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by Dan Crosfield (dancrosfield@hotmail.com)

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Drama User Review: NOT YET
RATED
Written for a film I'm doing for my final university project. The story is a rather surreal telling about a student with severe sleeping difficulties. Suffering from 'Sleep Paralysis', the man's become haunted by a demonic figure, something of which to add to his already lengthily list of student problems.

AWAKE!

FADE IN:

INT. GRAPHICS - NIGHT

FADE IN

The film opens with motion graphic titles explaining the
definition of Sleep Paralysis. This gives a basic overview
to the audience of what the story is based around since the
film itself doesn't properly explain this.

It features like an encyclopedic definition and explains the
following: -

'Sleep Paralysis:-

A frightening form of paralysis that occurs when a person
suddenly find themselves unable to move for a few minutes,
most often upon falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis
is due to an ill-timed disconnection between the brain and
the body. It most commonly effects those with narcolepsy or
bad sleeping patterns.

The symptoms of sleep paralysis include sensations of
noises, smells, levitation, paralysis, terror, and images of
frightening intruders.'

EXT. VARIOUS DESTINATIONS - DAY

FADE IN

The main character is walking back to home. He walks and
listens to music, quite oblivious to anything around him.
He's quite content but obviously tired and this show's
through his posture and stride.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
I've always had trouble
sleeping....

I've been like it since before I
can remember, and well... let's
just say I don't remember much.
What I do know, is that it's been
a while since i last slept
properly. I really don't even know
the meaning of 'a proper night's
sleep' anymore.....

Its not that I don't sleep at all.
(MORE)

NARRATOR (cont'd)
I'm somewhat nocturnal I guess,
I'm a lot more awake at night... a
lot more lively. As soon as day
breaks though my sleep eyes set in
and my head begins to feel like a
lead weight. I do want to sleep,
just at the worst possible times.

Unfortunately it seems people
prefer to do stuff in the day....
something I try too but usually
can't avoid. So... when I'm
usually ready for shut eye, i tend
to have to pry them back open
again.

Uni, Work, Family, Friends.... I
can't really ever catch a break,
the day always has other plans for
me. SO I tend to deal with it,
sleep the needed hours and miss
the best parts... or at least try
to do that.

They say it damages your brain...
this lack of sleep. It harms the
way you think apparently... the
way you act... the way you
perceive things.....

As the man walks down the road, the viewers are made aware
of the demonic man walking behind him. He takes notice of
the footsteps from behind and turns his head but there is
nothing there.

He shrugs it off, before continuing on.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
I guess that might be true...

Sometimes I convince myself
there's something wrong with me. I
notice all these little things
about me that just don't make
sense.

Something as daft as speaking to
people can be so difficult for me.
It might sound stupid, but i swear
sometimes I can speak for ages but
not manage to actually say a damn
thing. I construct these sentences
in my head but they just don't
(MORE)

NARRATOR (cont'd)
come out that way. They come out
muddled.... like jibberish.

Perhaps I am damaged...

OR Perhaps I'm just paranoid.

The demonic man's presence is becoming more aware to the
audience, as he appears throughout the scene. Appearing
erratically through the narrators journey home but
apparently unbeknownst to him or any passers by.

The Narrator stops and looks around but doesn't notice
anything. He stretches and lets out a deep yawn. He looks
on.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
... Perhaps I'm just tired.

The man perches on a nearby wall, and looks at his watch. He
sigh's a little before looking around.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
My mum says I think too much....

'Too much going in one ear, not
enough coming out the other' she
says.... ha, she's always been a
smart one has mother.

The Narrator notices a girl getting out her car from across
the road, smiling in his direction. He's not quite sure how
to respond.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Take now for example... I'm too
busy fixating on whether that
girls smiling at me or that nearby
lamppost, to even consider smiling
back.

Course she's smiling at you, you
idiot, who else is around. But no,
too busy analyzing the stats of
whether she actually might like
you...

The narrator stare's blankly at the girl, obviously making
her awkward.

Various cutaways show the demonic man perched just behind
him staring at her too.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (fighting with
       himself)
What're you doing?! Smile back at
her you idiot!!

The man makes a quick attempt at smiling but with little
ease, he looks awkward making the girl confused.

            NARRATOR (voiceOVER)
      (fighting with
       himself)
You call that a smile?!

