Thriller s02e01 - Only A Scream Away

[michaellevenson]

In a sleepy English village Samantha and Robert Miller marry. The attendees gather outside the church as the happy couple come outside to cheers. The crowd gather round, confetti is thrown. Someone, unnoticed throws red paint over Sammy's dress.

In their bedroom at the Inn, Sammy wonders who could have done such a thing. Robert assures her that weddings have a strange effect on some people, it was probably a village practical joker. Tom the best man enters, after giving Sammy a kiss says," you're wanted downstairs Sammy, photographer wants some shots of you and the bridesmaids."
After she leaves Tom says to Robert, " asked around, I'm sure it's not one of our lot that did it."
Tom leaves and Liza enters, a lady in her 70's. Liza has brought Sammy up from childhood and is worried about Robert's driving when they are away on their honeymoon.

" I can't help remembering Sammy's parents both killed by a horrific car accident."
"And I'm a bit of a speed merchant, eh Aunt Liza? I promise with Sammy on board I'll drive like a little old lady on her way to evensong."
Liza a bit sad at losing Sammy," I'll miss her, but I'm glad she'll be such capable hands as yours Robert. I'll get everything ready in your new house for when you get back."
Robert beams," Aunt Liza, I can't thank you enough."
" Well I'm a very capable woman, why I never married, scared men away."
" You never married because you devoted yourself to Sammy."
Some time later Sammy and Robert are at their car waving goodbye, they drive off.
Meanwhile someone has entered their bedroom in the Inn, a man, unnoticed , we can't see who, but this person looks at the wedding gifts on the bed, and places a package of his own down on the bed, then leaves.

 

[michaellevenson]

A fortnight later, and just outside the village the realtor is in a windmill that has been converted to a house, a buyer is with him. The buyer is Howard Heston an American.
" A windmill, fantastic, I always wanted to live in a windmill, I'll take it."


Sammy and Robert pass in their car returned from honeymoon, the road 50 or so yards away, Sammy waves at the realtor.
Howard asks, " is that a sample of the local hospitality around here?"
" Ah, too late there Mr Heston, just married, they'll be neighbours of yours about half a mile away."
" Erm... that sounds chummy."
In their new house Liza and Tom await to greet the happy couple, Liza has got everything perfect, all the new furniture is here, all the wedding presents, everything ready for them. Sammy kisses Liza," oh Liza you've been marvellous , what are we going to do without you?"
" Well you haven't got rid of me yet, I can still visit can't I?"
Everyone laughs, " of course anytime," says Robert.
That evening Sammy and Robert relaxing on the settee, smooching and opening their wedding presents. Sammy picks up a little package, addressed to her only in her maiden name, she opens it, it's a single white glove, a child's glove. Sammy dismayed, " who on earth would send that? Just one and it's stained."
Robert looks at it, and finds in it a hand written note saying" forever and ever" , " the fingers are grubby , this has been worn, and a little stain in the palm, how odd. Someone is playing a joke and I can guess who."
Robert phones up Tom, who is in a pub after playing cricket, but he denies he's responsible for the glove.

The next day Sammy and Liza alone, Liza has brought round a cardboard box, in it all Sammy's toys and childhood items that she kept. There's a doll, a ornate decorated little ceramic box, Liza says it's a music box but Sammy can't seem to open it.
" There's a special way of opening it Sammy, I could never do it but you always could."
Sammy looks glum as she goes through the box , "it's no use Liza, I can't remember any of it."
"I remember when you were 5 Sammy, your parents had just died and you put all your toys away in this box, rarely got them out again."
Sammy goes into kitchen, Liza sees photo album in box, removes it and hides it under her coat on the couch.
That evening Robert is going through the box when he finds something in an envelope. " Sammy look at this," Sammy sees what Robert has found, a white child's glove.
" It's the other glove Robert, a matching pair, it must be."
" Yes, and both with the stain in the palm."

 

[michaellevenson]

The next day Sammy is alone in the house when the doorbell rings, it's Howard Heston, he introduces himself, he works for First Chicago Bank, here in England for a project, Sammy makes coffee and while in the kitchen hears music playing. She returns to Howard to see he has managed to open the music box that was on the sideboard.

