Dread (2009)

[bunniefuu]

Maybe I'm not
being clear enough.

Maybe I need to
be honest with you
and tell you what I want.

CHERYL: What is it
that you want?

I want your soul
to open up for me.

Frustration or unhappiness
are caused by the unrealized
potential in a person.

Cyrenaic hedonism supported
immediate gratification.

Even fleeting desires were
encouraged regardless of
the pain or expense to others.

QUAID: Can I bum
a cigarette?

Yeah.

I don't see you
in any of the other
philosophy lectures.

Ethics fulfills one
of my requirements.
I'm actually a filmmaker.

Are you the real deal
or someone who thinks
he's the next Scorsese

because he spent his Friday
nights at the multiplex
instead of getting laid?

[CHUCKLES)

I'm definitely not
the next Scorsese,

and I wasn't getting
laid on Friday nights

for reasons far
more humiliating
than being at the movies.

Quaid.

Stephen Grace.

Hey.
Hey.

[CAWING)

QUAID: The philosophy major
here is sh*t anyways.

What we should be doing is
flirting with the subject
of any worthwhile philosophy.

You know, the things
we don't understand,
the things we fear,

because if we don't,
then we risk...

Doesn't matter.

We risk what?

If you don't go out
and find the beast,

sooner or later,
the beast will
come and find you.

Well, I really don't think
I have fears that justify
a two-hour lecture.

No? What's the worst
thing that's ever
happened to you?

My brother,
my older brother,
he died when I was 15.

How did he, uh...
How did he die?

A car accident.

He was drunk.

Losing an older sibling
must have given your
life a sense of frailty.

Come on. No fear of
your own mortality?

No, there's not fear.
It was anger,
and it was sadness.

Not fear.
Fear would've
been selfish.

I'm telling you,
I lead a pretty
dull life.

Fear doesn't cross
my path very often.

Okay, I'll drop it.

Thank you.

[WATCH BEEPING)

[EXHALES)

That's me missing
my train.

That's like the 10th time
that alarm's gone off
since I've met you.

I'm just being
practical. I...

Maybe you're
afraid to live.

MOTHER: Hey,
wake up, honey.
We're home.

You tired, baby?

What storybook do
you want tonight?

FATHER: Can I help you?

I was in an accident,
and I need to
use your phone.

I'm sorry. My phone is
not working. You'll have
to go somewhere else.

Sarah! Sarah!
Get out of the house!

[MOTHER SCREAMING)

MOTHER: Oh, please!

[SCREAMING)

[CHILD BREATHING HEAVILY)

[MAN BREATHING HEAVILY)

[GASPS)

Mama.

This is your mother,

your father.

[YELLS)

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

Hey.
Hey.

I didn't sleep well.

Calculus or ethics?

Um...

I went out.

You don't go out
when I ask.

I didn't plan it.

Just... Just
kind of happened.

Stephen, there's
a police officer here.

He asked me if I knew
where you were last night.

[MIMICKING g*nsh*t)

[ABBY LAUGHING)

So much for
the golden future, son.

That's funny.

STEPHEN: What are
you doing here?

I want you to come
by my place tonight.

ABBY: Is that everything?
MALE STUDENT: Yeah.

For what?

I want to talk to
you about something.
Proposition.

What, why don't you
just tell me now?

No, I can't.
I gotta go.

Come after work.


ABBY: Change.
MALE STUDENT: Thanks.

Nice to meet you.

Cool birthmark,
by the way.

[ROCK MUSIC BLARING
FROM STEREO)

That's it for today.

[MUSIC STOPS)

[DOOR CLOSES)

It's good.

The painting?
It's a hobby.

You have any others?
No.

I trash them
when I'm done.

I can't stand
all these eyes
staring at me.

Let me change.

So... So, I've
been thinking
about something.

So, you've heard
of Kinsey, right?

Yeah.

Uh, the guy who did
the sex studies.

Yeah. What if we did
a fear study?

Compile a survey
on people's fears
and what causes them.

You have access to
equipment through
the film program, right?

And you need a project
for your thesis.

Yeah.

Call it an experiment
in catharsis.

To live another's
dread vicariously,
that's the...

