Tales from the Darkside

Man lives in the sunlit world

of what he believes to be reality.

But... there is,

unseen by most, an underworld.

A place that is just as real

but not as brightly lit.

A dark side.

Ah, that sounds lovely.

Oh, dinner would be great.

Yeah, she should be here any minute.

Oh, you.

-(boy coughs) -Oh, hang on a minute.

No, no, no, no, everything's fine, yeah.

Now, you sure you don't want me to meet you, huh?

You're going to come here?

Well, l'm gonna see you in a minute.

Okay, yeah, bye-bye.

Honey, now, l told Jennifer

you could stay up just as late as you want to, huh?

But try not to get overheated this time, will ya, huh?

-Okay? Okay.

Oh, hi, Jenny. Come on in.

Hi, Mrs. Warren.

You are such a sweetheart

to come over here at the last minute like this.

But... oh, with Harry away...

lt's okay. l've got my homework.

You look really pretty tonight.

Where are you going?

Oh, just a reception, down at the high school.

JENNlFER: Uh-huh.

Oh, l thought that was on Thursday.

-You going with Mrs. Townsend? -(boy coughing)

No, uh, Mr. Scott

was kind enough to offer me a ride.

-Uh-huh. -How's your dad?

-Real good. -(mechanical whirring)

He always complains when he's this busy, though.

l wish Harry had stayed in the vacuum cleaner business

instead of what it is he's doing now.

Course, uh, l'm still not sure what that is.

Well...

-(clattering) -Oh! l don't know why

he can't invent a closet with everything where l want it!

BOY (calls): ls that Jennifer?

Yeah, it's me, Buddy-- l'll be right in.

Oh, Jenny, ever since Harry's been away,

now Buddy has spent all his time in his father's workshop.

-Like father, like son. -(laughs)

Where is it?

-Oh. And, uh, Jenny? -Mm-hmm?

Buddy's having his coughing spells again,

-Okay. -but don't let it scare you this time.

They're gonna go away after a minute or two.

You just, uh, you keep him quiet.

-(car approaches, tires squeal) -Yes, ma'am, l will.

-(horn honking) -Oh, uh, there he is.

Oh, uh, Jenny, l didn't have time to give Buddy a supper,

but there's hot dogs and there's baked beans in the oven,

and, uh, l set the timer to go off when they're ready.

Okay.

-(parakeet squawking) -Night, now.

Shut up! Shut up! -Oh...

l wish Harry would teach that thing something more... refined.

Shut up!

Oh, and l'm gonna call you from the reception.

Buddy, honey, Mama's leaving.

Bye-bye.

Shut up! Shut up!

-Have a good time. -Thank you.

Oh, and, uh, would you let the dog in if he barks?

JENNlFER: Mm-hmm. (laughs)

-Good night. -Good night.

Jennifer, when are you gonna come in

and look at my new inventions?

Buddy, you all right?

-Hi, Jennifer! -(laughs): Hi!

How you doing?

Look, l got all new things!

Yeah, l can see.

Wow, they're really great.

Well, who's that one?

That's Fork Man-- he destroys all the bad ones,

-then he eats them. -Mm-hmm.

Bottle Man can climb up walls!

-And Pin Man can pinch ... -Hey, Buddy. Buddy, Buddy.

Listen, don't get too excited, 'cause l promised your mom

-we wouldn't this time. -l know, l know.

l remember the last time you got so mad when l started to cough.

l wasn't really mad, Buddy. l...

l was just a little scared, that's all.

l've been making something else, Jennifer.

Want to see it?

Mm-hmm.

Press it.

(rhythmic, breath-like whooshing)

(breath-like whooshing continues)

(breath-like whooshing continues)

lsn't it superb?

lt's me Eater, my Noise Eater.

(breath-like whooshing continues)

Do you like it?

Um...

Yeah.

lt's cute.

What does it do?

Watch.

-(click) -(toy whirring)

(tortured squeaking, whirring stops)

See?!

: Yeah, but, um, what happened?

lt ate its noise-- there's no more noise.

Oh, that's neat.

-Your dad build this for you? -No.

He started it, but l finished it.

He's been gone a long time anyway.

He's still away at that convention, huh?

l think the Eater's great, Buddy.

l'm impressed.

Seriously, l am.

Hang on a sec.

You gonna talk to your boyfriend all night?

How do you know it's him?

Hello?

Hi.

Yeah, l was hoping it'd be you.

Yeah, it's just me and Buddy, mm-hmm.

Um...

yeah, l think so.

-(dog barking in distance) -Yeah, l think she'll let me go.

Well, l should... l should be free, yeah.

Well, l mean, l wouldn't want to say,

like, definitely or anything, but...

No, that'd be good.

Oh, well, Buddy, he's just, like,

making one of these invention things, you know? But...

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' playing loudly)

Yeah, um...

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' continues)

JENNlFER (calling): Buddy, can you turn that down, please?

l can't even hear over the phone.

Go get 'em, Fork Man.

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' continues)

l am not gonna tell you why.

Yes, l do, too.

Why?

Would you stop it?

What?

Oh, my God, you are so sick.

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' continues)

Jennifer...

Buddy, look, l promise l'll be in in just a sec, okay?

We'll play then.

You gonna make out with him all night?

l am not making out.

Did you hear that?

: l know, really!

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' continues)

No!

(''Flight of the Valkyries'' ends, beeping stops)

l don't think anyone knew what you were talking about.

No, l wouldn't even know what you're talking about.

l don't know.

lt's not what l intended.

BUDDY (calling): Jennifer, come here, quick!

All right, Buddy, l'm coming. Hang on.

Please!

All right, um, listen, l really should go, all right?

Yeah, call me back a little later.

All right, bye.

Buddy? What's the matter?

(rhythmic, breath-like whooshing)

What's going on, Buddy?