Chapter Text
TITLE OVER: THE BEGINNING OF A DREAM
TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. CLAYS ROOM – DAY
CLAY, a blond Caucasian young adult man in his late teens, wearing a green hoodie, sits slumped in front of a computer, headphones on. He plays a computer game with his friend GEORGE through the wonderful tool known as the internet. Clay slams his hands down on the desk next to his keyboard and causes his entire set up to rattle.
CLAY
No! I Died!
The sound of George laughter plays in Clay’s headphones.
CLAY
It’s not funny George!
George laughs harder for a brief few seconds, but then calms. Clay slumps back down in his relaxed position from before, but this time a bit more dejected.
CLAY
Why are we doing this George?
CUT TO. GEORGE’S APARTMENT - DAY
George, a young dark-haired man with brown eyes sits in a chair in a small one room apartment. His set up is not as nice as Clay’s.
GEORGE
What do you mean why are we doing this?
CLAY (O.S.)
Why are we just sitting here playing games?
GEORGE
Cause there's nothing else to do Clay. The world is messed up right now and we can’t do anything else.
CUT BACK TO CLAY’S ROOM.
CLAY
Here, we can’t do anything, George. We can’t do anything in this world.
Clay smiles and pushes his chair away from the desk. He pulls his headphones off his head and yanks the jack out of his computer. He spins around his room dramatically.
CLAY
There’s a whole other world out there! We could go! Why just sit around when it's just waiting for us?
GEORGE (O.S.)
To the portal? Like we’re going camping?
CLAY
Yeah, camping, but maybe longer. Our childhood playground can become our pandemic sanctuary.
GEORGE (O.S.)
Yeah!
CLAY
Meet me there with all your gear tomorrow morning, ok? (Pause) Night George.
GEORGE (O.S.)
Night Clay.
Clay scoots back over to his computer and leaves the discord call. A goofy grin plasters itself across his face as he stands up from his desk chair and walks towards the wall opposite his bed. Hanging on the wall of his room is an axe. He pulls it off the wall and places the covered head in his open hand.
EXT. ABANDONED BUILDING -EARLY MORNING
CLAY walks up the steps of a building, an old wooden mill, carefully placing his feet on wooden stairs that have seen better days. They creak and groan under his weight. CLAY wears the same ensemble he did the day before, a pair of jeans and a green hoodie, but today he hefts a large camping backpack over his shoulders and holds a white round mask in his hand.
INT. ABANDONED BUILDING
Clay steps through the broken doorway of the old wooden building. The darkness of the interior is broken up by the beams of warm light that pour in through the cracks in the walls and the roof. A different type of light illuminates the side of Clay’s face and he walks further in the room, a cool white glow.
GEORGE (O.S)
Clay! Are you here yet?
CLAY
I’m inside!
Clay glances down at the mask in his hand and then looks up to see GEORGE wearing white goggle sunglasses and a blue t-shirt with a centered red and white box, enter the abandoned mill. George approaches Clay and the big white glowing portal that appears on the side of the building wall. It washes the two young men out the closer they get.
GEORGE
Are you ready?
CLAY
More than ready.
Clay lifts the mask to his face and presses it into place, a white smiley face that covers all but Clay’s own mouth.
GEORGE
Is that the mask that you found here as a kid? It’s been years since I’ve seen it.
CLAY
I thought it would be cool to wear it again, bring back some nostalgia. I’ve also decided that I want to go by a different name this time. What do you think of Dream?
GEORGE
Dream? That’s kind of weird. You’re doing the same thing Nick used to do, he’d make us call him Sapnap?
DREAM
I guess. He’ll be joining us tomorrow.
GEORGE
Awesome! Let’s go! What are we waiting for!
GEORGE spins round halfway and steps backward through the portal. DREAM follows, disappearing from the empty abandoned mill and into…
EXT. FOREST - DAY
DREAM and GEORGE stand at the edge of a cliff that allows them to see for a long distance. Behind them is the barely visible shimmering white barrier that almost fades away in the light of the rising sun that stands before them.