That's the safest way
to touch the beast.

Yeah. See, I don't think I
really want to touch the beast
that you're talking about.

Oh, well, then,
let's just do it

because it will be
f*cking fun to do
something worthwhile.

Well, since you
put it that way.

Yeah, that summer my brother
died he bought this
old beater of a car.

It was really cool,
though.

It was a 1965,
eye-shadow blue Mustang.

We drove around all
summer in that thing.

I didn't want to
admit it that night,
but you're right.

When my brother died,
the first thought
that came to mind

was that I could've
easily been
in the car with him,

that at 15
I could've died.

So, you're in?

Yeah. I'm in.

Good. Let's celebrate.

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

QUAID: Hey,
this is Samantha.

Hi.

And this is
Zooey, right?

Yeah.

It's a really cool name.
Have you ever seen
the film k*lling Zoe?

What?

I said I like
your name.

[ZOOEY MOANING)

[MOANING CONTINUTES)

You sh*t.

Don't we use computers
for that now?

Don't you know only
pricks and t*rrorists
wear sunglasses indoors?

So, I need an editor
for my thesis.

What do you think
about partnering?

What would be the topic?

Dread.

We're gonna chase
the beast,

discover the origins
of people's deepest fears.

Reveal the dark
behind the door.

Okay, I'm in.

How old were you
when you had your
first nightmare?

The first nightmare
I really remember...

I hate moisture.
The worst is when
you spill a drink

and your napkin
gets all wet like
a fleshy mass.

CHERYL: Have you
ever been mugged?

STEPHEN: Do you believe
in the devil?

Have you ever been harmed
by a family member?

Have you ever seen
a person die?

What's your strongest
memory of feeling fear?

f*ck. f*ck.

At first it started
like a fungus...

I don't believe
in anything.

...but then there
was this discharge.

God is man, and man
thinks he's God.

When my baby sister was born,
my mother's vag*na ripped,
like, three inches.

They had to sew her up
with frigging twine.

I was 10. On that day,
I vowed to never have kids.

Can we stop?

It turned out there
was a worm, and it
had crawled up there

when I was swimming
in the lake by
my grandparents' house.

And my pubes,
they started to
grow this cheese.

[WATCH BEEPING)

I think we have
everything we need.

You know we've
had five classes
together. Five.

And this is
the first meal
we've ever shared.

Well, it's not really
a meal. That's more
like a botanical garden.

I'm sorry if I offend
you with my roughage,
Mr. Triple Bypass.

Mmm. So good.

I just don't
like meat.

Mmm, mmm...
Mmm?

Your burger...
You want?

...makes me want
to vomit.

[LAUGHS)
Gross. That's lovely.

First meal. Two years.

Yeah.

To be honest, you know,
you're probably one of
the people I talk to the most.

Wow. You're such a loser.

[CHERYL LAUGHING)

CHERYL: What's up?

It's not good enough.

It's a start.

But, "I'm scared of spiders,"
"I'm scared of clowns,"

"I'm scared of
Mickey f*cking Mouse."
Who cares?

Relax.

[WATCH BEEPING)

MAN ON TAPE:
I don't believe in anything.
What is there to believe in?

Do you set that thing
to tell you when
to take a sh*t?

Give me the
f*cking thing.

Uh, no.

...been like ghosts.

Give me the f*cking
watch, Stephen.

I'm not...
Give me the watch.

Hey, hey! Wait.

God. What up,
you two? Come on.

[WATCH SHATTERS)

You f*cking as*h*le.

Stop!

Interview me.

What?

I want to sit.

I grew up in a small town
in upstate New York.

My mom worked at
the local supermarket,

and my dad...

And my dad
worked at the...

At a meat-packing plant
about 20 miles
outside of town.

They'd slaughter
cattle there

and supply our markets
with corn-fed organic beef.

And he'd work late.

And by the time he'd
get home, my mom would
always be asleep.

I'd lay there
on my pillow

and listen to the sound
of his boots walk
to my bedroom door.

I don't know if my mother

just pretended not to know
what the f*ck was going on

or if she was
just too weak.

You don't...
You don't need
to do this.

But, um...

