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The Closet (Short)
by E-man (whattodo@verizon.net)

Rated: R   Genre: Horror   User Review: **
A malevolent spirit avenges an abused family.


This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.



FADE IN:

EXT. HOUSE - DAY
                                                            
A small dilapidated house with a gravel driveway, weeds for
a lawn, and a sun-faded yellow exterior sits on top of a
hill surrounded by yellow grass fields.
                                                            
INT. HOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Mary (31), a modestly attractive woman, prepares dinner. She
glances up at the clock.

THE CLOCK READS: 4:45PM

She lowers the flame on a boiling pot. Crosses to the
kitchen window. Looks outside. There's nothing. Glances at
the clock, then back outside.

She nervously rubs her hands as she stares outside lost in
thought.

She snaps from her daydream, panicked.
                                                            
                       MARY
Nathan! Nathan!
                                                            
Mary rushes out of the kitchen.
                                                            
LIVING ROOM
                                                            
Nathan (7), a plump little boy, plays with his toy cars on
the carpet. He looks up to see Mary, glaring at him.
                                                            
                       MARY
Why didn't you answer me?
                                                            
                       NATHAN
I always hear you calling me and
when I say 'What?' you always tell
me you didn't say anything. So I
stopped paying attention.
                                                            
                       MARY
You'd better start paying
attention.
                                                            
                       NATHAN
Even in the middle of the night
when it's dark and you call me,
you want me to come?
                                                            

2.

                       MARY
I don't call you in the night.
                                                            
                       NATHAN
I hear you calling me. I go to
you, but you run away from me. And
then I get scared, 'cause it's
dark.
                                                            
Mary shudders. Rubs her hands.
                                                            
                       MARY
You're having nightmares. It's not
real. Now, put away your toys.
It's Friday. Your father's almost
home.
                                                            
                       NATHAN
But I'm awake. I'm always--
                                                            
                       MARY
Toys! Put them--
                                                            
The unmistakable sound of TIRES TEARING THROUGH GRAVEL
followed by the REVVING OF A CAR ENGINE.

Mary crosses to the window. Looks out. She sees--Tire tracks
leading from the driveway to the lawn where a dust cloud
envelopes a Plymouth Fury. In it, Caesar (35), a well
muscled man, takes a swig of whiskey.

BANG! As though something has fallen.

Mary spins in the direction of the bedrooms.
                                                            
                       MARY
The baby!
                                                            
CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
                                                            
Mary rushes in. Looks around--In a crib, sleeping
peacefully, is a baby, Eddie (5 months).

Mary creeps closer. Gets a good look. He's breathing fine,
clutching his bottle.

She looks around the room, searching. Crosses to the bed.
Holds her breath. Lifts the covers. Slowly lowers herself
down to look under the bed. She sees--a few dust bunnies.

She sighs, relieved. A hand yanks her up by the hair.
                                                            

3.

                       CAESAR
You didn't know I was home, did
you, bitch?
                                                            
Caesar drags her out of the room.
                                                            
MASTER BEDROOM
                                                            
Caesar enters, still pulling Mary by the hair. She's cries,
struggles to break free.

Caesar rummages through a drawer. Grabs a .45. Rushes out,
dragging Mary with him.
                                                            
BEDROOM
                                                            
Caesar staggers in with Mary.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Where are you motherfucker!?
                                                            
                       MARY
Caesar, are you crazy?
                                                            
Caesar holds the gun to Mary's head.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Tell him to come out.
                                                            
                       MARY
Who?
                                                            
                       CAESAR
The motherfucker you're hiding
under the fuckin' bed!
                                                            
                       MARY
There's no one here. I heard a
noise. I thought something fell.
                                                            
Caesar throws Mary on the bed.

Nathan watches silently from the doorway, tears roll down
his cheeks.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Hey, motherfucker, you don't want
to come out? How 'bout if I shoot
your kid?
                                                            
Caesar aims the gun at the baby.
                                                            

4.

                       MARY
      (screams)
That's your son! He looks just
like you!
                                                            
                       CAESAR
My son? He's not even blond!
                                                            
                       MARY
Caesar, you're hair is dark brown,
just like his!
                                                            
Caesar cocks the gun.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Last chance, motherfucker!
                                                            
As he runs to shield the baby:
                                                            
                       NATHAN
Noooooo.
                                                            
Mary leaps off the bed. Throws herself in front of Nathan
and the baby.
                                                            
                       MARY
      (sobbing)
Caesar!
                                                            
Caesar lowers the gun.

BANG! BANG!

MARY SHRIEKS. NATHAN AND EDDIE CRY.

Caesar has put two rounds through the mattress. He tosses
the mattress to the side. Looks. There's nothing there.
                                                            
 
INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
                                                            
Everyone sits silently around the dinner table. Mary and the
kids on one side, Caesar on the other. At the center of the
table is the .45. The plates are full, no one has eaten
anything.

Caesar takes a swig of whiskey. Continuously stares at Mary
with dark, hate-filled eyes. She does her best to avoid
eye-contact.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Nathan, come here.
                                                            

5.

