Original subtitles

It's for you, Benjamin.

- Hello?

- You don't get it, do you?

It's for you, Ben.

Only for you.

- Wanna play hide and seek?

- Gotta study.

- What's it say?

- It doesn't say anything.

It's numbers, you know, math?

- Sure. Like counting hide and go seek.

- Okay. - Count to a hundred.

- That's too high to count.

You could be on the moon by then.

- No way.

I've gotta find a good place to hide or you'll find me.

- I'll find you anyway.

- Not this time. - I'll find you.

1, 2, 3...

53, 54, 55.

90, 91, 92, 93.

99, 100.

Ready or not, here I come!

Ricky?

You up?

- Hey, that's no way to treat a love letter.

- It looked more like a paper airplane to me.

- You should have opened it.

It might've had a thousand dollars in it.

- You just don't give up, do you?

- Should I?

- Not necessarily.

- There's my desk.

What do you mean?

- Yeah, I convinced the psychology department

that I just had to be the second TA for Psych 400.

Well, good for you.

But this is your desk over here.

Have you got keys for the office yet

or were you planning to lose mine?

- Are you kidding?

- I'll get some for you.

I've gotten kind of fond of my own.

- I am looking for the new teaching assistant for Psych 400.

Are you aware at Eric Baxter?

- Uh, yeah. Why?

- I need your help.

I'm in the class.

- You? - Sure.

What's wrong with that? Huh?

Look, I didn't have the money before.

I'm not cool to room temperature yet.

- I'm sorry, I didn't mean... - No, it doesn't matter.

But I've gotta know how I did on the test.

- Well, this is my first day.

The other TA should be back in a minute.

- Look, I've gotta know now!

If I can't keep my grades up, I lose my loan.

And if that happens, I'm through at school.

Are you listening to me?

I've gotta know now or it's all over for me!

- Hey, I really think you're overreacting.

- No.

No, I've got a meeting at noon,

and if I can't keep my grades up and prove it, then...

You've gotta find those.

Here it is.

- Well, it's still early. Surely you can...

- Professor Noxx!

- Who are you going to call?

- The police, I guess.

- He did something like this to me too, Eric.

- What, some kind of ongoing experiment?

- It's a test of something quite simple.

A cliche, actually.

"The buck stops here." You've heard of it?

The question the experiment asks is what happens

when it stops?

I'm studying how people react to it.

If it had been for real, this place would be a mess by now.

- And exactly what was I supposed to do?

- Help, that's all.

There's no exactly to it.

Just something to think about.

You know, next time,

crazy bastard might be for real.

- So what did you do?

- I ran out in the hall screaming for help.

- So we both killed him.

Name? - John O'Learchy.

- Name? - Benjamin Dobbs.

- Oh, here's your paper airplane.

Not a bad paper airplane at that.

Name? - Kristen McNalty.

- Yesterday, I promised to tell you

about a real case of major league insanity.

Now this is not a case with big knives or running showers.

This is a case of a person turning against himself.

It all started with a series of increasingly violent dreams.

- Mom, Dad wake up!

- Subconsciously, this man felt that he had wasted his life

to such an extent that he created a demon

to destroy himself.

Finally, the patient lapsed into a catatonic state,

an escape from loneliness into total self-absorption.

He didn't move.

He didn't speak.

And he was in his own mind, nonexistent.

The only time he moved after that

was when he collapsed and died.

So all of you be good to your minds,

and they'll be good to you.

Remember, if you're in my experiment today,

be there at three.

- Professor Noxx?

Could you read this? - Assuming it's in English,

I can.

What is it?

- Just a dream, I guess.

- I'll give it a look.

- Thanks.

I've got to go.

Dr. Bruce, telephone, please.

Dr. Bruce. - Benjamin Dobbs, right?

- That's right.

- This is your last session, Benjamin.

I wanna ask you a question before we get started.

What was the first dream you ever had that you can remember?

- I haven't thought about that in a long time.

- Well how old where you?

- Four or five at most.

