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Deleted line(s) 66 (click to see context) :
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The nurse is horrified when she realizes that she nearly injected Emily with penicillin which would have killed her and apologizes to AJ for the mistake.
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Changed line(s) 66 (click to see context) from:
* MyGodWhatIHaveDone: The nurse is horrified when she realizes that she nearly injected Emily with penicillin which would have killed her and apologizes to AJ for the mistake.
to:
* MyGodWhatIHaveDone: MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The nurse is horrified when she realizes that she nearly injected Emily with penicillin which would have killed her and apologizes to AJ for the mistake.
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* MyGodWhatIHaveDone: The nurse is horrified when she realizes that she nearly injected Emily with penicillin which would have killed her and apologizes to AJ for the mistake.
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Added DiffLines:
* WhamLine: "One little pinch, and the penicillin will make you all better." This is what helps AJ solve the mystery that the nurse ghost wasn't the psychotic killer she was painted to be, and that the "murder" was all a misunderstanding: the nurse only meant to inject Emily with penicillin, ''not poison'', and she was unaware the girl was allergic to it.
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* TheFifties: This is when Emily's death happened, and AJ travels back in time there when she puts on the dress.
* AdultsAreUseless: Emily's parents in her backstory thought it would be a good idea to let her carry a stack of presents down the stairs all by herself rather than help her.
* AdultsAreUseless: Emily's parents in her backstory thought it would be a good idea to let her carry a stack of presents down the stairs all by herself rather than help her.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: AJ sarcastically wishes "we could make the ghost appear" when she and Nicki blow the candles out on the birthday cake they made for Emily. They end up making the ''Nurse'''s ghost appear.
* CasualDangerDialogue: Nicki takes the time to throw some snark the nurse's way when she's trying to get into the attic.
--> '''Nurse:''' I'm losing my patience.
--> '''Nicki:''' Lady, you're losing ''both'' your patients.
* ClearMyName: It turns out AJ and Nicki not only have to stop Emily from dying - but also clear the name of the Nurse who killed her; she just injected her with penicillin, not knowing about her allergy.
* CasualDangerDialogue: Nicki takes the time to throw some snark the nurse's way when she's trying to get into the attic.
--> '''Nurse:''' I'm losing my patience.
--> '''Nicki:''' Lady, you're losing ''both'' your patients.
* ClearMyName: It turns out AJ and Nicki not only have to stop Emily from dying - but also clear the name of the Nurse who killed her; she just injected her with penicillin, not knowing about her allergy.
Changed line(s) 55 (click to see context) from:
* FailedASpotCheck: PlayedForDrama. The nurse never took the time to look at the bracelet that showed Emily's allergy, which would've saved Emily's live if she paid more attention.
to:
* FailedASpotCheck: PlayedForDrama. The nurse never took the time to look at the bracelet that showed Emily's allergy, which would've saved Emily's live if medical bracelet fell off and was put into her pocket right before she paid more attention.fell down the stairs. Neither of her parents noticed before the Nurse was called, and so she injected her with penicillin.
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* PlotHole: AJ changes history by stopping the Nurse from injecting Emily, and then showing Nicki a picture of Emily all grown up to prove that she lived. Nicki still remembers everything, and their grandfather asks if they're still hunting the ghost - which logically, neither of them should if AJ changed the past.
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Shortening my recaps
Changed line(s) 4,70 (click to see context) from:
By the fire, the Midnight Society huddle against the cold. Andy sneezes.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothing worse than getting a shot.
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… If you get really sick, somebody’s got to take care of you. Somebody who knows how to make you better. And you have to trust that person. ‘Cause they know what’s best for you. Right? Well.. what would happen if the person who was taking care of you was the one person in the world you should fear the most? And nobody believed you? Nobody knew? And nobody could help?
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she calls this story “The Tale of the Night Nurse.”
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to their parents’ departing car. Fondly greeted on the snowy driveway by their grandfather, Nicki ushers him back into the warmth, and directs A.J. to get the bags.
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
Later, while AJ shovels snow, Nicki flings over a surprise snowball, which hits her on the arm.
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Her gaze is drawn to the nearby pavement. A woman in a tan overcoat and matching hat, accompanied by a young boy in a red bobble hat, each carry a brightly wrapped present.
As they walk on, AJ launches her snowball - which, as Nicki ducks, flies towards the driveway - along which now walk the woman and child.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
In dismay, she covers her face. However, when she next looks, the driveway is empty.
In search of their unintended victims, the girls venture inside.
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Late that night, AJ wakes to the sound of distantly echoing children’s laughter, coming from downstairs.
She creeps downstairs. Through the open living room door, she sees, in the darkness, the soft glow of a candlelight birthday cake, whose icing inscription reads “Happy Birthday Emily.”
Bemused, AJ flicks on the light - and sees the living room’s coffee table to be bereft of cake.
Resigned to befuddlement, she turns - and faces the large mirror opposite the open door. In it, crowded around her own reflection, are the reflections of a man, woman, and seven children, all formally dressed.
-->'''Family:''' ''Surprise''!\
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later that day, AJ, alone in the hall, sees, descending the stairs, a young girl in a blue dress, carrying a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From the girl’s wrist slips a silver chain bracelet. As AJ stares, the girl stoops to retrieve her bracelet - and trips forward.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
As she hurries forward, the girl is nowhere in sight. Across the stairs, the scattered birthday presents fade from view.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothing worse than getting a shot.
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… If you get really sick, somebody’s got to take care of you. Somebody who knows how to make you better. And you have to trust that person. ‘Cause they know what’s best for you. Right? Well.. what would happen if the person who was taking care of you was the one person in the world you should fear the most? And nobody believed you? Nobody knew? And nobody could help?
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she calls this story “The Tale of the Night Nurse.”
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to their parents’ departing car. Fondly greeted on the snowy driveway by their grandfather, Nicki ushers him back into the warmth, and directs A.J. to get the bags.
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
Later, while AJ shovels snow, Nicki flings over a surprise snowball, which hits her on the arm.
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Her gaze is drawn to the nearby pavement. A woman in a tan overcoat and matching hat, accompanied by a young boy in a red bobble hat, each carry a brightly wrapped present.
As they walk on, AJ launches her snowball - which, as Nicki ducks, flies towards the driveway - along which now walk the woman and child.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
In dismay, she covers her face. However, when she next looks, the driveway is empty.
In search of their unintended victims, the girls venture inside.
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Late that night, AJ wakes to the sound of distantly echoing children’s laughter, coming from downstairs.
She creeps downstairs. Through the open living room door, she sees, in the darkness, the soft glow of a candlelight birthday cake, whose icing inscription reads “Happy Birthday Emily.”
Bemused, AJ flicks on the light - and sees the living room’s coffee table to be bereft of cake.
Resigned to befuddlement, she turns - and faces the large mirror opposite the open door. In it, crowded around her own reflection, are the reflections of a man, woman, and seven children, all formally dressed.
-->'''Family:''' ''Surprise''!\
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later that day, AJ, alone in the hall, sees, descending the stairs, a young girl in a blue dress, carrying a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From the girl’s wrist slips a silver chain bracelet. As AJ stares, the girl stoops to retrieve her bracelet - and trips forward.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
As she hurries forward, the girl is nowhere in sight. Across the stairs, the scattered birthday presents fade from view.
to:
By the fire, the Midnight Society huddle against the cold. Andy sneezes.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothingsneezes. What could be worse than a flu shot - apart from getting a shot.
