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Man in the Black Mask
by Jonathan (JLskate742@aim.com)

Rated: R   Genre: Miscellaneous   User Review: ****
This is a rough draft for a short film I've been working on.


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. OUTSIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT
                                                            
The Man in the Black Mask appears from the light. HE's
walking towards a man scrambling on the ground. HE moves
closer, and closer until...
                                                            
                                         CUT TO BLACK
                                                            
 
INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - DAY
                                                            
The knob on the door wiggles before swinging open. JOHN
steps in and swiftly closes the door. The HOUSE is blandly
decorated, and extremely clean. HE makes his way toward the
kitchen.
                                                            
The Man in the Black MASK moves directly in front of JOHN.
HE stands perfectly still and stares as if peering into
JOHN's soul.
                                                            
MASK raises HIS arm and with a single blow, knocks JOHN
unconscious.
                                                            
 
EXT. OUTSIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT
                                                            
RETURN TO SCENE 1.
                                                            
The MAN in the BLACK MASK continues toward JOHN who is still
crawling backwards on the ground.
                                                            
 
INT. FRONT HALLWAY - NIGHT
                                                            
We move towards JOHN laying on the floor against the wall.
The room is only lit by ambient light.
                                                            
JOHN awakens violently and immediately surveys his
surroundings. HE moves slowly towards the light. The light
is shining on a flash light hanging from a string. HE slowly
reaches for the flashlight and takes it.
                                                            
The entire room and house goes dark. JOHN scrambles for a
moment before turning on the flashlight. HE swiftly shines
the light back and forth, expecting a trap. Nothing happens
so HE moves toward the kitchen.
                                                            
                       JOHN
      (yelling)
Hello?
                                                            

2.

Upon entering the kitchen HIS light shines on a man in black
with a black mask. The MAN is perfectly still. The light
continues to shine directly on the MAN.
                                                            
The MASK darts from the room. JOHN quickly follows, moving
through the kitchen, out the exterior door and stops on the
porch. In the yard there is a door. The door is white and
very ominous looking. JOHN slowly moves toward the door,
looking around as if expecting another trap.
                                                            
With the man in the black mask gone, JOHN assumes the only
logical choice is to ENTER the door.
                                                            
 
INT. MAN'S HOUSE - NIGHT
                                                            
Once through the door.. JOHN stares down towards a door with
light shining through the cracks. A very loud scream emits
from the room. HE dashes toward the room, swings the door
and immediately sees the source of the screaming. HE slowly
moves into the room. HE covers his mouth from the sight of a
woman covered in blood, torn shirt, and blood drenched
clothing. SHE is crawling towards JOHN.
                                                            
                       WIFE
      (desperate whisper)
Help.
                                                            
JOHN drops to his knees and continues looking at the WOMAN.
As SHE gets closer she reaches out for JOHN and then
collapses(dead).
                                                            
JOHN looks down (towards floor) for a moment. When HE looks
back up, the woman is gone, and in her place is the DOOR.
Confused and curious, JOHN once again heads for the door and
enters.
                                                            
 
EXT. OUTSIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT
                                                            
RETURN TO SCENE 1.
                                                            
The Man in the Black Mask stops a few feet from JOHN.
                                                            
 
EXT. EDGE OF FOREST - DAY
                                                            
JOHN comes through the door. HE is surrounded by a forest.
The only thing you can hear is what sounds like digging in
the distance.
                                                            

3.

JOHN moves toward the source of the digging. The digging
sound stops. JOHN sees a hole in the distance but no one in
sight.
                                                            
MAN in the Black Mask appears from the left of JOHN and with
one strike of the shovel, JOHN is unconscious.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO BLACK
                                                            
JOHN awakens next to the hole. The digging sound returns. HE
slowly turns his head toward the hole. The man in the black
mask is quickly digging, almost as if hes angry. JOHN looks
to his hands, they are bound in rope, as are his legs.
                                                            
MASK throws down the shovel.
                                                            
                       MASK
Have you ever heard the story of
the man in the black mask?
      (Looks towards
       John)
John?
                                                            