The girl, obviously unsettled by him, quickly walks away.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Sarcastically)
Brilliantly done!! Next time, how
about i just walk over and stick
my hand down her top....

The man sighs, disgruntled with himself and shaking his head
in hesitation. He picks himself off of the wall he's perched
on and carry's on walking.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Hesitantly)
... Of-course that's assuming
there might ever be a next time.

The scene shifts to another road as the narrator reluctantly
trundles along.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
You see, I'm not an idiot though.
I do know stuff... I'm smart where
it counts.

I mean, I'm studying
philosophy.... last year of the
degree and I'm not doing at all
badly. Thats gotta mean something
right?!

But yet, I still have this bugging
feeling in the pit of my stomach.
This feeling... this strange
feeling, that something's not
quite there. Somethings stopping
me from being... me.

The man stops on a bridge overlooking a train track, looking
out into the distance.

As the camera pans around, once again you notice the demonic
man stood behind him grimacing.

The narrator looks back quickly but again nothings there. He
shakes his head and yawns again before continuing on.

The scene once again shifts.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Dad says its just common hormones,
'I'm a growing lad and everyone
feels this way at my age'. Ha,
he's always been a smart one has
Dad.

And no doubt he's probably right,
but i'm hardly gonna admit that to
him. I'm a young man after all,
being dramatics kind of my
thing...

I still can't help but wonder
though, what if I am different?!
What if something is wrong with
me?, what if i'm something more
than just an awkward, hormonal,
sleep deprived over thinker?!

The narrator stops, looking confused and chuckles to himself
whilst rolling his eyes.

NARRATOR
Sleep..... I need sleep. Stop
myself thinking, that'd probably
be for the best.

Perhaps I should get an early
night......

HA, if only.

The narrator turns into the porch of his house, walking up
to the doorway. The demonic man being seen in the distance.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Nope, can't see that
happening..... but i should never
say never.

Can't quite try sleeping yet
though....
(MORE)

NARRATOR (cont'd)

I've got coursework to do.....

Good ol' coursework.

The narrator once again lets out a deep sigh before opening
his front door and entering. The camera pans out to see the
demonic man just standing outside the building as the scene
ends.

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

The next scenes opens with the man powering on with his
coursework.

Still quite sleepy eyed but content and concentrating
nevertheless. The demonic man makes brief appearances around
the room but still is basically invisible to the narrator.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Ugh, coursework.

There's nothing worse to ruin your
day the realizing you have a
deadline due in the next... one
which you have somehow
conveniently managed to forget
about.

What's worse is when you try and
convince yourself it isn't too
much to do and then later having
sat down for 3 hours doing it....
realizing you might have been a
tiny bit wrong.

Oh well, no matter. I think I
might be... just about.....

The narrator quite excitedly types in his last full stop.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
...DONE.

The Narrator collects all his loose paperwork and notes
together before sitting back in his chair.

He looks at the clock.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
And with time to spare.... Not
bad, not bad at all.

Time for food and TV then. Only
the best part of my day....
although it's a little depressing
I just thought that...

He stands and makes his way towards the door. He again yawns
and looks thoughtful.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
... and then perhaps I can try for
that early night after all.

FADE

After leaving the room, the scene shifts to him just
finishing his food. He's watching TV and keeping an eye on
the time, as it gets later and later.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Thats the problem with TV...
hundred's of channels and not a
thing to watch. And Yet I still
continue watching it.... as if I'm
expecting something good to hap...

The narrator's thought pattern cuts short as he livens up
slightly when he notices something on TV.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
... Oooh Top Gear!!

The man gets comfy and checks the time. He notices it's
slightly late, but shrugs and continues watching.

The following part of the scene uses various fades to show
progression of time as the man continues to watch the TV. A
cutaway shot of the clock more physically show's the time
changing and rapidly getting later.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Oh 'Dave', how wonderful art thou.
Here I was, unhappy and begrudged
at the lack of anything to
watch.... and there you were.
Providing me with not one but
THREE back-to-back episodes of
Clarkson and chums. What an
unexpected surprise!!

The man looks at the clock and noticing the time reluctantly
sits up and picks up the TV remote. Holding it in the
direction of the screen, he prepares to turn the TV off.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
That said, I do still have time
for an early night.... well, at
least a semi-early night.

Lets get some shut ey....

The man's thought pattern is once again disrupted as he sees
something on the TV. He begins to settle back into the sofa.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Then again.... A helping of QI
surely couldn't hurt.

