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Adrenaline
by
Adam Johnson
3336 Spruce lane
Grapevine, TX 76051
(214) 460-1526
adamthejohnson@hotmail.com
FADE IN:
EXT. STREET, BUS ROUTE - MORNING
The street is deserted. One of the city's more rural
neighborhoods.
The leaves on all of the trees are turning a rich brown.
They cover the grass on the lawns.
INT. SCHOOL BUS - MORNING
The driver stares in the oversized rear-view mirror just
above him, looking back at the rowdiness of adolescence.
In the back of the bus the kids are going crazy. The bus is
filled with an utter chaos. Everyone struggles to talk over
one another, resulting in one massive unified shouting.
EXT. STREET, BUS ROUTE - MORNING
The bus edges around a corner on the single lane street.
A figure, at least eighteen, stands blurry in the distance,
awaiting the bus.
INT. SCHOOL BUS - MORNING
The bus's brakes SCREECH as it slowly comes to a stop.
The bus driver looks over to the door and opens it with his
free hand. He gets a good look at the kid - brown hair, not
cleanly cut, skinny, nerdy. The boy is DYLAN DANDRIDGE.
He stares at the bus driver. And waits. Beat.
He takes a step onto the bus.
EXT. STREET, BUS ROUTE - MORNING
The air brakes hiss, and the bus drives off.
SUPERIMPOSE -- ADRENALINE
INT. SCHOOL BUS, BACK - SHORT TIME LATER
Dylan sits in the back of the bus. The bus is full of kids,
but Dylan is alone, the only empty seat is next to him. He's
busy reading an issue of "The Amazing Spider-Man".
Across the bus and up three rows a jock in a letter jacket
peers past the seat and smiles as he looks on.
2.
He turns back to his buddy in the seat next to him, another
jock, but bigger, and nudges him in the gut with his elbow.
The little jock motions to Dylan with his head.
One of them says something, but it's muffled by their
immediate laughter. They take another look over the seat,
and another burst of chuckles erupt.
Dylan is oblivious, still reading.
A moment later there is another loud burst of sound and the
bus slows to a stop, jerking suddenly near the end.
He continues to read.
After a pause the bus begins to pull away, jerking everyone
in the opposite direction.
The jolt forces his head up from the pages. He sees an
eighteen year-old GIRL, dressed to impress, beautiful,
speaking with the jocks, DEAN and WILL, from the aisle.
One of them says something to her and she looks around the
bus anxiously. She spots Dylan, with an open seat next to him.
As soon as she sees him Dylan averts his eyes, pretending
not to have seen her. He stares out the window, the comic
resting in his lap with his thumb stuck on his last page.
GIRL
Do you mind if I sit? There are no
other seats.
Dylan looks up at her and shakes his head "no."
She bends down and struggles to fit her bag underneath the
seat. Her shirt slides forward and her lower back is exposed.
Dylan stares, at her derriere.
He hears a chuckle and quickly breaks his gaze to see the
jocks smiling obnoxiously at him again.
He averts their gaze as well, and notices the comic still in
his lap.
He takes his thumb out of it and slides it into his open
backpack, trying to be unnoticed.
She sits down beside him. She avoids looking in his direction.
DYLAN
So, are you going to school?
She looks at him, a "duh" face.
3.
GIRL
Uh huh.
She quickly turns from him again.
DYLAN
It's my first day. My family just
moved here.
She forces a smile at him.
DYLAN
How long have you gone here?
She stares out the opposite window, looking away from him.
GIRL
(somber)
I've always gone here.
DYLAN
You sound like you don't --
GIRL
--Don't like it? No, it's not--
(warmer, smiling)
It's not that. It's just... school.
DYLAN
(smiling)
Yeah.
She looks at him and sees the edge of the comic book
sticking out of his backpack.
GIRL
Oh. You like comic books?
DYLAN
Oh, yeah.
Embarrassed, he slowly pushes the exposed edge into his
backpack, trying not to let her see.
DYLAN
Do you? Do you read them?
Trying not to be too cruel,
GIRL
No. I just think they're so
ridiculous. So unreal.
4.
DYLAN
Everything's rooted in reality. No
matter how ridiculous.
GIRL
Still, don't you think you're a
little old to be reading those?
DYLAN
You're never too old to dream.
There is an awkward silence as Dylan struggles for something
more to say.
He hears laughing and looks over at the jocks sneering again.
They beckon for her to join them. They tap their open palms
on a space they've made in between them.
DYLAN
(to Girl)
I'm Dylan Dandridge.
He extends his hand for a handshake.
His introduction draws her away from the others. She looks
at him, and takes his hand.
GIRL
Sarah.
After they disconnect she looks around. Dylan looks out the
window as a car pounds by.
His hand rests on his knee. SARAH watches it. She suddenly
feels too close to him.
She scoots over, trying not to be too obvious. She's ready
to fall off the edge of the small bus seats.
DYLAN
So, maybe I could walk you to class?
She looks up to him. Beat.
SARAH
(soft)
I have a boyfriend.
(beat)
I'm sorry, but he's right over there.
She starts to gather her things from beneath the seat.
5.
DYLAN
Wait. I thought we were just--
She gets up.
She sits down in the tight space with the two jocks, sitting
quickly.
Dylan watches as she shakes hands with the two jocks,
meeting for the first time.
Dylan rests his head on the window of the bus, watching the
world pass him by.
After a moment he reaches into his bag and pulls the comic
book out. He begins to read.
The bus sways and lulls as it drives on. Dylan can't
concentrate. He lifts his eyes out from the comic and sees a
girl, KELLY, blonde and beautiful, looking at him. When she
sees his gaze she quickly turns her head, averting her gaze
from his.
Dylan keeps staring, he can't look away.
TYLER THOMPSON, her boyfriend, the same age, shouts at Dylan
as Dylan continues to ogle his girlfriend. Tyler wears a
dark red school jacket, made of a special velvet material
for him only, with an added insignia, an enormous bright
yellow "C" on one side, in it reads: CAPTAIN.
TYLER
Hey!
He looks at Dylan in an angry puzzlement. Dylan quickly
looks away.
Dylan hears them speaking softly to one another, from across
the bus.
KELLY
(distant)
Babe... don't.
TYLER
(distant)
What? I don't like anyone looking
at you like that.
KELLY
(distant)
He's just some kid.
Dylan delves back into his issue, suffering another humiliation.
6.
Soon the bus screeches to a stop, arriving at the school.
Dylan looks out the bus window on the other side, a long
look at his new home away from home for the first time.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL, 1ST FLOOR HALLWAY - MORNING
The tardy bell rings, billowing through every hallway. Kids
and teachers alike scatter across the hallways, struggling
to find their classrooms amidst the chaos.
The hall is filled with people, like rush hour traffic.
Dylan is the only one not moving, the only thing he can do
is search for the class he's supposed to be in.
He grabs someone by the arm.
DYLAN
Excuse me?
The man spins around, very angry. He jerks his arm back, and
walks away.
He steps in front of a teacher.
DYLAN
Can you--?
But the teacher pushes past him, not caring.
Dylan can only speak out, hoping someone will answer his plea.
DYLAN
Does anyone know where Health is?
But of course, no one answers him.
Will passes him.
WILL
Geek.
Surrounding people laugh.
The hallways begin to empty, and Dylan is left wondering.
INT. HEALTH CLASS - DAY
The bell rings, but Dylan is nowhere in sight. The class is
nearly full, only a few open desks remain. The female
teacher, MRS. LEVIN, begins to speak to the class. On the
board behind her, in the far corner, her name is scribbled
in chalk.
7.
MRS. LEVIN
Ok, so--
Her sentence is cut off as she spots Dylan looming in the
doorway, trying to sneak by her.
MRS. LEVIN
You're late.
Embarrassed, he nods his head, "yes."
He stands still in the doorway, his head lowered in shame,
further embarrassed.
MRS. LEVIN
Sit. I'm letting you off the hook.
DYLAN
Oh.
WILL (O.S.)
Geek.
Dylan looks over the seats and sees an open desk near Kelly.
He hurries over.
As he heads for the desk the teacher begins to talk, without
waiting for him to sit down.
Tyler fires a look at the kid behind the open desk,
demanding a very specific response.
Instantly the seat stealer throws his backpack into the chair.
Dylan quickly walks away towards another open desk, one
beside Kelly, the only open seats are seemingly near her.
Along with one in front of Tyler.
Tyler shoots another look at the kid next to the open desk,
he doesn't want him to sit anywhere near his girlfriend. The
kid next to the desk quickly plants his feet in it, smiling
arrogantly.
Dylan still stands as the teacher continues to talk. She
sees him and finally acknowledges his distress.
MRS. LEVIN
Well?
Dean raises his hand with great enthusiasm and signals that
there is an open desk near him.
8.
MRS. LEVIN
(re: desk)
There you go.
He looks at her, pleading with his eyes.
MRS. LEVIN
Go on, we need to get on with class.
Dylan regrettably takes the seat just in front of Tyler, who
leans in close and speaks in his ear as the others watch on
with anticipation.
TYLER
Welcome to Health class. I'm Tyler.
(beat)
Just keep away from my girl-
Tyler looks across the room to Kelly, sitting in her desk
listening to the teacher.
TYLER
-and you won't need to know much
about maintaining physical health.
Dylan is quickly petrified. The teacher picks up where she
left off.
MRS. LEVIN
So, I'm going to pick up where we
left off on the internal organs.
But today I thought we'd talk about
something a little more interesting:
adrenaline.
She turns on the overhead projector and motions to one of
the students, who shuts off the lights. On the projector
transparency is a picture of the ADRENAL GLAND inside the
human body.
MRS. LEVIN
Adrenaline, also called Epinephrine,
is transported through the body's
bloodstream from the Adrenal Glands,
shown here.
Mrs. Levin points to the overhead. Dylan watches the slide
as she speaks.
MRS. LEVIN
Adrenaline courses through the body
when we're in danger, or if
something scares us, or even if
we're just excited.
9.
Some of the men in the class giggle obnoxiously.
MRS. LEVIN
That's enough.
She gets back on track.
MRS. LEVIN
When it enters our bloodstream we
become stronger, faster, more agile.
Any of the body's physical
attributes can be heightened by
this natural chemical. Reptiles are
a great example.
She slips a picture of a crocodile in a deathroll.
MRS. LEVIN
Crocodiles, before they go into
what is called a "deathroll," shoot
adrenaline through their bodies.
It's such a rush that anyone
holding the croc as it's doing this
can actually feel the power
building in its muscles. But, just
like with all animals, adrenaline
is quite toxic. That's why these
guys here struggle to stop the
deathroll, crocodiles have a
tendency to overdo it, and they can
die if they're not controlled.
DEAN
(sarcastic)
Yeah, what a waste.
She snaps to anger.
MRS. LEVIN
Dean, shut up.
(back on track)
Like I was saying, the chemical is
very toxic, even to humans. So any
prolonged exposure to any great
amounts of this would, in fact,
kill you dead.
Dylan glances at Kelly across the room. She looks at him,
but tries to look away before he sees her.
Beat.
10.
MRS. LEVIN
Now, I've talked about its effects
on humans - increased heartrate,
increased strength and speed - now
let me show you. Don't worry, I'm
not gonna hurt you.
She slips a transparency onto the projector. A photograph.
There is a middle-aged woman at the bumper of a Volkswagen
Beetle, clutching it with extreme exertion. Under the Bug is
a little girl, wedged between the front tire and a curb,
screaming in pain.
MRS. LEVIN
There are actual proven, well, not
proven, documented instances where
things like this happen.
(points to slide)
You've all heard the myth, maybe
seen it on TV: The helpless mother
lifting the two-ton car off of her
screaming child trapped underneath.
Dylan's attention is caught.
MRS. LEVIN
I know all of you here probably
think this picture is pure and
total crap, dreamt up in Photoshop.
You're all wrong. This happened in
Manchester, in December of last
year. The woman's name is Lisa
Hodgkinson, she's thirty. The child
underneath is seven.
(beat)
How is it even possible she lifted
that car? Miracle of God? Is it all
just some hoax? A medical marvel?
Unfortunately, she spent the next
six months lying in a hospital bed
because she was in a coma brought
on by an overdoes of a toxic
chemical. But she saved that child.
You would have all done the same.
DEAN
(sarcastic)
How little you know me.
Levin and Dean start to argue, but Dylan's attention has now
completely changed focus, the noise behind him drowns out.
He sees Kelly, sitting in her desk, also trying to ignore
the boy's rantings. Dylan just stares at her.
11.
The noise has already stopped and the teacher has begun
teaching again but he can only stare, completely lost in his
own hope.
Kelly looks away again, beginning to blush.
Tyler quickly leans in over Dylan's shoulder, speaking in
his ear.
TYLER
Don't stare again, friend, and I
won't have to catch up with you later.
INT. CAFETERIA - LUNCHTIME
Dylan steps out of the lunch line with a full tray of the
same cruddy cafeteria food.
He stands alone for a moment, and looks over the enormous
cafeteria.
He sees a couple of empty tables off in the corner.
He doesn't move.
He spots a full table with a single empty chair, just
begging him to sit in it. The open chair is next to Kelly.
He starts to walk over when Tyler sits down in the empty
chair. Dylan watches them for a moment. Kelly says something
and Tyler erupts in laughter, kissing his girlfriend on the
cheek with a mouthful of food in his mouth. Kelly laughs
with him.
Tyler looks up, and sees Dylan. Dylan quickly turns in the
opposite direction, spinning around, like a soldier.
Dylan quickly scans the area again. Finds another table with
several open seats, full of reasonably popular kids, judging
by the number of people at the table.
