When a Stranger Calls

JILL:

Okay, Nancy. Bye. And thank you.

NANCY (O.S.)

Yeah. Bye.

Jill makes a face at the phone and hangs up. She tries to go

back to her homework, but she cannot.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jill is working now, diligently. The phone rings. She picks

it up.

JILL:

Hello?

There is a brief pause; then the line goes dead and a dial

tone cuts in. Jill hangs up and goes back to work.

Pause.

The phone rings again. Jill picks it up.

JILL:

Billy?...

A VOICE speaks on the other end of the phone.

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Have you checked the children?

JILL:

What?

The line goes dead. Dial tone. Jill hangs up and goes right

back to work.

CUT TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Jill sits at the table as before, doing her homework, smoking

a cigarette. The phone rings. Jill picks it up.

JILL:

Hello?

DUNCAN (O.S.)

Have you checked the children?

JILL:

Mrs. Mandrakis?

The line goes dead. Dial tone. Jill hangs up and looks off

into space, thinking.

O.S. we hear a faint rattling noise from somewhere in the

house. Jill hears it too. She stubs out her cigarette, gets

up from the table and walks out of the living room.

INT. HALLWAY

Jill enters the hallway and pauses. Then she starts walking

slowly down the hall to the kitchen door.

Again the rattling noise O.S., only louder this time. Jill

stops dead, listens, then continues forward even more

cautiously.

INT. KITCHEN

As Jill enters. She cannot find the lightswitch, so she stands

in the darkness listening. Again the rattle, very close now.

Jill turns her head sharply, then walks to the refrigerator

and opens it. It is only the automatic icemaker creating the

rattle.

Jill takes a piece of cake from the refrigerator and leaves

the kitchen.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Jill is sitting at the table, polishing off the cake. Then,

the phone rings. Jill stands up quickly and picks up the

phone.

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