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… Ifsick? What if you get really sick, somebody’s got to take found yourself in the care of you. Somebody someone who knows how to make meant you better. And you have to trust that person. ‘Cause they know what’s best for you. Right? Well.. what would happen if the person who was taking care of you was the one person in the world you should fear the most? And nobody believed you? Nobody knew? And nobody could help?
harm? Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she Vange calls this story “The "The Tale of the Night Nurse.”
Nurse".
...
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to theirparents’ parents departing car. Fondly car, and are fondly greeted on the snowy driveway by their grandfather, Nicki ushers him back into the warmth, and directs A.J. to get the bags.
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
Grampa. Later, while AJ shovels snow, Nicki flings over a surprise snowball, which hits her on the arm.
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Herarm. AJ's gaze is drawn to the nearby pavement. A woman in a tan overcoat and matching hat, accompanied by a young boy in a red bobble hat, each carry a brightly wrapped present. \n\nAs they walk on, AJ launches her snowball - which, as Nicki ducks, flies towards the driveway - along which now walk the woman and child.\n\n-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\\n\nIn dismay, she covers her face. However, when When she next looks, the driveway is empty.
In search of their unintended victims, the girls venture inside.
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Late that night, AJ wakes to the sound of distantly echoing children’s laughter, coming from downstairs.
laughter. She creeps downstairs. Through the open living room door, she sees, in the darkness, the soft glow of a candlelight birthday cake, whose icing inscription reads “Happy "Happy Birthday Emily.”
Emily". Bemused, AJ flicks on the light - and sees the living room’s coffee table to be bereft of cake.
Resigned to befuddlement, shecake. She turns - and faces the large mirror opposite the open door. In it, crowded around her own reflection, are the reflections of a man, woman, and seven children, all formally dressed.
-->'''Family:''' ''Surprise''!\
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later thatNext day, AJ, alone in the hall, hallway, sees, descending the stairs, a young girl in a blue dress, carrying a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From the girl’s wrist slips a silver chain bracelet. As AJ stares, the The girl stoops to retrieve her bracelet - and trips forward.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
forward. As she AJ hurries forward, the girl is nowhere in sight. Across the stairs, the scattered birthday and her presents fade from view.
have vanished.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothing
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… If
...
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to their
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Her
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Resigned to befuddlement, she
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later that
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
Changed line(s) 73,190 (click to see context) from:
Nicki and Grampa hurry into the hall.
-->'''AJ:''' I - I saw a girl, and she disappeared -
-->'''Grampa:''' You saw the Birthday Girl?
With a solemn glance at the stairs, he leads them to the attic.
-->'''Grampa:''' I was hoping you girls wouldn’t be bothered while you were here. ‘Cause I didn’t want you getting all scared.
-->'''Nicki:''' Bothered? By what?
-->'''Grampa:''' Well… the ghost. You see, a long time ago, a little girl, just about your age, AJ, fell down the front stairs during a birthday party. She didn’t die in the fall. She hurt her leg and had to stay in bed. The girl’s mother hired a nurse to take care of her at night. But as the story goes, the nurse was… a little crazy. One night, when the girl was sleeping, the crazy nurse filled a hypodermic needle with poison, and gave it to her while she slept. Poor thing never woke up.
-->'''AJ:''' She was murdered? Why?
-->'''Grampa:''' Nobody knows. The Night Nurse claimed she was innocent ‘til the day she died. In prison.
-->'''Nicki:''' Cool!
-->'''AJ:''' Not cool! Sad.
-->'''Nicki:''' How do you know all this?
-->'''Grampa:''' This trunk ''{gestures}'' was brought up here when I bought the place. The family must have forgotten here.
From inside, he retrieves a newspaper page, and hands it to AJ, who recognises Emily, the photographed girl from the stairs.
On a coat hanger, AJ finds Emily’s blue dress.
Nicki unfolds the newspaper, and sees the headline.
-->'''Nicki:''' ‘Night Nurse Convicted in Death of Girl’. What a creep!
-->'''AJ:''' Why do you think she keeps coming back?
-->'''Nicki:''' Unfinished business. That’s always why ghosts come back.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… maybe she’s trying to tell us something.
-->'''Grampa:''' Now that you know, I don’t want you girls messing around where you don’t belong. Let the dead rest in peace. Understand?
…
To AJ’s hesitation, the two procure a cake, set it with candles, and offer it to the spirit of Emily… who fails to appear.
-->'''AJ:''' Suddenly, I’m feeling really dumb.
-->'''Nicki:''' Me too.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… at least we get to eat the cake. Make a wish!
-->'''Nicki:''' Okay. Uh, I wish we could make the ghost appear.
They blow out the candles, and start to carry the cake towards the dining room - but their path is blocked by a woman in a nurse’s uniform, holding a syringe.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine.\
The girls scream, and drop the cake.
To the spot of the encounter, they bring their grandfather.
-->'''Grampa:''' I knew you two were gonna scare yourselves to death with this ghost business!
-->'''AJ:''' But it’s true, it was the Night Nurse. Or her ghost!
-->'''Grampa:''' The only ghost I’ve seen in all the years I’ve lived here is that poor, harmless little girl.
-->'''Nicki:''' But, you… I mean, you could see her -
-->'''Grampa:''' But nothing. Forget about ghosts. And clean up this mess.
On sudden inspiration, Nicki makes for the attic, and leaves AJ to clean up the dropped cake.
In the attic, while Nicki reads the newspaper article.AJ tries on Emily’s dress. As she pulls it over her head, she suddenly finds the attic to be empty.
Nicki turns to face AJ - and finds her sister to have suddenly vanished.
In this strange version of the house, AJ cautiously walks onto the landing, and approaches the stairs.
On the lower landing, a small table holds a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From downstairs comes the happy babble of children.
Before the foot of the stairs arrives a woman carrying a candlelit cake.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' ''{to AJ}'' Emily! Bring your presents downstairs so you can open them!
-->'''AJ:''' Me?
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Who else, birthday girl? Oh, look at you, all pretty in that dress!
Overcome, Emily returns to the attic. She pulls off the dress - and finds herself once more facing the back of the distracted Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' What happened to you?
-->'''AJ:''' I put the dress on… and I went back in time?
-->'''Nicki:''' What?!
-->'''AJ:''' People thought I was Emily. And they were having a birthday party for me! I mean, for her. But I was her. She was me. It was unreal!
-->'''Nicki:''' Get outta here.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m serious! The dress made me go back in time. To Emily’s party!
-->'''Nicki:''' ''{at the door}'' Yeah, right. And was the nurse there, too? ''{opens door}''
-->'''Night Nurse:''' There you are!
Aghast, Nicki swiftly closes the door.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ''{from behind the door}'' Not afraid of a little needle, are we?
-->'''AJ:''' She wants to give us the poison!
-->'''Nicki:''' Not us! You! You’re the one everyone thought was Emily.
The Night Nurse pounds on the door.
As their fear mounts, AJ has an idea: if she puts back on the dress, resumes the position of Emily, and manages to avoid falling down the stairs, then the Night Nurse will never have been employed, and the threat she poses will have been removed from history.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I’m losing my patience.
