SCREENPLAY FOR STRANGE DREAMS

INT. JENNA'S ROOM - MORNING

Alarm goes off. It's 6:30 Am.

JENNA
(Sits up in bed sweating and screaming)
Mom! It happened again! I woke up with the same dream!

LISA
(Runs in room)
The same exact dream? The one where you're locked in your burning class room? 

JENNA
Yes, Mom! Why is this happening?

LISA
(Sits on the bed next to Jenna) 
I don't know, Jenna. Maybe go to the library after school and see if they have any research books on it. How long has this been going on?

JENNA
Okay, I guess I can do that and I don't know probably about 2 weeks now and it’s really starting to freak me out!
 
LISA
(Leaving room) 
Alright, well get ready for school. You have 20 minutes, breakfast is on the table.

EXT. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Jenna walks out of class to her locker. Kids are talking loudly and shouting in the hallways. 

CAROLINE
Hey, Jenna! Are you going to be at cheer practice today? They pushed it back to 5:30. 

Jenna is putting books in her locker.

JENNA
Yeah, I'll be there. I might be late though. I have to stop at the library. Can you tell Coach that please!

CAROLINE
(Walking into class)
Yeah, sure. See ya then!

Jenna goes into the class room right across the hall from the one Caroline went into.

Jenna is sitting in her desk tapping her pencil watching the clock. When it hits 3:15 she quickly gets the books and leaves the building. 

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

Jenna walks into the deserted, ancient library. 

JENNA
Hello! Is anyone here?

Behind a curtain an old woman comes out.

LIBRARIAN
Hello. How may I help you?

JENNA
Um, well I was looking for a book on dreams. I’ve been having a weird reoccurring one lately and I looked up places that might have books on what they mean. It told me this library carried a book that might help me out...so here I am.


LIBRARIAN
Ah, yes we do have some books that may help you. Stay here, I’ll go check the back.

Jenna watches her go back behind the curtain and looks around the dusty library. She picks up a book on old voodoo myths and stories.

The librarian walks back out and Jenna quickly puts the book down.


LIBRARIAN
So, are you interested in voodoo also?

JENNA
Oh, no I was just looking. You sure do have a lot of books on these voodoo witches though.

LIBRARIAN
Well this is Louisiana, the home of voodoo.

JENNA
Ha, yeah I guess you’re right. So, do you have the book?

LIBRARIAN
Oh, right sorry. Yeah here it is! Will you be taking it with you?

Really loud thunder hits and it’s pouring down rain. Tree branches are banging on the window.

Jenna looks outside.

JENNA
Maybe I shouldn’t go out in this storm. I guess if it’s okay, I’ll stay here and read it.

LIBRARIAN
Yeah, sure stay as long as you want. I’ll be in the back.

Jenna sits down on a chair and opens the book. Suddenly lightning strikes and it thunders really loud. The power goes off and the room is lit up by the candles on the wall.

Jenna lays her head down and falls asleep.

INT. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

Jenna is walking down the halls. She watches as her friend Josh, who’s on the football team, throws some kid she doesn’t recognize books to the ground.

JENNA
Josh! What are you doing? Stop it!

Jenna tries to run up to Josh, but she cant move.

A lady appears in front of Jenna.

WITCH
You really haven’t seen this happen before Jenna? You’re so called friends treat this poor kid like dirt!

Jenna jumps. She is very confused.

JENNA
What is going on? Why can’t I move! Is this a dream?

WITCH
Yes, Jenna. Obviously it’s a dream. I would think you would know about those by now.

JENNA
Ha, funny. Well can you at least tell me why am I here watching my friends do this?

WITCH
You wanted to know about the dreams you were having, right?

JENNA
Right...? I still don’t understand though.


WITCH
This was this morning at school. You were right there at your locker talking to that girl.

Jenna looks over to her locker. She sees herself exactly how she was this morning talking to Caroline.

She looks back at her friend Josh who is pushing the nerdy kid up against the locker.

JOSH
You’re such a loser. Why do you even bother showing up to school, freak.

Josh and his football friends high five, laugh, and walk away getting one more shove to the kid in.

JENNA
How did I not see this happening? I was standing right there! What’s this kids name? He looks familiar.

WITCH
Yeah, that’s exactly what I was wondering. His name is Sam and you have been in the same grade at the same school for 9 years. That should probably explain why he looks so familiar.

JENNA
I just can’t believe I didn’t see this happening. How long have Josh and his friends been doing this too Sam?

Jenna and the witch go back in time a week.

INT. SAM’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Jenna and the witch sit outside of Sam’s house. Jenna sees him in the window. He is pacing around his room with a notebook in his hand. Suddenly right in front of them Josh and his friends pull up in their truck. They jump out of the truck and start egging Sam’s window. Sam looks out the window and shuts his curtain.

JOSH
Come out here freak!

FRIEND #1
Yeah, come out here you wimp!

When Sam's parents come outside Josh and his friends run to the truck.

JOSH
Come on boys! Lets go over to Jenna's.

Jenna looks over to the witch frightened.

JENNA
This was the night after the football game? The night all the guys came over to my house to hangout?

WITCH
I guess so...lets go up to Sam's room.

Jenna takes the witches hand and they fly up to Sam’s room. Sam is sitting on his bed crying. Jenna looks over at his desk and sees an open journal. She goes to pick it up, but her hand goes straight through it.

JENNA
Why can’t I pick this up?

WITCH
Jenna, we aren’t actually here remember? If you want to find out what is in that journal, which I highly recommend you do, you make an effort to see it when you get out of this dream.



JENNA
And how exactly do you want me to get a hold of his journal?

WITCH
Well if you really wanted to figure out what your dreams mean you’re going to have to do something about it and fast!

INT. LIBRARY - DAY

Jenna picks her head up fast. The power has come back on. She checks her watch and realizes she has been sleeping for a hour. She leaves the book on the table and leaves the building.

INT. JENNA’S CAR - DAY

Jenna takes out her phone and dials Caroline’s number.

JENNA
Caroline?

CAROLINE
Jenna! Hey where are you?

JENNA
I don't think I’m going to make it to practice tell Coach I’m sorry, it’s an emergency!

CAROLINE
Okay Jenna. You’re being weird about this. What’s up? You know you can tell me. I can help you.

JENNA
No, really. Thanks though Caroline. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. I’m fine. I have to go though, so I’ll talk to you later.

CAROLINE
Umm, okay. Bye Jenna.

EXT. SAM’S HOUSE - DAY

The rain stops. Jenna gets out of her car and walks up the porch steps to the door. She knocks on the door.

Sam’s dad answers the door.

JENNA
Hi, is Sam here?

SAM’S DAD
Yes, he is. May I ask who you are?

JENNA
I’m, I’m, Sam’s lab partner. I need to pick up the notes from today.

SAM’S DAD
SAAMMM! You’ve got company!

Sam’s dad lets Jenna in.

SAM’S DAD
You can go on up. He should be up there. He probably has his head phones in or something.

Jenna runs up the stairs to Sam’s room. She hears the shower running. She looks around his room and spots the journal on his bed.

She runs over to the journal reading the pages out loud to herself quietly.

JENNA
On October 14 the school will regret what they’ve done to me. When they are all in flames they will know why.
October 14?! That’s tomorrow!
I will stand back watching them feel the pain I’ve felt everyday of my life.
Burning in flames? Is he planning on burning the school down?

Jenna drops the journal. Her hands are shaking.



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