Screenwriter Community |
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by Dakota Gamble (dakotagamble@verizon.net)
Rated:
Genre: Horror
User Review:
An investigation to solve a murder mystery gone wrong from the very beginning in the dark mansion at the end of the street in Southern California after WW2. Who will make it out, if anyone? And who will stay sane to tell the tale?
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.
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FADE IN:
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EXT. OMAHA BEACH, EUROPE - DAY |
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We OPEN to see a war-stricken beach of soldiers scattering
from the boats for cover. |
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We then move to MARCUS, a clean-cut man in his 30's, tall,
and kind, and SGT. TREVOR, a strong-built man in his
mid-50's, sturdy and rugged from the war. The two are at the
base of the mountain with four other veterans. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Alright listen up lads. I think we
all know what we gotta do now so
I'm not gonna say much and let you
grown men do it yourselves, OK? |
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VETERAN #1
Get to the top and just start
blastin' them? |
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Another VETERAN is in the open yelling at two other soldiers
to the mountain. |
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VETERAN #2
You wanna get shot, gentlemen?
Then get up the goddamn mountain,
let's move! |
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There is rapid gunfire and two of the three veterans are
shot down as the third gets to cover. We return to the six
in cover. |
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SGT. TREVOR
You got a better idea? |
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VETERAN #1 shakes his head. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Alright, then on the count of
three, lads. One . . . two . . .
three! |
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The six spring from their positions and run for the ropes,
one shot down before. The five climb up the ropes as we
listen to officers screaming below, machine guns, screams
below and above, frag explosions, etc.
We look through Veteran #1's POV as a veteran climbing
before him is shot and falls on top of him.
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2.
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Marcus eventually gets to the top and runs to the others
crouched down to avoid being shot. They welcome him by
patting him on the back and saying his name. |
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KINSLEY
Hey, where's your old man? |
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Marcus looks around for Trevor, and shrugs. |
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MARK
I don't know, I just saw him -- |
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KINSLEY
OK well we're gonna make a move
for those trenches -- if you don't
mind so . . . care to join us,
that's your choice. Ready, guys?
Let's go! |
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The group then springs up and races for the trenches, and
bullets are flying. Marcus looks back and then joins them to
the trenches, one of them shot in the head before making it. |
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VETERAN #1
Ahh man, finally we made it. |
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KINSLEY
Hey kid, don't get too cocky. We
still got the goddamn Krauts up
ahead so keep your head in the
game for me, OK? |
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VETERAN #2 nods and KINSLEY wipes his forehead and looks to
Marcus. |
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KINSLEY
You ready for this, Willby? |
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KINSLEY
Alright then. On my count. One -- |
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Jumping into the trench and slapping Marcus' shoulder. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Nice to see ya, Willby! |
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MARK
Hey, you made it! Where are the
others? |
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3.
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Ignoring Marcus and looking to the private: |
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SGT. TREVOR
You ready yet, you grotty bastud?! |
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KINSLEY
Ready when you are, old-timer! |
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SGT. TREVOR
(chuckles)
Alright! |
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Sgt. Trevor checks to see if the coast is clear, and
gestures for them to go.
The group then moved hurriedly down the trench, and they
eventually come to an opening with a fence in the woods in
the difference. All of them are crouched and whispering at
the end, Sgt. Trevor reporting over his walkie-talkie. |
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KINSLEY
You guys ready to run? This is
what we've been drilling for! |
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The veterans cheer, Marcus looking nervous. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Alright lads, we have a go! |
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The group then springs from the trench and run for the
fence, bullets flying and explosions thundering nearby. Two
are shot down.
They get to the fence and see two dead veterans and the
fence is half gone. |
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KINSLEY
OK, how long we waiting? |
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KINSLEY
For Baker Seven! What's the ETA? |
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SGT. TREVOR
They're not showing, Kinsley. It's
just us for now. |
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4.
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KINSLEY
We're not advancing with just the
seven of us, are they crazy? What
the hell are they doing, leaving
us out here? |
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SGT. TREVOR
It doesn't matter, Kinsley, we
gotta press on, those are orders.
So let's move, Private. |
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KINSLEY
It's impossible, Sergeant! There's
no way! |
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SGT. TREVOR
Then run back and tell them that.
I wish you good luck. |
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KINSLEY looks angrily to the floor and shakes his head.
There is a pause and he shrugs. |
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KINSLEY
OK, boss. Your call. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Let's move, lads. |
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Marcus and Kinsley hesitant, they all head out into the
woods, Sgt. Trevor behind them. We hear German officers
yelling in the distance.
As they run through the woods lucidly, Marcus hears
whispering voices in his head, but cannot understand. He
twitches, trying to get them out.
Sgt. Trevor then sees a man half in the darkness holding a
wooden sign to his chest, one finger to his lips. Sgt.
Trevor slows down and narrows his eyes to see the sign,
which we see reads: |
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THEY HAV BEEN WAITING FOR YU TREVR
Sgt. Trevor winces at the sign, but he returns his look to
the others when a nearby frag explodes and throws one of the
veterans into a tree. They get down and open fire on the
three enemy soldiers hiding. There is German yelling and
gunfire from both sides of them, flanking them.
Kinsley throws his own frag and one of the enemy soldiers
are thrown as well. Another veteran is shot in the back and
Kinsley turns and shoots. |
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5.
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KINSLEY
Marcus, get outta the line! Go,
go! |
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Marcus runs to the side and one shoots him in the leg and he
falls. |
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Sgt. Trevor goes to his aid, ignoring Kinsley trying to stop
him. He is shot in the thigh, and he turns and aims his
automatic but we see the enemy gunman aiming right at him
and the fear on Sgt. Trevor's face. |
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The screen goes black at the gunshot. |
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THE FOLLOWING TEXT
IS SHOWN ON THE
SCREEN: |
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SHORTLY AFTER SGT. TREVOR DELLACROY WAS TAKEN OFF THE FIELD,
THE BATTLE AT OMAHA WAS WON. THE WORLD WAR WAS WON ON AUGUST
15TH, 1945 AFTER THE SECOND A-BOMB WAS DROPPED ON NAGASAKI,
JAPAN. MARCUS FLEW BACK TO CALIFORNIA WHERE HIS GIRLFRIEND
WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO SPEND THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS IN
PARADISE. SGT. TREVOR RETIRED, AND SPENT TWO MONTHS TO
HIMSELF BEFORE ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT WAS GIVEN TO HIM. LITTLE
DID THEY KNOW THEY WERE SOON TO FACE A HORROR THAT WOULD
CHANGE THEIR LIVES AND POSSIBLY -- THE WORLD. |
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EXT. NEWPORT BEACH, CA - DAY |
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THE TEXT APPEARS AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE
SCREEN: |
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NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA . . . FIVE MONTHS LATER |
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We see Marcus with his girlfriend SUSAN, a blond-haired,
same-age woman, very beautiful, gentle. They are in their
bathing suits on a laid-out towel on the sandy beach. Susan
has her head on his bare chest, both looking at the water.
We hear the seagulls, children laughing, and water crashing. |
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SUSAN
How does it feel to be back home? |
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Marcus rubs her shoulder and she smiles. |
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6.
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MARK
It's great . . . so sunny as I
dreamed it would be . . . and to
share it with you . . . all is
swell. |
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Susan snuggles into him as if she is cold; Marcus smiles as
he looks down her bra and we see her breasts. He looks back
up to the ocean in thought before a grim voice interrupts: |
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DRY VOICE
We have been waiting for you,
Marcus. Waiting a while. Where is
your mommy now, Marcus? Where
could she be? |
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Marcus shakes his head and shows an expression like he's
trying to push the voice out of his head. We are circling
him as he fights the voice speaking in his head. Then a dry,
hoarse voice is heard: |
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MOTHER WILLBY
(dryly)
Here I am, hun. You haven't been
playing rowdy, have you? You
aren't messing around with Dumb
Doras are you? Please tell momma
the truth, Mark baby. Dear. You
know what she'll do to you, don't
you? I told you they'll just use
you and then scram when you're
passed out in your own basement
and take your fortune and leave
you broke and battered and then
you will never see them again! I
know best and I'm telling you to
stay away from her. Get stuck on
another good set of gams! Stay
away from her -- she's a bad
influence and she will only get
you into another tough pickle! |
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Marcus grabs his ears and closes his ears. |
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MARK'S THOUGHTS
Stop! Leave me alone! Both of you!
Leave me alone, get out of my
head! Go away! (--) |
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7.
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MOTHER WILLBY
(dryly)
You can't hide from me, Marcus. No
escaping. No hiding, no escaping,
you hear? No hiding, no hi (--) |
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SUSAN (O.S.)
Mark! Mark, what's wrong?! |
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We stop circling and look at the two and Marcus is frozen,
hands on his ears, drool beside his lips. Marcus looks to a
startled Susan sitting up beside him, hand on his shoulder.
He shakes his head and rubs his temples, then looks at her. |
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MARK
(with a headache)
What did I . . . what happened? |
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SUSAN
That's what I'd like to know. Are
you okay? |
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MARK
Yeah, I'm fine, don't . . . don't
worry. Do you want to go home? |
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SUSAN
Is something wrong? |
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MARK
(rubbing eyes)
No, no, I'm fine, I'm okay, I just
want to go back home right (--) |
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SUSAN
OK . . . Mark . . . do you want to
have a kid? |
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Marcus looks at her with surprise. |
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SUSAN
Well I just don't really want to
rush into things at the time, but
I don't know. I will do whatever
you want, hun. |
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She kisses Marcus and he kisses her back. When they part,
the two look at each other with smiles and then get up to
leave. |
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8.
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EXT. TREVOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT |
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We watch a tired, beardless Trevor leaving his apartment
building in a coat with his last bag at his side, walking to
his car. Trevor puts his bag in the passenger seat of his
Packard Clipper and drives for the airport, the radio on low
volume. |
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RADIO (V.O.)
(--) it's a nice evening we have
here in New York, still recovering
from the . . . the brutal World
War so many brave -- true
Americans gave their hearts and
lives (--) |
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Trevor turns off the radio with an annoyed sigh and stops at
a red light. Trevor pulls out a cigar and smokes it. There
are a few people walking across the street, and he looks at
his pocket watch. |
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The time then changes as time passes: |
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We at Trevor and he is half-asleep, the radio music on low
volume. The car is full of smoke and we cannot see the
backseats. Trevor then sees something and we see a drenched
HITCHHIKER, a tall and stalwart man with dark eyes and peach
fuzz, jerking a thumb at the corner. |
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SGT. TREVOR
(under his breath)
Not on my watch, buddy. |
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He stops at the corner for the stop sign and resists eye
contact with the man. There is an uneasy pause at the corner
and the atmosphere is growing uneasy. Trevor eventually
grabs his bag in the passenger seat and puts it behind him
and rolls down the passenger window. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Empty out all of your pockets,
take off your coat, and turn
around! |
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The man does as he says, and gets in the passenger seat with
his coat in his lap. |
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9.
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MIKE
Thanks a lot, boss, you're the
coolest. |
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Trevor sets the shift and drives off. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Why so wet, stranger? |
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MIKE
Oh, it's been raining for a little
bit. My name's Mike, by the way. |
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Mike holds out a hand, but Trevor ignores it. |
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Mike pulls back his hand. Trevor studies him and we see a
small hole in the bottom of his neck and he grimaces, but
doesn't act like he has seen it. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Where are you headed, Mike? |
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MIKE
My house is near the National
Airport in Virginia. I'm having a
family reunion. You can drop me
off as close as you can get there
though, I would really appre (--) |
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SGT. TREVOR
No, I'm going there as well. |
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MIKE
Wow, that's just a kwinky-dink. I
always thought of fate as a bitch,
you know? Do you mind my French,
boss? |
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SGT. TREVOR
It's what makes the world go
around. |
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Trevor locks his eyes on the road, in thought. There is a
moment's silence and then we cut to a later time.
It is raining on the only car turning into a cul-de-sac. We
find Mike asleep in the passenger seat and Trevor is still
half-asleep. |
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10.
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SGT. TREVOR
(half-asleep)
We're here. |
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Mike awakes, looks out the window, and rubs his eyes before
the Packard Clipper stops at the end of the cul-de-sac. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Yours is at the end, right? |
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Mike nods and grumbles sleepily. Trevor looks out his
window, head resting on his palm, waiting for him to leave
but we hear nothing. He looks back to the passenger seat and
finds a puddle in the seat, but the door is closed and no
one is outside. |
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SGT. TREVOR
What the (--) |
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We look outside and see a coated RESIDENT at the sidewalk,
gun in one hand, hand over his eyes so he can see the
driver. |
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RESIDENT
(approaching)
Mike? |
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Trevor looks at the passenger seat again, then in the back,
and then back to the resident. He approaches Trevor, gun
pointed straight at him. |
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RESIDENT
Get out of your car, you bastard! |
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SGT. TREVOR
(looking around
for clearance to
drive)
Oh shit! |
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Trevor backs away from the man approaching and there is a
gunshot, and the rear view mirror is blown off. |
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RESIDENT
Get out of the car, Mike! |
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SGT. TREVOR
Shit! Shit! Shit! |
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11.
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Trevor spins the wheel, changes the shift, and drives away.
There is another gunshot as the wheels screech and the
Packard Clipper drives off. We see a couple lights in the
houses go on and the resident is at the sidewalk gritting
his teeth. |
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EXT. NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA - DAY |
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We see an old-fashioned airplane descending into the field
from the clouds. After we watch it land we cut to watch
Trevor park in a dim, underground parking lot. We then watch
him walk up the hill to the surface, stuffing his keys into
his pocket. The ticket-collector for the parking waves him
farewell, and Trevor flicks two fingers from his eyebrow.
Trevor is seen walking up a tall hill to see the airport
right there, cigar in his mouth. He proceeds, and a jogger
makes a disgusted look at his smoking; he ignores her.
Trevor is then seen walking up to a group of promising men
and women in front of the park, five in their police
uniforms, one in khaki pants and a dark-blue overcoat.
Trevor shakes hands with Marcus in the khaki, and he shakes
his hand back, both with straight faces. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Ah, it's good to see you again,
Mr. Willby. |
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MARK
You remembered my name, old-timer?
Congratulations. |
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There is an awkward pause and then the two smile and shake
hands more meaningfully. |
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MARK
It's good to see you again too,
sir. |
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SGT. TREVOR
I think Mr. Trevor will do for
now, lad. We're certainly not on
the battlefield again. |
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Marcus nods with a smile, and RODNEY, a well-fit, clean-cut
Australian around his early-mid-50's, in his uniform steps
up to the two. |
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12.
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RODNEY
The President said you two would
know each other. Hi, my name is
Officer Bronze. |
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Rodney and Trevor shake hands. |
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RODNEY
But I'll let you call me Rodney.
And you must be Trevor. |
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RODNEY
Well then -- I'll introduce you to
your team here, and then I will
explain what's going on. |
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The two walk over to JOE, a tall, buffed, late-30's
African-American with a threatening look at the end, and as
Rodney talks, Trevor shakes his hand. |
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RODNEY
This monster right here and his
friend work with me back at the
Washington DC PD. This is Joe
Carter. Deputy Chief, graduated
from the New York Division of
State Police. |
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JOE
Nice to meet you, sir. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Call me Mr. Trevor. Nice to meet
you. |
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They move onto CLARK standing next to Joe, same age as Joe,
a little overweight, has a joking personality. |
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RODNEY
And Clark here has been friends
with Joe since -- what? I don't
remember how long, but you'll have
a real hard time prying them
apart, so . . . don't try
anything, okay? |
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The two shake hands with small smiles. |
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13.
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RODNEY
Clark is also a Deputy Chief and
he graduated from the NYPD
Training Bureau some time ago.
This is Mr. Clark Toin. |
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CLARK
It's a pleasure to meet you. Mr.
Trevor. |
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CLARK
I've heard a lot about you from
Mark over there. He told us that
your men said your calls over in
Europe were supposedly prolonging
the war longer than it should have
been. |
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Trevor makes an awkward smile and nods. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Well . . . I guess we had a couple
bad calls. |
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CLARK
(with a smile)
A couple. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Well, maybe when I figure out why
I'm here I'll try my best to end
whatever it is as soon as I can. |
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Clark smiles and steps back to show Joe a worried look.
Rodney takes Trevor to RENE, a 5 1/2-foot, 40-year-old
dark-haired woman with a US Army face, and the two shake
hands as he introduces her. |
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RODNEY
And this is Ms. Rene Blom. She's a
detective from New York, trained
at the New Hampshire State Police
Department. She is famous for the
Johansen Murders and the Hoover
Dam Poisoning. She caught the
killer and the man that poisoned
the dam single-handedly from all
the clues she gathered herself.