JOHN is still waking up.. Confused and disoriented.
                                                            
                       JOHN
      (mumbles)
No.
                                                            
                       MASK
      (continues digging)
Good. I'm glad. No one tells it
quite like me.
      (Stops digging)
A MAN and a WOMAN who have known
each other since high school, are
deeply in love. They had both just
finished college and decided to
get married. The wedding was
lovely. Everything was white,
beautiful flowers decorated every
inch of the church. The husband
was dressed in a dashing black
tux. Nothing short of perfection.
      (He pauses and
       moves closer to
       JOHN)
The newly weds chose to stay home
for their honeymoon in their brand
new house. Fit for a family.
Something they'd been planning
since the early days of their
relationship.
      (beat)
            (MORE)

4.

                       MASK (cont'd)
They made love off an on
throughout the night. Soaking in
the ecstasy of their marriage.
      (beat)
Upon settling into their beds for
sleep. They get a visitor. This
visitor, was no ordinary visitor.
He was the bringer of darkness, a
moment passes, and happiness is
swept away.
                                                            
                       MASK
      (He moves in
       closer)
Do you know what happened next
JOHN?
                                                            
JOHN says nothing, HE looks as if hes in shock.
                                                            
                       MASK
HE kills the wife and buries the
husband alive.
                                                            
MASK lunges forward and grabs JOHN by the jacket.
                                                            
                       JOHN
      (desperate)
Please! Don't do this!
                                                            
MASK ignores his pleads and pulls him into the hole. HE
quickly grabs the shovel and begins to fill the hole around
JOHN.
                                                            
JOHN continues to plead for his life as MASK fills the hole.
                                                            
                                         FADE TO BLACK
                                                            
 
EXT. OUTSIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT
                                                            
RETURN TO SCENE 1.
                                                            
The man in the black mask leans down towards JOHN and
stares.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
INT. FRONT HALLWAY - NIGHT
                                                            
We move towards JOHN laying on the floor against the wall.
The room is only lit by ambient light.
                                                            

5.

JOHN awakens violently. HE sighs in relief that he is alive.
HE begins to look around and notices that he is back in the
house with the light. HE moves toward the flashlight and
immediately grabs it. The house goes dark.
                                                            
HE heads toward the kitchen and shines the light directly on
the man in the black mask. HE doesn't hesitate and runs
after him. Through the kitchen, out the exterior door and
back on the porch. Again the ominous door is in the yard.
MASK once again, no where in sight. HE moves toward it
quickly this time and enters.
                                                            
 
EXT. STAGE - NIGHT
                                                            
The door opens and JOHN steps out. HE is on a big square
piece of concrete (It resembles a stage.) in the middle of
what looks like a park. The only light seems to be
highlighting the stage.
                                                            
JOHN looks around confused. HE notices the door has
disappeared.
                                                            
                       JOHN
Hello?
                                                            
MASK appears from the darkness.
                                                            
                       MASK
A grand stage, isn't it john?
                                                            
JOHN is silent for a moment, then...
                                                            
                       JOHN
Are you going to kill me?
                                                            
MASK begins circling JOHN. JOHN doesn't move, only moving
his head to follow MASK.
                                                            
                       MASK
Perhaps.
                                                            
MASK raises his arms into the air.
                                                            
                       MASK
What a grand gesture to the great
JOHN FISHER.
      (puts his hands
       down)
A death in the spotlight. Is this
what you would prefer?
                                                            

6.

                       JOHN
I would prefer not to die at all.
                                                            
                       MASK
But of course. No one wants to
die. Humans starve for
immortality. Everyone wants to
live forever. Thats the dream, is
it not?
                                                            
                       JOHN
I don't want to live forever..
Just a while longer.
                                                            
JOHN rushes toward the MASK. In one swift move, HE knocks
JOHN off his feet and HE crashes down onto his back.
                                                            
MASK is once again circling JOHN. JOHN laying on his back on
the ground.
                                                            
                       MASK
I forgot to tell you the best part
of the story JOHN. Its my favorite
part.
      (beat)
The husband didn't die.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
EXT. EDGE OF FOREST - DAY
                                                            
We move towards a fresh grave. A moment passes then a ARM
comes smashing through the dirt. The arm shakes and smacks
the ground.
                                                            
                                         BACK TO SCENE 11.
                                                            
 
EXT. STAGE - NIGHT
                                                            
MASK jumps on top of JOHN.
                                                            
                       MASK
      (shaking JOHN)
Don't you get it JOHN?!
                                                            
JOHN seems dazed and stares at the MASK.
                                                            
                       MASK
This story is about me!
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 

7.