Nathan clutches Mary's arm.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
Come here!
                                                            
Nathan slowly makes his way to Caesar.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
      (clutching Nathan)
Son, when I'm not here, you're the
man of the house.
      (grabs gun)
See this? When you see some god
damned cocksucker in this house,
you're uncle, the gasman, the
mailman, and I'm not home, you
grab this and you kill him. OK?
                                                            
Nathan pulls away. Runs back to Mary. Caesar gets up, angry.
Grabs his gun and whiskey. Crosses to the living room.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
      (mutters)
Worthless piece of...
                                                            
LIVING ROOM
                                                            
Caesar marches around the living room. Is about to take a
swig of whiskey--falls. Looks around. Finds a toy car. Gets
up. Races to the kitchen.
                                                            
KITCHEN
                                                            
                       CAESAR
You son-of-a-bitch!
                                                            
Caesar grabs Nathan by the hair. Starts dragging him away.
Mary tries to rescue Nathan. Caesar shoves her down. Drags
Nathan away.
                                                            
BEDROOM
                                                            
Caesar enters with Nathan. Opens the door to a
walk-in-closet, sandwiched inside is a fold-away bed.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
You like living like a pig so
much...
                                                            
Nathan flails, desperately trying to stay out of the closet.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
...sleep in a pen like one.
                                                            

6.

Caesar flings Nathan into the closet; he lands on the bed.
Caesar shuts the door. Locks it.
                                                            
                       NATHAN (O.S.)
      (terrified)
I'm sorry! Let me out! MOMMYYYY!
                                                            
Mary rushes in. Starts unlocking the door. Caesar pulls her
by the hair. Kisses her, rough. She tries to pull away. He's
too strong. Caesar drags her out of the room. They're gone.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
                                                            
                       NATHAN
      (whisper)
Mommy, is he gone?
                                                            
INT. CLOSET
                                                            
Nathan feels around the pitch black closet. Finds the light
switch. It doesn't work. He cries.

The distant sound of a SQUEAKING MATTRESS.
                                                            
MASTER BEDROOM
                                                            
Caesar is on top of Mary having his way with her. She weeps
silently, almost as if she's somewhere else.
                                                            
CLOSET
                                                            
Nathan stands, trembling, crying.
                                                            
                       FEMALE VOICE (O.S.)
Go to sleep.
                                                            
                       NATHAN
      (cheerful)
Mommy, can I come out now?
                                                            
                       FEMALE VOICE (O.S.)
Go to sleep.
                                                            
Nathan nods. Lies on the bed. Curls into a ball. Goes to
sleep.
                                                            
CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
                                                            
No one is in the room.
                                                            

7.

MASTER BEDROOM - LATER
                                                            
Caesar is asleep. Mary slowly gets out of bed. Tip-toes to
the door. Glances back. She's startled to see Caesar
standing behind her, staring at her like a crazed madman.
She exits the bedroom. Caesar follows.
                                                            
HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
                                                            
Mary glances toward the children's bedroom. Crosses to the
kitchen.

Caesar crosses to the Bathroom. Urinates with the door open.
                                                            
KITCHEN
                                                            
Mary checks on the baby. He's asleep on his high-chair.

She starts to cry. Clenches her fists tightly, willing
herself to keep it together.

Caesar enters, expressionless. Crosses to the front door and
exits to outside.

Mary watches this intently. Turns. SCREAMS, startled. In
front of her stands Caesar, who stares at her with a drunken
grin. Mary glances back at the front door, then back at
Caesar, confused, terrified.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
He's ain't coming out till I say
so.
                                                            
Mary backs away from Caesar, frightened.
                                                            
CLOSET
                                                            
Nathan lies sleeping. Flails his legs as if something is
tugging at him. The bed begins shaking violently. Nathan
wakes, SCREAMING.
                                                            
KITCHEN
                                                            
Mary runs to Nathan. Caesar grabs her. She shoves him. Runs
past.
                                                            

8.

CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
                                                            
Nathan POUNDS on the door, SCREAMING, desperate to get out.

Mary rushes in. Opens the closet. Grabs Nathan. Cradles him
tightly.

Caesar enters, shaking his head.
                                                            
                       CAESAR
He's gonna be a coward. He's gotta
learn to be tough ... like me.
                                                            
Caesar watches as Mary and Nathan exit. He reaches back for
the doorknob. A hand reaches out. Grabs Caesar. Pulls him
in. SLAMS the door shut.

POUND! POUND! POUND! Caesar pounds on the door. The doorknob
rattles. It's locked.
                                                            
                       CAESAR (O.S.)
Open the door you stupid bitch!
When I get out, I'm gonna kill
you!
                                                            
BANG! A bullet pierces the closet door.
                                                            
KITCHEN
                                                            
Mary, cradling Nathan, desperately tries to unseat the baby
from his highchair. He's screaming so hard, he's silent.
                                                            
CLOSET
                                                            
Caesar aims his gun at the doorknob. Shoots. He's too drunk,
he misses.

A CHILD LAUGHS.