-->'''Nicki:''' You’re losing both your patients. ''{to AJ}'' Gimme the dress.
-->'''AJ:''' What?! Why?
-->'''Nicki:''' Because I’m the one going back.
-->'''AJ:''' But I’m the one they thought was Emily, not you!
-->'''Nicki:''' This is way too important. I don’t want you messing it up.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not gonna mess it up! And besides, the dress doesn’t even fit you. I gotta go. For once, you’ve gotta do things my way.
Outside, the Night Nurse reaches for a key.
AJ pulls back on the dress, and once more finds herself in the phantom time of Emily’s party. She returns to the lower landing.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' There you are, Emily! Come on down and bring your gifts.\
Emily takes a stack of presents, and carefully starts the dangerous climb.
Back in the present...
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Last chance, are you going to open up?
-->'''Nicki:''' In your dreams, nursery girl.
As the lock turns, Nicki pushes a nearby chest against the door…
Back in the phantom past, AJ cautiously carries the presents downstairs.
From her wrist, a small chain bracelet slips and falls. Suddenly confident, she carefully stoops, and pockets the bracelet.
-->'''AJ:''' That’s it! That’s why Emily fell.\
-->'''AJ:''' I - I saw a girl, and she disappeared -
-->'''Grampa:''' You saw the Birthday Girl?
With a solemn glance at the stairs, he leads them to the attic.
-->'''Grampa:''' I was hoping you girls wouldn’t be bothered while you were here. ‘Cause I didn’t want you getting all scared.
-->'''Nicki:''' Bothered? By what?
-->'''Grampa:''' Well… the ghost. You see, a long time ago, a little girl, just about your age, AJ, fell down the front stairs during a birthday party. She didn’t die in the fall. She hurt her leg and had to stay in bed. The girl’s mother hired a nurse to take care of her at night. But as the story goes, the nurse was… a little crazy. One night, when the girl was sleeping, the crazy nurse filled a hypodermic needle with poison, and gave it to her while she slept. Poor thing never woke up.
-->'''AJ:''' She was murdered? Why?
-->'''Grampa:''' Nobody knows. The Night Nurse claimed she was innocent ‘til the day she died. In prison.
-->'''Nicki:''' Cool!
-->'''AJ:''' Not cool! Sad.
-->'''Nicki:''' How do you know all this?
-->'''Grampa:''' This trunk ''{gestures}'' was brought up here when I bought the place. The family must have forgotten here.
From inside, he retrieves a newspaper page, and hands it to AJ, who recognises Emily, the photographed girl from the stairs.
On a coat hanger, AJ finds Emily’s blue dress.
Nicki unfolds the newspaper, and sees the headline.
-->'''Nicki:''' ‘Night Nurse Convicted in Death of Girl’. What a creep!
-->'''AJ:''' Why do you think she keeps coming back?
-->'''Nicki:''' Unfinished business. That’s always why ghosts come back.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… maybe she’s trying to tell us something.
-->'''Grampa:''' Now that you know, I don’t want you girls messing around where you don’t belong. Let the dead rest in peace. Understand?
…
To AJ’s hesitation, the two procure a cake, set it with candles, and offer it to the spirit of Emily… who fails to appear.
-->'''AJ:''' Suddenly, I’m feeling really dumb.
-->'''Nicki:''' Me too.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… at least we get to eat the cake. Make a wish!
-->'''Nicki:''' Okay. Uh, I wish we could make the ghost appear.
They blow out the candles, and start to carry the cake towards the dining room - but their path is blocked by a woman in a nurse’s uniform, holding a syringe.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine.\
The girls scream, and drop the cake.
To the spot of the encounter, they bring their grandfather.
-->'''Grampa:''' I knew you two were gonna scare yourselves to death with this ghost business!
-->'''AJ:''' But it’s true, it was the Night Nurse. Or her ghost!
-->'''Grampa:''' The only ghost I’ve seen in all the years I’ve lived here is that poor, harmless little girl.
-->'''Nicki:''' But, you… I mean, you could see her -
-->'''Grampa:''' But nothing. Forget about ghosts. And clean up this mess.
On sudden inspiration, Nicki makes for the attic, and leaves AJ to clean up the dropped cake.
In the attic, while Nicki reads the newspaper article.AJ tries on Emily’s dress. As she pulls it over her head, she suddenly finds the attic to be empty.
Nicki turns to face AJ - and finds her sister to have suddenly vanished.
In this strange version of the house, AJ cautiously walks onto the landing, and approaches the stairs.
On the lower landing, a small table holds a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From downstairs comes the happy babble of children.
Before the foot of the stairs arrives a woman carrying a candlelit cake.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' ''{to AJ}'' Emily! Bring your presents downstairs so you can open them!
-->'''AJ:''' Me?
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Who else, birthday girl? Oh, look at you, all pretty in that dress!
Overcome, Emily returns to the attic. She pulls off the dress - and finds herself once more facing the back of the distracted Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' What happened to you?
-->'''AJ:''' I put the dress on… and I went back in time?
-->'''Nicki:''' What?!
-->'''AJ:''' People thought I was Emily. And they were having a birthday party for me! I mean, for her. But I was her. She was me. It was unreal!
-->'''Nicki:''' Get outta here.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m serious! The dress made me go back in time. To Emily’s party!
-->'''Nicki:''' ''{at the door}'' Yeah, right. And was the nurse there, too? ''{opens door}''
-->'''Night Nurse:''' There you are!
Aghast, Nicki swiftly closes the door.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ''{from behind the door}'' Not afraid of a little needle, are we?
-->'''AJ:''' She wants to give us the poison!
-->'''Nicki:''' Not us! You! You’re the one everyone thought was Emily.
The Night Nurse pounds on the door.
As their fear mounts, AJ has an idea: if she puts back on the dress, resumes the position of Emily, and manages to avoid falling down the stairs, then the Night Nurse will never have been employed, and the threat she poses will have been removed from history.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I’m losing my patience.
-->'''Nicki:''' You’re losing both your patients. ''{to AJ}'' Gimme the dress.
-->'''AJ:''' What?! Why?
-->'''Nicki:''' Because I’m the one going back.
-->'''AJ:''' But I’m the one they thought was Emily, not you!
-->'''Nicki:''' This is way too important. I don’t want you messing it up.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not gonna mess it up! And besides, the dress doesn’t even fit you. I gotta go. For once, you’ve gotta do things my way.
Outside, the Night Nurse reaches for a key.
AJ pulls back on the dress, and once more finds herself in the phantom time of Emily’s party. She returns to the lower landing.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' There you are, Emily! Come on down and bring your gifts.\
Emily takes a stack of presents, and carefully starts the dangerous climb.
Back in the present...
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Last chance, are you going to open up?
-->'''Nicki:''' In your dreams, nursery girl.
As the lock turns, Nicki pushes a nearby chest against the door…
Back in the phantom past, AJ cautiously carries the presents downstairs.
From her wrist, a small chain bracelet slips and falls. Suddenly confident, she carefully stoops, and pockets the bracelet.
-->'''AJ:''' That’s it! That’s why Emily fell.\
to:
-->'''AJ:''' I - I saw a girl, and she disappeared -
-->'''Grampa:''' You saw
With a solemn glance at the stairs, he leads them to the attic.
