[Intro]
Female Voice (Echoed): Stay awake... Stay awake... Stay awake... Stay awake... Stay, awake... Stay awake!
Dave: Stay awake... Stay awake... Stay awake!
[Short silence marking the end of intro]
[Section 1]
Dave's thoughts: July 8th. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and... Everyone's dead. It's not what I though the end would look like, there are no bodies in the streets, no burning cars, no hoards of zombies picking off survivors. It's more like the world went to sleep and... Never woke up.
[Title Sequence]
Voiceover: QCODE and Wood Elf present: Thе Edge of Sleep. Starring Mark Fischbach. Created by Jakе Emanuel and Willie Block.
[End of TS]
[Section 2]
Dave's thoughts: The first night, before it began, I dreamed I was under the ocean. I was walking in a field of seagrass. Tall green stalks loomed over me, swaying in the dark water. As I pushed through the weeds, I could see something glowing. I followed the light, letting it guide me through the grass. I came across a whale. It was glowing, like an old neon sign. Seaweed dangled from its mouth. Or maybe it was growing there, like a great, long beard. The whale was enormous, the size of a battleship. It was like a sea monster out of an ancient myth. The beast turned to me and spoke.
The Whale: What did you bring me?
Dave: Nothing.
The Whale: Check your pockets.
Dave's thoughts: I checked my coat, and found a bottle of sleeping pills.
The Whale: Give it to me.
Dave's thoughts: I didn't question the Whale. I uncapped the bottle. The Whale sucked the drugs into his mouth, creating a vortex in the water. He suddenly lit up like a slot machine, and began to glow in a hundred different colors.
The Whale: I have a message for you. Beware of the elephant.
Dave: I-I-I don't understand.
The Whale: Next time, bring better presents.
[Background noise, undistinguishable voices, swells until interrupted]
Mateo: Dave!
Dave: What? What's up?
Mateo: What the fuck, man?
Dave: What?
Mateo:You just dumped your pills all over your desk.
Dave: No I didn't.
Mateo: Look!
Dave: Oh. Shit.
Mateo: What the hell, man, were you asleep?
Dave: No! Not— Alright, yeah.
[They both laugh]
Dave: Man, I just had the craziest dream.
Mateo: I shit you not, man. You were just sitting there mumbling to yourself. Then you started throwing your pills all over the fuckin' room.
Dave: Really?
Mateo: Yes! You psycho! I should've filmed you and uploaded that shit.
Dave: Oh man.
Mateo: You feelin' okay, bro?
Dave: Yeah, yeah. I just need a minute.
Mateo: Take as much time as you need, man. I'm gonna stretch my legs. You want somethin' from the machine?
Dave: Uh, yeah, I'll take a ginger ale.
Mateo: One ginger ale coming up.
Dave's thoughts: I was working as a night watchman at Dexter Labs, a tech company on the outskirts of Santa Mira, California. Most nights it was just Mateo and I. We'd spend our shifts talking about anything and everything. Sex, sports, politics. Whatever helped us pass the time... When it was just the two of us in a 100,000 square foot office compound, it felt like we were alone in the world.
Mateo: No ginger ale tonight, I got you a root beer.
Dave: Motherfucker.
Mateo: Tough shit.
Dave: I think I've got a dollar in my wallet.
Mateo: It's on me, my man. Happy Fourth of July.
Dave: Thank you.
Mateo: Here, I brought you some chips, too.
Dave: Why are you so good to me?
Mateo: 'Cause I'm stuck with you in this shithole.
Dave: Fair enough.
Mateo: Oh Jesus. There's still a couple of pills under my desk. You want 'em?
Dave: Yes. [He chuckles] Yeah, I do.
Mateo: They got some hair on em.
Dave: I don't care. Give 'em over.
Mateo: You gotta be careful with this shit, man. A friend of mine at the VA hospital was on this crap. One night he woke up and found out he'd driven to the parking lot of his kid's school. He had no fuckin' idea how he got there. He didn't remember getting out of bed and driving his car.
Dave: I know, I know man. It's just a temporary thing. I'm just trying to get used to... sleeping alone.
Mateo: You need someone to keep your bed warm? Give me your phone.
Dave: No!
Mateo: Come on, I’ll do it for you!
Dave: No way!
Mateo: Yup, tonight's the night, man! I'm signing you up. All the dating apps? We're doing this. It's easy. You create a profile, you write something like "Hi, my name is Dave, I'm 29 and I'm weird as fuck." And then you swipe right, swipe right, swipe right!
Dave: Sounds like the worst video game ever.
Mateo: Except, it's better than a video game because you actually get laid.
Dave: I'm not ready, man. Just— Maybe next week.