What I remember
the most about it
was the way...

The way his flesh
smelled when he'd
come home from work.

This heavy,
metallic smell

that would follow him
home from the plant,
like, um,

warm blood on the grass,

cold fat in the freezers.

Um...

I can hardly stand to look
at a piece of meat now,

let alone think
about eating it.

[CLEARS THROAT)

Looks like I'll be taking
iron supplements for
the rest of my life, huh?

That's what I'm talking
about, some f*cking,
honest-to-God trauma!

[LAUGHS)

Yeah? I showed you mine,
now you show me yours.

Come on, Quaid.
How'd your parents
f*ck you up?

I just don't want...

Hey. I'm gonna go ahead
and stay the night.

I've already missed
the last train.

[THUDDING)

[THUDDING)

[THUDDING)

[GIGGLES)

[THUDDING)

[GASPS)

[EXCLAIMS)

Wake up. Stephen,
he's in the house!

[SCREAMING)

Quaid, Quaid,
Quaid, what is it?
What is it? You okay?

Hey, what is it?

Just a dream.

[LAUGHS)

That didn't sound
like just a dream.

No, it was nothing.
Just go back to bed.

No.

You practically know
my whole life story.

Yeah, but when it
comes to you,
I don't know much at all.

My parents were k*lled
when I was six years old,
Stephen.

They were m*rder*d
right in front of my eyes.

k*lled with the axe from
my father's tool shed.

Never caught
the man that did it.

I don't know how
I got away, but I did.
I ran and I ran,

and I've never
really stopped.

Don't tell anyone,
Stephen.

Promise me.

I promise.

[BIRD CAWS)

[CLICKING TONGUE)

Well, hello, creepy.

Quaid came in looking
for you yesterday.

Yeah, what'd he want?

Don't know.

But he asked me
if I'd model for him.

[CHUCKLES)

What did you say?

[LAUGHING)
I said, "f*ck, no."

Politely, of course.

But for a while,
I thought he might
actually convince me.

Can I pay
for this?

Yeah, sorry.

[CASH REGISTER BEEPING)

Hey.

What's this?

It's therapy.


on Craigslist.

Why do you have this?

You know why I got it.
It's for you.

Find the beast.
Drive it when you're ready,
not a moment sooner.

Come up. I think we
got a good one today.

Joshua, what is
your strongest memory
of feeling fear?

When I was six years old,
um, I was hit by a car,

and the concussion
left me deaf
for three years.

So, I went from
being, you know,

a normal kid
to being completely
cut off from the world.

When it got really bad,
I had a prayer.
My mom taught it to me.

It's, "Gentle Jesus..."

Something...

"Look upon this
little child and..."

[STAMMERING) You know,
it was... It was that sort
of thing, you know.

I can't remember it anymore.
Haven't needed it in a while.

[STAMMERING)
Then one day,
my hearing came back.

I mean, you know, I...
Still, you know,

I hear any volume of sound,
and the ringing
comes back, and...

Even talking
about it,

you know,
it brings back

a feeling of dread.

I mean, I suppose
that is the worst
part of it all.

You live with
the notion

that the thing
that causes you
the most terror

could come back
at any time.

[DOWNBEAT ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

WOMAN: Yeah? Hi.

This way.

Hey. Will you sit
for me tomorrow?
Same price as usual.

I can't.
I have plans.

Just ask one of
the other girls.

[SLOW ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

[SCREAMS)

AXMAN: This is your mother.

Your mother.

[SCREAMING)

[SCREAMING)

CHERYL: So, I have
a surprise for you.

A gift?

A necessity.

[LAUGHS)

Oh! Awesome.

It's virtually
indestructible.

At least shatter-resistant
and possibly waterproof.

Thank you, Cheryl.

So, I was thinking

that if you ever wanted
me to interview for
the fear study, I could.

Yeah? Okay.

Um...

I'll talk to the guys,
and we can set something up.

Oh, I was kind of hoping
you would just do it.

I'd feel more
comfortable.

Sure.

I can come by
tonight after class.

Great.

STEPHEN:
Is this your family?

Yeah.

My mom and my
two older sisters.

They're pretty, huh?

