"HISTORY 101"
by Eric Hiers
First Draft- 3/5/02- 3/22/02
Opening Credits.
Open to: Brooks County High School. Three days before FilmBUFFS.  JON HITCHCOCK is walking down the hallway. Beside him is his friend, SASHA. They are on their way to class.
JON-
I'm sorry, movies like Titanic or Pearl Harbor don't appeal to me. They claim to be true, but in reality, they are just fictional stories set against the backdrop of an actual event.
SASHA-
I don't care about that. They are good movies, Mr. Critic. 
JON-
It's a matter of opinion.
SASHA-
They make you feel for the characters. Can you honestly say you didn't feel sorry for Leonardo DiCaprio at the end of Titanic?
JON-
Yeah. I didn't feel anything for the character. To me, that was James Cameron's worst movie. I mean this is the guy who did Terminator and Aliens for God's sake. How can he go from classics like that to a movie which mimics Love Story on a boat?
SASHA-
He moved up in the world.
JON-
Sasha, you know I would never say anything negative about you, but you are out of your mind.
SASHA-
Can you honestly say you felt something at the end of The Terminator?
JON-
Yeah, a craving for the sequel.
SASHA-
Did you feel sad?
JON-
No. I don't see how someone can get so worked up in a movie that they actually cry at the end of it.
SASHA-
This coming from the guy who cries every time he sees Sweet November.
JON-
Well that's different. You know how that movie brings back bad memories of a certain ex of mine.
SASHA-
Yeah, and how you two watched that movie together and how her name was the same as the girl in Sweet November. I know.
JON-
Anyway, enough of that.
Jon pushes his book bag strap back onto his shoulder.
JON-
Can I borrow your calculator for 4th period?
Sasha nods and they stop. She reaches into her book bag and pulls out a calculator and hands it to Jon.
JON-
Thanks.
Jon puts the calculator into his pocket.
SASHA-
You're welcome.
They start walking again.
JON-
I don't get it, Sasha. First, it was the first week of school. Her and that little slut, Andrea, were playing games. She led me on that whole week and it hurt when she told me that she was doing it. Then she did again last week for Homecoming.
SASHA-
You shouldn't worry about that, Jon. Don't you have a big history exam this period?
JON-
I'm not worried about a history test, Sasha. History is in the past. I mean if I worried about every trivial exam that I had, I'd blow up.
SASHA-
And you wonder why you have poor grades.
JON-
Not now, Sasha. I don't think I can take any judgment at the moment.
Jon and Sasha come up to the History room. They stop.
SASHA-
All judgment aside, I think you should try to forget about that certain little band geek. There are other fish out there.
JON-
Fish? I don't want a fish. I want a girl. I don't know about you, but I'm not into interspecies relationships.
Jon and Sasha both laugh.
SASHA-
I'll see you later, Jon.
JON-
Okay bye. Sasha.
SASHA-
Good luck on your test.
Jon waves back at Sasha. She walks down the hall. Jon walks into the classroom.
CUT TO: U.S. History Class. Jon sits in his desk, drawing a picture of Spider-Man, when he should be writing notes.
TEACHER-
Now that we've got the notes out of the way, let's take the test.
The class groans. The teacher starts handing out test papers. When Jon gets his test, he starts marking answers, not caring if they are wrong or not.
CUT TO: Lunch. Jon walks out of the lunchroom and into the library. He sees NIKKI sitting at a table. He walks over to the table.
JON-
Look at this band geek.
Nikki looks up at Jon. Jon sits down at the table.
NIKKI-
Hey.
JON-
Hey. What're you doing?
NIKKI-
Just my homework for Mr. Futch.
JON-
Doing your homework twenty minutes before you have to go to the class it's due in. Tsk, tsk. It's a shame.
NIKKI-
At least I do my homework, unlike someone at this table.
JON-
I'm not hating. It's good you do your homework, because in the end it can save you from failing.
Nikki nods and continues doing her homework. Jon sits there for a moment, looking at Nikki's homework.
JON-
So, what are you doing tomorrow night?
NIKKI-
Jon. I like you. You are a good guy. I really like you. But I only like you as a friend.
Jon's face starts to dull.
NIKKI-
I'm just not looking for a boyfriend right now. And if I was, I don't feel anything when I'm with you. You know, that special feeling's just not there.
Jon sits there in shock. He cannot believe what she just said.
JON-
Your mother’s making you do it, isn't she?
NIKKI-
No, my mother loves you. She always has.
JON-
It’s because of Tom, isn't it?
Nikki just stays silent.
NIKKI-
I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends.
JON-
Yeah, I've heard this clichéd speech before.
NIKKI-
I still like you, Jon. I just don't "like you" like you.
Jon gets up and puts his chair under the table. He does not want to hear anymore of this. Nikki looks up at him.
JON-
Nikki, I'm not good at rejection, okay. I'm sorry.
NIKKI-
Please don't hate me.
JON-
I'm out of here.
Jon walks out of the library.
CUT TO: After school. Jon stands outside, leaning against the brick wall. Sasha walks up to him.
SASHA-
What's the matter?
JON-
Nothing.
SASHA-
So, you've got this morose vibe going for nothing? Come on, I know you better than that.
JON-
I said it's nothing, Sasha.
SASHA-
It's Nikki, isn't it?
JON-
I don't want to talk about it, Sasha.
SASHA-
You shouldn't worry about it.
JON-
Well, I am.
SASHA-
It's because of Tom, isn't it?
JON (frustrated)-
I don't know. I think so. It probably is.
SASHA-
What did she say?