I've got a red balloon on a string

and my mother's carrying me.

I'm watching the balloon.

I think that balloon is the greatest thing ever.

Maybe the first thing I've ever been given to hold.

All I want to do is grab the string

and have the balloon again.

- Good.

Now, since this is your last session,

we're gonna try something a bit different.

- How so?

- Relax, we're not gonna cut you open.

The only difference is that this time

we're gonna give you a sleeping pill.

It's a mild sedative.

It makes it sound like a drug and drugs scare people,

sleeping pills don't.

Any objections?

- No, I guess not.

- Come on up here with me.

Your parents won't mind.

I'm only going ask nicely once.

There's plenty of room up here

You might as well get used to it.

This is your dream and they won't be the last to die.

- Hello? - Is this Ben?

This is Professor Noxx.

- Yes, Professor Noxx.

- Ben, I just finished reading

what you gave me this afternoon

and was wondering if you could come over here now

and talk with me about it?

- I mean, sure.

Just tell me where you live.

- Can you find it?

Good. See you soon.

- I found you.

Wanna play hide and seek?

Good. Come in.

Well do you think your dream is the start

of some mental problem?

- I'm not sure.

- Maybe you think it's like the case

I talked about in class.

- I'm afraid I slept through most of it.

I was awake all night, writing all that down.

- Nevermind that.

Your family in the dream, are they still alive?

- My folks are dead.

I never had any brothers or sisters.

- Has anything even remotely like your dream

ever happened to you in real life?

- No, absolutely nothing.

- The dream, is it always the same?

- They're like a chain hooking onto each other.

I don't wanna know where it's going to end.

- Where are you now?

- I found you.

Time for bed, Ben.

- I reach out to take his hand.

Then I realize I can't feel anything.

I can't feel anything!

Did I fall asleep? - No.

You were wide awake.

Look, for whatever assurance it might be,

you're not going crazy.

We're both way over the edge.

Before you came here tonight, I started reading these again.

And your dream kept going.

Your non-existent brother Ricky

was standing right here.

We have things to do before we go to sleep.

- "D.F. White, a single man in his middle 20's,

claimed he had never dreamed

until after a blow to the right side of his head

he received in a car accident."

- What about you?

- I haven't had any dreams since I was a kid.

Until recently.

- Well, everyone dreams,

you just chose not to remember yours.

- The psych experiments.

They taped those things to my head.

- Well they didn't cause you to dream,

but they have made you aware of dreams

you've been suppressing.

White's dreams. Hmm.

What does it say about them?

- "In contrast to White's gentle, uneventful life,

the dreams were wild and increasingly violent.

Despite medication, the nightmares worsened.

He lapsed into a coma and died within a year's time."

- No, that's not it.

Here's a picture of White.

Now there's a book that quotes from White

on the content of the dreams.

I'll go look at the journals.

Maybe I'm not remembering it correctly.

- What do you remember?

- What we both saw. The dreams.

White had the same dreams 20 years ago.

- "The patient explained his nightmares

as punishment for forgetting all his dreams."

- It comes for me out of the emptiness of my dreams.

It kills everyone that I ask for help

and leaves me there to walk through the blood.

- Found it.

All gone.

I'm all that's left now.

As long as I'm alive, it will keep on killing.

Only I know that it takes the victims

and hides them in the nightmares

because if enough people knew,

they might stop it.

Can't you hear them, Ben?

It's a poem, a song of death.

Listen to our new friends and lovers.

The dead.

- Hello, Julie?

Well, why not?

- I have to go over some tapes.

- Well, why tonight?

Are you graduating tomorrow or something?

No, I'm sorry. I just can't.

- Yes, operator, I have a number for a Dr. Harold Noxx,

but I can't seem to get through.

What is the number?

- The number's 724-1962.

- That is correct. I find no such number.

- Well, do you have another number?

I find no listing for a Noxx, Harold.

- That's impossible.

- There is no number. Thank you.

- Excuse me. Could I talk with you?

- Sure. What's your name?

- Ben Dobbs.