Yeah, they're pretty,

just like
their sister.

Should we get started?

[LAUGHING)

You know, I can vividly
remember my first day
at kindergarten.

I was wearing
a light blue dress,

and I was there no
more than 10 minutes

before some boy asked me
what was wrong with my face.

That was the first time
I realized I had something
to be ashamed of.

You have nothing
to be ashamed of.

Stephen, you're supposed
to be impartial, remember?

Yeah.

Listen, I could have
a lot worse than
a birthmark covering my body.

But that's kind of
hard to swallow

whenever I have to
look in the mirror
to fix my hair.

Or when I look
at my sisters.

What that boy asked me
when I was five years old

is what people want
to ask me every day
of my life.

And every time I have
to meet someone
for the first time,

I'll always be that


I'm so sorry
you have to go
through that, Abby.

Can I show you something?

Something that it takes
a lot for me to do.

Something that I don't
show many people.

Abby.

Abby, I can't.

Why?

My heart is somewhere
else right now.

[SCOFFS)

What does that
even mean?

Abby.

Just go.

Abby...
Please, just go.

[DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

STEPHEN: Will you just
go pick up the camera?

You don't need
to talk to her.

[LAUGHS)

Why didn't you
just f*ck her?

Because I don't feel
that way about her.

Oh, you're afraid
Cheryl will find out.

[STAMMERING)
That has nothing
to do with it.

Oh! So, I can show
her the tape, huh?

Can you just
cut me a break?

Look,

Cheryl carries a lot
of baggage, and I don't
wanna see you get hurt,

not to mention I don't
like you pissing
in the well, but...

Quaid, it's a school project,
okay? It's not like
we're curing cancer.

Is that all this
is to you, Stephen,
a school project?

You know what I mean.

[LAUGHS)

We're friends, right?

Right.

Right, so, of course
I'm going to help you.

I'll get the camera,
I'll toss the tape,

after I've watched it.

Thank you.

Anything else?

Yeah.

I'm taking
the car tomorrow.

Good for you.

Look, I know you thought
it was gonna be some great
cathartic challenge for me,

but it is just
a car, Quaid.

Yeah, I know.

It's just a car,

when you're trying
to get into
a girl's pants.

[CHUCKLING)
Shut the f*ck up.

[ENGINE STARTS)

Do you want the tape?

No.

You are sexy,
you know.

No, I'm not.

Why?

[DOOR CLOSES)

Sexy is all kinds
of things. It's...

It's short dress
and high heels.

It's... It's morning
breath and messy hair.

It's covered in dirt
from cleaning out
the garage all day.

It's...

It's a winter coat
that hides
everything but this.

Sexy is unique.

So,

you wanna stop
feeling sorry
for yourself?

[ROCK MUSIC BLARING)

Will you paint me?
Will you paint me normal?

Hey.

You're a f*cking psycho.
No, you!

[GASPS)

[MOANING)

Go down on me. Please.

[YELLS)

Whoa!

[PANTING)

What's wrong?
Did you have
a nightmare?

STEPHEN: What is your
strongest memory
of feeling fear?

My life is a labyrinth.

A map of its complexities
is etched on my face in


Waking up at night...

Thank you.

What's your
strongest memory?

There is an answer
in what we're doing,

a remedy that no
f*cking medication

or quack therapy
could ever compete with.

MAN ON TAPE:
Potentially losing my mother.

QUAID: Sometimes
I get discouraged.

That's bad.

See, everybody's
like that.

Maybe I'm not
being clear enough.

Maybe I need to
be honest with you
and tell you what I want.

CHERYL: What is it
that you want?

I want your soul
to open up for me.

[CHUCKLES)

Spread-eagled like a split
beaver so that I can gaze
into its secrets.

[DOOR OPENING)

STEPHEN: Last one.
I got some beer and sh*t,

but we really gotta cram
the night if we wanna get
everything done.

CHERYL: How many
did you get?

Six-pack.

You can't really have one.
They're all six for me.

Come on,
give me a beer.

I'll be downstairs.
I'm gonna get
set up, all right?

I was confined to
a house for the better
part of 20 years.

It was my
mother's house.