The man gets comfortable again, placing the remote in front
of him.

A second series of fades and cuts show the further
progression of time. This time however the man begins to
show more signs of discomfort and sleep deprivation as time
passes. It becomes clear to the audience that its getting
quite late as the man gets more and more sleepy.

Eventually the man is shown half asleep when a sudden series
of cutaways flash throughout the screen showing the demonic
man sinisterly.

He snaps awake shaking his head.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Shaken, Nervous)
Bloody hell...

The man gathers himself, before eventually sitting forward
and turning his TV off. He brushes his hands through his
hair before eventually getting up.

He looks up at the clock once more and rolls his eyes.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (miffed, peeved,
       unhappy)
Well... so much for that early
night.

He begins for the door, unaware of the demonic man stood
next to him. The demonic man chuckles to himself.

The narrator twists round but doesn't see anything. He rubs

his eyes, shakes his head and turns back for the door.

He exits the room as the camera pans round to a grimacing
demonic man, shortly before he follows in the mans
direction.

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

The narrator is shown at his sink, washing his face and
getting ready for bed. He seems a little shaken up.

He looks at himself in the mirror rather intensely,
stretching out the rings around his eyes. As he bends down
towards his sink, he splashes water over his face and stands
up again looking back in the mirror. Only this time he see's
the demonic man stood behind him in his reflection. He
twist's around but once again can't see anyone...

Even more shaken up, he reaches for a towel and dries his
face.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Shaken, Nervous)
Thats it... I've officially lost
it.

I'm seriously calling my therapist
in the morning....

He shoves the towel to the side and his eye catches
attention of the mirror once more. He slowly walks up to it
and carefully peeks into his reflection, this time just him
being in it. He tries it a few more times, coming from
random angles and at different speeds but finds he's the
only one there.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Nervous, confused)
There, see. Your the only one
here, Nothing to worry about.

Just your mind playing tricks with
you is all.... its getting some
revenge for treating it so badly I
suppose... yeah, thats what it is.

Note to self, in future... given
the choice between 'Stephen Fry'
and getting an early night....
ALWAYS go for the early night.

10.

After one final glimpse in the mirror, the narrator turns
away and walks out the room. However just after he exits and
before the scene ends, the audience will notice the demonic
man's reflection returning to view.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The man is shown coming into his bedroom and shutting the
door behind him. He is obviously unsettled and in desperate
need to shut his eyes. Various cutaways show him getting
ready for bed, turning lights off and clambering in to bed.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
I've always loved the feeling of
getting into bed after a long
day.... there's nothing quite like
it.

The man changes position onto his side, looking intently but
beginning to nod off.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Maybe that's why I don't like
sleeping too early.... Perhaps my
body's trained itself to
appreciate the feeling of getting
into bed after a LONG day.

Although i suppose on that logic,
it would also train itself to not
get out of bed the next morning.

The mans eye's begin to close....

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
Oh how i wish I didn't have to get
up tomorrow morning....

The man's eye's shut tight as he falls asleep and the scene
fades to black.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The scene opens with a close-up of the narrator's closed
eyes. Suddenly, they both dart open as if in shock. His eyes
frantically look around at the dark eerie room as it becomes
aware that the man can't seem to move any other part of his
body.

11.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Panicked)
Wha-What's happening to me? I
can't move... I CAN'T BLOOY MOVE!!
What is this a Dream??

Further shots of the narrators panicked eyes show them
frantically moving side to side. The scene starts to focus
on the eerie elements of the room, with shots of the demonic
man quickly intercutting in between. Unhinged sounds start
to be heard in the background, in particularly a devilish
laugh.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Panicked)
It has to be a dream... It's got
to be.

A freakishly realistic dream....

Oh man, this feel's too damn real.

As the man starts to worry, the noises start to get louder
and louder with the laugh getting more and more intense. The
intercut images of the demon start to become very rapid as
it suddenly all comes to a halt.

The man looks around his empty room, still unable to move.
Everything' quiet and has calmed down. Just the sound of the
man's heavy breathing can be heard....

As his breathing becomes slower a steady shot focuses on the
man's face, slowly panning up to his uncovered ear. The
demonic mans mouth appears next to the ear...

            DEMONIC MAN
      (Sinisterly,
       Whispered)
Boo

The man looks on in panic, still paralyzed but showing fear
through his wide eyes.

