- BRIGHT FALLS INTRODUCTION -
(JAKE drives to a motel with the car's front crumpled after hitting the deer in the first episode)
(JAKE pulls the car into a small car park near several rooms, and gets out. In the shadows he can see a man, HAL)
(HAL finishes a cigarette, throws away the end, and steps forward into the light.)
HAL
You Jake?
(JAKE nods)
(They walk inside the reception area, it's bright with stone walls and an entire room dedicated to showing off the owner's variety of weapons. JAKE looks at the armoury.)
HAL
Toilet backs up, jiggle the handle. Card machine's down, so it will have to be cash.
(HAL notices that JAKE's gaze is on the guns. JAKE looks back at HAL)
HAL
Just pay up on time.
JAKE
(nods) You bet. (voice is a little dry)
(Outside the fog is gathering in the woods)
(HAL guides JAKE to the hotel room.)
JAKE
Is it always this quiet out here? What did you do, get rid of all the critters in the woods? (smiles)
(HAL stops outside the hotel room marked "7" and turns to JAKE. JAKE's face is now serious.)
HAL
It's the quiet ones you need to worry about.
(HAL walks up the steps to the door and unlocks it. JAKE walks in and HAL hands him the key.)
(Once inside JAKE closes the door and stares around at the interior)
(JAKE lies down, he's facing the ceiling fan directly above him. He closes his eyes and opens them a few seconds later. There is a scratching noise outside, and he walks to the window and pull back the curtains.)
(JAKE is driving in his car down a road in Bright Falls, quaint store fronts are on either side of him. He is listening to the radio in the car. PAT MAINE is the radio host.)
PAT
This is Pat Maine on KBF-FM. Some people have asked me, "What's the big deal about Deerfest?" and I think that this sums it up; it's about friendship and community.
(At the Oh Deer Diner, ROSE is watching a recording of an ALAN WAKE interview on her laptop.)
ALAN
Yeah, that's mainly what the book's all about...
(The bell above the door rings as JAKE enters the diner, ROSE walks over to him and JAKE smiles)
JAKE
You're still here?!
ROSE
Always
JAKE
You ever sleep?
(ROSE shakes her head. JAKE looks over ROSE's shoulder and sees ELLEN who begins to wave enthusiastically. ROSE realises he's looking at someone and turns around to see. She looks back at JAKE)
ROSE
I wondered why she was wearing make up.
(JAKE gives ROSE a look and walks on to meet ELLEN)
(ELLEN stands up.)
ELLEN
Hey.
JAKE
(Holds out his hand) It's great to see you again.
(ELLEN looks down at his hand, slightly confused, but she shakes it anyway.)
ELLEN
Great to see you too. (She gestures down at the table she was previously sitting at.) Sit?
(JAKE and ELLEN sits down)
JAKE
How are things?
ELLEN
(Smiles) The same.
(They nod)
ELLEN
Please don't ask me about the weather.
(JAKE smiles and looks out of the window)
ELLEN
How's Libby?
JAKE
Good...You know, The same.
ELLEN
Well, which one is it? Good or the same? Forget it don't answer. You're here for business.
JAKE
Yes, the standered below the fold puffery.
ELLEN
Well, what would you expect? It's Bright Falls.
(JAKE nods. He looks around at the customers. A BLONDE LADY is laughing with her family on the table behind ELLEN. An old man with long hair and a beard is sipping coffee at the counter.
JAKE
You know, I never figured out why you moved here.
ELLEN
No, I guess not.
(ELLEN phone rings, she checks it.)
ELLEN
You know...I...I've actually gotta run, deadlines.
JAKE
Oh!
ELLEN
If you need me, you know where to find me?
JAKE
Sure.
(ELLEN stands up)
ELLEN
It's great to see you again.
(ELLEN holds out her hand to JAKE. This time JAKE is confused by it. He shakes her hand.)
JAKE
You too.
(ELLEN leaves the Diner, leaving JAKE sitting by himself.)
(At Cauldron Lake Clinic, a roaring fire welcomes the guests. JAKE walks up the RECEPTIONIST who is standing behind her desk.)
JAKE
Hi, Jake Fischer. Here to see Dr Hartman.
RECEPTIONIST
(looks down at the book in front of her and smiles) Go right in.
(JAKE is in HARTMAN's office, and is setting up a camera ready for their interview. HARTMAN walks in and JAKE smiles.)
JAKE
Doctor Hartman! Jake Fischer.
HARTMAN
(looks at the camcorder) What have you got there? (Smiles)
JAKE
That's my camera, I use it to record interviews. If that's OK?
HARTMAN
You're a writer, aren't you?
JAKE
(nods) Yeah
HARTMAN
So...write!
(The interview begins. HARTMAN is sitting down at his desk with JAKE taking notes with a pen and a notepad on the other side.)
JAKE
So maybe you can start by telling me, what inspired your book, The Creator's Dilema?
HARTMAN
For years, I...Dealt with paitents who seemed lost...Trapped in a reality of their own devising. Can you imagine?
(JAKE shakes his head)
HARTMAN
Neither could I? Until I began to think of their dilemma, as the inertial one...
(JAKE focuses on a painting behind HARTMAN. It's of the bend he turned in Episode One before going into the tunnel. HARTMAN notices this.)
(JAKE has several scenes flashing through his head. ROSE is laughing. Hitting the deer with his car. Someone digging in red mud. A close shot of a woodland animal. A mad woman behind bars. A flare being lit. A sugar cube soaking up coffee. Someone running through several bushes at twilight. A deer head underwater.)
(JAKE and HARTMAN are outside in the reception area again.)
HARTMAN
-said and done, it's all just about people.
(JAKE is confused about what has happened. HARTMAN holds out his hand, his face like stone.)
HARTMAN
Nice chatting, Jake.
(JAKE shakes HARTMAN's hand. HARTMAN walks away a few paces but turns to face JAKE.)
HARTMAN
If you need anything else for your article, let me know.
(HARTMAN leaves the room. JAKE stares at his surrounding with bemusement.)
(JAKE drives down a road, his phone calling HAL.)
HAL
Hey, this is Hal. Leave a message.
JAKE
Hey Hal. I uh...I don't know what happened. I uh...
(JAKE looks at the notepad beside him. He wrote several notes, but a page is covered in demonic drawings and cryptic messages. He drives past a man carrying a deer head, like the one in his vision.)
(JAKE drives into a tunnel.)