She's a walking (--) |
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14.
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RENE
(sternly)
Mr. Bronze. |
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Rodney chuckles, and Rene looks back to Trevor with a forced
smile. |
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RENE
Nice to meet you, sir. |
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Rene just stares at Rodney as he introduces ASHLEY, a tall,
beautiful, 40-year-old woman with a kind personality, and
Trevor shakes her hand. |
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RODNEY
This here is Ms. Ashley Damon,
another member of the Pal Pairs.
Rene won't go anywhere without
her, just like Joe won't go
anywhere without Clark. |
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JOE
I can make exceptions. |
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SGT. TREVOR (cont'd)
She's also a detective for New
York -- obviously. She also helped
Ms. Blom with the Hoover Dam
Poisoning. She never got to arrest
the guy, but she helped her find
out where he was living and helped
compare fingerprints. |
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Ashley bows her head and smiles warmly. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Impressive, Ms. Damon. |
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Trevor nods with a smile, trying to avoid an awkward stare. |
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RODNEY
And I'm guessing you know more
about Mr. Willby than I do, am I
right? |
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SGT. TREVOR
Yes I do. Was in war with him at
Omaha for a while. Good kid you
got here. |
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15.
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They shake hands with big smiles. |
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SGT. TREVOR
Why is he here? |
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RODNEY
Well . . . some of the officials
from the War Department suggested
this lucky son of a gun when we
were asking for an experienced war
veteran, and that's how we found a
few names, including yours and Mr.
Willby's. How they chose yours I
don't know. Either by
Eenie-Meenie-Minie-Moe or
whatever, I don't know. I think it
might be fate. |
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BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
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EXT. TREVOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT |
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MIKE
I always thought of fate as a
bitch, you know? |
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END FLASHBACK |
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EXT. NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA - DAY |
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SGT. TREVOR
(feeling awkward)
Yeah. Me, too. |
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RODNEY
Well, how about everyone sit down
and I'll tell you the whole story
I have so far. |
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Rene and Ashley sit at one bench, Clark and Joe in the one
next to it, Trevor and Marcus standing between them, Rodney
standing before them. |
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RODNEY
Alright, picture this (--) |
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A young photographer jumps up beside Rodney and his eyes
widen when he sees the seven. |
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16.
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PHOTOGRAPHER
Ooh, that's a good picture! This
is the group that's doing that
investigation in California,
right? |
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The other six are awkward and hesitant. |
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RODNEY
(hesitant)
Uhhh yes. |
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PHOTOGRAPHER
(smiling)
Oh great, can I get (--) |
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RODNEY
They don't know that yet. |
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PHOTOGRAPHER
Oh. Sorry. Alright, everyone! You
get in there, too, Mr. Down Unda,
go on. |
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Rodney stares at the photographer another second, and then
goes over to the group and stands between Marcus and Trevor. |
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PHOTOGRAPHER
Alright, smile big! Ready . . .
three! Two! |
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They all are smiling when he takes the picture. The
photographer smiles big and starts to screw the bulb out. |
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PHOTOGRAPHER
Hey, thanks, guys, you guys are
the best. Good luck to y'all out
there! |
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The photographer hurries away and the six look at Rodney
quizzically. |
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RODNEY
Well I guess the cat's out of the
bag. Yes, we are going to
California. |
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Mixed emotions are shown in their faces: happy, confusion,
anger, shock. |
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MARK
But I just came from there! You
couldn't meet me there? |
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17.
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RODNEY
(smiling)
I just wanted to tell you all here
and . . . I don't know -- I just
couldn't hold the story for a
plane trip. |
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The women try to show happiness while the men are nodding or
shrugging, Marcus tossing his head back unhappily. |
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RODNEY
By the way, Mr. Trevor, welcome to
the team. Now -- before I begin
this little story, I would like
everyone to hold their questions
and comments until the end of the
story. |
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Clark raises a hand. |
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RODNEY
(offended)
After I finish the story, okay? |
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Clark lowers his hand unhappily. Joe smiles and pats him on
the back, which Clark pulls away from childlishly. |
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RODNEY
Alright, everyone, prepare to be
spooked. . . . Now picture it with
me. |
|
|
There is thunder in the background, and we see nothing yet,
but we switch scenes. |
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
EXT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
It is raining, almost pitch black, and there is almost a
full moon. The house is in the middle of the street and all
of the lights on the first and second floors are lit. |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
The bar room is full of talkative people with drinks and a
bright chandelier hanging above them. We take a tour
throughout the crowd for a moment, including the butler with
a tray of drinks and the bartender serving the people as the
story is told: |
|
18.
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
The year is 1949. About five days
ago. There is a party at some rich
fellow's house one night way over
in Modjeska Canyon, California.
Almost all of his friends and
family are there, having a gay old
time. It was kind of like the cool
kid's party everyone wanted to go
to. But their Guest of Honor Jacob
-- possibly the richest man in the
state, is upstairs thinking about
the news of his son's death. |
|
|
As he says the last sentence we lift to the second floor to
see an unseen man walking down a hall with fists and
muttering to himself under his breath. |
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
And he wasn't taking it too
lightly. Now I don't know the
whole story, but all we have is
what Jacob's wife told the cops. |
|
|
Jacob's wife is seen walking out of the mansion and down the
street in a slow pace with her arms crossed as if cold,
looking around with a terrified expression. |
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
Now I heard she had left the house
right before all the chaos
started. She went straight to the
police station and told them that
her husband was going to have
another "fit" again and that
something horrible was going to
happen if they didn't move quick.
The cops are on their way (--) |
|
|
We see a couple police cars driving crazily with their
sirens on down the street. |
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
(--) but when they got there,
everyone was found dead. All of
Jacob's guests were slaughtered in
that short period of time without
a disturbance call being made. |
|
|
The policemen kick open the door and start to run in with
their guns out, then stop and step back. We see everyone in
the bar room dead on the floor, blood-clad. |
|
19.
|
END FLASHBACK |
|
|
EXT. NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA - DAY |
|
|
RODNEY
The maids, the butler, the
bartender -- everyone was dead.
Just like that. And I wish I could
give you the point of view from
inside when this was happening,
but I don't think I would have
liked what I would have seen . . .
our job is to figure out how and
why this happened. |
|
|
Clark raises his hand. Ashley mouths 'Wow' and looks to
Rene, who is staring at Rodney in thought. |
|
|
|
|
CLARK
So you guys know absolutely
nothing about what happened --
except that his wife got out in
time to miss her husband slaughter
the entire family? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
That's what you guys are for. You
guys didn't think it was just a
little get-together story-time
thing, did you? |
|
|
|
CLARK
I could think of a scarier story
than that. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Yeah, I bet you could. But was it
a true story? |
|
|
Clark shrugs and Rodney nods. |
|
|
JOE
Wait . . . you're joshing us,
right? That was just a story,
right? |
|
|
Rodney raises an eyebrow with a serious look. |
|
20.
|
|
RODNEY
Does it look like I would take you
out of your busy schedule just to
give you a lame little ghost story
and send you right back to work?
No sir. This is a government issue
that needs to be taken care of
immediately. And I'm not going
back home until it is taken care
of and our successful story is in
the paper. |
|
|
Rene holds up her hand and Rodney looks to her. |
|
|
|
|
ASHLEY
I just have a couple simple
questions. Why are there seven of
us? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Honestly . . . I don't know. Maybe
it's the President's lucky number
or something. Now Americans are
thinking of people like us as the
reason of war and violence and the
future self-destruction of North
America . . . but after this we
are going to show them that we are
here to help them. |
|
|
|
|
|
JOE
How is this investigation going to
help America? |
|
|
Rodney looks at Joe with thought before speaking. |
|
|
RODNEY
When some of his neighbors came
home from their vacation the next
morning and they told them the
story, that family moved out the
next day. |
|
|
Clark shrugs, and Rodney sighs. |
|
21.
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
The three were found dead in their
new house two days ago. Someone
had gotten into their house and
slaughtered them -- without any
calls or witnesses or anything. |
|
|
|
RENE
(a little scared)
How did they die? |
|
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
INT. HOUSE - DAY |
|
A middle-aged man is seen coming into the dark garage from
outside, locking the door behind him. |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
The father was suffocated with a
trash bag in his garage. |
|
|
We see a figure appear out of a corner and put a plastic bag
over his head. The man struggles and fights, but the figure
is stronger and chokes him. |
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
The son heard the struggle and
came to help (--) |
|
|
A younger man opens the door to the garage and we see only
darkness. He walks into the garage and turns on the light
and we see the figure hiding. The young man walks to the car
to the arm sticking out from underneath it and gasps.
He turns and goes to scream, but the figure stabs him in the
neck with a tire iron and he starts to choke and gag. The
figure immediately whacks him in the leg and he collapses,
then across the face, and the young man lays there dead. |
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
(--) but the killer killed him
with a tire iron. The mom is in
the backyard watering her plants
when the killer gets her next. |
|
|
|
22.
|
EXT. HOUSE - DAY |
|
We see a middle-aged woman watering her plants in the
backyard of her house, a dark figure standing a good
distance behind her. She turns and goes to scream, but we do
not see what happens to her.
We see her on the ground wide-eyed, bleeding from the neck. |
|
|
EXT. NATIONAL AIRPORT, VA - DAY |
|
|
RODNEY
(in thought)
When I heard that story, I was
beginning to think that the house
was haunted. And all those around
it that tried to escape. |
|
|
|
JOE
Then why aren't you having the
expert ghost-hunters and exorcists
to do this investigation? |
|
|
|
|
Rodney shakes his head and looks up with a yawn, and pushes
his forefinger and thumb into his eyes. |
|
|
RODNEY
Because I'm not a hundred-percent
sure that there is any paranormal
activity we're dealing with here.
We are trying to figure out why a
murder took place before more
people are killed. |
|
|
|
RENE
Uh, sir? I have a couple
questions. First, where did they
find Jacob Renny? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
The detectives in California are
working on finding him, but our
job right now is to figure (--) |
|
|
|
RENE
OK, I think you told us that
already. |
|
|
23.
|
|
|
|
CLARK
Hold it. You're telling us that
the (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Yes, the killer is still at large.
He was never found after the
onslaught. The police broke in and
searched the entire house, but it
was as if they had gotten there
the day after. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Shouldn't that be a first
priority? To actually find him
first, not (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
The scene is fresh. The bodies
can't be kept in that house
forever. We have to investigate
NOW so we need to get this over
with before we continue with the
search. |
|
|
|
RENE
I don't think it's safe to (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
It is, Ms. Blom. Trust me.
Everyone is going to be fine and
dandy. Are there any more
questions? |
|
|
Rene thinks about it a second, then shakes her head.
He smiles and slaps his hands together. |
|
|
RODNEY
OK then! Let's get our asses over
to the Golden State. |
|
|
The group stands and they all walk for the airport as we
lift up and watch a plane take off. There is a beep in the
background as the plane leaves our POV. |
|
24.
|
|
WOMAN OVER SPEAKER (O.S.)
Would Mr. Rodney Bronze and his
party of six please report to Gate
32. Mr. Rodney Bronze and his
party to Gate 32. Thank you. |
|
|
The screen goes black and we hear the plane in the air and
Jacob's dark laughter in the background. |
|
|
INT. AIRPLANE - DAY |
|
Rene and Ashley are seen sitting in a row together talking
seriously; Marcus and Trevor behind them listening to Clark
and Joe in the middle row talk. Rodney is in the row beside
the women, in front of Joe and Clark. Marcus and Clark are
seen laughing, Trevor smiling. |
|
|
MARK
(laughing)
Oh . . . oh my God. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
You two are the pair of the
decade. |
|
|
|
MARK
(still laughing)
That was . . . and that was a true
story? |
|
|
|
JOE
Yes -- that was the honest-to-God
truth. I feel like I'm in court
now. Not that I have ever been in
one before. |
|
|
Trevor raises his hand to show he understands. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
That's okay, I believe you, Mr.
Carter. You wouldn't be here if
you had been. |
|
|
|
CLARK
Who knows? They seem to be hiring
everybody and anybody nowadays. |
|
|
Joe smiles and nods and Marcus grins. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
How old are you two? |
|
|
25.
|
|
CLARK
Right now? I'd say about five. |
|
|
Trevor chuckles and Joe nods in agreement. |
|
|
JOE
Yeah, it's funny now, but ten
years ago it wasn't. If you were
in the situation I was in . . . I
don't know -- it just pissed me
off. I was not a happy camper
then. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Oh, I think I can imagine. I have
been through my share. The older
you are, the more memorable
moments you have. |
|
|
|
JOE
Yes. But have you had your coffee
all over your uniform or a few
splinters in your hands from
shoving some heavy wood aside?
Have you ever put a ladder into
the front window of the building
you worked at and then have a fat,
idiotic airhead fall on your face
on his way down the ladder from
the roof? |
|
|
Marcus and Clark are laughing, Trevor snickering. |
|
|
JOE
And that was the same damn day
Clark and I were fighting about
something I can't even remember
right now. |
|
|
Clark wipes his eyes before leaning back in his seat and
letting out a deep sigh as Marcus tries to stop laughing. |
|
|
CLARK
I accept your apology, Joe. |
|
|
|
|
Marcus laughs again and Clark lets out another deep sigh.
There is a small pause before Trevor speaks solemnly. |
|
26.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
So what are you guys thinking
about this whole investigation? |
|
|
Clark and Joe exchange worried looks and Marcus' smile
fades. |
|
|
CLARK
Well, I'm as happy as the next
person if they got to stay in
California for a week . . . but as
for the investigation . . .
(shrugs and moans) . . . I don't
know. Whenever I have a project
with a big team, they never work
out good. The boss is always the
worst and he gets everyone in
trouble or in danger or he gets us
out of the way and gets all the
credit. |
|
|
Rodney turns around in his seat and lowers his glasses to
look at Clark. |
|
|
RODNEY
You know I'm sitting right here,
right? |
|
|
The others chuckle and Joe shakes his head. Clark looks
scared, as if he didn't know he was there. |
|
|
CLARK
Not this time though. I like Mr.
Bronze and I know this isn't going
to be like all the other (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
You know me, Clark. I work at the
same damn station as you do. |
|
|
|
JOE
Yeah, but we hardly see you. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
You will when we get back. |
|
|
Rodney turns back around and continues his Sudoku. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Was Mr. Bronze there when you were
trying to -- get Clark off the
roof? |
|
|
27.
|
|
JOE
No. And thank God. He left for the
market with the other guys when
Clark said he was going to fix the
satellite. I think they all knew
what was going to happen and
decided it was a great time to go
get groceries. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(with a smile)
Lucky you. |
|
|
Joe gives a small smile, but Trevor is staring at the back
of the seat in front of him. |
|
|
CLARK
Friends for more than twenty years
and we're still the bestest
friends you will ever find. |
|
|
|
JOE
You make me uncomfortable when you
say that. |
|
|
Clark smiles and pats him on his shoulder. Trevor is looking
down the aisle to see the ATTENDENT stepping away as the
bathroom door opens. Trevor then turns around and we see a
blur of a dark-suited figure standing by him, knife in one
hand. The figure grabs the back of his head and pushes the
knife through his face -- but this does not happen.
Trevor jumps in his seat, arms flailing, with a short gasp.
The others look at him worriedly, even Rodney. The attendent
sees him jump as well and starts to walk their way. |
|
|
JOE
(concerned)
You OK, sir? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
It's okay, I'm fine, I . . . |
|
|
|
FEMALE ATTENDANT (V.O.)
Are you feeling alright, sir? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Yes, I'm fine. Sorry, I just . . .
I'm okay now, thank you. |
|
|
Joe raises an eyebrow at Clark and the attendent hesitates
before walking away. |
|
28.
|
|
JOE
You sure you're OK, sir? |
|
|
Trevor just sits back in his seat and looks around the plane
with lucid eyes, hands SHAKING on the arms of his chair. We
can hear his speedy heartbeat and we see he is perspiring.
