TAMMY: "When I got this journal
"I thought it was going to be a joke, (CHUCKLES)
"Little too girly for me,
"I mean, nobody has ever accused me of being a normal teenage girl,
"But I was wrong, It helps,
"God knows, my life isn't exactly normal,
"Dad's been MIA for a couple years now, and Mom, ,,
"Oh, where do I start with Mom? (CHUCKLES)
"She tries,
"She pulls down a nine to five at a supermarket
"and tries to play normal mom,
"But let's just say, she's not exactly model PTA material,"
Hey, Harry,
(SNIFFS)
LAURA: Are you buying the magazine?
-Laura, it's you! -What?
You're in here, You were abducted,
It's not me,
What's the date? 17 years ago?
Yeah, yeah, it's you, There's your name, Laura Sinclair,
I said, it's not me, Harry,
Come on, Laura, that's your picture,
You haven't changed at all, your hair's a little longer,
You lost some weight in the face, but it's definitely you!
(ENGINE SPUTTERING)
(SCREAMING)
Laura? You all right?
I've got you, Laura, Easy now,
Easy,
I'm okay, I'm all right,
Laura, what happened?
What did you say to her?
Nothing, I just showed her a photograph,
How was I supposed to know she was going to react like that?
It wasn't the photograph, I just got dizzy, that's all,
Come on, babe, tell us the whole story,
-Harry, -(LAURA GROANS)
Come and sit down for a minute,
No, no, no, I'm okay,
It wasn't much of a fall or anything, it was, ,,
(SIGHS) You're really lucky you didn't crack your head wide open,
I'll get you something for this, okay?
(SOFTLY) Thanks,
(CRYING)
(WHIMPERING)
(ELECTRICAL WHIRRING)
CONTROL VOICE: There is nothing wrong with your television,
Do not attempt to adjust the picture,
We are now controlling the transmission,
We control the horizontal and the vertical,
We can deluge you with a thousand channels
or expand one single image to crystal clarity
and beyond,
We can shape your vision
to anything our imagination can conceive,
For the next hour,
we will control all that you see and hear,
You are about to experience the awe and mystery
which reaches from the deepest inner mind
to The Outer Limits,
CONTROL VOICE: They say you are the sum of your experiences,
But what happens when an event from your past
prevents you from defining your future?
Good day at work, Mom?
Sorry, Starvation anxiety, Need a sandwich,
I came to school to pick you up,
I was hanging with Marilyn at the mall,
Her dad dropped me off, Have you ever met him?
Geek City,
I told you I didn't need to be picked up today,
-Guess you didn't hear me, -(CLATTERING)
-How was school? -Same old,
Allyson Crawford is so far up Coach Milford's butt,
they'll have to extract her with industrial pliers,
Tammy,
I've been thinking about your birthday party,
Earth to Mom, 100th time, I don't want a party,
Sixteen-years-old deserves a birthday party,
(SOFTLY) Spare me,
How was the old grocery store today?
Rock stars come in for the prescription drugs?
Meet Mr, Right?
As if,
You're beautiful, Come on, you're still a babe,
Yeah, right,
-You okay? -I'm fine,
Don't you have some studying to do?
You've got that English lit test tomorrow,
"The quality of mercy is not strained,
"It droppeth like a gentle rain from on high,"
Since when are you and Shakespeare buds?
He's got some cool stuff in his plays,
You sure you're okay?
Yeah, I'm fine,
Okay, don't connect,
-Tammy, ,, -Like you said, I've got homework,
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PHONE RINGING)
Hello? Oh, hello, Mrs, McDonald,
What has she done now?
Oh,
Your office tomorrow morning? Fine, I'll be there,
Okay,
Bye, Mrs, McDonald,
(SIGHS)
TAMMY: "I know I'm being kinda harsh on her, but, ,,
"Come on, I mean, it's not like I have a choice,
"Sometimes I wonder who's the parent and who's the child,
"It can pretty freak show around here,"
Tammy?
"When she gets like this, it seems like anything can set her off,
-Tammy? -(WIND HOWLING)
(SOBS)
(CRYING)
(CONTINUES CRYING)
(GASPS) Oh!
