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E.
HAUNTED
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Written by
LU
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Esteban Luengo
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E

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NG

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O

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 >
eluengo1@pride.hofstra.edu
516-388-1373

E.
LU
E
NG
O
 1.

1 INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - MORNING 1

FADE IN:

CLOSE UP A book sits upright on a table. It has a picture of

the author, and the name under the picture reads: CHRIS
WEAVER. The picture sits in the middle of the back cover,
taking up entirely too much space. The picture of Chris
itself looks alright, his hair is short and combed and he is
cracking a smile. However, the smile looks plastered on,
fake, disingenuous.

An empty whiskey glass sits to its left after a moment two

ice cubes are tossed into the glass. Moments later a hand
pours whiskey into the glass and sets the bottle in front of
the book and picks up the glass.
E.
2 INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS 2

CHRIS WEAVER, late 20s to early 30s, longer hair which is

just barely put into shape and stubble. He takes a sip of his
LU
whiskey while looking at his book.

He stares at his picture, almost as if he is looking at a

stranger that he can almost recognize, as he keeps looking at
the picture his face turns more into hatred and
disappointment.
E

CHRIS
You fucking joke.
NG

Chris tosses the book on the couch revealing the title: Among
the Lucky. He proceeds to walk towards the window with his
drink still in his hand. He continues to drink as he just
stares out the scenery outside, he hears someone opening the
door of the apartment and he only slightly turns to face the
door.
O

3 INT. CHRIS'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS 3

ERIC WINTERS, late 20s, wearing a nice buttoned shirt, and a

pair of sunglasses with a toothpick in his mouth. Eric opens
the door to the apartment and enters the apartment.

ERIC
Good, you’re packed. Are you ready
to head out?

Eric flicks the toothpick into the nearby garbage can.

Chris walks towards Eric and sets down his glass on the
kitchen table.
 2.

CHRIS
Yes but, is this trip really
necessary? I have been working,
really. I have three manuscripts
that are very close to--

--Eric interrupts Chris, as he starts to gather Chris’s

suitcases and bags.

ERIC
Oh yeah, how do they end? Any
drafts that are close for me to
see?

CHRIS
Well, I still have some character
work to do, they’re really not
draft-ready and--
E.
--Eric interrupts him while raising his hand.

ERIC
LU
Just stop Chris!

Chris lowers his head.

(CONT’D) ERIC
Listen, I’m on your side. I know
you can’t just recreate Among the
E

Lucky. You just lack the right

inspiration. (beat) Now come on,
let’s go.
NG

Chris nods his head in acceptance, gets up from the couch and
gathers his things. He helps Eric gather the rest of the bags
and they both go to leave the apartment.

CUT TO:
O

4 EXT. ERIC’S CAR - DAY 4

Eric is driving the car while Chris sits shotgun gazing out
the window. The road is empty.

As Chris gazes out the window trapped in thought, Eric

unintelligibly rambles in the background about
responsibilities, last chances, deadlines, and other business
language. After a moment he slightly turns towards Chris.

ERIC
Chris! Are you listening? Do you
understand?
 3.

CHRIS
Yeah... Yeah... So where is this
place anyway?

ERIC
We’ll be there soon, and it’s
perfect. It’s away from the city,
no neighbors and there’s also a
town relatively close to get
supplies for the weekend.

CHRIS
So, no signs of life for a few
miles. Great... How did you even
find this house?

ERIC
I got it from a contact in the
E.
publishing house. It’s actually
quite popular. Some of the greatest
writers and filmmakers have stayed
here to get their spark back. I
LU
heard Stephen King wrote The
Shinning in this house.

Chris scoffs and shakes his head, turning back towards the
window.

CHRIS
E

(sarcastically) I bet he did.

CUT TO:
NG

5 INT. CABIN MAIN ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 5

Chris and Eric enter the cabin. They both are holding their
suitcases in hand. Eric enters the house first and sets his
bags by the entrance. Chris follows closing the door with his
feet as his hands are full with bags and suitcases.
O

CHRIS
Wow, Eric, not too shabby, not too
shabby at all.

Chris sets down his things next to Eric’s bags and walks
towards him.

ERIC
Yeah, see perfect. Let me show you
where you will be staying and then
I’ll show you where you’ll be
working.
 4.

Eric guides Chris through the house and they head to the
bedrooms.

6 INT. CABIN DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 6

Eric is finishing his tour of the house and stops facing the
dining room table.