Caesar looks around for the source of the laughter,
panicked. Starts punching his way through the door. Makes a
hole. Squeezes his arm through reaching for the lock.
                                                            
KITCHEN
                                                            
Mary desperately tugs at the baby. Finally manages to pop
him out of his highchair.

She crosses to the front door cradling the children. Exits.
                                                            

9.

CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
                                                            
Caesar's bloody fingers just reach the lock. He unlocks it.
The closet door opens. Caesar exits, triumphant. Caesar's
doppleganger reaches out, pulls him back in. The door
closes.
                                                            
INT. EXT. FURY/HOUSE - NIGHT
                                                            
Mary has the kids in the backseat. She reaches for the
ignition. No keys. She WHIMPERS. Pounds on the steering
wheel, frustrated. She exits the Fury.

BANG! BANG! BANG! Gunshots from inside.

Mary trembles as she crosses to the front door. She reaches
for the doorknob. Finds the car keys in the keyhole. Grabs
them. Runs back to the Fury.
                                                            
INT. HOUSE - CLOSET - NIGHT
                                                            
Caesar cowers on the bed. Holds his gun out at an
approaching figure with red glowing eyes.

BANG! BANG! He fires.

The figure keeps coming. Leans close. It's almost nose to
nose with Caesar. Caesar see--his doppleganger with half its
face blown off.

Caesar tries to pull away. He can't

Underneath the bed, a LITTLE GIRL holds Caesar's feet.

Caesar cries. Closes his eyes. Inserts the gun into his
mouth.
                                                            
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
                                                            
The Fury peels out leaving a dust cloud in its wake.

BANG! A gunshot from inside the house.
                                                            

10.

INT. EXT. FURY/LONG WINDING ROAD - LATER - NIGHT
                                                            
Mary adjusts the rearview mirror. In it, she sees--the
children sleeping peacefully. She turns her attention back
to the road.

Now sitting next to the children is a transparent little
girl.

Mary glances back in the rearview mirror. She sees the
little girl momentarily. She glances back. Sees nothing. She
turns her attention back to the road. She sees Caesar
standing in the middle of the road bleeding. Mary swerves.

The car careens down a hillside and comes to a rest in a
lake. The car slowly submerges. Mary frantically tries to
open the door. She can't.

Finally, the rear taillights go under. The lake has
swallowed the car whole.
                                                            
 
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
                                                            
THREE MEXICAN MEN carry a china hutch out the front door.
They throw it into the bed of an already packed pickup.
GLASS BREAKS. They don't care. They seem intent on getting
out of there. They hurry to secure a tarp over the bed of
the truck.

SUPER - Twenty Years Later

A silver BMW parks in front of the house. An attractive
asain woman (30s) exits. She watches as--The Mexican men
argue among themselves.
                                                            
                       MEXICAN LEADER
Go and see if we didn't forget
anything.
                                                            
                       SCARED MEXICAN
Me!? Send him?
                                                            
                       FAT MEXICAN
Screw you, I'm not going back in
there.
                                                            
                       MEXICAN LEADER
If we forget something, they'll
take it out of our pay.
      (grabs a bat)
C'mon, we'll go together.
                                                            

11.

The Mexicans enter the house huddled together with the
leader nervously leading the way clutching his bat.

A black Chevy Tahoe parks behind the BMW. ANGIE WRIGHT (36),
attractive, but plainly dressed, and CINDY SUMMERS (38),
very hot and dressed like a MILF on the prowl, exit.
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From Ronald Wert Date 10/28/2007 1/2
No offence but I did not like it at all. It was not scarry at all. It could be a lot better. I dont think you could give this script away. You need to elaberate more on your characters. I could not picture in my head what the characters would look and act like. I think if you put in some better lines and told us more about the background of the characters it would be better.

From Bob Slotkis Date 10/18/2007 ***
Solid structure, good descriptions. I liked the drama of the situation. However, your dialogue sucked. WAY too cliche. You need to break the characters out of their stereotypical roles (drunk father, helpless mother) - give them something UNIQUE. The way they act and speak is entirely predictable. I cringed at the line "a whore for a mother and a queer for a child." TRITE! Also, I was confused about the ending. You need to spend more time...make it...you know...meaningful. Not so rushed :)

From Aaron C. Marstella Date 10/13/2007 **1/2
I thought this was a good short film. Scary, yet in some points realistic. My question is how will the audience who donīt have the script to read know what the names are of the characters, one thing you have to do in all scripts is establish names and background of the characters early in the film. I think that it would be nice to expand on the story a bit such as learning the history of Mary and Ceasar like how they met? Are they married, and was he always this way? Did he always drink and be abusive like this? Another question you could expand on a bit is who is the transparent little girl who at the end is sitting next to the children in the backseat and is she going to be a threat to them? Perhaps you could say that she was once their daughter who Ceasar killed and now is getting back at her murderous father and at the end is where she always wanted to be, with a loving family darkness behind her. Just a thought. In full I liked this film but I can only see it as a short student film and nothing else unless you make it longer. Sincerly , A.C.Marstella


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