(ELECTRICAL WHIRRING)
(WHIMPERING)
(SOBBING)
(WIND HOWLING)
(SCHOOL BELL RINGING)
KAREN: It's good to see you again, Mrs, Sinclair,
You're being kind,
I checked my face in the mirror this morning, not a pretty sight,
You do seem tired,
Not sleeping well,
-You called me about Tammy, -Yes,
She really wants to be a better student,
I know her grades are poor this semester, but, ,,
Mrs, Sinclair, I want you to take a look at this,
It's Tammy's report card from this semester,
We're mailing them out tomorrow,
but I really wanted to give you this in person,
Are we talking about the same Tammy?
As you can see, her grades are averaging a B for the semester,
which is a major improvement,
Her mood swings have diminished, No drugs,
No defacing school property,
Lots of attitude, but rarely rude,
I wouldn't call her a model student,
but I've dealt with a lot worse this year,
Well, I'd like to tell you I was responsible for all this,
but I think you're the one to congratulate,
Tammy hasn't come to me much for guidance this year,
She has a new English teacher, Marcus Fellows,
He's had quite an effect on the students in his class,
She did seem less terrified of her Merchant of Venice test
than she should've been, (CHUCKLES)
Mr, Fellows has made Shakespeare something akin
to reading Chris Rock in jazz clubs,
An A in Social Studies?
I need to take my pulse, This is, ,,
This is just great,
Did you know your daughter is writing poetry?
Well, she keeps her journal with her all the time,
-I'm not allowed to open it, -(CHUCKLES)
And Mr, Kline, our art teacher,
says that her sketch work has become quite incredible,
We are cautiously optimistic
that this upward curve will continue,
-and that, ,, -(DOOR OPENS)
Fight in the compound,
Allyson Crawford and, ,,
Tammy Sinclair,
(CLAMORING)
(CHANTING) Fight! Fight!
(YELLS)
Hey! Hey! Stop it! Stop it!
-You started it! You did! -I did not! Liar!
I don't care who started it!
-Come on! -Back off! Allyson!
-Allyson, back off! -ALLYSON: She started it!
-Back off! -Come on!
KAREN: Go with Mr, Garvey to the nurse's office,
MR, GARVEY: Come on, Allyson,
What are you doing here? I'm disappointed in you, What are you doing?
KAREN: Thank you for intervening, Mr, Fellows,
There has been bad blood between those two
since the beginning of the year,
Sometimes bad blood can boil over,
I'm sure it was started by something trivial,
If you'll excuse me, ,,
LAURA: What was the fight about?
What do you care?
Maybe I'm madly in love with the quarterback
Allyson's groping in the boys' locker room, like no one knows,
Or maybe, I'm passionately in love with Allyson herself,
and she dumped me,
What do you know about me?
You spend every shift that's handed out in that store,
Did you think we were gonna live on
the child support payments your father sends us?
With what he sends us,
we couldn't afford to live in a shack in the railway yards,
I know!
-I'm waiting for an answer, -It was nothing,
Tammy, you're gonna tell me or you're gonna go straight, ,,
The fight was about you, okay?
Allyson called you a freak,
Every kid in my school's read that tabloid story,
They're all talking about it,
I'm sorry,
Well, last night you couldn't have mentioned the fact
that your name and face would be splashed all over that scum sucking rag?
I was hoping you wouldn't see it,
I thought I'd heard the last of this alien crap,
But I guess it's always gonna be with us, isn't it?
No, It isn't,
Yes, it is,
(DOOR CLOSES)
TAMMY: "I'm doing the best I can, right?
"I don't just have a communication gap with my mother,
"it's more like the Grand Canyon,
"But, thank God, I have Mr, Fellows,
"I mean, he understands me, and, ,,
"We don't have to talk about freaky alien dreams,
"or stupid tabloid stories, or anything at all,
"We can just hang together,
"I wish it was this easy with everybody,"
LAURA: (ECHOING) Are you here to save me?