-->'''Grampa:''' I was hoping you girls wouldn’t be bothered while you were here. ‘Cause I didn’t want you getting all scared.
-->'''Nicki:''' Bothered? By what?
-->'''Grampa:''' Well… the ghost. You see, a long time ago, a little girl, just about your age, AJ, fell down the front stairs
-->'''AJ:''' She was murdered? Why?
-->'''Grampa:''' Nobody knows.
-->'''Nicki:''' Cool!
-->'''AJ:''' Not cool! Sad.
-->'''Nicki:''' How do you know all this?
-->'''Grampa:''' This trunk ''{gestures}'' was brought up here
From inside, he retrieves
On a coat hanger, AJ finds Emily’s blue dress.
Nicki unfolds the newspaper, and sees the headline.
-->'''Nicki:''' ‘Night Nurse Convicted in Death of Girl’. What a creep!
-->'''AJ:''' Why do you think she keeps coming back?
-->'''Nicki:''' Unfinished business. That’s always why ghosts come back.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… maybe she’s trying to tell us something.
-->'''Grampa:''' Now that you know, I don’t want you girls messing around where you don’t belong. Let the dead rest in peace. Understand?
…
To AJ’s hesitation, the two
-->'''AJ:''' Suddenly, I’m feeling really dumb.
-->'''Nicki:''' Me too.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… at least we get to eat the cake. Make a wish!
-->'''Nicki:''' Okay. Uh, I wish we could make the ghost appear.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine.\
To the spot of the encounter, they bring their grandfather.
-->'''Grampa:''' I knew you two were gonna scare yourselves to death with this ghost business!
-->'''AJ:''' But it’s true, it was the Night Nurse. Or her ghost!
-->'''Grampa:''' The only ghost I’ve seen in all the years I’ve lived here is that poor, harmless little girl.
-->'''Nicki:''' But, you… I mean, you could see her -
-->'''Grampa:''' But nothing. Forget about ghosts. And clean up this mess.
On sudden inspiration, Nicki makes for the attic, and leaves AJ to clean up the dropped cake.
In the attic, while Nicki reads the newspaper
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' ''{to AJ}'' Emily! Bring your presents downstairs so you can open them!
-->'''AJ:''' Me?
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Who else, birthday girl? Oh, look at you, all pretty in that dress!
Overcome,
-->'''Nicki:''' What happened to you?
-->'''AJ:''' I put
-->'''Nicki:''' What?!
-->'''AJ:''' People thought I was Emily. And they were having a birthday party for me! I mean, for her. But I was her. She was me. It was unreal!
-->'''Nicki:''' Get outta here.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m serious! The dress made me go back in time. To Emily’s party!
-->'''Nicki:''' ''{at
-->'''Night Nurse:''' There you are!
Aghast,
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ''{from behind the door}'' Not afraid of a little needle, are we?
-->'''AJ:''' She wants to give us the poison!
-->'''Nicki:''' Not us! You! You’re the one everyone thought was Emily.
The Night Nurse pounds on
As their fear mounts, AJ has an idea: if she puts back on the dress, resumes the position of Emily, and manages to avoid falling down the stairs, then the Night Nurse will never have been employed, and the threat she poses will have been removed from
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I’m losing my patience.
-->'''Nicki:''' You’re losing both your patients. ''{to AJ}'' Gimme the dress.
-->'''AJ:''' What?! Why?
-->'''Nicki:''' Because I’m the one going back.
-->'''AJ:''' But I’m the one they thought was Emily, not you!
-->'''Nicki:''' This is way too important. I don’t want you messing it up.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not gonna mess it up! And besides, the dress doesn’t even fit you. I gotta go. For once, you’ve gotta do things my way.
AJ pulls back on the dress, and once more finds herself in the phantom time of Emily’s party. She returns to the lower
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' There you are, Emily! Come on down and bring your gifts.\
Emily
Back in the present...
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Last chance, are you going to open up?
-->'''Nicki:''' In your dreams, nursery girl.
As the lock turns,
...
Nicki pushes a nearby chest against the
Back in the phantom past, AJ cautiously carries the presents
...
Changed line(s) 193,204 (click to see context) from:
AJ triumphantly reaches the lowermost stairs - and trips, She falls face-forward…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
Horrified, Emily’s mother rushes to the prone, unconscious AJ.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
Back in the present, the Night Nurse withdraws from her descent on Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
Horrified, Emily’s mother rushes to the prone, unconscious AJ.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
Back in the present, the Night Nurse withdraws from her descent on Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
to:
AJ triumphantly reaches the lowermost stairs - and trips, She falls face-forward…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
face-forward. Horrified, Emily’s mother rushes to the prone, unconscious AJ.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
AJ. Back in the present, the Night Nurse withdraws from her descent on Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
Changed line(s) 207,254 (click to see context) from:
…
In a daylighted bedroom, bedecked with dolls and teddy bears, AJ slowly wakes.
-->'''AJ:''' Nicki…? Man, I had the weirdest dream…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine. It seems that we’ve had a nasty little accident, Emily.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not Emily!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Really. We must have a touch of fever, too.
-->'''AJ:''' Get away from me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' After you’ve had your little shot. You won’t have any more worries, I promise.
AJ grabs the syringe, and flings it aside. With a squeak, the needle lands embedded in a nearby teddy bear.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Let’s not do that again.\
As the Nurse retrieves the needle, Emily runs onto the landing.
She runs into an airing cupboard - only to find the Nurse towering over her.
AJ runs, hides in another bedroom, and tries to pull off the dress. The Nurse appears in the doorway. AJ runs into an adjoined room - and finds the Nurse already there.
The Nurse throws an arm around AJ’s shoulder, and claps a hand over her mouth.
AJ bites her, escapes - and backs towards the wall.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I am tired of this, child. Take your medicine.
-->'''AJ:''' No! No, I won’t let you poison me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This is for your own good.
-->'''AJ:''' Is that what you tell all the people you murder?
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Murder? Don’t tempt me. One little pinch, and the penicillin will make you all better.
-->'''AJ:''' No, I won’t let you! Get away from me! ...Penicillin?
AJ remembers the bracelet - embedded with a distinctive symbol.
-->'''AJ:''' Wait! Emily’s allergic too - I mean, I’m allergic to penicillin! It says right here!\
The Nurse inspects the prohibitive bracelet - on whose back is the inscription “PENICILLIN”.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ...''Don’t you ever''... ''take this bracelet off again. Do you hear me''? ...I didn’t know… you might have been killed…
-->'''AJ:''' Well, yeah.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Emily… I am so sorry…
Stunned with relief, the Nurse helps AJ off with the dress.
Back in the present, AJ hangs up the dress. Nicki unearths a framed graduation photo of a young woman, captioned “Emily Jerome Honour Student Class of 65”.
With Megan still unpersuaded to get a flu shot, Andy starts a succession of sneezes. In different directions, the others leave Vange to douse the fire.
In a daylighted bedroom, bedecked with dolls and teddy bears, AJ slowly wakes.
-->'''AJ:''' Nicki…? Man, I had the weirdest dream…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine. It seems that we’ve had a nasty little accident, Emily.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not Emily!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Really. We must have a touch of fever, too.
-->'''AJ:''' Get away from me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' After you’ve had your little shot. You won’t have any more worries, I promise.
