Ghosts Revise Reddit

GHOSTS
by
D. Westfall
OVER BLACK:

The sound of crackling fire.

FADE IN:

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT

A car. Smashed against a tree. Smoke and flames under the
hood. Ready to blow. In the driver's seat, we see a figure
desperately trying to get out.

But it's no use.

In a matter of seconds, flames SWALLOW the car. And the
unlucky soul trapped inside.

We PULL AWAY, UP INTO THE SKY WITH THE CLOUD OF BLACK
SMOKE. And we focus on a nearby BILLBOARD which reads: IF
YOU DIE TODAY, WHERE WILL YOU GO? And just past that one,
another: HELL IS REAL.

We LOOK BACK DOWN AND SUDDENLY --

It's DAYLIGHT.

A car drives past with a U-Haul trailer attached.

TITLE: MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, MARYLAND - 1985

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - DAY

The car with the U-Haul trailer now sits in the driveway of
a two-story Victorian farmhouse - beautiful but neglected,
hidden under dust and grime.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Sunlight filters in through the windows illuminating
floating dust motes.

It's bare save for a few things left by the previous owner:
old books and a grandfather clock in the DEN; a couch, a
couple lamps, an old tv in the LIVING ROOM.

This is where we find FIONA (28), black, sitting on the
living room floor surrounded by moving boxes. She's
rummaging through a box, on the hunt for something when
she's interrupted by her husband's voice calling out from
the den:
2.
MAN (O.S.)
It's got good bones.

Fiona continues on her hunt till she finds what she's
looking for: a WOODEN CASE wrapped in newspaper.

She rubs her thumb across the top of the case. Whatever's
inside is special to her.

And secret.

She hides it back inside the moving box as her husband,
EMORY (30), black, enters.

(NOTE: From this point forward all characters are Caucasian
unless otherwise noted.)

EMORY
Too big for just two.

He kneels down behind her, wraps his arms around her and
kisses her neck. She likes it.

FIONA
Mmm. Hear that?

EMORY
(listening)
No. What?

FIONA
Exactly.
(wink-wink)
We can fuck as loud as we want.

EMORY
Oh shit.

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - MORNING

The sun rises. Birds sing.

INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Fiona sleeps while Emory finishes getting ready for work.
He looks in a mirror, adjusts his tie, considers shaving.
He's a bundle of nerves.

Fiona stirs, wakes. She smiles at the sight of him.

FIONA
Don't you look handsome on your
first day of school.
3.
EMORY
(re: tie)
Look a little crooked to you?

FIONA
All good.

Emory rechecks it in the mirror.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Want me to make you a baggy lunch?

EMORY
No worries. I'll grab something.

He gives her a smile on his way out.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Go back to bed.

FIONA
Make lots of friends!

She listens to his footsteps fade and waits until the front
door closes before she climbs out of bed. She goes to the
closet. Opens the door.

A few unpacked boxes sit on the floor.

She opens one, reaches inside, and pulls out the wooden
case wrapped in newspaper. She takes it out of the paper,
folds a red sweater around it, and shoves it on the top
shelf of the closet.

Unaware of a SKELETON KEY already lying there.

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY

A rowdy middle school classroom. Emory stands at the front
of the room, visibly nervous. The students know this and
are taking full advantage.

Except for one quiet girl in the back corner of the room.
LYDIA, 12, eager to learn but afraid to say. She and Emory
share a look. An immediate bond formed.

Emory opens his mouth to speak --

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

A SPRAY of Windex on the glass. Fiona wipes dust off the
window with a cloth and sees --
4.
An OLD WOMAN standing in the road. Her gaze fixed on Fiona.

INT. TEACHERS' LOUNGE - CONTINUOUS

Emory eats lunch alone while the other teachers congregate
at a different table. He gets the occasional glance of an
outsider.

But no hellos.

EXT. ROAD BY EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

A closer look at the Old Woman reveals she has only one
good eye, the other clouded with a cataract. She fiddles
with a CHARM BRACELET on her wrist.

We see three charms: Three Wise Monkeys (See No Evil, Hear
No Evil, Speak No Evil).


Fiona smiles and waves hello to the Old Woman. The Old
Woman moves on without returning the gesture. Fiona's smile
fades.

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

It's quiet. A gentle wind blows. Treetops sway. One light
shines from an upstairs window.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

A bedside lamp gives off a jaundice glow. Emory sits in bed
while Fiona brushes her teeth in the adjacent bathroom.

FIONA (O.S.)
I met the neighbor today. Kinda.

She pokes her head out of the bathroom.

FIONA
She didn't come up. She was just
staring.

EMORY
Probably never seen a black person
before.

Fiona disappears back inside the bathroom.
5.
FIONA (O.S.)
I almost forgot, are you the most
popular boy in school yet?

EMORY
(lying)
Everyone was very welcoming.

Fiona comes out of the bathroom and climbs into bed.

FIONA
(comforting him)
Things'll turn around.

EMORY
(doubtful)
Mmm-hmm. I'm sure they will.

The lamp light flickers briefly.

FIONA
We should call an electrician.
Make sure everything's up to
snuff.

EMORY
I'll take care of it.

Fiona shuts off the light and settles under the covers.
Emory spoons her and kisses her neck.

FIONA
What's gotten into you?

EMORY
Let's make a baby.

Fiona reacts, surprised.

EMORY (CONT'D)
It's been two years. Aren't you
ready?

FIONA
We haven't even unpacked
everything yet --

Emory kisses her. Deep. Loving. Fiona reciprocates.


The sun rises over the treetops.
6.

Fiona unpacks moving boxes. Puts items on the shelves.
Glasses and dinnerware in the kitchen cabinets. Decorating
with her and Emory's belongings.

Slowly turning this house into a home.

Reaching to the bottom of the very last box, she pulls out
something wrapped in a towel. She unfurls the towel to
reveal --

A FRAMED PHOTO of two young black children, a boy and girl.
They're beaming, dressed in identical blue jumpsuits.

Off Fiona's sad smile --


Emory, in the middle of a lesson.

EMORY
Oppression is defined as unjust or
cruel exercise of power or
authority. Racism, classism,
sexism are all considered forms of
oppression...

He notices WESLEY, the school bully, in the back of the
classroom whispering to other students. They turn to look
at Lydia. Lydia shrinks.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Excuse me.

They quiet down. Wesley smirks.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Something you wanna share Wesley?

Wesley glances at Lydia.

WESLEY
You don't smell that? Somethin'
fishy.

The students snicker. Tears run down Lydia's face.

EMORY
...Excuse me?

WESLEY
She's bleeding all over the place.
It's gross.
7.
With that, Lydia leaps out of her seat and bolts out the
door.

Emory hesitates, then follows.

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

EMORY
Lydia. Wait!

He catches up to her.

EMORY (CONT'D)
What's wrong?

Lydia looks up at him, tears streaking her cheeks.

LYDIA
(hushed)
I got my period.

Now we see the BLOOD STAIN on the seat of her white pants.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - DEN - LATER

Fiona places the framed photo of the two children in an
empty spot on the bookshelf.

She takes a step back, admiring the photo for a moment
before she turns to go --

THUD.

Fiona startles, turns around --

A BOOK lies face-down on the floor.

Hmm. Must've somehow fallen off when she put the photo up
there...

She grabs the book, studies the cover: EVOLUTION OF MAN.

She returns it to its spot on the shelve and takes a look
at the surrounding books. A BIBLE. A book on the OCCULT.
Mythology. Psychology. Parapsychology. Ethics.

Weird.

She gets a chill, grabs the framed photo from the shelf and
exits.

We stay here. Listening to the steady tick-tock of the
grandfather clock.
8.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

On the grandfather clock --

EXT. SCHOOL PARKING LOT - LATER

Ding!

The school bell rings. Children rush out the doors to their
waiting parents.

Emory spots Wesley getting into a pickup truck with a
CONFEDERATE FLAG decal displayed in the back window.

He frowns with disgust.

LYDIA (O.S.)
Mr. Harris?

Emory turns to see Lydia with a jacket tied around her
waist.

LYDIA
Thanks. For earlier.

EMORY
Of course.

He glances at the pickup truck as it peels out of the lot.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Don't let someone like Wesley make
you feel ashamed. What happened
today, it's natural.

LYDIA
I know.

EMORY
Course you do.

Lydia is about to say something when she notices the school
bus ready to leave without her on board.

LYDIA
(running off)
See you tomorrow!

She takes off. Emory watches her go.


A full moon. Treetops sway.
9.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The framed photo of the two children now sits on an end
table. The tv's glow reflected on the glass.

NEWSCASTER (O.S.)
(on tv)
...Death and crime in Baltimore is
on the rise due to drugs like
crack cocaine. It's what some are
calling an epidemic.

Emory sits watching the nightly news. A somber expression
on his face.

ON TV: A reel of news clips (reminiscent of scenes from
war). Police raids. Civilians running from gunfire. Cop
cars. Ambulances. Hearses. Bodies on stretchers, in the
street, in body bags. Neighborhoods in ruin. Mothers and
children crying.

INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS

The bathtub faucet runs. Fiona sticks her fingers in the
water to check the temperature.

Yikes. Ice cold.


Emory kneels by the tv, turning the dial to a different
channel. A light-hearted sitcom with a laugh track.

FIONA (O.S.)
Emory?

He turns to see Fiona standing in the doorway wearing
nothing but a bathrobe.

FIONA
Can you check the water tank?

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

The wind picks up speed, rattling the treetops.

INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

It's dark.
10.
The basement door creeps open. Emory appears in the
doorway, backlit by the kitchen light.

His hand searches for a light switch. Finds one.

BZZT. A light comes on. BZZT. Out it goes.

A beat.

Emory turns on a flashlight and carefully descends. A CREAK
with each step.


Fiona sits on the edge of the bathtub, rubbing a SCAR in
the middle of her palm - an old puncture wound.


The flashlight's beam sweeps across the basement. Not much
down here: dust, cobwebs, and...

A BULKY SHADOWY FIGURE.

Emory points the flashlight at --

A dusty old fridge.

He lingers on the fridge a moment longer. Then moves on.
Finally finding the water tank.

He goes over, kneels to check the knob.

EXT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

ON TV: A commercial for KID SISTER DOLL plays.

JINGLE
Kid sister/Kid sister/Kid
sister/Kid sister/Wherever I go
you're gonna go...

The image wavers and freezes on this.


Emory turns the water tank knob to the HOT mark. Behind
him, the door to the fridge creeps open.

11.
EMORY (O.S.)
(faint)
Now try it!

Fiona turns on the faucet. Steamy water runs.


Emory rises. Turns and heads for the stairs. He notices the
fridge door slightly open.

A beat.

He goes over, closes it, heads upstairs.

INT. BATHROOM - LATER

Fiona sinks down into the water. Just about to relax when
there's a knock at the door.

The door opens a crack. Emory looks in.

EMORY
How is it?

FIONA
See for yourself.

She bends her knees. An invitation to join. Emory smiles
and pulls his shirt off.


A bright sunny day.

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

A CRINKLE of bare feet on newspaper. A SWIPE of paint
across the wall.

Fiona and Emory paint the living room walls yellow - less
sunshine, more mustard. They're just starting.

Emory steps back, studying the paint color.

EMORY
Huh. Not what I expected.

FIONA
(shrugs)
I like it.
12.
Emory continues painting.

LATER

All done. Emory and Fiona sit Indian-style on the floor
eating chicken wings. Paint and sauce on their cheeks and
clothes.

EMORY
I've been thinking about names.
(off Fiona's look)
For the baby.

FIONA
We don't even know if I'm pregnant
yet.

EMORY
Doesn't hurt to be ready.
(a look)
Daniel if it's a boy. Danielle if
it's a girl.

Fiona is moved by this. We get the sense the name Daniel
means something to her. To the both of them.

She leans toward Emory and kisses him.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Mmm. Teriyaki?

They continue kissing, collapsing onto the floor and out of
frame. We hear the rustling of newspaper and their clothes
coming off.

And with that, we move on...

Traveling out of this room and into the

DEN

Tick-tock. The grandfather clock ticks steadily.

Tick-tock. Tick -

The grandfather clock STOPS ticking.

At a nearby window, the curtains MOVE slightly. Almost
imperceptible.

A second later.

A FIGURE passes by the window.
13.
EXT. MARYLAND COUNTRYSIDE - MORNING

The sun rises over emerald hills and pastures teeming with
life: flora and fauna; farmers and livestock.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

An OVULATION CALENDAR hangs on the fridge. Best days to get
pregnant colored green - Xed out, these days have already
passed. Menstruation cycle in red - no Xs yet.

Fiona stares at the calendar. A glimmer of excitement in
her eyes.


The room is silent with Pop Quiz tension.

Emory sits at his desk revising his upcoming lesson plans.

Wesley pesters Lydia, trying to get a peek at her answers.
Lydia shoots him a glare.

WESLEY
(silently mouthing)
I'm. Gonna. Kill. You.

Emory looks up just in time to see Wesley reach over for
Lydia's quiz.

EMORY
Wesley.

Caught.

INT. OUTSIDE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - LATER

Wesley sits outside the principal's office, brooding. The
door opens. Emory steps out with PRINCIPAL PETE PIERSON.

PETE
(stern)
I'll take care of Mr. Elroy.

Wesley glares at Emory as he leaves. As soon as Emory's out
of sight, Pete's demeanor changes.

The familiarity between these two is almost familial.

PETE (CONT'D)
Wes. Come on in.
14.
Wesley goes inside. The door closes.

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - EVENING

A red sun hangs low. Emory's car sits in the driveway.

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

A match STRIKES. The flame is brought to the burner on the
stove.

