©Carlin
Not A Hero Part Two
Begin with a summary of last episode and clips. Then cut to scene one.
1.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE
We see Sean, his head down, his back and chest exposed and covered in scars, glistening with sweat. His matted oily hair covers his eyes as he hunches forward, in a defeated pose. We zoom out to see the back of Abby’s head as she stands before him. She takes a step backward. Cut to profile of Abby’s face.
ABBY (voice trembling)
You are vermin. You are scum. It is luck that you humans walk the earth while we, the Krende’ela, the wisest, most magical of all creatures, is condemned to crawl on our bellies like worms in the dark. It is your cruelty that banished the demons to the lesser walks of life. And it is your stupidity that taunts us every day. It is your language we must speak, it is your stigmatizing label that we must use to call ourselves. Animals of hell, suffering the punishment of a God us more intelligent beings know doesn’t exist. How could a being so oblivious, so ignorant of the world around them, have defeated us, the Krende’ela and all other deserving creatures? Creatures you name demons, because we are too hideous to be considered as kin to you maggots.
And yet…
SEAN (his head still bent, we see his chapped lips move)
You love us.
Abby slaps him. He does nothing.
ABBY
Stop it. Stop thinking you know me.
SEAN
But I do know you… (He looks up and we see his eyes for the first time) Abby.
ABBY
That name is bile in the back of my throat.
SEAN
No. She’s coming back. She’s beating you. She’s—
Abby slaps him again and Sean starts crying.
SEAN (cont’d, sobbing now.)
Dear God in heaven… (breaks down into indecipherable pleas)
ABBY (trembling from blow as though terrified, as if she’d hit herself, her eyes wide. She’s breathing hard)
Abby doesn’t live here anymore.
MAIN CREDITS
2.INT. RIVERS RESIDENCE
MIKE
Wha… What? Tyler, Lisa, you’ve been in there for hours!
LISA (pulling on her coat, grinning)
Yeah, and it paid off. We found Abby.
MIKE (looking at his watch)
It’s three in the morning, sweetheart, why are you—
LISA
We’re going to find him, Dad. We’re going to get Sean back.
Mike looks between
the two of them, looking excited.
MIKE (to
Is this true?
No answer.
MIKE
Listen,
No.
He leaves abruptly and slams the door. Lisa looks after him, then to her father.
LISA
You know he’ll forgive you eventually. (Mike grunts). If you really wanna show him that you care about Sean, go with. Forget what he says. Come on.
MIKE (smiling at Lisa)
If you think it’ll help…
LISA
Believe me, we’ll need you.
3.INT. REED RESIDENCE
We don’t need him.
LISA
He’s taught you everything you know and he admitted he’s wrong. I think we could use him. So he’s waiting in the car.
I don’t want to put any more people in danger. I’m only letting you come along because you’re a frickin’ demon.
LISA
Oh, so you’re letting me
come?
ALLYSON
I guess me coming is out of the question then, isn’t it?
TYLER and LISA (turning to her harshly)
YES!
Lisa and
Where is that stupid key!
LISA
You know Windward won’t be happy if you don’t have it. He’s picky.
It’s alive???
LISA
Well duh, Einstein. I thought we went through this when he tried to eat you!
Yes, I know, but you’re calling it a he, as though it’s a person.
LISA
Well he is a person, Tyler.
ALLYSON
Excuse me but I don’t care. (Turning to
Aha!
ALLYSON
Ally, listen, the best thing you can do for Sean is to stay out of harm’s way and cover for me with Uncle Richard. You have the Wisdom Stone, I’m not gonna walk that thing right into Abby’s hands, alright? So quit asking me to involve you in these things. You’re too young and I care about you too much.
ALLYSON
Well… Your mom.
Let’s hope she’s with us on this tonight.
Ruffling Allyson’s hair as she sulks, Tyler and Lisa leave.
4.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE
It’s dark. Windward’s lonely window shines moonlight down on Sean. We hear him quietly sobbing.
RACHEL (Off screen)
I’m sorry, Sean.
SEAN (through gritted teeth)
Go away.
Rachel walks into view. We see her foot steps toward Sean. A hand on the shoulder. Sean recoils from her touch, and stops sobbing.
SEAN
Leave me alone.
RACHEL
They’re coming for you. They’ll save you.
SEAN
Liar.
RACHEL
You refuse to believe in me.
SEAN
Because you don’t exist.
Rachel walks over to the table strewn with torture instruments and looks disgusted.
RACHEL
What has she done to you, Sean? Why did she steal your spirit?
SEAN
I don’t know.
Rachel turns to face Sean, features soft, almost glowing in Windward’s dim light.
RACHEL
Why did you imagine me here, Sean? Why am I here, and not Audra,
SEAN (quietly, but angrily)
Why do you ask me questions you know I can’t answer?
Rachel hesitates a moment, then approaches him. She kneels before him and puts a hand on his knee. His crying begins again at her touch and he leans his head on her shoulder.