AJ grabs the syringe, and flings it aside. With a squeak, the needle lands embedded in a nearby teddy bear.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Let’s not do that again.\
As the Nurse retrieves the needle, Emily runs onto the landing.
She runs into an airing cupboard - only to find the Nurse towering over her.
AJ runs, hides in another bedroom, and tries to pull off the dress. The Nurse appears in the doorway. AJ runs into an adjoined room - and finds the Nurse already there.
The Nurse throws an arm around AJ’s shoulder, and claps a hand over her mouth.
AJ bites her, escapes - and backs towards the wall.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I am tired of this, child. Take your medicine.
-->'''AJ:''' No! No, I won’t let you poison me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This is for your own good.
-->'''AJ:''' Is that what you tell all the people you murder?
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Murder? Don’t tempt me. One little pinch, and the penicillin will make you all better.
-->'''AJ:''' No, I won’t let you! Get away from me! ...Penicillin?
AJ remembers the bracelet - embedded with a distinctive symbol.
-->'''AJ:''' Wait! Emily’s allergic too - I mean, I’m allergic to penicillin! It says right here!\
The Nurse inspects the prohibitive bracelet - on whose back is the inscription “PENICILLIN”.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ...''Don’t you ever''... ''take this bracelet off again. Do you hear me''? ...I didn’t know… you might have been killed…
-->'''AJ:''' Well, yeah.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Emily… I am so sorry…
Stunned with relief, the Nurse helps AJ off with the dress.
Back in the present, AJ hangs up the dress. Nicki unearths a framed graduation photo of a young woman, captioned “Emily Jerome Honour Student Class of 65”.
With Megan still unpersuaded to get a flu shot, Andy starts a succession of sneezes. In different directions, the others leave Vange to douse the fire.
to:
-->'''AJ:''' Nicki…? Man, I had the weirdest dream…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine. It seems that we’ve had a nasty little accident, Emily.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not Emily!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Really. We must have a touch of fever, too.
-->'''AJ:''' Get away from me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' After you’ve had your little shot. You won’t have any
AJ grabs
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Let’s not do that again.\
As the Nurse retrieves the needle,
She runs into an airing cupboard - only to find the Nurse towering over her.
AJ bites her, escapes - and backs towards the
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I am tired
-->'''AJ:''' No! No, I won’t let you poison me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This is for your own good.
-->'''AJ:''' Is that what you tell all the people you murder?
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Murder? Don’t tempt me. One little pinch, and the
-->'''AJ:''' No, I won’t let you! Get away from me! ...Penicillin?
AJ remembers the
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ...''Don’t you ever''... ''take this bracelet off again. Do you hear me''? ...I didn’t know… you might
-->'''AJ:''' Well, yeah.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Emily… I am so sorry…
With Megan still unpersuaded to get a flu shot,
...
Andy starts a succession of sneezes. In different directions, the others leave Vange to douse the fire.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Added DiffLines:
* DoubleTake: When the nurse explains that she was going to give Emily penicillin, AJ repeats it and then realizes just what happened that night.
* FailedASpotCheck: PlayedForDrama. The nurse never took the time to look at the bracelet that showed Emily's allergy, which would've saved Emily's live if she paid more attention.
* FailedASpotCheck: PlayedForDrama. The nurse never took the time to look at the bracelet that showed Emily's allergy, which would've saved Emily's live if she paid more attention.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Recap/ pages are Spoilers Off.
Changed line(s) 256,258 (click to see context) from:
* BattleaxeNurse: [[DownPlayedTrope Downplayed]]; while not physically brutal, the Night Nurse’s proffers of the syringe are decidedly sinister.
* GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse never meant to murder Emily]].
to:
* GoodAllAlong:
Changed line(s) 263 (click to see context) from:
* TragicMistake: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse, unaware of Emily’s penicillin allergy, injected her with it]].
to:
* TragicMistake: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse, unaware of Emily’s penicillin allergy, injected her with it]]. it.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 147 (click to see context) from:
→’’’Nicki:’’’ Get outta here.
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2021_03_21_213218.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"The dress made me go back in time - to Emily's party!"]]
By the fire, the Midnight Society huddle against the cold. Andy sneezes.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothing worse than getting a shot.
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… If you get really sick, somebody’s got to take care of you. Somebody who knows how to make you better. And you have to trust that person. ‘Cause they know what’s best for you. Right? Well.. what would happen if the person who was taking care of you was the one person in the world you should fear the most? And nobody believed you? Nobody knew? And nobody could help?
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she calls this story “The Tale of the Night Nurse.”
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to their parents’ departing car. Fondly greeted on the snowy driveway by their grandfather, Nicki ushers him back into the warmth, and directs A.J. to get the bags.
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
Later, while AJ shovels snow, Nicki flings over a surprise snowball, which hits her on the arm.
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Her gaze is drawn to the nearby pavement. A woman in a tan overcoat and matching hat, accompanied by a young boy in a red bobble hat, each carry a brightly wrapped present.
As they walk on, AJ launches her snowball - which, as Nicki ducks, flies towards the driveway - along which now walk the woman and child.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
In dismay, she covers her face. However, when she next looks, the driveway is empty.
In search of their unintended victims, the girls venture inside.
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Late that night, AJ wakes to the sound of distantly echoing children’s laughter, coming from downstairs.
She creeps downstairs. Through the open living room door, she sees, in the darkness, the soft glow of a candlelight birthday cake, whose icing inscription reads “Happy Birthday Emily.”
Bemused, AJ flicks on the light - and sees the living room’s coffee table to be bereft of cake.
Resigned to befuddlement, she turns - and faces the large mirror opposite the open door. In it, crowded around her own reflection, are the reflections of a man, woman, and seven children, all formally dressed.
-->'''Family:''' ''Surprise''!\
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later that day, AJ, alone in the hall, sees, descending the stairs, a young girl in a blue dress, carrying a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From the girl’s wrist slips a silver chain bracelet. As AJ stares, the girl stoops to retrieve her bracelet - and trips forward.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
As she hurries forward, the girl is nowhere in sight. Across the stairs, the scattered birthday presents fade from view.
AJ screams in fright.
Nicki and Grampa hurry into the hall.
-->'''AJ:''' I - I saw a girl, and she disappeared -
-->'''Grampa:''' You saw the Birthday Girl?
With a solemn glance at the stairs, he leads them to the attic.
-->'''Grampa:''' I was hoping you girls wouldn’t be bothered while you were here. ‘Cause I didn’t want you getting all scared.
-->'''Nicki:''' Bothered? By what?
-->'''Grampa:''' Well… the ghost. You see, a long time ago, a little girl, just about your age, AJ, fell down the front stairs during a birthday party. She didn’t die in the fall. She hurt her leg and had to stay in bed. The girl’s mother hired a nurse to take care of her at night. But as the story goes, the nurse was… a little crazy. One night, when the girl was sleeping, the crazy nurse filled a hypodermic needle with poison, and gave it to her while she slept. Poor thing never woke up.
-->'''AJ:''' She was murdered? Why?
-->'''Grampa:''' Nobody knows. The Night Nurse claimed she was innocent ‘til the day she died. In prison.
-->'''Nicki:''' Cool!
-->'''AJ:''' Not cool! Sad.
-->'''Nicki:''' How do you know all this?