IN AN INSTANT

Meatballs sizzle in a pan. Noodles boil in a pot. Emory
chops onions and tomatoes. Adds spices to the pan. All with
ease. A true chef at heart.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LATER

Emory and Fiona sit on the couch watching tv. They're just
finishing dinner.

Emory slurps up the last spaghetti noodle, getting sauce on
the tip of his nose. He turns to Fiona. Fiona laughs.

FIONA
You got a little something...

EMORY
(playful)
Hmm? What's that?

Fiona wipes the sauce off with her thumb. She gets up and
takes their empty plates to the kitchen.

FIONA (O.S.)
(from kitchen)
Hey. So...I'm three days late.

Emory perks up. Fiona returns.

FIONA
I know it's kinda early --

Emory jumps up and pulls her close, planting a kiss on her
lips. Off their laughter and giddiness --

EXT. BACK OF EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

At the back of the house.
15.
Before the last bits of sunlight disappear behind the
trees, we see....

A small SYMBOL painted on the house. A symbol which is
meant to be found. A warning.

A RED SIX.


Time has passed. The leaves have changed colors. Red and
yellow.

A gust of wind blows a red leaf off a limb, sending it
drifting toward the ground, just missing Emory as he passes
on his way to his car.

ON the red leaf as it hits the ground --

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

BLOOD on the sheet.

Fiona stares down at the stain - a reoccurring
disappointment. She rips the sheet off the bed.

INT. CLASSROOM - LATER

Lydia wipes away yesterday's lesson from the blackboard
while Emory sits at his desk preparing for the day. It's
just the two of them alone in here.

EMORY
You don't have to do that.

LYDIA
I know.

She smiles at him. A schoolgirl with a crush on teacher.

LYDIA (CONT'D)
(searching)
Your wife gonna make something for
the bake sale?

EMORY
Bake sale?

LYDIA
For Halloween?

He has no idea what she's talking about.
16.
LYDIA (CONT'D)
Every year the teachers bring
something for the bake sale. Then
use that money for the haunted
house.

Say what?

LYDIA (CONT'D)
Each class decorates their own
room. The best one gets free
pizza.
(pause)
Last year we did a witches theme.
(shrugs)
It was okay.

EMORY
What do you think it should be
this year?

Lydia thinks. Smiles.

LYDIA
Poltergeist.

EMORY
The movie?

LYDIA
You seen it?

EMORY
I haven't.

LYDIA
My dad got me the tape for my
birthday. You can borrow it if you
want.

Students begin trickling in. Lydia continues cleaning the
blackboard.

EMORY
That's good Lydia. Thank you.

She nods and takes her seat.

On Emory, a little miffed, wondering why no one told him
about the bake sale --

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LATER

A HAND snaps a wooden clothespin in place.
17.
Fiona's out in the front yard hanging clean sheets to dry
on a clothesline. When she reaches down to grab more
laundry from a wicker basket, we see someone in the
background.

Standing near the front door.

Fiona hangs more laundry to the clothesline, blocking our
view of the figure in the background.

A beat.

Footsteps crunch on dry leaves.

Fiona turns with a start --

It's the Old Woman from earlier.

OLD WOMAN
Sorry. Didn't mean to scare ya.

FIONA
(lying)
Oh. No. It's okay. You didn't.

The Old Woman extends her hand. They shake.

OLD WOMAN
I'm Esther. Live right down the
road.

FIONA
Fiona.

ESTHER seems a bit nervous for some reason.

ESTHER
I shouldn't've come up from
behind. I was about to knock when
I noticed you out here.

FIONA
...Oh. No. It's okay.

ESTHER
I just wanted to come by and
welcome y'all to the neighborhood.

FIONA
Would you like to come in for some
coffee or tea?

ESTHER
Not built for caffeine.
18.
FIONA
Decaf?

Esther fiddles with the charm bracelet on her wrist. Fiona
notices the charms: See No Evil, Hear No Evil; Speak No
Evil is missing.

FIONA (CONT'D)
I like your bracelet.

A flicker of worry crosses Esther's face.

Just then, a pickup truck slowly drives by.

The driver stares out the window, eyes on the two women,
his expression cold. When he hits the gas and speeds off we
see --

The CONFEDERATE FLAG decal in the back window.

We just met Wesley's Dad for the first time. ROY ELROY.

ESTHER
I should get back.

Before Fiona can say a word, Esther takes off. Fiona
watches her go, baffled by their short interaction.

INT. TEACHERS' LOUNGE - LATER

Emory eats lunch alone again while the other teachers chat
amongst themselves. He considers joining them.

Finally he works up the courage to approach them. All heads
turn to look at him. His presence unwanted.

EMORY
Hi. I'm Emory.

The leader of the pack speaks for the rest. An uppity bitch
with a stick up her ass. This is BARB.

BARB
(terse)
We know who you are.

EMORY
(keeping it friendly)
So. What's this I hear about a
bake sale?

Another teacher is about to speak when Barb shoots her a
glare that stops her dead.
19.
BARB
Oh, don't you worry bout any of
that. No one expects you to bring
anything.

Emory scoffs, his patience wearing thin. He's about to say
something when they all turn away from him, making him
invisible again.

INT. BEDROOM - LATER

Fresh sheet on the mattress. Fiona finishes making the bed
then sits down.

Quiet and alone with her thoughts, she absently rubs the
scar on her palm. Her eyes drift to the closet door.

MOMENTS LATER

Hands reach for the wooden case hidden in the red sweater
on the top shelf of the closet.

Fiona pulls it down. The SKELETON KEY falls out from under
it, landing on the floor with a CLINK.

She kneels down and picks up the key. Thoughts tumbling.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - LATER

CU: Keyhole. The SKELETON KEY is inserted. Doesn't fit.

Fiona sighs. We get the sense that she's been searching for
a long time.

She pockets the key and starts for the stairs when --

She hears a faint SCRAPING sound coming from the attic.

EXT. GROCERY STORE - LATER

Emory's car pulls into the parking lot of a small grocery
store.

INT. ATTIC - LATER

Sunlight filters in through a filthy window, casting the
room in a hazy glow. Not much up here aside from dust and
furniture hidden under dingy white bed sheets.

A CREAK as the crawlspace door is pulled open. Fiona's head
pops up. She looks around.
20.
A beat.

She climbs up the ladder.

Eyes searching. Ears listening.

The wind blows a tree limb against the window. SCRAPE.

Ah-ha.

Fiona starts to go. But stops.

Something catches her eye.

Something hidden under a bed sheet.

INT. GROCERY STORE - LATER

A hand grabs a bag of flour. Emory adds it to his shopping
cart and heads to the register where a fat woman is
chatting with a FEMALE CASHIER.

He watches the friendly interaction between the two ladies
until he notices a toddler sitting in the fat woman's cart
staring at him.

Emory makes a goofy face. The toddler giggles.

The fat woman shoots Emory a glare and leaves. Emory waves
goodbye to the toddler.

FEMALE CASHIER
Ain't you the one moved into the
Walker place?
(off Emory's look)
The creepy old farmhouse?

Looks like the Female Cashier's friendly demeanor has
vanished.

EMORY
...Sure. It's not that creepy.

She scans the groceries as he unloads his cart.

FEMALE CASHIER
Place is cursed.

Emory isn't sure how to react.
21.
FEMALE CASHIER (CONT'D)
No one told ya, huh? Yeh. Guy that
used to live there murdered his
wife and newborn baby.
(leans in)
Hid 'em in the walls.

INT. ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

With a YANK of a sheet, Fiona uncovers a BABY CRIB.

She stares at it, unsettled to see it there.

EXT. EMORY'S CAR - MOVING

Emory grips the wheel. Turning the cashier's words over in
his mind. He shakes his head, scoffs. Not one to believe
such bullshit.

He notices Esther at the end of her driveway getting mail
from her mailbox.

She watches him drive past. Emory smiles and throws his
hand up. She doesn't wave back.

His smile fades.

He glances in the rearview mirror to see Esther hasn't
taken her eyes off him.

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Emory pulls up the driveway.


The front door opens. Emory enters, grocery bags in tow.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - ATTIC - LATER

EMORY (O.S.)
(from downstairs)
Fi?

Fiona gives the baby crib one last look, then climbs down
the ladder, closing the door behind her.

Leaving us here alone with the dust and the baby crib.

It's only when we move closer that we finally see...
22.
Marks left on the dirty floor near the legs of the crib.
Marks where it was dragged across the floor.


Emory lines baking ingredients on the counter: Eggs. Flour.
White sugar. Brown sugar.

Fiona appears in the doorway.

FIONA
What's this?

EMORY
The makings of a winner.

LATER

A hot tray of cookies is pulled out of the oven. Emory sets
the tray on a rack to cool. He pulls his oven mitts off and
tosses them on the counter. Then turns to Fiona.

EMORY (CONT'D)
(playful)
You can have one when it cools.
But just one. One. Got it?

Fiona manages a small smile.

EMORY (CONT'D)
What's up?
(off her silence)
Fi. What's wrong?

FIONA
Nothing.
(then)
...I got my period.

Emory tries his best to hide his disappointment.

FIONA (CONT'D)
We shouldn't've waited so long.

He pulls her into an embrace.

EMORY
It's okay. It's not gonna happen
right away. We'll keep trying.
Come on. It'll be fun.

He smiles wryly. Fiona returns a half-hearted smile and
buries her face in his chest.
23.

Crickets and moonlight.


It's dark and quiet. Until --

The tv comes on in the background.

We hear the channels changing on their own. See the
flickering glow reflected on the walls.

Finally it stops --

ON TV: The movie FRANKENSTEIN. The famous scene where Dr.
Frankenstein's monster moves for the first time.

DR. FRANKENSTEIN
It's alive! It's alive! It's
aliiiive!

INT. SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - DAY

Ghouls. Goblins. Witches. All in the form of various
desserts. Welcome to the Halloween Bake Sale.

The place is packed with sugar hungry kids and their
parents.

Barb's table is crowded with eager customers. She brought
three different kinds of goodies: cookies, cupcakes, pie.
And she's nearly out of stock.

As for Emory, not so much. Not one single ghoul cookie
sold. He looks defeated.

Pete approaches, finishing off a cake pop shaped like a
witch's finger.

PETE
Little trouble there with sales,
Mr. Harris?

Emory gives a polite thin-lipped smile.

PETE (CONT'D)
How much?

EMORY
Seventy-five.

Pete pats his pockets.
24.
PETE
Shame. Looks like I'm all cleaned
out.
(leans in)
You could learn a thing or two
from Barb over there.

Emory looks across the gym to meet Barb's gaze. She gives
him a smug look.

PETE (CONT'D)
Your selection's a little limited.

Lydia approaches.

EMORY
(relieved)
Lydia.

LYDIA
Hi, Mr. Harris. How much?

EMORY
Fifty.

Pete gives him a look, then wanders off.


Fiona does her daily chores. Makes the bed. Sweeps the
floors. Cleans the windows. Dusts the shelves.

With nothing left to do, she plants herself on the couch
and watches one cheesy Daytime Soap after the next.

She groans. The boredom finally getting to her.

INT. DEN - MOMENTS LATER

A hand plucks the BIBLE off the shelve. Fiona opens it,
flipping through the pages until --

She discovers an underlined passage.

FIONA
(reading)
...He had opened the fourth seal,
I heard the voice of the fourth
beast say, Come and see. And I
looked, and behold a pale horse:
and his name that sat on him was
Death, and Hell followed with him.
25.
A faint THUNK. Fiona looks up from the book.

INT. SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - CONTINUOUS

Bake sale over. Everyone's cleaning up, counting their
cash. Emory tosses his remaining cookies in the trash.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The FRAMED PHOTO of the two children lies face-down on the
floor.

Fiona picks it up to find --

A CRACK in the glass.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The framed photo, back on the end table.

Fiona and Emory sit on the couch watching POLTERGEIST.
Fiona, distracted by her thoughts. Emory, absorbed by the
movie.

FIONA
Who do you think lived here before
us?

Emory says nothing.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Do you think they were happy?

The cashier's words linger in Emory's mind. Murdered his
wife and newborn baby.

EMORY
Who knows? Sure. Probably. Why
wouldn't they be?

FIONA
Why'd they leave so much stuff
behind?

Emory shrugs.

EMORY
It's not like it's good stuff.

FIONA
I found a crib in the attic.
26.
Emory shifts in his seat. His eyes stay on the tv, avoiding
Fiona's gaze.

FIONA (CONT'D)
How many kids do you think they
had?

EMORY
Dunno. Seven? Fifteen?

A beat. Fiona gets up and disappears to the den. She
returns a moment later with the Bible. Sits down, opens it.

FIONA
(reading passage)
...Opened the sixth seal...a great
earthquake...

Emory looks at her. Sees the Bible. Before he can ask --

FIONA (CONT'D)
They left it behind.
(reading passage)
Sun became black...moon became
blood...stars of heaven fell unto
the earth...

EMORY
Every free man hid themselves in
dens and mountains. I used to go
to Sunday school. Book of
Revelations?

Fiona nods.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Why're you reading it?

FIONA
They underlined it. Why do you
think they did that? And why would
they leave their Bible behind?
Clearly they're religious.

Emory doesn't have an answer.

FIONA (CONT'D)
You think they were doomsdayers?

EMORY
...I dunno. Maybe. Who knows?
Maybe they took off to a hide in a
mountain somewhere. Can we watch
the movie?
27.
Fiona shuts the book. They turn to the tv. Something about
Emory's expression tells us he's affected by the passage
Fiona just read.

ON TV: Carol Anne looks over her shoulder --

CAROL ANNE
They're here.