RACHEL
Because you find comfort in me. You always did. Ever since you and Jordan would come over to my house when you were kids, you always wanted to stay the night every night. Because you considered me more of a mother than your own.
SEAN (through his tears)
I love my mother.
RACHEL (now stroking his hair)
And she loves you, as much as any mother can. But she was always busy. Always away. Always hiring nannies.
SEAN
I miss you so much.
RACHEL
Sh, sh, sh… Hush now, dear. You’re with me now.
A door opens and light floods the room. We turn to Sean. Rachel is gone. Abby enters the room. We see her from behind, and over her shoulder, Sean is shivering. Angle change to view Abby’s face. She is sweating profusely, and has bags under her bloodshot eyes. Her hair is a mess. She, too, is shivering. Pan down to her hand, which grasps a knife.
Zoom out as we see a silhouette of Abby, half-crazed and wild, with her arm raised above Sean, doubled over before her. He’s breathing heavily, she’s shaking hard.
All of a sudden, there is a clatter, and the slightest sound of surprise escapes Abby’s lips. Her eyes are wide. She has dropped the knife. Her hand is wide open, fingers spread. They clench into a fist again. She scowls, and screams up to the ceiling.
ABBY
Aaaaargh! Why
can’t I get rid of you? Why are you in
my head!
SEAN
It wasn’t your head to begin with.
Abby falls to her knees, still shaking, eyes darting everywhere. She looks around, sharply, breathing hard.
ABBY (breathy, aghast)
Why do you destroy me?
SEAN
You hold all the cards, Chuck.
ABBY (gathering her wits.)
You’re right. I do.
Abby rises to her feet and pulls out a gun.
ABBY
I do.
5.INT. Tyler’s Car
Tyler, Lisa and Mike (who is in the back seat) stare at an empty lot. There was a fence aound it and a sign that said “Under Construction” although no construction seemed to be visible.
Lisa… where’s the house?
LISA
This oughta be the place…
MIKE
It’s cloaked.
LISA
You think?
MIKE
No question.
I didn’t know you could hide a house.
MIKE
You can hide anything with the right materials. Lisa?
LISA (eyes closed)
On it.
SCENE CHANGE: Lisa is standing in a dark space. She looks around.
LISA
Windward?
There is an ominous howling. Lisa sighs with relief.
LISA
Good, you’re here. Remember me?
An image appears before her. It starts as a depiction of Sean and Tyler carving their name in the door, then switches to them running through the house, then to Lisa addressing the house in the same fashion as she was doing now.
LISA
Then you remember I don’t want to harm you. I’m looking for Sean.
A little girl dressed in whit enters behind Lisa
WINDWARD
We don’t want to harm him. No more.
LISA (turning to the girl)
And we’re glad for that. We’ve come to take him home. Is Abby here?
The little girl points behind Lisa, who turns. Windward shows Lisa an image of Abby aiming a gun at Sean. Lisa gasps.
LISA
No… Are you telling me Sean is dead?
WINDWARD
Sean is not dead.
Lisa turns to Windward’s personified form.
WINDWARD
Take him home. She is making us hurt him. Take him home.
LISA
I don’t understand.
WINDWARD
You must!
LISA (turning to where the images appear)
Then show me in pictures! If the ghost of a little girl who haunts your halls can’t tell me, then why don’t you show me, Windward? Did Abby shoot Sean?
The image of Abby and Sean appeared again, as though they were right in front of Lisa. Abby’s arm trembles as she aims at Sean. Sean raises his head and looks at Abby, daringly. Neither say a word. Abby’s arm begins to tremble more violently. Suddenly, there’s a shot. Sean remains incredibly still. There is a groaning howl. A combination of creeking doors, windows shutting, and gushing winds. A noise we’ve come to associate with Windward. It did not come from Sean. The image shows Lisa a spot in the wall where the bullet hit, behind Sean’s chair, inches to the right of Sean’s head. Black cracks continue to spider web out from the shot, throbbing almost, like veins.
WINDWARD
She hurts us. She hurts us all the time.
SEAN
You missed.
ABBY
No, I didn’t.
In the image, Abby aims at the floor and fires again. The bullet embeds itself in the wood. She aims up, and shatters the window, which rains glass on Sean.
ABBY
I never miss.
WINDWARD
We hide. We hide from her.
Lisa turns and approaches the little girl. She kneels to the girl’s level and holds her cheek.
LISA
Let us in, and we promise she will never hurt you again.
WINDWARD
We thought you’d never ask.
6.EXT. ELLIS GATES
Audra throws an egg on a passing jeep.
Ha! Take that, vegan!
AUDRA
Yeah, go back to Vegas!
Audra, this is great! See what happens when you get out, stop worrying about things?
AUDRA
What if I miss Sean’s call?
Then let him gripe about it to
AUDRA
I do need him, Jordan. I’ve never been so dependant on someone in my life. My friends hate him.
Like that didn’t encourage you.
Throws another egg.
AUDRA
My parents hate him.
All the better.
AUDRA
I think even my cat, Shellfish hates him.
You have a cat?
