Original subtitles

[theme music]

(Freddy) I'll be back!

I'm free!

[screaming]

[screaming]

[screaming]

[laughing]

[eerie music]

[rock music]

[tires screeching]

[music continues]

[brakes squealing]

[screaming]

[explosion]

(Annie) Peter.

You were supposed to meet me for lunch.

Is it noon already?

No, it's 2 o'clock.

I'm sorry, Annie, it's just that when I started writing these..

Well, I didn't realize what time it was.

Well, at least there's one guy

in Springwood High that's got some ambition.

Yeah, all the other guys we know are just spending the summer

lying around the house, or going on vacation.

Hey, weren't you talking about taking

this summer off to see some of the world?

Yeah, but my father thinks that this is as much of the world

as I need to see.

And as publisher of the "Springwood Star Times"

'he had no problem getting me this greatjob'

'sitting behind the desk all summer.'

Your dad just wants you to learn about the newspaper business.

But I don't wanna learn about the newspaper business.

I wanna write.

Well, you've done more about writing here

than you would off on some island out there.

Typing up obituaries, no way.

This stuff is so boring. I wanna write about people.

You know, what they think and what they feel.

I wanna write about life! Not death.

Who died?

Anthony Lawrence.

Hey, isn't he that really good-looking guy

who sells cars at Springwood Motors?

Right! And-and he's always driving a new car every week.

(Peter) 'Well, last night he took his last free ride.'

Right off a cliff, about a hundred miles an hour.

Can you imagine how he fel going off that cliff?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

What a way to go!

[intense music]

What a terrible, awful

awfulway to go.

Hey, come on, guys, I don't wanna talk about this anymore.

Oh, relax, you're only 16 years old.

- You've nothing to worry about. - Almost 17.

Annie, you're too young to die. We all are.

Nobody's too young. Not in this town.

Yeah, remember Freddy Krueger?

I think he's dead by now.

[keys clanking]

(Annie) '"Krueger, Freddy." See, he's still around.'

(Peter) 'This is just his file that's still around.'

What scares me is the way he just sort of disappeared.

Watch this, all I have to do is push this one little button.

And it's bye-bye, Freddy Krueger.

The guy is yesterday's news.

- Feel better? - Yeah.

See you later.

[intense music]

If our little cub reporter is so bored by this story

I'll give him something that'll really charge him up.

[laughing]

Well, Peter, this is really very effective.

Reading this I feel as if I know exactly

what Anthony Lawrence felt like when he went over the cliff.

Unfortunately, what I don't know is the exact time of death.

I don't have the coroner's official cause of death.

And I don't know where this funeral is being held

Well, I-I thought we should be more creative.

You know, give it the human touch.

Well, you're not here to be human.

You're here to learn the basics of newspaper reporting.

So when you're done re-writing this..

...I want you to start in on this one.

Anderson just phoned it in from the police station.

Is something wrong?

Yeah, I used to go to Doc Wendell when I was a kid.

Anderson's down at the police station

waiting for the cops to finish their official report.

He will cover the story if there's any crime angle

If not...you get to write the obit.

Oh, remember, there's a 2:00 a.m. deadline on this

for the morning edition.

Oh, and , Peter, please..

...do not get creative.

[instrumental music]

[telephone ringing]

(man on phone) 'Hello? Hello, it's Anderson.'

'Come on, somebody pick up.'

"Springwood Star Times." Ellis here.

'Yeah, Peter, uh, the coroner's report on Dr. Wendell'

'lists natural causes, you know, cardiac arrest.'

'So, you go ahead and you write up the obit.'

[intense music]

[keys clacking]

What's up, doc?

You'd figure that a girl who is...smart enough to graduate

at the top of your nursing class..

...wouldn't be dumb enough to fool around

and end up falling in love.

[music continues]

But you're always making one more promise..

...and then always breaking it.

[groaning]

And then once you got hold of her heart..

...you just wouldn't let it go.

Always squeezing it.

Tighter and tighter.

Until finally...it broke.

Nothing can stop the pain.

[scoffs] Unfortunately, there's no cure for a broken heart.

Nothing can stop the pain.

[heartbeats]

'So how does it feel, doc?'

'Getting a little taste of your own medicine?'

[gasps]

[eerie music]

[eerie music]

- Hey! Hey, kid, are you okay? - Yeah!

Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay.

Where's the Wendell obit?

[sighs]

I just finished it. Here.

Alright, then don't sweat it.

At least you beat the deadline, right?

Right, right!

And that's all that matters anyway, right?

Uh..

Do you know I could've gone to the mall

with Emily and Starr?

Then why didn't you?

Because my boyfriend calls me up at 3 o'clock in the morning

and says he feels like he's gonna die.

- You just had a nightmare. - This wasn't any dream.

I was sitting in my computer, writing Doc Wendell's obit

when something really weird happened.

All of a sudden, I wasn't in the newsroom

but in Doc Wendell's office.

You'd rather be anywhere than at that newsroom.

And I wasn't just writing about how Doc Wendell died

I was actually feeling it.

It was like this big tank was rolling right over my chest

and my arm went totally numb and I could hardly breathe.

Come on, Peter, you know that 17-year-olds don't go around

havin' heart attacks!

Annie, I was scared.

I was really scared.

What would've happened if I hadn't written Doc Wendell

back into the obit and me out in time?

Well, that's a great story.

- A real cliffhanger. - What?

Much better than anything you ever wrote for English class.

You think I made all that up?

Why would I do that?

To make your dad think you flipped out

so he'll let you take a trip around the world.

And then you can get away from the paper and Springwood..

...and me.

And I think you can catch up with your friends at the mall.

Peter.. Peter, wait!

I'm sorry.

It's just that sometimes..

...your writing seems so important to you

that I get afraid one day it'll take you away.

[sighs]

And I just don't wanna lose you.

Yeah? Well, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.

[instrumental music]

Well, I guess you'd better be getting back.

You don't wanna get in trouble with your boss.

Yeah.

The movie starts at 8:00, so I'll pick you up at 7:30.

That is if you still wanna be my fella.

I like this. It's great.

It's very good.

Peter, I need you to jump on this right away.

Shouldn't Anderson write this?

- No. - He's your crime reporter.

He's busy on another story

And I'm up against the deadline.

Please, Miss Brandes, let me write something else.

Please, anything else, classifieds or subscriptions?

The "Springwood Star Times does not hire teenagers

so that they can play reporter for the summer.

But your father is the publisher so..

...here you are.

Now, if you were smart..

...you'd take advantage of this opportunity

and you'd learn from experienced writers

like myself and Anderson.

You know, getting an A in creative writing

doesn't exactly qualify yo

as the next Ernest Hemingway.

Who, by the way, was one hell of a reporter

Good work.

[eerie music]

Well, Mr. Finney..

...we talked to your son at the bank.

We told him how much the ransom would be.

But he wants to negotiate.

Seems you taught him everything's negotiable.

Now..

...I don't know how much bank presidents

are going for these days.

I think we set a pretty fair price.

But you financial wizards, you always

gotta bargain and deal.

Make sure you get your pound of flesh, huh?

Well..

...why don't we give him that pound of flesh?

Yours.

Now we gotta pick a good piece, don't we?

Something Gerald Finney Jr. will recognize

is his dear old dad's.

Now we could cut off a finger, couldn't we?

Then they'll have to check the prints to make sure

it really was yours, wouldn't they?

Or how about something bigger? Like your arm, huh?

[chuckles]

What is this?

A tattoo?

[intense music]

There's no way you could've belonged to the Black Adders

not unless they started making Harleys

with training wheels, huh?

I don't suppose you were in the Marine Corps, were you?

Now, guys like you...spend all your time in college

instead of fighting for your country.

Oh..

...now I know what it is. It's a big, fat dollar sign.

Cut it off.

[grunting]

You finished with the Finney obituary yet?

Yes, I finished.

There's no time to clean up your desk.

I'm not cleaning it up, I'm cleaning it out.

I need this for this evening's edition.

It shouldn't be a problem, it's a simple suicide.

He even left a note.

No! I don't wanna see it.

Well, if you don't read it, how are you gonna know

why he killed himself?

I don't care why he killed himself.

Oh, I get it, of course.

A creative genius like you is bound to find something

much better than the facts

No way. I quit.

I'm gonna go home and I'm gonna pack my bags and I'm gonna split

for the summer just like I planned.

I'm sorry, Peter.

But your father has other plans for you and so do I.

I'm gonna start running your obituaries in a special box

on the front page.