JON-
She just wants us to be friends. She says that's all I've ever been to her, just a fucking friend. She's done this shit twice now and I've had it. I can't take it anymore.
SASHA-
It's not the end of the world, Jon.
JON-
I've got to go, Sasha. I'll talk to you later.
Jon walks to his car and gets in it. Sasha just stands there and sighs. She cannot stand to see her best friend hurt. Jon's car speeds out of the parking lot.
CUT TO: Jon’s room. Jon lies in his room, staring up at the ceiling. Lifehouse is playing on his radio. His television is on, but he is not watching it.
Jon is thinking about Nikki. He does not get why he is so crazy about her. She is younger than him and she only seems to use him. But then there are those times where they just seem to connect. She understands him more than Sasha does sometimes.
Jon jumps up and turns off the radio and the television. He grabs his car keys and walks out of his room.
CUT TO: The living room. XANDER, Jon’s brother sits in front of the TV, watching it. Jon walks by.
XANDER-
Where are you going?
JON-
I’m going to try to get lost.
Jon walks into the dining room and ERIC walks into the room.
JON-
Eric! What are you doing walking into the house without knocking?
Eric just shrugs as if to say, “so what.”
JON-
Are you here to watch the Spider-Man bootleg again?
Eric nods.
JON-
Well, Xander’s in the living room.
Eric nods and gives Jon the thumbs up. He walks past Jon and goes into the living room.
CUT TO: Jon driving down a dead street. Linkin Park is playing on his radio. Jon turns onto a dirt road. He comes up to a dead end. He stops his car and parks it in front of an abandoned church. He gets out of the car.
JON-
Whoa. Talk about jeepers creepers.
Jon grabs his Root Beer and CD player and walks over to the church. He starts whistling “Jeepers Creepers” as he walks.
He stops and looks at the church. It is really creepy.
JON-
If I’m to die, at least it’ll be soon.
Jon walks into the church and looks around. It is dark. Jon puts on his headphones and turns on his CD player. Pink Floyd comes on the CD player.
CRASHING NOISE.
Jon pulls the headphones down and looks around. He sees something in the shadows. He steps back and sees writing on the wall. It is in Spanish.
Translated it says- Say these words and you will open the gates of time.
JON-
What is this? Dige estos palabras y tu puedes abrar la puerta de tiempo. What does that mean?
The room lights up and everything turns white.
SHOOT TO BLACK.
FADE IN: 1400s. Western Europe. Jon opens his eyes and looks around. He is in a castle. He looks around in confusion.
JON-
Where am I? How’d I get here?
He hears girls laughing in the background. Jon’s eyes widen.
JON-
Oh shit.
Jon jumps up to his feet and looks for some place to hide, but there is no place to hide. Jon talks under his breath and the door opens. He jumps behind the door. Three 1400s teenaged girls walk into the room.
CHRISTINA (GIRL # 1)-
My parents are trying to betroth me to King William’s son.
MARIAN (GIRL # 2)-
You should respect your parents’ wishes, Christina.
MARY (GIRL # 3)-
Parents do not understand. They are stubborn, Marian. My parents have me marrying a peasant boy name Locksley.
CHRISTINA-
I just wish I could walk in here, my thinking spot, and find my true love.
Jon, caught up in Christina’s beauty, looses his balance and falls to the ground. The three girls scream.
MARIAN-
Dear Lord.
MARY-
It’s a boy.
CHRISTINA-
And he’s in my room.
Jon gets up.
JON-
I am so sorry. I don’t know where I am or how I got here? Where am I?
CHRISTINA-
Where do you think you are?
JON-
America?
The three girls look at each other, confused.
CHRISTINA-
America? Where is this America?
Jon’s eyes widen.
JON-
Where is this?
CHRISTINA-
Europe.
JON-
Oh--- Europe?
CHRISTINA-
Yes, good sir.
Jon walks over to the window and looks out it. It is definitely not America. He turns around and Mary and Marian have walked out.
JON-
Where are they going?
Jon is scared that they went to get some guards.
CHRISTINA-
They wanted to leave us alone.
JON-
Why?
CHRISTINA (changing the subject)-
Are you from this- America?
JON-
Yeah.
CHRISTINA-
Are you the king of America?
JON-
No, there is no king of America.
CHRISTINA-
There is not a king of America? How can that be? Do you not have someone who commands you and rules over you?
JON-
No, I’m not married.
CHRISTINA-
How far is America?
JON-
It is right across the Atlantic Ocean.
CHRISTINA-
Good sir, there is nothing out in the ocean. If you keep going, you will go off the edge of the world.
JON-
Are you having a blonde moment or what? I know you Europeans ain’t that stupid. This is 2002; you should know that you will not go off the edge of the world, because there isn’t an edge of the world.
CHRISTINA-
Have you hit your head, good sir? This is not 2002; it is the year fourteen hundred and fifty-two in the year of our Lord.
Jon’s eyes widen.
JON-
How can that be?
CHRISTINA-
It truly is.
JON-
This is a joke, right?
CHRISTINA-
I joke you not. It is the year I say it is.
JON-
How did I get here?
CHRISTINA-
That is something I cannot answer, good sir.
Jon walks over to the window and stares out it.
JON-
I think I’m going to be sick.
He sees a figure in black walking away from the castle.
JON-
What is going on? Who is that man?
Christina walks over to the window and looks at the man in black.
JON-
That man looks familiar. Who is he?
CHRISTINA-
I do not know. He may be here for the sacraments.
JON-
Sacraments? What are sacraments?
CHRISTINA-
A ritual of faith where you are sprinkled with water and claim Jesus Christ as your savior.
JON-
A baptism.
CHRISTINA-
A what?
