A Nightmare on Degrassi Street

CHAPTER III: Toby’s Nightmare

CUT TO:

EXT. DEGRASSI STREET – DAY

Emma walks along the sidewalk alone. A car with HARD ROCK MUSIC blasting pulls up beside her. Inside is JAY HOGART, Degrassi’s true “Bad Boy” and expelled to match.

JAY

Hop in, I’ll give you a ride.

EMMA

I don’t need one, especially from you.

JAY

You never had a problem with taking rides from me before.

Emma shakes her head in disgust and keeps on walking. Jay stops the car and runs to catch up with her.

JAY (CONT.)

OK, OK, low blow, I know. I’m an asshole, sorry.

EMMA

Yeah, you are.

JAY

Why the hostility? You’re not still mad about the whole gonorrhea thing are you? Because...

EMMA

Don’t talk to me Jay, ever again.

JAY

But I need someone to talk to. Sean’s ages away in Wasaga Beach, Alex has gone all “Ellen DeGeneres” with Princess Paige and now Spinner has joined the 700 Club. You’re the only person from “Drama High” that I have left.

EMMA

You never had me Jay, and you never will. I’m glad you got expelled from Degrassi, you deserve everything that happens to you.

She storms away and Jay, defeated, returns to his car.

DISSOLVE TO:

VARIOUS EXTERIOR SHOTS.

Various shots of Toronto and of the Degrassi Street neighborhood show us the descent into night. We eventually settle view on the Kerwin-Issacs household.

INT. TOBY’S ROOM – EVENING

Toby sits at his computer while JT plays with a toy basketball & hoop.

You know Toby, when you asked me to stay over I thought maybe we’d play some God of War, hack into Microsoft, whatever. If I wanted to watch you do homework...

TOBY

Believe me, this isn’t homework.

JT goes over to the desk and sees what Toby is up to. He picks up the old photo album.

The Springwood Slasher, eh? Toby, are you becoming a neighborhood night stalker?

TOBY

Emma asked me to research this Fred Krueger guy but I can’t find a single thing on him. No articles, no obituaries, nothing. It’s like he doesn’t even exist.

Why would she want to know about him?

TOBY

She said that he comes to her in her dreams, and that he has knives for fingers.

Well, I guess that makes going to the bathroom just a bit rough for the guy.

TOBY

She’s real freaked out by him, no doubt the reason for her episode in Kwan’s class today.

According to this newspaper clipping he was acquitted of the charges based on a technicality and disappeared, that was in sixty-eight. So, whatever the case I’d say Freddy’s dead.

JT returns to playing basketball. Toby figures him to be right and shuts the screen off.

CUT TO:

INT. ELLIE’S ROOM – NIGHT

The radio plays a mellow acoustic tune as Ellie sits studying with Marco.

MARCO

Is that a new Craig song on the radio?

ELLIE

He sent it by E-mail.

MARCO

It sounds great. You really miss him don’t you?

ELLIE

I miss playing in the band with him.

MARCO

So do I, but there’s more to it than that with you.

ELLIE

I’m interested in Jimmy, Marco.

MARCO

Ellie, you’re in love with Craig Manning. I see it in you everyday, every time you talk about him, every time you pass his locker. This thing with Jimmy is just a comfort zone, a result of Sean abandoning you. Your heart belongs to Craig, stop fighting it.

ELLIE

And if I am in love with Craig, it’s all just an unrealistic fantasy anyway. I’m nothing more than just a good friend to him. He loves Manny; the odds are against me.

MARCO

And that’s the beauty of it, true love goes against all odds to succeed, and I believe it will. But, none of it will matter if you don’t believe it for yourself, it’ll be just a careless whisper.

CUT TO:

INT. TOBY’S ROOM – NIGHT

Toby and JT are both asleep in bunk beds, JT up top and Toby down below. Toby is awakened by the faint sound of someone calling his name.

Toby puts on his glasses just in time to see a woman, in lingerie with flowing lace, exit the room. He gets up and pursues the woman.

EXT. DREAMY PARADISE – ZERO HOUR

Toby steps from his bedroom door into a small paradise filled with BEAUTIFUL HALF-NAKED WOMEN (Topless only) all calling his name. Toby is in total awe of what he sees.

TOBY

This must be heaven.

Two of the girls lead Toby to a bed made of roses and he lies down in it. They remove his glasses and his shirt as all the other women join them. He is now completely covered in women and loving it as they kiss all over him.

INSERT SHOT – TOBY’S POV

We take Toby’s Point-Of-View, and behind all of the girls we see FREDDY KRUEGER standing in the mist.

TOBY

(frightened)

Freddy!

Freddy laughs as all of the women turn into hideous apparitions. Toby SCREAMS. The paradise turns into the BOILER ROOM.

INT. BOILER ROOM – ZERO HOUR

Toby is now hung up with the HANGING CHAINS of the Boiler Room, Freddy stands in front of him. JT walks in, also dreaming and not knowing where he is.

TOBY

(struggling)

JT, get out of here.

Toby, what in the hell is going on?

Freddy looks back at JT and flexes his razors. JT looks at the glove and realizes who it is.

JT (CONT.)

Knives for fingers? Freddy?!