The Demonic man suddenly appears on the opposite side of the
man, now off the bed and hunched over. He grabs the man's
face and pulls it towards him, still viciously grinning.

As the scene continues sounds and music build up momentum,
whilst cuts of the room, the narrator and the demonic man
start to become very erratic and fast paced. The demonic man
cutaways show him in a variety of different scenarios
associated with sleep paralysis.

12.

The first scenario brings the erratic editing to a halt as
the demonic man stares intensely at the narrator, focusing
and moving closer and closer. He stops right next to the
narrator.....

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Scared, Nervous,
       Questionable)
What are you?! Why.... Why are you
doing this to me?!

The demonic man smirks as if he could hear the narrators
thoughts and cheekily raises his eyebrows. Suddenly the
demonic man opens his mouth and lets out a tremendous
scream. His scream isn't normal however and bellows out a
mixture of loud and horrifying sounds that deafen and
terrify the narrator.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Terrifies, In
       pain)
OH PLEASE, NO STOP.... IT'S TOO
MUCH, PLEASE I BEG YOU!!

Everything turns to a blur as the narrator screams on, when
suddenly it all turns silent. Once again, just the narrators
heavy breathing can be heard as he focuses his eyes and
looks around. Once more the demonic man seems to have
dissapeared.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(nervous)
What the hell is going on.... I
felt all of that... noise... all
of that... energy coming from him.

I felt it...

I bloody felt it!

The man looks around his room still unable to move as the
camera starts to pan away from his face.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Nervous, confused)
I still can't move.

It's like I have a dead weight
lying on me.... it's so wierd,
it...

Hold on. I can smell something...

            (MORE)

13.

NARRATOR (cont'd)
Is that... Bacon?!

The camera pans out to reveal the demonic man sat on the bed
with his legs laid over the top of the narrator. The
narrators eyes shoot to the side instinctively as he
realises again that he's not alone. The demonic man is
revealed to be eating what appears to be a Bacon sandwich.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Confused)
What. The. Hell?

As the narrator focuses his eyes back forward, the demonic
man once again appears stood infront of him holding the
sandwich. He seems to offer it towards the man but obviously
gets no reaction. He trys to offer it some more as if to
mock the narrator but to no avail. He shrugs his shoulders
and takes a big bight out of it before placing the plate to
the side, the narrators eyes following his every move.

The demonic man slowly walks from the bed, fading out of
existence and leaving the narrator confused and baffled once
more. As the narrator looks on he's suddenly shocked to find
he can move, and stutters about breathing intently.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Confused,
       breathless)
What?.... Is.... Is it over?

A sudden jerk movement and quick and choppy editing style
show the demonic man return to the narrators side, screaming
and looking intensely angry. Before the narrator has much of
a chance to react he's grabbed by the demonic man and shoved
back into his previous position, once again forced into a
paralyzed state. The demonic man jolts at the narrator and
grabs his face in a forceful way.

DEMONIC MAN
(Angry, Sinister)
Its never over... NEVER!!!

The demons screams once again echo throughout, before he
disappears again. The room becomes silent and normal as the
narrator lays upright and stuck still.

Suddenly the narrator feels a hand stroking his arm as the
camera pans out to reveal the girl from the earlier scene
lying next to him. His eyes shift to the side and notice
her.

14.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Confused)
What.... Why are you here?

The girl smirks and looks at him.

GIRL
(Cheekily)
Because... you want me to be. It's
your mind silly!

As the girl strokes the narrators chest, a demon shaped hand
comes from the other side and grabs it. The camera pans out
to reveal the demon smirking at the narrator.

DEMONIC MAN
(Fiercely)
NO...

The man's eyes shift towards the demon.

DEMONIC MAN
(Fiercely)
It's my mind now!!

The narrators eyes shift towards where the girl was to find
she's gone before shifting back towards the demon. The demon
is now seen holding the girl in quite a passionate clinch,
as the narrator looks on. Everything will become quite
quickly cut together as the scene becomes more intense, a
shot of the demonic man laughing at the narrator being
increasingly prominent.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Angry, Confident)
No, NO!! Stop this!!

The intensity begins to show on the narrators face as the
shot shifts to his hand and his finger begins to twitch. The
demon notices something wrong and turns towards the bed
seeing the narrator missing. The man is revealed to be
standing the opposite side of the demon but before it has a
chance to react the narrator grabs the demons shoulder and
hits him, knocking him towards the bed.