-->'''Grampa:''' This trunk ''{gestures}'' was brought up here when I bought the place. The family must have forgotten here.
From inside, he retrieves a newspaper page, and hands it to AJ, who recognises Emily, the photographed girl from the stairs.
On a coat hanger, AJ finds Emily’s blue dress.
Nicki unfolds the newspaper, and sees the headline.
-->'''Nicki:''' ‘Night Nurse Convicted in Death of Girl’. What a creep!
-->'''AJ:''' Why do you think she keeps coming back?
-->'''Nicki:''' Unfinished business. That’s always why ghosts come back.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… maybe she’s trying to tell us something.
-->'''Grampa:''' Now that you know, I don’t want you girls messing around where you don’t belong. Let the dead rest in peace. Understand?
…
To AJ’s hesitation, the two procure a cake, set it with candles, and offer it to the spirit of Emily… who fails to appear.
-->'''AJ:''' Suddenly, I’m feeling really dumb.
-->'''Nicki:''' Me too.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… at least we get to eat the cake. Make a wish!
-->'''Nicki:''' Okay. Uh, I wish we could make the ghost appear.
They blow out the candles, and start to carry the cake towards the dining room - but their path is blocked by a woman in a nurse’s uniform, holding a syringe.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine.\
The girls scream, and drop the cake.
To the spot of the encounter, they bring their grandfather.
-->'''Grampa:''' I knew you two were gonna scare yourselves to death with this ghost business!
-->'''AJ:''' But it’s true, it was the Night Nurse. Or her ghost!
-->'''Grampa:''' The only ghost I’ve seen in all the years I’ve lived here is that poor, harmless little girl.
-->'''Nicki:''' But, you… I mean, you could see her -
-->'''Grampa:''' But nothing. Forget about ghosts. And clean up this mess.
On sudden inspiration, Nicki makes for the attic, and leaves AJ to clean up the dropped cake.
In the attic, while Nicki reads the newspaper article.AJ tries on Emily’s dress. As she pulls it over her head, she suddenly finds the attic to be empty.
Nicki turns to face AJ - and finds her sister to have suddenly vanished.
In this strange version of the house, AJ cautiously walks onto the landing, and approaches the stairs.
On the lower landing, a small table holds a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From downstairs comes the happy babble of children.
Before the foot of the stairs arrives a woman carrying a candlelit cake.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' ''{to AJ}'' Emily! Bring your presents downstairs so you can open them!
-->'''AJ:''' Me?
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Who else, birthday girl? Oh, look at you, all pretty in that dress!
Overcome, Emily returns to the attic. She pulls off the dress - and finds herself once more facing the back of the distracted Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' What happened to you?
-->'''AJ:''' I put the dress on… and I went back in time?
-->'''Nicki:''' What?!
-->'''AJ:''' People thought I was Emily. And they were having a birthday party for me! I mean, for her. But I was her. She was me. It was unreal!
→’’’Nicki:’’’ Get outta here.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m serious! The dress made me go back in time. To Emily’s party!
-->'''Nicki:''' ''{at the door}'' Yeah, right. And was the nurse there, too? ''{opens door}''
-->'''Night Nurse:''' There you are!
Aghast, Nicki swiftly closes the door.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ''{from behind the door}'' Not afraid of a little needle, are we?
-->'''AJ:''' She wants to give us the poison!
-->'''Nicki:''' Not us! You! You’re the one everyone thought was Emily.
The Night Nurse pounds on the door.
As their fear mounts, AJ has an idea: if she puts back on the dress, resumes the position of Emily, and manages to avoid falling down the stairs, then the Night Nurse will never have been employed, and the threat she poses will have been removed from history.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I’m losing my patience.
-->'''Nicki:''' You’re losing both your patients. ''{to AJ}'' Gimme the dress.
-->'''AJ:''' What?! Why?
-->'''Nicki:''' Because I’m the one going back.
-->'''AJ:''' But I’m the one they thought was Emily, not you!
-->'''Nicki:''' This is way too important. I don’t want you messing it up.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not gonna mess it up! And besides, the dress doesn’t even fit you. I gotta go. For once, you’ve gotta do things my way.
Outside, the Night Nurse reaches for a key.
AJ pulls back on the dress, and once more finds herself in the phantom time of Emily’s party. She returns to the lower landing.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' There you are, Emily! Come on down and bring your gifts.\
Emily takes a stack of presents, and carefully starts the dangerous climb.
Back in the present...
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Last chance, are you going to open up?
-->'''Nicki:''' In your dreams, nursery girl.
As the lock turns, Nicki pushes a nearby chest against the door…
Back in the phantom past, AJ cautiously carries the presents downstairs.
From her wrist, a small chain bracelet slips and falls. Suddenly confident, she carefully stoops, and pockets the bracelet.
-->'''AJ:''' That’s it! That’s why Emily fell.\
The Night Nurse finally pushes open the door. And steals into the attic. She approaches the chest, and opens it. Nicki screams…
AJ triumphantly reaches the lowermost stairs - and trips, She falls face-forward…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
Horrified, Emily’s mother rushes to the prone, unconscious AJ.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
Back in the present, the Night Nurse withdraws from her descent on Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
The spectral Nurse blurs, and dematerialises.
…
In a daylighted bedroom, bedecked with dolls and teddy bears, AJ slowly wakes.
-->'''AJ:''' Nicki…? Man, I had the weirdest dream…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine. It seems that we’ve had a nasty little accident, Emily.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not Emily!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Really. We must have a touch of fever, too.
-->'''AJ:''' Get away from me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' After you’ve had your little shot. You won’t have any more worries, I promise.
AJ grabs the syringe, and flings it aside. With a squeak, the needle lands embedded in a nearby teddy bear.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Let’s not do that again.\
As the Nurse retrieves the needle, Emily runs onto the landing.
She runs into an airing cupboard - only to find the Nurse towering over her.
AJ runs, hides in another bedroom, and tries to pull off the dress. The Nurse appears in the doorway. AJ runs into an adjoined room - and finds the Nurse already there.
The Nurse throws an arm around AJ’s shoulder, and claps a hand over her mouth.
AJ bites her, escapes - and backs towards the wall.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I am tired of this, child. Take your medicine.
-->'''AJ:''' No! No, I won’t let you poison me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This is for your own good.
-->'''AJ:''' Is that what you tell all the people you murder?
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Murder? Don’t tempt me. One little pinch, and the penicillin will make you all better.
-->'''AJ:''' No, I won’t let you! Get away from me! ...Penicillin?
AJ remembers the bracelet - embedded with a distinctive symbol.
-->'''AJ:''' Wait! Emily’s allergic too - I mean, I’m allergic to penicillin! It says right here!\
The Nurse inspects the prohibitive bracelet - on whose back is the inscription “PENICILLIN”.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ...''Don’t you ever''... ''take this bracelet off again. Do you hear me''? ...I didn’t know… you might have been killed…
-->'''AJ:''' Well, yeah.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Emily… I am so sorry…
Stunned with relief, the Nurse helps AJ off with the dress.
Back in the present, AJ hangs up the dress. Nicki unearths a framed graduation photo of a young woman, captioned “Emily Jerome Honour Student Class of 65”.
With Megan still unpersuaded to get a flu shot, Andy starts a succession of sneezes. In different directions, the others leave Vange to douse the fire.