We hear Rodney's voice faint but clear as his heartbeat gets
louder: |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
We are going to leave the hotel
one-thirty tomorrow so we don't
say howdy to the rain. |
|
|
|
INT. LIMO - DAY |
|
Now we see the seven inside a limousine, all looking at one
another having a glass of a different drink. We see Clark's
laughter dying and Trevor is finishing his glass. |
|
|
RODNEY
We'll be staying at the Roosevelt
Hotel (--) |
|
|
Clark tosses his head back and whistles sarcastically. |
|
|
CLARK
(sarcastically)
Woo-hoo! Fancy! |
|
|
Everyone in the limousine laughs except Rodney and Trevor. |
|
|
RODNEY
Yes. It 'tis quite fancy. Now
before we get to the hotel, would
anyone like to first take a little
trip down to the bar (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK
(puts hand up)
We would, sir! |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Yes, I know, I was asking
everybody else. |
|
|
Rene, Ashley, and Marcus smile at this. Trevor raises his
hand. |
|
|
|
29.
|
|
RODNEY
Now you don't have to go, Mr.
Trevor. It's not a volunteer
mission. |
|
|
Everyone in the limousine but Trevor snickers, Rene and
Ashley hiding their smiles with their hands. Trevor shrugs
and says seriously: |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I just feel like having a drink,
is that too much to ask for in
these troubled times? |
|
|
Everyone's smiles fade, and Rodney looks down with a bummed
look. There is an awkward silence and Trevor slumps in his
seat before refilling his glass. |
|
|
INT. BAR - DAY |
|
We see the three sitting at the stools, Clark and Joe
laughing, faces red, eyes watery, and Trevor is sipping from
his shot, waiting for them to calm down. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I don't know how you two can still
be friends after everything you've
been through. |
|
|
|
JOE
Trust me, Mr. Trevor: I ask myself
that every day. |
|
|
Joe takes a drink, and a drunk Clark -- still laughing --
slaps Joe on the back and Joe jumps and spits the drink back
on the counter. |
|
|
CLARK
(wasted)
Awww, is Joey feeling . . . (burp)
. . . kinda antsy in his panties? |
|
|
Trevor smiles and finishes his drink, then puts it down and
looks to a booth across the room as Clark and Joe bicker
with one another. Voices, sound, and movement slow down to a
halt as we focus on the figure in the booth. Our sight gets
hazy and the situation is tense as the two stare each other
without words or movement, the figure's red eyes the only
things seen on the figure's face. |
|
30.
|
|
DRY VOICE (O.S.)
Welcome home, Mr. Dellacroy . . .
welcome to where you belong . . . |
|
|
We see Trevor's sweat-clad face shaking as if he cannot look
away from the red-hot, gleaming eyes. The figure screams
shrilly and Trevor jumps on his stool and yelps when we
hear: |
|
|
|
Trevor bangs a fist on the table when he jumps. Trevor looks
to Joe with a look of fright, and Joe grabs his shoulder. |
|
|
JOE
(startled)
Hey . . . you OK, boss? |
|
|
Trevor glances back at the empty booth and then at his
bewildered look. |
|
|
JOE
You be honest with me now, sir.
Are you feeling OK? |
|
|
Clark is too wasted to pay attention, and Trevor rubs his
sleepy face. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(recovering)
Yes, I'm fine. . . . Why do you
ask? |
|
|
He looks back to the booth and sees a woman sitting there
drinking coffee while Joe talks. |
|
|
JOE
Well -- you were staring over
there and you looked . . . scared. |
|
|
Trevor turns back around and wipes the sweat from his
forehead. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
No I'm good, I'm fine. |
|
|
|
JOE
I thought something was wrong. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I just . . . I was (--) |
|
|
31.
|
|
JOE
You were sweating bullets, I
thought you were going to (--) |
|
|
|
|
Everyone in the bar stops and looks at Trevor. He sees they
are looking at him and puts his elbows on the counter and
tries to act casual, but still feels awkward.
He slides a look to the woman in the booth, who is staring
at him because he scared her, then looks back at her coffee.
Trevor looks back to his drink, and the screen goes black. |
|
|
OVER THE BLACKNESS
WE SEE THE TEXT: |
|
|
TWO DAYS LATER . . . |
|
|
EXT. RENNY MANOR - DAY |
|
We see the dead exterior of the mansion in broad daylight.
There is rope going from sawhorse to sawhorse, police
standing before them keeping the crowd back.
We see the seven walk past the police through the front yard
up to CAPTAIN DELGADO, a stout, irritated man in his
mid-forties talking to another officer. When he sees the
seven, he stops talking and stops them from proceeding. |
|
|
RODNEY
Oh hello, Captain (--) |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
What are y'all doing here? Didn't
you get my wire, Mr. Bronze? The
schedule's been changed. You
ladies were supposed to be here
eight-thirty tonight. Damn those
messengers. 'I will get the
message right to them right away.'
The hell they will. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Why didn't you just call us? |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
I'm too bloody busy to talk to
you, can't you see that? |
|
|
32.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
What's going on -- what's the
problem? |
|
|
Cpt. Delgado looks at Trevor weirdly. |
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
If I say there is a problem,
there's a problem. Right now this
conversation is over. I've got the
goddamn Press and these brain-dead
cops to get rid of. Now get ya
asses over to the hotel, get out
of my face, and wait for
eight-thirty. Good day. |
|
|
He turns around and goes back to resume his argument with
the other officer. Rodney looks to the six and shrugs. |
|
|
RODNEY
Alright . . . I guess we're headed
back (--) |
|
|
|
RENE
Eight-thirty tonight? Why does it
always have to be at night? |
|
|
Clark and Ashley snicker, and Rodney jerks thumb to Delgado. |
|
|
RODNEY
Do you want to ask him that? |
|
|
Rene hesitates, then lets out a deep breath. The seven turn
around, Clark shaking his head, and go back. |
|
|
EXT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We are looking at the mansion's front yard from the
sidewalk. It is pitch black outside and we are looking at
the pale moon in the sky, almost full. We see the seven walk
up the path to the front door of the mansion with their
flashlights on. All we hear is their footsteps and a cricket
in the background. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(shrieks)
AH! What's that?! |
|
|
All of the flashlights go to her and then to where she is
looking. We see a scarecrow in the middle of the yard on its
pole, unmoving. Trevor sighs with relief and Clark grumbles
under his breath as the flashlights go back to Ashley. |
|
33.
|
|
RODNEY
God-dammit! Ms. Damon. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Hey, I thought it was real. |
|
|
|
RENE
(with a smile)
She thought it was Jacob. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(embarrassed)
No I didn't, Rene. |
|
|
|
|
The seven continue up the path to the porch. Rodney pushes
open the door, which creaks and makes a rat squeal and run
across the floor to a hole in the wall. |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
They walk in, flashlights scanning the room, Ashley
breathing heavily. We see a room of a few dead bodies, walls
splattered with dried blood, and broken glass on the floor. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(whispering)
I hate this -- this is . . . this
is (--) |
|
|
Someone steps on glass and Ashley shrieks. |
|
|
JOE
Stop screaming, woman, you're
scaring us. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Who's writing this down? |
|
|
|
|
As the seven are studying the bar room: |
|
|
RODNEY
Good. Now it looks like . . . a
hatchet was used on . . . a few of
our friends here. |
|
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
34.
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We see an unseen figure swing and drive a hatchet into a
screaming man's skull. |
|
END FLASHBACK |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
|
JOE
There's one over here, too. |
|
|
We see the axe has torn open his chest. |
|
|
RODNEY
Four people dead -- hatchet. Do
you have that, Ms. Blom? |
|
|
Rene nods as she writes it down on her notepad, using her
flashlight for light. |
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
Now let's see . . . it seems like
this guy had some big gun with him
as well. A big one. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(crouched in the
corner)
Yeah over here, too! |
|
|
|
RENE
(leant over a
corpse)
Looks like a double-barrel. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
How many can you count? |
|
|
There is a short pause, the seven scattered in the room. |
|
|
RENE
I count two on my side. |
|
|
|
CLARK
Just one over here! |
|
|
35.
|
|
RODNEY
So let's say it's four. Four
persons dead -- double-barrel
shotgun. Wow . . . it was a real
bloodbath in here. |
|
|
Ashley makes a disgusted face and the others shiver. |
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
So this guy comes downstairs, the
party is going on. Everyone's
having a gay time . . . and then
this madman comes downstairs to
the party. He has the knife he got
from the kitchen in his belt, a
double-barrel shotgun in one hand
. . . and he starts killing his
family and friends. |
|
|
We see the bar room full of happy, talkative people in fancy
clothing for a short moment. We then watch an unseen figure
walk into the loud room, attracting attention, and then
fires both barrels of his shotgun. We hear the enormous
gunshots and the lights flicker violently. The room is full
of screams and everyone backs away from him. |
|
END FLASHBACK |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
|
RODNEY
We are practically standing in the
middle of a human slaughterhouse. |
|
|
|
JOE
And how come these people couldn't
get out after he started shooting? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Well apparently he had the doors
locked (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK
Then why didn't they just use the
windows? You would think that if
you are going to be murdered, you
would have the sense to jump out a
damn window, right? It's not even
(MORE)
|
|
36.
|
|
CLARK (cont'd)
a hard fall (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
I hope we figure this all out,
Clark. Let's focus on the bar room
right now. |
|
|
|
RENE
Come on, Mr. Bronze. A
double-barrel shotgun and no one
in the neighborhood heard it?
Isn't that a big part of the
investigation? Isn't that a big
priority here? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(irritated)
Shut up. Jesus . . . you act like
our lives are at stake here. |
|
|
Rene shakes her head and sighs, but shines her flashlight on
another corpse set up against the wall, staring at its arm
lying a couple feet away from it. |
|
|
RENE
This guy was a real psycho, wasn't
he? |
|
|
Clark chuckles. A flashlight reveals the bartender over the
bar counter, a hatchet buried in the back of his skull. He
shivers and steps back, right onto Marcus' foot. |
|
|
CLARK
Sorry, it's me. It's me -- I'm
sorry. |
|
|
|
|
|
RENE
I thought you said everyone who
was everyone was at this party? |
|
|
|
|
|
RENE
Now either this guy wasn't the
most popular guy in town or some
got out alive because doesn't this
room look a little -- empty to
you? |
|
|
37.
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
They're somewhere in this house,
ladies and gentlemen. Nobody made
it out alive, so they're here. |
|
|
We hear a faint moaning and the sound of wood crackling from
above. The group looks down the hallway the sound is coming
from and point their flashlights down that way. |
|
|
CLARK
(startled)
Anyone else hear that? |
|
|
No one moves. The moaning and creaking dies and the six look
to Rodney. Rodney gulps and steps into the hallway, the
other six cautiously following. |
|
|
RODNEY
Who's writing this down? |
|
|
|
RENE
(feeling rushed)
I aaam, sir. |
|
|
Rodney nods, and looks down the next hall with his
flashlight and jumps. The others catch up to Rodney and
Rene, Clark, and Trevor gasp at what they see. We are
looking at the figure floating in the middle of the hall,
hung by thick rope to the small chandelier on the ceiling. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(gasps)
Oh my . . . God. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The seven are frozen in the hall, flashlights on the figure
hanging from the ceiling. |
|
|
RODNEY
So what do you think, Ms. Blom? He
felt sorry for killing everybody
he knew and decided to rid himself
of the guilt . . . or wanted to
see what it felt like to pass out? |
|
|
38.
|
Rene is scribbling hard in her notepad. |
|
|
RENE
Do you always put all of the
responsibility on all of your
rookies? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Just the ones who seem to get
pissed off easier. |
|
|
Everyone but Rene and Ashley smile. We see Ashley trembling
and her teeth chattering, flashlight shaking in her hand. |
|
|
RODNEY
Well . . . shall we proceed? |
|
|
The others hesitate, then follow Rodney down the hallway.
There is complete silence except Ashley's heavy breathing
until the hung body suddenly pulls Trevor to it with one
hand and stabs him in the neck with the other.
But we see this does not really happen, and Trevor hurries
along looking back at the body with horror. |
|
|
RODNEY
Alright -- we'll go upstairs and
see what this guy is trying to
hide, and then we'll have to call
it a night. I'll feel a lot better
in the morning, how about everyone
else? |
|
|
Mark and Ashley cheer. |
|
|
CLARK
(claps hands)
Woo-hoo! |
|
|
The ceiling above them begins to creak again and the seven
stop to point their flashlights up. Ashley puts a hand over
her mouth and Rodney cocks his head to one side. We see many
cracks in the roof like lightning.
We are now watching the hung body turning towards them. We
then see Trevor look and shine the flashlight down the hall
and we see the body has not moved; Trevor shakes his head
and looks back to the ceiling. |
|
|
ASHLEY
How old is this house? |
|
|
39.
|
|
RODNEY
It's supposed to be just . . . I
don't know, I don't remember. It's
not that old. |
|
|
|
CLARK
The cracks in these walls look
like my old man's face. |
|
|
We now watch the hung body untie the rope from around its
neck and fall to its feet without a sound. The seven start
to continue down the hall, but Rodney notices the body on
its feet standing a few yards from them. |
|
|
RODNEY
(seeing the
movement)
Jesus Christ. |
|
|
The six turn to see the standing body. |
|
Ashley screams. |
|
|
CLARK
(aghast)
What the -- hell? |
|
|
|
|
Rodney takes out and points his gun at the figure. |
|
|
RODNEY
Stop there! Put your hands (--) |
|
|
The figure runs at them, and the women scream.
The six break into a run and Rodney tries to shoot it but
cannot, and follows the others. They hurry up the stairs at
the end of the hall. The figure is seen chasing them; only
heavy grunting is heard from it. Trevor points his
flashlight down both halls when he gets to the top of the
stairs. Down one we see complete darkness, and down the
other three of the lanterns are flickering. |
|
|
RODNEY
(terrified)
Go-go-go-go-go-go! |
|
|
The seven run down the hall with the flickering lights and
Trevor turns and pulls out his gun. The figure is no longer
chasing them. |
|
40.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(exhausted)
Wait, everyone! |
|
|
The others slow down to a stop and turn to Trevor.
Rodney puts his hands on his knees, the others try to relax,
all of them panting. We hear Trevor's heavy heartbeat as he
wheezes and perspires. |
|
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(trembling)
Wasn't that guy just hanging from
the ceiling? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
You betcha fine boots, honey. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
Then what the hell happened back
there (--) |
|
|
Suddenly the figure gropes for Trevor clutching his heart,
and he screams with Ashley as he is thrown into the wall. |
|
|
MARK
(in terror)
Mr. Trevor! |
|
|
Trevor drops his flashlight as the unseen figure laughs
shrilly in his face. Rodney and Joe try to pull the figure
off of Trevor, but it does not move. It pushes the two aside
and Clark jumps in to help. |
|
|
ASHLEY
Get off of him! Mr. Trevor! |
|
|
Marcus pulls out his gun and puts it to the side of its
head. He shoots it and Rodney pulls the figure off of
Trevor. We see Rodney throw the figure aside, but then he
has not grabbed anything. |
|
|
|
Trevor is on his knees, trembling and clutching his heart
with one hand and trying to breathe. Ashley gasps and Rene
averts Ashley away. |
|
41.
|
|
RODNEY
(helping Trevor to
his feet)
Are you alright, Mr. Trevor? Mr.
Trevor -- speak to me! Are you
okay? |
|
|
Trevor's face is red and strained and sweat-clad, eyes wide
as if he is lost. |
|
|
MARK
Oh my God, somebody help him!
Hurry! |
|
|
Joe pushes a frightened Marcus aside as Rodney helps Trevor
up. |
|
|
RODNEY
(whispering in
Trevor's ear)
You're going to be okay, Mr.
Trevor. We're going to get out of
here ASAP, you hear me? Stay with
me, Mr. Trevor, you stay with me
now. |
|
|
Trevor starts to convulse as Clark and Mark get under his
arms, and Rodney looks to the others. |
|
|
RODNEY
Well let's get a move on! Let's
get him outta here, gentlemen!
He's having a fucking stroke! |
|
|
The six run back for the stairs, Clark and Marcus carrying
Trevor on their necks with Rodney muttering something quick
to him. We follow them down the stairs to the hall; Trevor's
eyes flash open. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(muttering)
I don't believe in haunts, I
don't, they don't exist, I don't
believe in them, I hate them, they
aren't real, haunts aren't real, I
don't believe in them,
nuh-uh-ugggghhhh. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
It's okay, Mr. Trevor, we're
leaving, we're going get out of
here now. It's going be okay, Mr.
Trevor, we're almost out of here. |
|
|
42.
|
We see Trevor's eyes roll in the back of his head and he
goes limp. The lanterns then brighten and the six avert
their eyes as they slow down their pace down the hall where
they found the hung body. |
|
|
MARK
(excited)
It's OK, sir, we're almost home,
stay with us, sir, you hear me,
sir? |
|
|
Marcus looks ahead, hand shielding his eyes from the light.