JON-
A baptism. That’s what they are called where I come from.
CHRISTINA-
Oh.
JON-
What is with all the mass baptisms and all?
CHRISTINA-
I beg your pardon?
JON-
Why is everyone getting baptized or sacramented?
CHRISTINA-
It is written in the Bible that we must all be followers of Jesus Christ. It encourages us to go into the world and preach the word to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized, as you say, will be saved, but whoever does not will be damned to Hell.
JON-
Wow. Kind of harsh.
CHRISTINA-
I suppose things are different in America?
JON-
Yeah, they are. In America, religion is not forced on you. You either choose to believe or you don’t.
CHRISTINA-
Do you believe?
JON-
Where I come from, it is hard to believe, and sometimes I doubt there is a Benevolent Being, but deep down inside I know there is. So, yeah, I believe.
Christina smiles and there is a long pause between her and Jon.
CHRISTINA-
Can you take me to America?
JON-
I would love to, but I don’t know how I, myself will get back to America.
CHRISTINA-
Oh, you must try.
JON-
Wouldn’t your boyfriend miss you?
CHRISTINA-
Boyfriend?
JON-
A suitor, I guess is the word you would use.
CHRISTINA-
No, I don’t have a suitor.
Jon smiles. He is forgetting about Nikki. He is all into this 15th century princess now. He leans forward to kiss her, but his CD player falls out of his pocket. Christina and Jon look down at it. Jon bends down and picks it up.
CHRISTINA-
What is that?
JON-
It’s a CD player. It’s something from where I came from.
CHRISTINA-
What does it do?
JON-
It plays music.
CHRISTINA-
Ooo, it plays music. Play me something on it.
JON-
Well, you don’t play it. It’s not an instrument. It plays the music itself.
Christina jumps up.
CHRISTINA-
Witchcraft. Deviltry. Are you a witch or a warlock, good sir?
JON (confused)-
Witch? Oh no. I’m not a witch. It’s an invention.
CHRISTINA-
Invention?
JON-
An advancement in technology. There are a lot of advancements where I’m from.
Christina still is hesitant. Jon gets up and takes her hand.
JON-
Trust me. I’m not a witch or anything like that. I may be a dog, but I’m not a witch.
CHRISTINA-
You are a dog?
JON-
Don’t worry about it. What kind of music do you like?
CHRISTINA-
There is only one kind of music.
Jon and Christina sit down. Jon turns on the CD player.
JON-
I’m assuming Van Halen is too much for you, so let me think--- did Tobey put a slow song on here when he burned it for me?
Jon searches for a slow track. It comes up to “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper.
JON-
Here’s one.
The music continues and suddenly the room lights up and everything turns white.
SHOOT TO BLACK.
FADE IN: 1800s. An abandoned house. Jon opens his eyes and looks around. He looks even more confused now.
JON-
This has to be a dream.
He gets up and hears yelling.
JON-
Where am I now?
MAN (yelling)-
This’ll teach ya, boy!
Jon slowly walks over to the door and slowly opens it just a crack. The brightness of the outside nearly blinds Jon. He groans and closes his eyes until he can adjust his sight to the light.
Outside a white man is whipping a slave severely and cursing at him.
MAN-
Ya can’t do a damn thing right, can ya boy! Ya ain’t worth shit!
Jon fills up with anger. He feels sorrow for the slave and utter hatred for the white man. He is about to bust through the door and help the slave, but a hand from the darkness grabs him and pulls him back.
Jon turns around to look at the person that pulled him back. It is a slave girl, who looks exactly like Sasha, but it’s not Sasha.
JON-
Sasha?
RUTH (the slave girl)-
Are you out of your mind? That crazy white man is beating the black off of David and he doesn’t need your help.
JON-
I wasn’t going to help that white guy; I was going to help that black guy. He doesn’t need to be beating on him like that.
RUTH-
That’s how it’s always been. The white man have always enslaved us for years and beat us.
Jon realizes where he is.
JON (to himself)-
How is this happening?
RUTH-
Why would you try to help David? He is black and you are white.
JON-
I’m not with those crazy crackers who enslaved yall. I’m not from around here.
RUTH-
Where are you from?
JON-
Some place far away from here.
RUTH-
You act like in this place the white men don’t enslave black people.
JON-
They don’t. Things can get bad between the two once in a while, but basically we’re all equal.
RUTH-
Equal? White folks and black folks, equal? Did you sniff some bad stuff, mister?
JON-
You can call me Jon. I’m not your master. I’m your equal.
RUTH-
You are a white boy. I am a black girl. We are not equal, Jon.
JON-
We are…. What is your name?
RUTH-
My name is Ruth.
JON-
We are equal, Ruth. Why wouldn’t we be?
RUTH-
Whites and blacks will never be equal. White men want black boys just to plow their fields that they are too lazy to plow themselves, and they want us black girls just to rape when their stuck up white wives don’t want to put out. There’s your equality, Jon.
Jon is astonished. He would be even if the girl in front of him did not look like his best friend. He is scared and ashamed of what his forefathers had done.
JON-
My god. Did someone rape you, Ruth?
RUTH-
If my two sons were here, you would know the answer.
JON-
But you look only seventeen or eighteen. How old could your sons be?
RUTH-
I was thirteen when my first son was born and I was fifteen when my second was born.
JON-
Oh my god. Where are they? Why ain’t they with you?
RUTH-
Samuel was run over by a carriage and Paul drowned in the lake.
Jon is devastated.
RUTH-
Both of my children are dead because of carelessness of the white man.
Jon is about in tears. It is like Ruth is Sasha.
JON-
I am sorry, Ruth.