!!This episode provides examples of:
*BattleaxeNurse: [[DownPlayedTrope Downplayed]]; while not physically brutal, the Night Nurse’s proffers of the syringe are decidedly sinister.
*GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse never meant to murder Emily]].
*HauntedFetter: Emily’s dress, when donned by AJ, transports her to a phantom iteration of the time in which Emily was killed.
*MagneticMedium: Even before donning the haunted dress, AJ attracts a spectral manifestation of Emily’s birthday party.
*OurGhostsAreDifferent: Emily’s family and party guests initially appear in the mirror, and then in AJ’s visit to the phantom past. In the present, the Night Nurse appears as she did in life, but on imminent alteration of the past, fades from view.
*ScrewDestiny: Inhabiting Emily’s dress in the past, AJ manages to alter events to change history.
*TragicMistake: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse, unaware of Emily’s penicillin allergy, injected her with it]].
*YouHaveToBelieveMe: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]; AJ and Nicki's grandfather, while initially reluctant to discuss it, is well aware of the ghost.
[[caption-width-right:350:"The dress made me go back in time - to Emily's party!"]]
By the fire, the Midnight Society huddle against the cold. Andy sneezes.
-->'''Megan:''' You got a cold?
-->'''Andy:''' No, just allergies.
-->'''Vange:''' Didn’t you get your flu shot?
-->'''Andy:''' No way!
-->'''Quinn:''' You got a flu shot?
-->'''Vange:''' ...Every year. Don’t you guys?
-->'''Tucker:''' Not me.
-->'''Quinn:''' Me neither.
-->'''Megan:''' I have a thing about needles.
-->'''Vange:''' It’s just a little shot. And it’s way better than getting sick.
-->'''Quinn:''' There’s nothing worse than getting a shot.
-->'''Andy:''' Really.
-->'''Vange:''' Well, I can think of something… If you get really sick, somebody’s got to take care of you. Somebody who knows how to make you better. And you have to trust that person. ‘Cause they know what’s best for you. Right? Well.. what would happen if the person who was taking care of you was the one person in the world you should fear the most? And nobody believed you? Nobody knew? And nobody could help?
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, she calls this story “The Tale of the Night Nurse.”
AJ and Nicki wave farewell to their parents’ departing car. Fondly greeted on the snowy driveway by their grandfather, Nicki ushers him back into the warmth, and directs A.J. to get the bags.
-->'''AJ''' ...Why do I suddenly feel like Cinderella?\
Later, while AJ shovels snow, Nicki flings over a surprise snowball, which hits her on the arm.
With a laugh, AJ balls some snow and prepares to return fire.
Her gaze is drawn to the nearby pavement. A woman in a tan overcoat and matching hat, accompanied by a young boy in a red bobble hat, each carry a brightly wrapped present.
As they walk on, AJ launches her snowball - which, as Nicki ducks, flies towards the driveway - along which now walk the woman and child.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
In dismay, she covers her face. However, when she next looks, the driveway is empty.
In search of their unintended victims, the girls venture inside.
-->'''Grampa:''' Don’t go tracking snow into this house, missies.
-->'''Nicki:''' We just came into apologise - AJ almost hit that woman with a snowball.
-->'''AJ:''' Gee, thanks.
-->'''Grampa:''' What woman?
-->'''Nicki:''' The one who came in with the little boy, carrying presents.
-->'''Grampa:''' ...Birthday presents? There’s nobody here.
Late that night, AJ wakes to the sound of distantly echoing children’s laughter, coming from downstairs.
She creeps downstairs. Through the open living room door, she sees, in the darkness, the soft glow of a candlelight birthday cake, whose icing inscription reads “Happy Birthday Emily.”
Bemused, AJ flicks on the light - and sees the living room’s coffee table to be bereft of cake.
Resigned to befuddlement, she turns - and faces the large mirror opposite the open door. In it, crowded around her own reflection, are the reflections of a man, woman, and seven children, all formally dressed.
-->'''Family:''' ''Surprise''!\
With a scream, AJ runs for the stairs, and bumps into Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' AJ! What is your malfunction?\
With a gasp of shock, AJ hurries back to bed.
At breakfast, their grandfather supposes there to have been a party next door.
Later that day, AJ, alone in the hall, sees, descending the stairs, a young girl in a blue dress, carrying a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From the girl’s wrist slips a silver chain bracelet. As AJ stares, the girl stoops to retrieve her bracelet - and trips forward.
-->'''AJ:''' Look out!\
As she hurries forward, the girl is nowhere in sight. Across the stairs, the scattered birthday presents fade from view.
AJ screams in fright.
Nicki and Grampa hurry into the hall.
-->'''AJ:''' I - I saw a girl, and she disappeared -
-->'''Grampa:''' You saw the Birthday Girl?
With a solemn glance at the stairs, he leads them to the attic.
-->'''Grampa:''' I was hoping you girls wouldn’t be bothered while you were here. ‘Cause I didn’t want you getting all scared.
-->'''Nicki:''' Bothered? By what?
-->'''Grampa:''' Well… the ghost. You see, a long time ago, a little girl, just about your age, AJ, fell down the front stairs during a birthday party. She didn’t die in the fall. She hurt her leg and had to stay in bed. The girl’s mother hired a nurse to take care of her at night. But as the story goes, the nurse was… a little crazy. One night, when the girl was sleeping, the crazy nurse filled a hypodermic needle with poison, and gave it to her while she slept. Poor thing never woke up.
-->'''AJ:''' She was murdered? Why?
-->'''Grampa:''' Nobody knows. The Night Nurse claimed she was innocent ‘til the day she died. In prison.
-->'''Nicki:''' Cool!
-->'''AJ:''' Not cool! Sad.
-->'''Nicki:''' How do you know all this?
-->'''Grampa:''' This trunk ''{gestures}'' was brought up here when I bought the place. The family must have forgotten here.
From inside, he retrieves a newspaper page, and hands it to AJ, who recognises Emily, the photographed girl from the stairs.
On a coat hanger, AJ finds Emily’s blue dress.
Nicki unfolds the newspaper, and sees the headline.
-->'''Nicki:''' ‘Night Nurse Convicted in Death of Girl’. What a creep!
-->'''AJ:''' Why do you think she keeps coming back?
-->'''Nicki:''' Unfinished business. That’s always why ghosts come back.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… maybe she’s trying to tell us something.
-->'''Grampa:''' Now that you know, I don’t want you girls messing around where you don’t belong. Let the dead rest in peace. Understand?
…
To AJ’s hesitation, the two procure a cake, set it with candles, and offer it to the spirit of Emily… who fails to appear.
-->'''AJ:''' Suddenly, I’m feeling really dumb.
-->'''Nicki:''' Me too.
-->'''AJ:''' Well… at least we get to eat the cake. Make a wish!
-->'''Nicki:''' Okay. Uh, I wish we could make the ghost appear.
They blow out the candles, and start to carry the cake towards the dining room - but their path is blocked by a woman in a nurse’s uniform, holding a syringe.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine.\
The girls scream, and drop the cake.
To the spot of the encounter, they bring their grandfather.
-->'''Grampa:''' I knew you two were gonna scare yourselves to death with this ghost business!
-->'''AJ:''' But it’s true, it was the Night Nurse. Or her ghost!