I was professionally
diagnosed
with agoraphobia.

So, you would
never leave the house.

How did you do anything
like get food
or toilet paper?

Well, I was completely
dependent on my mother,

and I had developed
a severe hatred for her.

She was the cause
of everything
horrible in my life,

but she was
my only friend.

She died when I was 21.
Heart attack.

I never told anyone.

I didn't call anyone.
I never had. I couldn't.

About three weeks later,
the neighbors noticed
the smell, I guess,

and they came over
and called an ambulance.

After that, they came
and checked on me
quite frequently.

It's a good thing
they did, too,

because the day I tried
to commit suicide
they found me.

Would you mind
talking about that?

I cut my throat
with a razor.

I was dead
for five minutes.

But that's why I'm here.

Three years ago,
I could not step
out of my house.

And now the world is at
my feet, and it's because
when I came back,

I came back
completely fearless.

You're a f*cking liar.

CHERYL: Quaid.
Excuse me?

You don't come in here
and lie to me and tell me
you're f*cking fearless!

Quaid, stop!
Hey, what are you doing?

Quaid!
Quaid, what the f*ck?

Get off of me.

It's f*cking makeup.

You as*h*le.

I thought it'd be
good for my reel.

This isn't
reality television!
Get the f*ck out of here!

f*ck you!
f*ck you!

f*ck you!

[DOOR CLOSES)

CHERYL: Have you
completely lost
your f*cking mind?

You can't just attack
someone like that.

I was right,
wasn't I?

Who cares?

What's it to us?

I don't feel like
getting arrested
for as*ault.

"Who cares?"

"Who cares?"

This is just
a school project,
right?

Yeah, exactly.

Quaid, what the f*ck?

CHERYL: Quaid!

This was never about
a school assignment!

[STAMMERING)
I could give a f*ck
about your thesis!

Quaid. Quaid,
please stop.

No. No!

No! No! No!

[PANTING)

Cheryl.

Just leave me alone.

Cheryl, I...

[DOOR CLOSES)

Did you ever f*ck
her or what, huh?

What does she sound
like when she comes?

That's enough.

She's a quiet one,
I bet.

Lets it build up
in her c**t.

What you just did...

See, you don't
even give a sh*t!

It's a good thing
I didn't try to
take your watch.

[DOOR SLAMS SHUT)

[CELL PHONE RINGING)

[ON ANSWERING MACHINE)
Hey, Cheryl.
This is Stephen.

Look, I'll pay for
the damaged equipment.

Just call me back.

Good job, Grace.
f*cking B+.
Kessler kicked my a*s.

What do you...
What do you mean?

The grades are out,
for the thesis.

Hey, I'm sorry.

I f*cked up.

I'm f*cked up, I know.

Why did you turn
in the film?

I couldn't let you fail.

I had backups on
an external. It was...

It was missing
the last interview,
of course.

I'll give you the money
for the equipment.

I'll pay
for everything.

Yeah.

That's right.
You will.

I will.

Now get in and let me
apologize for being
such an as*h*le.

Stephen, I want us to...
I want us to finish
our fear study.

What are you talking about?
It's finished.
You... You turned it in.

No, it's not about
what we've already done.

It's about what we
still need to do.

Yeah, I can do this alone,
but I don't want to.

Quaid, the assignment's
done. I'm done.

All right, if you
want to continue it,
then continue it.

The study was
your idea anyway.

So, where we going?

To the limits.

Oh, wow. This is
some great apology.
Pull the car over.

Drink it.

No, I'm not drinking it.
Pull the car over.

[TIRES SCREECH)

Okay, what is this,
some sick game?

It's not a game,
Stephen, okay?

It's life, you know.
It's you facing your
fears and f*cking living.

Haven't you ever wondered
what it was like
for your brother

those final few moments
before he crashed his car?

Before he completely
lost control?

No, Quaid, I don't.

I avoid having to think about
those moments like any
rational person would.

What are you trying to do?
You gonna drive us
into a brick wall?

Is that gonna teach
me some life lesson?

Hey, you never
know, Stephen.

There could be a solution
in those final moments,
you know.

A resolution.
A way out.