Experience the fear and pain of death

with none of the hassles, without ever having to leave

the comfort of your own living room.

Goodbye, Miss Brandes.

Peter, you cannot quit!

Please, try and understand

This job is killing me!

[eerie music]

[eerie music]

(Peter) Get off me!

Oh, God.

Thank you, officer. Just put him over there.

Get off me!

I didn't commit any crime.

When you walked out that door, you tried to steal

a very valuable piece of office equipment.

'That wonderfully creative mind of yours.'

This is crazy!

I just need you to write this last obituary for me.

I won't do it.

Well, the computer won't do it alone.

You can't keep me locked up in here forever.

You can't keep me locked up in here forever!

No, just till deadline.

[intense music]

[instrumental music]

[grunts]

"Loan due."

But I can't pay. I don't have any money.

Unless the bank could make me another loan.

How about another roll the dice?

"Foreclosure."

That means I'm bankrupt.

Bust.

Broke.

"Jump."

So...I guess this means the game is over.

Peter, it's 7:30, time to return to the land of the living.

Annie, wait, I can't leave.

Peter, we're gonna be late for the movie.

No! I can't go anywhere until I finish writing this obit.

Peter! You don't even like this job.

So why you killing yoursel over it?

Annie, my God, do you realize what you've done?

Peter, calm down.

That's it. That's it. Over and out, I'm dead.

I can't make the deadline by now.

There's no way I can finish.

You don't have any deadline.

Hey, I took over the Finney obituary

'when they arrested the kidnappers.'

I'm gonna be stuck out on that ledge.

I'm gonna jump instead of the real estate millionaire.

What real estate millionaire?

The one who killed himself.

Either you're doing one hell of a number on me..

...or you really need a rest.

Listen, I want you to take the rest of the weekend.

You alright? You understand?

Peter, look, it's Saturday night.

Why don't you two kids

you know, get out of here, you go

and you have a good time, huh?

Peter, come on.

Miss Brandes, please, you don't understand.

Explain it to me on Monday, okay?

I don't want to see your face in this newsroom until then.

Okay? Go ahead.

Kid's imagination is gonna be the death of him, huh?

Yeah.

Wait till your dad hears about this.

His kid fries his brain

staring at the computer all day.

You know, you've gotten kinda weird

since you started this job

I don't know, maybe

it's just sitting there and writing

about dead people all day that's done it.

But you're just not very much fun anymore.

I mean, it's Saturday night.

We're stuck in this elevator when we could be

out buying popcorn at the movies.

Which you gonna miss unless this thing

drops all 20 floors.

Oh, you know what? I forgot my wallet and my key.

You go on down to the lobby, I'll meet you there.

You are just too weird.

[instrumental music]

[screaming]

Peter!

Here today.

'Deadline, TheM

[Freddy laughing]

[eerie music]

[eerie music]

[instrumental music]

Emily?

Emily?

Emily?

Up and at 'em. Breakfast is on the table.

[music continues]

Great pancakes.

Now they did an entire hour on pancakes

on "Good Morning Springwood."

You know, I think adding the two cups

of mayonnaise really made a big difference.

Oh, Emily, aren't you hungry?

Not very.

'Probably the medication.'

How long do I have to keep taking those pills?

Well, honey, the doctor said you need your sleep.

Yeah, but she's gotta eat too.

Oh, will you take a look at these roses?

'It's amazing what they can do with plastics these days.'

'They last forever.'

Starr would have loved the flowers at her funeral.

And Annie..

Do you remember how beautiful she looked lying there?

So peaceful.

Here, honey.

No, they make me so tired.

But at least if you're asleep, you don't feel so upset.

No, I don't feel anything.

Here.

[instrumental music]

[rock music]

I'm not supposed to be here.

This is a great party.

It wouldn't be any fun if we weren't all here together.

I've got to find him.

- Find who? - Peter.

Annie, Peter's not here.

He's dead.

Peter?

[music continues]

Emily, come back!

[intense music]

Isn't it all exactly what you dreamed?

Who are you?

Exactly what you dreamed.

Now close your eyes.

Give me your hand.

You know the way.

You've been here so many times before.

No, don't leave me, please, I don't wanna be alone.

[screaming]

Emily, wake up.

Nobody sleeps at a slumber party.

And who were you dreaming about?

- Nobody. - Nobody, huh?

We'll see.

Hey.