AUDRA (shrugging)
Horace takes care of him in the servants’ quarters.
You named it Shellfish?
AUDRA
I’m allergic to both.
Audra eggs a passing car.
Let me get this straight. Everyone hates him, and that only makes you love him more. His friends hate you, and that only makes you loathe them more. So if you dump him, then everyone—
AUDRA
Will still hate me. I know what you’re thinking. You think that if Sean breaks up the world will continue to spin, and my friends will accept me back with open arms, and Sean will go back to his happy little life and everything will be punky dory. Well, my poor little nerd friend, since you’ve never been popular, you don’t know how things work around Truman High. My girlfriends will avoid me like the plague because I am now “tainted.” Whatever temporary madness that took me over in that period I said yes to Sean asking me out may still be in my blood, and they want nothing to do with it. As for Sean’s friends, not only did I date the poor loser, but I broke his heart. They won’t be very receptive to me. In short, I am a social outcast, which not even my money can buy me out of.
She pauses, then eggs a passing convertible, with a loud scream and the sound of tires screeching and a loud thump.
AUDRA
Didn’t you hear me the first time? I’m completely dependant on him.
SEAN (in awe)
Nice shot.
AUDRA (nodding)
Let’s get drunk.
7.INT. REED RESIDENCE: ALLYSON’S ROOM
Allyson is starting to climb out her window.
RICHARD (O.S)
And just what do you doing?
Zoom out. We see the back of Richard’s head as he watches Allyson, whose frozen in the windowsill, one leg over. She turns and looks sheepish.
ALLYSON
Uh… I wasn’t getting good cable, so I just wanted to fix the satellite. Hahaha.
RICHARD
We don’t have cable.
ALLYSON (muttering)
Yeah, because you’re too cheap.
RICHARD (loudly)
What did you say?
ALLYSON (sweetly)
Nothing, Uncle Richard. I was just thinking it’s kinda late (fakes a yawn) I should go to bed, don’t you?
RICHARD
Damn right you should go to bed!
Richard grabs Allyson’s arm and pulls her towards him. She’s scared, as she sees the bags under his eyes and smells the alcohol on his breath.
RICHARD (cont’d)
Listen, you little brat, when you live under my roof, you listen to me.
ALLYSON
Yeah, I got that. You’re hurting me.
RICHARD
I’m sick of you kids thinking you can run around—did your parents ever discipline you? Did they let you run amok all the time, doing God knows what? Were they on crack?
Allyson pulls away, sharply.
ALLYSON
Don’t you dare talk about my parents that way…
RICHARD
I’ll talk about your parents anyway I see fit, young lady! Damn reckless brother of mine, always meddling where he didn’t belong, it’s no wonder your house was destroyed.
ALLYSON
Stop it!!
RICHARD
Don’t you tell me what to do young lady—
ALLYSON (screaming)
You’re not my father, I’ll tell you what I like!
There’s a pregnant pause as they stare at each other. All of a sudden, Richard strikes her across the face and she falls back on her bed, staring up at him horrified.
8.THE PIER: ELLIS YACHT
Audra’s back is to
the camera as she mixes something, then turns around with two Martinis in hand,
complete with olives. She smiles and the
frame widens to show
Audra, I’ve never drank before, do you think—
AUDRA
Oh come on! It’s legal
in
But isn’t that part of your problems in the first place? That you hate your mother and your dad buys you gifts to avoid spending time with you.
AUDRA
Who are you, my shrink? (Sips her
Martini. She grins) Dance with
me!
Audra grabs
AUDRA
Aw,
Tell her I’ll pay for the dress, I’m sorry.
AUDRA
What- Oh, dear, no, it’s a… You’ve never heard of Armani?
…Does she go to our school?
Audra bursts out laughing and pulls him down into a deck chair, sitting beside him in another.
AUDRA
Oh, sweetheart, you have a lot to learn about fashion.
9.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE
Tyler, Lisa and Mike are walking with flashlights down a windowless and seemingly endless hall.
Damn, it, Windward, can’t you make this a little quicker for us?
The house growls and the hall gets longer.
LISA
Nice going, hot shot.
MIKE
Be nice to the house, or he’ll eat you.
TYLER (more than a little unnerved)
I thought you said they don’t eat people.
MIKE (casually)
I lied to make you feel better.
I wasn’t talking to you!!!
Seriously, Lise, what’s this house got against me?
LISA
Well, you did try to claim him in the name of Tylerland.
Don’t joke about Tylerland, it’s a serious nation with a serious future.
A door appears and
LISA
Great. We ask him to lead us to Sean, and where does he take us? A black hole.
Zoom out to show the trio standing on the edge of a huge abyss curving inward at the floor. The walls go on without any end in sight. Lisa looks at it a moment.
LISA
Jump.
MIKE
You sure about this, hon?
LISA (hesitates, then turn to him)
I said jump, didn’t I? Don’t worry, Windward will make sure we make it.
You think a moving house could just make the room appear in front of us…
LISA (smacking him)
This isn’t his doing, Ty, it’s Abby’s.
