When a Stranger Calls Page #5

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jill is sitting on the sofa, a drink in one hand, a cigarette

in the other. She is waiting. She sets her glass down, stubs

out the cigarette, leans back and sighs. She is very tense.

Then the phone rings. She rises from the sofa and slowly

crosses to the table. She sits down and picks up the phone.

During this conversation it becomes apparent that the VOICE

has a slight English accent.

JILL:

Hello?

Pause.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

It's me.

JILL:

I know. Who are you?

Pause. No answer.

JILL:

I won't be here much longer. The

doctor and his wife are coming home

soon.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

I know.

JILL:

Can you see me?

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Yes.

JILL:

(turning toward the

window)

I'm sorry I turned the lights down.

It didn't work anyway. I can turn

them back up if you like --

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Don't.

JILL:

Don't?

(beat)

You've really scared me. Is that

what you wanted?

(beat)

Is that what you wanted?

DUNCAN (O.S.)

No.

JILL:

What do you want?

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Your blood... all over me.

Pause. Jill is terrified.

JILL:

You don't know me. You don't know

who I am or where I live. I'll get

Dr. Mandrakis to drive me home. Him

or the police.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

You've called the police?

Pause. Jill searches for some way of answering him.

JILL:

I want to talk to you.

The line goes dead. Jill hangs up. She stands. She starts to

shake.

The phone rings and Jill snatches it up.

JILL:

Leave me alone!

SACKER (O.S.)

Jill, this is Sergeant Sacker! Listen

to me!

(beat)

We've traced the call. It's coming

from within the house. A squad car's

on its way over there now... just

get out of that house!

Jill hangs up. She stands frozen in shock. Several seconds

go by. She doesn't move.

Then the phone rings. She turns and tiptoes toward the front

door. Halfway there, the phone stops ringing. She pauses for

a second, then continues.

INT. FRONT HALL

Jill reaches the front door. Carefully, quietly, she turns

the bolt. Then O.S. she hears a creak. She turns and looks

up the staircase. At the top, a door is opening. Someone is

coming out! A mumbling sound is heard on the sound track.

Jill whirls around back to the door and yanks at it. It opens,

but only an inch. The chain is still across it! She

frantically works to get the chain free. After agonizing

seconds, the chain falls clear and the door swings open.

Standing there on the other side of the door, is a police

Detective, JOHN CLIFFORD. (We have cut ahead in time some

twenty or thirty minutes.) Behind him on the street, several

patrol cars and an ambulance are pulled up at the curb, their

domelights silently flashing.

CLIFFORD:

Are the parents here yet?

COP'S VOICE (O.S.)

Yeah, they arrived about ten minutes

ago.

CLIFFORD:

Christ!

(beat)

What a homecoming!

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