This the Mr. Wonderful we've been hearing about?

Yes. This is Johnny.

Isn't he the cutest guy in the whole world?

'I know, it sounds ridiculous'

but I just can't stop thinking about him.

It's not ridiculous. That's how I felt with Peter.

'Awake, asleep, he was all I ever thought about.'

But since Peter died, I've kinda given up on dreaming.

(male #1) 'Emily, turn down that music.'

- Hey, dad. - 'Goodnight, girls.'

Goodnight, mom.

Have, uh, have they met him yet?

Johnny? No.

Somehow I just don't think

my parents would approve of an older guy.

Maybe they're right.

Annie!

Oh, no, I can't believe I actually said that.

'You know, I think I'm jealous.'

Of what?

The way you still believe

in all those love songs

and happily ever after.

You really loved Peter, didn't you?

(Annie) 'Yeah, I did.'

But after he died, it hurts so bad

I-I made up my mind never to love anybody like that again.

Ever!

Well, maybe that'll change when you find the right someone.

Like you do with Johnny?

Yeah.

[intense music]

Look, what I found.

[laughing]

Some real hot stuff in here.

All about her dream lover.

A real lady killer.

[laughing]

(Annie) 'So, Katrina's dad hired a caterer'

and two security guards for the party.

Which means great food and no crashers.

So we'll pick you up about 8:00?

I'm not gonna go to the party.

Well, Johnny asked me out.

Well, ask Katrina if you can bring him along

Come on, Emily, it'll be fun.

Why can't you just go without me?

Because it's always been the three of us.

Our whole lives.

Whenever we do anything, we did it together.

Every step of the way we took it together.

But now all of a sudden you wanna go off on your own.

I just wanna be alone with Johnny.

Caterers and security guards don't sound very romantic.

And I guess a college guy wouldn't have much fun

at a party with a bunch of high school kids like us.

No, I didn't say that.

(Starr) You didn't have to.

Starr..

Maybe we're just not your friends anymore.

Maybe we never really were.

Don't say that, Annie. That.. You are my friend.

You'll always be my friend

[sighs]

He loves me, he loves me not.

He loves me, he loves me not.

He loves me.

[instrumental music]

Hello, Emily.

I knew you'd be back.

This is what you want.

Isn't it, Emily?

Yes.

To be with your friends.

My friends?

Always is a very long time.

I have to be sure that you're really ready.

Yes. Yes, I'm ready.

No, please, no!

You were snoring.

Oh, no, I must have fallen asleep.

I didn't get much sleep last night either.

You missed a great party.

Of course our folks really freaked out

when they heard about the accident.

It was an accident.

That's what I told them, but they wouldn't listen.

They never listen.

Okay, that's not important.

Tell us about your date with Johnny.

Wait, what about the accident?

If you don't wanna tell us about him, just say so.

- No, it's not that. I-- - Yes, it is.

We're just not a part of your life anymore.

So if you want us to leave you alone

we'll leave you alone.

All alone.

Stop! Wait!

[knock on door]

[instrumental music]

(Johnny) 'Emily, don't be scared.'

'It's me Johnny.'

'I'm back.'

[eerie music]

[eerie music]

I didn't mean to scare you

You didn't scare me.

Look, I know you're probably mad at me.

We'll have to be quiet or my parents will hear us

And I don't blame you.

I just had to get away for a while.

You could have called.

Yeah, I know.

But I didn't think I needed to give you

the itinerary of my whole life.

Surely, one day.

Johnny, why are you here?

Well, I came back. I heard about the accident.

Emily, I'm really sorry.

You shouldn't feel guilty.

Guilty?

Guilty about what?

Being alive.

Might as well try to explain why

one rose bud opens wide

and the others just wither on the vine.

Emily...now that I'm back, I'll try to make you happy.

Try to give you everything you really want.

If you just give me another chance.

I'll be back this time.

I promise.

[instrumental music]

Is Emily okay?

Sure, dad.

Oh, she's fine.

She is just fine.

Emily is going to get on with her life

so that we can finally get on with ours.

I didn't mean to make dad and you so unhappy, mom.

It's just that...she misses Annie and Starr so much.

Mom?

She refuses to believe that they're really dead.

Both of them, dead.

It's just not fair.

Annie and Starr were her best friends.

In fact..

...she loved them more than she loved her own family.

