Dead Awake

Ah!

Surprise.

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday.

Thanks.

C'mon.

Happy birthday, sis.

Hey.

Excuse me.

Well, no need to waste

the champagne, right?

Cheers.

You OK?

I can't sleep.

I'm 28, and I just moved back

into my childhood bedroom.

Mom and dad are up

my ass constantly, worried

I'm gonna relapse.

So no.

And you had to invite her?

I know, I know.

She is a pain, but, you know,

it's her birthday too.

I didn't want her to be alone,

and you guys used to be close.

And you know how important

it is to let go of resentment.

Can't I just get a do-over and pretend

this year never happened?

Yeah.

Yeah, fine by me, but

that'd be the easy way.

We both know you don't do the easy way.

But that is why I love you.

It's gonna be OK.

Everything is gonna be OK.

Come on.

Come on, let's go have fun.

All right.

Tell me what you gonna

do when the sun goes down

and the lights go out.

I wanna know your every move...

Hey.

You just gonna pout all night?

I'm not pouting.

Well, then, come on.

Come dance with me.

Kate, stop.

I'm not in the mood.

It's our birthday.

Live a little.

I need my dance partner.

We're better together.

OK, fine.

Molly was no average girl.

Tearing me a tight, tight.

Telling all the whole damn world.

We're gonna sh...

Oh my god.

Guess who has been sleepwalking again.

Linda, I don't think anyone

wants to hear about that.

Yeah, we want to hear it.

Your sleepwalking stories are epic.

It was hilarious.

He wanders out of the bedroom,

so I go after him.

And there he is in the hallway,

pissing in the closet.

And what about you?

She wakes up in the middle of the night

screaming like a banshee.

What's making you scream at night?

Nothing.

Just a nightmare.

You know, the one where,

um, you're falling,

and you're about to hit

the ground, and...

You jerk awake, and your heart's

racing a million miles a second.

Yeah.

That one.

Something has to make

me scream at night.

Ooh.

What?

It's just a stupid dream.

We've all had it, right?

Or how about when you wake up,

and you open your eyes,

but you can't move.

And it feels like

something's holding you down.

You hear weird noises, and

you know something's

in the room with you.

Something evil.

OK, you're cut off.

Nice one.

Hey.

Hey, hey.

What is going on?

I shouldn't have said anything.

About what?

Nothing.

It's nothing, all right?

I want to go home.

OK.

Let me get my keys.

I don't need a babysitter.

I'll take a cab.

Hey, dad.

Whoa.

What time is it?

It's late.

How was the party?

Fun.

And I'm home, safe, sound, and sober.

I wasn't waiting for you.

I just was watching television.

Fell asleep.

Night, dad.

Happy birthday.

Come here, Trix.

Oh!

She called the police a half dozen

times, filed a restraining order.

It's all documented.

OK, I'll send the files.

Hey.

Hey.

Sorry to bother you.

You're not bothering me.

Last night was interesting.

I'm surprised Evan invited me.

Everything OK?

Come in.

So, tell me, what's going on?

For about a month, at night,

I wake up and I can't move.

Like what you described at the party.

First, I just thought it was stress,

but it's getting worse.

It's going to sound strange,

but something's attacking me.

I wake up paralyzed, and...

Something's choking me.

Are you still going to your meetings?

Yes.

Jesus.

You spend all your time

helping strangers,

but when it comes to family...

Can we not rehash, please?

Look, I want to help.

But what you're saying,

it doesn't make sense.

Yeah.

I know.

I've got an appointment to see

a doctor this afternoon.

Good. I'll go with you.

What you are describing

is sleep paralysis.

You see, when we sleep,

the mind shuts down the body so we

don't act out on our dreams.

And as we wake up, the mind,

it flips a switch,

and it brings the body out

of its paralyzed state.

Sometimes when we wake up,

that switch, it doesn't flip.

So the mind stays alert, but

the body stays paralyzed.

Well, it's not just that.

I'm seeing something.

Something's strangling me.

OK, well in more severe episodes,

the mind can go into

a type of survival mode.

And you can panic, you can

have a shortness of breath,

you can hallucinate.

So how common is this?

It happens to most people

at least once in their lifetime.

See?

There's a rational explanation.

As frightening as it is, sleep

paralysis... it's harmless.

What she said made sense.

It just feels so real.

They say dreams are the key

to your subconscious, right?

Maybe this is your mind's way

of telling you to stop fighting.

You've fought with everyone

who's ever tried to help you,

Beth.

And it hasn't worked.

If it happens again, don't fight it.

You need to let yourself

experience your feelings.

OK.

I'll try.

And thanks.

I know we've had our rough times, but...

I love you.

I love you too.

Hey, guys.

Hi, honey.

Hey.

I've had a long day.

I'm gonna hit the hay.

OK, sweetie.

I'm really glad you and Kate

are getting along.

Me too.

You only have...

One sister, I know, Mom.

- Night, guys.

- Love you, sweetie.

Night, honey.

Hello?

I need you to check on Beth.

Dad, do it now.

OK, OK.

What is it?

I don't know.

She's sleeping.

Beth?

Beth, honey?

Beth?

Oh my god, Beth, no!

What's happening?

No! No!

What's happening?

Please!

Help!

Dad?

Kate.

Kate!

Oh!

No!

No.

Trust in God, and let

Him bring your fears

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