Have you seen Professor Noxx today?

- No, he didn't show up for class.

- Then I need your help with these.

- Why don't you have a seat.

- Over the last couple of weeks, I've been having

these dreams.

Nightmares, really.

I wrote down last night's dream.

I talked with Professor Noxx about them.

I'm afraid something has happened to him.

- What do you mean?

- I don't know.

I can't tell where the dream ends anymore.

- Look, I don't have any idea what you're talking about.

- Look, if we can, if we can find another copy of this,

it tells about a case exactly like mine.

- What is it? What's wrong?

- There were pages missing from that book.

Now they're all there, aren't they?

- What was on the pages? - A case!

A man with dreams like mine.

- Look, I think you oughta sit down.

Tell me about your dream.

- Those pages are gone like that article

never existed at all.

- Where's your dream take place?

- It's a big, cavernous place.

Girders hold up the roof.

Made of rough concrete.

And there's this huge set of concrete trap doors.

- Wait a minute.

There's something I want you to see.

- This place really exists.

- Trap doors are here too

- But they're closed.

They were always open in my dreams.

That's where it came from.

- They're always closed.

- Maybe it's trapped down there.

Or trapped up here.

- It's called déjà vu.

You feel like you've been here before.

The truth is you probably have

or been somewhere like it

and the rest you make up from anxieties.

- Maybe it's over.

What'd you find?

- I just dropped my keys.

Seen enough?

Hello?

Hello?

God, I hate it when that happens.

Here.

You can have these back.

- Well, I'd still like you to read them, if you could.

- I'd rather not.

I mean, it's very personal.

I mean, now that you know the reason.

- No, I don't mind, really.

- Okay, sure.

Come back tomorrow. Same time.

- Thanks.

I know where you live.

I could come by your house tonight.

- No, just come back tomorrow.

Julie, where the hell have you been all day?

- Eric, can you come over to the lab?

- Why? - Sorry,

I was up late with some dreams about a balloon.

There's something you've gotta see.

Please. I'm scared.

- I guess so. ls 5:30 soon enough?

- Thanks.

Have you seen Dr. Noxx?

His phone number has been disconnected.

I don't know. It's like he disappeared.

- "White claimed that everyone he knew

was destroyed by it,

wiped away so completely

that not even their names were left

to show they'd ever existed."

Hey, wait a minute!

Don't follow me!

- Then stop running!

- Give me that!

What's a matter, dumbass?

Haven't you ever seen a hand before?

What are you waiting for, a tip?

- My name is Ben Dobbs.

I think you know me.

- Ben Dobbs?

Can't be.

- Now wait a minute. I need to talk to you.

- I'm nothing.

Just a bad dream.

- Nothing around here seems very real,

but it's not just a dream anymore.

- You know that much already.

Well, there's something else

you better remember, Ben Dobbs.

- What's that?

- Whatever you do, don't lose that piece

of paper in your pocket.

- Tell me what's gonna happen!

- Be careful leaving.

- What's in here? What's after me?

- Dreams.

Long forgotten dreams.

I'm starting to rot and go insane.

Get out of here now!

- You might as well come back, Ben.

In here, out there,

the past, the future,

it's all the same now.

I've loved and waited for you so long.

I've been so lonely,

I think I'm mad.

- It's here some place.

- It's getting late. - I know it, just...

- That guy was in my office this afternoon.

I didn't think I'd ever get rid of him.

- His name is Ben Dobbs.

This was his last dream session.

I can't feel anything!

I can't feel anything!

- This tape wasn't like this before.

- He's been having these dreams about the old studio.

Really wild stuff about something being after him.

- I don't understand what's wrong with this tape.

- Oh, come on, Julie.

I mean, he saw the studio in a dream.

That's strange, sure,

but it's not worth spending the night on, is it?

- No, no. I guess not.

Where are you going?

- I'm just gonna get a drink of water.

- Look, I promise we'll leave real soon, okay?

- Good.

Let's leave this after hours crap

for when we get paid overtime.