'The doctor said she didn't really wanna kill herself.'

'It was just a cry for help.'

I don't think that's so..

I think she'd rather be dead.

Dead and buried in the ground with Annie and Starr

than alive with her own family.

Dad?

(Johnny) 'Emily!'

Oh, Johnny! I was afraid I'd never see you again.

I told you I'd be back.

I promised.

You couldn't get rid of me now if you tried.

Well, don't just stand there. Go on in and get ready.

For what?

We have a date.

I'll be back in a while.

And I really hate to be kept waiting.

I-I'll be ready.

No jeans and sweatshirt.

Wear something special.

Where are we going?

There're some things a young girl doesn't need to know.

Not until it's time.

[instrumental music]

[knock on door] 'Emily!'

Come in.

[music stops]

Oh, excuse me. I-I must have the wrong room.

- I was-- - I was looking for my daughter.

I-I was just trying on some new makeup and stuff.

It'll wash off.

Oh, no, no. Don't change a thing.

I-I think you look neat.

Uh, cool. Funky.

You look beautiful, baby.

Thanks, dad.

So..

...all dressed up with no place to go?

Well, at least you're getting back to your old self.

Well, you know, this morning... your mom was right.

You've gotta find somethin to live for.

Goodnight, Emily.

[instrumental music]

[telephone ringing]

- Hello. - 'Hello, Emily.'

(Annie on phone) 'It's just me, your old friend...Annie.'

'So we'll pick you up, about 8:00?'

'Come on, Emily. It'll be fun.'

[eerie music]

[eerie music]

[intense music]

- Emily! - Annie, is that you?

Oh my God, you're alive. You're really alive.

Why didn't you tell me?

I guess I thought it wouldn't make

all that much difference to you.

- How can you say that? - Emily, I'm so sorry.

When I heard what you did, I was all the way to hell and back.

I know you said we'd always be friends

but I guess I didn't believe you really meant it.

I was wrong. So I came to get you, to take you back.

It's absolute paradise out there, you're gonna love it.

We can get a little apartment by the beach.

Annie, I don't wanna leave Springwood.

Yeah, it's really great out there.

No hopes, no dreams. I'm free. Really free.

I've gotta get back, because Johnny's waiting.

Waiting, that's the bad part.

Waiting for your friends to die.

Sometimes it gets so lonely.

Annie, it's locked.

[laughs]

You can't go back, Emily. Just like I can't go back.

Crash and burn is forever.

If you don't believe me, just ask Starr.

[eerie music]

No!

[screams]

[intense music]

[music continues]

Oh my God, Johnny!

I was supposed to die in that car crash

that night, but I didn't.

And now, Starr and Annie, they've come back to get me.

No, Emily.

I'm the one who's gonna get you.

No!

[Johnny laughing]

That night at the accident..

...you thought what you wanted was to be with me.

But you really wanted to be with your friends.

I said I'd try to make you happy if you gave me another chance.

Well, I'm not gonna let you down this time.

I'm not gonna run off

and leave you alone.

This time, I'm gonna give you what you really want.

[giggles]

Whoooo!

If it wasn't for that little ID tag on your toe

I wouldn't even recognize my little pretty Emily.

[giggles]

Sun tan beige, number three.

And a little blush... for that healthy look.

[laughs]

Oh, God!

You're size 6, right?

Simple.

Classic.

Something you can wear through eternity.

[laughs]

God!

You look even more beautiful..

...than Annie and Starr did at their funerals.

[laughs]

Hey, mom and dad.

Take a look at your little girl.

[sobs]

She looks beautiful.

And so alive.

You'd think she could hear us.

I can hear you.

[echoing] I can hear you.

Mom, dad, I'm not dead.

I'm not dead.

[echoing] I'm not dead.

I wanna tell them that I love them.

Or at least say goodbye.

Goodbye.

They can't hear you.

'They never listened to you'

when you told them what you wanted.

You...you wrote it all down

in this little diary of yours.

Everything you really wanted.

"I wish I had died along with my friends."

But you weren't with them, that night.

- You let them go off alone. - I didn't know.

You sent them to their deaths without even warning them.

Without even saying goodbye.

It was an accident. It wasn't my fault.

No, I don't wanna die. Please, I wanna live.

[eerie music]

[laughs]

Some books, you just can't put down.

'Cause they never end.

[theme music]

[theme music]