MARCUS: (ECHOING) Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you,
LAURA: (ECHOING) Marcus, don't leave,
(ELECTRICAL WHIRRING)
(SCREAMING)
(GASPS)
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
I used be able to anticipate Tammy's mood swings,
But now I can't keep up with them,
My daughter brooded a lot,
A child full of life
and she used to wear these black clothes,
and pale makeup, ,, (CHUCKLES)
And do 500 piece puzzles for hours by herself,
Twelve years old,
I used to be attracted to the night when I was little,
The Dark Child, they used to call me,
I thought that darkness was soothing and soft like velvet,
-Is Tammy like that? -No, not at all,
She's fiery and vital,
I wonder how much my behavior has affected her,
You're reacting to a recurring nightmare,
we all have those,
If Social Services knew I was talking about aliens again, ,,
I won't let them take Tammy away from me,
You've got to take the terror you have from the past,
and bury its voice deep inside,
Then let out the whispers of it,
when you can deal with it,
That's very eloquent,
I speak from experience, remember?
White lights,
Out of those lights, came shapes,
Limbs like scarves,
They stripped off all my clothes,
And poked and prodded me, (BREATH SHUDDERING)
No part of my body was sacred, and I kept thinking, ,,
Are they violating Jennifer?
But then I saw her, (CHUCKLES)
She was on the ship,
Just before they took me back,
And she was laughing, (SOBS)
She didn't sense any danger or evil,
I don't how I would've felt if Tammy had been with me,
Of course, no one believes me,
"Poor Susie,
"Watching too many X-Files episodes,
"She's got all the alien buzzwords down packed,"
(WHISPERS) I believe you,
I believe you,
-(DOOR CLOSING) -(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
It's time to come back to your room, Susan,
Hello, Dr, Campbell,
Laura, good to see you again,
All it takes is one person,
(WHISPERS) Just one person,
If you believe me, ,,
,, , someone else will,
I love you, (KISSES)
(SNIFFLES)
Thank you for letting me see her so late, Dr, Campbell,
It's nice of you to come visit her, Laura,
(DOOR CLOSING)
You don't know how much she looks forward to your visits,
It's good therapy for her,
-For me too, -(CHUCKLES)
Glad you're doing so well now,
TAMMY: So where'd you go last night?
I took a drive,
When it gets that late, I worry about you,
Well, there's nothing to worry about,
Okay, don't go porcelain on me,
I'm not,
Why didn't you tell me your nightmares had returned?
Because they haven't,
Come on, Mother,
You're screaming in your sleep,
that's what woke me up,
It doesn't concern you, Tammy,
Yes, it does,
You get all crazy when you have them,
-and then I get all crazy, -Please, don't use that word,
(SOFTLY) I'm sorry,
I'm, ,, Scared, okay? I admit that,
Why do always go back to that place?
Mom, ,,
I love you, I don't, ,,
I'm trying really hard to understand, and you're not, ,,
Can you help me, please?
Sometimes it's comforting to go back there,
There is this woman there,
Her name is Susan,
She was abducted by aliens two years ago,
with her 12-year-old daughter,
Oh, so you guys just, ,,
Sit around? Hang out?
Reminisce about good 'ol alien times or what?
-(CAR HONKING) -I don't, ,,
(STAMMERING) I don't get it,
There is my ride, I have to go,
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
-So how are you today? -Just fine, thank you,
You're, uh, Tammy Sinclair's mom,
I'm Marcus Fellows, I, ,,
Sorry, I didn't get a chance to say hello to you yesterday,
Those weren't exactly the circumstances I was hoping to meet you under,
That was her first fight this semester,
Yes, I know that, I know that,
Witness a pretty remarkable change in her,
I understand that's all because of you,
No, uh, sorry, I can't take credit for that,
We're in this together,
It's a big conspiracy to, uh, help your daughter realize her full potential,
And you know, I believe she's gonna do just that,
It was nice to see you,
Do you think we could, um, get together later?
We'll have coffee and talk about Tammy,
Sure, I would love that,
Um, what about Terro's Coffee Grind at 6:00?
That'd be fine,
-Well, see you there, -(MOUTHING) Yeah,
TAMMY: "In a circle, insanity surrounds me,
"It's never ending,
"I'm searching for the way out,
"Towards something I don't know if I'll ever reach,"
(MOANS)
-(ELECTRICAL WHIRRING) -(SOBBING)
MARCUS: (ECHOING) Don't worry,
I won't let them hurt you,
You were trapped there, too,
LAURA: Tom, my ex, ,,
,, , basically checked out long before the divorce,
He used the house like a hotel room,
Worked for a big drug company,
he was traveling all the time,
So he didn't spend much time with his daughter?