He hesitates.
He is completely torn, not knowing whether to try for the
popular table and tempt the rejection again, or go for
something less painful, like being alone.
He eyes another possibility: two kids, completely alone,
sitting at the table in the far corner, out of the light.
Both kids are outcasts, shunned away from the rest of the world.
After a moment, he walks over.
12.
DYLAN
Hi.
CONRAD and BEN look up at Dylan. Both of them are almost too
typical to be real. The thick glasses, the poorly cut greasy
hair. The school nerds. They look at each other.
CONRAD
Would you like to sit down?
Dylan sits.
DYLAN
Thanks.
Dylan hangs his head low. He doesn't say anything.
They look at each other again, confused.
BEN
Are you alright? You-
DYLAN
-No, I'm not alright.
Ben sits back and crosses his arms.
BEN
This looks familiar.
Conrad nods in agreement.
Dylan looks up, curious.
CONRAD
Would you care to tell us who?
DYLAN
I don't know what you're asking.
CONRAD
Would you care to tell us who did
this to you?
Beat. Dylan motions across the cafeteria to Tyler.
DYLAN
That walking tricep over there.
13.
BEN
As suspected.
(beat)
I'm Ben. That's Conrad. And THAT
(re: Tyler)
is Tyler.
DYLAN
I know who he is. I mean, I... I'm
Dylan. But I still don't understand.
You--
CONRAD
-There are two other people sitting
at this table. And both of us have
gone through exactly the same thing
that you are now.
BEN
Don't let it get you down though.
We're pretty cool.
(beat)
And God knows we can always use
another friend.
DYLAN
What did you do that was so horrible?
BEN
Nothing. Unless you consider
looking at someone for too long a
banishable offense.
CONRAD
You know her: The naturally
highlighted blonde hair, curled
from end to end. The striking blue
eyes. The dimple on her right cheek,
but not the left.
(beat)
Kelly.
(beat)
We were caught and we were punished
for it.
DYLAN
You only looked at her?
CONRAD
Exactly. All we did was just--
Dylan's fork drops onto his tray, interrupting loudly.
14.
BEN
What did you do?
DYLAN
I looked. Alot.
CONRAD
A little bit of advice among losers:
Don't do it again and you'll be
alright. If you see her, you run.
DYLAN
(absent)
Yeah...
But he's no longer paying attention to his own words. He can
only stare at Kelly.
CONRAD
Are you listening?
DYLAN
(absent)
Uh huh.
CONRAD
(to Ben)
It's too late for this one.
CONRAD
I would suggest opening a spot at
the morgue but I don't think he'll
give our new friend the relief of
death.
The bell rings, lunch is over already, maybe too quickly, he
wants more time to stare at her in peace.
He gets up with his tray and spins around to leave, but
Tyler is directly in his path. Dylan knocks his tray all
over Tyler's pretty bright red letter jacket.
A hush comes over the crowd, which instantly gathers around
the two.
Dylan instantly looks frightened, and very sorry.
Conrad and Ben look at each other for a moment, then take
off through the crowd.
Tyler looks shocked, drenched in cafeteria food. He pushes
Dylan back.
15.
Across the cafeteria the lunchlady sets down her tongs and
walks away, turning her back on the violence in front of her.
INT. CAFETERIA BATHROOM - DAY
Dylan is practically thrown into the multi-stalled bathroom
by Tyler, who follows him in.
Kelly rushes in.
For some strange reason Dylan looks over at Kelly again,
with a worried look on her face.
Tyler sees him looking. And immediately grabs him by his
shirt, and yanks him closer, practically lifting him off the
ground.
KELLY
Tyler, please don't. It was an
accident.
Tyler turns around and sees her witnessing his violence for
the first time. He looks back at Dylan, petrified.
Kelly can't move.
The anger rushes out of Tyler with her looking on. He throws
his arms out, shoving Dylan backwards. He stays on his feet
but stumbles backwards severely.
With a thankful look in her eyes, Tyler turns back to Kelly.
Just as Dylan loses his footing on the wet bathroom tile and
slips. His head smacks the gritty white porcelain of the stall.
Everything goes black.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. NURSE'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON
Dylan's eyes slowly open. The light from the fixtures above
is blinding at first. He blinks his vision back.
He sits up, suddenly aware he was laying down. He looks
around the room, confused, until he realizes he's in the
Nurse's office.
Across the office two nurses whisper to one another. One of
the seen Dylan awake and quickly informs the other in an
even more hushed whisper. After a few more words, one of the
nurses goes over to him.
16.
NURSE
How are you feeling? Better?
DYLAN
Better than what? What happened?
NURSE
You're in the nurse's office. You
took a little spill.
(beat)
How do you feel?
DYLAN
Okay.
NURSE
Any sore spots?
DYLAN
No.
NURSE
Broken bones?
DYLAN
No.
NURSE
Numbness?
DYLAN
No.
(beat)
What was it you said happened?
NURSE
You fell down the stairs during
lunch. Thank God that young man
Tyler was there to help you. He's
the heart 'n soul of this school
you know.
DYLAN
(confused)
What? No he-
NURSE
-He saved you son. He saved you.
She obviously knows the truth. Apparently Tyler's power as
the popular one takes hold of even faculty.
17.
NURSE
Now come on, if you don't think you
need to go to the Emergency Room
then I suggest you head home. Now.
DYLAN
Yeah. Yeah, I will.
He groggily gets off the table and walks out of the room,
muttering to himself once outside in the hallway.
INT. NURSE'S HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Classes are still in session, which explains why the halls
are so empty.
DYLAN
I hate popular kids.
INT. CONCRETE HALLWAY - SHORT TIME LATER
Dylan takes slow, hesitant steps as he walks down a narrow
hallway somewhere in the bowels of the school. He's lost.
INT. MUSIC HALLWAY - SHORT TIME LATER
Somehow he's made his way into the music wing, near the band
rooms.
The sound of a piano becomes increasingly louder with each
step, beautiful, tranquil music being played by some unseen
person.
He follows the noise curiously, the sounds coming from a
very lonely room, in the farthest of corners.
He enters.
INT. PIANO ROOM - AFTERNOON - CONTINUOUS
And to his surprise he finds Kelly, even more beautiful than
before, with her eyes closed, playing the piano, completely
lost in the music she's creating.
He lets her play, watching from just inside the doorway,
just listening to her beauty unfold itself as music.
She finally comes to the end of the song, finishing it with
incredible grace and beauty, never knowing he was watching
her. She hits the last key, but keeps her eyes closed, still
immersed in it.
18.
DYLAN
(soft)
Wow...
He doesn't even realize he's said anything. It just slipped out.
She jumps, startled by his sudden presence.
She turns to face him, surprised to see him again.
KELLY
I don't believe it.
(beat)
It's Dylan, isn't it?
DYLAN
How do you know my name?
KELLY
I think I overheard it in class, I
think.
Dylan comes through the doorway.
DYLAN
Your boyfriend around?
KELLY
No. No one knows I play here.
Except you.
DYLAN
I guess it's safe to talk then?
KELLY
Yeah. Yeah, of course.
(beat)
I can't believe him.
(beat)
You know I don't have one guy
friend because of him? And his
jealousy.
DYLAN
No, I didn't know that.
KELLY
You're new here, aren't you? How
are you liking it so far?
Dylan holds his face.
KELLY
Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I just-
19.
DYLAN
-Really, I'm fine.
(beat, looks at the piano)
You play beautifully.
KELLY
I think you said 'wow.'
Dylan looks nervous standing before her.
KELLY
I always come down here and play.
At the same time, everyday. It just
relaxes me.
(beat)
No one even seems to notice I'm
gone an hour out of the day. It's
kind of depressing, really.
DYLAN
I think it's a relief.
KELLY
What do you mean?
DYLAN
With friends like those? I'd be
glad to get away from them once in
a while.
Kelly smiles. She lowers her head to try and hide it, but
she can't. She nods in agreement.
DYLAN
You actually like him?
KELLY
I don't know, really. I mean the
things he does... bother me, but
when he's with me it's like... like
he's a different person. He's sweet,
he's funny. Completely opposite of
the one you saw.
DYLAN
Which one do you think is the real one?
She doesn't know how to answer.
KELLY
Why are you here?
20.
DYLAN
I just got lost, coming out of the
Nurse's office--
KELLY
-No. I mean, why are you HERE?
Talking to me now.
DYLAN
I don't know. I heard you playing...
I guess I couldn't resist.
They kind of stalemate, both seemingly nervous now.
DYLAN
What can you play?
KELLY
Only a few pages. I'm still just
learning.
DYLAN
Do you know the Symphonies?
KELLY
Beethoven?
Dylan nods.
KELLY
No, I don't. They're... well,
they're too advanced.
(beat)
You sound like you know them. Do
you play?
DYLAN
Advantages of being a dork.
KELLY
You really don't seem like that big
of a dork to me.
DYLAN
Give it some time.
Dylan sees an opening.
DYLAN
I could teach you.
KELLY
I really could use a teacher, but-
21.
DYLAN
-Come on, he'll never know. You
said it yourself: He never comes
down here.
Dylan looks at her, his eyes slightly wide with anticipation.
KELLY
(hesitant)
Okay.
(beat)
Swing by tomorrow and we'll start
with the Symphonies.
DYLAN
It's a date.
(beat)
Maybe I shouldn't say that...
KELLY
Probably not.
DYLAN
I'll see you tomorrow then?
KELLY
I'll be here.
He leaves the same way he came.
After he exits, he jumps high into the air, clicking his
heels, and holds his head in agony when he lands.
Kelly watches from the window, a hint of a smile appears.
EXT. STREET, COMIC SHOP - DAY
Dylan walks down a lonely street, headed towards a lone
building. The building has on the side of it a painted mural
of all the great comic-book heroes.
INT. COMIC SHOP - SHORT TIME LATER
Like most comic shops this one appears entirely unorganized,
with books and issues strewn about in an almost careless
manner. It's very cluttered, and quite cramped.
Dylan is busy shuffling through one of the many rows of
comic books with his finger.
Elsewhere in the store a MOTHER and DAUGHTER break the
silence with their conversation.
22.
MOTHER
Ok well, you decide on what you
want while Mommy go gets the car
from across the street okay? We
shouldn't have walked from the
grocery store.
DAUGHTER
I'm sorry.
The mother bends down, smiling.
MOTHER
Don't be sorry, babe.
(kisses her forehead)
I'll be right back.
Dylan peeks his eyes up from the issue to look at them,
smiling a bit of his own.
He looks back at the issue, yet another of "Spider-Man."
INT. COMIC SHOP - SHORT TIME LATER
Dylan waits in line with only one other person in front of
him. When the person is finished Dylan starts to move
towards the counter. But the little girl gleefully rushes up
beside him with an issue in hand and heads straight for the
front of the line.
Dylan smiles as she struggles to reach over the counter to
place the issue on top. The OWNER looks at him, Dylan smiles,
happily relinquishing his spot in line.
DAUGHTER
Mommy's coming.
Without ringing her up,
OWNER
It's yours, honey.
She yanks the issue from the counter and without a look back
she's out the door.
EXT. COMIC SHOP - SHORT TIME LATER
The little girl sits on the sidewalk of the empty parking
lot to the comic shop in the middle of nowhere, smiling and
reading a comic book.
Dylan walks out, the bell on the door ringing, reading his
own issue while walking.
23.
He doesn't see the little girl sitting down on a long
concrete block designed to indicate where cars should stop
when parking. He turns the page, and continues to walk until
he rounds a corner, losing sight of her and the shop.
He soon finishes another page.
Suddenly, somewhere in the distance, tires squeal as they
struggle to grab the road. There is a sick thud seconds
later. And a little girl screams in agony.
Before Dylan even notices the comic is on the ground and his
feet patter as he races towards the accident. On the cover
of the issue, Spider-Man stops an 18-wheeler from colliding
with a young girl.
In the distance several different screams, both of terror
and of pain, echo past the many feet separating them.
A moment later Dylan is there, at the scene of the accident.
What he sees shocks him: The little girl, once reading a
simple comic-book, is now wedged under the tire of an SUV,
trapped awkwardly between it and the curb she was just
sitting on moments ago.
The woman driver leaps out, crying in horror, and tries to
pull the little girl out by her arm. But the little girl
screams even louder, the pain growing as the woman tries to
help.
Dylan runs over to the front bumper, and grabs it hard. He
struggles hopelessly to lift it enough to free her.
Nothing budges. He looks around to see if there is anyone
else to help him but there is not.
He struggles again to hoist the massive weight of the SUV,
but of course his scrawny body can do nothing to help the
little girl in trouble.
He lifts one last time, an incredible weight on his arms,
excruciating pain on his face.
From somewhere deep inside of him, a new strength fills his
muscles, he can feel the SUV moving. The metal bumper groans
and bends under his strength.
His struggle continues. His hands raise an inch, and another
inch, and another. Dylan fights the growing weight of the
SUV, as it continues to rise.
The woman driver finally slides the child out from under the
wheel. She clutches the girl in her arms.
24.
The SUV falls and slams to the ground.
MOTHER
Thank you! Thank you so much!
He can't answer. He can only hold his head as he staggers
off the road.
The female driver, her mother, puts the child in her car and
takes off down the road at incredible speed. The tires spit
out white smoke. Dylan is left behind, looking ill.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON
Dylan's MOM and DAD are in the middle of a conversation.
MOM
So how was work this morning, Jonathan?
DAD
As good as it can be.
(beat)
How was Dylan? First days are rough.
MOM
Didn't you see him?
DAD
(sighs)
No. Work needed me to open. Didn't you?
