Knock Knock by Noah Bennettt
Mr. James's house.
Wednesday, October 31st (Halloween), 1985. Nighttime. 9pm.
MR. JAMES sits on his couch eagerly trying to solve a rubix cube. A
bright green bowl of candy sits on the stand next to the couch. A
frantic knocking on the door is heard. Startled, he drops the rubix
cube, picks up the bowl of candy and opens the door. AMELIA, dressed
as Madonna from the material girl music video with the exception of
the necklace tries to make her way inside.
MR. JAMES
Woah, woah there. What's with the rush Amelia?
AMELIA
Please!
MR. JAMES
Now hold on. I believe there's a little phrase you're supposed to
say.
AMELIA
I need to come inside!
MR. JAMES
Passing off her comment
Rhymes with 'stick or meat'.
AMELIA
Mr. James, please!
MR. JAMES
Realizing shes not here for candy
Yes, come in.
AMELIA enters quickly. Puzzled, MR. JAMES shuts the door.
MR. JAMES
Are you okay? You look a little shaken up.
AMELIA does not respond.
MR. JAMES
Got nothing for me Material Girl?
AMELIA does not respond.
MR. JAMES
Under his breath
Tough crowd. How about some candy?
MR. JAMES offers her candy, but she isn't enticed.
MR. JAMES
Oh, go on. Take one! Take two if you like! I've got some Runts, Cow
Tails, and I think there's still some Skittles in there if you'd
like. You want to tell me what's going on?
AMELIA shakes her head 'no'
MR. JAMES
That's okay. You don't have to talk. We could just sit here and
not talk if you'd like.
AMELIA doesn't respond
MR. JAMES
I'll take that as a yes.
He picks up the rubix cube and begins to fumble with it again. He
becomes increasingly frustrated and offers the rubix cube to AMELIA.
MR. JAMES
Would you like to give this a try?
AMELIA takes the rubix cube
MR. JAMES
They say there's 43 quintillion combinations for that thing. I'm
sure I've created at least 42 of those 43. Look, I know you don't
want to talk. I want to help, but I can't help unless you tell me
what's going on.
AMELIA doesn't answer
MR. JAMES
Should I phone the police?
AMELIA
No!
MR. JAMES
Ah. So you do speak.
Amelia balls up
MR. JAMES
Sighs
There's a reason you came here. There are plenty of other houses you
could've gone to, but you chose mine. Now I'm all for helping you
out, but I need you to meet me halfway.
Mr James puts a hand on Amelia's shoulder. She flinches and he
quickly retracts
MR. JAMES
Boy. Something must have spooked you good. Were some other kids
picking on you? I know I saw a Jason Voorhees running around earlier
that looked up to no good. Have you seen those movies?
AMELIA
No.
MR. JAMES
Good. Those movies may be a little much for someone your age. It's
incredible how realistic those movie effects are now. I saw Teen Wolf
in August and the transformation scene in that movie was something
else. I was sitting there wondering, how do they do it? I suppose
that's why the professionals get paid as much as they do. And
Michael J. Fox, what an actor. I really like that kid. I apologize,
I've begun to ramble. I don't have much company anymore, so I
unload my brain whenever I can.
AMELIA
Is it scary?
MR. JAMES
Teen Wolf?
AMELIA
Yes.
MR. JAMES
No, it's about as goofy as it gets. It's a fun one though. It's
not scary. I don't do scary movies. I saw The Fog a few years ago
and-
AMELIA
Mr James.
MR. JAMES
Yes?
AMELIA
Can I just stay here?
MR. JAMES
I'm afraid I can't let you do that Amelia.
AMELIA
Please?!
MR. JAMES
Why-
MR. JAMES is cut off by a phone ringing.
MR. JAMES
Strange. No one ever calls me at this hour.
MR. JAMES moves to pick up the telephone, before AMELIA swiftly knocks
it out of his hands.
AMELIA
No!
MR. JAMES
Amelia! What is your issue? That was very rude. I paid good money for
that phone and now I haven't a clue who just called me.
AMELIA
You said no one calls you at this hour.
MR. JAMES
Yes, but who knows who that could've been.
AMELIA
I don't think it was for you.
MR. JAMES
Do you think it was for you?
AMELIA doesn't respond.
MR. JAMES
I've tried to be patient, but I'm tired of playing these games
with you. I ask you a question and you run around in circles. I want
to help you, but you're keeping information from me. Now I'm going
to ask you to leave unless-
AMELIA
No!
MR. JAMES
Unless you begin to talk.
MR. JAMES waits a moment.
The floor is yours.
AMELIA says nothing.
MR. JAMES
I need you to talk!
MR. JAMES leans in closely to AMELIA's face. After a brief stare, he
smells her.
Talk!
AMELIA screams. MR. JAMES quickly lets go and is horrified with
himself.
MR. JAMES
I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. That was very wrong of me.
I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry.
MR. JAMES goes to lay a comforting hand on AMELIA, but she recoils.
MR. JAMES
I'm very sorry. I won't yell anymore. I promise. You're clearly
very shaken up and I'm not sure what the best course of action is.
I've never been in these shoes before.
AMELIA
Can I please stay here?
MR. JAMES
Sweetie, I can't let you do that. Not after all this. The neighbors
probably think I'm killing someone over here after you shrieked in
that manner.
AMELIA
I can't go back out there.
MR. JAMES
I can't have little girls staying at my house. What will the
neighbors think? Heck, what will your-
AMELIA
I'm scared.
MR. JAMES
With compassion
I know you're scared. I don't know what it is that you're scared
of. That's why I'm so frustrated. But, I'll tell you what I
bet if you walked home right now, nothing would happen. You would be
totally fine and totally safe. You'd go to bed and wake up tomorrow
the same great kid, except now you've got a ton of great candy to
eat. I know Halloween is all about spooks and ghouls, but the real
world isn't like that. It's a safe place. There aren't monsters
in the world, okay? You're safe. No boogeyman, no wolfman, no mummy,
nothing is gonna get you.
AMELIA
Thank you.
MR. JAMES
You're gonna be oka-
MR. JAMES is cut-off by loud, forceful pounding on the door. He jumps
up.
MR. JAMES
Goodness! What the hell is that?!
MR. JAMES heads to the door
AMELIA
Don't open it!
MR. JAMES
Is that what you're hiding from? Do you know who is on the other
side of that door?
AMELIA painfully nods her head, 'yes'
MR. JAMES
Well, I'm phoning the police.
AMELIA
Please don't! I'll be in so much trouble.
MR. JAMES
Trouble?
AMELIA
Can I hide in the bathroom?
MR. JAMES
Will that make you feel safe?
AMELIA nods her head 'yes'
Go ahead.
MR. JAMES steps into another room and returns with an aluminum bat. He
holds it behind his back and he slowly opens the door
[End of Extract]