RUTH-
I don’t want your pity, Jon.
JON-
I wish you could see the day when whites and blacks and all races live as equals. I wish I could take you back with me.
RUTH-
Well, if this place exists, take me there.
JON-
I don’t know how, Ruth. I don’t know if I’ll ever see the place again. But I know your descendants will.
RUTH-
You are crazy, Jon.
MAN (v.o.)-
Where is your sister, boy!
RUTH-
He’s coming for me. I’ve got to get out of here.
Ruth runs out the back of the house. Jon falls to a sitting position on the ground. He sits there in a daze.
JON-
I can’t believe all this.
He leans forward and picks up his CD player. He puts his headphones on his head.
JON-
I need to listen to some music and get my mind off of this.
Music starts playing on the CD player. Jon sighs. The room lights up and everything turns white.
SHOOT TO BLACK.
CUT TO: 1918. World War I. Jon looks around. He is in trench. Two rats are on his legs, fighting over a severed hand. Jon yells out. A hand grabs Jon and pulls him out of the trench. It is a soldier.
Bombs are going off all around the two.
JON-
Where are you taking me?
SOLDIER-
We’re getting out of here!
They run continuously and suddenly the soldier is shot in the back. Both Jon and the soldier fall to the ground. Sprinkles of the soldier’s blood is on Jon’s face.
SOLDIER (taking off his dog tags)-
Here, take these back to my family and tell them that I, Norman Hitchcock, died fighting for the common good January 7, 1918.
Jon’s eyes widen. This soldier was his great grandfather.
JON-
Oh my god.
SOLDIER-
Now, get out of here.
Jon looks to the side and sees a strange dark figure in a soldier costume.
SOLDIER-
Get out of here!
Jon gets up and runs as fast as he can. He keeps on running and running as bombs and gunshots go off all around him.
SHOOT TO BLACK.
FADE TO: The next morning. Jon lays on the ground asleep. He awakens and looks around. The place is deserted now.
JON-
I must be dead or something.
Jon takes off his over shirt.
JON-
It’s fucking hot out here.
Jon gets up.
JON-
I’ve got to find somebody. I’ve got to get some shelter and figure out what the Hell is going on.
Jon grabs his shirt and CD player and starts walking. Behind him, footsteps sound. Jon stops and slowly turns around. A fist clothed in black comes across Jon’s face. Jon hits the hard ground, blood dripping from his nose.
Jon looks at his attacker. It is the figure he had seen twice before. He is clothed fully in black. He looks like a cross between a mugger and a GI-Joe villain. He is called the TIME BANDIT.
The Time Bandit kicks Jon in the side. Jon rolls over in pain and gets to his feet. Jon tackles the Time Bandit, knocking him to the ground. The Time Bandit knocks Jon off of him and gets up.
Jon tries to get up, but the Time Bandit kicks him in the face. Jon falls back in pain. He tries to get back up, but the Time Bandit kicks him in the face again.
Jon falls back, his face bleeding. The Time Bandit grabs him by his hair and then punches him in the face.
Jon falls back onto his CD player. The music starts playing and both Jon and the CD player disappear. The Time Bandit looks up towards the screen and then turns around.
CUT TO: July 20, 1969. Jon drops onto the front yard of a nice looking Georgia home. He is unconscious, with blood and mud all over him.
A teenaged girl walks out of the house. She is mad about something. Her name is ANNA.
ANNA (talking to herself)-
I hate band. I hope when I have children, they don’t want to be in the band. I haven’t seen anyone as band crazy as my parents.
She walks up to Jon and gasps.
ANNA (softly)-
Oh my god. (loudly) Mom! Dad!
PAN DOWN TO JON. FADE OUT.
CUT TO: Inside the house; about four or five hours later. Jon slowly awakens in a bed. He has been cleaned up. At first he thinks he is in his bed back at his house, but he does not see the television or the movie posters, so he knows he is not in his room. He sits up and at the foot of the bed is Anna.
Jon stares at her. There is something familiar about her. Like he has seen her or met her before.
JON-
Where am I?
Anna turns around and smiles at him. She walks over to him.
ANNA-
You are in my brother’s room.
JON-
What is today? What is the date?
ANNA-
It is July 20, 1969.
Jon’s eyes widen. He exhales hard.
JON-
(to himself) 1969? I’m getting closer to home. (to Anna) Where, what town is this?
ANNA-
Hollow, Georgia. My name is Anna Hines. What’s your name?
JON-
Um, Jon Hitchcock.
ANNA-
Like the director?
JON-
Yeah, but I’m not related to him.
Anna sits down beside Jon on the bed.
JON-
You said this is your brother’s room. Where is your brother at?
ANNA-
Oh, Mark? He is in Vietnam.
JON-
Oh. Where is my CD player at?
ANNA-
Your what?
JON-
It’s a small plastic thing. It’s about this size. (he mimics the size of the CD player with his hands)
ANNA-
Oh I don’t know. My dad brought you in. He might know where it is. I’ll go downstairs and you can change into some of my brother’s clothes in the closet.
Anna leaves the room. Jon looks around.
CUT TO: Moments later. Jon walks down the stairs, in some dorky 60s clothes. Anna and her parents are waiting in the living room for Jon. They all three stare at Jon strangely.
JON-
Hey?
ANNA-
Hey. Mom and Dad, this is Jon Hitchcock.
When Mr. and Mrs. Hines turned around, Jon recognized them instantly. He knows them, he knows Anna, and he not only knows but is in love with their granddaughter, Nikki. Anna is Nikki’s mother.
JON-
Oh my god.