We hear the floor above them creaking and the moaning around
them again. Then the lanterns begin to explode one by one
behind the last one in the group. Ashley is screaming and
Clark is cursing, but we cannot hear over the pandemonium.
The seven then turn the corner and into the bar room where
they freeze in horror and the women scream.
We see the guests' corpses moving in their places, moaning
and trying to stand. |
|
|
CLARK
(with disbelief)
Holy shhhit. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The corpses are swaying, blood-covered, pus pouring out,
each with their own disfigurement (missing ligament, shotgun
hole, etc.), moaning or chomping. The six are unmoving with
looks of horror, Ashley breathing heavily Rene, Rodney's
hand on his GUN. |
|
|
CLARK
Rodney . . . what the hell is
this? |
|
|
|
JOE
Those are his guests, idiot. |
|
|
|
|
There is a short pause, and then the corpses turn towards
them. Rodney pulls out his gun and the guests charge at them
from the sides and the front, groping. |
|
43.
|
|
RODNEY
Jesus, Mary, and -- LET'S GO! |
|
|
All but Marcus and Clark pull out their guns and attack the
corpses limping at them. One by one the corpses fall, but
they start crawling for them and start grabbing at them,
pulling and ripping their uniforms. The women scream as they
push them away and hit them with their guns and flashlights. |
|
|
RODNEY
Get to the door! Follow my voice! |
|
|
Ashley is pulled into a corpse's embrace screaming. We see
Marcus' and Clark's terrified expressions as they follow
after Joe and Rodney for the exit. Marcus then sees a dead
body on the floor reaching for him. |
|
|
DEAD MAN #1
Helllp uuusss! |
|
|
Marcus then turns towards the door and uses all of his
energy to help Clark get Trevor to the door. Rene pulls the
corpse holding onto Ashley to the floor and drags her to the
door. |
|
|
RODNEY
(turns and yells
at Clark and Mark)
Hurry up! Clark! Marcus! Let's go! |
|
|
The two carry Trevor out of the house. One of the corpses
grabs Rodney and another slashes his sleeve with a glass cup
shard. Joe turns back to help, but is also attacked. But he
shoves it aside and pulls Rodney out of the house.
We see the six run down the path; we can see their
flashlights shooting all over the front yard, Trevor
shouting mindlessly. |
|
|
MARK
(yelling)
What the hell was that, Rodney? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(feeling sick)
Not now, Marcus! |
|
|
|
JOE
Where the hell's -- oh, there he
is. You OK, Clark? |
|
|
44.
|
|
CLARK
Yes, I'm fine. Help me here, he's
getting heavy. |
|
|
Joe takes Clark's place carrying Trevor.
We look back and see the corpses reaching out to them from
the doorway and holes in the windows, those in the back
pushing to be in front, some with falling or broken jaws
still trying to speak. |
|
|
|
|
MARK
What the hell happened back
there?! |
|
|
The seven jump over the rope and get to the sidewalk where
Rodney throws up on the street. We see some lights on in the
neighborhood and a man and his wife looking out their front
window. |
|
|
INT. ROOSEVELT HOTEL - DAY |
|
The seven are in a hotel room, Rene and Ashley sitting on
the edge of one bed, Joe and Clark sitting on the other.
Rodney is sitting at the chair by the table staring at the
floor, and Marcus is standing up against the wall. They are
all looking a different way, faces pale, all in deep
thought. Rodney takes a deep breath and pushes his
fingertips into his eyes; he looks up after a small silence
and looks from the women to the men. |
|
|
RODNEY
Okay . . . now I don't know about
you -- but I had a great night's
sleep last night . . . |
|
|
Everyone looks at Rodney with solemn confusion. |
|
|
RODNEY
And last night is when I realized
that what happened before I closed
my eyes -- and I want to assure
all of you in case you are still
questioning it . . . but I assure
you that everything that happened
last night was real. |
|
|
The group is now depressed that the news is true, all still
in shock and horror. |
|
45.
|
|
JOE
(shaking his head)
I knew it. |
|
|
|
|
|
MARK
So . . . Mr. Trevor really had a
stroke? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Well, he's in the hospital right
now so I'm leaning on a yes. I'm
sorry. |
|
|
Marcus shakes his head and looks to the door. Clark raises a
hand. Rodney looks to him. |
|
|
CLARK
(waving a hand)
Hey -- hi, how are you doing? So
what you are telling us is that we
were this close . . . (HOLDS UP
HIS POINTER AND THUMB AN INCH
APART) . . . to being eaten alive
by a rich guy's dead family last
night? |
|
|
They all stare at Rodney, and he hesitates before nodding. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(solemn)
I'm afraid so. |
|
|
Rene looks up to the ceiling mouthing something we can't
read, Clark shakes his head, and everyone relaxes. Marcus
looks from the door back to Rodney. |
|
|
MARK
It couldn't have been a joke,
right? Just . . . just a prank?
Some kid's idea of a prank. |
|
|
Rodney shakes his head and looks back to the floor. |
|
|
MARK
A nightmare we all shared? |
|
|
Rodney smiles and gets to his feet. |
|
46.
|
|
RODNEY
You read a lot of Ripley, don't
you? |
|
|
Rene and Clark smile. Marcus shrugs. |
|
|
JOE
I heard he just passed away. |
|
|
|
MARK
(wide-eyed,
surprised)
What?! No he didn't! |
|
|
Everyone smiles and Rodney chuckles. |
|
|
RODNEY
Yep, you're a Ripley Reader. |
|
|
|
MARK
(embarrassed,
awkward)
You scared me there. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(with a smile)
Not as bad as Ripley does, right? |
|
|
|
MARK
(pointing at them)
No one can scare me as good as
Ripley, don't you forget that. |
|
|
Everyone is at least smiling now, the women giggling. |
|
|
RODNEY
Well, let's say we take this
matter to the hospital. After all,
Mr. Trevor took the worst out of
our little visit. |
|
|
|
EXT. DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL - DAY |
|
We are looking at the outside of a white hospital, the sound
of cars honking and people talking in the background. |
|
|
NURSE (O.S.)
Mr. Trevor should be awake right
now. He'll be in Room 318. |
|
|
|
47.
|
INT. DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL - DAY |
|
We follow the six walking down the hall to Room 318. Rodney
opens the door marked 318 to reveal Trevor lying in the
closest bed, another man laying still in the other as a
nurse bends over and whispers in his ear. The six walk over
smiling to Trevor's bedside. |
|
|
RODNEY
Hey, Gramps, how are you doing? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Yeah, how bad are they treating
you here? |
|
|
The nurse looks over to the six unhappily at the comment. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Good. I'm doing alright. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
You didn't sound alright last
night. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I'm fine. Really. |
|
|
|
MARK
It's not me this time, huh? . . .
I wish it was. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(shakes his head)
Marcus. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
I don't think you're old enough to
have a heart attack, Mr. Willby.
And Mr. Trevor here is fine, am I
right? . . .
(TREVOR NODS)
. . . He had a minor attack, and
now he's feeling a lot better,
right? |
|
|
Trevor nods, eyes locked with Marcus'. Marcus nods and steps
back to take a deep breath. Rodney steps up beside the bed
and pats Trevor on the shoulder. |
|
|
RODNEY
That was, uh . . . a crazy night,
huh? |
|
|
48.
|
Trevor smiles and nods and looks up to the ceiling. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(in thought)
That's the word. Crazy. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Well, whatever happened last night
should have a logical, realistic
reason for . . . well -- putting
you in this condition. And we're
going to figure it out, don't you
worry, Mr. Trevor. We're going to
go back there and figure this out.
I'm not leaving until we do. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Don't go too hard on them, Mr.
Bronze. They're a good group. You
treat them well. |
|
|
|
CLARK
You're acting like you're dying. |
|
|
Marcus looks up at Trevor with worry. Trevor waves Clark
away. |
|
|
RODNEY
He's fine, Mr. Toin. He's going to
be okay. Right, Mr. Trevor? |
|
|
Trevor nods, and Rodney shrugs and points at Trevor with
both hands, looking at the others wide-eyed, mouthing: See?
Clark rolls his eyes and mutters to Joe as the women step up
to Trevor's side. |
|
|
RODNEY
Well, I think now is a good time
to tell all of you the good and
the bad news. |
|
|
Everyone looks to Rodney with utter surprise and he bows his
head and sighs. |
|
|
RODNEY
What do you want first? |
|
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
Well it's not really bad news, but
it's a little -- minor setback.
There were some insurance and
(MORE)
|
|
49.
|
|
RODNEY (cont'd)
other important legal papers that
you six were not given and I think
that when we get back to the hotel
they will be there waiting for you
guys to get to work. |
|
|
Ashley tosses her head back and moans, Marcus inclines his
head and rubs his eyes with his index fingers, and Clark
punches the air and mouths 'Yes!' sarcastically. |
|
|
RENE
OK, what's the good news? |
|
|
Everyone looks to Rodney with curiosity. The suspense is
killing them. |
|
|
RODNEY
Well . . . I know we have only
been out here a few days, but I
think you guys would like to see
some familiar faces while you're
working on those papers, right?
And if you would not like a visit
from a family member . . .
(SMILES GROW ON
THEIR FACES,
EXCLUDING CLARK)
. . . then just say so and you do
not have to invite them. |
|
|
Clark is staring at the floor unexcited; Joe pats his back
and apologizes. Rene and Ashley talk to each other excitedly
and Marcus clasps his hands together and thanks the Lord. |
|
|
RENE
(in disbelief)
Are you kidding us? |
|
|
|
JOE
Don't get excited everyone! He's
probably just pulling our legs. |
|
|
They all look to Rodney, who just stares back at them for a
couple seconds, and their smiles fade away. Then he grins
and the women cheer and Joe and Marcus smile, and then thank
Rodney. We then see Trevor looking up at the ceiling,
watery-eyed and solemn. We look down on his face, zooming
in, and then we are looking at him from the side of the
room, all sound muted. We slowly ascend through the ceiling
until we reach the top of the building. |
|
|
50.
|
INT. DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL - NIGHT |
|
We open the scene looking at a sleeping Trevor in the
hospital bed from above, and all is silent and dark. We then
view him from the side, and we stare at Trevor for a moment
before the screen starts to shake gently, and a warping
sound is heard. |
|
|
JACOB
(whispering)
Trevorrr . . . wakie-wakie,
Trevvie . . . Trehhhhvorrr . . .
(QUIET LAUGH) |
|
|
We see Trevor turn his head and rest on his stomach, one
hand by his face. We look to the man in the next bed now
sitting up, staring blankly forward, jaw dropped. The man
then pushes his sheets away and starts to get out of bed. We
look at Trevor from above again as we hear the man getting
out of bed and walking to Trevor's bedside. There is a small
pause and the warping sound and the shaking is over. From
the front of Trevor's bed we see the man still staring
forward, jaw dropped, and hands at his side. The man is now
heard gurgling. |
|
|
INT. TREVOR'S DAD'S OFFICE - DAY |
|
Trevor's eyes open and he blinks a couple times before
looking at his surroundings. We see that Trevor is standing
in the middle of a wood-floored, stone-walled office in his
hospital clothes. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(rubbing eyes)
What -- the . . . |
|
|
|
|
Trevor freezes and slowly lowers his hands. He turns around
and we see TREVOR'S DAD sitting behind his desk with the
phone floating next to his good ear. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(focusing on him)
Da -- ? |
|
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
My son can go to any college he
wants to go to, why do ya need my
opinion? It's his damn school, let
him decide. . . . And get off ma
(MORE)
|
|
51.
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER (cont'd)
case, will ya?! |
|
|
Trevor's dad looks away shaking his head and the phone
hovers down back to its cradle. Trevor's dad grumbles to
himself and slams his fist on the desk, making Trevor jump.
We look at Trevor for a moment, and then to Trevor's dad,
who opens his drawer and puts the revolver on his desk. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(startled)
Dad! |
|
|
Trevor's dad breathes in, then looks his way and smirks. |
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
Oh . . .
(waves hesitantly)
. . . hey, son! |
|
|
Trevor is shaking his head, mouthing 'No.' Trevor's dad just
smiles back and nods. |
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
I have to, son. I gotta. Life is
-- a -- bitch. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(shaking his head)
No . . . no (--) |
|
|
Trevor's dad leans forward, elbows on his desk, head on the
heels of his hands. |
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
You see, son . . . I really like
peanut butter. Now I haven't told
no one this, but . . . for forty
years I have had some peanut
butter stuck . . .
(LEANS HEAD BACK
AND POINTS TO
ROOF OF MOUTH)
. . . to the roof of my mouth and
it's been bugging the bejeezus
outta me for way too long. I've
'ad it . . . I'm done. I have to
get it out. And that's why I
always keep this. |
|
|
He puts the gun in front of him. Trevor shakes his head. |
|
52.
|
|
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
Now please -- just please stop
standing there shaking ya head
back and forth like a broken toy. |
|
|
Trevor stands there still, staring at the gun. Trevor's dad
shrugs and grabs the gun. |
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
Hey. I got no other alternative.
Got nothing else to do. |
|
|
Trevor's dad puts the gun in his mouth and pulls back the
hammer. As he does this, Trevor jumps to his desk to stop
him, hands out. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(screams)
No! Dad! |
|
|
Trevor's dad pulls the trigger and we hear and see a gunshot
and the whole room is in smoke. Trevor waves it away,
coughing. Trevor walks into the desk trying to find his way
around it, and then stops when he sees his dad sitting
there, head back and hands at his sides. Still coughing,
Trevor hurries away from the desk waving the smoke away.
Before he gets to the door we see Trevor's dad's head lift
up on his neck and Trevor freezes. |
|
|
DRY VOICE (O.S.)
(whispering in
Trevor's ear)
Trehhhhvorrrr . . . |
|
|
There is a quiet laugh and Trevor turns and most of the
smoke is gone now. When the smoke clears, we see Trevor's
dad still sitting there with blood running down his face and
on his shirt and out his mouth. Trevor grimaces and raises
an arm out before him, but still looks. |
|
|
TREVOR'S FATHER
(shouting)
You see, son?! It's gone! No more
peanut butter! All gone! Isn't it
fucking amazing? |
|
|
Trevor shakes his head, almost in tears, and steps away. The
gun falls on the floor and Trevor's dad gets to his feet and
holds out his arms. We see a quick couple spots of blood
spit from the back of his head. |
|
53.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Oh, Dad . . . why? |
|
|
When Trevor's dad's arms fall to his side, he breaks into
hysterical laughter. Trevor shakes his head and grabs his
hair and backs away as his dad starts to fall apart. His
lower jaw pops off and falls to the floor, then his fingers,
then his eyeballs, then his nose, then his arms, then his
ears, and piece-by-piece he falls apart still laughing and
bleeding all over the floor. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(stepping back,
arms waving)
Dad! Stop it! Dad! |
|
|
We see his dad's face starting to melt off and his laughter
changes to Jacob's. Trevor stumbles back and falls. |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
Trevor is seen sitting in the middle of a dark hallway, one
hand out in front of him like he was doing before he fell,
the other hand at his side. He looks around shaking his
head, wide-eyed, hand in the air moving to his head. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(quiet)
Ohhh dammit. |
|
|
We circle Trevor twice and then stop in front of him looking
at his face and we can see the figure standing right behind
him. Trevor waits a moment before he turns around and looks
up and Jacob is standing there, rope in one hand. Trevor
jumps to get to his feet but Jacob puts the rope around
Trevor's neck and pulls him against his body. Trevor tries
to pull the rope off as he is pulled against an unseen
Jacob's chest. The struggle goes on for a couple seconds and
Jacob starts to laugh like before. |
|
|
INT. DOWNTOWN HOSPITAL - NIGHT |
|
Trevor is sitting up, panting, and sweat-clad. He looks
around the room, and we see nothing. The other man is still
in the bed, facing the other way. Trevor rubs his eyes,
wipes the sweat off his face, shakes his head, and then lies
back in bed. He lets out a deep breath and closes his eyes.
Looking over the man's body on the other bed we see a
sleeping Trevor. We then descend to see that the man's
throat is bleeding and his eyes are rolled in the back of
his head. |
|
|
54.
|
EXT. MARCUS' HOUSE - DAY |
|
We see Susan sitting on the top step of the porch of MARCUS'
HOUSE, resting back on her palms as she watches the street.
