She loves the little hell-raisers.
By Owen Parsons
INT. DAYCARE OFFICE - DAY KATHRYN DAISY sits at her desk in the office of Happy Dreams Daycare, facing camera in a confessional shot. KATHRYN I'm Kathryn Daisy, and I'm the Director at Happy Dreams Daycare. Quick cuts of kids playing, gradually reveal they are creepy girls with long hair, dark haired boys in suits, pale-eyed blondes, typical horror movie kids. No one is smiling. KATHRYN (V.O.) We offer a welcoming environment for all children regardless of whatever personal or supernatural issues they might struggle with at home. We don't use words like "slow," or "possessed" or "antichrist." Happy Dreams is a place where kids can just be kids. INT. DAYCARE PLAYROOM - DAY Kathryn offers DANNY from THE SHINING a juice box. KATHRYN Danny, do you want a juice? DANNY (raspy voice) Danny's not here, Mrs. Daisy. Only Tony now. KATHRYN Well does Tony want a juice? DANNY (beat) ...yes. CREEPY TWIN GIRLS appear across the room. CREEPY TWINS Come play with us, Danny. Danny shakes his head, scared. KATHRYN Danny, remember we talked about socializing? Go play with them. INT. DAYCARE OFFICE - CONFESSIONAL Kathryn at her desk. A child finishes writing "REDRUM" in multicolored finger paint across her office window. KATHRYN We try to engage kids with group activities to make learning fun. INT. DAYCARE PLAYROOM - DAY All the kids stand in a circle. Kathryn plays the piano, singing the alphabet song. KATHRYN D, E, F, G... KIDS (ominous whisper-singing) H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P. KATHRYN (clearly terrified) ...great! KATHRYN (V.O.) We also make sure kids get plenty of outdoor time. INT. DAYCARE DOORWAY - DAY Kathryn leads kids inside. KATHRYN Thirty eight, thirty nine... we're missing one. Where's Kevin? Kevin! Reveal empty playground - a creepy child in overalls sits all alone on a rusty swing set. Ominous wind noises. KATHRYN KEVIN! Come inside! KEVIN (whispering) The harvest is coming. KATHRYN It's snack time! Kevin hops off the swing and comes running. INT. DAYCARE OFFICE - CONFESSIONAL Kathryn at her desk. KATHRYN I've always loved working with kids. Before this, I was a nurse in a youth mental hospital. After that burned down I became a governess at an old orphanage, then after that burned down... She's interrupted by a tapping at the office window. Camera shifts to reveal a LITTLE VAMPIRE GIRL is hanging upside-down, tapping on the glass. VAMPIRE GIRL Can I come in? KATHRYN Not right now, Abby, okay? Girl hisses, slithers away. Kat shakes her head and laughs. KATHRYN She gets grouchy when she's hungry. INT. DAYCARE PLAYROOM - DAY Kathryn sits in a chair in front of a semicircle of kids. KATHRYN Did anyone bring a book to read? Four glowy-eyed blond children hand her a NECRONOMICON. KATHRYN Okay, fun choice. Let's see. She opens the book and begins muttering deeply in ancient Sumerian. Ghostly voices echo her. Kids sway back & forth. KATHRYN (V.O.) Some parents come to me at their wits end, and I understand. There's nothing scarier than parenthood. INT. DAYCARE OFFICE - DAY Kathryn sits across from a CONCERNED MOTHER. Outside, a small dark-haired child in a suit stares eerily in at them. KATHRYN Thanks for coming in, Mrs. Thorn - I was concerned by something Damien drew today. Let me find it... She thumbs through a stack of HORRIFYING KIDS' DRAWINGS featuring death/monsters/family members with eyes scratched out in black crayon. She comes to a crude drawing of boobs signed "Damien" & shows it to the mother, who gasps. KATHRYN (V.O.) And some kids are a real handful. INT. DAYCARE PLAYROOM - DAY An Exorcist-style possessed girl stands on the table and spins her head on her shoulders. Other children egg her on. KATHRYN Regan! Stop it! Do not make yourself dizzy! Regan starts projectile-vomiting in a fountain all over everyone. Kathryn struggles to stop her. KATHRYN (V.O.) But you know what... each day come nap time, you can remember what little angels they really are. INT. DAYCARE PLAYROOM - NAP TIME Everyone sleeps soundly. Kathryn reads a book. Ominous music builds until static from a TV set lights up the room. KATHRYN What? Who... Samara? Reveal SAMARA from THE RING is inside the TV set. KATHRYN Samara, get out of the TV! TV time is over! End.