A BLANK SCREEN on the tv. We pull back to reveal --

It's now sitting at the front of Emory's classroom.

Emory and his students decorate the room in a Poltergeist
theme: A small clown puppet seated in a chair; A pink toy
rotary dial telephone; Paper skeletons hanging from the
ceiling.

Doing their best on a shoestring budget.

Lydia is dressed as Carol Anne, long blonde wig and all.
Wesley glares at her.

WESLEY
(hushed)
Teacher's pet.

Lydia smiles at this. She doesn't mind.


Fiona shuts the front door. Pockets her house keys and
starts walking.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - LATER

Boots crunching on dirt.

Fiona walks along a lonely dirt road. No houses around,
except one.

She sees Esther in her front yard raking leaves.

Fiona waves. Esther waves back. Fiona continues on, but
stops --

She turns back.
28.
FIONA
(approaching Esther)
Hi. Need any help?

LATER

Fiona and Esther shove leaves in a big brown LAWN BAG.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Did you know the family who used
to live in my house?

Esther's face tenses. Fiona notices.

ESTHER
The Walkers.

FIONA
Were they friendly?

Esther shoves more leaves in the lawn bag, avoiding eye
contact.

ESTHER
Not the word I'd use to describe
'em.

FIONA
What word would you use?

Esther looks up.

ESTHER
Private.

A beat. She closes the lawn bag.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
Well I thank you for your help.

She turns to go --

FIONA
Isn't there anything you can tell
me about them?

A beat. Esther looks over her shoulder.

ESTHER
Henry was his name. Vietnam War
vet. His wife was Yen. A
Vietnamese lady.

And with that, she walks away. Fiona frowns.
29.
INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - LATER

Emory watches as pizza is delivered to Barb's classroom.
Barb gives Emory a snide look as she shuts the door. We
hear the kids celebrating inside.


A chilly wind blows. Trees rustle.

Lights on inside. We see Fiona through the living window
sitting on the couch.

A moment later.

TWO SHADOWY FIGURES dash past.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER

Fiona, bowl of candy in her lap, is dressed as Michael
Jackson from the Thriller video, zombie makeup and all. Her
eyes are glued to the tv as she eats a fun-sized candy bar.

Judging by the empty wrappers in the bowl, she's had more
than a few.

We hear George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead playing
on the tv and the character Johnny say:

JOHNNY (O.S.)
They're coming to get you Barbara.

Fiona unwraps another candy bar and shoves it in her mouth.

Chewing it slowly.

Her eyes drift to the framed photo on the end table.

EMORY (O.S.)
I don't know why we bothered.

Emory enters. He's also dressed as Michael Jackson but a
different version - from the Billie Jean 1983 Motown 25 tv
performance (black suit, white glove).

EMORY
Maybe they don't even
trick-r-treat here. I mean, we're
in the middle of nowhere.

FIONA
Danny would love our costumes.
30.
Emory smiles sadly at her.

EMORY
You okay?

Fiona gives a small nod.

Emory is about to say something when he catches a glimpse
of movement outside.


TOILET PAPER hangs from the trees like party streamers
waving in the wind.

Two masked kids snicker as they toss rolls of toilet paper
into the trees.

The front door opens. The kids take off. Emory gives chase.

EMORY
Hey!

The kids climb into the back of a pickup (the same one from
earlier with the CONFEDERATE FLAG DECAL).

Wesley.

Emory watches as the truck speeds off.

The kids hooting and hollering in the back. Red taillights
disappearing into the night.

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

Sounds of the city. Commotion in the air.

A broken street lamp flickers as --

Two zombies run past. It's Fiona and her brother DANNY.
He's beginning to lag behind, struggling with his torn up
pants.

DANNY
Wait up!

FIONA
We're gonna be late!

Danny picks up the pace.

DANNY
Fi! Wait!
31.
He trips. Falling onto the sidewalk.

Fiona stops, turns back.

FIONA
(laughing)
Fuck. You okay?

She helps him to his feet. Danny brushes himself off.

DANNY
You're an asshole, you know that?

Fiona laughs.

MAN (O.S.)
Hey.

They turn to see --

A man wearing a RONALD REAGAN mask.

DANNY
Yeah?

The man brandishes a POCKET KNIFE.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Fiona's eyes shoot open. Cold sweat on her brow. She
stumbles out of bed and rushes to the bathroom, slamming
the door shut behind her.

Emory wakes up.

EMORY
Fi?


Faucet running full blast. Fiona splashes her face with
cold water.

EMORY (O.S.)
(through the door)
Fi? You okay?

Fiona looks at herself in the mirror as the light flickers
overhead.
32.

Cobwebs of toilet paper cling to the trees.

Emory walks to his car. Before he gets in, he glances back
at the house, to the upstairs window where Fiona is looking
out. Her expression dark.

He holds her gaze for a moment. Then he gets in his car and
drives off.

Fiona leaves the window.


Emory eats lunch alone at his desk. Stress and loneliness
beginning to take a toll.

The door opens. Lydia pokes her head in. She shows him her
baggy lunch.

Emory smiles. An invitation to join. Lydia enters.


Tines of a rake comb through strands of toilet paper.

Fiona is trying to remove toilet paper from the tree using
a rake. But it's not going so great and she's on the verge
of losing her shit.

How the hell did they even get it so damn high?

Seriously. This shit is everywhere.

She sighs, lowering the rake, giving up on the tree for the
moment. Instead she follows a trail of toilet paper to the

BACK OF THE HOUSE

Where the bushes are covered in white.

That's it! She THROWS the rake aside. CLAWING at the
ribbons of toilet paper with both hands.

Eventually her rage gives way to regret as she looks down
at her hands and sees --

Cuts. Everywhere. And blood. Thanks to the prickly bushes.
Fuck.

She lets out a heavy sigh and sits on the ground, taking a
few moments to collect herself.
33.
And that's when she sees it...

The SYMBOL on the house. The red painted six.

Dread creeps into her face.

INT. EMORY'S CAR - MOVING

As Emory drives around the corner, he sees Fiona sitting on
the doorstep.

EXT. BACK OF HOUSE - EVENING

The SYMBOL on the house.

Emory kneels, trying to scrub it off with a wet cloth.
Fiona stands back watching.

Emory scrubs vigorously, filled with rage.

FIONA
(hushed)
Sign of the devil? Who'd do this?

No use. It won't come off. Emory gives up. He looks over
his shoulder at Fiona.

EMORY
It's not the sign of the Devil.
(gravely)
It's worse.

EXT. BAR - LATER

The CONFEDERATE FLAG decal on Roy Elroy's truck.

Roy turns into the parking lot of a small dive bar. Parks.
The driver's door opens.

The first thing we see: His tattered cowboy boots as he
steps out onto the pavement.

We slowly PAN UP to take in the rest of him. His dirty blue
jeans. Dingy wife-beater - too cold to wear one, but the
fuck does he care? It shows off the tattoo on his bicep - a
BLOOD DROP CROSS which he proudly displays like a medal of
fucking honor.

And finally, we reach his ugly mug. This is one mean son of
a bitch. Hatred etched into the lines on his face. He
sneers and we see he's missing a few teeth.
34.
He opens the door to the bar and disappears inside.

On the door as it closes --

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATER

The fridge door shuts. Emory turns around, holding two
beers. He goes to the table where Fiona is seated, hands
her one.

FIONA
Thanks.

Emory sits opposite. Pops the cap off the bottle using the
edge of the table. Fiona does the same.

FIONA (CONT'D)
How do you know it's a blood drop
and not a six?

EMORY
Sign of the Devil is three sixes.
Not one.
(then)
They must've done it last night
when they TPed the house.

Emory takes a swig of beer.

FIONA
This is a kid in your class?

EMORY
His piece of shit dad has a
Confederate flag on his truck.

Fiona remembers:

FIONA
He drove by here. Yeah. A while
ago. When I was talking to the
neighbor. She pretty much ran away
when she saw him.
(realizing)
She must've been afraid to be seen
talking to me.

Emory shakes his head, disgusted by it all.


Emory, at the front of the classroom.
35.
EMORY
Can anyone tell me when it
started?

A hand shoots up.

STUDENT
1939.

EMORY
The exact date?

A moment. Lydia raises her hand.

LYDIA
September 1st.

Emory nods, smiles.

EMORY
Good. And it lasted until --

The BELL rings. The kids rush out the door.

EMORY (CONT'D)
We'll pick up at the same place
tomorrow. Everybody get a good
night's rest --

And they're all gone. Except Lydia.

LYDIA
Have a nice evening, Mr. Harris.

EMORY
Thanks, Lydia. You too.

Lydia leaves.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

A flurry of activity as kids head home. Lydia approaches
her locker, opens it. She screams.

Inside: A dead fish stares back.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - LATER

A FRAMED PHOTO on Pete's desk shows a Sears style family
portrait of him with his family - the fat woman from the
grocery store and the toddler.
36.
It's angled in such a way that Emory can't see it. He's
sitting in a chair watching Pete with a mixture of
curiosity and annoyance.

Pete is standing, watering some plants on a shelf - they're
all dead, likely from overwatering.

PETE
And you have proof?

EMORY
He's been harassing her for weeks.
And not just her.

PETE
What d'ya mean?

EMORY
He came by my house on Halloween.
Decorated it with toilet paper.

PETE
Sounds like a harmless little
prank. Boy's'll be boys.

EMORY
Not just toilet paper. He and
another kid left some graffiti
behind.

PETE
Graffiti?

EMORY
...Of a racist nature.

Pete doesn't seem concerned at all. He finishes watering
the plants then sits down at his desk. He's quiet for a
long time before saying:

PETE
Pardon my saying, but it seems
like you might have a bit of a
vendetta against Mr. Elroy.

EMORY
...You think this is a set up?

PETE
Not at all. I'm saying you don't
have any proof. It could've been
anyone.
(then)
Even Lydia herself.
37.
EMORY
You can't be serious. Why would
she do that?

Pete shrugs.

PETE
Attention. Sympathy. Vengeance?

Emory can't believe what he's hearing.

EMORY
You're not gonna do anything, are
you?

PETE
Who should I punish without the
proof?

A beat. Emory scoots his chair back and stands.

PETE (CONT'D)
You have a nice evening now, Mr.
Harris.

Emory starts to go --

PETE (CONT'D)
Get the door on your way out,
would ya?

Emory shuts the door.

A beat.

Pete opens the top drawer of his desk, reaches inside, and
pulls out a flask.

INT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

Back in Fiona's dream.

A pocketknife JABS at the air.

Fiona raises her hand in defense. The blade SINKS into her
palm. She SCREAMS in agony.

Danny JUMPS between Fiona and the masked man.

DANNY
STOP!

A struggle ensues.
38.
Fiona stands back watching, shocked, frozen. Unable to
move, unable to do anything as --

The masked man SWIPES the pocketknife at Danny. SLICING
Danny across the face.

DANNY (CONT'D)
AHHH!

The masked man LUNGES forward, STABBING DANNY IN THE
THROAT. Danny stumbles back, grasping his neck. The masked
man takes off.

Fiona, eyes wide and terrified, watches as --

Danny collapses onto the sidewalk with a CRASH sound, his
body SHATTERING like glass --

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Fiona BOLTS upright out of her nightmare. Emory scrambles
out of bed and moves toward the window, staying low.

FIONA
Emory?

EMORY
Ssshhh.

He motions: Stay down.

Fiona does as told, hunkering down on the other side of the
bed.

Emory peeks out the window.

A beat.

Coast clear. Emory let's out a tense breath.

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

A trail of broken glass leads to...a ROCK. There's a note
attached.

A hand grabs it. Emory detaches the note. Fiona stays back,
not wanting to get near the glass.

EMORY
(reading note)
Get out before it's too late.

Fiona's face falls. Fuming, Emory crumples the note.
39.
On the broken window, and the darkness beyond --

EXT. BEHIND THE SCHOOL - DAY

A pencil BREAKS.

Wesley cackles as he breaks all of Lydia's pencils. He
pushes her against the wall and waves a broken pencil in
her face.

WESLEY
Move and lose an eye.

Lydia doesn't dare move.

Wesley reaches in his backpack and pulls out a bottle of
ketchup. With a sneer, he twists off the lid --


Plastic covers the damaged window.

A broom sweeps broken glass into a dust pan.

Fiona cleans up the mess from last night while the music
video for SHOUT by Tears For Fears plays on tv in the
background.

THUNK. A door SLAMS shut upstairs.

Fiona startles, dropping the broom. It hits the floor with
a CRACK.

A beat.

Fiona stands still, listening for any sign of movement. But
she can't hear over the tv.

She moves to turn the tv off but then --

If she does, they'll know she knows they're upstairs.

Shit. Now what?

She reaches down, grabbing the broom from the floor - a
potential weapon. She leaves.

We STAY ON the tv, watching the music video continue:
40.
ON TV
Shout/Shout/Let it all out/These
are the things I can do
without/Come on/I'm talking to
you...

The video gets stuck on this line, repeating it over and
over again: I'm talking to you...I'm talking to you...I'm
talking to you...

BLIP. The tv shuts OFF.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Cautious footsteps. Fiona makes it to the top of the stairs
and peers down the hallway.

No one.

She listens.

Nothing.

She realizes the tv is no longer on downstairs.

Get out. GO.

But she's no coward.

Her grip tightens around the broom handle. With quiet
footsteps, she makes her way down the hallway, to her
bedroom door. Which is closed.

Don't open it. Leave.

Fiona glares. Fuck that.


The door FLIES OPEN. Fiona SWINGS wildly at --

Empty air.

She lowers the broom. Eyes scanning the room. Landing on
the closet door.