There is silence despite a bird chirping until a car drives
by, and Susan sighs and lowers her head, kicking the air
with her feet. We approach Susan from the doorway behind
her, and then stop to look over her. Susan winces, and then
turns around and we see nothing is there. She looks back to
the road and a cab is parking on the sidewalk. Susan shrieks
happily and jumps to her feet and we watch Marcus exit the
cab. |
|
|
|
Marcus looks her way and smiles. Marcus then takes his bag
out of the back, pays the driver, and hurries up the path to
Susan already hurrying towards him. The two embrace smiling,
and Susan is crying. |
|
|
SUSAN
Ohhh, I'm so glad you're back,
Marcus! I had a bad dream that you
didn't (--) |
|
|
Marcus parts with Susan and shakes his head. |
|
|
MARK
No, don't. Don't say anything
negative now. Let's go inside and
talk about good things. OK? |
|
|
|
SUSAN
(smiling and
nodding)
OK. |
|
|
The two walk up the pathway to Marcus' house hand-in-hand. |
|
|
MARK
You're acting like you did when I
got back from war. |
|
|
|
SUSAN
I'm just so excited you're here. |
|
|
|
INT. JOE AND CLARK'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
We are going up the hallway of the hotel to the middle and
then we turn into ROOM B14 through the door and we stop
|
55.
|
behind Joe looking out the window to the city. We hear a
doorbell and Joe turns with a smile. |
|
|
MOTHER CARTER
(high-pitched)
Housekeeping! |
|
|
|
|
The door opens and Joe's family enters the room cheering and
smiling. We see Joe trying to hug them all while trying to
greet them to California. |
|
|
EXT. RENE AND ASHLEY'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
Looking from outside the window we see the women fixing each
other's uniforms. |
|
|
RENE (O.S.)
Are you nervous? |
|
|
|
ASHLEY (O.S.)
Are you kidding? It's just my
family. I'm not making a speech or
anything. I'm not being graded. |
|
|
|
INT. RENE AND ASHLEY'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
We are now in the room and they are smiling. |
|
|
RENE
Yeah -- I guess you're right. I'm
not nervous either. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
That was nice of Mr. Bronze . . .
(RENE NODS)
. . . to give us a little family
reunion |
|
|
|
RENE
Yeah, I thought he was going to,
like (--) |
|
|
There is a knock at the door and the two look at each other
with a grin. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(flattening
uniform)
Woooo -- I can't wait for you to
(MORE)
|
|
56.
|
|
ASHLEY (cont'd)
meet my family. |
|
|
|
RENE
(walking first to
the door with a
smile)
Yeah, me, too. |
|
|
|
INT. IN N' OUT RESTAURANT - DAY |
|
We DOLLY through the front door of the RESTAUARANT and up to
the booth in the back as Clark's family talks in the
background. |
|
|
CLARK'S OLDER BROTHER
So how's my little shrimp doing?
Hasn't pissed himself yet, has he? |
|
|
A lady in the next booth looks unhappily their way when he
says 'pissed,' putting down her lemonade. |
|
|
MOTHER TOIN
(as Clark and his
brother snicker)
Now-nowww, Johnny, don't you (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK'S SISTER
Beat any ghost ass lately? |
|
|
|
MOTHER TOIN
(shocked)
Jenny. None of that now, it's not
ladylike. |
|
|
|
CLARK'S OLDER BROTHER
Oh, come on, Mom. I think we're
past that now. |
|
|
|
CLARK'S SISTER
Yeah, Mom. |
|
|
CLARK'S MOTHER looks away and rolls her eyes while fanning
herself. |
|
|
MOTHER TOIN
(heated)
Dear Lord . . . am I the only one
melting in here? |
|
|
57.
|
|
CLARK'S OLDER BROTHER
(with a mouthful
of food)
You know, Mom, for once -- you're
right. |
|
|
Clark and CLARK'S SISTER laugh and Clark's mother shakes her
head and makes a disappointed sound. Still smiling, Clark
notices something on the other side of the restaurant and
looks. We see that in the doorway is a gray-fleshed zombie
woman with her head barely hanging on half a neck. Her
clothes are gore- and dirt-clad and torn and her fingers and
one of her legs are bent as she limps up to the corner. Her
hair is in her face so we cannot see it. |
|
|
CLARK
(in shock)
Oh . . . no . . . |
|
|
|
MOTHER TOIN
What is it, hun? |
|
|
Clark's mother turns around and looks to where her son is
looking, but through her POV we see nothing. But we look at
Clark again shaking in his seat looking with horror, his
hand grabbing the edge of the table tensing up. The dead
woman stops in front of the counter and stands there,
looking down. We see Clark's mother ask him 'What is the
matter?' but she is muted and we see Clark's hand and face
going red, still shaking. We look at the dead woman a last
time for a moment and she suddenly whips her head and
screams shrill and we see for a quick second that her eye
sockets and the slits where her nose was are on fire. Clark
jumps in his seat when a hand grabs his shoulder and looks
to his mother standing next to him, worried. |
|
|
MOTHER TOIN
(hand to chest)
Are you okay? My God, you scared
me to death, hun. |
|
|
Clark looks to the counter and we see nothing is there. He
opens his mouth to speak, but does not say anything for a
couple seconds. |
|
|
CLARK
(terrifed, but
whispering)
Yeah. I'm fine. |
|
|
|
58.
|
INT. MARCUS' HOUSE BEDROOM - DAY |
|
We see Marcus and Susan lying beside each other in bed in
only their undergarments, sheets pushed to the end of the
bed. Susan is on her side and Marcus is on his back, arm
over his eyes, both asleep. Marcus wakes up first, wipes his
eyes, and looks over to Susan and smiles. He pulls himself
up behind her and gently strokes her down the arm and she
awakes and yawns. |
|
|
MARK
(whispering)
Hey, honey . . . |
|
|
Marcus kisses her shoulder and Susan smiles and closes her
eyes again. |
|
|
SUSAN
(smiles and
whispers back)
Hey . . . |
|
|
|
MARK
(kisses Susan's
shoulder,
whispers)
Marry me. |
|
|
|
SUSAN
(opens eyes in
disbelief)
Mark (--) |
|
|
|
MARK
(whispering in
Susan's ear)
I think I have a ring in my pants
on the side of the bed if you
wanna look for them. |
|
|
Susan grins, trying to figure out if he's lying or not. |
|
|
SUSAN
(turns around to
Mark)
Are you serious? Of course, oh my
gosh!
(EMBRACES MARK)
Oh my God, this is great! Of
course! Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes! |
|
|
59.
|
|
MARK
(with a smile)
OK, OK, don't get too excited. |
|
|
The two part, Susan's eyes watery as she throws the sheets
aside. |
|
|
SUSAN
(so happy)
I gotta tell all my friends and
tell my parents and . . .
(HURRYING TO THE
PHONE)
. . . and -- oh my God, I can't
believe this! |
|
|
We see Marcus looking at Susan's naked butt as she calls
someone on the phone. |
|
|
MARK
Well make sure you tell them the
wedding has to be in two days.
Because I only got a couple days. |
|
|
|
SUSAN
(grinning)
OK, hun. . . . Susan Willby. Ooohh
. . . |
|
|
She giggles and jumps up and down. Marcus laughs and shakes
his head smiling. |
|
|
INT. TREVOR'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
We open to see Trevor sitting in his room at the table, a
Pink Lady in one hand, staring at the floor. We hear low
whispers in the background but do not understand what they
are saying. We zoom in on Trevor as the whispers get louder
and the screen starts to deteriorate. |
|
|
JACOB
(in a distorted
voice)
Trehhhhvvviiieee . . .
(SOFT LAUGH)
. . . Trehhh (--) |
|
|
We hear a loud set of knocks at the door that makes Trevor
jump and look up from the floor to the door. Trevor sets
down the Pink Lady and goes to the door. When he opens it we
see a solemn-faced Captain Runz in the doorway with another
POLICEMAN behind him. |
|
60.
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
(with a small
smile)
Hello, Mr. Trevor. May we come in? |
|
|
|
|
The two cops look setback. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Ummm . . . Mr. Trevor, we have
some unfortunate news that might
take some time to explain for you
to under (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I can understand anything you tell
me from this side or the other.
Tell me she's dead. |
|
|
Captain Runz stares at Trevor and the policeman looks
worriedly at Captain Runz. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
(gulps)
How (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Is my mother dead? |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
If we could come in I could (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Is she dead or what, Captain (--)? |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Yes, but who has already informed
you? |
|
|
Trevor smiles and taps his head with his finger. Captain
Runz bows his head and shakes it, then raises it. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
I'm -- we are really sorry (--) |
|
|
A careless Trevor turns away and starts to close the door. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I really don't (--) |
|
|
61.
|
Captain Runz stops the door from closing, pushes it open,
and walks in, the policeman following in an awkward way. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
(impatient)
Mr. Trevor! |
|
|
Trevor turns around and we see his eyes look weary and his
sleeve is cut. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Now I need you to understand that
we are truly sorry for your loss.
And I need to know that you're not
going to let this bad news get in
the way of your job (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(trying to remain
calm)
Rodney -- Bronze's job. This is
his investigation. I'm his . . .
supporting adviser or something.
This news won't get in the way of
my job because A -- it's not my
job. And B -- I've only got more
bad news ahead of me. |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Now, you shouldn't look at life
like that. There's always gonna be
a good day. Aren't you a Catholic,
Mr. Trevor? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(runs hand through
his hair)
Yes, I'm Catholic. I believe in
God . . . I believe in hell, but
now . . . I believe in getting
this case over and done with so I
can go back to what's left of my
life back in Washington DC. |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Mr. Trevor . . . please don't give
up hope yet. Tomorrow will be a
better day, sir. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I don't need any reiterations
right now from you, Mr. Runz.
(RAISES HAND TO
MOUTH AND MUTTERS)
(MORE)
|
|
62.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR (cont'd)
Get out of my room. |
|
|
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(lowers hand)
Get out of my room! |
|
|
Captain Runz bows his head and looks at the policeman and
shrugs. Captain Runz looks back to Trevor and holds out a
hand. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Please accept our apologies and
our condolences (--) |
|
|
|
|
As Trevor turns and walks back to his table, Captain Runz
pulls back his hand and gestures for them to leave. Trevor
finishes the cup of Pink Lady and wipes the tears from his
eyes as the two policemen -- who we focus on -- close the
door behind them. Trevor lifts his eyes to the screen and we
focus on his watery-eyed face. |
|
|
EXT. ANACOSTIA PARK - NIGHT |
|
We open looking at the top of the trees hearing MARCUS'
BROTHER speak to the audience. We lower from the top to the
center of the aisle in the middle of the park as Marcus'
brother speaks. |
|
|
MARCUS' BROTHER
(reading from the
Bible)
'We are gathered here today . . .
in holy matrimony. To have and to
hold -- from this day forward --
for better or for worse . . . for
rich or for poor . . . in sickness
or in health . . . to love and to
cherish . . . till death do you
part.' |
|
|
In the background we hear a soft, menacing chuckle. We DOLLY
up the aisle to the Marcus in his uniform and Susan in her
bride's dress, hand in hand, and the preacher beside them
reading from the book. |
|
63.
|
|
MARCUS' BROTHER (cont'd)
Do we have the rings? |
|
|
|
MARK
(pulls out rings)
Got 'em. |
|
|
Marcus looks to Susan smiling and we see that Susan is
actually the dead woman from In 'N' Out. Her jaw falls off
and she screams and reaches for him and Marcus jumps, but
Susan is standing there now with confusion, and Marcus is
shaking his head and recovering from what he saw. |
|
|
MARCUS' BROTHER
(meanwhile)
And now -- by the power invested
in me . . . I now pronounce you
man and wife. You may now kiss the
bride. |
|
|
Marcus looks up at the last sentence, stares at Susan, and
smiles. Marcus then gently pushes her veil off her head and
leans forward to kiss her. The audience cheers and applauds
and stand as the two kiss. In the background we hear the
same soft, menacing chuckle. |
|
|
EXT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We see Rodney standing before the rope around the house with
his flashlight pointed at the path. All you can see is a
scarecrow in the middle of the left half of the field. We
see a full moon in the black sky above the house as we hear
a voice depicted as Captain Runz's in the background from a
few minutes earlier. |
|
|
CPT. RUNZ (O.S.)
You sure you don't want a ride
home, Mr. Bronze? |
|
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
I am sure, thank you, Captain.
I'll see you in the morning. |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ (O.S.)
Hey, Mr. Bronze. |
|
|
|
|
64.
|
|
CPT. RUNZ (O.S.)
Are you . . . are you feeling OK?
You look a little . . . you don't
look like yourself (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
I'm fine, thank you, sir. Good
night. |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ (O.S.)
(small pause)
Good night, sir. |
|
|
Rodney starts to walk slowly up the path with his flashlight
slowly moving side-to-side over the path. We can hear the
wind and a cricket as he walks up the path; he is seen
breathing uneasily and eyes flicking cautiously from one
spot of the front yard to another repeatedly. |
|
|
JACOB (O.S.)
Welcome back, Mr. Bronze. I see by
your return we have met your
satisfaction. |
|
|
We see Rodney twitch and stops to look at the large,
growling object that quickly leaves our sight when he shines
his flashlight over it. The sound of creaking wood makes
Rodney's sweating face look up to the front of the house to
see an unseen figure standing in the doorway. Rodney shines
the flashlight into the doorway and the figure is gone.
Rodney bows his head into his free hand and wipes the sweat
off with his sleeve.
Rodney proceeds up to the porch, but something is seen
sneaking up on him from behind. Rodney spins around with a
gasp and we see from his POV what is in the flashlight's
cone of light: a scarecrow on its pole in the middle of the
pathway with red buttons for eyes and a scowl sewn into its
face.
Rodney steps back, his heel hitting against the porch, and
he stops. He turns around and looks around the porch before
looking back at the scarecrow, flashlight still on it. We
then see him try to smile and wipe more sweat from his
forehead again. |
|
|
RODNEY
(trembling)
Ohhh OK, you . . . you got me,
kids . . . damn -- you guys are
good . . . OK . . . |
|
|
65.
|
We hear the wind whistle louder and some old leaves fly pass
his legs. Rodney's hands are seen shaking and his smile is
slowly fading. |
|
|
RODNEY
(focusing)
Hey, guys! You there?! |
|
|
We hear wood creaking behind Rodney and he spins around to
reveal nothing in the doorway, his other hand on his
holster.
There is a small pause and Rodney turns around and points
his flashlight again to see the scarecrow standing a few
yards away, no pole holding it up. He jolts and he is taken
with fear as he starts to shake violently. |
|
|
RODNEY
(muttering)
Ohhh . . . shit. |
|
|
Rodney looks both ways, and then stares at the motionless
scarecrow now standing eight feet away. We watch his hand
unclip his holster. He is breathing heavily, his eyes
unblinking, and the scarecrow has not moved, head slightly
cocked. The scarecrow has one dirt-covered glove, the other
a glove, and it is wearing a man's torn, bloody tuxedo. |
|
|
RODNEY
(a little scared)
Guys? |
|
|
There is another small pause as the wind dies down and the
crickets are in the background. An owl is heard faintly.
Then the scarecrow bursts into a charge and Rodney whips out
his gun, accidentally hitting the support holding up the
roof over the front porch, and we watch as the gun falls to
the middle step.
Rodney has a terrified look, then runs down the porch to the
end, and jumps over the side railing. The scarecrow runs
through the railing and jumps at Rodney, but misses and
falls on the dead grass. We then watch Rodney limping for
the fence with one hand on his leg as the scarecrow gets to
its feet and pursues him. |
|
|
RODNEY
(terrified)
Lord -- save my life tonight,
Lord, spare me . . . I beg of you. |
|
|
66.
|
The scarecrow jumps onto him and tackles him to the ground,
the claw holding his head to the earth. Rodney screams for
help, but is unheard. The scarecrow is growling like a rabid
animal and after a few-second grapple, Rodney elbows the
scarecrow and rolls over to shove it aside. Stumbling to his
feet, Rodney runs for the street. |
|
|
|
Rodney trips over the rope and hits his head on the
sidewalk. He is dazed and his vision is blurred; he looks
around and tries to move, but feels weak and cannot move.
The scarecrow then grabs at him and drags him towards the
house as he tries to get away, shaking away the dizziness.
Rodney kicks free of its grasp and gets to his feet, but it
grabs him and throws him back to the earth. Remembering the
gun on the steps, Rodney gets to his feet and runs to it.
The grass comes to life and grabs the gun and pulls it
towards the earth, but Rodney pulls it out as the scarecrow
runs at him. |
|
|
RODNEY
Oh please no, don't do this to me.