MOM
No, I didn't either. I had to run
some errands.
(beat)
He must feel so alone.
DAD
Why do you say that?
MOM
He wakes up to an empty house. Goes
to school. Eats by himself. Walks
by himself. I'd be surprised if he
even talks to anyone at school.
(beat)
I just hope his day was uneventful.
The door slams O.S.
DAD
Dylan?
25.
Dylan staggers into their view in the hallway. He doesn't
even hear his father.
MOM
Are you alright?
Dylan simply walks up the stairs, entirely oblivious to them.
DAD
(calling upstairs)
Yeah, go up and rest. You probably
got some of that flu that's been
going around.
The door shuts upstairs.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - BATHROOM - EVENING
The sound of running water.
Hot water rushes over Dylan's face as he stands in the shower.
A long beat - as he's lost in the heat and steam.
He closes his eyes. His face tightens up.
Dylan slowly hunches down and takes a seat on the tiled
floor of the shower. Water pours over his weak, thin frame.
Beat.
His frail body begins to shake. Then we realize he's crying.
In the shower, he just hugs his knees against his chest -
unable to stop the shaking, as the water steams over him.
FADE OUT:
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM
The events of the accident - as they replay in a strange,
dream-like way.
-- The tires of the SUV squeal as they try to stop.
-- The little girl screams.
-- Metal groans.
-- Dylan's face as he struggles to heave the SUV.
-- The sound of his anguish.
26.
-- Dylan's heart, as he grabs as the bumper. Louder and
LOUDER it becomes, beating, pumping faster and faster,
booming like a drum.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - MORNING
The drum beat of his heart transforms into a banging on the
door, someone pounding. Dylan jumps up, face down in his bed,
sweat dripping from his forehead.
MOM (O.S.)
(behind door)
You alive in there?
He looks around, still dazed.
MOM (O.S.)
(behind door)
Get up. Time for school.
He looks over at the clock, 7:06 AM.
DYLAN
Holy crap.
He throws himself out of bed, tearing on his shirt and pants.
In his rush he doesn't notice, but what yesterday was so
scrawny and skinny now is powerful, very muscular - toned to
perfection.
With clothes still hanging off of him,
DAD
(calling up)
YOU'RE LAAAAATE!
He dashes for the door.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE, DOWNSTAIRS - DAY
Dylan bolts down the stairs, taking two, sometimes three
steps at a time. His backpack on, his clothes on.
DYLAN
(rushing)
Bye Mom, bye Dad.
But before they can answer he has already left, bolting out
the door.
They just look at each other.
27.
DAD
I thought you said he was sick.
MOM
He's just changing so much.
EXT. STREET, SCHOOL ROUTE - DAY
Dylan runs as fast as his legs will carry him, late for school.
The track team is doing their usual run, all wearing their
uniforms saying TRACK TEAM, running in synchronized order.
They are all very fast runners.
Dylan rounds a corner, still in sprint. His backpack bounces
off his shoulders with each step.
He passes the first couple of them with ease, the back of
the pack.
Then he easily passes the majority of the pack, and takes a
glance back.
He takes another mad dash and passes the leader. Angry, the
leader pushes himself even harder, increasing his speed.
But somehow, Dylan still passes him with ease. Dylan spins
around, backpedaling, but still in sprint. Still beating
that runner by a large distance. He can't believe himself.
He turns around again and runs hard, losing them in the
distance.
INT. SCHOOL, ENTRANCE - DAY, 10 MIN BEFORE BELL
The halls aren't cluttered this time around.
Dylan looks at his watch. Surprised by what he sees he looks
up at the school clock hanging in the hallway.
He's early.
Someone comes running up to him through the crowd. It's Tyler.
Dylan looks a bit surprised.
TYLER
Hey.
Dylan looks at him, not knowing what to think or say.
TYLER
No hard feelings about yesterday?
It was an accident.
28.
Dylan shakes his head tentatively, "no."
TYLER
Just making sure you're still intact.
He starts to back away.
TYLER
And don't forget about Phys. Ed.
You missed it yesterday.
Dean and Will pass him from behind.
DEAN
Nice to see you on time today.
WILL
Yeah, good job there geek.
INT. CAFETERIA - LUNCHTIME
Dylan quickly locates his only friends in their usual spot
and sits down.
Ben and Conrad look at him, suddenly surprised.
BEN
I was going to ask if you were
alright, but I guess I don't have to.
CONRAD
It would seem our friend is a quick
healer.
DYLAN
Just tough I guess.
CONRAD
I must admit, I am rather impressed.
He laughs, but shrugs it off.
DYLAN
Can we please talk about something
else here?
Conrad nods once, "Yes."
BEN
Oh yeah, sure.
After an awkward beat,
29.
BEN
Sooo, what do you want to talk
about then? I didn't have anything
else lined up.
DYLAN
Just find something else.
Conrad suddenly looks surprised about something. He looks
curiously across the cafeteria.
Ben looks as well. Dylan has to turn completely around to see.
They look across the cafeteria, seeing Kelly casually shift
her eyes in their direction, trying not to make it obvious.
Dylan turns back to Conrad.
BEN
What's that about?
They sit in wonder for a moment.
DYLAN
(casually)
I'm giving her a piano lesson today.
Both sets of eyes jump on him.
DYLAN
What?
BEN
You're giving her a piano lesson?
DYLAN
Yeah?
BEN
Do you have some kind of deathwish
in life? Do we forget what happened
when you merely looked at her? Now
you're giving her a lesson?
CONRAD
Which includes contact and
socializing. A feat never before
accomplished at this school.
BEN
I mean, he was nice to you n' all
so he could look good, but if you
go through with this...
30.
DYLAN
It's not that important. She IS a
person too.
BEN
Not just any person. She's Kelly.
You're going to need to get that
through your head. She's off limits
here.
Conrad just looks at Ben.
CONRAD
(to Ben)
I think YOU should date her.
BEN
Look, what time is it at?
DYLAN
Why?
BEN
So I can alert the paramedics ahead
of time.
DYLAN
It's after PE. Which, I gotta say,
I'm not looking too forward to.
BEN
That's when it's gonna happen.
That's when you're gonna die.
DYLAN
What?
CONRAD
He has it next period as well.
DYLAN
He doesn't even know.
BEN
Tyler's the Captain of the
basketball team.
CONRAD
Trust us... Enjoy your last game. Ever.
The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch.
31.
DYLAN
(sarcastic)
Yippee.
INT. AUDITORIUM, BASKETBALL TRYOUTS - DAY
Tyler stands, lecturing to all the new basketball prospects
sitting on the bench in front of him, decked out in full
basketball attire.
TYLER
I see a lot of new faces. All of
you... newbies
(crowd laughter)
will address me as "Captain Tyler."
Standard rookie issue.
(crowd laughter)
Today is basketball tryouts. Make
the team and I promise you your
senior year is set.
Dylan emerges from the tunnel.
Tyler sees him walking and claps his hands.
TYLER
(to team)
Break into pairs.
Everyone breaks up into pairs, instantly everyone already
has a partner. Everyone except for Dylan.
The COACH emerges from the sideline as Tyler watches. He
can't hear what is being said, but at the end Coach points
to Tyler. And Dylan then starts towards him.
TYLER
Looks like you're with me.
INT. AUDITORIUM - LATER
Dylan dresses out on the side of the court. He leaves his
shirt on without thinking.
TYLER
You alright to play?
DYLAN
As I'll ever be.
With a shrug, Tyler throws the ball to Dylan. Dylan begins
to dribble.
32.
He tries to pass Tyler once, twice, but is unsuccessful both
times. Tyler is still reluctant to advance.
Dylan takes a step back and shoots it from the 3-point line.
It sails in.
Dylan looks genuinely surprised. Tyler does as well,
impressed... almost.
Dylan tosses it to Tyler, who immediately rushes towards the
goal.
As Tyler comes in Dylan steals the ball and heads back to
the backcourt line. He tries to rush past Tyler as he heads
for the goal, but Tyler keeps up with him, guarding him from
the side.
Dylan goes for a lay-up anyway. Tyler jumps with him, ready
to block the shot. Instead Dylan and Tyler collide in midair,
as Tyler delivers a very hard foul to keep Dylan from scoring.
He lands stiffly on his neck and back. Tyler looks annoyed
at his fragility.
TYLER
I guess that's game.
In pain, Dylan lets his head and collapses onto the gym floor.
Dylan can only lie on the ground as Tyler rounds up the
other players into the locker room.
INT. PIANO ROOM - DAY
Dylan just stares at the door handle, still incredibly
nervous about going in.
After a while, he pulls on the handle and enters, not
bothering to knock.
There she is, at the piano again. She senses his entrance
and greets him quickly.
KELLY
Oh hey. There you are. Wasn't sure
if you were gonna show.
DYLAN
I'm a man of my word.
KELLY
You look better.
33.
DYLAN
I've been getting that alot today.
KELLY
I hope today's going better for you.
DYLAN
I made the basketball team.
She is truly stunned.
KELLY
Really?
(beat)
You know, Tyler's the Captain.
DYLAN
(sarcastic)
Really?
KELLY
Let me guess. He rolled you up into
a little basketball and dunked you?
He avoids the subject.
DYLAN
Are you ready to start?
She nods, "Yes."
They both go over and sit on the piano bench, it's small so
they have to sit slightly close together.
He begins to play Beethoven, almost perfectly, his eyes
close as he loses himself. She can only watch him, amazed.
She doesn't watch his hands, but looks into his closed eyes,
looking past the lids. Trying to figure out what's going on
inside.
The music crescendos and finishes. He stops.
DYLAN
There. Now, you give it a try.
KELLY
Whoa. That was a mouthful you just
played there.
DYLAN
Alright. Sorry. I'll play it slower.
He begins to play only the first stanza of the song.
34.
But he falters, hitting a wrong note.
He looks at his hand. It's beginning to shake.
KELLY
Are... are you okay?
DYLAN
Yeah I... Just gimme a second.
He puts his hands on the keys, ready to play again. But they
won't stop shaking.
He balls them into fists, hoping it will help. But it only
makes things worse.
He suddenly feels cold. He wraps his arms around himself.
The faint sound of his teeth chattering can be heard.
He shakes his head, "No."
DYLAN
No, I think I... I need to go.
He gets up and heads for the door.
KELLY
Well... Wait. What about our lesson?
He can't answer. The door shuts behind him.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - EVENING
He stumbles in through the door, trying to keep his hands
from shaking by stuffing them into his armpits.
There is no movement or sound inside the house. It's empty.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - EVENING - CONTINUOUS
Dylan sees a note on the counter. He picks it up and reads
it: WENT TO GET DINNER - MOM
He lets it fall onto the counter.
Dylan goes to the medicine cabinet and takes out a bottle of
Advil. He pops a few down.
One of the pills doesn't make it into his mouth and it falls
onto the counter, bouncing on top of it until it lands on
the newspaper and stops.
Dylan cocks his head and looks down at the newspaper. The
headline: "HERO" SAVES 8 YEAR-OLD GIRL TRAPPED UNDER VAN.
35.
Dylan quickly picks it up and starts to read.
The sub-headline: Girl was saved as man lifted van. Rescuer
still unidentified.
There is a picture, an artist's rendering of the events. The
black and white stenciled drawing shows a figure lifting a
van nearly a foot off the ground.
Dylan just stares at it, practically open-mouthed. He can't
take his eyes off the word "HERO".
Suddenly the front door opens, breaking him out of his
trance. He tosses the newspaper back down onto the counter.
His mother and father enter, carrying several grocery bags.
DAD
Oh hey son.
Dylan acknowledges only with a movement of his head.
Dylan stares down at the newspaper again.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE, ATTIC - NIGHT
Dylan, upstairs in the attic/storage room, is rifling
through one of the huge fire-proof cabinets where he houses
all of his comic books.
He finds one and pulls it out.
An issue of "Spider-Man". On the cover: Spider-Man lifts the
front bumper of an 18-wheeler off the ground, saving it from
hitting a woman just a few feet in front.
Dylan looks over into his other hand, where he has the
artist rendering from the newspaper, cut out of the magazine.
He looks back at the comic book. He looks at them both.
The pictures look nearly identical.
Suddenly there is a knock at the door, and Dylan looks up to
see his dad, in a bath robe, standing in the doorway.
DAD
How you doing?
Dylan nods slowly. He stuffs the clipping from the paper
into his pocket slowly, trying to not let his father see it.
His dad comes into the room.
36.
DAD
Is everything alright? You've
looked bad this week.
Dylan shakes his head, "no".
His dad sighs.
DAD
Something happened. Tell me what
happened. Did something happen?
Dylan looks down at the comic in his lap. The line on it
reads: CAN HE KEEP HIS SECRET IDENTITY?
DYLAN
Nothing happened.
His father looks at him, waits.
DAD
Good night son.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The shower runs in the background. The room is steaming from
the heat.
Dylan turns on the T.V. The "High School Sports Extra" is on.
Dylan, o.s., starts to undress.
H.S.S.E. BROADCASTER(T.V.)
This month's "Student of the Month"
is Tyler Thompson. Tyler won three
District Titles last year: one for
football, one for basketball, and
one for track.
Dylan, shirt off, sits down on his bed on front of the TV.
H.S.S.E. BROADCASTER(T.V.)
He's done nearly the same thing all
four years of his tenure. Tyler
also ranks in the top five percent
of his class. But, more important
than any of those accomplishments,
Tyler has become the backbone of
his community. Before he arrived
the school's bleachers were nearly
empty. Now nearly half of the
school's funding is raked in by
ticket sales for the games he
participates in alone.