FREDDY

None other, little Daddy. Now chill out for a second...

Freddy motions his hand and JT is frozen with fear, he cannot move.

TOBY

(screams)

Emma!

INSERT SHOT – EMMA

Emma is tossing & turning in her bed.

Emma now also appears in the Boiler Room and sees Toby, JT and Freddy. Emma tries to run and help but she is blocked by an INVISIBLE WALL.

FREDDY

Emma, just in time for the fun.

TOBY

Emma, help me!

FREDDY

(To Toby)

Shh! Whisper to a scream...

VFX SHOT – TOBY’S SOUL

Freddy raises his gloved hand and literally extracts the SOUL from Toby’s body, which turns a DEAD PALE BLUE color as the life drains. Toby dies and the soul enters Freddy.

Emma SCREAMS as she is powerless to help her friends. Freddy grabs JT and turns to Emma and says...

FREDDY

This little dick is coming with me. See ya’ next time.

Freddy and JT disappears in a FLASH of light.

CUT TO:

INT. EMMA’S ROOM – NIGHT

Emma wakes up in a cold sweat. She wakes up Manny.

EMMA

Manny, wake up!

MANNY

(sleepily)

What? It’s late.

EMMA

Something’s wrong, we have to get to Toby’s house. Come on!

EXT. KERWIN-ISSACS HOUSE - NIGHT

Emma bangs on the door while Manny stands by, no doubt think this is a bad idea.

MANNY

Emma, this is crazy! Let’s just go home.

EMMA

Manny we have to get in there, something is wrong, I know it.

The door opens and it’s Toby’s Step-mom KATE KERWIN-ISSACS with a very confused look on her face.

KATE

Emma? Manny? What is going on?

EMMA

We have to speak to Toby, it’s very important.

Emma runs in and up the stairs. She looks in Toby’s room and it is empty. She runs back down stairs.

KATE

Emma, can you please tell me what’s going on?!

EMMA

He’s not in his room. The garage, we have to check there.

INT. GARAGE – NIGHT

They open the door to find the car running, the place is filled with smoke. JT is passed out on the ground and Toby is HUNG from the ceiling with a BED SHEET around his neck. They all scream.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN – MORNING

Spike and Snake sit in the kitchen drinking coffee and discussing what took place the night before.

SPIKE

I’m worried about her, Snake. I haven’t seen her this torn up since Rick Murray pointed that gun at her head.

SNAKE

It’s a traumatic experience Christine. I still can’t believe it myself, Toby Issacs committing suicide? JT Yorke in a coma? Who would ever expect that to happen?

Emma, still shaken up, walks into the kitchen. Spike and Snake quickly ends the conversation.

SPIKE

How are you doing honey?

EMMA

I’m going to school.

SNAKE

What?

SPIKE

Emma, you can’t go to school, not after last night.

EMMA

I have to go to school Mom, otherwise I’ll sit around here going crazy.

SPIKE

Fine, but Snake is going to take you.

EMMA

Mom, did Taryn ever tell you about the guy in her dreams?

SPIKE

Not really. Only that he was burned and had a claw or something, why?

EMMA

Never mind. I’ll see you later.

Emma gives Spike a hug and leaves.

CUT TO:

EXT. DEGRASSI COMMUNITY SCHOOL – MORNING

It’s a somber day at Degrassi. Marco, Ellie, Paige and Jimmy sit out on the front steps.

PAIGE

I can’t believe this is happening.

MARCO

Manny told me that the cops ruled it a double suicide attempt, but Toby was the unlucky one.

JIMMY

I wouldn’t exactly say that JT is the lucky one, he’s still in a deep coma.

ELLIE

Anyone seen Liberty? She must be devastated.

MARCO

I don’t think she’s coming today, she’s usually here by now.

PAIGE

I want answers, how could something like this this happen?

MARCO

JT may have felt guilty about the baby, remember, he tried to commit suicide before.

PAIGE

Okay, but what about Toby?

JIMMY

Has anyone even said more than three words to Toby Issacs to know how he was feeling?

NO ONE ANSWERS.

JIMMY (CONT.)

Thought so.

Emma, Manny and Snake arrives. Snake and Manny enters the school while Emma stays on the steps.

MARCO

How are holding up Em?

EMMA

I’ve seen better days. I need you guys to meet me at my house after school, it’s very important that you come.

PAIGE

What for?

EMMA

To find out what really happened to Toby and JT.

ELLIE

Shouldn’t you tell the authorities this info?

EMMA

Trust me, they won’t believe it. Please come over, it just might save your life.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – DAY

Liberty visits JT in the Intensive Care Unit.

DOCTOR

Normally I wouldn’t let anyone but family in here. I’ll make an exception this time for you Liberty.

LIBERTY

Thanks Dr. Smith.

The Doctor leaves and Liberty walks over to JT’s bedside. She begins to tear up.

LIBERTY (CONT.)

(emotionally)

I know you can hear me. I just wanted to say I’m sorry, for the petty arguments, for not counting your feelings. This is all my fault, I know it is. There’s so much I want to tell you, so much I need to say, now I may never get the chance. I don’t want to lose you JT, I love you so much...

Liberty fully breaks down in tears.