There. Is that where you're hiding?

She grits her teeth. Rage and adrenaline giving her the
courage to move forward. Over to the closet door.

Her hand reaches for the handle --
41.
EXT. SCHOOL - LATER

The DOORS of the school bus close. Emory watches in
confusion as the bus departs without Lydia on board.

He starts to go --

LYDIA (O.S.)
Psst. Mr. Harris.

He turns to see Lydia step out from behind the school.
Covered in ketchup.


Fiona looks inside the closet at...

No one.

She leans the broom against the wall.

Reaches for the top shelf of the closet, grabs the wooden
case hidden in the red sweater. She tosses the red sweater
aside, opens the case.

For the first time, we see what's inside.

A GUN.

Just then, a CRASH downstairs.


A lamp lies broken on the floor.

A few seconds pass.

Then.

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

Lights turn OFF and ON.

The grandfather clock TICKS wildly.

Books FLY off the shelf like birds taking flight.

Furniture SLIDES across the floor.

The kitchen cabinets FLY OPEN LIKE MOUTHS SPITTING OUT
DINNERWARE.
42.

Emory drives Lydia home. They're both quiet. Lydia has
cleaned up some - only the stains remain.

LYDIA
He'll never get in any real
trouble and he knows it.
(off Emory's look)
Wesley. His daddy's drinkin'
buddies with Principal Pierson.

This is unsettling news to Emory.

EMORY
You gotta stick up for yourself.
Fight back.

LYDIA
How? He's bigger than me.

EMORY
Everyone's got a weakness. For
boys, usually it's between the
legs.

Off Lydia as she takes this in --


Fiona. Determined. Seated on the floor against the far
wall. Knees to her chest. Aiming the gun at the door.

Downstairs the chaos has ended.

And Fiona waits. In silence. Jaw clenched.

Come on in asshole. I'll blow your fucking head off.



INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

The front door opens. Emory stands in the doorway, mouth
hanging open, baffled by the sight before him.

Furniture in disarray. Broken plates, torn book pages,
glass all over the floor.

Then. A dreadful thought.
43.
EMORY
(sotto)
Fiona.

He runs up the stairs.


Gun fixed on the door.

Fiona tenses at the sound of...footsteps.

Getting closer.

Closer.

Right outside the bedroom door.

Get ready.

Finger on the trigger.

The door opens.

She SQUEEZES the trigger. CLICK.

EMORY
(seeing gun)
Ahhh!

Emory dives out of the way.

Fiona lowers the gun. She forgot to take the safety off.

FIONA
(moving to Emory)
Emory!

Emory sits against the wall, wide eyes staring up at her.

EMORY
Where'd you get a gun?


An overflowing trash bin.


The wooden case, gun back inside, sits on the kitchen table
between Fiona and Emory.
44.
FIONA
...I got it after Danny.

EMORY
Why didn't you tell me?

FIONA
...I dunno. I should've. I'm
sorry.

Emory stares at the case, unsettled by its presence.

EMORY
You should've left. What if they
would've done something to you?

FIONA
They didn't.

EMORY
But what if they did?

FIONA
They didn't.

A beat.

EMORY
Could you tell how many there
were?

FIONA
...One upstairs. At least one
downstairs, maybe more. All the
shit they broke? It sounded like a
fucking earthquake.

Emory digests this.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Maybe we should call the cops.

EMORY
We have no proof it was him. Our
word against his, who do you think
they'll believe?

Fiona sighs. She knows he's right.

EMORY (CONT'D)
They're trying to scare us off.
And we're not going anywhere.

Off Emory's defiant look --
45.
EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE -MORNING

A gloomy grey sky.


Drip. Drip. Drip.

Water drips from the sink faucet.

Fiona enters, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she goes to
the sink.

She turns the faucet handle.

Silence.

She turns, leaves.

Water drips again.

Drip. Drip --

INT. TEACHERS' LOUNGE - CONTINUOUS

Drip. Coffee drips into a coffee pot. It's almost full.

Emory removes the pot and pours himself a cup.

BARB
Excuse me. You're supposed to wait
till it's finished.

EMORY
...It is.

BARB
Looks like it's still drippin' to
me.

Emory sighs. No patience for Barb's bullshit today. He
turns and leaves. And we follow right behind him as he goes
out into the

HALLWAY

It's nearly empty. A few kids pass on their way to the
cafeteria where everyone else is eating breakfast.

Emory watches as the kids disappear around the corner. Then
he continues on his way.
46.
We're still behind him when he finally makes it to his
classroom.

Reaches for the handle. Opens the door.

Walks in.

He stops in his tracks, taken aback by something written on
the blackboard. We do not see what it says.

We see only his expression - one of shock.

Then. Anger.

EXT. PRINCIPAL PIERSON'S OFFICE - LATER

We're catching the tail end of a heated argument.

The door FLIES open. Emory storms out.

PETE
(from his desk)
It could've been anyone.

Emory seethes.

PETE (CONT'D)
Get the door would ya?

Emory storms off, leaving the door wide open.

EXT. BACK OF EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LATER

A SWIPE of paint across the wall. Fiona paints over the red
symbol.

A gust of wind rattles the treetops.

Fiona looks up at the sky as dark clouds roll in. A storm
on its way.

As she moves to put the lid on the paint can, she
accidentally KNOCKS it over, spilling paint across the
grass.

FIONA
(grabbing paint can)
Fuck.

She assesses the damage to the grass. Splashes of paint and
a trail that leads right to...

Esther's SPEAK NO EVIL charm.
47.
On Fiona, as thoughts crash in her head --

INT. EMORY'S CAR - LATER

Thunder CRACKS. Emory tenses at the sound, full of nervous
energy as rain POUNDS down.

Deep breath. Focus. You're a man on a mission.

He turns on the windshield wipers. Peers out the window.

Out in the school parking lot: a sea of umbrellas and
running children.

Emory sees Lydia run onto the school bus. But that's not
who he's interested in. He's waiting for someone else. On
the lookout for --

SCREEEECH. Roy Elroy skids to a stop in the parking lot
like a goddamn lunatic. Wesley runs out of the school and
gets in the truck.

Roy peels out.

And Emory follows.

INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER

Rain SLAPS against a window. A bolt of lightening FLASHES,
momentarily illuminating --

Esther, as she reaches out to PULL a lamp cord.

A light flickers on, illuminating...

Portraits of Jesus. Everywhere. Covering almost every inch
of wall space. And they're all nearly identical. The only
differences: slight variations in paint color and size.

It's surreal. Off-putting. The house of a hoarder who only
collects Jesus memorabilia.

Esther settles into a recliner.

On an end table beside her: a bottle of RUBBING ALCOHOL, a
WOODEN CRUCIFIX, a RAG, and a BOX OF MATCHES. Everything
she needs to make a burning cross - a much smaller version
than what is normally used, but this will have to do.

She douses the rag in rubbing alcohol and rubs it all over
the wooden crucifix.
48.
ESTHER
Forgive me Lord, for I have --

KNOCK. KNOCK. A knock at the door. Esther doesn't move.
Maybe whoever it is won't know she's home.

FIONA (O.S.)
I know you're in there.

Esther frowns. She quickly gathers her cross burning items.

EXT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Rain pounds down on Fiona's umbrella. Fiona is about to
knock again when the door opens a crack. Esther peers out.

ESTHER
Fiona? Hello. I was just about to
get in the bath --

Fiona holds up the Speak No Evil charm.

Esther's face falls.

INT/EXT. EMORY'S CAR - MOVING

Eyes fixed ahead. Foot on the gas. Emory drives with
purpose. Tires sloshing.

He keeps a safe distance, trying to remain inconspicuous as
he follows Roy down winding roads.

INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - LATER

A CRINKLE of plastic as Fiona shifts in her seat. She's
sitting on a plastic covered couch. Esther, in the
recliner.

ESTHER
It's not what you think. I ain't
racist.

FIONA
I could have you arrested for
trespassing. For harassment. For
property damage. For breaking into
our home --

ESTHER
I didn't break in --
49.
FIONA
This stops now.

Fiona stands.

FIONA (CONT'D)
You understand?

Esther blinks. Fiona heads for the door.

ESTHER
I did it for your own good.

Fiona stops, slowly turns to face Esther.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
Please. Just. It's hard to
explain.

FIONA
I've put up with people like you
my whole fucking life.

ESTHER
Please.

Esther gestures: Sit.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
Please?

Fiona considers. After a moment, she sits.

Esther tries to think of the easiest way to say this. But
there is no easy way, so she just says it:

ESTHER (CONT'D)
It's that house. I was tryin' to
scare off so you'd leave that
house. You have to leave.

FIONA
We're not going anywhere.

ESTHER
You don't understand. That house.
It's cursed.

Cursed? Fiona shakes her head at the thought. Then. She
remembers the marked passages in the Bible.

And now Esther has her full attention.
50.
Esther leans forward, lamp light casting an ominous glow
across her face. When she speaks, it's hushed, as if she's
afraid someone might hear --


The rain lets up to a sprinkle.

ESTHER (V.O.)
When Henry Walker came back from
Vietnam, he brought himself back
his new wife, Yen.

A figure appears in the upstairs window.

And with that, the rain stops. The dark clouds part. Sun
shines down. And suddenly we realize --

FLASHBACK TO:

EXT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - THE PAST

We're in the past.

The house and landscaping in great shape.

Loud sounds emanate from the house. The sound of a
jackhammer. Construction underway.

ESTHER (V.O.)
For the longest time, I didn't
even know he had a wife.

Looking out the upstairs window is YEN, Vietnamese, long
dark hair and a beautiful face - filled with sorrow and
dread.

And she's very, very pregnant.

A figure steps into frame, their back to us, momentarily
blocking our view of Yen.

It's Esther. She gazes up at the upstairs window, enamored
by Yen's beauty.

Esther waves.

Yen turns and leaves the window.

BACK TO:
51.
INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - PRESENT

Esther, face lit by lamp light.

ESTHER
Loud bangin' at all hours of the
night. Henry claimed he was doin'
construction. Renovations. Gettin'
it all ready for the baby.

Her expression darkens.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
But that baby never came. Yen died
during childbirth. The baby too.
Bout that same time, the noises
stopped.

A long pause.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
After that, Henry rarely left that
house. Only came out at night.
Till he didn't no more. Became a
prisoner trapped behind the walls.
(pause)
It wasn't till nearly twelve years
later, when he finally made his
escape --

CUT TO:

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT

The opening scene.

A car. Smashed against a tree. Smoke and flames under the
hood. Ready to blow. In the driver's seat, we see a figure
desperately trying to get out.

And now we, it's HENRY WALKER. Pounding his body against
the door. Fists banging against the window.

Flames SWALLOW the car. Eating Henry Walker alive.

BACK TO:

INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - DAY

Esther, a grave look on her face.
52.
ESTHER
Cops said he was goin' so fast it
was like he was runnin' away from
someone.
(pauses for effect)
Or something.

On Fiona, unsettled by it all --


Rain sprinkles down. Emory is pulled off onto the shoulder,
staring ahead, watching as --

Wesley climbs out his dad's truck. It looks like they're
arguing about something. Eventually, Wesley caves and
stomps off toward his house - a lonely old clapboard house
surrounded by trees.

No neighbors around.

Roy SPEEDS off.

EXT. BAR - LATER

The small dive bar.

Roy's truck pulls into the parking lot. Parks. He gets out
and goes inside.

A second later.

Emory's car pulls in.

INT. BAR - LATER

A dark, dank hole in the wall. Clouded with cigarette
smoke. You wouldn't know it's daylight outside - no
windows.

It's empty save for a few local drunks who sit far away
from one another. Avoiding eye contact and small talk.

Roy sits at the bar. Whiskey in hand. Already a few drinks
in.

In the dark corner of the room sits Emory. Sober and
somber. Eyes fixed on Roy.
53.

It's quiet. We can hear the faint tick-tock of the
grandfather clock.

A moment later. The front door opens. Fiona steps in and
hangs her umbrella on a hook by the door.

She looks around, the place seems different now - cold and
foreboding. Loneliness and pain tainting the air.

INT. BAR - LATER

Roy climbs off his bar stool and shuffles down a dark

HALLWAY

Disappearing into the Men's Bathroom.

A beat.

Careful footsteps on the sticky floor as Emory follows.

INT. BAR BATHROOM - LATER

A dim light flickers overhead, giving the dirty bathroom
an eerie glow. The door quietly creeps open.

Roy pisses in a urinal while Emory stands back waiting for
him to finish. It's just the two of them alone in here.

EMORY
Mr. Elroy.

Roy startles, glances over his shoulder. He quickly shakes
off and zips up.

ROY
Yeh? What you want?

EMORY
To talk.

ROY
Bout what?
(then, realizing)
Ooooh. You're the new guy at the
middle school. Yeh. I heard a lot
bout you. My boy givin' you
trouble?

EMORY
I think you know.
54.
ROY
Look. If this is bout what
happened on Halloween, it was a
harmless lil prank. Boy's'll be
boys right?

Emory says nothing. Roy moves for the door. Emory blocks
it.

ROY (CONT'D)
You and me got a problem boy?

EMORY
I say so.

Emory stands tall. And now Roy realizes just how much
bigger Emory is than himself.

As Emory steps closer --

EMORY (CONT'D)
I know all about you. You're a
coward. A scumbag. A criminal.

Roy steps back until he bumps into the urinal he was just
pissing in.

EMORY (CONT'D)
I know what you did.

An array of emotions washes over Roy's face. Shock.
Confusion. Anger. We get the sense that Roy has a secret
(we'll learn more about it later).