(MORE)
37.
H.S.S.E. BROADCASTER(T.V.; CONT'D)
And ever since those tickets
started selling the town has been
booming. Population is up, and
development is growing in the now
not so small town that was once on
the verge of collapsing. I guess
one person really can make a
difference.
(beat)
This has been another edition of
"The High School Sports Extra
Student of the Month."
Dylan, nearly disgusted, switches the channel to anything
and nearly turns the volume all the way down. He steps into
the bathroom. The news is on.
NEWSCASTER(T.V.)
...The little girl was rescued from
beneath the wheel of the van by a
stranger who ran to the rescue
after the woman's brakes failed,
and caused her to hit her own child.
Eyewitness reports say that the man,
thought to be around twenty,
grabbed the van by its bumper and
lifted it from her until the mother
of the girl could pull her out from
beneath the tire. This "hero" still
has not stepped forth to identify
himself.
MOTHER(T.V.)
Whoever you are, thank you for
saving my little girl.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM, BATHROOM - NIGHT
He steps into the shower.
Amidst the steam and the falling water Dylan looks at his
arms. No longer frail like they once were.
Incredibly slowly he raises one arm, stretching it out like
a wing, to shoulder height. He looks over and stares at it,
glistening in the steam and water.
He turns it, slowly, looking at the muscles underneath.
He raises the other the same way, looking it over as he very
slowly raises it.
38.
His head lowers, his eyes close, his arms still raised. He
just stands there.
He moves his head into the hot water raining from the head.
He lowers his arms.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM, BATHROOM - LATER
The shower's stopped.
Dylan wipes off the steam from the mirror, to see his
reflection, soaking wet.
He stares at his face.
Beat.
Incredibly subtly, he nods, beginning to understand.
INT. AUDITORIUM - WEIGHT ROOM
The weight room is massive with all types of weight training
equipment, the pride and joy of the athletics department.
The members of the basketball team are already hurrying
around the weight room. The CLANK of weights and the groan
of the athletes mesh until they almost become one harmonious,
rhythmic score.
Dylan stares on from the doorway, through the walking crowd,
staring only at the bench press.
He moves through the crowd, past the players, to a part of
the room that is not occupied by anyone, except by the bench
press.
He lays down on the bench, careful not to knock his head. He
looks around, checking to make sure no one is watching him.
Some are doing nothing, others are completely immersed in
their training.
No one notices the scrawny nerd sitting at the massive bench
press.
He checks the weights.
DYLAN
One hundred...
Even at that weight Dylan looks nervous.
Dylan puts his arms up and grabs the bar, holding his breath
he lifts up, expecting the worst to happen. Never before has
he even been able to lift the measly weight of a hundred.
39.
No one sees Dylan ready to struggle against the weight.
He struggles at first, but the weights soon lift easily.
With each repetition the weight seems to be lighter.
He sets it back on the bar.
As everyone moves around him, never so much as acknowledging
his presence, Dylan Dandridge slides a twenty pound weight
onto the bar. And another on the opposite side.
Dylan climbs underneath them again. He grabs the bar and
pushes up, like before. But it's more difficult this time.
Dylan's arms are beginning to shake.
He brings it down to his chest slowly, his face turning red.
He forces it up, exhaling loudly as he does. It goes up. He
forces it down and back up again. His arms shake even more.
The bar lands on the armrests with a crash. The weight was
almost too much for him to hold anymore.
Just as before Dylan places another set of twenty pound
disks onto the bar as well as a set of ten pound disks,
completely oblivious to everyone.
Dylan heaves the bar from his chest. His hands are shaking
from the struggle, they're sweating.
He struggles mightily to lift the bar to its apex. His face
is bright red. He's not breathing. His arms are shaking
terribly. But the bar continues to slowly rise.
His veins bulge, his muscles swell. Until Dylan exhales
powerfully as he straightens his arms, the metal clanking
from the force.
Dylan uncurls his fingers, gathers his thoughts, as he looks
around to see if anyone saw the scrawny kid bench 200 pounds.
They are all immersed in their own training. No one saw.
But there is someone watching, Tyler, looking through the
crowd, unnoticed. Tyler saw it all, his eyes focused,
incredibly angry.
His watch suddenly beeps, and draws him out of his trance.
TYLER
Time for the run. Three miles. Go!
The place empties quick. Tyler keeps his eyes focused on
Dylan, who is already jogging out the door.
40.
EXT. TRACK - DAY
Dylan is already doing fairly well in the run. He's near the
front of the pack, breathing hard, but not in the lead.
After a few minutes Tyler rushes past him, sprinting from
somewhere o.s.
Dylan gives in. He stops completely and bends over, panting
as he grabs his knees to steady himself. He goes onto one
knee, still panting.
Everyone passes him. Soon even the fat kids run past his
exhausted body.
After a few seconds of exhaustion Dylan quickly stands up.
He's stopped panting.
He looks surprised, he can't believe it. He takes a deep
breath, testing it. It's fine.
He takes off again. Faster than before. Alot faster.
He pushes his body as hard as he can. Sprinting.
Soon he starts flooring past people. But this isn't about
them - it's about him.
He picks up even more speed, faster than the front of the pack.
He passes the rest of the pack. He sees Tyler ahead of him,
the leader.
A few moments later they're nearly side by side. Dylan tries
to pass Tyler on the inside but there isn't much room. Dylan
tries to squeeze by, but Tyler moves over even further,
eliminating the gap.
Their feet become entangled. Dylan tries to muscle his way
past but he can't. He crashes to the ground at high velocity.
Dylan can only watch as Tyler crosses the finish line and
blows the whistle. The race is over, Tyler is the victor.
Dylan reaches out and grabs the finish line tape lying on
the ground in front of his face.
INT. DRESSING ROOM - DAY
A poorly lit changing room. A row of ugly lime-green lockers
line the walls. A wooden bench divides the rows.
Everyone on the track team is changing. Most of them are
talking, some are even laughing, having fun.
41.
Dylan is silent.
He opens the locker door to reach inside for something. On
the inside of the door is a mirror. He catches his reflection.
And an odd spot of red.
He opens the door wider, and inspects his reflection. His
nose is bleeding.
He wipes it off and slams the locker door.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Dylan sits on the edge of his bed, lost in thought.
His phone suddenly rings, startling him out of his thought.
He goes over to it and answers it. Beat.
KELLY(ON PHONE)
Is this Dylan Dandridge?
Dylan's confused. He knows it's Kelly. Beat.
DYLAN
Kelly?
KELLY(ON PHONE)
We met at school the other day.
DYLAN
Kelly, what are you-
KELLY(ON PHONE)
-You were kind of cute so I thought
I might call you.
Dylan smiles.
He lays back on the bed.
DYLAN
Yeah, I remember you.
Dylan hears laughing from the other end of the phone. He
laughs with her.
INT. CAFETERIA - LUNCHTIME
Dylan sits down with his only friends.
Conrad and Ben stare at him.
42.
Dylan looks back and forth at each of them.
BEN
Come on man, you're killing me here.
I tried to be nice and waited a few
days. But I can't take it anymore.
Dylan looks to Connie, who's leaning back with his arms
crossed across his chest.
He looks back at Ben.
DYLAN
What are you talking about?
BEN
Only the single most important
moment in your life.
Dylan can only stare at him.
CONRAD
He wants to know about your date
with Kelly.
BEN
Careful not to say that too loud.
"Her" or "She." "Her" or "She."
Dylan untenses. He looks somewhat annoyed.
DYLAN
I only gave her a piano lesson.
CONRAD
(re: Ben)
He's obviously more intrigued than
I am, but I would like to know how
it went.
DYLAN
It didn't go at all.
Ben looks at Conrad, overly anticipatory.
CONRAD
What happened?
DYLAN
Something... came up. I had to leave.
Ben's excitement leaves him.
43.
DYLAN
I know.
(beat)
The next one went pretty well though.
Ben's excitement floods back.
BEN
There was another one?
Connie says nothing, but slowly pulls Ben's soda, sitting in
front of him, away from his excited friend.
BEN
How much are you paying this woman
to go out with you?
DYLAN
Stop with the Goddess act. She's a
normal person. Like you or me.
He looks at their glasses, sparkling in the sun, their zit-
filled faces, and their runny noses.
DYLAN
Well, maybe not quite like you.
CONRAD
So, are you dating
(quotation fingers)
"officially" then?
DYLAN
We're not dating at all. I'm just
an instructor.
CONRAD
Regardless, there is an element of
danger in this course of action.
Beat.
They see Tyler across the cafeteria.
DYLAN
I'll be fine.
The bell rings.
INT. LOCKER ROOM - AFTER GAME
Dylan, sweating, sits on the old wooden bench in front of
his locker. He's just finished a practice game. He wipes the
sweat from his face with a towel.
44.
A few of his teammates are finishing up in the background as
well. They're still pumped from the game, laughing, energetic.
Dylan just sits on the bench, deep in thought for some
reason. He opens his locker and tosses in the towel.
KELLY (O.S.)
Nice performance out there.
Dylan turns around to see Kelly, standing just behind him.
Surprised,
DYLAN
Kel, what are you-
KELLY
-That foul on Tyler though. Not too
sure about that one.
DYLAN
(sarcastic)
I think he'll be fine.
She sits down on the bench next to him.
KELLY
You did good.
DYLAN
I'm still getting used to all of this.
KELLY
Basketball?
DYLAN
I hadn't really played before we moved.
KELLY
That's sort of hard to believe.
DYLAN
Why?
KELLY
You play so well.
(beat)
Maybe it's just beginner's luck.
Beat. He suddenly realizes where they are.
DYLAN
Kel, what are you doing in here?
This IS the men's locker room.
45.
KELLY
Rules are meant to be broken.
Somewhat stunned,
DYLAN
Okay.
(beat)
It's good to see you outside that
piano room.
KELLY
Which, by the way, you are late for.
Again.
DYLAN
I had the game.
KELLY
Game's over.
Beat.
INT. LOCKER ROOM EXIT - SHORT TIME LATER
Dylan and Kelly leave through a set of big double doors at
the end of the locker room.
Tyler, at the other end of the dressing room, spots them.
His face fills with fury, but then a group of guys behind
him erupt in laughter. He turns instinctively to see their
childishness, and when he looks back to the door, Dylan and
Kelly are gone.
EXT. AUDITORIUM - DAY
Dylan heads toward the piano room but Kelly keeps going
forward, not even heading for the music room.
DYLAN
Hey. Where you going? The music
room is this way.
KELLY
We're not going to the music room.
EXT. PARK WALKWAY - EVENING
They are on the park walkway, surrounded by the park's
beautiful scenery.
DYLAN
What are we doing here?
46.
KELLY
All that time teaching I just
thought it would be nice if we
could just... talk.
DYLAN
What do you want to talk about?
KELLY
How about the game?
Dylan looks down, shakes his head, "No." She just stares at him.
KELLY
You aren't at all what I expected
you to be.
(beat)
Back on that bus.
(beat)
You seemed so, I don't know, just
different I guess.
DYLAN
People change.
KELLY
I guess.
He looks down again, he doesn't know what to say next.
KELLY
Uh oh.
Dylan looks up, confused.
DYLAN
Uh oh? What uh oh?
KELLY
I think I see Ty chasing after us.
He is. Running towards them from very far in the distance.
Dylan begins to leave.
KELLY
Wait. You're leaving?
DYLAN
Yeah. It's easier for you this way.
He's already started running, disappearing fast with his
speed. He's gone just as Tyler catches up to her, not out of
breath at all.
47.
TYLER
What are you doing?
KELLY
What do you mean?
TYLER
With that geek Dylan?
KELLY
I wasn't with Dylan.
TYLER
I just saw you leave with him.
KELLY
Ty, I have no idea what you're
talking about.
TYLER
I saw you, you stupid bitch!
She is incredibly angry, yet she doesn't yell.
KELLY
Don't you yell at me. I'm tired of
this horseshit. Don't you ever,
ever, try to talk to me again.
She storms off. Tyler can't speak. He can only stand there,
staring as she walks away.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE, GARAGE - DAY
Dylan and his father are carrying a massive cardboard box
into the garage.
DYLAN
(struggling)
So Dad, tell me again why we're not
unpacked yet.
DAD
(struggling)
Because, son, unlike you your
mother and I don't have the
strength of an adolescent.
They drop the box down at the end of the garage.
They go across the garage to get another box.
48.
DAD
You grab that one.
They both lift up a box of their own from outside.
DYLAN
So what happened? At the interview?
DAD
If there's one thing I don't know
it's how to do an interview.
DYLAN
You don't think you got it?
DAD
You'd think they'd want a New York
cop with twenty years experience
behind him as a security guard.
DYLAN
What does that mean?
DAD
It means-
He drops the box down.
DAD
-It means we're here. And we're not
going anywhere in the meantime.
His dad sits down on one of the boxes, looking a little dizzy.
DYLAN
What's wrong?
DAD
(dizzy)
Just... got a little head rush.
Made me a little dizzy.
DYLAN
Yeah.
Dylan drops the box in his hands. Beat.
DYLAN
Wait. What did you say?
INT. HEALTH CLASS - DAY
Dylan catches Mrs. Levin before her first class, as she's
getting ready. The room is empty.
49.
DYLAN
Mrs. Levin?
MRS. LEVIN
Oh, yes, Dylan?
DYLAN
There's something I need to ask you.
Something from class.
She looks at him, confused.
INT. HEALTH CLASS - SHORT TIME LATER
DYLAN
How would it even be possible?
MRS. LEVIN
That's just it. I have no idea.