" How on earth did you manage that Mr Heston, I just couldn't open it."
" Ah...there's a little trick to it, you twist this catch, pull the little lever on the side and press down and it opens. I had one as a child."
Robert returns from a game of golf and notices the sports car in the driveway.
After introductions Robert asks," that car of yours Mr Heston is it really as fast as it looks."
Heston says, " faster, it's an absolute monster, but flat out runs smooth as silk. I'll take you out in it sometime, or better still take it out yourself."
" I'd like to think you meant that Mr Heston."
Liza turns up and is introduced, Heston seems a bit uneasy and quickly changes his mind about staying for refreshments and leaves saying he has an important meeting at the windmill with a builder.

After he leaves Liza says, " funny he seems recognisable, can't think why."
Robert says ," just the American way to be sociable, I mean a chap who hardly knows you ,offers to lend his car."
Liza concerned, " you're not going to Robert?" Robert admits, " well I'd like to Aunt Liza."

 

[michaellevenson]

Heston keeps his word, the next day Robert is in Heston's car, Heston at Sammy's waiting for his return with his car.
Heston and Sammy chat about childhood.
Sammy says, " I don't remember much of mine." Heston is different, " oh I remember mine , every detail, even certain dates and playmates. Everything is wonderful as a child, everything laid out , your purpose and plans seem so certain, then the grown ups come and stop you and ruin everything."
Sammy a bit perplexed by this conversation, Heston seems very agitated," but you grow up too Mr Heston, we all do."
" Yes that's inevitable, but if you're really strong, you don't let that original goal get deflected. It's simple, if anyone stands in your way, just don't let them. "


Robert driving along a country lane, a twisty bendy road, Robert presses on the brake pedal, no reaction!! No brakes, the car leaves the road, and crashes.

Detective Sgt Sullivan and Liza gives Sammy the news, Sammy in tears," dead! No I won't believe it I WON'T Liza, I can't "
A little later Sammy in shock has been tranquillised in bed, downstairs Liza and Heston, the latter upset, " I feel so responsible, he said he was used to handling fast cars."
" I think you better go Mr Heston."
" I'd like to stay a bit if I may to explain to Sammy."
" I shouldn't think she'll want anything to do you with you Mr Heston."
" It's unfair to blame me."
" Maybe but life is unfair sometimes, to be honest I wish this family had never set eyes on you."

The following day Heston has turned up again, Sammy dressed in mourning black, Heston says Liza blames him, but Sammy doesn't and Heston suggests she spends some time away from the house and the memories, he has a place, but Liza walks in. " That won't be necessary Mr Heston, Sammy and I are leaving tomorrow, abroad for a few weeks, and shouldn't you be getting back to The States, your bank, First Chicago wasn't it, funny a friend of mine has done business with them and they can't recall you."
Heston defensive, " it's a big concern lots of divisions."
" No doubt, goodbye Mr Heston, I don't expect to see you here again."

 

[michaellevenson]

The next morning Liza opens her garage door at her place nearby to Sammy's, pulls up the shutter and gets in the car and starts it up. Suddenly the shutter door closes, Liza gets out to reopen door, but it won't open its been locked.
" Hello, is anybody there?"
No answer, she gets back into car and turns engine off, BUT IT WON'T SWITCH OFF. She takes ignition key out, but it still won't turn off. Smoke is filling the garage rapidly , she opens bonnet to look at engine, there's nothing she can do, she tries again banging on the door for help, choking she collapses.
Sammy checking her watch realises Liza is late picking her up. She gets in her car and drives off to Liza's. Sammy arrives, smoke is pouring out of the garage, Sammy opens door, Liza unconscious on the floor.
Later Liza in bed, doctor in attendance, he turns to Sammy, " I'm very sorry, but with Carbon Monoxide there's no chance."
Sgt Sullivan asks Sammy, " do you know who would want to do this to your aunt?"
Sammy crying, " no ..no I don't know of anyone who would want to do this."
Liza stirs in bed awake but dying, she points to dressing table. Sammy says , "what is it darling what can I get you?"
Liza whispers ," top drawer album."
Sammy takes out the photo album that previously Liza had taken without Sammy knowing. Liza opens album....but then dies.
Detective Sgt Sullivan opens album, sees pictures of mainly Sammy, plus a few with a little boy, " mean anything to you?"
Sammy looks at pictures," just me as a girl I suppose."