Don't do this. |
|
|
The scarecrow's eyes are gleaming red, claw above its head.
Rodney pulls it free and turns to shoot one of the buttons
off of the scarecrow's face. A terrified Rodney shoots the
scarecrow again as it hurries at him again.
A couple lights turn on in the houses across the street. |
|
|
RODNEY
(exhausted)
You've got to be (--) |
|
|
Still dizzy, Rodney shoots again backing up the steps twice
and it collapses on the steps. Rodney sighs, and we see a
figure in the dark doorway behind him. |
|
|
RODNEY
(relieved)
Oh thank you, Lord. |
|
|
The scarecrow then slowly lifts its head and we see the red
gleam in its button is dimmer, giving a low growl, and
reaches out to him. Rodney shakes his head. |
|
67.
|
|
RODNEY
(in disbelief)
No . . . way -- why don't you (--) |
|
|
We see him pull the trigger again and the cartridge rolls. A
man walks outside with a bat in his hands, wife in the
doorway.
Rodney goes to shoot the scarecrow again but the figure in
the doorway smacks him in the back of the head with his
shotgun and Rodney falls on the porch. He lays there
unconscious and he is dragged into the house, the door
closing after him. |
|
|
INT. JOE AND CLARK'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
The two are talking to each other and smiling when the
doorbell rings and they look to the door with startled
faces. Joe gets to his feet and looks through the peephole
to see Captain Runz and another cop before opening the door. |
|
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
(wide-eyed)
Mr. Bronze is missing. |
|
|
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
Your boss is gone, Mr. Toin. We
don't know where he is. He
disappeared last night. I don't
know how to explain it any
further. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(embarrassed,
awkward)
No, I was just surprised. Who was
the last person who saw him? |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
I was with him standing in front
of the Renny Manor last night
while you guys were partying with
your family. I asked him if he was
headed back and he said just to
leave him and he would be back
soon, but he never came back. Some
of the boys are going to check the
(MORE)
|
|
68.
|
|
CPT. RUNZ (cont'd)
house out in an hour so we sh (--) |
|
|
|
JOE
Why don't you go look for him? |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
(irritated)
I have a job to do. I have a lot
of more beneficial things to do
than to go on a man-hunt and act
like Sherlock Holmes for a couple
days. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(shocked)
What? But he's a part of your team
-- you're the captain and you have
to make sure that we are all (--) |
|
|
|
CPT. RUNZ
I will be seeing the two of you
later, I just wanted to spread the
news. |
|
|
The Captain and his partner leave, and Joe and Clark look at
each other with confused horror. |
|
|
INT. RENE AND ASHLEY'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY |
|
A phone rings and an exubrant Ashley answers it. She listens
for a moment, and her smile is gone and she puts a hand to
her mouth looking terrified. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(into the phone)
Oh my . . . oh my God. |
|
|
|
RENE
What is it? Who's on the phone? |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(into the phone)
OK, we'll be right down there.
Yes. OK. |
|
|
Ashley hangs up the phone and looks to Rene wiping her wet
hair with a towel, fresh out of the shower, with wide eyes. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(wide-eyed)
Mr. Bronze is missing. |
|
|
69.
|
Rene freezes and looks at Ashley wide-eyed. |
|
|
EXT. RENNY MANOR - DAY |
|
The six meet in front of the mansion surrounded by esctatic
people and tempered policemen trying to hold them back. The
six approach an angered Captain Runz, who is unhappy to see
them. |
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
(irritated)
What the hell is wrong with you
people, I told you I got this. |
|
|
|
JOE
Well Rodney is a part of our team
so we thought it would be a good
idea if we went in to look for our
partner because no man is left
behind. |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
Well I'm sorry, I'm not letting
you into that house. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
We weren't asking your permission. |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
(with a smile)
Gentlemen, if you deny my orders
your whole team will be in a lot
of (--) |
|
|
|
JOE
I don't think it matters. He's a
part of our group and we're not
leaving anyone behind. |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
Yeah, I heard you . . . it's . . .
you don't even know he's in there.
If you guys go in there without my
OK and he's not in there then you
six will removed from the case for
nothing. Now please tell me,
gentlemen . . . is that worth it? |
|
|
|
RENE
Please do not talk to us as if
only the guys are here. |
|
|
70.
|
Captain Runz rubs his nose, trying to hold back his anger,
and shakes his head. |
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
You are not listening to what I am
saying. You do not have to do
anything. You're free. You can
relax! Just go back to the (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK
We're not going anywhere until
there is seven of us. |
|
|
|
CPT. DELGADO
Even if he is in there, trapped
against his will by some psychotic
loon with a chainsaw, and you
somehow rescue him and get him
out, I will still have to
reprimand you six for making my
boys wait out here and going in
without my permission. You know
this, right? |
|
|
They all nod. Captain Runz smiles and curses under his
breath before stepping out of the way. The six are now
walking up to the house, and the crowd cheers and applauds;
some are booing and calling them back.
We are now looking at six blurry figures walking up the path
to the house, clear vision on a couple spots of blood on a
step. Our vision clears on the six when they get a couple
feet away from the steps, and we watch them walk up to the
front door, looking around. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(quiet)
Wait. |
|
|
The five turn and look to Trevor. There is a slight wind and
a cricket. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Now before we go back in there I
want everyone to take a good look
at all the people around you. You
may not see them again. . . .
(THE FIVE SMILE
HESITANTLY, CLARK
SNICKERS)
. . . But I'm serious -- take a
good look and know what reality is
and know that you are not
dreaming, because everything that
(MORE)
|
|
71.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR (cont'd)
happens in this house from now on
will be real, and we will not
leave until we find our partner.
Do we all understand the
situation? |
|
|
|
RENE
What's the situation? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Well, do we all know the fact that
whatever may happen in there like
last time may happen again, and
that we will all stick together
and help each other out as if we
were family? |
|
|
|
JOE
Do you think you can handle that
again, Mr. Trevor? |
|
|
Trevor nods solemnly; Marcus is scared for him. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Alright. Let's go find Mr. Bronze. |
|
|
Trevor gestures for entrance. The five turn back around and
we follow them into the bar room again. We find that there
are no corpses in the room, only dried blood, broken glass
everywhere, a hatchet, a butcher knife, and a shotgun. The
outside world begins to darken. |
|
|
ASHLEY
The last time we were here . . .
weren't there (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Yes. Something's been done to the
bodies. |
|
|
|
CLARK
Where the hell could they be? |
|
|
The six start to drift from the front door, looking
carefully and thoroughly.
We see Ashley and Marcus grimace as they search behind the
counter, finding a large blood stain in the floor, mixed
with different kinds of alcohol. Above the room is the sound
of wood creaking and we slowly lift up to the ceiling as
Trevor speaks. |
|
72.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Now ignore it, everybody. Don't be
frightened. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(startled)
Someone's upstairs. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Nobody is upstairs, Ms. Damon, I
assure you. Now let's continue. I
do not believe we have seen much
of upstairs now, have we? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Only as we ran around trying to
find our way out like chickens
with our heads cut off. |
|
|
The five follow Trevor to the hallway where the hung body
was. We see Trevor gulp and shine his light up at the
ceiling to reveal a cloud of dust fall to them after the
sound of creaking wood returns. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(gasps)
See! I told you! There is someone
here (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
There is no one . . . listen to
me! We are the only people in this
house right now. There is no one
else here. Anyone else in this
house is dead. |
|
|
Ashley nods and hiccups and we see she is shaking. Then we
watch Trevor turn around and shine the flashlight down the
hall. |
|
|
|
We watch from above the five follow Trevor down the hall. We
hear wood softly cracking and the squealing of a rat as we
follow the six to the staircase in the next hallway. When
the group gets to the top they look both ways and then walk
to their left where they find a large door and now we are
looking at the big, gray, dusty door in the pealing wall. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I wonder if Clark wants to open
it. |
|
|
73.
|
Clark rolls his eyes, steps forward, and opens the door. The
women scream and they all jump back when a horde of corpses
tumble out of the room and splatter all over the floor.
Ashley jumps into Rene and Trevor puts out his arms to push
back Trevor and Marcus. |
|
|
CLARK
(stepping back
wide-eyed)
Holy -- shit! |
|
|
|
JOE
(putting his hand
to his mouth)
Oh! My God! |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(pushing Clark and
Joe away)
Oh my Gawd! |
|
|
We look from the broken skull on the floor at Trevor's foot
to the pile of bones in the dark closet in the sunlight. |
|
|
RENE
Now was that necessary? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Are notes necessary? If so, get
out your notepad and write this
down. |
|
|
|
RENE
Excuse me? Who made you the new
Mr. Bronze? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Well, now we know where his guests
went. |
|
|
Joe nods. All are staring at the pile of bones for another
moment. |
|
|
ASHLEY
Whooo. That almost scared me to
death. |
|
|
|
POLLY (O.S.)
(dryly)
T-t-t-t-t, that's not good enough. |
|
|
We look to the white-fleshed Polly with a dust-sweeper to
her chest at the end of the hall. We see Ashley scream and
|
74.
|
then we push a close-up look on Polly's white, bloodshot
face. |
|
|
POLLY
(dryly)
You dears must be lost. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(confused)
Uh, I think you might be lost,
ma'am. |
|
|
|
POLLY
(dryly)
Well, you are the ones that walked
into this house -- uninvited. I,
however, am trapped here. Not
lost. Anyone who is lost does not
have long here in this house
before you end up in a closet like
those around your feet. |
|
|
Rodney tries to focus on Polly and takes a couple steps
towards her, the others terrified. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Are you . . . did you work here? |
|
|
We now look at Polly from an angle and we see that she is
holding a butcher knife, head cocked, and smiling. |
|
|
POLLY
(with a small
smile, dryly)
Yes. I do. No worry though . . .
just another underpaid maid with a
houseful of dust and a psychopath
for a master. Why? Are you here to
relieve me? Ha-ha-ha-ha. Well, it
won't matter -- you don't look
like the servant type. Especially
for this one. You might need to
work (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
No . . . you do not understand,
Ms. . . . |
|
|
We see that the butcher knife is now hemorrhaging. |
|
|
POLLY
(dryly)
Polly. And I do understand, Mr.
Rodney Bronze. I understand that
(MORE)
|
|
75.
|
|
POLLY (cont'd)
none of you are going to get out
of this house alive. |
|
|
Ashley looks to Rene and Trevor scowls. We hear thunder and
see a flash of light from the window; Ashley gasps and
everyone jolts. But Trevor focuses on Polly and then we look
at Polly's face close-up. We watch the flash of lightning in
slow-motion which reveals that her in her skeletal form in
the light. |
|
|
CLARK
Do you know where a Mr. Rodney
Bronze is? |
|
|
We see Trevor's terrified face as he backs away. |
|
|
JOE
Alright, everyone, let's get out
of here. |
|
|
From the side of Polly's face we see her grin. All of the
lanterns in the house turn on and the six cringe and cover
their eyes, dropping their flashlights to the floor. We see
a skeletal Polly with the butcher knife in both hands before
she raises it and she squeals. |
|
|
RENE
(yelling)
Where are you? Where is everyone? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(shouting)
Let's go, guys! Come on, let's get
outta here! |
|
|
There is another flash of light and thunder and Polly is
then standing at Trevor's side, mouth agape, butcher knife
in one hand above her head. Trevor turns to her and opens
his mouth to scream and Polly raises the knife higher. |
|
|
JACOB (O.S.)
(echoing)
Pawwwleee! |
|
|
We see a quick flashback of a figure in a tuxedo turning the
corner of one of the hallways with a double-barrel shotgun
in one hand. Another flashback of Polly turning her head
around to scream as she runs. Another flashback of a dead
maid on the floor, head in a pool of blood. A loud gunshot
is heard.
Polly turns down the hall and lowers the butcher knife
|
76.
|
before she turns and flees down the hall. The lantern lights
start to dim and Trevor watches Polly fade away into the
darkness. |
|
|
ASHLEY
Rene . . . Rene, you there? |
|
|
|
|
|
CLARK
(out of breath)
That was . . . crazy. |
|
|
|
MARK
Mr. Trevor? . . . Mr. Trevor, are
you okay? Sir? |
|
|
We are zooming in on Trevor's shivering face and we hear a
heavy warping sound getting louder as we get to his watery
eyes. |
|
|
|
The sound dies and Trevor shakes his head and turns around
to see everyone staring at him, hand over his heart. Clark
is lowering his hands from his head. |
|
|
RENE
Are you alright, sir? |
|
|
Trevor nods several times, looking down the hall. |
|
|
CLARK
What the hell . . . |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I don't care . . . those who wish
to continue the search -- stay
close to me. |
|
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We watch Rodney's eyes slowly open to find himself hanging
from the ceiling upside-down by his ankles in a small,
web-covered room with no doors. He looks around at his
surroundings and starts to groan as he wakes up with all his
blood rushed to his head, and then begins to scream. |
|
|
|
|
77.
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We open the scene with the six walking down a hallway, Joe
in the front. Marcus feels the broken lantern and we see a
couple spots of blood on the glass.
There is a sudden flash and we see an unseen figure throwing
a fist into the lantern.
We return to see Marcus stepping back from the lantern, and
then returns to the six at the top of the staircase. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Will you be joining us, Willby? |
|
|
Marcus glances back at the lantern. When the seven leave the
hall, the lanterns die and there is blackness. The lanterns
then illuminate and reveal a dark, unseen figure standing in
the hallway, shotgun at his side.
We follow the seven as they walk down the stairs to the
first level. Their flashlights go over the portraits of
random leaders and officials and objects on the walls. |
|
|
CLARK
What was this guy's profession
again? |
|
|
|
|
|
ASHLEY
Prize-winning author. |
|
|
|
|
|
RENE
(offended)
Hey! I am not. I'm just more
educated than you jackbooted thugs
-- as they call you in New York.
At least I'm doing my job. |
|
|
Clark smiles and looks at Joe and shakes his head. Trevor
points his flashlight down the hall and lightning flashes,
revealing a black shadow standing in the middle of the hall
over a bloody body. He jumps, but when we focus down the
hall, we see nothing.
The seven walk down the hall, flashlights over the same
portraits as along the staircase. |
|
78.
|
|
ASHLEY
Don't these people know any other
pictures besides these? |
|
|
|
JOE
I'll have to agree with the lady
on this one. He has the same
pictures on every wall. No family
pictures. Just . . . all these
random people. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(sees the Mona
Lisa and smiles)
Oh, I love the Mona Lisa. This
isn't the real one, is it?
(RENE ROLLS HER
EYES) |
|
|
|
CLARK
Do you happen to know where the
bathroom is in this house, Mr.
Trevor? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I do not know, Mr. Toin. I didn't
bring a layout of the house with
me today. I told you to go before
we left. |
|
|
|
CLARK
I meant to, sir -- I forgot. |
|
|
The six reach the end of the hall and turn and there is
another bright flash. We see the figure in the tuxedo
walking down a hallway with a shotgun in one hand and a
butcher knife in the other. The six are stopped and Rodney
looks from the door in the wall on their left to the other
hallway a few feet down. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
It's like a maze. |
|
|
|
JOE
What are you saying, we're lost? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
No, no, I'm just saying . . . this
is not a regular house. There is
no pattern in the hallways,
they're all going different ways
at different times. I wonder how
complicated it was for these
(MORE)
|
|
79.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR (cont'd)
people to get out of the house. |
|
|
|
RENE
That still doesn't explain how
those people in the bar room
couldn't get out of the house. |
|
|
Trevor shrugs and points his flashlight down the hall. The
six stand back as Trevor opens the door, but nothing
happens. Ashley gasps and we see that there is a skeleton on
its side in the back of the closet, dry blood above it on
the wall. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Guy tries to hide in the closet.
He was found and stabbed to death. |
|
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
A wide-eyed guest is running down the hall with another
person's blood on him, almost tripping, finds a closet in
the wall, and closes the door behind him. We see him in the
darkness of the closet breathing heavily and watching a
figure appear on the other side of the door. There is
suspense, and then the door is ripped open. The man screams
and blood splatters the wall. |
|
END FLASHBACK |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
|
ASHLEY
Poor guy didn't know where to go. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Poor idiot to be apart of this
guy's life. |
|
|
The six back away from the closet and then we see the seven
turning the corner and Trevor shines his flashlight down the
hall. Ashley screams and all the lights are on her. They
then point to where she is looking, and watch a dirty rat
scurry by. |
|
|
JOE
Come on, woman! Being here is
creepy enough. I don't wanna get
scared because of a stupid rat. |
|
|
80.
|
|
ASHLEY
Well I apologize I'm a girl. And
besides . . . rats have rabies,
Mr. Tough Guy. |
|
|
Clark and Rene laugh, and the six continue down the hallway.