INT. MASK'S HOUSE - NIGHT
                                                            
FADE IN
                                                            
JOHN turns on a flashlight. HE walking towards the stairs,
observing the pictures as walks. HE slowly moves up the
stairs. Making sure to not make a sound. You can tell he
knows exactly where hes going. HE makes his way to a door
and enters.
                                                            
 
INT. MASK'S ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
JOHN slowly enters. Being sure to silently close the door
behind him. HE walks slowly towards the bed, withdrawing a
knife from his pocket. At the side of the bed he stares down
towards the MASK's wife. Then suddenly, he pulls back with
both arms and swiftly comes down to stab her.
                                                            
The WIFE wakes up into a blood hurdling scream.
                                                            
MASK jars awake next to his screaming WIFE. JOHN notices
that MASK has woken up and proceeds to pull out a crowbar.
HE swings the crowbar and knocks out MASK.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
EXT. EDGE OF FOREST - DAY
                                                            
JOHN is dragging the presumably dead MASK toward the edge of
the forest that opens into a field.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
JOHN is digging slowly, savoring the moment. HE finishes and
begins to drag MASK into the hole.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
JOHN finishes filling the hole. HE collects his things and
walks away.
                                                            
                                         CUT BACK TO SCENE
12.
                                                            
 
EXT. EDGE OF FOREST - DAY
                                                            
We hover over the grave. A moment passes then a ARM comes
smashing through the dirt. The arm shakes and smacks the
ground.
                                                            

8.

                                         CUT TO
                                                            
MASK struggles to free himself from HIS early grave.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
MASK escapes and without hesitation heads for the forest.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
EXT. FOREST - DAY
                                                            
Dirty and disoriented, MASK is sprinting through the forest.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
INT. MASK'S HOUSE - DAY
                                                            
Exhausted from the run, MASK struggles up the stairs and
into his bedroom. HE's unprepared for what he sees. HE
slowly steps toward the bed. Dropping to his knees looking
towards his dead WIFE, HE begins to cry.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
EXT. STAGE - NIGHT
                                                            
MASK is still hovering over JOHN.
                                                            
                       MASK
      (grabbing JOHN)
Time to die JOHN.
                                                            
The door once again appears. With JOHN resisting, MASK drags
HIM to the door. HE opens it and throws him through.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 
INT. JOHN'S APARTMENT - DAY
                                                            
JOHN awakes. MASK is hovering above him staring down.
Despite being knocked out, JOHN is quick to recover to his
feet. HE runs for the door, with MASK following behind.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO
                                                            
 

9.

INT. OUTSIDE JOHN'S APARTMENT - DAY
                                                            
JOHN moves down the stairs from his apartment as fast as he
can, MASK still close behind. HE makes it to the exterior
door and throws himself into it. The door swings open. JOHN
begins away from the apartment only making it 10 feet before
tripping.
                                                            
MASK exits the APARTMENT, noticing that JOHN has tripped HE
moves at a slow pace. JOHN is now scrambling on his back
moving away from MASK (looking towards MASK).
                                                            
MASK slowly walks toward JOHN (knife in hand) and leans
down. HE stares at JOHN for awhile before pulling off HIS
MASK revealing his face.
                                                            
                       MASK
This is where your story ends
JOHN.
                                                            
MASK lunges forward and begins stabbing JOHN repeatedly.
This continues till...
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From Dominic Date 2/19/2012 ****
The Man in the Black Mask sounds like an amazing character. It reminds me of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.


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