ROY
I dunno what you're talkin' bout
but if you know what's good for
you you best --

EMORY
I could have your ass thrown in
jail.

A tense beat.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Stay the fuck away from me and my
wife.

Emory turns to go, but stops, his back to Roy:

EMORY (CONT'D)
And tell your son to leave Lydia
alone.
55.
And with that, he leaves.

Roy steps away from the urinal, brushing himself off. He
stares at the door, his mind racing.




We hear Emory's car door shut. Fiona goes to the window and
looks out.

The front door opens. Emory comes in.

FIONA
Where were you?

EMORY
That racist prick's not gonna
bother us anymore.
(off Fiona's look)
What?

Fiona opens her mouth to say --

INT. KITCHEN - LATER

EMORY
It wasn't him?

Fiona is standing near the sink, arms crossed. Emory is
sitting at the table.

He considers this new information.

EMORY (CONT'D)
All of it? Alone?

Fiona nods.

FIONA
Except breaking in. She says it
wasn't her.

EMORY
And you believe her? That she was
trying to scare us off to save us
from some curse?
56.
Fiona wants to tell him the truth: she feels something here
too, a presence. But she can't. He'll think she's crazy. So
she just says:

FIONA
I believe she believes the house
is cursed, yeah. She's a senile
old woman.

Emory considers.

EMORY
Then who broke in?


In the dark basement.

The old fridge begins to tremble.

Trembling with more and more intensity until --

It STOPS abruptly.

A pregnant moment.

The fridge door FLIES open.


A bright full moon hangs in the sky.


Moonlight streams in through the window, illuminating Emory
and Fiona, who are asleep in bed.

Fiona twitches and mumbles. Stuck in a nightmare.

Suddenly the hallway light TURNS ON.

After a moment.

It shuts OFF.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

Back in Fiona's dream. We hear nothing in this scene except
a distant ambulance siren.

A crowd has formed around...
57.
Fiona and Danny. She clings to him as he lies on the ground
dying. She's screaming, crying. Danny looks up at her,
trying to tell her something. But no words come out, only
blood.

FIONA
(silent)
Help! Help!

She looks up at the crowd of onlookers - all eyes on her,
some dressed in Halloween costumes, their faces
expressionless.

Finally an ambulance arrives, lights flashing, siren
muffled and distorted.

Fiona looks back down at Danny. Except it's not Danny
anymore. It's a BURNED BODY. Charred. Skin flaking off.
Eyes looking up at her like two glowing orbs peering
through the darkness.

Fiona screams, trying to get free, but the burned body
holds on tight.

Suddenly a faint voice calls out from somewhere else:

EMORY (O.S.)
Fiona!

Fiona's desperate eyes search the crowd.

EMORY (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Fiona!

The ambulance light suddenly grows brighter, flashes
faster. Emory's voice grows louder, drowning out the siren.

Fiona!

Light growing brighter. Flashing faster.

(louder)
Fiona!

Growing brighter. Blinding. Flashing faster. Dizzying.

(thundering)
Fiona!

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Fiona JOLTS awake. Emory stares down at her.
58.
EMORY
The lights!

The lights in the house are going crazy. Flashing off and
on.


Outside we see the lights turning off and on throughout the
house. In a pattern. Like someone using Morse code to
convey a message.


An electrician's van sits in the driveway.

The front door of the house opens. Emory walks out with an
ELECTRICIAN (50s) and follows him to his van.

ELECTRICIAN
All good. In tip-top shape. You
got an interesting set up, I'll
tell ya that.

The Electrician slides the van door open and starts putting
tools away.

ELECTRICIAN (CONT'D)
You serve in Vietnam?

EMORY
Got lucky, ended right before my
eighteenth birthday.

The Electrician's face goes grim.

ELECTRICIAN
Lucky's right. A lot of guys lost
their minds over there. Had a
nephew serve.
(pause)
Only eighteen. Just a boy. Not
right to lose your head at that
age. Used to lock himself in small
spaces. More than once my sister
found him hidin' in an old foot
trunk.

A pause, then:

Some guys lock themselves in foot
trunks. Some build bomb shelters.
59.
Finishes putting the tools away, turns to Emory.

Take this one Vet, he came home
and about two years later, he up
and disappears. Wife don't know
where he went to. No one's heard a
word, don't know where he'd go.
Some think maybe he went right
back to Vietnam. Maybe had himself
a mistress waitin' over there for
him.
(pause)
A year passes, no word, and his
wife's shackin' up with some other
fella. But she keeps the house
just in case. And she's wonderin'
why her electric bills're so damn
high when she rarely spends any
time over there.

A look: half amusement, half pity.

Well. Turns out her husband built
a secret bunker and was livin'
inside.

He slides the van door closed.

Imagine that. He thought the world
was gonna end and didn't even
bother to tell his wife.

He opens the driver's door and gets in. Through the open
window:

Your wife know about yours?

EMORY
My what?

ELECTRICIAN
Hidden room. In the basement?

On Emory, stunned by this news --

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - LATER

In the dark. A hand reaches up and twists a fresh light
bulb into place.
60.
It sparks to life.

Emory steps off a footstool and looks around.

Just your run of the mill basement. Nothing unusual about
it. Except...

Emory's eyes drift to the old fridge. The door is open. The
door he remembers closing.

A chill crawls up his spine making the hairs on his neck
rise.

Stay away.

But he can't.

He's already on his way over to the fridge, inching closer
and closer until he's peering inside at...

Nothing but dust.

He shuts the door.

A long beat.

Then his attention is pulled elsewhere.

To the back of the fridge.

And there he finds it.

A GROOVE in the wall.

He traces his finger along the groove.

Holy shit.

It's a DOOR.

With a keyhole.

Fit for a skeleton key.


Emory emerges from the basement to find Fiona waiting.

FIONA
So?

EMORY
Rats chewed through some wires.
61.
FIONA
(skeptical)
Rats?

Emory shuts the basement door.

EMORY
Stay outta the basement.

On the closed basement door --


Emory's car door shuts.


Fiona stands at the upstairs window, watching as Emory's
car disappears from sight.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - DEN - LATER

Tick-tock of the grandfather clock.

Fiona stands by the bookcase, reading the marked passage in
the Bible:

FIONA
(reading)
...And I saw when the Lamb opened
one of the seals, and I heard, as
it were the noise of thunder, one
of the four beasts saying, Come
and see.


In the attic.

The baby crib SHAKES.

FIONA (V.O.)
And I saw, and behold a white
horse: and he that sat on him had
a bow...

More and more violently as --
62.
INT. DEN - CONTINUOUS

Fiona continues reading the passage:

FIONA
...And a crown was given unto him:
and he went forth conquering, and
to conquer.


The baby crib CRASHES to the floor.


Fiona's eyes look to the ceiling.

A long silence.

She sets the Bible aside and moves out into the --

HALLWAY

She starts for the stairs when --

The tv turns ON in the living room.


Static on the tv. Fiona looks in.

FIONA
Emory?

No. Not Emory.

It's just her. All alone.

Or so it seems.

Suddenly the tv starts SCANNING CHANNELS ON ITS OWN. Fiona
gasps, covering her mouth, baffled at the scene taking
place before her.

The tv stops on various shows and commercials, collecting
words to convey a message:

TV
I'm...Here...

Fiona can't believe it.
63.
FIONA
...Where?

The tv scans.

FIONA (CONT'D)
...Who are you?

The tv scans.

FIONA (CONT'D)
...Yen?

The tv scans faster. A blur of images.

FIONA (CONT'D)
...Henry?
(then)
Danny?

BLIP. The tv shuts off.

Fiona doesn't move.

Doesn't breathe.

The only sounds: her thumping heart and the faint tick-tock
of the grandfather clock in the den. Which seems to be
ticking faster. In-sync with her racing heart.

The tv COMES BACK ON.

ON TV: The music video for Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak.

ON TV
Tonight there's gonna be a jail
break/Somewhere in this town/See
me and the boys we don't like
it/So we're getting up and going
down/Hiding low --

It gets stuck on this line. Hiding low...Hiding
low...Hiding low...

The volume increases.

HIDING LOW...HIDING LOW...HIDING LOW...

Fiona covers her ears as the volume grows louder.

HIDING LOW...HIDING LOW...

LOUDER.

HIDING LOW...
64.
Fiona presses her hands tighter to her ears. The sound
THUNDERING.

HIDING LOW...

The tv screen EXPLODES sending glass everywhere, IN
SLOW-MOTION. Fiona screams, shielding herself, as glass
rains down like sharp, shiny confetti.


Emory eats lunch alone. He looks at the empty desk where
Lydia usually sits.

Where are you Lydia?

Just then, a commotion ERUPTS in the hallway.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

A crowd of middle-schoolers has formed around two students
duking it out.

It's Lydia and Wesley! Lydia KICKS Wesley between the legs.
Down he goes.

WESLEY
AHHHH!

Just as Lydia reaches for a pencil on the floor --

We pull away to see Emory emerging from his classroom. He
starts toward the crowd, ready to break it up.

LYDIA (O.S.)
Fuck you!

WESLEY (O.S.)
AHHHH!

Emory stays back and lets it continue.

WESLEY (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Stop! AHHHH!

Barb and another teacher APPEAR running toward the crowd.

BARB
Break it up!

The crowd scatters.
65.
Barb pulls Lydia away. Lydia's face is splattered with
blood - Wesley's. And she's smiling from ear to ear like a
mad woman.

As Lydia is dragged past Emory, she slides him a look:
Impressed?

And out of her hand drops a bloody pencil. Right at Emory's
feet.

Emory kneels down and picks it up.

Barb shoots Emory a glare and continues dragging Lydia down
the hallway while the other teacher guides a weeping Wesley
the opposite direction - to the nurse's office.


Emory drives up to the house and parks.

He stares at the house. Dread twisting his guts into knots.

INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING

A broom sweeps broken glass into a dust pan. Emory cleans
up the mess on the floor. He looks at the busted tv screen,
troubled.


Bedside lamp on.

Fiona lies in bed awake, tiny cuts on her face from the
shards of glass, disturbed by what's happened.

FIONA
(murmuring)
Hiding low...hiding low...

The bedside lamp FLICKERS.

Fiona turns, looks at the lamp. A thought.

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Emory finishes sweeping. He goes to take the dust pan into
the kitchen when he runs into Fiona, who's hurrying down
the stairs.
66.
FIONA
What if they're buried here?
(off Emory's look)
Yen and the baby. What if Henry
buried them somewhere in the
house?

Hid 'em in the walls. Emory shakes the thought away.

EMORY
Fi. They're trying to scare us
off. The neighbor, the cashier --

FIONA
Cashier?

EMORY
That's all. They don't want us
here. She's gotten into your head.

FIONA
You think I did that to the tv?

Emory's face says it all. Yes. Yes he does.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Emory. What Esther said is real.
Real. This place...There's
something here. I can feel it.
I've always felt it and I ignored
it, pushed it to the back of my
mind, we're not alone.
(then)
The lights. What about the lights?
You really expect me to believe
it's rats?

That's right. The lights. Tell the truth Emory.

EMORY
We're the only ones here. Please.
Go to bed. You're tired.

He heads for the kitchen. Fiona watches him go.


Emory dumps the broken glass into the trashcan.

He turns to leave when he catches --

A glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye.

He turns back, eyes locking on --
67.
A plate, lying on the kitchen counter. It's TREMBLING.

EMORY
(sotto)
What the...

The plate FLIES OFF THE COUNTER AND SMASHES AGAINST THE
WALL.

FIONA (O.S.)
Emory?!

Fiona runs in. Emory blinks at her, stunned at what he just
witnessed.

On the shattered plate --


A half-packed suitcase. Emory tosses more clothes inside.

FIONA
We can't stay in a hotel forever.
We don't have the money.

He doesn't give a shit. He continues packing the suitcase.

FIONA (CONT'D)
If Esther's right, if there is a
curse, it'll just follow us. Just
like it did Henry.

Good point. Emory hadn't thought of that.

FIONA (CONT'D)
What if we could somehow break it?

EMORY
...How?

FIONA
What if we could help them move on
to the other side? You know, like
that movie we watched.

EMORY
Poltergeist?

FIONA
We have to try. If we can find out
where they're buried...

Hid 'em in the walls.
68.
Dread creeps into Emory's face. Fiona notices.

FIONA (CONT'D)
What? What is it?

INT. BASEMENT - LATER

Grunting and moaning. Emory and Fiona work together to move
the dusty old fridge.

Finally they get it far enough out of the way.

Fiona reaches in her pocket, pulls out the skeleton key,
ready to insert it --

EMORY
Wait. Whatever we find behind this
door, we can't unsee it. Are you
sure you want to?

Fiona considers. Whatever needs to be done must be done.
She gives a stiff nod.

The skeleton key slides right in.

Click.

Fiona and Emory exchange a look. Together, using all their
might, they push the heavy door open.

And what they see sends their jaws nearly hitting the
floor.

A long beat.

Then we see what they see...

A long, dark tunnel. Faint light glowing at the end.


A gust of wind rattles the treetops.

INT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS

Walking through the tunnel, holding hands, Fiona and Emory
travel deeper, the light behind them beginning to fade away
while the light ahead grows brighter.

Emory glances back. Fiona stares ahead.

They continue on.
69.
As they near the light at the end of the tunnel, they're
finally able to see their surroundings.

Emory is first to notice.

Painted on the walls of the tunnel are violent images of
war. Eyes peeking out from tall grass. Eyes of soldiers
brandishing guns.

Another image shows a village engulfed in flames, bodies of
women and children lying dead on the ground.

EMORY
Fiona.

Fiona turns to look at the images, taking it all in.
Disturbed but intrigued.

