ERLKÖNIG

Screenplay by Padlan, G. & Fernandez, L.A.K.

February, 2020

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 2

CHARACTERS:
1. Mother A – Rebecca Ayuban
2. Child A – Geraldine Siervo
a. Child A1 – Benedict Selmo
b. Child A2 – Mericson Bustarde
c. Child A3 (ghost) – Geraldine Barrozo
d. Child A4 (ghost) – Triesha de Guzman
e. Child A5 (ghost) – Ashen Selmo
f. Child A6 (ghost) – Maxine Perez
g. Child A7 (ghost) – Kiana dela Cruz
h. Child A8 (ghost) – Edel Lynn Fabros
3. Erl-King – Lorenz de Vera
4. Child B – Alexandra Camba
5. Father – Nick del Rosario
6. Mother B – Angela Salinas
7. Narrator (Omniscient) – Giane Padlan
8. Psychiatrist – Seth de Guzman

SETTING:
1. VMUF College of Dentistry Grounds, Afternoon
2. VMUF Dormitory, Sunset
3. VMUF College of Dentistry Building, Night
4. VMUF Dormitory, Day
5. VMMC, Afternoon
6. VMUF College of Dentistry, VMUF Dormitory

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 3

1. EXT. SCHOOL/STREET – DAY (AFTERNOON) - CONTINUOUS

CHILD A, an elementary student, JOYOUSLY PLAYS with friends,

CHILD A1 and CHILD A2, as she waits to be picked up from
school.

Child A1 points out at a distance to indicate that MOTHER A

is coming. As Child A approaches, she almost gets ran over
by a motorcycle.

A TIRE SCREECHES

Mother A goes near Child A.

MOTHER A
(slightly worried)
Why do you seem so shocked? What happened?

CHILD A
(blank expression)
That motorcycle almost hit me, Ma. Sorry.

MOTHER A
(gentle voice)
Motorcycle? Where? I must have missed it. Just be
careful next time, okay? Let’s go home na.

Child A nods her head.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
Who rides there so late through the night dark and
drear?
The mother it is, with her daughter so dear;
She holdeth the girl tightly clasp'd in her arm,
She holdeth her safely, she keepeth her warm.

Child A’s face seems afraid and confused as they walk their
way home. She squeezes herself towards her mother to hide
her face.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"My child, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to
hide?"
"Look, mother, the Erl-King is close by our side!
© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 4

Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with

train?"
"My child, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."

2. INT. DORMITORY HALLWAY/LIVING ROOM – DAY (SUNSET) -

CONTINUOUS

As they arrive walking at the halls of the dormitory, Mother

A fondles Child A’s hair softly. Child A POINTS in fear of
what she sees, then Mother A caresses Child A’s face to
reassure her safety.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! Oh, come thou with
me!
For many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms
unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."

ERL-KING stubbornly KEEPS SHOWING UP to Child A’s sight as

if whispering something to her.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"My mother, my mother, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine
ear?"
"Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering
leaves."

Child A keeps looking terrifyingly at Mother A’s face to

avoid eye contact with the Erl-King. She also covers her
ears to block the ghostly whispers. Mother A then embraces
Child A’s head, and holds her right hand afterwards.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear
child!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll apply."
"My mother, my mother, he seizes me fast,
For sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last."

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 5

Even with her eyes closed and ears blocked, the Erl-King’s
PRESENCE CAN STILL BE SEEN. With great fear, she WEEPS AND
SCREAMS continuously while TREMBLING.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

The mother now gallops, with terror half wild,
She grasps in her arms the poor shuddering child;
She reaches his courtyard with toil and with
dread, –
The child in her arms finds she motionless, dead.

Mother A carries Child A and RUSHES their way home. She

TIGHTENS HER GRIP as she runs. As they arrive home, she
opens the door and finds her child unconscious and dead.

The mother WEEPS and SCREAMS in grief and sorrow.

