Dreamsongs - Volume II by George R. R. Martin Read Free Book Online

bed, walks over to the
window, puts her arms around Jeff, hugs him. He does not turn.
     
    DENISE
     
    Jeff, please .
Whatever is happening, we can face it together.
     
    CLOSE ON JEFF
     
    Worried, but softening. He doesn’t want to
go, not really.
     
    JEFF
     
    Maybe you’re right.
     
    He turns toward her, to kiss her.
     
    SMASH CUT TO
    INT. - BROTHEL - NIGHT
     
    Jeff completes the turn to find himself
standing in the bedroom of a brothel in Saigon, a young Vietnamese prostitute
standing there with her arms around him, waiting for his kiss. The light
flooding through the window is red, garish. Jeff cries out and thrusts the
prostitute away roughly. She stumbles and falls.
     
    JEFF
     
    No, no ! Not
again.
     
    He backpedals, and runs from the room
wildly as the woman gets back to her feet.
     
    CUT TO
    EXT. - MCDOWELL HOUSE - NIGHT
     
    As Jeff’s Datsun revs up, backs out of the
driveway, and screams off down the street, Denise comes running out of the
house, a bathrobe flapping around her legs, shouting for him to stop.
     
    DENISE
     
    Jeff! Jeff ! Wait!
     
    The car screeches around a corner and
Denise stands there, shaking, slumped in despair.
     
    TIME CUT TO
    INT. - DENISE’S OFFICE - THE NEXT DAY
     
    A busy Legal Aid office. Denise is a staff
attorney, with a private glass-walled cubicle. She’s working on some briefs,
although it’s clear from her face that she’s depressed, unhappy, worried. When
her com line BUZZES, Denise lifts the phone.
     
    DENISE
     
    Yes, Susan.
     
    SUSAN
     
    (O.S.)
    Your husband’s on
five.
     
    DENISE
     
    Thanks,
    (pushes phone button, eager)
    Jeff? Where have
you been? I’ve been so worried.
     
    We HEAR Jeff’s voice over the phone. It has
a hoarse, raspy tone; he sounds strained, uncertain.
     
    JEFF (O.S.)
     
    Denise? Is it you?
     
    DENISE
     
    Of course it’s me.
Where are you? Are you all right? You sound strange.
     
    JEFF (O.S.)
     
    Strange?
    (beat)
    I ... I’m fine,
Denny. How are you?
     
    DENISE
     
    Denny?
You haven’t called me Denny since high school. Jeff, what’s the matter?
     
    JEFF
     
    I
just ... need to see you, Denny. Just for a little while. I’m at home, Denny. I
need to see you.
     
    DENISE
     
    I’ll be right
there.
     
    She HEARS the click as the phone is hung
up. She rises, hurriedly stuffs her briefcase, heads through the door into the
outer office, where she pauses by the receptionist’s desk.
     
    DENISE
     
    Susan, I’m going
home for the afternoon. Ask Fred to cover for me.
     
    SUSAN
     
    Sure. I hope
nothing’s wrong.
     
    Denise nods grimly, and exits.
     
     
    CUT TO INT.
    - DENISE’S CAR
     
    She has a worried look on her face as she
drives home.
     
    CUT TO
    LEGAL AID OFFICE
     
    The outer office. Susan has just hung up
the phone as Jeff comes through the outer door, haggard and unshaven, wearing
the same clothes we saw him in the night before. Susan’s obviously surprised to
see him.
     
    JEFF
     
    (weary, abashed)
    Hi, Susan. Denise
in?
     
    SUSAN
     
    She went home about
five minutes ago. Right after you called.
     
    JEFF
     
    Right after ... I
called? I never called.
     
    SUSAN
     
    Of
course you did. I put you through myself not ten minutes ago. I ought to know
your voice by now.
     
    JEFF
     
    (stares, with dawning apprehension and
fear)
    My God!
     
    He turns and runs from the office.
     
    CUT TO
    EXT. - MCDOWELL HOUSE - DAY
     
    as Denise’s car pulls up. She walks to the
kitchen door.
     
    INT. - KITCHEN
     
    as Denise enters.
     
    DENISE
     
    (calls loudly)
    Jeff? I’m home.
     
    There’s no answer. Denise frowns. We TRACK with
her as she walks through the kitchen and into the living room.
     
    DENISE
     
    Jeff? Are you
there?
     
    Silence for a long beat, and then, from
upstairs, comes Jeff’s voice ... except that it’s not quite his voice, it’s a
little harsher somehow, with a bitter edge to it, a rasp. And it’s weak, a bit
faint, as if talking was an effort.
     
    VET
     
    Denny? I ... I’m
here,