Joe shakes his head when he sees the same pictures again.
They walk to the end of the hall to find another staircase
leading downward. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Where do you think that leads to? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Torture chamber. War room. Rest of
the guests from ten years ago. |
|
|
|
|
The six go downstairs, the stairs creaking with each step.
We watch Ashley bewildered reaction to see one of the
pictures crooked and broken, a couple dark dots on the wall
beside it. Marcus presses his ear against the door at the
bottom of the stairs, and then pushes the door open to
reveal another short hallway with a mini-chandelier. |
|
|
CLARK
How long did it take for them to
make this house? |
|
|
|
RENE
About two years to build. The
Renny's really wanted this house
to be perfect in their own little
dream world of theirs. But
apparently, it was really Jacob's
own idea of the house that would
come in handy on certain
occasions. Such as five months
ago. I'm not saying he was
planning on the whole slaughter,
but he made sure that if he got
you into a hallway, you would
never find your way out so easily. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(shivers, rubs her
arms)
Hoo. That gives me chills. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Keep up, everybody. No stragglers. |
|
|
81.
|
BEGIN FLASHBACK: |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We are watching people dancing and talking in the bar room,
listening to classical ballroom music. We see the bartender
serving a lot of talkative people, and kids are giggling and
acting etiquette. |
|
|
MALE GUEST #1
Now where do you suppose the Guest
of Honor is? |
|
|
|
MALE GUEST #2
Well I don't know, he was -- I
just saw him a moment ago. |
|
|
|
MALE GUEST #3
Now I cannot believe -- wait, you
haven't heard? Oh my, but Mr.
Renny's son was just in a terrible
accident downtown. Yes, yes,
Little Cameron was killed. |
|
|
|
FEMALE GUEST #1
Yeah, poor boy didn't see it
coming. Jacob hasn't been right
since. I feel like going to check
on him; he must be going through a
phase now. And you know how Jacob
is . . . hoo, my dear. |
|
|
|
BUTLER
(holding a platter
of shots)
Can I get you something to eat or
drink, sir? |
|
|
|
MALE GUEST #3
Uh, no thank you. |
|
|
We see a figure in a tuxedo is seen standing in the dark
corner of the room. |
|
|
MALE GUEST #4
There he is! The Man of the Hour! |
|
|
There is applause and cheering. From behind we watch Jacob
walk out of the dark corner and we see the shotgun and
butcher knife at his sides. We now see the terror in
everyone's faces before the lights flicker out. Women scream
and there is a short pause before the lights flicker back on
|
82.
|
and reveal a room of bloody bodies. Jacob is standing in the
middle of the room, broken knife in one hand, exhausted. |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
So now we know what the man did to
his guests. |
|
|
END FLASHBACK |
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We follow the six down a hall and into a large room with
many webs and several pictures the same as those in the
hallways and two large rectangular windows taking up the
entire wall. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
But I'm sure we're all thinking
the same thing as to how they were
all murdered without a single soul
getting out . . . let alone
screaming for help. |
|
|
|
RENE
Like I said, Mr. Trevor, he
obviously had some help in his
little killing spree. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Yes, but who? The maids? The
butler? The bartender? It couldn't
be his wife, she had left before
everything happened. |
|
|
|
CLARK
Maybe that's the point. When she
left, she had locked all the doors
and windows or something. |
|
|
|
JOE
(shakes his head)
Why do you say anything? |
|
|
|
RENE
No, he might be right. Isabella
may have something to do with all
of this. But we need to find
something that proves that not
just Jacob did it. |
|
|
83.
|
|
CLARK
(feeling
uncomfortable)
Why are we in this room? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(irritated)
We are looking for clues, Mr.
Toin. Isn't that why we're here?
Isn't that what an investigation
is? |
|
|
All goes silent and we see Clark's eyes move over to Joe and
we see another Clark Toin approach Joe from behind with a
cleaver beside his head. We see the original Clark's eyes
widen and hear his loud heartbeat, all other sound muted,
and then we see the other Clark raise the knife above his
head, straight-faced, and then he lowers it. The screen
falters and skips and we see Clark jump and gasp. At his
gasp, sound is restored and we hear his heavy breathing. Joe
turns around and sees that Clark is reaching for him, and he
slowly pulls his hand back. |
|
|
JOE
(a little scared)
What are you doing? |
|
|
Clark turns around and walks away. Joe turns around with a
confused look and continues the search. We then look at Joe
turned around and watch him rub his neck and then look at
his fingers. We focus on a spot of blood on his fingertips.
He scowls, and then continues to look around, rubbing his
neck.
We watch the six look around the room thoroughly and
closely, but we see nothing but dust, webs, and pealing
walls.
The six walk out the room into the hall with Trevor holding
the door open for them, looking around the room carefully
one last time with his flashlight.
Now we are looking through Jacob's POV at the end of the
hall, watching six humanoid blurs walk out of the wall and
head down the opposite way, an unheard conversation between
two of them in a low tone. We hear static and the edges of
the screen are blurred. We look through Jacob's POV for ten
seconds, and then go behind Trevor and watch him turn around
and shine his flashlight down the hall, revealing nothing. |
|
|
CLARK
Where are we going now? |
|
|
84.
|
|
|
The six are walking for another couple seconds before Rene
then is ripped backward and disappears from the hall.
Rene opens her eyes, and she screams and we see her curled
up in the corner of the room, hands to her ears. The other
six are sprawled out all over the floor, blood-clad as if
they were stabbed to death, unmoving. Rene puts her hands to
her face and looks away from the room, now sobbing. |
|
|
RENE
(shouting)
Ashley! Mr. Trevor! Help me! |
|
|
We hear dry voices in the background as she looks away, all
talking over the other. |
|
|
DEAD MAN #1
(dryly)
What are you still doing here, Ms.
Blom? |
|
|
|
DEAD WOMAN #1
(screaming dryly)
Oh my Lord! Stay away! NO! Stay
away! |
|
|
|
MALE CHILD VOICE
(dryly)
When are you coming home, Mom?
Dad's getting awful lonely. And I
mean awful lonely. |
|
|
|
DEAD MAN #2
(dryly)
I'm warning you! You stay back
now, you hear me? BACK! |
|
|
|
RENE
(screams)
Someone help me! |
|
|
|
DEAD MAN #1
(in a distorted
voice)
You should have been out of here
when you first walked through that
door. |
|
|
85.
|
|
MALE CHILD VOICE
(as Rene covers
her ears whining,
dryly)
Mommeee . . .
mommy-mommy-mommy-mommy . . .
mommy-mommy-mommy-mommy-mommy (--) |
|
|
|
DEAD WOMAN #2
(dryly, frantic)
No! Please! I have a child! |
|
|
|
DEAD MAN #2
(in a distorted
voice)
You stay back now, you hear?! |
|
|
|
DEAD MAN IN WOMAN'S VOICE
(dryly)
He's only three years old! |
|
|
|
JACOB
(in a distorted
voice)
You will NEVER leave! |
|
|
There is silence excluding Rene's sobbing. After a short
pause, she slowly turns back around and we see the room is
empty but her. Rene lowers her hands and looks around, still
shaking, and tears still running.
Suddenly a cracked, gray-white arm pops out of the wall and
starts waving and grabbing the air, and Rene screams and
pushes away from it. One by one dead arms start to jut out
of the walls and from underneath the floor and start to grab
at her as she backs up to the door screaming. |
|
|
RENE
(horrified)
Oh my God . . . oh my -- oh my God
. . . this isn't happening . . .
this isn't happening! No! No! |
|
|
A hand grabs her ankle and she falls on her back and she
looks up and sees the arms all around her, grabbing and
tearing at her clothes as she tries to break free.
We then see that she is in the corner she started in, the
whole room now filled with bloody, dead arms. |
|
86.
|
|
JACOB
(in a distorted
voice)
You'll NEVER leave! |
|
|
|
INT. MISSY CARTER'S CAR - DAY |
|
Missy, a worried, kind, mid-aged African American is driving
down the street, looking both ways every other moment
nervously. We hear the small conversation in the background
as we watch her driving. |
|
|
MISSY (O.S.)
(into the phone)
Hi, is there a Joseph Carter there
at the moment? |
|
|
|
HOTEL SERVICES (V.O.)
One moment, please. . . . I
apologize, ma'am, he is not
answering at the moment. May I
take a message? |
|
|
|
MISSY (O.S.)
(into the phone)
Uhhh -- yeah, this is Missy Carter
-- this is his wife . . . just let
him know that I called. |
|
|
|
HOTEL SERVICES (V.O.)
Sure thing, Ms. Carter. Have a
nice day. |
|
|
|
MISSY (O.S.)
(into the phone)
Thank you. |
|
|
We hear the sound of a phone being placed back into its
cradle.
MISSY gulps and looks both ways before stopping the car at
the red light. In the background we hear a calm voice. |
|
|
JACOB (O.S.)
Where on Earth are you going?
(MISSY DRIVES
THROUGH THE GREEN
LIGHT)
Going to tell Joe Carter about
what happened earlier? |
|
|
87.
|
Missy turns around and we see a dark-red scratch on the side
of her neck to the front, and she turns back around and
steps on the brakes before the crossing guard with a scream. |
|
|
JACOB (O.S.)
Ooh. Better be careful. You
wouldn't want to crash, now would
you? You've got a family to care
about. |
|
|
|
MISSY
(almost in tears)
Leave me alone -- get out of my
head! Please! |
|
|
The crossing guard is on the sidewalk and Missy continues to
drive, wiping the tears from her eyes. |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
(whispering)
But I'm not in your head. |
|
|
We see the red stoplight ahead. |
|
|
RODNEY (O.S.)
I'm in the backseat. |
|
|
Missy turns around and sees no one there. She sighs and
turns around. There is a loud honk and she screams and steps
on the brake in the middle of the intersection. Missy looks
to her right and we see another car driving her way. We
watch Missy try to move the shift and we hear the sound of
screeching wheels. Then we see the other car colliding into
Missy's and we hear her scream as the car capsizes and
slides a couple feet before there is silence. We watch the
two cars for a few seconds, and then watch the other driver
get out of his car.
There is blackness and silence for five seconds; then we
hear a cold voice in the background. |
|
|
BRITTNEY (O.S.)
(cold)
Ashley . . . where are you,
Ashley? |
|
|
|
INT. RENNY MANOR - NIGHT |
|
We are looking at Rene looking out into the hallway by the
doorway. Rene blinks, shakes her head, and turns around to
see the others in the room looking for clues. Rene stares
|
88.
|
for a few seconds, sighs, shakes her head, and rubs her eyes
before looking back into the hallway. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I do not think we are getting out
of this house tonight. |
|
|
Everyone looks at him like he is mad. |
|
|
MARK
(concerned)
What are you talking about (--) |
|
|
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Something about this house made it
so that we would never find our
way out. This isn't a regular
house, people, I can just tell. |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
So you're just giving up hope? We
still have to find Rene and Mr.
Bronze. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
No, trust me, I want to find Mr.
Bronze and Ms. Blom as well . . .
but I don't see us finding a way
out of here when we do. |
|
|
|
DRY VOICE (O.S.)
(whispering)
Ashley! |
|
|
|
|
We are now looking at Ashley's wide-open eyes, looking left,
and then to the right, and then forward at the dark hallway
from the doorway. The others behind her are still asleep. |
|
|
BRITTNEY (O.S.)
(dryly)
Come on big sis, don't play any
jokes on me. Where are you hiding? |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
Brittney? Brittney, is that you? |
|
|
89.
|
|
BRITTNEY (O.S.)
(dryly)
Ashley, come on . . . please
answer me! |
|
|
|
ASHLEY
(focused on the
door)
Brittney! Brittney, I'm in here!
I'm in here! |
|
|
Ashley hurries out the door and looks around, then sees a
woman standing a few feet away in a white spotlight, facing
the other way, head bowed. Showing relief, Ashley advances
on Brittney. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(a little scared)
Brittney? Brittney, can you hear
me? |
|
|
We see Brittney's neck is slit, but Ashley does not notice.
We follow a smiling, teary-eyed Ashley to "Brittney," who is
slowly turning, trying to hold back her tears. |
|
|
ASHLEY
Brittney, it's been so long, I
can't . . . I didn't even know you
were (--) |
|
|
Ashley's smile fades and she stops as the women completely
turns around. We see Brittney's pale, skeletal head bowed
and a red gash in her throat, her eyeballs and nose missing.
Ashley screams and jumps back but Brittney grabs her by the
wrist and pulls her close and slashes her neck with a big
kitchen knife.
Ashley breaks free and backs away with her hands to her
bleeding neck, choking. She looks up to the ceiling, and
Brittney's ghost fades away and the spotlight is gone.
Ashley falls to her knees before Brittney is gone, reaching
for her with her free hand, and trying to talk. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(choking)
Brit . . . hel . . . |
|
|
Dry whispers are heard around her as she falls to the floor
and dies, eyes slowly closing. |
|
|
|
90.
|
Rene looks and sees Ashley fall on the floor choking as she
bleeds from her neck. |
|
|
|
The others look and hurry to Ashley's side as she tries to
breathe and claw for help. |
|
|
RENE
It's going to be OK, Ashley,
you're going to be fine (--) |
|
|
The door slams and we see a gray eye that had been looking
through a hole in the wall now leave. The room around the
six start to crackle and moan and shake and the six freeze
and try to hold their balance, Rene holding tight to Ashley.
But Ashley is then torn from Rene's arms and dragged across
the floor into an invisible hole in the floorboards as Rene
goes to grab her hand. |
|
|
RENE
(wide-eyed)
Ashley! Ashley, no! No! |
|
|
|
|
|
RENE
(confused)
Come on! Come on! |
|
|
Rene runs out the door, Trevor trying to stop her, and runs
down the hall. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(calling after her)
Ms. Blom! Stay with the group! |
|
|
|
RENE
They can't take her! Ashley! |
|
|
The five chase after Rene as she follows Ashley's choking
and the sound of a body dragging down the hall. Rene takes
out her flashlight and looks for her friend, revealing the
guests' corpses all over the floor that really aren't there.
Rene stops and looks at the bodies, and Joe grabs her and
pulls her back. |
|
91.
|
|
RENE
(resistant)
No! No! She's gone, I need to find
her! |
|
|
Joe tries to shush her as the rest catch up and she falls
crying into Joe's embrace. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
We'll find her, Ms. Blom. I
promise. |
|
|
As Rene cries, something faint and cold catches Trevor's
attention to the window in the wall. Trevor goes to the
window and look down in the backyard in surprise. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(in disbelief)
My God. Tell me I'm not crazy. |
|
|
The five hurry to the window and look out, and Ashley gasps. |
|
|
|
We then turn to the window and look outside to see the MAN
for a split second. Then we are outside beside the man on
the grass, watching the man with one half of an arm and a
blood-clad tuxedo walking across the field, moaning and
trying to scream. We see he is still bleeding, but nothing
is falling on the grass. His eyes are bloodshot and his
flesh is white-gray, and his tuxedo and pants are torn. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CLARK
Oh . . .
(POINTS)
. . . Look! |
|
|
We watch the figure fall to his knees and scream out
hoarsely, and then falls on the grass. He lets out a dry
breath before fading into the darkness. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(amazed)
Whoa! Where'd he go? |
|
|
92.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(calming)
That was a hallucination. We just
saw what happened to Jacob's last
victim. He got out of the house
while everyone else was getting
chopped up . . . but he couldn't
quite get over the wall. |
|
|
We see that the whole backyard is bordered by a
nine-foot-tall marble wall. Rene shakes her head, turns, and
leaves from the window, followed by Marcus and Joe. |
|
|
CLARK
What's going on here? Why are we
seeing things? Why are there
walking dead people and people
getting dragged into a hole and
(--) |
|
|
|
MARK
You're asking the wrong person. |
|
|
The six stand there in thought as Rene wipes her tears and
looks around. |
|
|
CLARK
Now there's two missing people,
Mr. Trevor, what the hell do we do
now? |
|
|
|
RENE
(whispering in
Trevor's ear)
I'm not leaving until we find
Ashley. |
|
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
Now we see that Rodney is about to pass out, all of his
blood rushed to his head, all of his energy gone. He is
slightly moaning, unmoving, eyes rolled in the back of his
head. Jacob approaches him, knife at his side.