Jon shakes Mr. Hines’s hand and then Mrs. Hines’s. He could not believe his luck.
MR. HINES-
Nice to meet you, Jon.
Jon nods.
MR. HINES-
What had happened to you? We found you pretty banged up.
JON-
I don’t know, sir. I was attacked by some man and the next thing I know, I’m in your house.
MRS. HINES-
It must have been a mugger or something.
JON-
I don’t know what it was.
ANNA-
Mom, Dad, is it all right if Jon stays here for a while? I imagine he is still a little shaken up about what happened to him.
JON-
Actually I need to get on home. Did you find a CD player--- anything beside me?
MR. HINES-
Yeah, a strange looking ashtray.
Mr. Hines goes over to his desk and gets the CD player, headphones, and Sasha’s calculator.
MR. HINES-
Now, what are is this thing?
JON-
They are a new kind of headphones. My cousin in California got them for me.
MR. HINES-
Oh. (He hands everything to Jon) But do stay tonight. We are having a cookout. Today, we are supposed to land on the moon. It’s going to be broadcasted on television. You shouldn’t miss it; it’s history in the making.
JON-
I’ve had my share of history.
MR. HINES-
I insist on it.
CUT TO: That night. Everyone is outside. Mr. Hines is cooking hamburgers on the grill. Jon and Anna sit in lawn chairs talking.
ANNA-
So, tell me about where you’re from.
JON-
It’s a lot different. The schools are not as safe, I’m sure. If you make someone mad, they’re liable to blow you away.
ANNA-
Wow. Do you have any girls back there?
JON-
Yeah. I have two.
ANNA-
Two?
JON-
They are just friends of mine that happen to be girls. Sasha is like my best friend. We’ve known each other for years. Though she thinks I’m a lazy homophobic sexist, I still love her. I’m sure I am at times. She’s really special to me. I don’t know what I would do without her. I really miss her.
ANNA-
What about the other girl?
JON-
Nikki is--- well she is different. She gives me so much heartache and pain, but yet I always come back for more. She’s a few years younger than me. She’s about your age. She’s in the band.
ANNA-
Oh, I hate band.
JON-
Band has its good points.
ANNA-
Like what?
JON-
Wait until you hear about band camp.
Jon smiles.
JON-
But back to Nikki. She’s like this demonic she-beast that just loves to screw with my emotions, but I love her. I mean I love this girl. When I look at her, I see a future. I mean I see us a few years down the road, together, and a few more years down the road, still together. I mean, I see children, I see grandchildren, I see happiness. At long last, I see happiness. It’s like it’s fate, fate that Nikki and I be together. But she doesn’t seem to see it that way. I don’t know how much more I can take of this. I feel like just giving up, you know? Go out and find someone else. But other times, I just wanna be with her, holding her. I’m not talking about anything perverted or anything along those lines. I’m just talking about just sitting there, holding each other, maybe kissing. But just holding her is enough for me. I mean she’s got her life ahead of her. She doesn’t need me to take it away from her. She doesn’t even need me.
Anna sits in awe.
JON-
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be burdening you with my problems.
ANNA-
It’s all right. You must really love Nikki.
JON-
If I don’t, then I don’t think I could handle real love.
Anna nods.
CUT TO: Later on. Jon and Mr. Hines talk beside the grill.
MR. HINES- (talking about the “perfect burger”)
That’s all you have to do.
Jon nods. Anna sets the table in the background. Jon and Mr. Hines turn around and look at her. They smile at each other at each other and Anna walks back inside.
MR. HINES-
She’s got a thing for you, Jon.
JON (sighs)-
I know, sir.
MR. HINES-
You know, you have my approval to ask her out.
JON (shocked)-
I would, sir. But--- I’ve got to get back to where I belong.
MR. HINES-
I understand, Jon. We’ve all got to be where we belong.
Jon nods and shakes Mr. Hines’s hand.
MR. HINES-
I’ll see you later, Jon.
JON-
Much later.
Anna comes out of the house.
ANNA-
Dad, Jon. They’ve landed on the moon. Come and see.
CUT TO: The living room. Everyone looks at the television, looking at the footage of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.
NEIL ARMSTRONG-
That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
Jon stares into the television. It is time for him to go home. He walks outside.
CUT TO: Outside. Jon stands looking at the moon. Anna walks up behind him.
JON-
They are actually up there. At this very moment, Neil Armstrong is walking on the moon.
ANNA-
Yeah, it’s amazing.
JON (sighs)-
I’m going home, Anna.
ANNA-
Why?
JON-
I don’t belong here. I belong---
ANNA-
With Nikki?
JON-
Yeah. But it’s not because of her, it’s because I belong there,
ANNA-
Will I ever see you again?
JON-
You can count on it.
Anna smiles.
ANNA-
Goodbye, Jon Hitchcock.
JON-
Goodbye, Anna.
Jon kisses Anna on the cheek and walks off into the darkness. He puts the headphones on and puts the calculator in his pocket. He turns on the CD player and he disappears.
CUT TO: April 20, 1999. Littleton, Colorado. Columbine High School. Jon appears behind a locker. A girl screams in the background. Gunshots can be heard.
Jon-
Oh shit! What the fuck's going on?
A girl runs around the corner and right into Jon. They both fall down. The girl screams.
DAPHNE (the girl)-
Oh God. Who the Hell are you?
JON-
What the Hell’s going on?
MORE GUNSHOTS.
Daphne screams. Jon and Daphne get up.
JON-
Come in here.
Jon and Daphne run into a dark room and close the door. Daphne hides under the teacher’s desk. Jon sits right beside her.
JON-
What’s going on here? Where the Hell am I?