Chris joins him, wearing his laptop bag, and sets it next to
Eric’s bag on the floor. He then looks at the dining table
where an old typewriter and paper are set up at the end of
the table. He turns towards Eric.

CHRIS
You can’t be serious.

Eric puts his hand on Chris’s shoulder.

E.
ERIC
Of course I’m serious. You know the
deal, neither of us is leaving this
LU
house until I have a finished
manuscript in my hands.

CHRIS
I know, I know but what even is the
poin--
E

ERIC
The point is, I want no
distractions. The typewriter is
NG

insurance that you are actively

working.

CHRIS
Eric, you have to--

ERIC
--Not interested Chris. We talked
O

about this in the car. This is your

last chance. (beat) Your partners
are incredibly frustrated with you.
If you can’t give us a competent
story by the end of this weekend
we’re done.

Chris sits down in front of the typewriter.

(CONT’D) ERIC
 5.

Anyway, remember the town I told

you about? I gotta head out and get
food for the weekend. By the time
I’m back, I want you well on your
way to my next big seller.

Eric starts heading out of the house and picks up both his
and Chris’s bag as he starts heading out of the house.

CHRIS
You’re taking my bag? Let me get my
phone.

ERIC
No distractions! I’ll be back in a
few.

Eric continues to head out of the house.

E.
CHRIS
You’re kidding.
LU
Eric does not even turn back and exits the cabin with Chris’s
stuff and locks the door behind him. After a moment Chris
gets up and goes towards the door.

The sound of Eric starting the car and driving off can be
heard through the door.
E

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Fucking Asshole.
NG

Chris goes back to the typewriter and faces off with it and
the empty sheet of paper loaded into the machine.

He types two spaces into the machine and the sound of the
machine rings loudly in his head. He continues to stare at
the machine and after a while types: THIS IS BULLSHIT.

He takes the paper out of the machine crumbles it up and

O

tosses it away. He gets up from the chair, picks up a PACK OF

CIGARETTES and a LIGHTER, and heads towards the balcony.

7 EXT. CABIN BALCONY - CONTINUOUS 7

Chris enters the cabin balcony; he goes up against the

railing of the balcony opens the PACK OF CIGARETTES and
places one in his mouth. He takes a ZIPPO LIGHTER out of his
pocket and tries sparking the cigarette, failing at it.

The wind continues to put out the lighter so Chris cups his
hand closer to the lighter putting his back against the wind
and tries again burning his hand in the process.
 6.

CHRIS
(still with the cigarette in his
mouth) Ah, shit.

As he flinches in pain he sharply turns around with his gaze

shifting towards the trees near the house. He shakes his hand
in pain and tosses the cigarette into the woods. Suddenly he
stops as he notices The CREATURE, a hulking figure, familiar
to a deer but looks more sinister and rotten, it hides in
between the trees but stares directly at Chris.

Perspective shift of The Creature staring at Chris on the

balcony. Raspy breathing is heard.

Chris, without breaking eye contact with The Creature starts

walking backwards into the cabin, and trips on the sliding
door step. By the time he faces back towards the trees The
Creature now just looks like a regular deer completely
E.
unthreatening.

Chris quickly closes the sliding door and locks it.

LU
(CONT’D) CHRIS
What the fuck was that.

CUT TO:

8 INT. CABIN DINING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 8

E

Chris sits on the dining room table quickly tapping his feet
and staring towards the tree line where he had spotted The
NG

Creature. There is no sign of it or any other animal.

CHRIS
(panicked) Fucking Eric. I’ll be
back in a few he says.

He stares at the TYPEWRITER, his eyes light up, and begins

typing.
O

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Wait. That’s it.

Chris begins to document his encounter. The key inputs ring

loudly again and begin morphing into the sounds of bird calls
in and around the house. The birds’ calls, get more and more
distorted and morph into laughter.

Chris winces in pain and starts covering his ears. He jolts

upwards and goes towards the window. Before he reaches it,
Chris freezes for a second.

UNKNOWN VOICE (O.S.)

 7.

(distorted, quiet, and then louder)

Chris... Chris... Chris!

Chris stomps towards the window and stares outside where he

spots The Creature again staring at the window from the same
tree line as before.

CHRIS
What the hell asshole! Is this your
plan? Scare me into writing a best
seller for you?!

The Creature just stares back at Chris yelling from the

window. The Creature’s jaws begin moving as suddenly laughter
is heard from within the house. Chris gets shocked by the
sound and turns back. The laughter stops.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
E.
Wow! Great supplies you got for the
weekend!

Chris starts sarcastically clapping.