3. INT. CLASSROOM/HALLWAY – NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

CHILD B, a 17-year-old teenager, REHEARSES to Schubert’s

classical piece Erlkönig on her violin alone. While playing,
she hears RHYTHMIC APPLAUSE nearby. She lies the violin in
its bag, pauses the track, checks outside to see the claps’
origin, and returns to practicing as she sees none.

The noises stop, until she once again hears a clapping with
mixed CHILDREN’S CHEERS.

CHILD B
(removes violin from neck, pauses the track,
screams angrily)
Silence, please! Rehearsals are ongoing.

Hastily, she follows the clamors from across the room, and
she bangs the door open in anger.

CHILD B
(angrily… then softly)
Did you not hear a word I said? All of you must be
home by… now.

She opens the door in anger, but she stutters as the

chattering ceases when she turns on the lights. The
ventilations are on, but there is no one.
© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 6

Perplexed, she turns off the swinging fans, leaves the light
bulbs switched, and turns back outside.

She heads back to her rehearsal room, and holding the

doorknob right before she swings the door open, she hears
louder children’s SHOUTS in unison with the UNPLEASANT,
UNRHYTHMIC APPLAUDS.

She returns to navigating the noise, but this time, from the
room next to the previous one. As she prays Our Father while
slowly walking in fear towards the sound, CHILD A3 suddenly
TAPS HER SHOULDER before she enters the room.

CHILD B
(shouts in fright)
W-who are you? Where are the others? Shouldn’t
you-

CHILD A3
(responding quickly)
Others? Have you been hearing someone or
something?

CHILD B
(continues speaking in anger)
-shouldn’t you be home by now? Huh?

Child B inhales slowly and explains gently.

CHILD B
The rooms were purposely left unlocked strictly
for rehearsals only.

CHILD A3
(softly, gestures her hands to calm Child B
down)
I heard you mumble prayers from a distance. Is
there something wrong?

CHILD B
(speaking in fright)

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 7

I was practicing a classical piece and I heard

someone, probably a group, clapping nearby. Wasn’t
that you or your friends?

CHILD A3
(replies with a smile)
I don’t have friends.

Child B stares at Child A3 in confusion.

The track on the speakers RESUMES PLAYING in a loud volume

out of nowhere.

Child B stares at Child A3 again, with SUSPENSE.

She FREEZES, not being able to move her feet for a while.
When she is finally able to move, she turns her back
immediately and attempts to run, but Child A3’s companions -
CHILD A4, CHILD A5, CHILD A6, CHILD A7, and CHILD A8 - are
there, with Child A in front, as if leading the group.

Her eyes are shocked, and she COLLAPSES in extreme fright.

4. INT. BEDROOM/KITCHEN – DAY - MOVING

Child B wakes up to her 6:30 AM alarm as if rising from a

nightmare, or a hangover – head aching, excessive sweating,
sensitive to light, stomach hurting, and water-thirsting.

Haggard, she is in great confusion trying to remember what

the dream was about.

With difficulty getting up, she sits on the side of her bed.
She checks on her visible skin for cuts and bruises, but
sees none. She then stretches her arms and clasps her left
shoulder in pain while swinging her head slowly as if
cracking joints.

She stands up.

CHILD B
(in pain)
© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 8

I need some caffeine.

As she sluggishly walks to her door, her violin beside it

catches her attention. The HAIR ON HER ARMS BECOME ERECT as
she is having GOOSEBUMPS, and she suddenly hears her
father’s wake-up call.

FATHER
(shouts dearly)
Alex, dear, time for breakfast!

She is still stunned by it. She slowly bends her legs and
reaches to the violin to touch it, but her Mother B suddenly
shouts at her.

MOTHER B
(shouts louder)
Alex! For the second time!

She opens her door and goes to the kitchen. Her FATHER,
sitting while reading the newspaper, and her MOTHER B,
preparing sandwiches while standing, were waiting for her.

FATHER
(discontinues reading newspaper and turns
glance to Child B as creaking door sound is
heard, returns to reading after speaking)
Good morning, dear. Breakfast?

CHILD B
(blankly confused face, reaches for the box
of cereals cabinet drawer)
Good morning. Ma, can I have some coffee, please?