DREAM
The first of many sunrises.
GEORGE
(Softly) Yeah.
DREAM
We’re going to make this world ours George. We can claim it. If you call me Dream, well Dreams come true, right? Most people let the world let the world change them. But us, we’re going to Change the world.
GEORGE
(Glances at Dream from the side)
Why are you an idiot?
CUT TO: OP (I SEE A DREAMER)
FADE IN:
EXT. FOREST - DAY
DREAM runs through the trees frantically. His breathing is erratic. His feet can’t go fast enough. GEORGE runs right behind Dream, right on his heels. A almost manic smile features on George’s face. Both their voices pitched up into screams.
GEORGE
Oh Dream!
DREAM
No George! Leave me alone! Leave me Alone!
GEORGE
I’m catching up! Gonna catch you!
Dream ducks and weaves through the trees. He slides down the hill, under some low branches, regains his footing and continues to run. Dream disappears from George’s view. George slows down and scans the tree line. He listens as he slowly walks forward.
GEORGE
Wait, where’d he go?
Dream stands at the edge of a river breathing hard. He turns around looks skyward and begins to climb a tree, hiding among the branches. Dream pulls his foot upward and out of sight right before George walks past the tree. George stands at the river's edge and scans his surroundings.
GEORGE
You couldn’t have kept going, I would have heard you cross through the water…
Up above George, Dream positions himself between two branches and launches himself out of the tree and downwards.
DREAM
Oh George!
George screams as Dream collides with him. They both land in the water and come up sputtering.
GEORGE
No! That’s not how it works! I’m supposed to catch you! You scared me!
George looks utterly betrayed as Dream falls back in the water laughing uproariously. The camera pans up to the midday sun.
FADE TO:
EXT. FOREST CLEARING – NIGHT
Moonlit sky, camera pans down to where DREAM and GEORGE sit around a campfire eating fish. Their small tents set up behind them. Dream wears his mask on the side of his face.
DREAM
Bringing your fishing rod was a smart move. Fresh caught fish on our first night!
GEORGE
It’s so good!
DREAM
If only Sapnap were here to enjoy this already.
GEORGE
You’re mean Nick.
DREAM
(Gestures around them.) No, here I mean Sapnap.
GEORGE
You’re really going to make me keep calling you Dream, aren’t you?
DREAM
Why not? I don’t have to go by my actual name. Clay doesn’t sound right. I’m letting go of a part of myself and I’m leaving it with the rest of my troubles. I’m Dream now and I’m going to like, I don’t know, go find out who Dream is.
GEORGE
Find out who Dream is? Like a self-discovery quest? That’s so weird. You’re not going to start calling me by some weird name too, are you?
DREAM
Not unless you ask me to.
GEORGE
I mean, I’m not looking for myself, so I guess I’m just poor George not found over here.
DREAM
(Chuckles) Sure George, sure.
Dream and George sit silently by the crackling fire. A twig snaps followed by a low grumbled Moan.
GEORGE
What?
Dream puts a finger to his mouth and looks out into the woods. He turns back to George and speaks in a low voice.
DREAM
Mobs. We should get in our tents. Let’s leave the fire, I’ll watch it for a bit and then put it out before I lay down.
George nods and moves towards his tent. He slowly unzips the flap and crawls inside, then closes it behind him. Dream crawls towards his tent, unzipping the flap. He sits in the open entrance axe in hand. The flames illuminate his masked face. He looks towards George’s tent and then takes his mask off. Dream looks up at the patch of sky visible through the trees and smiles.
DISOLVE TO:
EXT. FOREST CLEARING – LATER IN THE NIGHT
DREAM looks down to see the fire has died down. He covers it in dirt and then crawls inside his tent.
CUT TO:
EXT. CLEARING – MORNING
DREAM emerges from his tent. He grabs his mask from inside the tent and puts it on. He walks towards GEORGE’S tent.
DREAM
Morning Georgie.