A way out of what?
Of your dread.

[TIRES SCREECHING)

Come on, let it
take you, Stephen.

You can't always
have control.

Yes, I can!

No, you can't!
Pull the car over!

[TIRES SCREECHING)

[BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)

Hey, Stephen, man.
Come on.

Hey, look, I'm sorry, okay?
I'm... I'm drunk.

Please, come on.
Just get in
and drive me home.

f*ck off.

I need help.
Stephen, I need...

I need help.

sh*t.

What are you
doing here?

[CLEARING THROAT)

I came to try and salvage
some of the hard drive.

Down here?

Um...

I was looking for
a light bulb and...

If it looks like madness,
it must be, right?

Is that what
you're thinking?

[EXHALES)

I don't know
what I'm thinking.

I'm gonna go.

Ask me what I want.

No.

Go ahead.

Ask me.

What do you want?

I want us to take our
study to the next level.

MAN: Can you go
and sign me in...

Hey, this is Cheryl.
Leave me a message.

Hey, Cheryl.
It's Stephen. Um...

I haven't seen you in,
like, a week and...

Look, I promise
I'm not gonna
complicate your life.

I just wanna talk.
Okay?

Just call me back. Bye.

Hey.

Hey.

I'm going home for
break tomorrow,
and we didn't say goodbye.

And I didn't want
to leave things
how we left them.

[STUDENTS CHATTERING)

What's this?

ABBY ON TV:...that's kind of
hard to swallow whenever...

What's going on?
Hey.

This weird video
started playing
on the campus channel.

...a light blue dress,

and I was there no
more than 10 minutes...

This is on every TV
across campus right now.

I'll always be that
I can vividly remember

my first day
at kindergarten.

...covering my body.
I had something
to be ashamed of.

...every day of my life...
What was wrong with my face.

What was wrong with my face.
What was wrong with my face.

STEPHEN: Abby.
Hey, watch it!

Abby?

Abby!

[KNOCKING ON DOOR)

You made it.

Thanks for coming.
That's all right.

When I... When I was
reviewing your tape,

I realized there were
a few more questions
we should have asked you.

Your interview was so
compelling I didn't wanna
leave any stone unturned.

Stephen and Cheryl
not here?

No, they couldn't
make it tonight.

Can I get
you a drink?

Yeah.

Jack and Coke?

Sure.

You want ice,
right?

Yeah.

You have a really cool
collection. I mean, you have
Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre.

I've read No Exit,
but I always heard
this was better.

[MUFFLED) Good.
You're awake.

I was getting
tired of waiting.

Can you hear me?

Can you hear me?

What? No.

I think you can
still hear me.

[WHIMPERING) Please.
Okay, you've proved
your point. I'm scared.

I'm scared. Please.

Let me go.

Take this f*cking
thing off my head,
please.

Well, you look like
a g*dd*mn fool.
f*cking spaceman.

I don't know
what I was thinking.

Thank you.
I'm sorry.

Oh, f*ck,
no, please.

I'm sorry.
What have I done?
What have I done?

I'm sorry. I'm...
Don't sh**t me.

No. No. No!

[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING)
No! f*ck!

[SCREAMING)

[INAUDIBLE)

Mommy!

Mommy!

Oh, God!

Mommy! Mommy!

[SCREAMING)

[INCOHERENT MUTTERING)
Hey. Take solace in this.

You faced the beast.
The beast won.

[CELL PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

Stephen.

Abby.

Where are you?

Would you like me
if I was pretty?
Perfect like my sisters?

What are you
talking about?

Abby.

Tell me where you are.

Where are you?

Abby?

[GROANS)

[PANTING)

Oh, Christ.
Oh, sh*t.

Abby. Abby, Abby.
Someone call an ambulance!

Abby. Abby, Abby.
Oh, my God. Abby!

Call a f*cking ambulance,
somebody! Help me!

JOSHUA: "Gentle Jesus,
meek and mild

"Look upon this little child
Pity my simplicity

"Suffer me to come to thee"
That would make it all better.

NURSE 1: What's
John Doe's story?

Still no news
from the officer
who dropped him off.

What seems to
be the problem?

