. Unknown. IZABELLE I’m afraid. What’s out there, Michael? PINOCCHIO Well, it’s...it’s... Hobbes lowers his head. Florence notices Mike, Jr., Roz, and Heather looking on. PINOCCHIO (CONT’D) --It’s not the kind of world for these kids. I wish you could go back. IZABELLE Why did the bugs come? PINOCCHIO I don’t know. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - DAY SOPHIE Why did the bugs come? BORIS I don’t know. It’s one of those things that happens. I guess nothing lasts forever. But I could still pull it through this. It’s not the end yet. Sophie and Boris look to the computer screen. The graphic of Royal Valley from high up is getting more and more distorted by static. Overcome with hopelessness, Sophie turns away from the computer console. SHE SEES: A book shelf full of videotapes. They are T.V. episodes -- “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Leave It To Beaver,” “The Brady Bunch,” etc. Tons and tons of them. BORIS (CONT’D) My program is a state of mind. And maybe if I keep believing. Well, maybe I can save all of my people. SOPHIE I’m distracting you. BORIS Why did you come? SOPHIE Something drew me here. I...I don’t know. BORIS What’s your name again? SOPHIE Sophie. Sophie Green. I have to get home. Sophie walks toward the door. Boris goes to stop her, grabs her arm. BORIS I still don’t know for sure that you’re not a spy. How do I know you didn’t somehow introduce this bug to my dreamworld? SOPHIE I live in a fantasy, too. A dream. Dreamers don’t kill one another. The world’s too busy doing that. BORIS I guess I’ll just have to take your word for that. SOPHIE You know it’s the truth. Boris nods his head yes. Lets her go. And, with that, and with a tear in her eye, Sophie leaves. Boris looks back at his computer. PULL IN - THE SCREEN - That sad shot of Royal Valley burning and sinking deeper and deeper into static. INT. BOARDING HOUSE - EVENING Sophie comes down the stairs. Wiping her eyes dry, she passes the lady at the front desk. EXT. OUTSIDE ROYAL VALLEY - NIGHT In Harsh Realm, Hobbes and Florence walk out of the city limits. Look back at Pinocchio, who’s still standing with Izabelle and the kids. HOBBES Pinocchio, we have to go! PINOCCHIO Just a minute! (to Izabelle) Part of me wishes I could have known you, and these kids. That I could have lived the life of the man you remember. I’m not that guy. I stumbled onto this dream and...and now I wish it wasn’t a dream. (pause) I don’t know what I want. IZABELLE I want you. Your children want you. PINOCCHIO But the world out there, it’s unforgiving. There’s danger and evil and dark stuff. IZABELLE So you’d rather leave us here? Pinocchio looks back toward the township. HIS POV: An onslaught of bugs are coming up the road in this direction. Like a wave. They are devouring everything. Pinocchio takes Izabelle by the arm, and the kids, and lead them away from the burning hamlet. PINOCCHIO If you’re coming, we have to go NOW! EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - EVENING Back in the real world, Sophie comes out of the boarding house. Instantly, she sees something across the street -- a van sitting there -- a moving van. The men behind the wheel don’t look like movers. Quickly, Sophie hurries away. They have seen her. EXT. OUTSIDE ROYAL VALLEY - NIGHT Harsh Realm. Pinocchio steps outside the boundaries of the city. Tries to bring Izabelle and the kids. A RIPPLE IN THE PROGRAM! Like an invisible force field, Pinocchio and his companions can leave Royal Valley, but not the residents themselves. Izabelle and her three children are trapped there. The spiders, closing in like a wave, are heading right for them. PINOCCHIO WHAT IN THE...! Pinocchio tries again to pull Izabelle through -- She bounces off the force field -- PINOCCHIO (CONT’D) IZABELLE!! They’re trapped for sure. EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - NIGHT ANGLE - MOVING VAN DOORS open and heavy boots step out onto the pavement. Military boots. These are definitely not moving men. EXT. OUTSIDE ROYAL VALLEY - NIGHT HOBBES Pinocchio, we can’t save them! PINOCCHIO I CAN!! I CAN!! Pinocchio, over and over again, tries to pull his family through. No dice. The bugs are no more than fifteen feet behind them now. PINOCCHIO (CONT’D) IZABELLE!! INT. BOARDING HOUSE - BORIS’S ROOM - NIGHT Boris sits at the computer, pounding away on the keys. The words *TOTAL FAILURE* blink on screen. *PROGRAM SHUTTING DOWN*. BORIS Come on -- come on -- come on... Knock-knock-knock. Boris turns to the door. BORIS (CONT’D) GO AWAY!! With that, the door is massively kicked in. MILITARY OFFICERS flood into the apartment. BORIS (CONT’D) NO!! NOT AGAIN!! Boris pulls a pistol from under his desk. Silenced shots ring out. Boris’s body falls to the floor, dead. One of the Military Officers points his weapon at the computer. BATTA-RA-TATTA-RA-BATTA! Monitor is smashed. Sparks fly. Electrical cords fall to the floor. EXT. OUTSIDE ROYAL VALLEY - NIGHT With that, everything -- the skyline of Royal Valley, Izabelle, the kids, the bugs -- digitizes and BLINKS OUT! What’s left in front of Pinocchio, Hobbes, and Florence is a two mile wide canyon of nothingness where the town one sat. PINOCCHIO IZABELLE!! His heartbreaking cries echo into the night. EXT. BOARDING HOUSE - NIGHT Military Officers are loading all of Boris’s computer equipment, videotapes, frame photographs, etc. into the back of the “moving van.” One of them, the leading officer, LT. GAGE, approaches a well-built man standing at the curb. Oak and Maple has been roped off. A crowd of bystanders watch from afar. LT. GAGE The subject has been liquidated. The threat is over. I don’t think the program is in jeopardy from this outside source any longer. The man at the curb turns. It’s MEL WATERS! He smokes a cigarette. WATERS Thank you, Lt. Gage. LT. GAGE The desk clerk did say that he had a visitor all this afternoon. A young lady who would not identify herself. Should we check into this? WATERS No. As you said, the threat is over. LT GAGE Yes, sir. Lt. Gage steps away. Waters lingers at the curb, watching the crowd watch him finish his cigarette. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BLUFF - NIGHT Overlooking the valley where the perfect U.S. Suburban Hell once sat. And Pinocchio sits on the edge, alone, looking at it, thinking. Possibly even missing. PINOCCHIO (V.O.) Suddenly, the strange seems familiar again. Feelings rush into my head and make me feel like the old Mike Pinocchio. I can’t shake the phantom of who I was for a time. The man who had it all, seemingly. And lost it all. Some guy got famous for spouting something like this: “Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” Nice sentiment. But whoever that guy was, he obviously never lost before. THE END.