There is no response. Dream lightly kicks the tent.
DREAM
(Louder) Hey George!
Dream leans down and peers through the tent mesh.
DREAM
What the heck, he’s not here.
Dream walks away from the tents and looks out into the woods.
DREAM
(With Cupped Hands) George!
GEORGE (O.S)
By the river!
Dream walks to the river. George stands at the edge fishing. George turns and watches Dream comes through the trees.
GEORGE
I’m catching breakfast.
DREAM
Fish again?
GEORGE
What else you got right now?
DREAM
Fair. I’m gonna go exploring, see if I can find anything fun. See what’s changed.
GEORGE
(Turning back to the water.) Don’t do anything stupid.
Dream disappears into the woods and walks until he reaches the end of the wood. There is a small lake fed by the river. Beyond it is a mountain.
CUT TO:
EXT. FOREST CLEARING – DAY
GEORGE sits and holds fish over the campfire. DREAM enters the clearing.
GEORGE
What took you so long, your breakfast is getting cold…
DREAM
George, I found another portal!
GEORGE
(Looks up sharply) Wait, you did?
DREAM
We have to go check it out! Come on let’s go!
GEORGE
In a minute. Eat your food.
DREAM
I ate some berries, come on!
GEORGE
(Thrusts a fish forward) Fine, just eat as we go Clay.
DREAM
(Takes the food) George, its Dream.
GEORGE
Ok, fine Dream!
Dream hurries into the woods, eating the fish as he goes. George grabs his supplies and walks into the woods after Dream.
EXT. THE MOUNTAIN – DAY
GEORGE follows DREAM up the mountain side and into a valley area. There is a black and purple portal surrounded by pools of lava.
GEORGE
Oh my gosh, its lava!
DREAM
Just… be careful.
Dream walks around the lava pools and approaches the portal in the center.
DREAM
Check this out George. it's incredible! We have to see where it goes!
George carefully follows Dream.
GEORGE
Are you sure that’s a good idea? We don’t know anything about it.
DREAM
Pfff … What’s the worst that could happen?
GEORGE
We die.
DREAM
Oh, come on, worst case scenario. How often does the worst possible thing happen? Not that often, right?
GEORGE
I mean the…
DREAM
(Shouting) Let’s Go!
Dream enters the portal, grabs George’s arm, and pulls him in after.
GEORGE
I really hope you’re right…
Dream and George are engulfed by a glowing purple light that wavers and pulses around them. Then they vanish.
FADE TO:
BLACK SCREEN – UNKNOWN LOCATION
A pair of completely white eyes suddenly open.
CUT TO: BREAK TITLE CARD
CUT TO:
EXT. THE NETHER – DAY
DREAM steps through the portals other side. The area is Dark, enclosed, filled with fire and lava. They are on a high platform surrounded by lava below. Dream looks down.
DREAM
Oh my gosh! George be careful, don’t knock me off.
GEORGE enters the Nether and grabs the side of the portal.
GEORGE
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I told you this was a bad idea Dream! I told you!
DREAM
We’re ok, we’re fine. We’ll just go back through the portal.
Dream turns around slowly and faces the portal. On the other side is a land bridge leading to main land mass.
DREAM
Wait, look George. We just need to go the other way.
Dream walks around the edge of the platform until he stands on the bridge. George carefully does the same. DREAM moves forward across the spanning bridge of nether dirt. He pulls his axe out of its holster and turns to urge George on.
DREAM
See? We’re fine. Let’s go explore!
George follows Dream onto the bridge and the two of them walk until they reach its end and find themselves on the main land mass.
GEORGE
This place is both incredibly cool and absolutely terrifying.
Dream and George begin to walk and look around. Everything around them is bright red. Red dirt, red vines hanging down and red plants growing across the expanse of the place.
DREAM
Look at this!
Dream points out across a part of the Nether that looks completely different. The red dirt gives way to a field of giant gray rocks and falling ash.