(beat)
A genetic defect. Some kind of
mutation. Or some kind of accident
could have caused it, maybe.
That causes Dylan to be even more intrigued.
MRS. LEVIN
I just know that if the adrenal
gland became enlarged the host body
would die.
DYLAN
Because it's so toxic.
MRS. LEVIN
That's why we DON'T do this kind of
thing. That's why... that's why
what you're talking about isn't
even possible.
(beat)
Human beings weren't meant to do
the things you describe. Most of us
fall into a line, an order, that
makes us all the same. All-
DYLAN
-Normal.
She nods, "Yes."
50.
MRS. LEVIN
Adrenaline is too toxic, Dylan.
It's like poison. You get sick, you
feel weak, and then you die.
There's a reason our bodies work
the way they do.
DYLAN
What if it were introduced slowly,
at a constant rate? So you could
get used to it.
MRS. LEVIN
I wouldn't even begin to know where
to start. I don't see any way you
could manufacture that in a specimen.
DYLAN
But it could be done?
MRS. LEVIN
This isn't something the body gets
used to. It will just wear you out
after a while, not make you
stronger. The only way it's
possible is if the entire DNA
structure is altered so the body
can actually absorb all that energy,
not just fizzle it out uselessly.
She looks at him. The hallways are beginning to fill up.
MRS. LEVIN
It's a good project Dylan, but it's
just not possible.
Students start to filter into the classroom. Mrs. Levin
walks off, going behind her desk.
INT. CAFETERIA - LUNCHTIME
Dylan sits. He starts eating.
BEN
What have you been doing while we
were away?
He stops eating.
DYLAN
Guys, I'm getting tired of all these-
51.
BEN
-We heard about that game. He
pulled himself out just after.
CONRAD
And I suspect you know of their
recent separation?
DYLAN
What?
BEN
You DON'T know? Odd, since you were
the cause.
DYLAN
I think there's a little more to it
than that.
BEN
Are you gonna go after her now or what?
CONRAD
Even I can see it's prime pickin's.
BEN
Go for it.
DYLAN
What about Tyler?
BEN
I thought you weren't afraid of him.
DYLAN
That's not the point. It's still
wrong to do that to him.
BEN
What are you, Captain America?
CONRAD
When it comes to doing something to
Tyler nothing is wrong.
Dylan sees someone waving at him from another table, one of
the cooler tables. He is gesturing emphatically for Dylan to
come sit with them.
Ben and Conrad look to where Dylan's eyes are fixed now, and
immediately turn back to him.
BEN
Friends of yours?
52.
CONRAD
Impressive.
DYLAN
How'd that happen?
BEN
You kidding? Being on the basketball
team did that, that's what.
The kid over at the other table raises his arms in confusion,
becoming impatient.
Dylan gets up, ready to go over.
CONRAD
You're not actually going over
there are you?
DYLAN
Why not?
BEN
What about us?
DYLAN
You're coming with me.
CONRAD
They don't want us over there.
DYLAN
You don't know that.
BEN
I don't think so.
DYLAN
Well, I'm going. See you guys over
there.
BEN
Yeah. Right.
He goes over and sits with some of the cool kids.
BEN
I can't believe he's selling us out.
CONRAD
You'd think you were used to it by now.
They look on as one of the kids hands Dylan a blue letter
jacket with a basketball nametag.
53.
The sound is muffled by the distance but they can still
understand he is being congratulated, and welcomed into
their group. He sits down and starts to talk it up with the
other people at the table.
He looks over at Conrad and Ben. He doesn't look sorry.
Our view catches Kelly, looking on, saddened.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY, DYLAN'S LOCKER - AFTERNOON
Dylan opens up his locker.
Amidst all the noise of the school Dylan can hear a group of
girls behind him whispering loudly.
GOSSIP GIRL 1
(loud whisper)
I know! I heard. I cannot believe
she dumped him for that geekwad.
GOSSIP GIRL 2
(loud whisper)
I used to adore him, but now I just
feel sorry for the guy.
GOSSIP GIRL 1
(loud whisper)
I know. So, you gonna go... console
him?
GOSSIP GIRL 2
(loud whisper)
No way. Don't get me anywhere near
that loser. If Tyler got dumped for
that geek, he must have been doing
something wrong.
Dylan shuts his locker.
INT. SCHOOL, MAIN ENTRANCE AREA - DAY
Tyler enters through the front entrance, he's carrying a
sport bag over his shoulder.
He looks over at the wall. On it is a glass encasement where
news clippings etc are posted for the school to see. It's
open, and someone is changing all of the images and
clippings out.
The man is removing a montage of pictures of him, Tyler
Thompson. One after the other the pictures disappear from
the encasement, along with a slogan, "Be Like Tyler."
54.
They're quickly being replaced with another montage of
pictures, but they are of Dylan. Soon, it's all Dylan.
Nothing of Tyler remains. Even the slogan has changed. "Be
Like Dylan."
Tyler goes up a few short steps and looks above the
Attendance Office where his "Student of the Month" picture
is placed. It too is switched out for an image of Dylan.
Tyler is drawn out of the image's trance over him as he
hears muttering to his side. He looks at them, they're
staring at him. Everyone is staring at him. Some of them
lower their heads when he looks at them, they can't look him
in the eye.
Their faces are filled with pity.
INT. DRESSING ROOM - BEFORE PRACTICE
Tyler sits by himself in the locker room. The gym is
relatively quiet elsewhere. Tyler is still, lost in thought.
One of Tyler's TEAMMATEs walks up to him. He looks up at him.
TEAMMATE
Hey man. I heard about what
happened. I know she was important.
Tyler doesn't say anything. The boy looks around nervously.
TEAMMATE
Is it true what they said? That she
broke up with you for that new guy?
Tyler lowers his head, still silent.
TEAMMATE
That's rough.
Beat. The boy doesn't know what to say.
TEAMMATE
Well, get dressed. We still got
practice.
The boy walks off.
After he's gone Tyler raises his head and opens his locker.
Inside, on the door, is a picture of Kelly.
TYLER
(softly)
I hit her.
55.
The boy spins around, bewildered.
TYLER
I hit her, man. She tried to break
up with me before, and I just...
slapped her. I wanted to take her
head off. And... she just looked at
me, like I was a different person.
The boy doesn't know what to say.
TYLER
I don't know why she stayed with me.
She was already gone anyway but...
I think, I think she saw... how
much I needed her. How much I still
need her. And she pitied me.
TEAMMATE
Ty...
After a few moments, Tyler comes out of a daze.
TYLER
Hey, I'm just messin' with you, man.
Tyler stifles back tears.
TYLER
I would never do that. I'm the
Captain. I was just kidding. Now go
on, I gotta get ready.
Hesitantly, the teammate leaves.
Tyler stares into his locker, at the picture of Kelly.
Tyler breaks down. Tears erupt from his eyes.
The tears eventually turn into anger. He throws his bag into
his locker and storms out of the locker room, still in his
street clothes, ditching the game.
INT. AUDITORIUM - BASKETBALL PRACTICE
The team is in a scrimmage. Teammate against teammate.
Dylan dominates, now without Tyler in the game he is the leader.
He seems cocky as he plays. And with good reason, he's out
of their league. But he doesn't even want to win. He just
wants to look good.
56.
INT. PIANO ROOM - DAY
Kelly is alone, sitting at the piano, alone on the bench,
waiting for Dylan to show, to go on their usual date, but
he's not coming. He's too busy being popular.
INT. AUDITORIUM - BASKETBALL PRACTICE
One of his opponents somehow manages to sneak by him and
steal the ball. Dylan is in shock. As Dylan stands there the
kid runs it up and scores. The kid celebrates at Dylan's
expense. All of his teammates pat him on the back.
Dylan's team has the ball again. But as his teammate passes
it to him one of the payers on the opposing team steals the
pass. They run it in for a fast break. The player who stole
it quickly passes it to the player who stole it from Dylan
initially, who leaps for the easy lay up.
But Dylan leaps alongside him, going for the blocked shot.
They collide hard in mid-air, Dylan doesn't even go for the
ball, he swings his arm at the player's head.
The kid goes flying into the ground, landing very hard.
Instantly unconscious.
Everyone instantly stops, the other teammates in shock,
including Dylan, his eyes wide.
EXT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - EVENING
He's on his usual walk home, it's dark, cold, and it begins
to rain. He walks up the few short steps to the door.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - EVENING
He's weary, lost in thought. His father notices his bad mood,
sitting in the den, perched in his chair.
DAD
Everything all right Dylan?
The sound of his voice breaks him out of his trance,
redirecting him from going upstairs, instead he goes into
the den.
DYLAN
Sure.
DAD
No, come on, spill it. Is this
about the game?
57.
DYLAN
How did you know about the game?
DAD
His parents called. They thought it
necessary to vocalize their anger.
DYLAN
I'm sorry about that.
DAD
Don't you worry about it for a
second. You handle the girls, I get
the parents, that's the way it works.
DYLAN
I didn't even know what happened
until he...
(beat)
I just lost my temper.
DAD
It's okay to lose your temper once
in a while. You just have to
remember to learn from your
mistakes. Trust me, coming from
experience, you can't let this kind
of thing get you down. You just
have to let everything take its course.
DYLAN
What if it's already run its course?
His father can't answer.
DYLAN
I'm going to go for a walk.
(beat)
I have to go to the library... for
school.
DAD
It's raining.
DYLAN
I'll take my coat.
He grabs his father's leather trenchcoat off the stair
banister. Underneath it is his father's Port Authority
Police cap, he takes it as well.
DAD
That's not yours.
58.
He goes for the door and leaves, off into the darkness.
MOM
Where is he going?
DAD
He just needs to clear his head, I
guess.
MOM
He'll catch his death out in that
weather.
DAD
Don't worry about him.
(beat)
He's tougher than he looks.
INT. LIBRARY BASEMENT, HEADLINE REEL ROOM - DAY
Fingers riffle through the news films in a drawer as fast as
possible.
The drawer closes but another below it quickly opens. The
fingers continue to search rapidly. They pull out several
films, so fast it looks random.
Dylan takes the films and sits at the projection screen in a
small room in the library basement.
He inserts one of the films and browses quickly past some
erroneous dates.
He stops.
"Three rescued from burning building"
In the picture a man pulls three women out the front door of
an engulfed office building.
Dylan zooms in on the text.
"Unidentified man later confirmed to be Richard Dalby. He
declined comment."
Dylan slides over to the computer and pulls up the internet.
He types in "Richard Dalby".
Several more newspaper headlines pop up.
"Local man rescues three"
"He does it again"
59.
"Hero prevents disaster"
Dylan's eyes focus, gazing tighter and tighter on the word
"Hero."
DYLAN
Hero...
He slides over and inserts another film.
He searches through more pages on the reel. He finds a page
called "World News".
He sees a headline: "Man fights tiger, saves one"
Past more. "Australian man sets new un-official world record,
shattering it by nearly a minute"
More. "Firefighter in Russia rescues seventeen"
"New Zealand cop takes bullet to head, survives"
He flips through them until he finds the picture, the
picture Levin showed him in class.
He goes through his backpack and finds the newspaper from
the day of the accident. He sees the image of him lifting up
the van.
They look so similar. He just stares at it...
There is a sudden pounding on the door behind Dylan. He
turns to the door.
EXT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT - RAIN
He stands in the rain, unmoving as it bounces off the black
leather all over him. He doesn't have the hood pulled up. He
just lets the rain drench his head and hair.
Dylan stares at the door handles to the weight room. He
tries the handle. Surprisingly, it isn't locked.
INT. AUDITORIUM - WEIGHT ROOM
He enters as quietly as he can, the rain still shedding off
his coat.
He heads straight for the weight bench and just stares at it
again, the 200 pounds still on from days before. He examines
the weight amount.
60.
DYLAN
(soft)
Two hundred pounds...
He walks over to the stack of weights, picks up another
twenty, but he pauses and sets it back down. He grabs a
fifty instead.
He puts one on each side, careful not to make any noise.
He stands back and looks at it. Three hundred pounds.
He sits underneath the bar, the bar actually bends from the
weight. He wraps his hands around it and takes in a deep breath.
He pushes against the weight. His face turns bright red. His
arms shake.
But the bar doesn't move.
He stops. Sits up.
He doesn't look surprised.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT.DYLAN'S HOUSE - ATTIC - NIGHT
Dylan stands, peering down at something in his hand. A comic.
The headline reads "A HERO'S DECISION."
Instantly, Dylan erupts with anger.
He rips the issue in his hand into tiny pieces. Then he move
son to the rest.
He tips over the container, spilling issues over the entire
attic floor.
His anger is incredible.
He bends down amidst the pile of comics. Ripping every issue
he can get his hands on. A few tears fly from his eyes.
He kicks and tears; gnaws and bites; rips and plunders -
until there's nothing left but little boxes tossed everywhere.
The anger leaves him. The tears come. He slumps down, on his
knees, holding his weeping face in his hands.
DISSOLVE TO:
61.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - ATTIC - NIGHT
Dylan sits, surrounded by discarded comic books. Full trash
bags lay on the floor.
DYLAN
(soft)
I dreamed a dream... But now my
world is lost to me...
MOM (O.S.)
I know you're upset.
Dylan looks up, surprised to see her.
MOM
About what you did.
DYLAN
Mom, what are you doing up? It's late.
She sits down next to him.
MOM
You're one to talk. Strolling in at
all hours of the night.
(beat)
Where'd you go?
Dylan shakes his head, "No," and looks down.
MOM
You're just like the rest of us,
Dylan: We're only human.
He looks at her.