And with that, she jumps. Mike and Tyler watch her, and exchange looks.
MIKE AND TYLER
No, please, after you!
10.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE: SEAN’S PRISON
Abby is sitting cross-legged on the floor, looking down. Sean is leaning back in his chair, his head draping over the back.
ABBY
Why do you hate me?
Silence
ABBY
She… She destroys me. Even as I destroy you. I cannot figure out why. Is it some ancient magic? Some spell you cast? This is your way of torturing me. You started this. Remember that.
More silence.
ABBY
What is it, are you dead? Why do you not answer me?
SEAN (not moving)
Trying to sleep here, Chuck. You’re not really helping.
ABBY
Oh. I suppose I am sorry, then.
Silence.
ABBY
But I just do not understand!
SEAN (sitting up)
It’s simple. Humans need sleep. It helps them escape from reality. It’s a way for me to pretend that I’m not here.
ABBY
That is not what I mean.
SEAN
I know it’s not. But it’s true all the same. (Leans back again). Now hush.
Abby extends her hands out in front of her and looks at them.
ABBY
In all my years of existence, out of all of my hosts, I have never met with this kind of resistance.
SEAN
Then you never knew Abby.
ABBY
I believe it was Abby who never knew me.
Abby rises to her feet and looks at Sean.
ABBY
You are the only one who separates me from this shell.
SEAN
Yes.
ABBY
You give me this nickname, with the guise that you are trying to be amusing.
SEAN
Yes.
ABBY
But really, you separate us with it. Why are you the only one to do this?
SEAN
Because I’m the only one who’s accepted the fact that Abby’s dead and you killed her. Because Abby was so much more than you ever will be. And because even if you wear her face, I tell myself…
ABBY
What? What do you tell yourself?
SEAN (sitting up to look at her)
I tell myself that it’s not her. It’s not her doing this to me.
Abby walks towards him, then looks him straight in the eye.
ABBY
But it is her doing. I’ve been telling you that all along. It’s because she makes me suffer that you suffer.
Sean does not answer as he looks down. Abby forces him to look up at her again.
ABBY
You want to die, don’t you?
Sean merely looks at her, his gaze unwavering.
11.EXT. THE PIER: ELLIS YACHT
Audra and Jordan are laying on the deck laughing.
I never knew that there were different kinds of jeans.
AUDRA
Oh, of course they are! It’s a wonder you have any sense of taste at all.
Excuse me, but I like to dedicate my time to more worthwhile endeavors like reading and studying.
AUDRA
Pfsh… Those things are hardly worthwhile.
Audra sits up.
AUDRA
You see,
Oh? And how’s that?
AUDRA
Take jobs, for instance. You gotta walk in there looking nice if you want it, don’t you?
Well sure, but—
AUDRA
And people. First impressions mean a lot more than you think, you know.
But when they start talking to you—
AUDRA
Please,
There’s nothing wrong with this outfit. And hey, you came out with me.
AUDRA
And you’re just lucky I don’t have any other friends to be with right now.
There’s a silence as
they look at each other.
Right. I see.
AUDRA
Well, you didn’t think I’d be doing this of my own free will if I—
No, of course you wouldn’t be.
Audra looks at him a moment from her spot on the floor.
AUDRA
I don’t understand. I thought—
Even if it’s true, Audra. Even if it’s true, you don’t… you don’t say it.
AUDRA
Now you’re just being dramatic.
Yeah, well, Audra, I should have known you never changed.
AUDRA (rising)
What are you talking about?
You’re the same as you always were, throughout middle school
when you first came to
AUDRA
Now that’s a lie.
Is it? You said it yourself. You’re only spending time with me because all your other friends left you.
AUDRA
And Sean? Why do I love him so much?
You DON’T love him!
There’s silence again as Audra stares at him, shocked.
You don’t love him, Audra. You’re sixteen years old and desperate for attention. You’re contrary by nature, and do exactly what people don’t want you to do just to see how they react. Your rebellious attitude and substantial wealth garnered you a nice little flock until they abandoned you because you never let a one of them understand who you were. You used Sean like you used any of the rest of us. He was taboo. You knew you’re sheep would think he was cheap, ‘new money,’ just above people like me on the social ladder. So you totally went for it. You wanted to see what they’d do. You’re self-destructive, Audra, and you won’t stop driving people away until you end up alone.
Audra is speechless. But not for long. She points at the dock.
AUDRA
That’s it. Get off my boat. Leave me alone and never talk to me again.
Audra, you stopped talking to me a long time ago.