LU
(CONT’D) CHRIS
What happened to no distractions?

Chris turns back and The Creature has disappeared. His

plastered-on smile fades away as he stares blankly into the
field. He shuts the curtains, then returns to the typewriter
E

and continues to write.

NG

9 INT. CABIN DINING ROOM - LATER 9

The light from the outside of the cabin barely creeps through
the closed curtains. Chris is still writing with a stack of
papers beginning to form next to him. Scratching noises come
from the balcony, which snaps Chris out of his flow. He looks
annoyed. More unnatural, animalistic noises come from
outside.
O

Chris stands up and tries looking through the balcony door

but the glare from the setting sun makes it impossible to see
through. The closer he gets to the door the noises grow
louder until they suddenly stop. With his hand still reached
out towards the door, Chris collects himself and returns to
the dining room table.

Before he begins, he straightens the stack of papers next to

him and begins reading off from the point he left off.

Close up:
 8.

Chris’s face changes to disbelief and shock and begins to go

pale.

The words on the manuscript now read: YOU ARE A FRAUD, YOU
ARE JUST AN IMPOSTER PRETENDING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

CHRIS
What?

The noises ring out again this time from the window. Chris
stands up and moves towards the sound. He pulls the curtains
open trying to spot anything. The only thing he sees is the
empty landscape and his reflection. Chris looks at his
reflection, and although Chris doesn’t move, his reflection
turns towards the typewriter. Its keys start ringing on their
own.

Chris, pale as a ghost, starts walking towards the table. The

E.
keys keep ringing louder and louder until he finally reaches
the paper.

The manuscript now reads: WHY DO YOU TRY TO FIGHT IT? FACE
LU
THE TRUTH... WHO IS GOING TO MISS YOU?

Chris quickly rips the paper out of the typewriter crumples

it and tosses it on the ground. Heavy footsteps approach from
the balcony.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
E

Eric! Is that you?

The footsteps halt. Chris approaches the door as he spots the

NG

handle attempting to move. Chris grabs a chair and jams the

door. He ducks under forcing the door closed as the door
begins to shake and bang behind him.

UNKNOWN VOICE (O.S.)

(lightly distorted) Chris... Chris
let me inside. Chris!
O

The door continues to shake violently behind him.

CHRIS
JUST STOP!

The shaking and noises stop. Chris then peeks from behind the
cover to look outside. There is nothing in sight.

He sighs in relief and rests his head on the chair, he

notices the crumpled paper on the floor and picks it up, and
opens it back up. All the text he read before is gone. Chris
covers his eyes with his closed fists and the paper. He cries
out.
 9.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
(quiet) What’s happening to me?

He picks himself up from the floor. He leaves the chair

covering the balcony door and pulls up another chair. He sits
in front of the typewriter again, sets down the paper on the
stack of paper next to the typewriter, loads up a new piece
of paper, and continues to write.

10 INT. CABIN MAIN ROOM - LATER 10

Chris sits in the dining room writing, his hair is messier

and has rings around his eyes. Close up of him facing off
with the typewriter again.

The stack of papers next to him is considerably larger now.

There is barely any light coming through the room. He picks
E.
up a PACK OF CIGARETTES and takes one then moves towards the
living room.

He takes a drag while his hands shake. He moves his gaze

LU
towards the landscape again where he spots The Creature once
more. It sits there in between bushes staring directly at
him.

CHRIS
Give it a rest already.
E

Chris gets up from his seat and faces down The Creature
through the window.
NG

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Can’t you see I’m busy! (beat) What
do you want?!

The Creature just holds its position.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Great. Just going to stare deep
O

into my soul. Screw this.

Chris moves closer to shut the curtains when The Creature

sharply rises from the bushes. Chris gets startled and drops
his cigarette which he immediately stomps to put out. By the
time he looks back up, The Creature is gone.

Chris starts to manically laugh and scratch his head as he

backs away and heads towards the kitchen.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Hahaha... You got me.
 10.

11 INT. CABIN KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS 11

Chris grabs a GLASS from a cupboard and then moves towards a

liquor cabinet where he grabs a WHISKEY BOTTLE. He turns
towards the window.

CHRIS
(imitating Eric’s voice) This trip
will be good for you... You just
need inspiration.

He sets the glass down on the table and opens the bottle.
Before he pours himself the drink he stares back at the
bottle and just decides to take the entire thing instead.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
Fucking dickhead, where even is he
anyway.
E.
He takes a drink out of the bottle, he winces in pain.