Mateo: What the hell are you waiting for? It's not like Katie's coming back.
[Dave says nothing]
Mateo: Oh, what? Was she the only girl who understood you? Are you so different and weird that you’ll never find love again? Bullshit. I know plenty of creepy guys in Iraq and they all have wives and kids and trust me, once you're back in the game you'll find all sorts of weird girls out there.
Dave: Okay... Alright. Okay, fine. If it'll shut you up, you can make me a profile.
Mateo: Shit.
Dave: What? What's up?
Mateo: Check out camera three.
Dave's thoughts: I looked over Mateo's shoulder on the security cam. A lone van had just pulled into the lab's parking lot. It sat with its engine running, alone in the darkness.
Mateo: Probably teenagers. I bet they wanna light up some fireworks. I got this one, hang tight.
Dave: You sure?
Mateo: Yup. See you in a few.
[Mateo leaves. Dave changes the radio station several times, then his phone starts ringing]
Dave's thoughts: When I saw who was calling, I froze. I looked at my phone like a bomb that was about to go off.
[Dave answers the phone]
Dave: Hi!
Katie: Hey.
Dave: Uh... Happy Fourth of July.
Katie: [She laughs awkwardly] Thanks, you too.
[Short silence]
Katie: I'm sorry if this is weird.
Dave: Nah, it's okay.
Katie: How are you?
Dave: I'm alright.
Katie: Yeah?
Dave: No, actually, that's a lie. I'm a complete wreck... I miss you.
Katie: I miss you too.
Dave: You do?
Katie: Yeah, of course. This wasn't easy for me, Dave. I'm sorry, I didn't call, but I thought it'd be easier if I didn't hear your voice.
Dave: So that's why you ghosted me?
Katie: I didn't "ghost" you.
Dave: Well, what would you call it then?
[Katie sighs]
Katie: I needed some space to think things through.
Dave: And what was I supposed to think. We were dating for two years and all of a sudden you texted me that you needed some time for yourself? And you went dark, you didn't return my calls or texts for three, weeks!
Katie: I had to do what was— right for me!
Dave: So why are you calling me now?
Katie: Because I care about you, Davey. And I'm concerned.
Dave: You're concerned?
Katie: Of course!
Dave: Well. I appreciate your concern, but, we've only been dating for a couple of years, and I've had this condition my whole life. I know it must have been hard for you, but it's really not your problem anymore.
Katie: Dave, you gotta understand. Most of that stuff didn't bother me. I mean, sure, it sucked that we couldn't go to the movies, or a museum, or binge watch TV. But I could live with all that.
Dave: So then what's the problem? We love each other, right? Right? Isn't that worth trying to work things out?
Katie: Maybe this was a mistake, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm just stirring things up.
Dave: Wait a sec, hold on. I-I-I just want to be able to understand. You know. I think I deserve that, at least.
Katie: You do... Haha... Oh, shit, this is really hard.
Dave: Katie, it's okay. Whatever you need to say, I need to hear it.
Katie: At the end of the day... I didn't feel safe.
Dave: Oh. Wow, um... Okay...
Katie: Every night I was going to bed scared. I was sleeping with a knife under my mattress.
Dave: Jesus Christ...
Katie: It was getting weird by the end, Dave. I didn't know what to expect.
Dave: I, I can't believe I have to say this, but you know I'd never hurt you, right?
Katie: I know that's what you believe.
[A car horn beeping twice can be heard from Katie's background noise]
Katie: Shit, that's Lisa. I've gotta go.
Dave: Katie, wait, did I do something to you?
Katie: Dave.
Dave: I need to know. Did something happen?
[The car horn beeps twice more, the first longer this time]
Katie: Listen, I gotta go! I'm going to Randy's party. If you get out in time, let's talk then.
[Katie ends the call]
Dave: Wait, Katie! Katie!
[Mateo comes back in]
Mateo: Hey, you okay, dude?
Dave: Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.
Mateo: I could use a little help with the outside. The van is... kinda sketchy.
Dave: Sketchy how?
Mateo: I don't know. It just is.
[They both leave]
Dave's thoughts: The lab parking lot was empty, except for one lone van with blackout windows. The engine was running. We could hear a shitty pop song playing inside the van. Mateo snapped a picture of the license plate. As we stepped closer, there was a fume that smelled off, kind of like cleaning products or burnt plastic.
[Mateo bangs on the van]
Mateo: Good evening, this is Dexter lab security. Someone in there? Hello? Lab security!
Man: Oh, hi! [He laughs] Sorry, I couldn't hear you 'cause of the music.
Dave: Sir, can you maybe turn the music down?
Man: What's that?
Mateo: Turn the music down!