Keep going.

Her hand slips away from Emory's as she moves on, leaving
him behind.

Emory stares at the tunnel wall, fascinated and frightened
by one image in particular: On a bloody battlefield,
surrounded by lifeless bodies of soldiers, stands a woman
in white with long dark hair and no face.

EMORY (CONT'D)
You seeing this?

No response.

He turns just in time to see --

Fiona, far away, disappearing into the light.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Fiona!

He breaks into a run.

Heading for the light...

Light growing brighter...

Brighter...

Until it CONSUMES him.

INT. BUNKER - CONTINUOUS

Emory emerges from the tunnel. Out of breath. Heart racing.
Eyes fighting to adjust.
70.
Everything a blur.

Eventually different things start to come into focus: A
stack of books; Shelves of canned goods; A bunk bed.

And finally Fiona. Frozen in place. Staring at something in
the corner of the room.

EMORY
Fi?

Emory follows her gaze. Shock swallows his face when he
sees --

A 12 yr. old half Vietnamese girl, just standing there
staring back. Jet black hair and pale skin. Dressed in
green pajamas and holding a transistor radio.

Meet IRIS.


At the kitchen table, Iris sits opposite Fiona. Emory
stands far away, arms crossed, on edge.

Iris is a shy girl with a quiet voice.

FIONA
What's your name?

IRIS
Iris.

FIONA
I'm Fiona. That's Emory.

A beat.

FIONA (CONT'D)
How long were you down there?

IRIS
Always.

FIONA
Always?

Iris nods. Fiona and Emory exchange a look.

Fiona leans in, speaking with a delicate tone.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Do you know what happened to your
father?
71.
IRIS
...Went away. Same as mother.

FIONA
Went away?

Iris points up. Fiona understands. After a beat:

IRIS
I'm thirsty.

Fiona throws Emory a look. Emory hesitates, then fills a
glass of water from the tap and gives it to Iris. He takes
a step back, making sure to keep his distance.

IRIS (CONT'D)
Thank you.

She gulps it down till it's empty.

FIONA
Do you know why he kept you down
there?

Iris keeps hold of her glass. Says nothing.

EMORY
The lights, tv, all that. Was that
you?

Iris looks at him and gives a small nod.

EMORY (CONT'D)
...How?

Iris considers. She moves her hand away from the glass.

A moment.

Suddenly the GLASS SLIDES ACROSS THE TABLE.

Fiona leaps out of her seat.

Iris keeps her head down, eyes on the table.

Fiona and Emory share a stunned look.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Blue morning light streams in through the window.

Emory has fallen asleep sitting upright on the couch.

Meanwhile, across the room...
72.
Fiona and Iris, seated Indian-style on the floor, have been
up all night.

Iris shows off, levitating the transistor radio.

Fiona watches with fascination.

The radio turns ON and starts scanning stations. Music
tries to break through but ends up lost in the static.

FIONA
Wow. Amazing.

Suddenly the radio picks up her words, on a slight delay,
echoing it back:

FIONA'S VOICE
(through radio)
Wow. Amazing.

She can't believe it.

FIONA
Is this why he kept you down
there? Because of what you can do?

The radio HITS the floor and shuts off. Iris gives Fiona a
look.

IRIS
He wanted to protect me. He said
the world would go away.

FIONA
Go away?

Iris gestures: BOOM!

Fiona swallows hard. Feeling eyes on her, she turns to see
Emory, who's awake and unsettled by what he just heard.


Emory walks to his car. Fiona follows.

EMORY
I should stay.

FIONA
You can't get fired and you can't
quit. We need the money.

Emory sighs. He knows she's right - no money, no leaving.
73.
EMORY
We have to tell someone, Fi.

FIONA
We will. Just give me some time
with her. Just a day. We'll call
someone tomorrow.

Emory gets in his car.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Tomorrow. Promise.

Emory's not completely convinced. Fiona shuts the door for
him.


The couch floats mid-air.

Fiona stares up at it, captivated. She looks to Iris who
has her hands raised.

Suddenly the couch WOBBLES and CRASHES to the floor.

Fiona jumps back.

IRIS
Sorry.

FIONA
Could you always do this?

Iris shakes her head.

IRIS
Only when the red came.

Off Fiona's confused look, Iris gestures between her legs.
Fiona understands.

IRIS (CONT'D)
(sadly)
It's my fault he left.

Iris takes a seat on the couch. Fiona sits down beside her.

FIONA
What happened to him was an
accident. It could happen to
anyone. It's not your fault.
(then)
How did you know that he...went
away?
74.
IRIS
...A feeling.

FIONA
And your mom?

A FLASH OF IMAGES: Yen, sweating, wailing, in labor.
Flickering lights. Furniture crashing to the floor. A baby
crying. A pool of blood on the sheets.

A moment of heavy silence. Then:

FIONA (CONT'D)
You don't know anything else about
her?


FIONA (CONT'D)
Nothing at all?

IRIS
...Father said I'm like her.

She gives Fiona a look.

IRIS (CONT'D)
He said she saved him. From bad
men. He said the world is full of
bad men who want to destroy it.

INT. SCHOOL - LATER

The entrance door to the school opens. In walks Roy, door
closing behind him.

He walks down the empty hallway. Boot heels clicking on the
linoleum.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Pete sits at his desk. Uncaps his flask. Takes a swig.

A KNOCK at the door.

Shit. He hides the flask back in the top drawer. Takes a
drink of water, swishing it around in his mouth.

Another knock.

He swallows it too fast. Coughs.

Another knock. More impatient.
75.
PETE
(in between coughs)
Come...in...

The door opens. When Pete sees who it is, his face
tightens.

ROY
Hiya, Petey. Got a sec?

Pete frowns.


Somber faces of students, staring ahead, dimly lit by the
glow of a flickering projector screen.

ON PROJECTOR SCREEN: A collection of black and white video
clips of WWII. Fighter-bombers in the sky. Soldiers
invading the beaches of Normandy. Concentration camps.
Nazis marching. Destroyed cities. Dead bodies. Bombs.
Chaos.

Emory stands by the window. He looks out just in time to
see --

Roy peel out of the parking lot.

Before he can give it much thought, there's a KNOCK at the
door. Emory goes to answer it and sees Pete through the
little window.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - LATER

Pete, at his desk. Emory, across from him. They've been in
here awhile now.

PETE
She's been suspended. Two weeks.
Plus counseling. Lucky that's all
she got.

EMORY
And Wesley?

PETE
He'll be returning after the
weekend.

Emory scoffs. Seriously?
76.
EMORY
It was self-defense. You weren't
doing anything about it so --

PETE
This isn't about me. This is about
you. And what you told her to do.
For Christ's sake she stabbed him.

EMORY
Wait a second. I didn't tell her
to stab anyone.

PETE
You stood back and watched.

Good point. Emory sighs.

EMORY
You're right. I'm sorry. I
should've stepped in.

PETE
Barb has volunteered to take over
your class. I'll be combining
yours with hers until we find
someone else to take over.

EMORY
There's gotta be another way --

PETE
I spoke to the board. They want
you gone as much as I do.
(a pause, then)
You realize they put you here to
make the school look better. More
diverse. You're expendable,
replaceable. And now it's time go.

Emory's hands clench into fists.

Reach across the desk and punch Pete in his stupid face. Do
it.

But Emory won't. He's better than that.

He stands, reaches his hand out for a handshake. Pete leans
back, crossing his arms.

PETE (CONT'D)
You were never a good fit here. I
knew it the minute you walked
through the door.
77.
Emory starts to go --

PETE (CONT'D)
You should start looking for a new
job somewhere else. A new town.
Maybe something not in the
education system. People like you
tainting the youth is why the
world's so messed up in the first
place.

Emory wants to scream FUCK YOU! But that's just what Pete
wants - an outburst. And Emory's not gonna give it to him.

He swallows his anger and walks out the door.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER

Emory repairs the broken window in the living room, alone.
Fiona and Iris' chatter and laughter can be heard from a
different room.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - EVENING

Emory pushes food around on his plate with his fork. He's
sitting at the table having dinner with Fiona and Iris.

Fiona and Iris are relaxed, content, nearly finished with
their plates.

Emory, however, is a different story. He seems distant. A
resentful third-wheel. A toddler on the verge of a tantrum.

Fiona notices.

FIONA
How was work?

EMORY
(terse)
Fine.

Fiona frowns and changes the subject.

FIONA
Watch what Iris can do.

Fiona gets up and leaves the room. Emory gives Iris a
suspicious look. Iris returns a sheepish grin.

A moment later.
78.
Fiona returns with the transistor radio. She sets it down
in the middle of the table.

FIONA (CONT'D)
(sitting down)
Show him.

The transistor radio turns ON, scanning different stations.

EMORY
Hmm. Static. Interesting.

Through the crackling noise:

EMORY'S VOICE
(through radio)
Hmm. Static. Interesting.

Fiona clasps her hands together, barely able to contain her
giddiness. Emory is unsettled.

FIONA
Iris could hear us this whole
time.

EMORY
(to Iris)
You were spying on us?

FIONA
(correcting him)
Listening.

EMORY
(to Fiona)
What's the difference?

No one says anything.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Bedside lamp on. Emory sits in bed, a serious look on his
face.

FIONA (O.S.)
(from bathroom)
Just one more day. Then we'll
call.

Fiona comes out of the bathroom.
79.
FIONA
Seriously. When will we ever get a
chance like this again? She's
amazing, right? Don't you think?

EMORY
I don't trust her.

Fiona joins him in bed. Emory gives her a look.

EMORY (CONT'D)
He kept her down there for a
reason.

FIONA
Cause of what she can do. Her
gift.

EMORY
Is that what it is? A gift?


Moonlight streams in through the window, illuminating Iris'
face. She's lying on the couch, awake, holding the
transistor radio close to her chest.

The volume is low but Iris can still hear, through the
crackling static:

EMORY'S VOICE
(through radio)
What if he wasn't protecting her
from the world? What if it's the
other way around?

Iris stares off into space, her face unreadable.


Cold light of morning. Frost glistens on the grass like
tinsel on a Christmas tree.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - MORNING

Light creeps in through the window, falling across Emory
who hasn't slept all night. Fiona lies sound asleep beside
him.
80.
INT. DEN - MOMENTS LATER

Tick-tock of the grandfather clock. We hear a rustle and
turn to see --

Iris standing by the bookcase, turning a page in the Bible.
She stops on an underlined passage. Eyes scanning the page.

EMORY (O.S.)
What're you doing?

Iris doesn't turn around.

IRIS
(reading passage)
And when the Lamb opened the
second seal, I heard the second
beast say, Come and see. Then
another horse went forth --

EMORY
It was bright red.

Iris turns to face him, surprised at his familiarity with
the Bible.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Power was given to the rider to
take peace from the earth. Make
men slay each other.

They're both quiet for a moment. Iris shuts the Bible, puts
it back on the shelf.

IRIS
Father said the Bible tells of a
great war. The third and final.

She looks at him and recites:

IRIS (CONT'D)
Powerful wealthy men will sit up
in their towers that reach the
sky, looking down on all of us
while we fight and kill each other
to survive.

Dread creeps into her face.

IRIS (CONT'D)
And then...

She gestures: BOOM.
81.

Snow drifts down.

IRIS (V.O.)
We're nothing but ashes falling
from the sky.

INT. BAR - LATER

The door opens, briefly letting the sunlight in. Pete steps
inside, shaking snow off. He looks to the Bartender. The
Bartender points to the back of the bar where Roy sits
alone at a table.

Pete goes to him. Sits down. Roy's had a few drinks already
- three empty glasses, and another he's currently working
on.

PETE
Isn't it a little early?

ROY
Ohhh so sorry mother.

Pete rolls his eyes and unzips his coat. He glances around
the bar, no one within earshot. He leans forward and lowers
his voice anyway:

PETE
He'll be gone soon. He thinks he's
fired. Everyone else thinks he's
quit.

ROY
That ain't gonna solve shit. He
knows, Pete.

Pete shushes him.

PETE
He doesn't. You're being paranoid.
How could he?

ROY
(not listening)
Comin' after me and now my boy.
Havin' a little girl do his dirty
work. Coward.

PETE
Actually it was self defense --
82.
ROY
(still not listening)
If he's threatenin' me, he's
threatenin' you.

Roy gulps down the rest of his drink. Points his finger at
Pete.

ROY (CONT'D)
I'm tellin' you right now Petey.
They know. Him and his bitch wife.
You shoulda seen the way she was
lookin' at me when I drove by.

PETE
Drove by? Where?

ROY
Walker's old place.

PETE
What? Why? Why're you driving by?

ROY
She was lookin' at me like I'm
some kinda...
(low)
Murderer.

Off Pete's look:

ROY (CONT'D)
It was an accident.
(then)
We done the world a favor.

A beat.

PETE
There's only one way he could
know. Did you tell Wes when you
were drunk?

ROY
Hell no. You take me for a fool?

Pete's silence speaks volumes.

ROY (CONT'D)
I didn't.

PETE
Doesn't matter. Without proof,
it's just words. Who d'ya think
the cops would believe?
83.
Good point. Roy relaxes a little. Then, his wheels start to
turn.

ROY
Unless. He does. Have some kinda
proof. Somehow. Why else corner me
in the bathroom?
(gasp)
Maybe he's meaning to blackmail
us.

On Pete as he considers Roy's words --


The snow is still falling. Several inches now on the
ground.


Fiona wakes, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She notices
Emory's gone. She yawns and rolls out of bed, grabbing her
robe from the floor.


At the kitchen table sits Emory and Iris.

EMORY
The paintings on the tunnel walls,
who did those?

