Conversations with Dead People transcript.
INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn coming home to an empty house. There's a note with money paper clipped to it. The note reads:
Will and I are out
until late.
Here's money for
the store.
NO PIZZA!
Love you, Buffy
INT. KITCHEN AT THE SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's eating pizza in the kitchen.
DAWN
(singing) Anchovies, anchovies, you're so delicious. I love you more than all the other fishes.
INT. BUFFY'S ROOM AT THE SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn is holding a slice of pizza while going through Buffy's clothes and holding them up to her in front of the mirror. She accidentally brushes the pizza against a white blouse.
DAWN
Oh. Ah, she'll think it's blood.
INT. LIVING ROOM AT THE SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's playing with the Buffy's weapons. First, she's swinging the battle-axe.
DAWN
Taste my blade, spawn of evil!
She swings the axe, and the blade lands in some furniture. Then she gets out the crossbow and loads it. She's pointing it around like she's one of the Charlie's Angels or something. She accidentally pulls the trigger, causing the arrow to shoot out. It lands in the living room wall. When she tries to pull the arrow out, a large chunk of plaster comes with it. Her eyes widen, and she looks around for some way to cover it up. She moves the nearby tall houseplant in front of the hole.
INT. KITCHEN AT THE SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's listening to Mexican music and dancing around the kitchen. She gets a jumbo marshmallow out of the cabinet and puts it into the microwave on a little plate. While heating up, the marshmallow starts to swell and expand; Dawn seems impressed.
DAWN
(laughs) Cool.
She jumps when she hears a sound from somewhere else in the house.
INT. LIVING ROOM AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's talking on the cordless phone, sitting in front of the television, eating gooey marshmallow. An old black and white movie is playing on TV; it looks like it might be a classic horror flick.
DAWN
(to phone) Oh, come on. She is so dead. Well, he's clearly a psychopath. Is so. What? No, that is not Tom Hanks. Well, what channel are you on? (knock) OK, there it is again. I keep hearing this, like, thumping. (mutes television) (knock, knock) No, I-I can't tell if it's-
The front door flies open. Dawn goes to investigate, and a strong wind is blowing into the house. She struggles to shut the door.
DAWN
(to phone) Kit, are you there? Is there a storm?
Suddenly, the television is unmuted, playing loudly. She tries to mute it again, but the remote control button doesn't have any effect. She tries the power button on the television itself, but it doesn't work either. Finally, she tries to unplug it, but the old movie still plays with the cord out of the wall. Dawn's eyes grow wide with fear.
INT. LIVING ROOM AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's scared. Mexican music is playing loudly. The television won't shut off and is playing the old horror movie loudly. Dawn smashes the TV with an axe and breaks it. She smashes the stereo as well. The music is still coming from the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
She sees the radio-the one she was dancing to earlier-sitting there on the countertop, playing Mexican music. She walks further into the room, hoisting the battleaxe, when the microwave oven suddenly comes on.
DAWN
Oh, God. Oh, God...
She smashes the microwave, causing a tiny explosion and shattering glass on the floor. She backs away from the explosion, but she's in bare feet and the shattered glass cuts her. The radio on the kitchen counter is still going. Suddenly, tuning sound comes over the radio, causing the music to fade and a voice comes over the radio:
JOYCE (V.O.)
Dawn?
DAWN
Mom?
INT. LIVING ROOM AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's on the phone, frantic. She's sitting on the coffee table with her back to the couch, bandaging her feet while she makes the phone call.
DAWN
Buffy, come on, pick up. I don't know what to do!
Dawn hangs up the phone and picks up the radio that was in the kitchen before. She shakes the radio. Joyce is lying on the couch behind her in the same position as she was when Buffy found her dead in episode 5x17 "The Body".
DAWN
(crying) Do it again! I heard you.
Dawn stops and turns slowly to look at the couch behind her, but it's empty. The lights go out for a second. When they come back on, Dawn can see that all the dining room chairs have been placed upside down on the dining room table in the next room. The weapons chest has been turned on end, spilling its contents onto the floor. She looks around, frightened, and sees a message written on the wall in blood: "Mother's Milk is RED Today", and there's a bloody handprint below it. The lights dim again for only a moment, and when they come back on, the message is gone and the weapons chest and the dining room furniture are back in their normal configurations again. Dawn shivers. There's a knocking sound: knock, knock, knock.