Audra watches
12. REED RESIDENCE: ALLYSON’S ROOM
Allyson is hunched over her desk writing lines of poetry. We see them through the camera. They read:
And in this dream, I
drown, I drown
Never lost what I
thought I found
And in this dream, I
always lose
I just end up with
another bruise
He makes me sick,
sick, sick
Allyson’s computer is on and we hear her receiving instant messages. She glances up from her writing, half her face obscured with hair. She looks at the computer. The message is from Salia, saying “Hey, what’s up, you never called me back today.” Allyson tucks her hair behind her ear, revealing a bruised cheek and sits at her desk to answer. She types, with a happy face emoticon, “You know, the usual, I’m watching this hilarious movie, can I get back to you?” Salia responds, “Awesome, just wanted to make sure everything was OK, I got a little worried. You always call.” Allyson leans back in her chair and looks at the blinking screen. She hesitates before responding. “Thanks, Salia, but everything’s as good as it’s gonna get.”
Allyson looks back at her paper, then to her door. She stands up, then sneaks to her door and opens it slowly. She looks outside. She hears the TV from downstairs. She walks down the hall and down the stairs, leaning over the railing to see into the living room. Richard’s asleep on the couch. She returns to her room and opens her closet, pulling out a back pack. She then marches down the stairs, making a huge ruckus, until she reaches the front door. She looks back to the living room. Richard’s still asleep. Allyson slowly walks up to him, and spits on him. He still doesn’t wake up. Allyson grabs her bag and slams the front door loudly.
13.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE
It’s
dark until Lisa lights a match. She
holds it up to reveal pipes above their heads.
There’s a groan and she turns to see
MIKE (pushing
Get off me!
Where are we?
LISA
It appears to be… his basement.
Typical. She keeps her victim in the basement.
LISA
No… Sean’s not here.
Wha…?
The house moans and creaks.
There is something seriously out of whack about a living house.
Lisa is walking ahead of them, the match held high. All of a sudden, it burns her fingers and she drops it.
LISA
Ow! Windward, a little light here?
Suddenly a furnace
comes to life and bathes the room in a warm orange glow.
AGH IT’S GONNA EAT ME!
MIKE
Shut up, Reed.
I think this thing just bit me!
Lisa is paying them no heed as she approaches the furnace, fascinated. Her fingers trace an emblem, burned into the furnace’s surface and glowing red.
Ain’t that hot?
LISA
My skin can withstand this kind of heat.
What’d you do to make this girl anyway, sleep with a reptile?
MIKE
Pretty close to it.
LISA
The magical energy radiating from this is repulsive.
Doesn’t look that disgusting to me.
LISA
I mean it’s charged. It will repel any energy I throw at it…
Who cares? Where’s Sean?
LISA
Don’t you get it,
A what now?
LISA (tracing the symbol intently)
Kreeches, they’re good at those. It contains Windward’s essence… His consciousness, his movements, his will… She’s controlling him.
Then how the hell is he talking to us?
All of a sudden, Lisa backs away fast, surprised, and looked around, terrified.
LISA
… He isn’t.
Camera spins around Lisa until we see something out of focus just over her shoulder. Upon the next line, the scene focuses to reveal the ghost girl Windward uses as a voice.
WINDWARD
I’m going mad.
Lisa turns on her
heal,
LISA
You used the term we before.
WINDWARD
I’m no longer talking as the house and this waif of a spirit.
LISA
You’re Abby… aren’t you?
The ghost looks disgusted by the idea.
WINDWARD (vehemently)
No.
You’re the kreech inside her.
WINDWARD (turning to
Insightful. Like your funny friend.
Where is he? What have you done to my best friend, you bastard!
LISA
Why did you lead us here? If you didn’t want us to find Sean, then why…
WINDWARD
There is no way for you to break that spell, little witch. It’s one of the tightest seals I’ve ever constructed.
LISA
So you wanted to, what, gloat?
WINDWARD
I wanted you to know that your quest is futile. Soon enough, he will die. And so will I. That seal is not to keep you out. It’s to keep me in. I want to die too.
You kill Sean, so help me God, I’ll make sure you live until you’re a thousand years old.
MIKE
Now there’s a threat.
LISA
Hush, boys. (She focuses on the ghost in the center.) You’re wrong. And do you want me to tell you why?
WINDWARD
Not particularly, but you humans always did love to monologue.
LISA (ignoring her)
Because we didn’t come all this way just to be turned away by a sad little kreech in a ghost girl costume. Because I don’t care what you say, every sealing spell has a self-destruct switch in case the caster needs to use it, no matter how tough it is to find. And we will find it because—
But she is cut off
when the little girl screams.
Sorry, but I don’t like your monologues much either.
14.INT.OLD WINDWARD HOUSE: SEAN’S PRISON
Sean is leaning back in his chair, his head draped over the back.
SEAN (eyes closed)
Hey, Chuck, you haven’t tried to kill me in a while. Is something wrong?
There’s no answer. Sean opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. He looks around the room, painfully.
SEAN
Windward, where’s Chuck?
There is no groan or any sign to show that Windward even heard him. Sean sighs and leans back in his chair.
SEAN
So you think I’d be grateful for the break, wouldn’t you Rachel? Really I’m just desperate for company. Ironic, isn’t it.
RACHEL (appearing out of nowhere)
Not at all.