DAPHNE-
Are you high or something?
JON-
What the fuck is going on?
DAPHNE-
Two guys are shooting up classes. I escaped them.
JON (lying to the girl to get her to tell him where he is)-
Well, those guys tied me up and dragged me here. They stole my car. Where am I?
DAPHNE-
Columbine High School.
Jon’s eyes widen.
DAPHNE-
I’m scared. I mean, I don’t even know those guys and they just come into the girls’ bathroom and shoot Jennifer right in front of me.
JON-
Oh God, how’d you get away?
DAPHNE-
They shot at me and missed, but I made a still and Taylor Davis ran out of the bathroom and they ran after her before they could finish me off. I hope she got away.
JON-
We’ve got to get out of here.
DAPHNE-
One of my friends called the police on his cell phone.
JON-
Where is the nearest exit?
DAPHNE-
Well, down the hall and to the right, but---
JON (noticing the fire escape)-
Wait a minute, what about that? Where does that lead? That isn’t an old smoking area, is it?
DAPHNE-
Oh shoot, no it isn’t. I’m getting out of here.
Jon and Daphne run to the fire escape. One of the Columbine killers appears at the door and tries to open it. Daphne softly squeals and bends down to open the fire escape. Jon looks out the window and sees the Time Bandit standing out there.
JON-
Wait! (He grabs Daphne’s hand and turns on the CD player)
The door shoots open and the Columbine killer shoots his gun. Daphne’s head flies back at Jon with a big bullet hole in her head.
JON-
No!
Jon lets go of Daphne’s hand as the room lights up and he disappears.
CUT TO: Hollow, Georgia. March 13, 2022. Jon lies on the ground, his CD player beside him. A person in a Halloween mask steps on the CD player, crushing it. Jon gasps and the Halloween masked goon growls at Jon. Jon gets up and backs up against a wall in fear and the Halloween masked goon walks off into the darkness.
JON-
What the fuck’s going on? Where am I?
Jon looks to the side and sees a group of homeless people gathering around a fire in a barrel.
JON-
Oh God.  Where the hell am I?
A cloaked figure materializes behind Jon and grabs his shoulder. Jon gasps and the figure pulls him up to his feet.
ORACLE (the figure)-
Come with me, Jon. 
JON-
Who the Hell are you?
The Oracle throws Jon into the darkness.
CUT TO: The Oracle’s lair. Jon is thrown in the dark warehouse and the Oracle walks in and closes the door.
JON-
Who the Hell are you?
ORACLE-
A friend, let’s leave it at that. There is little time.
JON-
Time? Fuck time! Time isn’t on my side today, I’ve been from the 1400s all the way to where ever the Hell I am now and I am sick of all this shit. I just want to get home.
ORACLE-
It is 2022, Jon and if you don’t listen to me, this will be your home. Now shut up and listen to me, before it is too late!
Jon sits down at the wooden table.
ORACLE-
You are in your hometown of Hollow, but you in 2022, not 2002. When you disappeared all those years ago, the whole town was searching for you. All we found was your car and your Root Beer bottle. Everyone assumed you dead after a while. But I knew different. I searched that church and I found that inscription on the wall. I tracked down the origin of that inscription. Then I realized what happened. The inscription dated back to a time in Spanish history long forgotten. For centuries, man has tried to travel through time and a long Spanish civilization, called the Sinos, figured it out nearly two millennia ago. They disappeared from both Spain and history. They are only remembered as urban legends.
JON-
Where’d they go?
ORACLE-
They went through time and modeled history the way they saw fit. But like in every group, there was a bad apple. This bad apple tracked down each Sino and killed them. Now they are all extinct, with the exception of him.
JON-
Who is he?
ORACLE-
You have seen him everywhere you’ve gone on your time journey. He is dressed in all black and his face is shrouded in darkness. I refer to him as the Time Bandit. He has caused everyone you met on your journey to die. The princess, the slave girl, all of them.
JON-
Even Anna?
ORACLE-
From a certain point of view.
JON-
Explain.
ORACLE-
He went back to 2003, on the one year anniversary of the day you disappeared at a ceremony for your memory and murdered everyone there, except for the forty-eight year old Anna Daines. He left her there, paralyzed in fear. The worst of the murders was that of her fifteen year old daughter, Nikki.
Jon’s eyes widen and start to water.
JON-
No, not Nikki.
ORACLE-
I’ll relieve you of the details of young Daines’s murder. Her mother, Anna, however, jumped from her hospital window a few weeks later.
JON-
Why? Why did he do that?
ORACLE-
In the future, young Hitchcock, you were to stop him and restore the order of things.
JON-
Me? But I’m just a stupid teenager; I couldn’t stop someone like that.
ORACLE-
You were to do it when you were forty-seven years old. But he went back and killed everyone you loved and will kill you if don’t go back in time and stop him. For that it is where he going to kill you. Before you go back to the 1400s. Wear this wristband (he hands Jon a metallic wristband) and you will remain alive if he kills the past you. But if you remove it and he kills the past you, you’ll have five minutes before you will seize to exist. If you fail and he does kill the old you, you must kill him. Only then, shall all time be restored.
Jon looks at the wristband and puts it on.
JON-
But I don’t have anyway to go back. My CD player was destroyed.
ORACLE-
Give me another device.
JON-
But I don’t have another device.
The Oracle reaches into Jon’s pocket and pulls out Sasha’s calculator. He takes it to the table and starts chanting the Spanish inscription.
ORACLE-
Dige estos palabras y tu puedes abrar la puerta de tiempo.
Jon walks over to the Oracle and the Oracle hands Jon the calculator.