MOM
(beat)
We all make mistakes. There is no
one in this world any different
that you or me. We're normal. Just
plain old human beings. Nothing
exceptional about any of us.
(beat)
It's how we make ourselves better
that matters. And I know how good
you already are.
Beat. She stands up.
62.
MOM
So go to bed. I know you're too
good a person to let bad things
happen for very long.
She leaves. Leaving Dylan to his thoughts.
INT. OUTSIDE COACH'S OFFICE - DAY
Dylan walks up to a door. On the door, in black letters:
COACH'S OFFICE. He stands there for a moment. He then lifts
up his hand to look at something, and reveals a note, folded
over, inside it.
He bends down and slides it under the door to the Coach's
office. And walks away.
INT. AUDITORIUM - BEFORE PRACTICE
Dylan is sitting down on a bench in front of his locker. He
is lost in thought, staring straight ahead, at nothing.
With a heavy sigh he stands up and goes towards his locker.
He works at the combination but it isn't working. Dylan
looks puzzled.
COACH (O.S.)
I changed it this morning.
Dylan spins around. Coach is standing there, with a folded
piece of yellow paper in his hand.
Dylan doesn't understand.
COACH
You're too much of a liability for
this school. That stunt you
pulled?... We can't afford to keep
you on the team anymore. Parents
are getting upset.
He holds up the piece of paper.
COACH
I don't know why you wanted to quit,
but after what happened to that
boy...
(beat)
Your things are in the office.
He turns, and leaves.
63.
COACH
(walking away)
Pick them up or I'll have to toss 'em.
INT. PIANO ROOM
Kelly is at the piano playing, it's a portion of the Beethoven.
She stops suddenly, and without acknowledging him at all,
speaks to Dylan, who is looming in the doorway.
KELLY
How'd you know I was here?
DYLAN
Because I wanted to be here too.
(beat)
You finished it.
KELLY
I brought the sheets yesterday. I
thought it might be fun. But
instead I had plenty of time to
teach myself, sitting here... alone.
Dylan's head lowers, shamed.
KELLY
You skipped out on the only time we
spend together for some stupid game.
DYLAN
You don't have to worry about that
anymore.
KELLY
What are you talking about?
DYLAN
I quit the team.
She finally turns to him.
KELLY
Why?
DYLAN
I didn't want to miss any more lessons.
KELLY
Why the sudden change of heart?
64.
DYLAN
Things have been happening. Things
I'm not sure I understand. I had to
figure some of them out, and... it
felt wrong without my friends there.
KELLY
Is that all I am to you? A friend?
DYLAN
I was told you belonged to someone.
KELLY
Not anymore.
DYLAN
What happened?
He moves in closer to her.
KELLY
You hurt me, Dylan.
(soft)
Everyone hurts me.
(beat)
You can't expect to get off that easy.
DYLAN
Kelly, I-
KELLY
-I played in this room every day,
every single day, and nothing ever
changed. But the first time you
weren't there after we started I
saw it. I saw how dark and hollow
and cold this room is. I was lost
in here. And I hated it. But you
know why I stayed? Why I came back
the next day? Because I knew that
if you came back it would be
brighter, and warmer, than ever,
and I could find my way out.
(beat)
Why did it take you so long to find
me, Dylan?
DYLAN
It took me a long time to realize.
KELLY
Realize what?
65.
DYLAN
Dreams aren't real. Life is real.
And some things are just more
important.
Beat. She stands up, and looks at him.
KELLY
If we're going to keep going... we
have to be honest with one another.
He waits a moment.
DYLAN
I have no secrets.
INT. SUBWAY - NIGHT
Dylan sits on a bench in the corner, waiting for the train
to arrive. He looks incredibly bored.
From somewhere deep beneath him the ground begins to rumble.
The entire bench shakes, but not too violently. In a moment
it's passed, without anyone else even taking notice.
Dylan sits back once again, still waiting.
He watches the people in the subway with him. Most of them
are quiet and unmoving, but some talk with people they know.
As Dylan continues to watch he can understand more and more
of what they're saying. Like his focus is improving.
A few moments later another rumble bubbles from beneath the
ground where he's sitting.
INT. CONRAD'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Connie, Ben, and Dylan all sit around a round dinner table.
They're playing cards. Connie and Ben seem to be enjoying
themselves, Dylan does not share their mood. Dylan's wearing
his Port Authority cap.
Dylan looks at Ben, in the middle of a question.
DYLAN
A model, huh?
(to Connie)
So, what about you?
CONRAD
Bodybuilder.
66.
DYLAN
Interesting.
(beat)
Okay, I have one:... Can people be
stronger than they look?
CONRAD
Sure.
BEN
Yeah.
DYLAN
You're the bodybuilder, you should
know. I don't mean just a little, I
am talking about a considerable
rise in strength, to almost
extraordinary capacity.
BEN
I'm not sure what you mean, Dylan.
DYLAN
Okay, how about this?
(beat)
Do you think I could bench 300 pounds?
CONRAD
Have you?
DYLAN
That's not the game. Come on, answer.
BEN
You certainly don't LOOK like you
could.
CONRAD
How much, theoretically, of course,
have you benched before attempting
this?
DYLAN
I've never benched anything.
Beat. No one speaks for a long moment.
CONRAD
That changes everything.
BEN
Yeah.
67.
DYLAN
How so?
CONRAD
When you don't even know your
limitations how can you expect to
surpass them?
DYLAN
So... you're saying I COULD bench 300?
CONRAD
I'm not saying that, but-
BEN
-I see lots o' guys your size bench
even more. They have the guns to
show for it, but, like you said,
stronger than you look.
DYLAN
What about run a three-mile in 11
minutes?
BEN
Same principle.
CONRAD
You're light on your feet.
Beat.
CONRAD
This IS still hypothetical, right?
Beat. No one says anything.
INT. KELLY'S HOUSE - DAY
Kelly opens her front door, revealing Dylan, dressed for
their date.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Kelly and Dylan sit on a bench in the center of the park,
facing each other.
They laugh.
KELLY
...So, there they are! With no
clothes on! And her boyfriend walks in!
68.
DYLAN
What'd he do?
KELLY
What do you mean? He joined in.
Beat.
Dylan is suddenly stone faced, dead serious.
DYLAN
Do you think there are extraordinary
people in this world?
Trying to suppress the laughter,
KELLY
What?
DYLAN
Do you?
KELLY
I don't know. I think my mom makes
the world's best lasagna.
DYLAN
(dead serious)
Listen to me.
The laughter stops.
DYLAN
Do you think each individual has a
purpose?
She looks at him, judging his level of seriousness.
KELLY
Yeah. A few even. They live their
life. They love. Make people happy.
Some do it through art, music or
through their children, so yes, I
suppose everyone was put here for a
purpose.
DYLAN
But what if... what if it was
something that no one else can do?
(beat)
Something that no one else, however
much they want to believe it, even
thinks is possible?
(MORE)
69.
DYLAN (CONT'D)
(beat)
What if someone was put here to do
more than just... cook lasagna?
KELLY
Like what Dylan?
DYLAN
(beat)
I'm not sure yet...
KELLY
Columbus sailed around the world
when everyone told him it was flat.
Fat free pudding. Halle Berry won
an Oscar. What are you getting at?
Beat.
DYLAN
Just figuring out what I'm supposed
to do.
INT. SCHOOL, DARK ROOM - DAY
A hand locks the door.
Tyler stands, in the farthest corner of an incredibly dark
room somewhere in the school.
He crouches down in a corner, below a window.
As he ties a tourniquet around his arm with his teeth.
A sliver of light peers in through the window, piercing the
darkness of the room, slicing across Tyler's face.
A needle enters his vein. It doesn't look pleasant.
Beat.
Just as the steroids hit his bloodstream a figure walks by
outside, seen through the window on the door.
Dylan.
Tyler thinks. Beat.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY, ATTENDANCE OFFICE ENTRANCE - DAY
Dylan waves to a couple of his not so close friends around
the corner, yelling goodbyes, near the glass-encircled
attendance office.
70.
He rounds the corner, not watching where he was going, and
bumps right into someone. The figure doesn't move or even
talk, only stands still, waiting.
Dylan looks up, and sees the face of Tyler staring back at him.
TYLER
What makes you better than me?
DYLAN
What are you talking about?
By now there is already a huge crowd of people surrounding them.
The security officer of the school has already arrived,
struggling to push his way past the masses.
SECURITY OFFICER
Alright fellas. That's enough. You
two need to head to class, now!
Tyler snaps, thrusting his arm out at the cop. The force
sends him back into the crowd.
DYLAN
What the hell are you doing?!
TYLER
She's mine.
He immediately grabs Dylan by the shirt and sends him
sailing to his right. The attendance office, encased in
glass, is only a few short feet away.
Dylan crashes through the glass, covering him when he lands
with a thick thud on the concrete. He shrugs the glass off
and gets one last glance at Tyler.
There are suddenly more shouts, from other police officers.
Tyler sees them and immediately darts off through the crowd,
easily getting through.
One of the cops rushes to help Dylan up. Somewhere in the
distance a door slams open. Dylan doesn't notice either of them.
He can only stare at his hands. And the blood running off
his fingertips from the cuts of the broken glass.
INT. PIANO ROOM - DAY
Dylan enters, bandaged but still bleeding. Kelly is waiting
for him, smile plastered across her face.
71.
KELLY
Hey! How are you doing toda-- Oh my
God. What happened to you? You're
bleeding.
She sees the cut marks from the glass all over his arm and
hands.
DYLAN
Listen, I know you were probably
going to anyway, but I need you to
stay away from Tyler.
KELLY
What? Dylan, I don't-
DYLAN
-No, listen. At all costs. You
can't be anywhere near him at all
costs.
She suddenly realizes. Concern overwhelms her.
KELLY
Is he the one that did this to you?
DYLAN
I just want you to be safe. It's my
job and I plan on doing it.
KELLY
Dylan. Tell me what's going on.
DYLAN
I can't.
She's starting to get upset.
KELLY
Why not?
DYLAN
I--I don't even know the whole story.
KELLY
Well, tell me what you do know then.
DYLAN
I--All I know is that he's gotten
involved in something, something big.
KELLY
What, Dylan. Tell me what.
72.
DYLAN
I can't. It'll only put you in
danger. I can't do that.
KELLY
Danger? Dylan, what is going on?!
DYLAN
No, I can't.
He sees how upset she is, tears flowing from her frightened
eyes.
DYLAN
Come on. I'll walk you home.
EXT. KELLY'S HOUSE - DAY
Dylan looks at Kelly as she starts to go up the steps to the
door. He calls after her softly.
DYLAN
Wait.
She turns to see him.
DYLAN
I didn't mean to-
KELLY
-I know. But you still did.
There's a long pause. She's still very frightened.
KELLY
Why can't you tell me what's going on?
DYLAN
Kelly...
KELLY
Dylan, Tyler was never violent with
me. Not really. But there was
something there.
(beat)
Please tell me what's happening.
Beat. He doesn't know what to say.
DYLAN
I can't Kelly.
KELLY
Why not?
73.
DYLAN
Because some things are safer not
to know.
KELLY
Even if they hurt the person you're
keeping it from?
Beat.
KELLY
I don't feel safe, Dylan. Will you
come by tomorrow?
DYLAN
Of course.
She turns back and heads up the stairs and in the door.
Even from where Dylan is standing he can hear all the locks
bolting from inside.
INT. KELLY'S HOUSE, BEDROOM - NIGHT
A dresser drawer opens.
Inside there are several awards and trophies, ribbons,
banners. Anything a teen would get as an award.
A hand pulls out one of them. It's shaped like a wand.
DYLAN
What's this?
KELLY
That's my Little Miss Princess Award.
Dylan has a confused smirk. He's wearing his father's Port
Authority cap again.
DYLAN
Your what?
KELLY
I was nine. It was the first thing
I won.
He looks back into the drawer.
DYLAN
Followed by the store they bought
it at.
74.
KELLY
So, I've won a lot of awards.
DYLAN
And you liked winning all these awards?
KELLY
I was practically bred to be the
Homecoming Queen. My life wasn't
mine anymore the moment I walked
through the doors at school.
DYLAN
Is that why you dated him?
She looks at him.
KELLY
Do you really wanna talk about this?
He threw you through window.
DYLAN
I guess it doesn't really matter now.
KELLY
I just don't get how he could have
done that.
(beat)
He used to not be this way.
DYLAN
What way was he?
KELLY
He was different before.
DYLAN
How?
KELLY
Back when Tyler first enrolled,
back when he was a freshman, this
town was much different. The school
was underfunded. The town was
underdeveloped. Everyone was
starting to leave. They had lost...
their spirit. Their hope for
something more.
(beat)
Then Tyler showed up, played his
first game. People started talking,
and at the next game more people
came.
(MORE)
75.
KELLY (CONT'D)
He kept playing, people kept
showing up. Until finally, by the
end of the year, we needed an
entirely new stadium. Pretty soon,
the school was getting funding
straight from the ticket sales.
Tyler kept playing. More people
showed up. The town got bigger.
(beat)
By the time he had won the state
title... he had saved us.
(beat)
He was another person back then. I
guess I didn't see it.
DYLAN
See what?
KELLY
It was my job to date the most
prominent person in the school, to
make me look better. To give me the
leverage. To make me the leader. It
was expected of me to date him...
(beat)
And I didn't want to disappoint
anybody.
(beat)
We all have to do what's meant for
us, Dylan. Even if sometimes we
don't think we can.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - ATTIC - NIGHT
Dylan's hand reaches into one of the trash bags slowly. He
removes an issue.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - ATTIC - MOMENTS LATER
Dylan is sitting on the floor, looking at a "Spider-Man"
graphic novel. On the cover Spider-Man is trapped under a
subway train that has fallen through the ceiling, directly
onto him.