SEAN
A man gets tortured with every physical pain you can think of and all he wants is to be left alone. But when the assailant begins to employ psychological torture… darkness, sleep deprivation, time confusion, abandonment… and then all he wants is someone there, someone to talk to him, someone to make sure he’s not going crazy, or dead, or both. Can you be crazy still, when you’re dead?
RACHEL
I could argue so.
SEAN
But you don’t exist. So how could you die?
RACHEL
You’re getting a little too philosophical for my tastes, Sean.
SEAN
Your tastes are my tastes. I’m talking to myself.
RACHEL
Are you so sure of that?
Sean pauses.
SEAN
No.
RACHEL
I could be just like the little girl that haunts this house. My own entity, spirit, but the eyes and ears of someone else. Your eyes and ears.
SEAN
If that were so, you’d be able to tell me why
RACHEL
They’re coming for you, Sean.
SEAN
I don’t need anymore lies.
RACHEL
I swear it on my grave.
SEAN
You were cremated.
RACHEL
Then I swear it on my damn urn, Sean, they’re coming for you!
SEAN
I don’t know why our minds play tricks on us like this.
RACHEL
You will never believe me, will you?
SEAN
Not as long as you’re a part of me. I always had a way of lulling myself in
denial. Audra loves me.
RACHEL
You think all those are lies.
SEAN
I know they are as much as I know I’m going to die soon.
RACHEL
You won’t.
SEAN
Stop it.
RACHEL
You won’t die!
SEAN
Stop it!
Sean looks up at Rachel, his face solemn, and while he is not sobbing, there are tears leaking from his eyes. He has never believed anything so wholly in his life.
SEAN
I will die here, Rachel. I will. And I don’t need a figment of my imagination telling me otherwise. Even if Tyler and the others are looking for me, they have no idea where I am, how to find me, and hell, this crazy house will never lead them my way if he can help it. I’m lost here, Rachel. I’ve accepted that.
RACHEL
You won’t just lay down and die like a dog.
SEAN
Watch me.
RACHEL
Dammit, Sean, you’re stronger than that! Just one more day, hold out for just one more day…
SEAN
I’m not a hero, Rachel. I’m selfish, and I’m angry, and I don’t give a damn about anything or anyone I ever thought I cared about. I’d rather die then see them again.
RACHEL
Now you’re the one who’s lying.
SEAN
I guess it’s part of my nature then. Lying to myself. Lying to everyone. I’m gonna die alone.
RACHEL
Stop being so overdramatic.
SEAN
Overdramatic? (he laughs, morosely). Overdramatic, she says. I’m in a stinking dungeon, starved, thirsty, and achingly tired, and she says I’m being overdramatic.
RACHEL
If you think you’re going to die, at least do it with your dignity intact.
SEAN
What dignity? She stripped any dignity I ever had. Besides, what does it matter? I’ll die in here and then I’ll rot. No one will know how undignified I was when I died.
RACHEL
What do you hope to gain from all this ridiculous rambling?
SEAN
Absolutely nothing.
RACHEL
Then why do you babble like that?
SEAN
I told you before. I’m lonely.
15.INT.ABBY’S MIND
The landscape is dark and shifting. It’s almost as if they’re in a cave that’s melting all around them.
What the…
CHUCK (O.S)
Fool…
Pan out to show large slimey reptilian centipede.
OK, I know a kreech doesn’t look like that. (Shouts up at the monster).
HEY! When did you start drinking all
your milk?!?!
CHUCK
Our mental images of ourselves are what we perceive them to be. In the time before humans, my ancestors ruled the earth in this form. And now, I shall exterminate your fragile mental flesh.
Is mental flesh an oxymoron?
Chuck swipes at
Now it’s personal.
A choreographed fight
scene between the two develops. By the
end of it,
CHUCK
Wonderful… How are you so skilled in mental warfare? We are the masters. We are—
Just a bunch of overgrown centipedes with big heads, that’s what you are. Who’s brain is this anyway?
CHUCK
That of your dead friend.
CHUCK
What did you expect it to be? You find my mind here, but you know it does not belong.
I thought… the ghost of that little girl.
CHUCK
I wasn’t in her. I was never any part of her. I used her like I used the house. To lead you here to destroy me. I controlled her with magic, not with my mind.
Then how’d I get here? That magic was meant for the mind of the person I came in contact with.
CHUCK
You reached me through her. You’ll be surprised where your body is now. Open your eyes and look.
16.INT. THE OLD WINDWARD HOUSE
We watch
ABBY
Do it. Pull the trigger. Kill me.
Sean? Sean! It’s me, buddy, it’s
ABBY (rising to her feet)
He will not wake up.
I… but he never… I was supposed…
But… we’re supposed to
ABBY
How touching.
I was serious about what I said you know. About making sure you live. In much more pain then you think you’re in now.
ABBY
I cannot be in any more pain.
She cries out as
Really? How about now?
ABBY (gritting her teeth)
Any physical pain is temporary. I accept it. I hunger for it.
Good. Because you’ll be getting a lot of it.
He knees her in the gut, and she doubles over, and then straightens up, laughing.