ORACLE-
Punch in the date, underscore, hour and minutes in military time, underscore, and then the seconds, and then the EQUALS button to go back. But fair warning, the Earth will not be functional forever, so be careful.  What time you go to.  Not even your wristband can save you in that situation.
Jon types in 4132002_650_00.
JON-
Who are you?
ORACLE-
I told you, a friend.
Jon sighs. He is about to push to push the EQUALS button.
ORACLE-
Hey Jon.
Jon looks at The Oracle.
ORACLE-
Love that Spider-Man bootleg, man.
Jon realizes who the Oracle is and smiles. He presses the EQUALS button. The room lights up and…
SHOOT TO BLACK.
CUT TO: October 30, 2002. Jon appears in the church. He looks around. He is back. He smiles and looks down and gasps. His past self is on the floor, dead.
JON-
Oh God.
He looks outside and sees the Time Bandit standing outside, waiting for him.
JON-
You bastard!
Jon runs at the Time Bandit and gets ready to knock him down, but the Time Bandit kicks Jon down. Jon falls to the ground and the Time Bandit shoves his right foot deep into Jon’s chest. Jon groans and coughs out some blood.
The Time Bandit breaths heavily and stares down at Jon. Jon lays there, weak and beaten. It does not look good.
JON-
What are you waiting for?  Kill me!
The Time Bandit squats down beside Jon and grabs Jon’s neck.
TIME BANDIT-
Go where your heart is and I will be waiting for you.
Then the Time Bandit bolts out of frame. Jon forces himself up to his feet. The Time Bandit is gone.
Jon gets in his car and speeds off after the Time Bandit.
CUT TO: Jon’s house. JESSE and BRANDON walk down the street.
JESSE-
I don’t think he’ll have it.
BRANDON-
Jon’s Mr. Movies. He’ll have it and if he don’t, he’ll know where we can get it.
JESSE-
Why do you want to see this movie so bad?
BRANDON-
It’s got some fine ho naked in it. Full frontal.
Jon speeds past them and drives into his garage. He gets out of the car.
BRANDON-
Yo, Jon man! Do you have The Last Picture Show?
JON-
Not now, man.
Jon runs inside.
BRANDON-
What a focka! What a motherfucking piece! Let’s go down to Eddie’s.  I’m sure he’ll have it.
CUT TO: The living room. Jon runs into the room. Xander is watching television.
XANDER-
What’s your deal?
Jon is breathing hard.
XANDER-
The girl who’s got your heart called.
Jon’s eyes widen. He was wrong. The Time Bandit did not mean Jon’s home. He meant Nikki. Jon runs out of the room.
CUT TO: Jon getting into the car. His car phone rings. Jon answers it.
TIME BANDIT-
Come to the old slave house.
JON-
The slave house? But I don’t know where----
CLICK. The Time Bandit hung up. Jon throws the phone down to the floor and starts up the car. He speeds off.
CUT TO: The old slave house. Jon parks the car behind some bushes and walks up to the house. He looks up through a hole in the floor of the house. He sees the Time Bandit standing in front of Nikki, who is tied to a chair.
NIKKI-
What is going on?
The Time Bandit starts pacing back and forth, but does not answer Nikki’s question.
NIKKI-
Why are you doing this?
The Time Bandit looks at Nikki, but still does not answer Nikki.
NIKKI-
Who are you?
The Time Bandit pulls out a knife and shoves it deep into the table beside Nikki. Nikki gasps.
TIME BANDIT-
Shut up!
The Time Bandit pulls the knife from the table and puts it away. There is a hand gun on the table. The Time Bandit pulls out a cell phone and dials a number.
TIME BANDIT-
Your boyfriend sure does take his time. (He hangs up the cell phone) If I were you, I’d wonder if he really cared about you.
PAN BACK TO THE TABLE. The gun is gone.
GUNSHOT.
The Time Bandit drops the cell phone. He looks up to see Jon, with the gun.
NIKKI-
Jon.
TIME BANDIT-
Big bad boyfriend to the rescue.
NIKKI-
He is not my boyfriend.
TIME BANDIT-
Are you going to take that from her, Jonny boy?
JON-
Shut up.
Jon keeps the gun pointed at the Time Bandit, while he unties Nikki.
NIKKI-
What’s going on, Jon?
JON-
It’s complicated, Nikki.
The Time Bandit throws the knife at Jon. The knife slices Jon’s hand, making him drop the gun. The Time Bandit grabs Nikki and pulls out another knife and puts it to Nikki’s throat.
TIME BANDIT-
One move and she’s dead, Jonny Boy.
Jon stands still, holding his bleeding hand.
TIME BANDIT-
You shot my time machine, you little snot. Give me yours or you will float in the blood of your love!
Nikki is scared. Jon reaches into his pocket and pulls out the calculator.
TIME BANDIT-
Put in the date, January 7, 1985, 9:00 P.M. and give it to me.
JON-
That’s my birthday.
TIME BANDIT-
I know.
Jon hesitates, but he puts in the date and time and walks over to the Time Bandit and hands him the calculator. The Time Bandit quickly looks at the calculator and quickly looks back at Jon.
JON-
Just push the EQUALS key and you’re there.
TIME BANDIT-
Good. Now, give your time bracelet.
Jon hesitates, but he takes it off and hands it to the Time Bandit. The Time Bandit pushes Nikki into Jon’s arms and puts the bracelet on his arm.
TIME BANDIT-
Time to fly, Jonny Boy. See ya when ya come out.
CLOSE- UP ON THE CALCULATOR SCREEN.
It says 177985_2100_00 (January 7, 7985; 9:00 PM). The Time Bandit pushes the EQUALS key and disappears.  His scream slightly echoes where he used to be standing.