 

[michaellevenson]

That evening, it's rainy and windy, Sammy gets a phone call from Heston.
" Sammy, I found out something about Robert's death, it might not have been an accident. I've phoned Sgt Sullivan, can you meet us at the windmill right away?"
Sammy agrees, phones Tom, and drives out to Heston's windmill, she runs into the windmill getting a bit drenched in the process.
Heston's voice calls down, " Sammy come on up, we're at the top floor." Sammy climbs stairs and enters bedroom at very top of windmill. No sign of Sullivan or Heston. Suddenly Heston's voice is heard, it sounds really strange, childlike in tone.
" I'm here Sammy, can you find me....hiders seekers....finders.. keepers."
Sammy is perplexed, " Mr Heston what an earth!!" She walks further into room, Heston giggles, "you're getting warm Sammy....warmer..and ...found me."
Heston leaps out from behind wardrobe.

Sammy is not amused, " Mr Heston where is Sgt Sullivan, what is this news about Robert's death Mr Heston."
Heston shuts door and locks it, he puts key on bed.
" Come now Sammy, you know my name isn't Heston....try D'Arcy, Giles D'Arcy."
Sammy recognises the name, "Giles D'Arcy was my friend when I was a little girl, you can't be him, Giles was English."
" People change Sammy, and one's accent depends on where one's lived these past decades."
Sammy desperately trying to remember, "yes I remember Giles went away to America, I was 5 years old."
Heston childlike giggling, " you remember Sammy, I remember it all, our love for each other, how we took a blood oath, we cut our palms and mixed our blood, nothing is more sacred than that. The gloves I wore, we both kept one each."



Sammy remembers the incident and realises, " so it was you who sent that glove."
" Yes Sammy, and can you imagine how I felt when I came back and saw you about to betray me."
" But Giles, I was FIVE years old."
" So I realised it wasn't your fault, it was theirs, your husband and your aunt's, so they had to go. Like I killed your parents."
Sammy shocked," no Giles, they died in a car accident."

" They wanted to move away, take you away from me, so remember that morning in the garage. I knew a lot about cars, I fixed it , and when the authorities find out what I'd done they sent me away to a special school to cure me! Cure me? I didn't need curing, I was just in love."
Sammy struggling to remember, " I remember my parents...in my child way I understood it was because of my special friend that my parents were no longer here."
" And remember Sammy I always said I wanted to keep you safe in an ivory tower."
Heston picks up the hairbrush and other ornaments on dresser, " all ivory Sammy, and no one will keep us apart, if they do we'll go someplace they can never get to us."

 

[michaellevenson]

Heston takes out of his jacket pocket a small vial of liquid and a syringe. Sammy backs away and as Heston puts ivory stuff back on dresser, she grabs door key from bed.
Heston proudly points to dresser, " do you like it Sammy, I've got all your favourite things, say you like it Sammy."
Sammy has an idea, " no Giles that ivory I hate it get rid of it."
" Okay Sammy," Heston removes ivory ornaments and then Sammy picks up doll from dresser, " this doll I hate it."
She hurls doll across room, Giles/Heston is shocked and bends down to pick it up screaming, " SAMMY THAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE DOLL."
He turns, Sammy has opened door and is running down windmill stairs, Giles runs in pursuit, " Sammy! Sammy come back."
On the ground floor Sammy runs to open front door , Heston grabs her, takes syringe out of pocket, opens vial, the front door pushes open, Tom runs in, Sammy pushes Giles/Heston away, he collapses on floor, the syringe sticking out of his chest, he gasps, " forever and ever...Sammy. "
Heston dies, Sammy comforted by Tom.

Cast;
Sammy.....Hayley Mills
Heston.....Gary Collins
Liza....Joyce Carey
Robert...David Warbeck
Tom......Jeremy Bulloch
Sullivan...Barrie Fletcher

On to next episode

Thriller s02e02 - Once The Killing Starts

Professor Michael Lane teaches at Cambridge University no less, a teacher of engineering and physics. It's Sunday morning and at their Cambridge home his wife Elizabeth is getting ready for her regular church attendance. She hopes Michael will come with her, but he's now an agnostic, though...

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