DAWN
Why are you doing this!
Knock.
DAWN
Why are you- I don't understand. (knocking continues) Stop. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Aah!
Knocking stops.
DAWN
Hello?
Knock.
DAWN
(to herself) Once for yes... (out loud) Once for yes, twice for no. Mom? (looks around)
Knock.
DAWN
Mom, it's you?
Knock.
DAWN
Are you OK?
Knock. Knock.
DAWN
You're not. Mom... mommy... are you alone?
Knock. Knock.
The house starts to shake, like an earthquake, but not. A strobe light flashes in Dawn's face. Dawn screams. Home decor is falling to the floor everywhere: lamps, pictures, vases, etc.
DAWN
Why are you doing this?!
INT. LIVING ROOM AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's alone at home. The power's out. She's standing in the middle of the living room, looking around. In the background, there's a sound something like a cross between roaring wind and a growling animal.
DAWN
I hear you. I hear you breathing. Are you hurting my mother? Are you keeping her from coming back to me?
A strobe-like flash lights the room momentarily. A white-eyed Joyce is lying on the couch one second, and then gone the next.
DAWN
Mom? I see you. I'm coming towards you, OK?
Another flash, and Joyce is lying on the couch screaming while a dark shadowy figure is choking her as she reaches out toward Dawn.
DAWN
She's trying to talk to me. Get off her and let her talk to me! (to herself) The axe!
Dawn gets down on the floor, crawling around looking for the battleaxe. Suddenly the shadowy figure has the axe and swings it at Dawn's head. She screams. It just misses her.
SHADOWY VOICE
Get out!
Dawn runs toward the front door, which has swung open again. Wind is blowing hard into the house. She almost goes out, but stops in mid-stride.
DAWN
No! (shuts door) She's my mother. I'm staying.
Shot of Joyce on the couch. Her eyes flash open.
INT. LIVING ROOM AT SUMMERS HOUSE - NIGHT
Dawn's sitting Indian-style on the living room floor, surrounded by white candles and thick books. She's got one of the books open to a specific page. The strange breathing sound is still present.
DAWN
I know you're there. I will cast you out. My mother needs to talk to me.
Dawn's holding a bowl and sprinkles dust from the bowl on the ground in front of her. A force pushes her backwards across the room. She stops when her back hits the wall, but she's still got the bowl in her lap.
DAWN
I cast you from this place. (sprinkles dust) It is your poison and your bane. (sprinkles dust)
Something scratches Dawn's face, leaving a bloody gash, and she screams.
DAWN
(sprinkles dust) It is the skin that is cut from your flesh!
A strong wind blows out all the candles. The living room window explodes inward, shattering pieces of glass all over her and the room.
The lights are still out. The window is busted in. Papers are blowing around. The room looks like a disaster area. Dawn stands up and continues with the banishing spell.
DAWN
I cast you out with every prayer from every god that walked the Earth and crawled beneath. (thrown across the room, landing on her butt, she continues. her mouth is bloody) I cast you out with the strength of those who love me. (stands) I cast your out with the strength I have inside me! I cast you out into the void. (throws bowl forward) That's right! Die, you bastard!
The noise and wind stop. Blood spatters all the walls, but then fades and disappears altogether. The house is a complete wreck, but still now. Dawn whimpers and collapses. A golden light fills the room. Dawn looks up and sees a vision of Joyce standing there in front of her, beautiful and glowing, wearing a long white gown. Dawn manages to push herself up on her arms and sit up.
DAWN
Mom?
Joyce is standing there, all glowy and robed in white, talking to Dawn, who's still sitting on the floor.
JOYCE
Things are coming, Dawn. Listen, things are on their way. I love you, and I love Buffy, but she won't be there for you.
DAWN
What? Why are you-?
JOYCE
When it's bad, Buffy won't choose you. She'll be against you.
The vision of Joyce starts to fade.
DAWN
No! No, don't go! Please, don't go!
Joyce disappears entirely. Dawn, still sitting in the middle of the living room floor, sobs.