Dylan looks sad, like he's wishing for something.
MOM (O.S.)
I remember the day you bought that.
Dylan looks up, surprised.
76.
DYLAN
Do you always spy on me up here?
She sits down next to him.
MOM
Sometimes.
(beat)
What are you thinking about?
DYLAN
That if I was someone else, maybe I
could have done something before it
was too late. If I was someone not
so... normal.
She laughs.
MOM
(sarcastic)
Normal?
DYLAN
What's funny?
MOM
Back when you were a baby you were
far from normal.
DYLAN
What's that supposed to mean?
MOM
Did you know that you took your
first steps when you were five
months old?
DYLAN
Is that good?
MOM
That's more than good. We didn't
know what to do.
(beat)
All our friends were jealous their
babies weren't walking.
(beat)
And the way you loved sports back
then...
Dylan looks at her.
77.
MOM
We thought you'd be a big star by
now. You were just a baby but...
(beat)
Anyway, after that first move, when
your father was laid off, you
just... stopped. It was like you
didn't care anymore. Like you...
lost all hope in this world. In
yourself.
(beat)
A few weeks later you bought that
thing.
Dylan doesn't understand.
MOM
I guess you were too young to remember.
Dylan can't speak.
MOM
I suppose that's why you've been so
attracted to them all these years.
It's like... they're more real than
your world. Like you were reliving
what you had lost.
She gets up and heads into the doorway. She looks back at him.
MOM
Go to bed. I'm sure you'll feel
more like yourself in the morning.
She leaves.
Dylan stares down at the comic book resting in his lap.
INT. DYLAN'S ROOM - NIGHT - RAIN
Dylan slides open the window. It's raining out.
He looks over at the bed and grabs the black, leather
trenchcoat and slips it on. He pulls the leather hood over
his Port Authority cap, still on from earlier. The result
hides his face in shadow.
He jumps out, almost in slow motion.
EXT. BESIDE HOUSE - NIGHT - RAIN
He lands perfectly, with incredible grace and precision.
78.
The rain water jumps out of the grass. The coat slaps the
wet ground just after. And for a moment he doesn't move.
He looks up, slowly.
INT. AUDITORIUM - WEIGHT ROOM
Beat. A huge metallic crack echoes through the school as
Dylan kicks in the door, breaking the chain that was wrapped
around the handle on the inside.
Dylan just stands in the middle of the room. Staring at the
weights.
Calmly, he goes over to it, the weights still on, and lays down.
He looks at the bar, just above his face.
Dylan's fingers slowly curl around the bar.
He takes a long, deep breath and exhales slowly.
He pushes against the bar. He struggles to heave it from his
body, his face is red, his arms shake. It still doesn't move.
Dylan looks at the bar, shiny, staring back at him. His
fingers uncurl and drop from the bar. He keeps staring.
Beat. His fingers curl around the bar again. The bar
disappears as Dylan slowly closes his eyes. He exhales calmly.
He believes.
The bar begins to rise.
Without a struggle the bar continues higher and higher. He
straightens his arms and brings it down to his chest. The
blood runs from his face, his arms have stopped shaking.
He pushes it back up. The weight moves easily.
He reps again, not struggling this time.
Dylan sets the weight back on the bar. It doesn't even make
a sound as he sets it down on the rests. He just looks at it.
His fingers uncurl from the bar, not wanting to let go,
actually sticking to the bar from Dylan's grip.
He sits up, takes a deep breath.
Dylan looks at his hands. The tiny imprints from the
textured surface of the bar slowly disappear, fading until
they're healed.
79.
A flashlight suddenly shines down the hall in his direction.
Dylan bolts out the door. But it's not the same door he came
in through.
EXT. AC ENCLOSURE - NIGHT - RAIN
He's trapped. The walls go up to the ceiling of the school,
some kind of air-conditioning protective enclosure.
He sees the flashlight bouncing up and down as a security
guard chases after him. Dylan's trapped.
INT. HALLWAY
The guard runs down the hallway as fast as his old and
chubby legs will carry him.
EXT. AC ENCLOSURE - NIGHT - RAIN
The guard bursts through the door, swinging the flashlight
from left to right. There is no one there.
Reluctantly, he leaves, muttering something inaudible under
his breath as he does so.
As he's leaving, Dylan, above, crawls past the edge of the
roof, out of sight completely.
EXT. ROOF - NIGHT - RAIN
He stands perched on the edge, like his favorite hero,
looking out over the city.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. LITTLE GIRL'S HOUSE - NIGHT - RAIN
Dylan stands in front of a house, almost completely hidden
by the shadows of the night. The rain patters off his Port
Authority cap.
He looks to the driveway. An SUV is backed in, a very
familiar SUV.
He sees the bumper, now mangled and dented from his own hands.
He just stares at it.
FLASHBACK: EXT. SUPERMARKET - DAY
Dylan remembers the accident that caused all of this.
80.
Dylan runs towards the helpless girl trapped underneath that
van.
He grabs the bumper and he pulls. The van's suspension
creaks from the weight change, and it begins to rise.
The steel bumper begins to bend under his grip.
The wheels lift off the ground. The girl is freed. But Dylan
keeps on lifting.
The metal on the bumper creaks. It bends unnaturally in the
shape of his hand and is practically ripped off from the
rest of the car.
He's tearing solid steel.
He keeps pushing up, the car rising with each beat of his heart.
Dylan keeps lifting. Up to his shoulders. Keeps lifting.
Until finally the van is above his head. Just like the
picture in the paper.
The little girl is pulled out. And Dylan drops the van onto
the ground, it's so heavy the ground shakes.
Dylan watches as the mother loads the little girl into the van.
Dylan Dandridge walks away, a hero.
PRESENT: EXT. LITTLE GIRL'S HOUSE - NIGHT - RAIN
The rain bounces off Dylan's head.
Dylan stands in the rain, thinking about the accident. About
how impossible it was. Beat.
He looks over to the window leading into the den. The light
is on. He can see inside.
The same little girl that he rescued is busy laughing as her
entire family plays with her, tickling her and chasing her
about the living room.
Dylan looks back over at the bumper of the van. Beat.
And he looks back over to the little girl, and her family.
And this moment he saved. The lives he saved.
He pulls the hood from off his back, and slips it over his
cap, his face now only barely visible because of the dark
shadows.
He understands what he has become.
81.
INT. BACK ALLEY - NIGHT - RAIN
Dylan enters a bad part of the neighborhood. It seems like
he knows exactly where he's going.
Suddenly he hears a trash can topple over, some commotion
from the alley.
A thug, a lowlife criminal in dark clothes surrounds a girl
in a dark alleyway. She tries to scream but a slimy hand
covers her mouth before she can.
It's Sarah from the bus.
The man looks at her and smiles. His eyes light up as he
retrieves a knife from his pocket. Sarah whimpers, tears
flow from her face. The man begins to drag the tip of his
knife across her throat, toying with her.
His smile grows.
Behind him, a figure, Dylan, slowly rises from beneath a
veil of shadow at the end of the alley.
Dylan walks up behind the mugger slowly, not making a sound.
Dylan grabs him from behind by the throat, wrapping one of
his powerful arms around his neck and the other trapping the
arm with the knife.
In an instant Dylan drags him into the shadows he stepped
out of moments ago.
Sarah watches, waits, crouched in the corner. The rain
patters over her. She can't hear a sound.
Suddenly, the mugger's limp body smacks the ground,
splashing water from the soaked streets, just in the light,
so that half his body can be seen.
Dylan emerges from the shadows once again.
Dylan looks over to the helpless girl, crying in the shadows
of the corner.
He extends his hand.
She looks up at him, his face shrouded in darkness by the
hat and hood.
She takes his hand.
82.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Dylan stands in his room. No lights. No sound. He peels the
coat off his soaking wet body, one arm at a time, incredibly
slowly.
He removes one arm, the rainwater spatters against the carpet.
He pulls the other arm out, more water thudding onto the carpet.
He holds it with both hands, at eye level.
He just stares at it. As the water rushes off and spits on
the carpet.
INT. CLOSET - NIGHT
The soaking black trenchcoat is hung on the hook on the
inside of the door, next to the rest of the family's coats.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE - MORNING
Dylan walks towards the front door, ready to leave.
Without looking up from what she's doing,
MOM
Did your walk make you feel better?
Beat.
DYLAN
Like a new man.
The door shuts behind him.
INT. PIANO ROOM - DAY
Dylan is alone for once.
He looks at his watch nervously. He waits.
Beat.
He looks at his watch again, waiting for Kelly to arrive.
But she never does.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Dylan is on the phone, looking at a piece of paper that says
"Kelly's number" in his own handwriting while dialing.
83.
It rings and rings but no one picks up. Beat. It keeps
ringing. He finally gives in and hangs up the phone.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - LATER
Dylan, in his coat and hat, slides open the window.
He crawls out. And drops out of sight.
EXT. KELLY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Dylan bangs on the door, rings the doorbell like a madman,
but no one answers.
He looks over to the driveway. The car is there, but no one
seems home.
Dylan takes a few steps away from the house, looking up at
Kelly's window. The light's off. Beat.
INT. KELLY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Dylan's coat shuffles around the incredibly quiet living
room in Kelly's Home. There is no sound, other than him.
It's deserted.
INT. KELLY'S HOUSE, KELLY'S ROOM - NIGHT
Kelly's door opens without a sound.
Dylan casts a shadow over her entire room as he enters, his
movements are slow and tense. He flips on the light switch.
It flickers on, then pops out, dead.
Dylan walks further into the room. His boots on the carpet
are the only sound in the entire house.
Beneath one of them glass suddenly crunches. He stops, lifts
his foot up.
It's so dark, he can't see anything.
Lightning quickly pops outside, sending a flash of light
into the dark room for a moment. Moment enough for Dylan to
see the broken lamp shattered across the carpet.
Another flash of lightning and the entire room is exposed.
Under his hood Dylan glares at the mess.
The room is in stark contrast to what he saw before. Clothes
have been thrown carelessly onto the floor.
84.
Belongings have been toppled over. The Little Miss Princess
trophy is broken in two.
Dylan crouches down and picks up a tattered piece of
clothing, ripped at the shoulder.
Dylan just stands there, clutching the torn sweater. His
emotions hidden under a veil of shadow.
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT
Tyler pops out of an alleyway, half-jogging across the
darkened street. No lights are on in the surrounding homes.
No one is out but him at this hour.
And Dylan Dandridge. Dylan steps out of the shadows himself,
fifty feet behind Tyler.
When Tyler is far enough, Dylan advances, easily unnoticed.
There is a roll of thunder in the distance. The heavens open,
and a downpour of soft rain patter over Dylan's hood and cloak.
He continues following Tyler.
EXT. SUBWAY ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Tyler heads down the stairs to one of the many subway gates
in the city. Dylan follows carefully, staying hidden.
INT. SUBWAY ENTRANCE - NIGHT
The subway has long stopped running this night, so
subsequently there is no gate guard to stop Tyler from
hopping the entrance bars.
He keeps going and jumps down onto the track itself. Tyler
heads down the track, until he's out of sight.
Dylan is still at the top of the entrance, moving carefully
down the stairs.
INT. SUBWAY TRACK - NIGHT
In a moment Dylan jumps from the ledge onto the subway track,
with almost no sound.
He can just barely see Tyler ahead of him, walking down the
track.
But once Dylan steps past the line where the light stops, he
practically disappears.
Dylan Dandridge stalks Captain Tyler.
85.
Tyler turns and finds a door hidden in one of the crevices
of the subway wall. He looks over his shoulder and opens it,
closing it behind him as he enters.
Dylan slows. After falling a few minutes more behind Dylan
goes to the door and enters.
INT. STONE STAIRWELL
The stone stairwell aims straight down, at a very steep incline.
Silently, Dylan heads down.
INT. LOWER SUBWAY SYSTEM
Dylan is now in the catacombs, in the old subways, beneath
the newer ones. Everything is stone, aged countless years.
Large chunks look ready to crumble at any moment. Cobwebs
everywhere. It's an old train station.
Dylan suddenly spots something at the other end of the long
station. It's Kelly, unconscious, propped against the wall.
Filled with new emotion Dylan begins to jog, and is quickly
sprinting.
But out of the shadows a fist flies at Dylan's face,
connecting solidly. Between the strength of the punch and
Dylan's velocity, the blow sends Dylan to the ground hard.
Tyler steps out of the shadow. He says nothing, but his
hatred for this cloaked figure is apparent in his face.
As Dylan struggles to get up on hands and knees, his face
never exposed, Tyler kicks him across the face. Dylan spins
completely over, landing back on his stomach and hiding his
face. Even now, with his new powers, Dylan begins to lose
consciousness, face down in the dirt.
Tyler, calmly, walks away.
He picks Kelly up and tosses her onto his shoulder. He goes
through another door at the end of the long corridor.
Dylan begins to pick himself up and out of his daze and
heads for the door.
INT. LOWER SUBWAY SYSTEM, BACK CORRIDOR
Dylan sees a shadow move away from him, down the long, dark
hallway ahead of him.
Tyler stands next to a crumbled concrete support pillar, a
sledge hammer lying just next to the rubble.
86.
There is a massive hole in the ground just in front of Tyler,
next to where he's set Kelly down, still out.
DYLAN
You don't know what you're doing.
Tyler cocks an annoyed smirk and kicks Kelly's lifeless body
into the hole, which leads down to a lower level.
TYLER
Later!
He jumps in after her.