UNKNOWN VOICE(O.S.)
LU
(lightly distorted) Where’s my--

ERIC (O.S.)
(lightly distorted) --story?

CHRIS
Took you long enough.
E

Chris leaves the kitchen whiskey bottle in hand.

NG

12 INT. CABIN MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS 12

ERIC (O.S.)
Yeah, I don’t even think he knows
he’s fired already.

Chris enters the main room of the cabin looking for Eric,
O

however there is nobody in the room.

13 (CONT’D) 13

ERIC (O.S.)
(lightly distorted) Why are we
wasting our time with him anyway?

CHRIS
What did you say?

UNKNOWN VOICE (O.S.)

(slightly distorted) Such a---
 11.

CHRIS (O.S.)
(distorted) ---disappointment.

14 (CONT’D) 14

CHRIS
Eric? Where are you?

ERIC (O.S.)
(lightly distorted) Don’t you get
by now genius?

CHRIS (O.S.)
(lightly distorted) You did this to
yourself.

Chris shuffles around the room trying to find the source of

E.
the voices. He continues to drink.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
That’s not true...
LU
ERIC (O.S.)
(distorted)
One lucky break and you just give
up?!

CHRIS
E

No! I... I just can’t take more

rejection... No one cares about
what I do next unless it’s the next
NG

“Among the Lucky”. (beat) And I

don’t want to do that! (beat) I
want to be known for more than just
a guy who got lucky with one story
and NEVER did anything else!

Laughter starts filling the room ringing louder and louder.

O

Loud thumps come from the balcony and Chris faces the window
where he spots The Creature. As another loud thump rings out
The Creature vanishes and Chris only sees his own reflection
in the window.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
(to himself) Is it just all in my
head?

The noises begin to overwhelm Chris who tries to cover his

ears and stumbles dropping the bottle.
 12.

He drops to the floor covering his ears as the laughter and

noise get even louder. Chris squirms on the floor holding his
ears and wincing in pain.

(CONT’D) CHRIS
(to himself) I can’t... I can’t.

Chris slams his fists on the floor and yells.

15 (CONT’D) 15

CHRIS
Stop! Stop! Stop!

The room falls completely silent. Chris picks himself back up

from the floor. Loud thumps and scratching by the balcony
door start filling the room as Chris turns to face the door.
E.
As he does the door bursts open flinging the chair across the
room. The Creature starts to enter the room. As it enters the
room the lights start to flicker.
LU
Chris sees himself walking into the cabin with the flashes of
light showing him glimpses of The Creature.

The image of Chris moves closer to him the footsteps ring

loudly in his head. The flashes continue to flicker between
Chris and The Creature. The closer it gets the less Chris
sees himself. Chris moves his hand as The Creature mimics his
E

movements as it gets closer

The flickering stops as The Creature stands face to face with

NG

Chris it’s raspy breathing and growling overpower any other

sounds in the room. Chris lowers his arm and as he reaches
for The Creature it growls even more eventually grabbing him
by the neck with one hand and stabbing him in his torso with
its claws with the other hand. As Chris yells The Creature
drags him out of the cabin. Chris’s yells fade into the
wilderness.
O

MATCH CUT TO:

16 EXT. FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE CABIN - AFTERNOON 16

Eric’s car pulls into the driveway in front of the cabin

blasting music from the speakers. He parks and grabs a bunch
of GROCERY BAGS, from the backseat.

He puts the keys into the lock opens up the cabin doors and
enters the cabin.

17 INT. CABIN MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS 17

 13.

Eric enters the cabin with a BAG OF GROCERIES and heads

towards the kitchen to set down the bags.

ERIC
How’s my best-seller coming along?

Eric sets down the GROCERY BAGS on the kitchen table and
heads towards the dining room.

18 INT. CABIN DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 18

Eric nonchalantly keeps walking into the dining room towards

the table.

ERIC
Chris? I’m sorry I took so long the
town much was further than
E.
expected.

He notices a full manuscript resting beside the typewriter.

LU
(CONT’D) ERIC
I couldn’t really call...

He picks up the untitled manuscript and starts flipping

through the pages.

(CONT’D) ERIC
E

Chris?...

As Eric continues to flip through pages glimpses of scenes

NG

can be seen through the manuscript—all word for word

dictating what happened to Chris at the cabin.

(CONT’D) ERIC
Now this, this is... fantastic!

He sets the manuscript back on the table and walks off-

screen.
O

The final image of the typewriter and manuscript is on the

empty table with the balcony door wide open.

FADE OUT.