-She'd be a stranger to him, -Well, that's tragic,
But you know, I also think it's, ,,
Never too late for a father to reach out to his daughter,
Get to know her again,
Not Tammy, I'm afraid,
Well, if he did, he would find his daughter as an exceptional young woman,
Striving to assert herself, and discover her new identity,
I can see why she likes you so much,
She's talked about me?
Oh, not directly, I read between the lines,
Did she tell you that she's, um, auditioned for the role of Portia
in the school's production of Merchant of Venice?
I think she's gonna get the part,
Oh, that would be great,
I'm organizing a 16th birthday party for her,
Harbor Lights Bistro, Would you come?
Saturday afternoon?
You're the only teacher from school I'd think she'd want to have there,
I'd love to, What time?
Five o'clock, But don't tell her, it's a surprise,
One I hope she doesn't throw back in my face,
Little tension, huh?
Well, don't worry, It's gonna pass,
Tammy loves you,
Did she say that?
Mmm, ,,
Professional observation,
I'm sorry,
Did I say something wrong, or, ,,
No, no, I just, ,,
Haven't been out for coffee with anybody in a long time and, ,,
MARCUS: (SOFTLY) I understand,
I do,
You look familiar to me,
Did you ever live in Arizona, the Flagstaff area?
As a matter of fact, I did, Yeah,
For about two years, it was a long time ago,
I just feel like we've met before,
I promise you, I would've remembered,
It was in a forest, 17 years ago,
You were there, I know it was you,
I saw you there, it sounds crazy,
There was a lot of drifting mist,
A lot of mist in the dream and, ,,
I was in a dream of yours?
It was a dream, but it was real, too,
I'm sorry, you've lost me here,
Do you believe in UFOs?
Well, that's kind of mandatory for living in the Southwest,
No, please, I'm serious,
Okay, I'm sorry, um, ,,
Then I have to say, I don't,
(SCHOOL BELL RINGING)
-Totally, I hate that class, -Can't stand her at all,
You know, I was from a transfer, ,,
MARCUS: Tammy?
I'm glad I caught you,
I've, uh, got a book I'd like to give you,
It's uh, ,,
Required reading for the Shakespeare test,
And don't worry, you're gonna sail through it,
Pay attention to Hermione in Winter's Tale,
How she never berates Leontes,
when unjustly accused of adultery,
Listen, uh, is your mom dating anyone?
My mother? Dating?
-Yeah, -Break me,
-I'm sorry? -Give me a break,
Oh, right,
No, she doesn't, ,, (STAMMERING)
She just doesn't trust anybody,
(CHUCKLES) I don't know why I'm telling you this,
Well, because, you know, you can always talk to me,
Hmm,
You know, a teacher comes across a student who,
touches their soul on very, very rare occasions,
-Actually, your mom's here, -Hi, Mom,
I'm gonna be at the mall, okay?
KAREN: Mr, Fellows, do you have a minute?
Yes, of course, Karen,
I was wondering if you'd help me out with the drama club?
I would love to,
Great, We'll talk about it later?
Sure,
Oh, Candice, Have a nice evening, Marcus,
You too, Karen,
Hey, Laura,
Tammy got the part, did she tell you?
No, she didn't,
Yeah,
I need to talk to you about something that happened to me 17 years ago,
I was taken aboard an alien spacecraft,
But I wasn't the only human being taken aboard that night,
You were there, too,
I'm sorry, Mrs, Sinclair, I, ,, I, ,, I don't know, ,,
Last night it was Laura,
Laura,
Seeing you know after all these years,
triggered these memories,
You know, I really don't think this is the time and the place to discuss, ,,
You're in my dreams now, In my alien nightmares,
Because you were there with me trapped on that craft,
Mrs, Sinclair, you're, ,,
You're asking me to admit to an alien encounter you say
happened to both of us nearly 20 years ago?
We've never even met before,
The only connection we have is the fact that your daughter is my student,
I'm sorry,
You came here to find me, didn't you?