JON-
See ya in Hell.
NIKKI-
Where’d he go?
JON-
To a time that won’t ever happen.
NIKKI-
What?
Jon smiles and puts his arm around her.
JON-
I’ll explain on the way home.
The two walk out of the house.
CUT TO: Brooks County High School. Jon sits in class, taking the US History test. He is putting down the right answers and reading the questions, not just marking down some answers.
CUT TO: After school. Jon stands outside, like before. Sasha walks up behind him.
SASHA-
Hey, so how’d you do?
JON-
I think I actually passed.
SASHA-
Really? That’s great.
JON-
Yeah, I think I’m going to start being more scholastic and concentrate on my studies above all things. I’m even going to stay home tonight and study instead of going to the dance and watch Nikki be with Tom.
SASHA-
I’m proud of you. You’ve dropped the whole Pacey Witter attitude and got back to Dawson mode.
JON-
Thanks, Joey.
The two friends laugh.
SASHA-
So, I guess this means you’re not going to live a Pretty In Pink night at the Prom with me, Ducky?
Jon smiles.
JON-
Despite my new attitude towards school, “I will be and will always be a duck man” (quoting Jon Cryer in Pretty In Pink)
The two laugh and they walk off.
SASHA-
That made little sense, Jon.
JON-
Well, it was formatted to fit the little scene, Molly (Molly Ringwald was the star in Pretty In Pink)
SASHA-
I’m hardly Molly Ringwald.
JON (joking)-
Yeah, no one can ever top that luscious redhead.
SASHA-
You know, you should talk to Nikki and tell her how you really feel.
JON-
I have.
SASHA-
No, I mean REALLY tell her, not give her some terribly put together riddles and expect her to figure it out.
JON-
One step at a time, Sasha.
SASHA-
The sooner you do it, the less you’ll hurt.
JON-
You need a ride home?
SASHA-
I’d like that. Mr. Movies.
They walk up to the car.
JON (impersonating Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca)-
Sasha, “this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship”
They get in the car and drive out of the parking lot.
CUT TO: Jon’s House. A Few Weeks Later.  Nighttime. Nikki knocks on the back door. Jon comes to the door.
NIKKI-
Hey.
JON-
Hey.
NIKKI-
How’re you doing? I haven’t seen you at school in the past few days.
JON-
I’ve had a lot of tests to make up.
Nikki nods, understanding. Jon notices the car. It is Tom’s car.
NIKKI-
Yeah, that’s Tom, Jon.
JON-
I don’t mind.
NIKKI-
It was getting down to the wire and he asked me to the Winter Dance, so I said yes.
JON-
It’s all right.
NIKKI-
The guy I wanted to ask me didn’t ask me.
JON-
Nikki, I known you for a while now and I have been in love with you since I first met you. My life changed after I met you. People thought I was crazy, but I said to Hell with them. I loved you and didn’t care what anyone else said.
Nikki smiles.
JON-
Even after you led me on twice, I still love you.
NIKKI-
I’m sorry, Jon.
JON-
You don’t have to be sorry. We are all flawed creatures sitting around while others control our destinies. We don’t truly learn from history until we go through it ourselves.
NIKKI-
You’ve changed, Jon.
JON-
There’s a time for everyone to grow up, to change, to move on. It’s my time to move on.
Nikki looks at him confused.
NIKKI-
What?
JON-
Nikki, I’m two years older than you. I’m a junior, just barely, and you’re a freshman. I love you, but you don’t love me, so---
NIKKI-
I do.
Jon stares at her and smiles.
JON-
You do?
NIKKI-
Of course, I do. You dumb ass. I’ve been trying to get you to ask me out for weeks now. You just couldn’t take a hint.
JON-
Yeah. I guess I couldn’t.
There is a moment of silence between the two.
JON-
You know, I’m hardly in the right shape to go to a dance, so---
NIKKI-
Well, forget the dance. We can stay here and watch a movie or something.
JON-
No. You go on to the dance with Tom.
NIKKI-
I don’t love Tom, I love you.
JON-
I love you too, but it’s just not the right moment,
NIKKI-
Why?
JON-
We’re too young. It just ain’t right, not right now anyway. Give it a few more years, then we’ll see what happens. We’ve got plenty of time.
NIKKI-
I don’t want to wait.
JON-
Nikki, if it’s true love, it will still be there tomorrow and two years from now.
Nikki stands there, confused. Jon kisses Nikki on her cheek.
JON-
Go on. Go to the dance. Have fun.
NIKKI-
Are you sure you don’t want to come to the dance?
JON-
I can’t anyway. I have a lot of homework to do. I’ve got to get all my school work done if I am to graduate on time.
Nikki stands there and sighs.
NIKKI-
See you at school, Monday.
JON-
See you.
Jon walks inside his house and sighs. He walks up to his room.
CUT TO: Outside. Nikki slowly walks over to Tom’s car and looks up at Jon’s window, hoping to see him standing there and smile down at her. Only then would she know that everything would be okay between them. But he was not there.
CUT TO: Jon’s room. Jon stands there, banging his head against the wall. Stupid idiot. Screw school and homework, go be with Nikki, you dork. You dumb ass. He sobs and looks over at the window.
CUT TO: Nikki still looking up at the window. She sighs and gets in Tom’s car.

CUT TO: Jon walks over to the window and looks down at Tom’s car as it backs up out of his driveway and drives down the street. Jon sighs. It was over. The choice had been made.
LONG EXTERIOR PAN BACK ON JON STANDING AT THE WINDOW.
FADE OUT.