Doesn't respond to
the doctors at all.

[BEEPS)

All set.

Joshua, what is your
strongest memory
of feeling fear?

[THUDDING)

[AX THUDDING)

Quaid!

[EXCLAIMING IN TERROR)
Face the beast!
You did that to her!

Come on out! Get out here!
I won't let you
get away with that!

[STEPHEN GRUNTING)

You wanna face the beast?

AX MAN:
This is your mother...

Face me!

...and your father.

[PANTING)

Abby's in the f*cking
emergency room.

She's in the f*cking
emergency room, Quaid!

All because of you.

Get the f*ck out
here! Now!

You think you can
f*cking scare me, huh?

You think you can
scare me, Stephen, huh?
Toss the axe!

Down on your knees.

Hey.

Got something to show you.

Results from this
school project of ours.

They've been much more
rewarding as of late.

It's beef.
Slightly salted,
well-cooked.

What the f*ck
did you do?

Cheryl.

Help!

Cheryl! Cheryl! Cheryl!

She's not here, Stephen.
I've already let her go.

I don't believe you.

I swear she's not here.

I just wanted you to see
the next phase of my study.

I'm beginning to get
the results I need.

It's starting to make me feel
a little f*cking better,
you know?

My nightmares
have stopped cold.

I think she believed
she could outwait me.

She hated even
the smell of it.

And all those memories of
her father are flooding
back to her, I'm sure.

Flooding back as if
they were yesterday.

How long did you
keep her in there?

Till the point
was proven.

God, she looks sick.

She's hungry, of course.
It's been a day and a half.

[SOBBING)

This is where the cracks
begin to show. This is
where the dread begins.

[SCREAMING)
You m*therf*cker!

See? She always
ended up cursing me out

whenever she had
a confrontation
with the meat.

Go to hell, f*ck!

Quaid! What are you doing?

Why are you doing this?

I'm not gonna do it.

I'm not gonna give
you what you want.

I'm not even hungry anymore.

I'd rather die than
eat your f*cking meat.

About now she
began to hallucinate.
Little mental ticks.

She'd think that she'd felt
something in her hair

or something on
the back of her neck.

God, the meat looks...

Ripe?

It's warm in
her little room.

And there's a few
flies in there with her.

They found the meat
and laid their eggs.

Was that a part
of your plan, too?

Yes.

Well, that's the crux of
her dilemma, isn't it?

The longer she waits,
the worse it gets.

You're sick.

[CHERYL RETCHING)

You're nothing but
a f*cking sadist, Quaid.

You m*therf*cker!

[SOBBING)

How long now?

Five days. Six. Six days.

Six days!

[GROANS)

Quaid.

Sorry, Quaid.

Sorry.

Whatever I did,

I'm sorry.

Please just let me out.

Please.

I'm sorry.

It startled me how
suddenly she gave in.

f*ck...

She sat in the middle of
the room and ate the meat
down to the bone.

Just like that.

Where did she go?

Well, she wandered downstairs.
She came into the kitchen,

drank several
glasses of water.

Then she sat on a chair
for three or four hours,

and then I cooked
her something to eat,
potatoes, and then she left.

You're f*cking lying.
I know it.
Where is she?

Look, if it'll make
you feel any better,
check the house.

[FOOTSTEPS)

Who's with you?

No one. Cut me...
Cut me out.

Come on,
cut me out, cut me out.
Hurry the f*ck up, Quaid.

[STEPHEN GRUNTING)

[CHERYL SCREAMING)

You m*therf*cker!

[LAUGHS)

[SOBBING)

QUAID: Watching the fear
of death, the pinnacle of
all dread approach,

that was the limits.

Someone once
wrote that no man
can know his own death.

But to know the death
of others, intimately,

to watch the tricks that
the mind would surely perform
to avoid the bitter truth,

that was a clue to
death's nature, wasn't it?

That might, in some
small way, prepare
a man for his own death.

To live another's dread
vicariously was the safest,

cleverest way to
touch the beast.

[CHERYL SOBBING)

Steve. No!

No, Steve.

Let's see how
hungry you have to be
to get through that.

No.

No!

[DOOR LOCKS)