I came here to teach,
Now, maybe you're mistaking me for someone, ,,
Don't patronize me,
I'm sorry, Mrs, Sinclair,
I really am,
Tell me I'm crazy, or tell me the truth,
I'm sorry, I have nothing else to say to you,
Marcus?
I should never have brought all this up, but, ,,
It's okay, I'm happy to talk to you at any other time,
But right now, you really will have to excuse me,
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)
MARCUS: Laura?
(SOFTLY) You were right,
I was on that ship with you,
We'll meet later,
(SEAGULLS CALLING)
MARCUS: I live near here, It's a great area,
And despite my experiences,
I actually feel safe not to leave the door open,
which is a big step for me,
I'm sorry about before, it's just that my job is important,
LAURA: I understand,
It's been difficult,
The divorce, bringing up Tammy alone,
trying to keep our heads financially above water,
And then of course, coming to terms with all of this, (SIGHS)
Not being able to share it with anybody,
Because no one listened,
No one would believe you,
That must have taken its emotional toll,
Over the past 10 years, I've voluntarily checked myself
into a mental institution here,
For short stays,
And I made some progress,
but the nightmares kept coming back,
Must have been tough on Tammy,
She'd stay with my folks,
And hated it,
Well, I'm sure she was very frightened for you,
She was,
And she still is,
You know, you need a stabilizing presence in your life,
You have to trust someone, Laura,
Trust me,
Marcus, I, ,,
You have such beautiful eyes,
-Thank you, -Hey!
Don't turn away,
I need some time to think about this,
Of course,
Someone told me once it only takes one person,
just one,
If you believe me,
somebody else will,
And that someone else has to be Tammy,
I know, (SOBS)
Hey, hey, hey, I'll tell her,
But will she believe you?
I'm an eyewitness, I was there with you,
-(SNIFFLES) -I'll swear to it,
When? When will you tell her?
We'll get together,
Just the three of us,
It'll be a very special occasion,
Think of this as a new beginning,
(SOFTLY) Okay,
LAURA: I've got an invitation for you,
Dinner tonight?
At that little cafe you like down by the docks?
Harbor Lights Bistro?
-Who's coming? -Oh, just you and me,
What it will lack in sophisticated conversation,
will be made up for by exquisite cuisine,
Mmm, what's the special occasion?
Mother and daughter get-together,
Okay, but here's the deal, Mom,
no talk about aliens,
Or my studies or my attitude,
or Dad's no-show checks, or Allyson Crawford,
no drugstore gossip, okay?
It's a deal,
Yeah, what time?
Um, let's make it an early dinner, say 5:00?
Okay, yeah, Rehearsal ends at 4:30,
-All right, -See ya,
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ALL: Surprise!
Why, Mother? I'll kill you,
Can you wait till after the party?
The food looks so good,
Is this cool or what?
This is so embarrassing,
You knew about this, didn't you?
I was sworn to secrecy,
-(CHUCKLES) -Happy birthday, Tammy,
Thanks,
You're ready to face the real world,
-How about a drink? -Sure, Do I get champagne?
You get
sparkling apple cider, Very close,
(LAUGHTER AND CHATTER)
-Yeah, -Are you kidding?
And everyone heard her say it,
Tammy, what's wrong?
Nothing,
I'm just a little upset that I missed all the fun at school yesterday,
Yeah, you accusing Mr, Fellows of being an alien?
Being abducted by aliens, but not just any aliens,
the very same ones that abducted you,
-Tammy, ,, -TAMMY: Let go of me!
Laura, let me go,
I'll bring her back,
MARCUS: Tammy,
Tammy, wait,
-I'm not going back in there, -Okay, okay, okay,
Where do you wanna go?
I don't know,
Take a drive with me,
Okay,
Okay, let's go,
(LAUGHTER AND CHATTER)
GIRL: Hey, Mrs, Sinclair, what happened to Tammy?
Excuse me, Marilyn,
you haven't seen Tammy, have you?
No,
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
(DOOR OPENS)
Marcus?
Tammy?
Are you here?