GEORGE
It looks like snow…
Reaching the gray rocks Dream and George climb across them, careful to avoid the handful of ones that glow red hot. George points across the remaining field of rocks at a stone structure.
GEORGE
Cla---Dream! Look, its some sort of castle, a fortress! Let’s go check it out! As long as we remember we came across the rock field, we can get back to the portal.
DREAM
Time to explore.
Dream and George reach the end of the rocky field and stand before the massive black fortress. Dream approaches it and touches the wall.
DREAM
Let’s see if we can find a way in.
They walk along the outside wall of the stone fortress seeking a way to get in. George moves ahead of Dream.
GEORGE
Here, I found an entrance.
DREAM
Wait, where?
George points up at a rectangular opening the size of a doorway. It is too high for him to reach it.
GEORGE
Above us, come give me a boost.
Dream drops down to one knee and George climbs up to stand on his shoulders. Dream slowly rises up, gripping George’s ankles, his body hugging the wall.
DREAM
Hurry up George, it hurts.
George places his elbows down on the floor of the fortress and hauls himself up and inside. George stands and looks around, he is in a long hallway, at the end of which he can see a stairwell heading down.
DREAM
Ok, pull me up.
George lays down on his stomach and reaches his hands down towards Dream.
DREAM
I can’t reach you.
GEORGE
Try jumping.
Dream jumps and grabs George’s outstretched hands.
GEORGE
OW! My arms! Let go! let go! I won’t be able to pull you up.
Dream lets go of George’s hands and drops back down.
DREAM
You’re such a wuss.
GEORGE
It hurt!
DREAM
You’re the one that told me to jump.
GEORGE
Get your axe out and I’ll pull you up using that.
Dream pulls out his axe and offers the handle to George. George braces his legs against the sides of the opening and pulls Dream upward until he can get a hand hold to pull himself into the opening.
Dream stands up and him and George begin moving down the hallway towards the stairs. Dream keeps his axe out and in hand.
DREAM
This is amazing!
Dream and George descend the stairs and find themselves in small room connected to another long hallway. At the end is another stairway leading down. A chest sits in the room.
DREAM
A chest!
Dream rushes over to the chest and opens it. He reaches in and pulls out a gold bar.
DREAM
George! Look! It’s Gold!
GEORGE
No way! Let me see!
Dream passes the bar of gold to George who looks it over.
GEORGE
Here let me put it in your backpack.
Dream turns around and George opens Dream’s pack and places the gold bar inside.
GEORGE
Let’s see what else we can find.
George and Dream continue down the hallway and then the stairwell. At the bottom of the stairwell is another hallway leading to another stairwell.
DREAM
It’s like it never ends. We just keep going further down.
Dream and George walk down the hallway and reach the last stairwell. Reaching the bottom Dream turns the corner and finds himself in a room filled with PIGLINS, Pig like creatures, upright and wearing armor and wielding golden weapons. Dream stops and George runs into him.
GEORGE
Why’d you stop?
The Piglins turn and look at them and one squeals, pointing a golden sword at the two young men. Two of the piglins rush at them swords raised. Dream begins moving backward frantically.
DREAM
Turn around! Turn around!
George turns and runs back up the stairs followed by Dream as the piglins chase after them. George stumbles and Dream pulls him up and pushes him forward. On the last set of stairs, the exit in view, Dream stumbles and turns in time to block an attack with his axe.
DREAM
George!
GEORGE
Clay!
George turns back and kicks the Piglin attacking Dream down the stairs. Dream pushes himself up and they run down the hallway away from their pursuers. Reaching the entrance GEORGE jumps down followed by Dream. They run and Dream looks back seeing four piglins follow them out, weapons raised.
DREAM
(Shouted) Run George! Run!
GEORGE
This Way! We have to get back through the portal!
George and Dream run through the Nether. Entering the rock field, they move much quicker then before, stumbling over the rocks. Dream trips and falls forward onto a rock that glows red hot. Dream snatches his hand away with a shout. George turns back and reaches for Dream.
GEORGE
Give me your axe!