Rodney tries to open his eyes and sees a figure standing
there, but cannot react because of his condition. Jacob
raises the knife and smirks before jabbing; Rodney tries to
scream. |
|
|
|
93.
|
The group is then walking down the hall with their
flashlights out. They walk down the hall hesitantly into the
next one, Clark shaking and Rene sniffling. |
|
|
CLARK
(hopeless)
I'm sorry, guys, but obviously
we're not going to find them. |
|
|
|
JOE
What are you thinking of doing
instead? If you want to go back to
that room, be my guest, no one is
going to stop you, Mr. Toin. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(SHRUGS AND POINTS
FLASHLIGHT TO A
RAT)
Anywhere but here is fine with me. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
We're trying to get out of here in
case you haven't realized that
yet. |
|
|
We see a dead body standing outside one of the windows
looking in, but it disappears when they pass it. |
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
Rodney is seen slowly limping, jaw dropped, down a dark hall
as lightning flashes and the wall starts to peal. He is
bleeding at his ankles and he is trying to hold his
flashlight out before him.
An unseen figure is seen walking behind him without making a
sound. Rodney eventually turns around and no one is there,
but sees a naked man sitting at the end of the hall in a
spotlight with numerous cuts all over his body. |
|
|
JACOB
(imitating a woman)
Be home before I wake up or you'll
get yours. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. |
|
|
Rodney just turns back around and continues to limp away,
hand to his head, other hand with the flashlight trembling. |
|
|
|
94.
|
|
|
Joe turns around and flashes the light over a smiling Missy,
who reacts to the light and tries to block it. Joe is
paralyzed with disbelief and tries to speak. Missy then
walks up to Joe with a hand over her eyes and the two hug.
Both are almost in tears, Joe still confused.
Everything else around them is frozen in time. |
|
|
MISSY
(kisses Joe's neck)
You wanna get out of here, hun? |
|
|
|
JOE
(eyes closed,
feeling relieved)
More than anything in the world. |
|
|
We see a hand goes down to her buttocks and she breathes out
on his neck in a sensual way. |
|
|
MISSY
(quiet)
We could go somewhere quiet . . .
and nice? |
|
|
|
JOE
(relaxed)
Hmmm, yeah. |
|
|
We see Missy grin and her nails dig into his back as he
grabs her buttock and pulls her closer.
Joe opens his eyes, but Missy then opens her mouth -- we see
yellow fangs for teeth -- and bites into his neck. Joe's
eyes widen and he tries to cry for help, and tries to push
her away, but she is stronger. He stumbles back, but Missy
grunts and digs into his neck. |
|
|
JOE
(choking)
What! Stop! |
|
|
Missy then steps away and lets him go, her face blood-clad
and grinning, and we watch Joe stumble back trying to speak.
He backs up right into Trevor's arms. Trevor and Rodney help
Joe to the floor as he tries to speak, but blood only spits
out. Trevor looks up and we see that Missy is replaced by
Rodney standing there in horror. |
|
95.
|
|
CLARK
(in terror)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. What's
going on, guys, what's going on?!
What happened?! |
|
|
Clark grabs Joe and sits him up against the wall. Marcus
steps away and sniffles, eyes watering. We see Rene is
sobbing/screaming in her hands and Clark is almost in tears
as well, face red, Joe in his arms looking straight at him. |
|
|
CLARK
(whispering)
You still there, man? It's okay,
you're alright, you'll be fine.
(LOOKS UP TO
EVERYONE AND
YELLS)
Guys, what the fuck is going on
here -- what should I do? |
|
|
No one moves. Joe tries to smile, then looks to the floor. |
|
|
CLARK
(shaking him)
No-no-no-no-no, don't go! Please,
stay! Please! Joe, don't do this!
Stay with me! |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(solemn)
Mr. Toin, please (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK
(arrogant)
Don't go! Please don't leave me
here . . . JOE! Please! Please,
Joe! |
|
|
Clark then closes his eyes and pulls Joe to his uniform and
cries. Everyone is solemn and quiet. Trevor tries to clean
the bleeding hole in his neck with a handkerchief. Rodney
falls on the wall, trying to keep himself up, and Marcus
goes to help him sit down and calm down. |
|
|
CLARK
(whispering)
Joe . . . Joe . . . don't . . .
leave . . . |
|
|
|
RENE
(trying to hold
back her tears,
looking down the
(MORE)
|
|
96.
|
|
RENE (cont'd)
hall)
Ashley . . . |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(feeling awkward)
I . . . I don't have the -- I
don't have the right stuff to help
him, he's bleeding too much. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(looks at Trevor
with fury)
So what? You're giving up? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(swallows)
I can't save him. I'm sorry. |
|
|
|
CLARK
You can't just (--) |
|
|
Trevor tries to get to his feet but Clark grabs him and
holds him down. |
|
|
CLARK
(almost in tears)
You can save him! Just try! |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(impatient)
I can't save him. |
|
|
|
|
Clark looks up to him with less anger and sees a hopeless,
dazed Rodney shaking his tired head. |
|
|
RENE
(relieved)
Mr. Bronze! |
|
|
She runs to him and embraces him, almost knocking him over.
The others don't move. |
|
|
MARK
(solemn)
If Mr. Trevor says he can't save
him . . . he can't save him. I'm
sorry. |
|
|
97.
|
Clark shakes his head and looks at Joe again, teary-eyed.
Dust falls from the ceiling and we hear the elongated creaks
of a pair of boots walking on the floorboards above. The
five lift their heads to the ceiling and Clark scowls and
wipes the tears from his face. We see the terror in everyone
but Clark's face, and they look to a terrified Rodney. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
What are we going to do now? |
|
|
Rodney's head falls and he lets out a deep breath. |
|
|
CLARK
(looking at the
ceiling)
I'm going to kill you if I find
you, you sorry son of a bitch! |
|
|
Clark lowers his head and tries to hold back his crying.
Rodney looks to the floor, gulps, then looks up to the
others. |
|
|
RODNEY
We've got to get the hell out of
here. |
|
|
|
|
The five are walking cautiously down a similar hallway,
Rodney in a limp. Flashlights out before them the five are
following a shivering Rodney to the next staircase.
In the middle of the next hallway we see Jacob standing with
his knife at his side, looking at the floor as we hear their
voices in the background. |
|
|
MARK
So what, we're just going to keep
walking down these halls and run
for the front door and hope we get
out of here just like that? |
|
|
|
|
|
MARK
(muttering)
This will be the first time in a
long time that I have actually
been dying to get to the bar. |
|
|
98.
|
|
RENE
What if those things try to kill
us again? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(irritated)
You got a better idea?
(PAUSES)
Let's stay together, everyone. |
|
|
We see Jacob in another part of the house look up as if he
heard something and he continues down the hall, tapping the
wall with the knife.
We go back to the group slowly getting off the stairs and
walking into the next hall, looking around with alert. We
follow them down the short hall to the blank wall cutting
them off. |
|
|
CLARK
(muttering)
Dammit! |
|
|
|
RENE
(confused)
What the hell is going on? |
|
|
|
MARK
(bewildered)
Where's the door? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(looking)
It's here somewhere. It's just
hiding. |
|
|
|
CLARK
(feeling up and
down the wall)
Then where -- the hell -- is it? |
|
|
Rene puts her hand on a wall and she turns around to see
another wall right in front of her. Rene jumps with a small
scream and feels the walls of the small boxed room she is
now in. |
|
|
MARK
Hey, guys! Where's Rene? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(shouting)
Ms. Blom? |
|
|
99.
|
|
CLARK
(muttering)
Ohhh shhhhhit. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Ms. Blom! Ms. Blom, where are you? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(paranoid)
Holy Jesus, she's gone?! She was
standing right -- here! |
|
|
|
MARK
RENE! Ms. Blom! Where are you?!
Ms. Blom! Ms. (--) |
|
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
Rene is panicking in the small room with one portrait of the
Mona Lisa on one wall. She is smacking on the walls with her
hands and putting her ear to each one to hear for the
others. |
|
|
RENE
HELP! Somebody help me, I'm in
here! I don't know where I am, but
I'm here! Oh my God . . . HELP ME,
somebody! SOMEBODY, HELP ME, I'M
IN HERE! Oh, God. HELP! |
|
|
We see that the Mona Lisa's head is turned to Rene, eyes a
dim red. |
|
|
|
We see Clark hurrying down the hall and Trevor banging on
the wall where Rene last was. |
|
|
RODNEY
(screaming)
Ms. Blom! Can you hear me? |
|
|
|
MARK
(feeling dizzy)
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,
oh my (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(ear to the wall)
If you can hear me -- bang on the
wall twice! |
|
|
100.
|
|
RODNEY
Calm down, Willby, we'll find her. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(screaming)
Ms. Blom! |
|
|
|
MARK
(really jumpy)
She's gone, Mr. Bronze! She's
gone! |
|
|
|
CLARK
(walks back from
down the hall
panting)
There's no door or any other
hallway, it just keeps going. |
|
|
|
MARK
(almost in tears)
Joe's dead, Ashley's dead, and now
we've got another one missing, I
mean . . . what the HELL is going
on here? |
|
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
We see Rene against the wall looking from wall to wall with
fear and confusion. |
|
|
RENE
(whispering)
Someone, please . . . help . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
(calming)
It's alright, we are going to find
her. Now everyone just stay close
together and we won't get lost or
separated. |
|
|
|
MARK
(in shock)
You're just going to leave her
behind? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
I don't hear anything. She just
disappeared. |
|
|
101.
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
You said the hallway just keeps
going on and on, you said it never
stops? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Well, yeah, I didn't go far, but
it looked like it could go
forever. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Well let's start going down that
way . . . sooner or later we'll
have to find a door. I mean, this
house appears to be changing --
and I think we will either wait
for it to change again or just
maybe . . . |
|
|
Rodney looks to the wall and feels it with a hand. |
|
|
CLARK
I already tried that, sir. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(holds up a finger
and shushes him)
Wait.
(PUSHES HIS EAR TO
WALL AND PAUSES) |
|
|
|
MARK
Why are we going to leave her
behind, that's not what you're
supposed to do! |
|
|
|
RODNEY
Mr. Willby, please. |
|
|
Rodney steps back from the wall, and the other step away and
watch. Rodney then runs at the wall (--) |
|
|
MARK
(wide-eyed,
surprised)
Mr. Bronze! |
|
|
|
|
102.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(going to
intervene)
What are you (--) |
|
|
(--) and throws himself into the wall elbow-first and the
wall falls inward and Rodney falls on his side in another
hall. The others hurry to help him up and look inside the
new hall. |
|
|
CLARK
(still in shock)
You are . . . |
|
|
|
|
|
CLARK
A genius!
(WALKS DOWN THE
HALL, HAND ON HIS
GUN) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Where are you going? |
|
|
|
CLARK
Just checking if the coast is
clear. |
|
|
|
MARK
(helping him to
his feet)
Are you OK, Mr. Bronze? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(wiping the dust
off of his suit)
Yes I'm fine, thank you. |
|
|
The three follow after Clark. |
|
|
MARK
How did you know that would work? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(shrugs)
I feel like my life is always
running into walls . . . |
|
|
Mark and Trevor smile. |
|
103.
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
We hear Rene breathing heavily and the lights flash on and
she covers her eyes with one arm and we see her lying on the
floor of a white room. Rene looks around when she adapts to
the light and then we see Jacob standing over her from
behind, bloody knife at his side. There is a moment before
Rene turns and screams. |
|
|
|
|
CLARK
(excited)
Hey guys, I see a door! It's open! |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(hurries up)
Wait! Don't move, Clark (--) |
|
|
|
CLARK
It might be the stairs! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The three look along the walls with their flashlights, but
Clark is not found. |
|
|
MARK
Clark? Clark, you there? Where the
hell is he? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
I don't know, I don't see the
door. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(pointing at the
wall)
I saw it though. He was right,
there was a door there. |
|
|
The three get to where Clark last was and stare at the wall. |
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(squeezing his
nose with two
fingers, eyes
closed)
(MORE)
|
|
104.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR (cont'd)
My God. |
|
|
Marcus inclines his head and lets out a deep breath. Rodney
is looking up and down the halls with his flashlight. Trevor
then grabs Rodney by his collar and pushes him up against
the wall. |
|
|
MARK
(wide-eyed,
surprised)
Mr. Tr (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(paranoid)
What the fuck is going on here,
Rodney?! |
|
|
|
RODNEY
What the -- you're acting as if
this whole thing is my fault. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
You better talk to me, Rodney.
Because we have two dead, two
missing. |
|
|
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
And Marcus and I are just going to
leave you here in the dark if you
don't tell us (--) |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(yelling)
What bloody answers could you
possibly want? |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Well, let's start with . . . why
do you have two detectives . . .
two deputy chiefs . . . and two
war veterans in this team. . . .
What kind of investigation are you
running here? |
|
|
Rodney looks at a frightened Marcus, then back. |
|
105.
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
(holding Rodney
firm)
Why are you here, Rodney? |
|
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
Clark is in a white room as well, standing on a table with a
noose around his neck tied to the roof. He is gagged and his
hands are tied. Clark awakes and looks around frantically
and tries to scream for help and break free, but can't. |
|
|
JOE (O.S.)
(dryly)
Calm yourself, man. Don't lose it. |
|
|
Clark stops and looks to the dark corner and we can see some
of a figure in a rocking chair. |
|
|
CLARK
(a little
terrified)
Joe? |
|
|
|
JOE (O.S.)
(dryly)
Clark . . . now do you want me to
tell the others that you pissed
yourself before you killed
yourself? Is that what you want to
be known as? |
|
|
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR (O.S.)
(dryly)
The guy who got scared from
killing himself? Come on, Clark.
Look at yourself. |
|
|
Clark looks to the large mirror on the wall and we see Clark
in his situation. He tries to get free. |
|
|
CLARK
(screams)
Help! Help me! |
|
|
|
JACOB (O.S.)
(distorted laugh)
No one can hear you, Clark. No one
wants to hear you. |
|
|
106.
|
Clark spits the gag out and screams. |
|
|
ANOTHER PART OF THE
MANOR |
|
|
Rene is seen sitting and staring up at a dead, torn-apart
Ashley standing over her, smiling. |
|
|
|
Ashley looks back smiling, and we see she is now holding a
butcher knife in one hand at her side. Rene notices it. |
|
|
ASHLEY
(in a distorted
voice)
Well of course not. |
|
|
Ashley raises the knife and Rene pushes away with a scream,
arms out. Ashley hurries after Rene as she pushes away with
her hands and feet, crying. |
|
|
RENE
(in terror)
Ashley! Don't! |
|
|
Ashley raises the knife higher and lowers it and we hear
Rene scream. |
|
|
|
|
RODNEY
(appalled)
I have nothing to do with what's
going on right now, I swear! I
didn't assign the team, I was
assigned to the team! I don't
understand why you are questioning
me in this predicament (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
You have no idea that this would
happen? |
|
|
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Why did you go to the house when
they had their families and
friends visit? |
|
|
107.
|
|
RODNEY
(speechless,
confused)
I thought everyone would
appreciate a little visit from
their (--) |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
That's not what I asked. |
|
|
Rodney bows his head with defeat and sighs. |
|
|
RODNEY
I thought we missed something last
time we were here. I thought I
could come back and find
everything I needed to conclude
this investigation. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
So you thought that if you got all
the evidence you needed, grabbed
full credit for the investigation,
and went back to tell the
President and leave the rest of us
here in California, that you were
-- what? Get away with it? |
|
|
|
RODNEY
(shaking his head)
No, no, no, no, no. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
You know we wouldn't let you get
away with it, you know that right?
You said we were a team. You're
acting like you're the one-man
team who's going to solve this
case all by himself. |
|
|
|
RODNEY
No, no, no, we ARE a team. |
|
|
|
SGT. TREVOR
Then we should start acting like
one and find the rest of our team. |
|
|
Rodney sighs hesitantly and nods.
Trevor releases Rodney and turns away. Rodney then falls
through a hole in the floor and is gone. Marcus freezes in
aghast and points to the floor. |
|
108.
|
|
MARK
(pointing at the
wall)
Mr. Trevor! He's . . . Rodney's
gone! |
|
|
Marcus turns and we see that Trevor's eyes are white and he
is pointing his gun at Marcus' head. There is a pause,
neither of them moving. Marcus is staring in shock at a lost
Trevor, slightly swaying in his stance. |
|
|
MARK
(startled)
Mr. Trevor? |
|
|
Trevor pulls back the hammer, but Marcus dives into him. |
|
| | |