MOTHER B
(angrily)
And why? Why don’t you eat what’s set on the table
and tell us WHERE in the world you were last
night?

CHILD B

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 9

(inhales deeply, speaks softly while reaching

for a bowl and spoon)
Not now, Ma. I’m not feeling well, and I still
have classes and rehearsals to attend.

MOTHER B
(finishes the 3rd sandwich, replies quickly
in anger, with pauses on the last phrase)
Classes? Are classes what you really attend to?
Don’t weasel out of my question, where were you
last night?

CHILD B
(quickly responds in anger)
I was practicing a piece and God KNOWS what’s
next.

MOTHER B
(eyes enlarge, replies angrily)
Don’t you dare shout at me!

CHILD B
(quickly responds in anger, shouts in Mother
B’s face)
Then do dare listen to me!

FATHER
(stands slowly, calmly interrupts child and
mother’s exchange by gesturing his hands)
Why don’t we all take a seat, and talk slowly
about our concerns.

Child B and Mother B remove their glares at each other as

they both take their seats.

FATHER
(sits down, calmly talks to Child B)
Good. Now, Alex, I have some good news for you.

Child B looks plainly curious at Father.

FATHER
© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 10

(sits down, calmly talks to Child B while

chewing on sandwich)
Dr. Zacarias reminded me via e-mail that your
counselling will be continued today.

CHILD B
(holding the sandwich, speaks softly in a
complaining voice)
But, do I really have to? I mean-

FATHER
(calmly)
Of course, you have to. It’s no biggie, right?

Child B inhales deeply, holds her sandwich down, and nods

her head.

CHILD B (V.O., simultaneous with

preceding action)
(voice of complaint in a poker face)
Ugh, when will they ever understand?

FATHER
(calmly)
Is 3PM available for you, or shall we request a
medical certificate?

Child B stares afar with a blank face in no response.

CHILD B (V.O.) (CONT’D)

(poker face)
They’re real. I can’t be wrong.

FATHER
(calmly)
Dear? Alex?

CHILD B
(looks back at Father, responds with a smirk)
I don’t feel like going to school, Pa. I’ll just
be there by 3.

CHILD B (V.O.) (CONT’D)

(quiet complaining voice)
© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 11

Like I have a choice.

Mother B rolls her eyes in disgust and inhales deeply.

FATHER
(calmly)
Hmm… are you sure?

Child B once again nods her head yes.

FATHER
(calmly)
Okay then. Just text your block mates to excuse
you from class, okay? The letter will be followed
up.

CHILD B
(calmly, then grins)
Sure, Pa. Thanks a lot.

CHILD B (V.O.) (CONT’D)

(quiet complaining voice)
How I wish they were in my shoes.

MOTHER B
(speaking angrily with a wrinkled forehead)
Now, why don’t we talk about your friend last
night?
Father looks at Mother B and gestures her hand to stop.
Mother B looks back and shakes her head no one time.

CHILD B (V.O, simultaneous to preceding

action)
(face shocked)
Shoot.
CHILD B
(shocked face followed by confused face,
breathing heavily slow)
W-which friend?

CHILD B (V.O) (CONT’D)

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez
All Rights Reserved
 12

(confused face with a wrinkled forehead)

I remember.

MOTHER B
(speaking angrily with one eyebrow raised)
That one who brought you home unconscious?

CHILD B (V.O) (CONT’D)

(confused face with a wrinkled forehead, with
pauses on last sentence’s syllables)
It can’t be. It cannot be.

Father’s wristwatch RINGS to indicate that it’s 7:15.

FATHER
(turns off wristwatch alarm)
Mmhmm! Time for work, Hon. Better get going.

Father stands up from his seat while Mother B stares

slightly angrily at Child B as she stands up slowly too.
Child B remains seated.

CHILD B (V.O.) (CONT’D)

(softly, with a confused face looking down at
her meal)
Back then, I wished that they knew how it felt –
how I felt. Now, I regret that it’s not all in my
head.