INT. CARGO TRAIN CATACOMBS
Tyler grabs Kelly from the floor and runs off into the
distance. Tyler stops many feet away and waits near a very
large concrete support beam.
Dylan quickly falls through the opening, landing in a
crouched position, his coat slaps down on his back after he
lands.
Dylan glares at Tyler from under his hood.
TYLER
You remember what's above us?
Dylan looks up.
TYLER
Subways.
At the sound of the word he kicks the support, with all his
strength, breaking it in half. The roof quickly begins to
crack and crumble. And after only a few seconds the roof
gives way completely.
The entire place comes down. A blur of concrete and metal
collapses onto Dylan. He tries to leap out of the way, but
he isn't fast enough. The last thing to come down on Dylan
is a subway car itself. Beat. The dust begins to settle.
Sparks fly from the broken electrical systems. The total
mass stretches up through the ceiling. Every bit of Dylan is
covered, except for his head and arm, which was saved
because of a vertical piece of concrete that braced itself
between him and the rubble, positioned between his head and
free arm. The result leaves him alive, barely, but trapped
under an incredible weight.
Tyler, who positioned himself far enough away to be out of
danger, walks off. He goes through a door to the side.
87.
INT. OLD CARGO TRAIN SUBWAY
He comes out onto another ancient track.
Tyler sets Kelly down on the tracks, tying her feet to one
rail and her body and arms to the other.
TYLER
I won't let you do it Kel. I just
won't let you hurt them.
(beat)
This train only runs once a day.
Guess what time?
(beat)
No one will even miss you.
She opens her eyes, still hazy.
KELLY
Why are you doing this?
Tyler's surprised she's awake.
TYLER
Why? Because of you. These people
cherish me. They cherish me because
of what I've done for them, Kel.
The district titles. All the
funding. I helped these people when
they needed me most.
(beat)
You... you made me the laughing
stock of the entire school. All for
that geek.
(beat)
Do you know how that makes me look?
How much pain it causes those
people up there? Those people I've
bled for? Those people I love up
there? Do you have any idea how
much my good name affects them?
They could lose everything.
(beat)
I won't let you do it to them. I
can't let it get past the school.
It's wrong, Kel.
(beat)
I'm not the bad guy here.
He finishes her bonds. He walks off, into darkness. Kelly
begins to cry.
88.
INT. CARGO TRAIN CATACOMBS
The rubble is just now settling. Dylan shouldn't be alive
but he is. Hr groans in agony.
He coughs, dust billows out in front of his face. He pushes
up with his one free arm, trying to free himself. It doesn't
move an inch. He plops back down onto the dirt.
Somewhere above him, he hears Kelly crying. An image of her
flashes through his mind, her beautiful face. He groans as
he pushes up on the impossible weight.
He continues to struggle, trying to shake off the mound of
rubble on top of him. But still, nothing budges. He's
exhausted, near death. He collapses again.
Kelly's sobs in the distance get louder.
He pushes again with his one free arm, the weight beginning
to move only slightly. He doesn't stop. He continues to push,
dust shakes off from the top of the rubble. The metal of the
ancient subway car groans, sparks fly from its broken
electrical cables.
He pushes the weight further, enough to get one of his feet
underneath him, he plants it on the ground for more support.
Dylan hears the train, rounding a corner in the distance.
Kelly SCREAMS again.
The weight overruns him, crushing down on him once again.
KELLY (O.S.)
SOMEBODY! HELP ME!
At the sound of her voice he begins his struggle again, his
arms bulging, his leg shaking from the weight. He pushes
harder and his other arm comes free. He puts it above his
head against the weight.
His arms are free but the weight is still crushing him. His
legs are ready to buckle, Dylan squats like a catcher.
She screams yet again.
He continues to push, his knees beginning to rise from the
dirt. He pushes even more. Bits of concrete and rubble fall
to the side from the massive mound.
He hears the train braking, nearby now. He has got to hurry.
89.
KELLY (O.S.)
DYLAN!
He pushes harder than ever, after she screamed FOR HIM. He
pushes one last time, the immense weight shifting completely.
He keeps going, throwing the weight above his head. His arms
and legs outstretched completely now, fully extended. He's
standing, with all that weight held over his head.
He jumps clear of it, as it all crumbles to the ground in a
boom.
Huge desperate breaths as he sits hunched on the ground in a
filthy dark mass. His hat is gone, his coat torn to shreds.
He struggles to even move, but slowly he hauls himself to
his feet. He rises, dirt and debris rush off his back. His
breathing slows.
Then he hears her scream. He rushes off.
But his body is broken, he can barely breathe. Yet he walks
on, limping heavily, hearing her screams.
He struggles to get through the doorway. Going up the
concrete doorstep he stumbles and falls.
He coughs up blood.
The train rounds the corner.
He gets up and runs as fast as he can on a broken leg, and
broken body.
INT. OLD CARGO TRAIN SUBWAY
Dylan limps through the doorway. Kelly is right in front of
him, still bound to the railings. He runs towards her just
as the train's lights appear in the distance.
It's a race against time now.
He gets to her quickly but still has to unbind her. He gets
her feet free first. Now, as the train is only feet away, he
struggles with her arm binds.
The train barrels on. Suddenly its brakes scream, trying to
stop.
He can't untie the ropes, struggling with it with only one
good arm.
The train is so close they can see the driver looking at them.
90.
He stops trying to untie it. He grabs it and yanks it into
shreds. He pulls her to the side of the track just as the
train barrels by, nearly clipping her feet.
They exhale a sigh of relief.
The train lets its brakes go, barreling past them.
Dylan rolls over in utter anguish, making sure to keep his
face hidden from Kelly. He groans in agony.
She tries to help him up, but he is deadweight and can't
help her. A familiar voice suddenly comes from the shadows.
TYLER
Well, isn't this touching.
He stares at Kelly, and the cloaked figure with his head
lowered.
TYLER
It looks to me that it's the
perfect time to finish what I
started earlier.
DYLAN
...No...
Dylan struggles back to his feet, legs wobbly, on a
destroyed body.
Kelly, for the first time, sees his face. Her eyes widen in
disbelief.
KELLY
Dylan?!
Tyler just looks at them.
TYLER
This makes sense.
DYLAN
I won't let you have her.
Tyler hurls himself at Dylan, and wraps his massive steroid-
induced arm around Dylan's throat. His hands clamp together
like a vise, squeezing tighter and tighter.
Tyler yanks back hard, strengthening his grip. Dylan pushes
with his legs, trying to send him into the brick wall on the
side of the track, but Tyler is too powerful. His arm
remains locked around Dylan's neck. His face is turning red.
91.
Dylan throws a series of elbows into Tyler's stomach,
thudding against Tyler's powerful body. The blows have zero
effect.
The blows stop, Dylan's arms begin to go limp, his legs
buckle. All the air in him escapes his lips, he quickly
fades as Tyler pulls back harder and harder.
Kelly's crying.
Tyler holds up all of Dylan's weight with his arm.
He's gone.
Tyler wrenches back one last time and tosses Dylan's
lifeless body hard against the brick wall.
He turns to Kelly, who's sobbing uncontrollably. He stalks
towards her slowly, she backs away just as quickly, still
sobbing, and looking at Dylan's lifeless body.
But, suddenly, it's not lifeless. Dylan begins to cough
uncontrollably. Tyler looks at him, genuinely surprised.
Kelly's tearful face lights up.
Tyler walks over to him, just as Dylan is struggling to make
it to his feet, and grabs Dylan by the throat, hurling him
back against the wall.
Dylan throws a right punch deep into Tyler's stomach. Tyler
stands in complete comfort, not affected by the blow at all.
His strength is gone.
TYLER
(sarcastic)
Nice one.
Dylan looks at his hands, and hurls them both right at
Tyler's jaw. When it connects his hands are what is hurt most.
Tyler practically smiles.
Dylan, in a last ditch effort to do some damage, slams both
his palms against Tyler's ears. Tyler staggers back a step.
He looks at Dylan. His ears are ringing, All he can hear is
a dull buzz.
Angry, Tyler smashes Dylan's head into the concrete wall,
sending him to the floor in agony. He's through playing
around now. As Dylan yet again struggles to make it to his
feet, Tyler grabs him by the throat and hurls him back up
against the brick wall. Pieces of the wall fall down around
them from the force.
92.
TYLER
Why won't you die?!
Dylan struggles to breathe. Tyler's inhuman grip clamps down
on Dylan's neck. The other hand joins in, strangling him
with both hands. Dylan's face turns red. Somehow, he speaks,
in a gargled restricted voice.
DYLAN
I still know...
He looks at Dylan as his mouth moves to the words. All he
can hear is the buzzing.
He clamps down even harder.
Dylan, through the pain, motions with his hands for Kelly to
stand close to the wall Tyler doesn't see the wave of
Dylan's hand. She looks down the track and quickly obliges.
Dylan pulls even closer to the wall.
Tyler squeezes tighter. Dylan's neck has red handprints on
it. He's fading again.
But suddenly, out of nowhere, the train plows over Tyler in
an instant. In a split second he is gone. The brakes squeal
as it struggles to stop.
DYLAN
I know the train runs twice a day
asshole.
Kelly immediately runs over to him and hugs him tightly,
burying her face in his chest. He cries in pain but doesn't
let her go.
She looks up from his chest, teary eyed, into his eyes. Beat.
She hugs him tighter.
INT. DYLAN'S BEDROOM - MORNING
Subtitle: Weeks Later
Dylan, with soft casts and wrappings on his chest and limbs,
his neck still swollen and red, grabs his Graduation gown
off his chair. He groans as he slips his arm through and
pulls it around the other side.
MOM (O.S.)
You okay in here?
Dylan spins around, surprised.
93.
DYLAN
I can't get the other arm through.
She comes over to him and assists him in putting his
bandaged arm through his gown. She zips him up.
MOM
How was the memorial?
DYLAN
Alright.
She adjusts his collar and struggles to fix his hair. She
looks at his bandages.
MOM
You never did tell me how you got
so banged up.
Dylan looks at the floor.
DYLAN
I know...
She stands behind him, looking at him in the mirror, in his
gown.
MOM
It must have been pretty important
for you to put on that superhero
get-up and go gallivanting all
through the night.
Dylan turns around. He can't believe it.
DYLAN
What are you talking about?
MOM
Oh, don't give me that. I am your
mother after all.
He stares at her, looks her in the eyes, studying her.
She's smiling.
DYLAN
How did you figure it out?
MOM
Well, when you start leaving at all
hours of the night wearing the same
thing that's plastered all over the
news and papers it wasn't hard.
94.
DYLAN
I thought it was Dad that-
MOM
-Oh, your Father's a moron.
Honestly, I don't know how I got
him through college.
She spins him around, and checks his gown one last time.
MOM
I told you you weren't so normal.
He smiles.
INT. DYLAN'S HOUSE, DOWNSTAIRS - SHORT TIME LATER
Dad is reading the paper.
DAD
Looks like that weird fella made
the front page again. "NightWalker:
Exposed!" Yeah, right.
His Dad puts the paper on the table.
Dylan comes down the stairs, fully dressed in cap and gown.
He's practically glowing with excitement.
Dylan looks down at the paper. Below the huge headline there
is another, much smaller article. The headline on it reads:
Link between Subway collapse and mysterious boy death still
unknown.
DYLAN
I better go.
MOM
You're gonna do great, son.
DYLAN
Bye.
His mother waves to him, smiling ecstatically.
Father looks up from the paper.
DAD
Bye.
Dylan leaves.
95.
DAD
(beat)
So what do you think REALLY
happened to him? Looks like the
weight of the world collapsed on
his shoulders.
MOM
If it hasn't yet it will someday.
EXT. SCHOOL - GRADUATION DAY - DAY
Suddenly, everyone starts clapping, all in unison.
The PRINCIPAL, in standard cap and gown, stands at the
microphoned podium. A concrete-sculpted memorial stands in
the background. Everyone immediately erupts in joy, clapping
like crazy.
PRINCIPAL
The world welcomes you: The
graduating class of 2003!
Everyone screams even louder, their hats fly into the air
all at once.
Dylan, now with the extra Valedictorian sash draped over his
neck, hops off the edge of the stage and is immediately
rushed by a large crowd of people. Smothering around him.
He's incredibly confused, everyone is talking at once.
Connie and Ben break through the masses and find him.
CONRAD
Dylan! Great speech!
Dylan isn't listening, he's looking over everyone's head,
peering through cracks in the masses, searching for Kelly.
BEN
So are we still on for this weekend?!
DYLAN
What?
BEN
This weekend? Remember, we're all
going into the city to look for a
place?!
DYLAN
Oh, yeah. Yeah, we're still on!
96.
Suddenly, he spots a hand shoot up through the crowd, and
Kelly's head pops up over them as she jumps, looking for him
too.
DYLAN
Hey listen, I gotta go!
BEN
Yeah, we know!
CONRAD
Good luck, man!
BEN
And congratulations too!
Dylan's already running after her.
DYLAN
(calling back)
Thanks!
He struggles to push past the masses and find Kelly.
Kelly does the exact same, only with limited results.
QUICK CUTS on them both as they struggle to find one another.
Finally they do. Meeting in the middle, in an area almost
devoid of students, an open area to themselves.
They both smile and quickly lean in. Finally, they kiss.
SLOW MO
As they continue their kiss.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. CITY ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
Dylan stands, in full superhero garb, his black trench, hat,
and hood, in a darkened alleyway somewhere in the city.
He takes a step back, passing a line of light, into darkness.
Slowly, it engulfs his entire being. Until he completely and
utterly disappears into the night.
FADE OUT:
THE END
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