- Where did this come from?

- Hey.

Hey, are these yours?

What is it? A broken pipe or something.

- Rain.

- Rain?

It hasn't rained in weeks.

- Shake.

- Eric?

What's the matter?

- Nothing.

Hey, let's get out of here.

- Sounds good to me.

I'll just go lock up.

What's wrong?

- Come on!

- Just some lights being shut out, right?

- Yeah. Where's your car?

- Well, not close enough.

Are you sure you'll be all right?

- My parents are home. I'll be okay.

We have to find Professor Noxx.

- Dobbs gave me some things to read.

I'll call you as soon as I find something out

and then we'll find Professor Noxx.

- Goodnight. - Bye.

"Gone to stay with Grandma.

Will call tomorrow."

Great.

On the one night in my entire life I want them home.

- Okay. Ben.

Let's see this bear.

I'm standing in the rain.

A man comes up to me and says, "Shake."

I reach out my hand to do it but then I see

the man hasn't got any arms.

The man throws his head back and laughs loudly.

He cackles with glee as he changes into a,

a hideous thing.

- Got you.

Never touched

a dream before?

Don't worry. I won't kiss you again.

- Why are you doing this to me?

- You forgot about us, Ben.

We never forgot you.

- Why me?

- Don't feel so bad.

You're not the first.

And you're not the last.

You're simply next.

- There's a mirror in here some place.

You've been running straight towards it all your life.

It shows everything you don't want to see.

- What's happening?

- You're already the next link in the chain.

It started way back there in the past

when the first person forgot that first dream.

We all hate you for it.

- You can help me stop it.

- No, I can't, Ben.

I'm already dead.

Beyond dream's door is where horror lies.

Where love may sleep with sorrowed eyes.

Where demons await to greet the ones

who dare not reach it's darkened shores.

Beyond dream's door, tomorrow dies.

For demons keep not human ties.

To dreamers dead and dreamers dying.

Souls on fire with fear of flying.

Falling fast beyond the door where trouble grows.

And feet touch earth instead of rows.

To this end, some may go.

A one way trip into the coal.

Red hot with ash from wasted dream.

Beyond the bonds that might redeem.

Shake.

- Hello, Julie. Are you okay?

We're not home right now.

But if you would like to leave a message,

please do so after the tone.

We'll get back to you.

Thanks for calling.

- Go away, dammit. I'm awake.

I'm awake!

- Help me.

Please, help me!

- Julie?

Eric?

- Too late.

- Come on.

- Ben?

Ben, come on inside. Professor Noxx just got here.

Professor Noxx has the book.

If you bring the missing page,

we can figure the whole thing out.

Come on. Stay with me, honey.

I want another kiss.

- Stop the car. I wanna get out.

- No you don't.

Are you alright?

Come on.

- Where are we? - My place.

Damn.

- Let's get outta here.

Come on!

- But this is my apartment.

- We'll be safe here. This is my place.

- Did you leave it that way?

- I can't remember.

- What was in it?

- Some kind of teeth.

I found them by the trap doors today.

- It's covering itself.

Nothing can be left to show it exists.

Not Noxx's house,

my apartment,

or any of us.

Look we're safe as long as we can prove

it's real and stick together.

Look, this is what it wants.

It's the only thing left that proves that this is real.

- And what about us? - We can stop it.

We could trick it back into the trap doors

where it came from.

It's out there now.

- Well you stop it. It's your nightmare.

Everybody you bring into it dies!

- Look, you're right and I'm sorry,

but it's too late now, all right?

- Too late for you! - Wait!

It's not just my nightmare anymore,

it's yours too!

Once we're gone, it will start all over again

with someone else.

I know you're out there,

and I know where you're from.

You'll have to kill me now.

I won't spread this any further.

- Got something for you, Dobbs.

Nothing, really.

Just a kid scared of his own dreams.

Stupid, really.

Why you don't even remember us and you're scared.

It's been fun, Ben.

And now it's time to die.

- I hid it.

- If it's hid than no one's ever gonna find it.