ABBY
You are only desecrating the body of that girl. You do not hurt me.
You did that for me a long time ago.
ABBY
Yes. And she corrupted me back.
Good.
ABBY
Kill me.
I plan to. When there’s nothing left I can do to you. Months. Years. Who knows. Then I’m gonna toss you down a dry well bound and gagged. In the dark. Cold and bleeding. No food. No water. You’ll die in a week or so.
ABBY (laughing)
I knew you would not be able to resist the need for revenge if I killed your friend.
Why do you want to die so much?
Abby grins and grabs
ABBY
I’ll show you.
17.INT. ABBY’S MIND
We see a quick
montage of scenes of Abby, voices of Chuck and Abby running together, getting
increasingly more angry as the images we see become
more distressing. Abby
torturing Sean, mutilating herself, and tearing at her hair. End with silence of Abby and
ABBY
There is still
silence, as if someone muted the TV, as
ABBY
Abby?
ABBY
You’re my her—
There’s a jolt as
sound returns to the picture.
17.EXT. BAXTER COURTYARD
Sean is throwing a bag in the back of the trunk of an old Chevy. His parents stand in the doorway. His mother has been crying. His father has his arm around her as he watches stoic, almost proud. Samuel stands by the car, looking at Sean seriously.
SAMUEL
You weren’t drunk, really, were you?
Sean doesn’t answer.
SAMUEL
Mom thinks you were going to AA meetings or something crazy like that. She didn’t want to think we were being lied to. She didn’t want to think you could be in any real danger. That you would run away from us.
Sean stops packing the trunk. He looks at Samuel. His face has more color to it, but you can still see the bruises.
SEAN
You really think I’d run away?
SAMUEL
It’s a theory.
Sean closes the trunk.
SEAN (quietly)
Not to that place…
SAMUEL (a little louder, a little jollier, changing the subject)
So where are you off to, little brother? The big bad world?
SEAN (also louder, with a sigh)
More or less.
SAMUEL
Going to
SEAN
Probably not. Anywhere I don’t know anyone. You can be sure I’ll be there.
SAMUEL
That’s like every place outside of
SEAN
That’s right.
There’s a pause. Then, Samuel walks over to him with a wan smile and pats him hard on the back. Sean winces, but smiles back.
SAMUEL
Good luck bro. Don’t forget to write, you hear?
SEAN
Every damn day.
There’s quiet. They both know it’s a lie. Samuel envelopes Sean in a big, brotherly hug. He does not want him to go.
SAMUEL (as a whisper)
Be careful out there. Don’t you get into any more trouble.
SEAN
I’m looking to get out of trouble, Sam.
The brothers break apart and look at each other a moment. Samuel turns to their parents in the doorway.
SAMUEL
Well, Dad, you think you can spare Gerald to drive your sons to the airport?
SEAN (looking surprised)
Sam, you don’t have to—
Samuel interrupts him with a grin.
SAMUEL
I’m just seeing you off, little brother. Calm down.
ERIK BAXTER
Gerald’s already on his way.
Monica Baxter looks nervous a moment, then blurts out the next line anxiously.
MONICA BAXTER
Be a good boy, Sean! Don’t forget to let us know when you need money, or where you are from time to time.
SEAN
I will, Mom.
Monica breaks away from Erik and walks over to Sean, looking a little distraught. Frazzled, she fiddles with her hands before she speaks.
MONICA
Sean… dear… I know I haven’t been the best mother…
SEAN
Mom… you’re my mom. You’re the best mother you could be.
Monica bursts into tears and throws her arms around her son’s neck.
MONICA
I never wanted to be like this. I swore when I had children I’d give them all the time in the world. But my career… I never wanted to be one of those women who chose her career over her children. I love you, Sean. I love you I love you I love you…
SEAN
I love you too, Mother.
18. THE PIER: ELLIS YACHT
Audra is passed out
on the deck with. She awakes with a
start and a snort and looks around. Her
hair is a mess. She is visibly hung
over. She sits up slowly and looks
around. It’s nearly
AUDRA
There was something I was very angry about… and now I don’t remember what it is.
Frustrated, she lets her head fall back.
AUDRA
Argh, I will never drink again!
19.REED RESIDENCE
There is a rustle of
leaves in the tree in their yard that catches
Now what you doin’ all the way up there for?
There’s more rustling of leaves, but no answer.
Come now, I know you’re up there, I can see your red back pack.
ALLYSON (pouting, still not visible to us)
Go away!
Ally, I know you’re upset with me for leaving you behind when you wanted to come help Sean but—
ALLYSON
You don’t know what you left me to deal with.
Is that why you’re out here in this tree?
ALLYSON (poking her head through the branches)
Promise me you’ll never leave me alone with him again.
Ally?
ALLYSON
Promise!
I promise. Now will you come down?
Allyson pauses a moment, then agrees. Slowly, she climbs down out of the tree and runs to her brother, giving him a big hug.
Sean’s OK. Well… I mean, he’s alive, at any rate. Walking, talking.
ALLYSON
Where is he?