The demonic man flips around, shocked to notice the narrator
stood in front of him and apparently broken free from his
paralysis.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Fierce, forceful,
       angry)
I don't care what or who your
meant to be... whether your a
            (MORE)

15.

NARRATOR (cont'd)
figment of my imagination or the
damn bogeyman. This is my mind, my
body and I'll do what I damn well
please with it....

The demonic man looks up at the man and smirks as a
reminiscent laugh fills the air.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Angry, Confused)
GET. OUT. OF. MY. HEAD.

The narrator lunges towards the man, but collapses onto the
bed as the demonic man disappears in front of him. The
confused man looks around to find the demonic man stood on
the opposite side. The demon tilts his head to the side and
raises an eyebrow.

DEMONIC MAN
(Sarcastically)
Your a feisty one i'll give you
that....

He grabs the narrator by the neck and pulls him up towards
his face. The demons face turns more sinister.

DEMONIC MAN
...But surely you didn't think it
would be that easy?

The narrator tries to hit him away but the demon's too quick
and he deflects it away before throwing the man back onto
the bed. The man tries to break free but to no avail as the
strides over the top of him and keeps him in place. The man
struggles from below....

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Scared,
       Struggling)
NO... LET. ME. GO.

As the man struggles to get free, the demonic man holds him
in place whilst reaching over and grabbing a pillow. The man
notices this and begins to struggle more.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Panicked)
So... What, your trying to smother
me to death?! That can't even be
possible, you'll kill yourself
too... wouldn't you?

16.

The demonic man grins one last time before abruptly shoving
the pillow over the narrators face. The scene intercuts
various scenes from the rest of the film as the narrator
notably gets weaker and weaker.

NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
(Weak, panicked)
... Please... please no..... don't
do this.

The demonic man just laughs and continues regardless of the
narrators pleas. Things get very heated and it begins to
look bad for the man as he lays there getting weaker and
weaker. Although suddenly the man lets out one last cry...

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Panicked, Upset,
       Desperate)
NOOO!!

As he screams for the demon to stop he finally manages to
release his hands and grabs its wrists. The scene comes to
an abrupt close as the demon looks down in shock.

QUICK CUT TO BLACK

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

The next scene swiftly opens with barely a second gone as
the narrator bolts up from his bed in a panic. He looks
around his room in shock and despair before notably
realizing that it's daytime outside. He looks around at his
clock noticing the time before turning back and chuckling to
himself...

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Relieved,
       baffled,
       breathless,
       confused)
... Just a dream.

He chuckles to himself again as he turns around and sits
perched on the edge of his bed. He runs his hands through
his hair before eventually standing up and stretching.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Mid-stretch,
       relieved)
So this is what morning feels
like....

.... hmmm, I'm sure i could get
            (MORE)

17.

NARRATOR (cont'd)
used to it.

He smirks and slowly makes his way out of the room.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

The scene quickly follows on from the last one with the man
looking at himself in the bathroom mirror once more. Notably
tired he looks at the rings around his eyes although seems
to be quite intent on looking at the separate features of
his face.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Reminiscent,
       thoughtful)
I suppose I should look at last
night as a hint to sleep better.
Probably my body calling out to be
looked after, telling me its time
for me to be responsible....

A cutway shows the narrator turning on a tap at the sink.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (reminiscent,
       thoughtful)
... Telling me to respect it
more...

The narrator bends down to wash his face.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Reminiscent,
       thoughtful)
... Telling me that perhaps it's
time for a change....

The narrator bends back up from washing his face but doesn't
look like the narrator anymore. Instead a clean-cut human
looking version of the demonic man stands there instead and
gives the audience the idea that the demon in fact succeeded
in taking the narrators body from him. He grins.

            NARRATOR (VOICEOVER)
      (Confident,
       cunning)
change ay, I think I can do
that.....

He continues to grin as the screen quickly cuts to the final
scene.

18.
INT. GRAPHICS - DAY

The film ends with a brief motion-based text animation, reminiscent of the one from at the beginning of the film. However rather then a definition of 'Sleep paralysis'. this one instead reads 'Split Personality' (giving more of a hint towards the events that occurred throughout the film). It Reads: ''a condition in which a single human displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. ..'' The scene fades to black as the credits finish the film

THE END

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