Dream hands his axe over and cradles his burnt hand as they run. Dream goes ahead now that George is the one armed. They run up to a high wall in the rock field. A dead end.
DREAM
Go back! We can’t get out here!
GEORGE
We’re stuck!
George collides with Dream and then stands next to him back to the wall. The Piglins advance. George holds the axe and gives Dream a terrified glance. George takes a deep breath.
GEORGE
Guess this is it.
SAPNAP, a Caucasian young man with dark hair covering his ears, dark eyes and who is wearing a white T-shirt with a flame on it, drops from one of the rocks above them to attack the Piglins from the side. He is holding a sword. He stabs one of the Piglins.
DREAM
Sapnap!
SAPNAP
You Two are idiots!
Sapnap stabs a second Piglin and the other two Piglins turn to attack him.
SAPNAP
Don’t just stand there, help me!
George runs at and hits the nearest distracted Piglin with the axe. It squeals as it crumples to the ground. The last Piglin pushes Sapnap backward, but SAPNAP surges forward and knocks the Piglin to the ground and stabs it.
GEORGE
Oh my gosh, I thought we were going to die. Oh my gosh I killed a thing!
George backs away from the dead Piglins and towards Dream.
SAPNAP
(Sarcastically)You killed a Piglin congratulations. Now let’s get out of here before you two actually die!
Sapnap leads Dream and George through the rock field. George and Sapnap help Dream climb up a rocky incline since he can’t use his one hand. Sapnap looks at the hand and grimaces.
SAPNAP
That looks really bad Clay. I’ll give you one of potions I have on me once we’re out.
DREAM
Potion?
SAPNAP
I’ll explain later.
Sapnap watches Dream and George both step through the portal first and then follows behind them. Sapnap looks irritably at them and then walks away from the portal.
SAPNAP
Away from the lava. I don’t trust you not to fall in.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE LAKE - DAY
SAPNAP points at the ground.
SAPNAP
Sit.
DREAM and GEORGE both sit on the ground.
DREAM
I cannot say enough how glad I am to see you Sapnap. We both thought we were dead back there.
SAPNAP
You definitely would have been. You are so lucky I found you.
Sapnap sits and holds an empty hand out in front of him. A dark purple mist twirls up in his hand forming into a corked glass bottle filled with purple liquid.
DREAM
What the heck?
GEORGE
How did you do that?
SAPNAP
There is so much you guys don’t understand about this world. George, are you hurt? Do you need any of this?
GEORGE
(Shakes his head) No? Maybe some bruises. What is that?
SAPNAP
It’s the healing potion I mentioned.
Sapnap reaches out and takes Dream’s hand. Dream hisses as Sapnap brushes his thumb over the burn.
SAPNAP
At least you can feel it.
Sapnap uncorks the bottle and pours the liquid onto Dream’s burn. Sapnap hands the bottle to Dream.
SAPNAP
Take a drink for good measure.
Sapnap leans back on his hands as Dream drinks from the bottle.
SAPNAP
(sigh) I can’t believe you idiots. You just decide to go through a random portal with no idea where it leads?
GEORGE
How is it any different from the portal to here.
SAPNAP
I showed you how to get here. I knew the first time we came through what we were getting into. You two just… (sigh). There’s so much you need to learn before running off into the nether.
DREAM
The nether? Is that what that place was? And how did you pull this bottle out of thin air?
Sapnap takes the bottle back from Dream. The bottle glows dimly for a moment and then vanishes.
DREAM
How?! How did you do that?!
Sapnap stands to his feet chuckling. Then he reaches down and pulls DREAM to his feet by grasping his uninjured hand.
SAPNAP
You two…
Sapnap pulls Dream close on one side into a side hug and then reaches down and tugs on George who stands and is pulled into a hug on Sapnap’s other side. George squeaks.
SAPNAP (CONT’D)
You two have so much to learn.
FADE OUT:
ENDING: THE DREAM TEAM
NEXT EPISODE: SAPNAP