He’s leaving.
ALLYSON
Where’s he going?
Dunno.
ALLYSON
I gotta say bye. Where is he now?
Ally, I don’t think you quite get it. Sean’s not right.
ALLYSON
We’re all a little wonky sometimes. I don’t expect him to be tip-top Sean. I just expect him to resemble Sean somewhat. So can I see him?
He won’t even let me see him…
20. RIVERS RESIDENCE: LIVING ROOM
Lisa is putting away the weapons while Mike has a cigarette by the window.
LISA
Is it too much trouble to take that outside?
MIKE
Bite me.
LISA
It’s your house, I guess. What does it matter to you if you give your daughter lung cancer.
MIKE (in mock seriousness)
Don’t joke like that. There might be tears.
Lisa scoffs and continues to pack the weapons away. She sees a photo on the ground and picks it up. It’s her father with Danny by the motorbike. She does not recognize it.
LISA
Dad, what’s…
She hesitates and looks at the photo again.
MIKE
Hm?
LISA (pocketing the photo)
Never mind.
There’s quiet as Mike smokes the cigarette and Lisa continues to clean up.
LISA
So… I guess
Mike grunts.
LISA
He’s not the same though. I don’t think you can be, after that. He didn’t say anything to you, did he?
MIKE
Not a word.
LISA
I think… I think we were all wrong about one thing though.
MIKE
What’s that?
LISA
They’re both heroes.
Whether they realize it or not,
MIKE (scoffs)
Heroes…
LISA
Yeah, heroes. You always said that “hero” were just a fancy word for “idiot,” but—
MIKE
Honey, I don’t think you remember the two dolts you’re calling heroes.
LISA (begins to protest, thinks better of it.)
Point taken. But Daddy that’s not—
MIKE (rubbing his eyes and putting out his cigarettes)
I don’t want to talk about heroes anymore. It makes me… tired.
He turns away so she can’t see his eyes but they glisten in the light of the camera and we see him look at a picture on the book shelf of himself holding baby Lisa.
MIKE
Heroes often don’t understand the sacrifices they think they’re willing to make until it’s already done. Understand that, Lisa. No one in their right mind wants to be a hero. Not if they can help it. Maybe Sean’s survival is a testament to his heroism and strength. But maybe he was better off dead.
21. WAKE UP MONTAGE
Unlike previous music montages, this is very lyric-specific. Therefore, I will dictate everything that happens between lyrics of the song.
I'm gonna ride this plane out of your life again
I wish that I could stay, but you argue
Sean and Samuel at the gate. They clasps hands and pull each other into an embrace. Sean turns away toward the gate and we see his eyes, haunted.
More than this I wish, you could've seen my face
In backseats staring out, the window
Sean takes a deep breath, looks out the window at the plane, then walks past the camera into the gate.
I'll do anything for you
Kill anyone for you
Immediate
switch to the hospital where
So leave yourself intact
'Cause I will be coming back
In a phrase to cut these lips
I love you
Cut immediately to
Allyson, back in her tree, hugging her knees and staring into Richard’s
window. She looks over her shoulder,
waiting for
The morning will come
In the press of every kiss
With your head upon my chest
Audra stares at the phone on her desk fighting an internal battle. She rolls her eyes, grabs the receiver and dials.
Where I will annoy you
With every waking breath
Until you decide to wake up
Sean fumbles with his bag and looks at his phone. We read “Audra” on the caller ID. Sean looks around at the people in business class finishing up their phone calls before take off. He silences the call and turns off his phone.
I've earned through hope and faith
On the curves around your face
That I'm the one you'll hold forever
We see
If morning never comes for either one of us
Then this I pray to you wherever
I'll do anything for you
This story is for you`
('Cause I'd do anything you want me to for you)
I'll do anything for you
Kill anyone for you
Mike is having another cigarette in the window, staring up at the sky outside. Behind him, we see Lisa leaving. Switch to her as she retreats to her room, fingering the photograph she found. She looks at it intently, then opens one of her books.
So leave yourself intact
'Cause I won't be coming back
In a phrase to cut these lips
I loved you
Allyson returns home to an awaiting Richard. She bows her head and awaits another beating, but he throws shaking arms around her and starts to cry. She is very surprised.
The morning will come
In the press of every kiss
With your head upon my chest
Where I will annoy you
With every waking breath
Until you decide to wake up
Audra’s tossing
things all over her room in a fury, ripping up pictures of Sean, and throwing
out the window everything he ever gave her.
She stops when she sees the teddy bear he won for her down at the
The morning will come
In the press of every kiss
With your head upon my chest
Where I will annoy you
With every waking breath
'Til you decide to wake up
Credits, which role in silence after the last line of the song.
END
©Carlin
All Rights Reserved
COPYRIGHT: All characters in this document are the
intellectual property of Carlin Salisbury. Any recreation of them in any
form will result in very messy, messy slaughter with a blunt axe. Please
keep that in mind as you steal my ideas. Which, I know you won’t,
because, well, I’m not that popular. But beware!