Man: Oh, yeah yeah, sure. [He turns the music off] Sorry, I like to play my tunes so loud I can’t hear myself think!
Dave: Well, we're trying to tell you, sir, that we're with lab security, and our parking lot is closed right now, so we're gonna have to ask you to leave the premises.
Man: Oh, alright. I didn't know I was breaking the rules.
Dave: That's okay.
Man: Say, do you boys think you could spare a few dollars for a veteran? Given that it’s Independence Day?
Dave: Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure.
Mateo: Put your wallet away, Dave.
Dave: Okay.
Mateo: Where were you stationed?
Man: In Iraq.
Mateo: Wow. You saw some heavy shit, huh? How many tours you do?
Man: Two.
Mateo: [He whistles] Where'd they put you through BCT, up in Fort Carson?
Man: Yeah!
Mateo: Oh, okay. 'Cause Fort Carson doesn't have basic training. Get the fuck outta here!
Dave: Mateo, take it easy!
Mateo: Now!
Man: Is it just the two of you out here?
Dave: Uhh...
Man: It must be kind of dangerous, right? Just two unarmed guys, out here with all sorts of people up to no good... What do they even pay for this shit job? Minimum wage I bet!
Mateo: Fuck off!
Dave: Mateo!
[A quiet mumbling can be heard from the back of the van]
Dave: Is there someone in the van with you?
Man: It's my daughter. She's sleeping.
Mateo: Let us see her.
Man: I said she's sleeping!
Dave: Ma'am! Are you okay in there?
Man: Happy Fourth of July, fellas!
[His tires screech as he drives away]
Mateo: Hey! Hey! I got the fucker's plate, I'm callin' him in!
Dave's thoughts: As the trespasser peeled out, I noticed a bumper sticker on the back of his van. It said "Same shit, different party." It showed the two animals that represent our political parties. One, of course, was a donkey. And the other was an elephant.
[End of Section 2]
[Section 3]
Dave's thoughts: I asked Mateo to cover for me and left work early. I felt a little guilty, he seemed on edge after our encounter in the parking lot, but I had to see Katie. She said she was going to our friend Randy's, so that's where I was heading. On the drive over, I thought about the dream I had. The Whale. Its warning. And then I pushed it from my mind. I realized I was tired. I wanted this night to end. I just wanted to go home and get some sleep.
[He stops and opens his car door]
Dave's thoughts: When I got to Randy's, I knew instantly that I'd missed the party. When I entered the pool area, there was one straggler. Gus. A dealer I had met a couple times who I did not like very much.
Gus: 'Sup, bro? It's Connor right?
Dave: No! I’m Dave.
Gus: You're— you're not Connor from Huntington beach?
Dave: I'm pretty sure.
Gus: Well, I'm Gus.
Dave: Yeah, I know. We've met like three times. You're the drug dealer.
Gus: Yo, I-I'm sensing a little fuckin' 'tude from you, man, why don't you chill, alright? I don't want any hostility. I'm a cool guy! You just ask around, man, I'm friends with everyone.
Dave: I'm sorry. It's just been a weird night.
Gus: It's all good, man, you want something to take the edge off? I got some molly, I got some psilocybin, 25 milligrams, it won't fuck your skull, it'll just alleviate the stress and all the bad energy.
Dave: I'm good. Have you seen Katie around?
Gus: Nah, man. Nah, everybody bounced like quarter past four. You missed one hell of a party.
Dave: Where's Randy?
Gus: What, the host with the most? Oh, he's over there, he's passed out on the chaise man. Dude's fuckin' toast man, lights out.
Dave: Well, shit. I guess it's just you and me.
Gus: Heh. Yo, I didn't catch your name, brother.
Dave: I'm Dave.
Gus: Oh. Fuck, man. You're Dave? Like, the Dave?
Dave: Yeah?
Gus: Oh shit. You got some brass balls, comin' here tonight.
Dave: What the fuck are you talking about?
Gus: Ah, I'm just sayin', man.
Dave: You're saying what? What are you saying?
Gus: Well, I'm just saying. Randy was talking to that messed up girl, he— he got angry, man. He got really pissed.
Dave: What messed up girl?
Gus: The messed up girl, with her arm in a sling.
Dave: What was her name?
Gus: I didn't catch it. Bu-But after they talked, Randy was mad as hell, man, the rest of the party, he was fuming man. He said if you showed up, he was gonna "beat the shit out of you!"
Dave: If I showed you a picture of this girl, would you recognize her?
Gus: Yeah, for sure, man. I got a excellent visual memory.
Dave: [Dave shows Gus a picture of Katie] Was it her?
Gus: Let me see a couple more pics. Yeah that's her. Definitely.