IRIS
I did.

EMORY
Who's the woman in white?

Iris doesn't say.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Why'd you paint that? Did you see
something?

Iris nods.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Where?

IRIS
My dreams.
84.
Fiona walks in.

FIONA
What're you two up to?

EMORY
Just getting to know each other.

A beat.

IRIS
(to Fiona)
I'm hungry.

FIONA
You're in luck. Emory's a great
chef.

Emory eyes Iris, unsure of what to think about her.

EXT. BAR - LATER

The snow is starting to let up. Roy staggers out of the
bar, followed by Pete.

PETE
Let me give you a ride.

ROY
I'm fine.

Roy gets in his truck. Before he closes the door --

ROY (CONT'D)
We oughta be seen as heroes. Given
a fuckin' medal. We're like
vigilances.

PETE
Vigilantes?

ROY
He killed his wife and baby, the
sick psycho. Everyone knows it.
(a look)
I'll tell ya this, I ain't gonna
let nobody pull me on no strings.
'Specially no coon.

PETE
Don't do anything stupid. And stop
drinking.
85.
Roy shuts the door. His wipers come on, pushing the snow
off the windshield and directly onto Pete's boots. Pete
steps back.

A second later.

Engine roaring. Tires spinning. Exhaust smoking as Roy
takes off, slip-sliding out of the parking lot.

Pete frowns. Roy's gonna do something stupid and impulsive
and he knows it.


One light shines from the living room window.


Emory is sitting on the couch, deep in thought. Iris,
sitting on the floor in front of him levitating the
transistor radio.

Fiona enters, carrying a book from the den. She sits down
beside Emory and hands him the book. He reads the cover:
EVOLUTION OF MAN.

FIONA
I was so focused on the Bible I
didn't bother with any of the
other books.
(then)
Check the earmarked page.

Emory flips to the earmarked page: GENETIC MUTATIONS.

His eyes scan the page, focusing on various texts: Child
born with unbreakable bones; Woman with super hearing; Man
with incredible strength; Speed; Feel no pain; Breathe
underwater; Climb buildings; Extreme; Incredible;
SUPERHUMAN.

Fiona and Emory share a look.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Iris.

Iris looks at her. The transistor radio floats back down to
the floor.

FIONA (CONT'D)
How'd you know you could move
things?
86.
IRIS
...Father told me. It happened in
my sleep first. Just little
things. Books. Food.
(pause)
Then the bed.

Fiona glances at Emory. Then back to Iris:

FIONA
Have you ever tried to lift
yourself?


FIONA (CONT'D)
Could you try?

Iris considers, nods. Stands up. Fiona and Emory watch with
anticipation.

Iris shuts her eyes.

Deep breath. Focus.

Fiona and Emory look up as an overhead light begins to
flicker.

Iris' face tightens.

The overhead light flickers faster. Grows brighter.


A beer bottle EXPLODES on the ground.

Roy sits in his truck, parked in the middle of the road,
engine idling, window down. His breath fogging in the cold
air. Eyes fixed on the house.

His brow furrows at the sight of --

All the lights in the house flickering off and on.

Until.

The lights GO OUT.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

A flashlight beam cuts through the darkness.
87.
Fiona holds the flashlight for Emory as he searches through
kitchen cabinets and drawers, looking for spare light bulbs
and candles.

Meanwhile.

IN THE LIVING ROOM

Iris stands at the window, peering out at Roy's truck. She
brings the transistor radio to her ear, listening.

A serious look crosses her face.

Through the window: Roy speeds off.

Emory and Fiona walk in. Flashlight flickering as the
battery begins to die. Fiona smacks at it but it keeps
flickering.

FIONA
Is the store still open?

CUT TO:

INT. STORE - NIGHT - PAST

Bright fluorescent lights. The store is empty except for
the Female Cashier and...

Henry Walker, who's in the PERSONAL CARE aisle nervously
scanning the feminine needs section.

So many choices. Pink and blue boxes.

He finally makes a decision. As he reaches out to grab a
box of sanitary pads, a commotion breaks out up front. He
listens. Can't make out any of the words.

He sneaks to the end of the aisle, craning his neck to
see --

At the front of the store, Roy. Drunk, pushy, hitting on
the Female Cashier. She's not into it.

Henry watches a moment longer.

Do something.

He steels himself and heads to the front of the store. But
before he can utter a word --

ROY
Hey. I know you.
88.
EXT. STORE PARKING LOT - LATER

The entrance door swings open. Henry hurries out, empty
handed, making a beeline for his car.

Which is parked directly next to Roy's truck. And there's
Pete, sitting in the passenger's seat.

Just as Henry is about to reach his car --

ROY
(stumbling out)
Murderer! Baby killer!

Pete sees the commotion and opens the truck door, blocking
Henry from getting in the car.

BACK TO:

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT - PRESENT

One small light shines in the darkness. Coming from a
candle in a cup sitting on the bedside table. Dimly
illuminating Fiona and Emory, who are sitting up in bed, in
the middle of a hushed discussion.

EMORY
We can't keep her. She's not ours.

FIONA
We can't trust anyone. Not with
what she can do. They'll brainwash
her. Use her.
(a look)
Bad men who want to destroy the
world.

EMORY
She's dangerous.

FIONA
She's a kid.

EMORY
She needs help. From
professionals.

FIONA
Professionals? We can raise her to
be good. To do good.

Fiona grabs his hand and looks into his eyes.
89.
FIONA (CONT'D)
We can be a family. What we've
wanted, it's here, right now, this
is it.

Emory considers.

On the candle's dancing flame --

CUT TO:

EXT. RURAL ROAD - NIGHT - PAST

CLOSE ON: An eye. Lifeless. Looking right at us. We pull
back to see that it belongs to...

A dead possum on the road. Guts splayed out on the
pavement.

We STAY ON the possum as a vehicle approaches. Tires
MASHING its body.

Then another vehicle.

We look up to see Roy driving away.

INT. HENRY'S CAR - MOVING

Henry grips the wheel. White knuckles. Eyes on the road
ahead.

Headlights and horn blaring from behind. Henry glances in
the rearview mirror to see Roy on his tail.

He presses his foot to the gas.

The speed-o-meter climbs to 80.

And Roy keeps up.

85.

Horn blaring.

90.

Roy FLASHES his brights.

Momentarily blinding Henry as he glances in the rearview
mirror and --

Loses control of the wheel.
90.
BACK TO:

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT - PRESENT

Emory and Fiona, arguing. We hear nothing. We only see --

Things beginning to shake. Their bed. The bedside table.
They share a concerned look as --

The candle goes out, leaving them in darkness.

CUT TO:

EXT. RURAL ROAD - NIGHT - PAST

The crash. Henry, trying to get out of the car.

Roy's truck pulls up. Pete jumps out.

PETE
Fuck!

Roy opens the door and steps out. Stunned.

PETE (CONT'D)
Holy shit! Help! Help!

We STAY ON Roy as Pete runs off.

A moment later.

Henry's SCREAM pierces the night.

We do not see the fire this time, only the hellish glow
cast across Roy's face, flames reflected in his glassy
eyes.

BACK TO:

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - NIGHT - PRESENT

We hear nothing. See almost nothing. Except --

The flashlight beam flickering and waving like a strobe
light as Fiona stumbles down the stairs in the dark.

As she moves through the darkness, we see things toppling
around her. Furniture sliding across the floor. She screams
and ducks as a chair flies past, nearly clipping her --

We hear the chair HIT the wall. All sound returns.
91.
Fiona runs into the living room where Iris sleeps on the
couch, tossing and turning, stuck in a nightmare.

FIONA
Iris! Wake up!

Just as her hand reaches out for Iris --

An invisible force GRABS FIONA. PULLING HER BACK.
SUSPENDING HER MID-AIR.

The flashlight drops out of Fiona's hand and rolls away.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Iris! Wake up!

Emory appears, running past Fiona. He grabs Iris --

EMORY
Iris!

Shaking her until she wakes up. Fiona hits the floor with a
soft THUD. Iris stares up at Emory, disoriented, tears
streaming down her cheeks.

And for the first Emory sees her for what she is: A
heartbroken, terrified child.

She clings to Emory, burying her face in his chest. And
Emory lets her.

On Fiona, as she begins to realize the gravity of the
situation --

The flashlight dies.

DARKNESS.


Naked tree limbs, silhouetted against a grey sky, look like
sharp skeleton fingers reaching for heaven.


Sausage sizzles in a pan on the stove. Emory cooks
breakfast while Fiona looks on from the doorway. She turns
and leaves.
92.

A hand grabs the framed photo of the two children. Iris
regards the picture with curiosity.

FIONA (O.S.)
My brother Danny.

Iris turns to Fiona. Sadness clouds Fiona's eyes.

IRIS
What happened to him?

FIONA
...Went away.

Fiona gently takes the photo from Iris, looks at it
briefly, puts it back on the end table. Then sits down on
the couch, patting the cushion beside her. Iris sits down.

Fiona opens her hand, showing Iris the scar on her palm.

FIONA (CONT'D)
He saved me. From a bad man.

Iris touches the scar.

FIONA (CONT'D)
I have dreams about him sometimes.
Bad dreams.
(then)
Did you have a bad dream last
night?

Iris gives a small nod.

FIONA (CONT'D)
About what?

Iris' face darkens.

IRIS
What happened to father.

EXT. ROY'S HOUSE - LATER

Roy's truck, parked on the front lawn. The front door of
the house opens. Wesley steps out, looking around for his
father.

No sign of Roy.

Wesley shivers, breath visible in the cold air.
93.
We follow behind him as he moves round the side of the
house and to the

BACKYARD

Where there's a small shed and beer cans scattered across
the snowy ground.

He stares at the shed for a long moment. Hesitant. Then, he
moves for the door, reaching for the handle --

The door FLIES OPEN, knocking Wesley back and onto his ass.
He sits on the ground, staring up at his father.

A scary looming figure. A giant. A monster dressed as a
human. Roy's holding a CAN OF GASOLINE, and finally wearing
a coat.

ROY
Whatchu doin' down there?

Wesley gets to his feet, brushes himself off.

WESLEY
We don't got no food in the house.

ROY
(pushing past)
I got shit to do.

Wesley follows.

WESLEY
I'm hungry.

ROY
So go to your friend's house.

WESLEY
...What friend?

Roy puts the can of gasoline in the truck bed. Then he
opens the driver's door and settles behind the wheel.
Before he closes the door, he imparts some of his "wisdom"
onto his son:

ROY
Never show any weakness to anyone
ever. We got the power and we
can't let anyone take it away.

And with that, he shuts the door and drives off. Wesley
watches him go.
94.

Iris eats breakfast alone. Transistor radio sitting in the
middle of the table, emitting low static. Emory's voice
breaks through:

EMORY (O.S.)
(through radio)
It's just a dream.


Emory sits on the edge of the bed. Fiona's at the window,
looking out.

FIONA
She knew his truck.

EMORY
Because she saw it out there.

Fiona turns to him.

FIONA
In the dark, all the way out there
on the road, how could she see his
back window?

EMORY
She heard us talking about him
before, Fi.

FIONA
And what about the two men she
described? I know one of them
sounds a lot like the guy I saw
driving by here that day. And I
don't remember ever talking about
what he looked like. Do you?

Good point. Emory shakes his head.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Who do you think the other one is?

Emory has a good idea. But says nothing.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Maybe you should put your two
weeks in. Maybe someone could give
you a good recommendation?

EMORY
...I don't think so.
95.
FIONA
Why not?

Emory hesitates, then opens his mouth to confess --

EXT. RURAL ROAD - LATER

Roy brings a glass pocket flask to his lips, takes a swig,
eyes fixed on something across the road.

We follow his gaze to --

The scene of the crime, where Henry Walker burned alive.

Roy's eyes harden as he takes another drink.

And with that, WE PULL AWAY, UP INTO THE SKY, leaving him
behind.

We focus on the two BILLBOARDS we saw earlier. Since then,
they've been defaced to read: IF YOU LIVE TODAY, WHERE WILL
YOU GO? And the other: HELL IS NOT REAL.

We LOOK BACK DOWN AND SUDDENLY --

Night has fallen.

The road is empty.

INT. EMORY AND FIONA'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT

Light seeps in from the hallway. A hand reaches up and
twists a fresh light bulb into place.

Emory's standing on a footstool.

EMORY
The switch.

Fiona hits the light switch. The bulb sparks to life.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Alright that's the last one.

He steps off the footstool.

EMORY (CONT'D)
I could probably get my old job
back.

FIONA
Go back to Baltimore?
96.
EMORY
Where else're we gonna go?

Fiona is quiet.

EMORY (CONT'D)
We're not safe here. Not safe
there.

He goes to her.

EMORY (CONT'D)
But at least we'll be together.
And now, we have a family.

Fiona smiles at this. He holds her.

EMORY (CONT'D)
And I'll do whatever it takes to
protect us.

Iris passes by the doorway in the background.

We move out into the HALLWAY and follow behind her as she
walks around the house, using her powers to clean up the
chaos from last night. Putting everything back in its
place.

We follow behind her as she climbs up the stairs and to the

UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

Feet padding on the floor. She stops outside Emory and
Fiona's closed bedroom door.

She gently pushes it open and stands in their doorway --

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

A small shadowy figure stands in the doorway, watching
Emory and Fiona sleep.

It's dark and quiet.

We slowly PUSH IN ON the shadowy figure...

It's Iris. She looks distressed.


Boots crunching on snow.
97.
Roy walks around the house, drunk. A white handkerchief
covering half his face - like a bandit.

Pouring gasoline as he goes.


Tick-tock of the grandfather clock. It STRIKES midnight.