Oh,
My God,
(GASPS)
(ENGINE WHIRRING)
(WHIMPERING)
(PANTING)
I promise I won't let them hurt you,
Just think of this as a new beginning,
(ECHOING) Think of this as a new beginning,
Cut her open,
Tammy,
I've always wanted to go sailing on a schooner,
Not like the ones in the bottles,
Just
sail away from everyone,
From everything,
Just sail away, (CHUCKLES)
You ever feel like that sometimes?
Sometimes,
What's wrong?
(SIGHS) Well, I just wouldn't want anyone to
see us like this, they might get the wrong idea,
I'll make you a deal,
I won't gaze up in your eyes
and you promise not to say anything to my friends,
Tammy,
I don't have that kind of relationship with you,
We have something much deeper,
Look, I know how difficult things have been for you,
And I understand your feelings of frustration, You have to be
-the dominant personality in your family, -(SCOFFS)
Yeah, tell me about it,
Slam my bedroom door, my mother breaks into a hundred pieces
and I have to be careful not to run through the house in my bare feet,
So, you rebelled,
That's no wonder, you come from a broken home,
Tammy, I can mend that home,
(CHUCKLES) Yeah, right,
Look, my mother's got you on that spacecraft with her,
What if I told you that
I was on that ship with her?
That she's been telling you the truth all these years?
(CHUCKLES)
Then you are nuts too,
God, don't tease me, okay?
Not tonight,
Is the truth that difficult to comprehend?
Can't you feel it deep in your soul?
Um, right,
So, there was an alien spacecraft
and you and my mother were there together,
Okay, bud,
I am just asking you to keep an open mind,
Just, ,,
I'm outta here,
Tammy, wait,
Look, I, ,,
Look, I've, uh, ,,
I have something I wanna give you,
I've just been waiting for the right moment,
Are those diamonds?
MARCUS: Oh, they are much better,
Look, let's, uh, ,,
Let's go over here,
Let's get out of the cold,
(GASPS)
Very, very beautiful,
I can't accept this,
Think of it as a birthday gift from me,
Coming-of-age present,
This necklace
will help you find your true self,
Release those memories that are buried deep within you,
What memories?
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about power,
The absolute power to shape and control your own life,
No parents, no friends,
no teachers influencing you,
Your heart and your intellect will
expand beyond their comprehensions,
Stop, You're scaring me,
I have to take this off, It's hurting me,
No,
No, no,
It's cleansing you,
It's liberating you,
It's filling your essence of exhilaration
like you have never experienced before,
(WHISPERING) Can't you feel it releasing
something inside you?
-(WHIMPERS) -Can't you feel, ,,
Get away from him, Tammy,
Mom,
Step away from him,
I know who you are,
I know what you are,
An alien, a monster!
Those are harsh words for someone who loved you, Laura,
Who still loves you,
He tortured me,
(SCREAMING)
What happened there?
What else did you do to me on that ship?
Something special, something, ,,
Wonderful,
We loved, Laura,
And together we created a new superior being for this planet,
And now,
she's ready to be changed,
To know her true self,
Tammy,
take off the necklace,
MARCUS: Tammy, there'll be others among us,
together we will find them,
Laura, come,
Join us, we can be a family,
Tammy,
No, Laura, no!
You, ,, You think you own her? That she's yours?
Would you deny her, her destiny?
Her greatness?
The chance to fulfill her promise?
No,
No, Tammy, come back here,
No!
Let's go,
I'm sorry it has to be this way, (DISTORTED VOICE) Laura,
Mom?
-(GRUNTS) -Mom!
(WHIMPERS)
(GRUNTING)
(MARCUS STRAINING)
(MARCUS GRUNTING)
Stop it!
(MARCUS GRUNTING)
(GROANING)
(DISTORTED VOICE) You're my daughter,
We have a daughter,
(GASPS)
You are my family,
(STRUGGLING)
(SQUELCHING)
(TAMMY SOBBING)
I always knew, ,,
I always knew there was something, ,,
There was something bad in me, I just, ,,
-No, -I just didn't
know,
LAURA: Nothing bad,
-No, -(CRYING)
Tammy, you're beautiful,
Let's go home,
CONTROL VOICE: Fear can be powerful and driving emotion,
but it is no match for the love between mother and child,