Dave: Thanks for your help.
Gus: Hey! Where— Where are you goin', man?
Dave: I'm waking up Randy.
Gus: Yo, I don't know if that's the best idea. He's pretty fuckin' wasted and not exactly excited to see you, dude.
Dave: Randy! Hey, Randy! Hello? Randy? Randy!
Gus: Yeah, I told you man, he's out.
Dave: He's not breathing.
Gus: What?
Dave: What the hell did you guys give him?
Gus: Nothin'. Just some molly. It was totally harmless.
Dave: Randy! Randy!
[Dave starts to administer CPR]
Dave: One, two, three... One, two, three... Call 911!
Gus: No, hey, I can't, man. Not— not on my phone.
Dave: Well, motherfucker! Take mine! Come on Randy. One, two, three... Come on...
Gus: I-I-I'm getting a busy signal.
Dave: What!?
Gus: 911's fuckin' busy, man! Look, I'll put it on speaker!
[Dial tone plays from the phone speaker]
Dave: Here, help me lift him. We've gotta take him to the hospital.
Gus: I-I-I can't, man. I'm sorry. This really has nothing to do with me.
Dave: Well— just— help me get him to the car!
Gus: I can't be involved with any of this, okay? I gotta go.
Dave: Well, hey! Hey! Fuck!
Gus: I'm sorry!
Dave: Okay, alright, come on.
Dave's thoughts: I lifted Randy up and he was cold in my hands. I didn’t think about it. I just threw him in the back of my car and I drove. The hospital was just down the road. I-I stepped on the gas and tried to focus. Tried not to look in the rearview mirror. I didn’t want to see him... Not if he was gone.
[Dave dials a number on his phone]
Katie's voicemail: Hey, it's Katie! Leave a message.
Dave: Hey! It's me. Listen. I need you to call me back as soon as you get this message. This isn't about us. I just need to know if you smoked or took anything at the party last night. If you did, you have to call 911 'cause it might've been laced with some really bad shit. Okay? Call me back.
Dave's thoughts: The sun was rising as I pulled into the hospital. I jumped out of the car and waved down the first people I saw, a small group of doctors and nurses who were on a smoke break outside the E.R.
Dave: Can someone please help me?
Dave's thoughts: When they turned to look at me, I noticed something strange. Some of them seemed to be crying. One of the nurses put out her cigarette and walked over to me.
Nurse: What's your emergency, sir?
Dave: It's my friend. I think he OD'd.
Nurse: Okay. I'll look at him. Help me lay him down.
Dave: What, like right here? On the sidewalk?
Nurse: Yeah.
Dave: Shouldn't we put him on a gurney? Get some paramedics, maybe?
Nurse: That's not an option right now, let's get him on the floor.
[Background music starts, a low volume high pitched hum]
Dave's thoughts: She dropped to her knees and checked Randy's vitals. It didn't take her very long. When she stood up and looked at me, I already knew what she was gonna say.
Nurse: I'm very sorry, sir. But your friend is dead.
Dave: Okay. Well— I— I'd still like to see a doctor, get a diagnosis. Can we do that?
Nurse: Right now is not the best time.
Dave: What the hell does that mean!?
Nurse: I think it's best, sir, if you take five minutes to collect yourself. Call the deceased's parents. Then you can leave your friend here and go home.
Dave: What kinda hospital is this? You want me to leave my friend's body on the side of the road? Where are the paramedics, why are those doctors standing there crying? What the hell is going on here!?
Nurse: Something happened last night...
[The background music peaks, with drums added]
Nurse: All of our patients died in their sleep.
[Background music continues, until the outro]
[Outro]
Outro Voiceover: The Edge of Sleep stars Mark Fischbach as Dave. Michael Yama as The Whale. Victor Rasuk as Mateo. Alex Essoe as Katie. Pat Healy as The Trespasser. Joshua Burge as Gus, and Cara Santana as Linda. Written by Jake Emanuel and Willie Block. Directed by Jake Emanuel. Produced by QCODE, Daylight Media, and Mark Fischbach. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Salt Audio. Original music and score by Jamie Schefman and Noah Gersh for Salt Audio. Sound design by Maria Mora and Juan David Chapparro Perez for Audio for Media. Edited by Zach Djurich. Associate producer Tess Ryan, script supervisor Sam Beaseley. Production support provided by James Gelberg. Casting by Chelsea Block and Marisol Roncoli at Atomic Honey. Art by Matt Taylor and Ehren Salazar. Special thanks to Jeff Roy, Mark Holden, Kersti Jan Werdal, and Celeste Armstrong. The Edge of Sleep is a QCODE production.
[End of Outro]