We hear the faint BONG! BONG! of the grandfather clock.

Fiona stirs, wakes, sees the dark figure in the doorway.
She gasps, startled. When she realizes it's Iris, she calms
down.

She motions to Iris: Come closer.

Iris does.

FIONA
What's wrong?

IRIS
(hushed)
The bad man's outside.

EXT. BACK OF HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Gasoline SPLASHES against the house.


Fiona wakes Emory.

EMORY
(disoriented)
Huh. What?

He sees Iris beside the bed. Registers the fear in Fiona's
eyes. He sits up.

EMORY (CONT'D)
What is it?


The last bits of gasoline dribble out of the can.
98.
Roy has made it all the way around the house and back to
the front again. He tosses the empty can of gasoline aside.

Hesitates.

No going back after this one Roy.

His eyes go hard. He digs around in his pants pocket and
produces a box of matches --


The wooden case. Emory opens the lid. Grabs the gun.

He starts to go --

FIONA
Wait.

He turns back.

FIONA (CONT'D)
I love you.

EMORY
Love you too.

And with that, he goes, leaving Fiona and Iris behind.


A STRIKE of a match.

The wind blows the flame out.

ROY
(sotto)
Dammit.

Cold fingers fumbling with the box. He drops it. Matches
falling into the wet snow. Ruining all but a few.

He kneels, grabs the box, three good matches left. He
stands. STRIKES a match. A flare. Moves to toss it when --

The front door opens and Emory emerges, wielding the gun.

The match goes out as Roy ducks out of sight.

Emory's eyes scan the darkness, just missing Roy as he
slinks off to the side of the house.

A tense beat.
99.
Emory's nostrils flare, discovering the scent of the
gasoline. He steps out into the yard, eyes searching --

Finding the matches in the snow.

Then --

The red can of gasoline.

Fuck!

He looks back to the house, to the upstairs window where
Fiona and Iris are looking out.


Emory waves his arms wildly, mouthing: Get out! Get out!

They misinterpret this as:

FIONA
(pulling Iris back)
Get away from the window.


Emory exhales, thinking they understood him.

He looks around and sees boot prints in the snow. Two sets
- coming and going.

Emory raises the gun.

Meanwhile.

ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE

Roy fumbles with match number two. Shivering, freezing.
Should've worn gloves.

Better hurry up. Emory's coming.

Roy listens to Emory's footsteps closing in. Just around
the corner. He takes off to the back of the house.

AROUND THE CORNER --

Emory stops in his tracks. Listening to Roy's footsteps
hurrying away.

BACK OF THE HOUSE

Roy stumbles, falling into the snow, dropping the match.
100.
He scrambles up, shivering all over, teeth chattering under
the white handkerchief over his face. It's too fucking
cold. But he's gotta keep running.

Or.

A thought.

He pulls the glass flask out of his coat pocket, rips the
handkerchief off his face and stuffs it in the opening of
the flask - a makeshift Molotov cocktail.

He produces the final match just as --

EMORY
Hands up!

Roy raises both hands. One gripping the Molotov cocktail.
The other holding the match.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Don't fucking move!

Emory realizes what's in Roy's hands.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Toss it in the snow.

A tense beat.

EMORY (CONT'D)
I said toss it!

Roy doesn't react. Emory's trembling finger hovers over the
trigger, he's shaking so hard he might accidentally blow
Roy's head off.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Toss it! Now!

Still nothing from Roy. Nothing but chattering teeth. Then.
A grin. In one swift motion, his thumbnail FLARES the match
and brings it to the handkerchief.


In the far corner of the room, Fiona and Iris hold onto
each other.

BANG!

A gunshot rings out.
101.
INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Esther JOLTS awake.


Everything sounds muffled as Roy FALLS back. Molotov
cocktail FLYING out of his hand. It HITS the house.

FLAMES.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Quiet, cautious footsteps as Fiona sneaks down the dark
hallway. Iris right behind her.

When they make it to the staircase, they see --

FLAMES outside. Moving all the way around the house.
Impossibly fast.


Roy writhes in the snow. Holding the side of his head. Half
of his ear shot off!

Emory hurries away, chasing the trail of flames as it moves
to --

THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE

EMORY
Fiona?! Iris?!

They're not out here.

EMORY (CONT'D)
Fiona?!

He looks at the house. Flames reflected in his wet eyes.
And that's when he sees...

Two figures moving inside.


Thick smoke everywhere.

Fiona hurries down the stairs holding Iris' hand. The front
door ON FIRE. Everything engulfed in flames. NO WAY OUT.
102.
They can barely breathe. Can barely see.

Iris waves her free hand.

The front door FLIES off its hinges. The windows EXPLODE.

Fiona screams, shielding Iris.

Go. Go. GO.

Fiona pushes on, struggling against the smoke, losing her
grip on Iris' hand in the process.

Emory appears, running through the front door.

EMORY
(hacking)
Come...on!

FIONA
(hacking)
Iris!

No sign of Iris. Too much smoke. No more time!

Emory pulls Fiona toward the door.

FIONA (CONT'D)
NO!

Fiona pulls free.

EMORY
Fi!

She disappears into the smoke. Emory follows. And we follow
Emory as he struggles, hacking, lungs and eyes burning.

Finally, he stumbles into Fiona who's kneeling on the
floor, holding onto an unconscious Iris.

Emory looks back at the front door as --

INT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Esther looks out her window and sees --

Smoke rising to the sky.


Roy is gone. Leaving behind a pool of blood in the snow.
103.
EXT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Esther steps out of her house, staring at the cloud of
thick smoke.

In the distance, a siren wails.


The fire roars, sending embers soaring and swirling toward
the night sky like stars falling upwards.

SMASH CUT TO:


A breeze blows pollen through the air. We follow the pollen
as it drifts toward...

Emory and Fiona's house - nothing left but a blackened
shell.

Time has passed. It's Spring. Flowers in full bloom. Weeds
growing out of control.

We slowly MOVE CLOSER to the house, until we're --


Inside. Moving faster as we travel...

ROY (V.O.)
Ruled it an accident.

Down the HALLWAY...

ROY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
No survivors possible.

Into the KITCHEN...

PETE (V.O.)
But what about the bodies?

Through the BASEMENT door...

ROY (V.O.)
That part can't be explained.

Down the stairs...

ROY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
They just...disappeared.
104.
Finally we reach the closed BUNKER DOOR. We hold on it for
a long time.

Until.

It slowly begins to open --

INT. BAR - CONTINUOUS

Roy and Pete, at a table in the back.

PETE
And your ear?

We see Roy's scarred, mangled ear.

ROY
Got it from a huntin' accident.

He grins, proud of himself. He takes a drink of whiskey,
gives Pete a look.

ROY (CONT'D)
Why am I drinkin' alone? Don't you
know this is a celebration?

Celebration? Pete is appalled by this.

ROY (CONT'D)
Suit yourself.

Roy takes another drink.

EXT. BAR - EVENING

A fiery red sky.

The door opens. Roy and Pete walk out.

ROY
(re: sky)
You ever seen it so red?

PETE
...I decided to join a new group.
AA.
(off Roy's look)
Alcoholic's Anonymous.

ROY
I know what it is.
105.
PETE
Maybe you oughta consider doing
the same.

Roy scoffs.

PETE (CONT'D)
In that case, I think it's best we
don't see each other anymore.

ROY
It's a small town Petey. Goin' be
a little hard.

PETE
(walks away)
Just the same.

Roy watches him go. Then he gets in his truck.

INT. ROY'S TRUCK - CONTINUOUS

Slams the door shut. Scoffs.

ROY
AA.

Shoves the key in the ignition.

EXT. ROY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

As the last bits of sunlight disappear behind the trees,
shadows come to life.

We CREEP past Roy's truck, parked on the lawn again, as we
make our way toward the front door...

We can hear a heated argument taking place inside.

A second later.

The door FLIES open. Wesley explodes out of the house,
disappearing from frame.

Roy appears in the doorway. Whiskey bottle in hand.

ROY
(slurring drunk)
Don't come back! Faggot!

He throws the whiskey bottle.

It EXPLODES on the ground. Roy slams the door shut.
106.
We STAY ON the shattered glass.

A few seconds pass.

Then.

Footsteps approach. Someone small. We see their shadow in
the broken glass as they walk by. Headed for the house.

Followed by two more.

INT. ROY'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

The only light comes from a tv.

We hear the canned laughter of a sitcom as we follow a
trail of empty beer cans across the floor to...

A cooler beside an easy chair. A hand reaches down and
grabs a beer.

Roy pops the tab. Takes a swig. Shadows dancing across his
face from the glow of the tv.

We PULL OUT to see, nailed to the wall behind Roy, a KKK
FLAG - an emblem of a Blood Drop Cross just like the one
tattooed on his bicep.

He CACKLES at something on the tv.

A moment later.

We hear the crackle and hiss of static.

ROY
(sotto)
What the fuck...

He gets up, staggering to the tv. Adjusts the antenna.
Static still. Angry, he throws the antenna at the wall next
to a window --

Where Iris is looking in!

Roy jumps, startled. Iris leaves the window.

ROY (CONT'D)
Hey!

He goes to the window. Opens it. Throws his head out.
Looking around.

No one there.
107.
He slams the window closed.

Canned laughter fills the air.

Roy's eyes slide to the tv.

ON TV: The show continues without missing a beat.

Roy stares at the tv, baffled. Then he looks to the antenna
lying on the floor.

What the fuck's going on?

After a moment, he staggers toward the antenna --

An overhead light COMES ON.

Roy stops, staring up at the light as it begins to flicker.

A beat.

The floor trembles beneath his feet.

Beer cans rattling.

And with that.

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.

Lights FLICKERING.

Doors OPENING.

Furniture FLYING.

TV EXPLODING.

EXT. ROY'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Roy stumbles out the door. FALLS. Hits the dirt face first.

He stays on the ground moaning in agony. When he finally
looks up, we see blood streaming from his nose.

It's calm and quiet out here.

A gentle breeze blows. Treetops sway. Stars are beginning
to pop up in the sky.

Roy gets to his feet. Wipes his nose with the back of his
hand. Sees the blood.

Footsteps.
108.
Roy spins around. Eyes searching the darkness.

ROY
I got right to bear arms! Know
what that means? Means you're on
my property and I can shoot you --

An invisible force GRABS HIM --

ROY (CONT'D)
AHHH!

SUSPENDS HIM MID-AIR.

Iris steps out of the shadows, hands raised. Behind her,
Fiona and Emory appear.

Roy's mouth drops open in disbelief. He starts to say
something --

Iris forms a fist.

Roy's mouth SNAPS shut. He squeals, writhes as --

His ankle TWISTS.

CRACK.

A muffled scream from Roy's closed mouth.

With a hand motion from Iris --

Roy's arm TWISTS behind his back. POP.

Another muffled scream.

His arm dangles out of the socket.

Iris raises both hands high --

Fiona puts a hand on Iris' shoulder.

FIONA
Enough.

A beat.

Roy's body hits the ground with a THUD.

EXT. RURAL ROAD - NIGHT

Red taillights glowing in the darkness.

Only one vehicle on the road.
109.
INT. ROY'S TRUCK - MOVING

Emory drives. Iris in the middle. Fiona on the end.

Three somber faces staring at the road ahead.

EXT. ROY'S TRUCK - CONTINUOUS

In the truck bed: Roy, gagged and tied up, squirming to get
free. But the ropes are too tight and his body is in too
much pain.

So he stops, resigned to his fate, and he gazes up at --

A sea of twinkling stars - a beautiful, serene sight. One
he'll never see again.

EXT. ROY'S TRUCK - LATER

The truck bed: now empty.

Roy's truck, parked behind Emory and Fiona's house in the
backyard.

INT. BASEMENT - LATER

A SPOTLIGHT on the bunker door as it shuts.

Fiona holds a flashlight while Emory looks on. Iris uses
her powers to --

Slide the heavy fridge in front of the bunker door.


Through the opening where the front door used to be: Our
trio emerges. They stop, frozen. We follow their collective
gaze to --

Esther. She doesn't seem shocked to see them.

No one says anything for what feels like an eternity. Then:

ESTHER
I got your car.

EXT. ESTHER'S HOUSE - LATER

Emory and Fiona's car, parked in front of Esther's house.
110.
ESTHER
They were gonna junk it. So I
thought I'd better keep it in case
y'all turned up.

Emory and Fiona don't know what to say.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
Figured since they didn't find no
bodies, y'all must've been up to
somethin'.

Still nothing from Emory and Fiona.

ESTHER (CONT'D)
Is it over?

Emory and Fiona exchange looks. Over?

ESTHER (CONT'D)
The curse. Ain't that why you
burned it down?

FIONA
...It's over.

Esther looks at Iris.

FIONA (CONT'D)
Our niece. We're staying with her
and her mom.
(then)
She's adopted.

Esther's gaze lingers on Iris. We get the sense Esther
knows the truth, knows who Iris really is - she has her
mother's face after all, one that's hard to forget.

A beat.

Esther smiles, nods. Hands over the keys.

ESTHER
Take care.

EMORY
(taking keys)
Thanks. You too.

They get in the car. Emory and Fiona up front, Iris in the
back.

The headlights come on. Engine roars to life. The car takes
off.
111.
Iris looks out the back window and waves goodbye to Esther.
Esther waves back and watches as they turn onto the road.

Red taillights disappearing into the night.


Bits of yellow paint flake off the sooty walls and sprinkle
down onto --

The TRANSISTOR RADIO, blackened and half melted, lying on
the floor. We slowly PUSH IN ON the transistor radio until
it fills up the screen and --

CUT TO BLACK.

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