- Can you take that chance?

I figured out most of it from what was left of D.F. White.

Somebody else could do the same.

- I don't know why we waste our time on you.

You're nothing but a dreamless, passionless,

gutless little shit.

- Goddammit, I left it at Julie's.

- Eric.

Eric.

Eric, it is you.

- I'm sorry. I didn't hear you.

- Oh, I was practically screaming my head off.

Why don't you come inside and have something to drink?

- No, thanks. I really have to be going now.

- Now I won't take no for an answer.

You look thirsty and Julie's inside.

- What did you say?

- I thought that'd get your attention.

- It's over. The sun's out.

It's over. The sun's out.

- I've just been doing some cleaning up.

Is lemonade okay?

- Where's Julie?

- She's down in her room.

- Julie? I was so worried.

- Here you go.

I'm almost finished cleaning up.

Will you stay for supper?

- What's wrong? Don't you want me to drive?

- Where are we going?

- We're going to see Ben Dobbs body.

He died last night, you know.

- But you're dead.

So are you,

you just don't know it yet.

The things that save can often kill.

- This isn't my problem.

A bite could be a kiss as well.

- I'm not involved anymore!

- Need some help there?

I almost forgot.

You're not involved.

Besides, I'm dead.

- Are you ready to help me now?

- You stay away from me!

- That'll keep me away but what about it?

I can't do it alone. I tried already.

- For all I know, you're dead too.

- If I were dead, all this would be over!

- Is this what you're looking for?

Leave me alone. I wanna sleep.

- Don't go to sleep.

You might have a bad dream.

All we want is that dirty scrap of paper out of that book.

- I don't have it. - Of course you don't

but I'm sure it's hidden here somewhere.

- Dobbs never hid anything here.

- Use it on yourself, Eric?

Use it now!

I can't imagine how much it hurts once it's got you.

- Don't.

It's gone for now.

- Well if I'd killed myself,

then there wouldn't be any proof.

- Exactly.

Then I'd have to go tell someone else

and it would start all over again.

- Do you have the page it wants?

- No. It's the only thing that's keeping us alive.

It feeds on the joy of killing us.

- What happened to Julie and Noxx?

Where'd they go? - They used me

to get into this world,

but it moves back and forth.

It took them with it.

- So that piece of paper is real physical proof.

And if somebody else found it,

they might eventually figure it out.

- It doesn't want anything left after we're dead.

I can't tell you where it is.

This isn't over yet.

- Then let's finish it.

Can it get through that?

- It sure can.

We'll have to lose it in the maze.

- You sure know your way around here pretty well.

- It's been home for going on two days now.

- Bet you hate to leave it.

- Now you wait here.

It's tricky down here, especially with that foot of yours.

- That was quick.

- Let's go this way.

Eric?

That sounds close.

- It sure does. We better hurry.

- Wait a minute.

- Don't let it fool you. Come on.

It's just around the next corner.

This way!

- I know another way in.

Well that leads into the men's room.

From there you can come down and open the door for me.

It's common knowledge. People do it all the time.

- All right.

It's okay.

- What happened? It was open before?

- It's always locked on weekends.

Come on.

- What?

- Seeing as how these aren't my keys,

they should work, right? - Let's hope so.

- The page it wants is down there.

And I'll be down there with it.

You hide up here with this.

Once it's in there with me, let go of the rope.

- You'll be trapped with it.

- I brought it up here.

It'll chase me until it gets that page,

but it's not going to catch me.

- I'll get it.

Ben, can I ask you something?

- What?

- Why'd you forget your dreams?

- When I was nine years old and my parents were dead,

I thought I was the only person in the world

who knew my name.

I didn't have time for any kind of dreams.

- I got it.

- Here. Take this.

Eric?

- No!

A dream can save,

a dream can kill.

It's bite could be a kiss as well.

For nightmares are but dreams unfound.

Things untried and left to drown.

Beyond dream's door where horror lies.

For those who search only for what's been found.

And hear the noise but not

the sound.