I’m not alone.

We’re not alone.

5. EXT. – CLINIC – DAY (AFTERNOON)

The PSYCHIATRIST holds the door open and shakes right hands
with Child B as she exits. Child B’s left hand holds a
sketchpad with a piece of punched, folded paper slightly
hanging.

PSYCHIATRIST
(smiling, waving his right hand)
I’ll see you next week, then?

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 13

Child B smirks and nods her head yes.

PSYCHIATRIST
(smiling)
Keep in touch.

Her Father, wearing a jacket and holding the violin case

with his left hand hidden on his back, picks up Child B from
therapy. Child B smiles gratefully with one eyebrow raised.

Child B approaches to bow her forehead towards her Father’s

backhand.

As she gets to raise her head back, Father immediately shows

that he brought the violin.

FATHER
(with welcoming arms)
Ta-da! You almost forgot.

She suddenly freezes and feels a cold swoosh of air and gets
goosebumps.

FATHER
(walks nearby Child B)
You okay? Is it cold?

Child B nods with a frightened smile.

FATHER
(hands the violin to Child B for a while to
remove his jacket)
Oh, wait. Let’s put this jacket on you.

Holding the violin bag, her chin starts to shiver.

Her Father wraps the jacket around her shoulders, and she
looks up at him to give a thankful grin when Father grabs
the violin bag again.

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 14

FATHER
(continues to walk, volume decreasing as V.O.
approaches)
How was your day, dear? Your mother told me to
pick you up and send you to rehearsals. Is that
fine by you?

Child B continues to walk with a blank face and no response.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
Who rides there so late through the night dark and
drear?
The father it is, with his daughter so dear;
He holdeth the girl tightly clasp'd in her arm,
He holdeth her safely, he keepeth her warm.

6. INT. DENTISTRY/DORMITORY – DAY (SUNSET)(CONTINUOUS)

Child B’s face seems afraid and confused as they walk their
way to rehearsals. She squeezes herself towards her Father
to hide her face.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"My child, wherefore seek'st thou thy face thus to
hide?"
"Look, father, the Erl-King is close by our side!
Dost see not the Erl-King, with crown and with
train?"
"My child, 'tis the mist rising over the plain."

As they arrived walking at the halls of the building, Father

fondles Child B’s hair softly. Child B POINTS in fear of
what she sees, then Father caresses child’s face to reassure
her safety.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"Oh, come, thou dear infant! Oh, come thou with
me!
For many a game I will play there with thee;
On my strand, lovely flowers their blossoms
unfold,
My mother shall grace thee with garments of gold."

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved
 15

Child A stubbornly KEEPS SHOWING UP to the Child B’s sight

as if whispering something to her.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"My father, my father, and dost thou not hear
The words that the Erl-King now breathes in mine
ear?"
"Be calm, dearest child, 'tis thy fancy deceives;
'Tis the sad wind that sighs through the withering
leaves."

Child B keeps looking terrifyingly at Father’s face to avoid

eye contact with Child A, and also covers her ears to block
the ghostly whispers. Father then embraces Child B’s head,
and holds her right hand afterwards.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

"I love thee, I'm charm'd by thy beauty, dear
child!
And if thou'rt unwilling, then force I'll apply."
"My father, my father, he seizes me fast,
For sorely the Erl-King has hurt me at last."

Even with her eyes closed and ears blocked, Child A’s
PRESENCE CAN STILL BE SEEN. With great fear, she WEEPS AND
SCREAMS continuously while TREMBLING.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

The father now gallops, with terror half wild,
He grasps in her arms the poor shuddering child;
He reaches his courtyard with toil and with dread,
–
The child in his arms finds he motionless, dead.

Father carries her child and RUSHES their way home. He

TIGHTENS HIS GRIP as he runs. As they arrive home, he opens
the door and finds his child unconscious and dead.

Father WEEPS and SCREAMS in grief and sorrow.

THE END.

© 2020 Giane R. Padlan and Louise Ann Kate D. Fernandez

All Rights Reserved