-->'''Grampa:''' The only ghost I’ve seen in all the years I’ve lived here is that poor, harmless little girl.
-->'''Nicki:''' But, you… I mean, you could see her -
-->'''Grampa:''' But nothing. Forget about ghosts. And clean up this mess.
On sudden inspiration, Nicki makes for the attic, and leaves AJ to clean up the dropped cake.
In the attic, while Nicki reads the newspaper article.AJ tries on Emily’s dress. As she pulls it over her head, she suddenly finds the attic to be empty.
Nicki turns to face AJ - and finds her sister to have suddenly vanished.
In this strange version of the house, AJ cautiously walks onto the landing, and approaches the stairs.
On the lower landing, a small table holds a stack of brightly wrapped presents. From downstairs comes the happy babble of children.
Before the foot of the stairs arrives a woman carrying a candlelit cake.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' ''{to AJ}'' Emily! Bring your presents downstairs so you can open them!
-->'''AJ:''' Me?
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Who else, birthday girl? Oh, look at you, all pretty in that dress!
Overcome, Emily returns to the attic. She pulls off the dress - and finds herself once more facing the back of the distracted Nicki.
-->'''Nicki:''' What happened to you?
-->'''AJ:''' I put the dress on… and I went back in time?
-->'''Nicki:''' What?!
-->'''AJ:''' People thought I was Emily. And they were having a birthday party for me! I mean, for her. But I was her. She was me. It was unreal!
→’’’Nicki:’’’ Get outta here.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m serious! The dress made me go back in time. To Emily’s party!
-->'''Nicki:''' ''{at the door}'' Yeah, right. And was the nurse there, too? ''{opens door}''
-->'''Night Nurse:''' There you are!
Aghast, Nicki swiftly closes the door.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ''{from behind the door}'' Not afraid of a little needle, are we?
-->'''AJ:''' She wants to give us the poison!
-->'''Nicki:''' Not us! You! You’re the one everyone thought was Emily.
The Night Nurse pounds on the door.
As their fear mounts, AJ has an idea: if she puts back on the dress, resumes the position of Emily, and manages to avoid falling down the stairs, then the Night Nurse will never have been employed, and the threat she poses will have been removed from history.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I’m losing my patience.
-->'''Nicki:''' You’re losing both your patients. ''{to AJ}'' Gimme the dress.
-->'''AJ:''' What?! Why?
-->'''Nicki:''' Because I’m the one going back.
-->'''AJ:''' But I’m the one they thought was Emily, not you!
-->'''Nicki:''' This is way too important. I don’t want you messing it up.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not gonna mess it up! And besides, the dress doesn’t even fit you. I gotta go. For once, you’ve gotta do things my way.
Outside, the Night Nurse reaches for a key.
AJ pulls back on the dress, and once more finds herself in the phantom time of Emily’s party. She returns to the lower landing.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' There you are, Emily! Come on down and bring your gifts.\
Emily takes a stack of presents, and carefully starts the dangerous climb.
Back in the present...
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Last chance, are you going to open up?
-->'''Nicki:''' In your dreams, nursery girl.
As the lock turns, Nicki pushes a nearby chest against the door…
Back in the phantom past, AJ cautiously carries the presents downstairs.
From her wrist, a small chain bracelet slips and falls. Suddenly confident, she carefully stoops, and pockets the bracelet.
-->'''AJ:''' That’s it! That’s why Emily fell.\
The Night Nurse finally pushes open the door. And steals into the attic. She approaches the chest, and opens it. Nicki screams…
AJ triumphantly reaches the lowermost stairs - and trips, She falls face-forward…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This won’t hurt a smidge - well, maybe you a little.\
Horrified, Emily’s mother rushes to the prone, unconscious AJ.
-->'''Emily’s Mother:''' Somebody call a doctor - hurry!\
Back in the present, the Night Nurse withdraws from her descent on Nicki.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' It seems I’m needed elsewhere. We’ll finish this later.\
The spectral Nurse blurs, and dematerialises.
…
In a daylighted bedroom, bedecked with dolls and teddy bears, AJ slowly wakes.
-->'''AJ:''' Nicki…? Man, I had the weirdest dream…
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Time for your medicine. It seems that we’ve had a nasty little accident, Emily.
-->'''AJ:''' I’m not Emily!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Really. We must have a touch of fever, too.
-->'''AJ:''' Get away from me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' After you’ve had your little shot. You won’t have any more worries, I promise.
AJ grabs the syringe, and flings it aside. With a squeak, the needle lands embedded in a nearby teddy bear.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Let’s not do that again.\
As the Nurse retrieves the needle, Emily runs onto the landing.
She runs into an airing cupboard - only to find the Nurse towering over her.
AJ runs, hides in another bedroom, and tries to pull off the dress. The Nurse appears in the doorway. AJ runs into an adjoined room - and finds the Nurse already there.
The Nurse throws an arm around AJ’s shoulder, and claps a hand over her mouth.
AJ bites her, escapes - and backs towards the wall.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' I am tired of this, child. Take your medicine.
-->'''AJ:''' No! No, I won’t let you poison me!
-->'''Night Nurse:''' This is for your own good.
-->'''AJ:''' Is that what you tell all the people you murder?
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Murder? Don’t tempt me. One little pinch, and the penicillin will make you all better.
-->'''AJ:''' No, I won’t let you! Get away from me! ...Penicillin?
AJ remembers the bracelet - embedded with a distinctive symbol.
-->'''AJ:''' Wait! Emily’s allergic too - I mean, I’m allergic to penicillin! It says right here!\
The Nurse inspects the prohibitive bracelet - on whose back is the inscription “PENICILLIN”.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' ...''Don’t you ever''... ''take this bracelet off again. Do you hear me''? ...I didn’t know… you might have been killed…
-->'''AJ:''' Well, yeah.
-->'''Night Nurse:''' Emily… I am so sorry…
Stunned with relief, the Nurse helps AJ off with the dress.
Back in the present, AJ hangs up the dress. Nicki unearths a framed graduation photo of a young woman, captioned “Emily Jerome Honour Student Class of 65”.
With Megan still unpersuaded to get a flu shot, Andy starts a succession of sneezes. In different directions, the others leave Vange to douse the fire.
!!This episode provides examples of:
*BattleaxeNurse: [[DownPlayedTrope Downplayed]]; while not physically brutal, the Night Nurse’s proffers of the syringe are decidedly sinister.
*GoodAllAlong: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse never meant to murder Emily]].
*HauntedFetter: Emily’s dress, when donned by AJ, transports her to a phantom iteration of the time in which Emily was killed.
*MagneticMedium: Even before donning the haunted dress, AJ attracts a spectral manifestation of Emily’s birthday party.
*OurGhostsAreDifferent: Emily’s family and party guests initially appear in the mirror, and then in AJ’s visit to the phantom past. In the present, the Night Nurse appears as she did in life, but on imminent alteration of the past, fades from view.
*ScrewDestiny: Inhabiting Emily’s dress in the past, AJ manages to alter events to change history.
*TragicMistake: [[spoiler: The Night Nurse, unaware of Emily’s penicillin allergy, injected her with it]].
*YouHaveToBelieveMe: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]; AJ and Nicki's grandfather, while initially reluctant to discuss it, is well aware of the ghost.
