Sophocles Screenwriting Software
www.sophocles.net
"Twilight Winter"
by
Jeff McNeely
2043 White Post Rd.
Hueytown, AL 35023
(205) 497-3141
trippyklown@hotmail.com
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT. THE MOON IS BURNING BRIGHTLY THROUGH THE
DENSE TREES OVERHEAD. A LONG WINDING ROAD SLITHERS THROUGH
THE TREES, THE OCCASIONAL OIL SPOTS REFLECTING OFF OF THE
LIGHT. THE CALLS OF ODD SOUTHERN BIRDS AND OTHER CREATURES
OF THE NIGHT ECHO THROUGHOUT THE FOREST. THE ROAD IS LONELY,
UNTIL A DIM SET OF HEADLIGHTS APPEAR FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
INT. CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT. TWO MEN SIT IN THE FRONT TWO
SEATS OF THE CAR. THE DRIVER, CHRIS, HAS SHOULDER-LENGTH
BLONDE HAIR THAT IS ALMOST HIDDEN BY THE BASEBALL CAP THAT
HE WEARS. THE PASSENGER, SETH, HAS A SHAVEN HEAD, ALSO
HIDDEN BY A HAT. SETH IS HITTING A JOINT WITH ALL OF THE
LUNG CAPACITY THAT HE CAN MUSTER. ROCK MUSIC CAN BE HEARD
RESONATING FROM THE RADIO.
CHRIS
Hey man, you ever gonna pass that?
Instead of passing the joint, Seth begins coughing as if the
very fires of Hell are tearing up his throat.
SETH (BETWEEN COUGHS)
Fuck you! Fuck you!
Chris manages to snatch the joint from Seth's shaky fingers
and brings it to his lips, inhaling deeply.
SETH
Damn, yo! Lung it! Lung it!
Chris blows a huge cloud of smoke from his mouth he sinks
deeper into the seat.
CHRIS
So what are we gonna do if we get
to the house and Bob forgot to
leave the key?
SETH
Turn around and go the fuck home,
dumbass. It's not like this a big
ass road trip. It's a twenty minute
drive from your fucking driveway,
dude. C'mon.
Seth takes the joint from Chris and hits it again, leaning
his head against window and staring into the forest as he
lets the smoke sink in.
2.
SETH
Do you remember when Bob said that
he'd get there?
CHRIS
Sometime later tonight. I don't
think he'll get off work 'til
sometime around midnight.
CUT TO:
CLOSEUP.
EXT. OUTSIDE - NIGHT. A tattered wooden board is nailed to a
tall tree. The words scrawled across its splintered surface
are easily legible. ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE.
CUT TO:
INT. CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT. Seth looks back at the sign as
the car zooms past it.
SETH
"Abandon hope all ye who enter
here?" Shit, I'm surprised these
goddamn hicks that live out here
even know how to spell "abandon".
CHRIS
How much further to the house? My
ass is starting to fall asleep.
SETH
It's just a few more miles.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE - NIGHT. CAMERA focuses on a jagged piece of
broken glass lying in the road, glistening in the moonlight.
The car zooms closer and closer.
INT. CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT. Chris is hitting the joint,
gagging on the thick smoke. A loud POP resonates throughout
the night and the car begins to swerve off the road.
CHRIS
Fuck!
SETH
Stop the fucking car man!
CUT TO:
3.
EXT. OUTSIDE - NIGHT. The car pulls over to the side of the
road, a flat tire thumping on the gravel. Chris and Seth get
out at the same time to examine the tire.
CHRIS
Fuck! What the hell are we supposed
to do now? I don't have a spare tire!
SETH
Chill out dude. The house is pretty
close. We can walk there and call
Bob and get him to bring a spare.
FADE TO BLACK.
CHRIS (OS)
I don't remember exactly why we
went to the river that weekend.
Probably just to get stoned and
drunk. But that night we ran into
some shit that would have chilled a
snuff-film maker to the bone.
BLACK SCREEN.
CREDITS.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT. THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE IS MUCH AS
EXPECTED. IT IS A CHEAP MOBILE HOME ON THE EDGE OF THE RIVER.
NOSTALGIC 1970S STYLE CARPET PLAGUES THE PLACE. THE KITCHEN
IS A VERY SMALL ROOM WITH ONLY A TABLE AND THREE CHAIRS.
THE LIVING ROOM IS DECORATED WITH MOUNTED DEER HEADS AND AN
UGLY BROWN COUCH.
The front door to the house clicks and opens. Chris enters,
followed closely by Seth.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSIDE - NIGHT. Looking over the valley that houses
the house, the silhouette of a man's head comes into view.
He watches as Chris and Seth enter the house and close the
door behind them. His heavy breathing seems like it can be
heard throughout the valley. The man stands and stares for a
few moments, then slowly ambles out of the picture.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT. Chris sits down on the couch and pulls a
sack of pot out of his pocket and begins the process of
rolling a joint.
4.
CHRIS
Hey Seth, see if you can find the
phone for me.
Seth begins the search for the phone, finding nothing until
Chris finishes rolling the joint. Finally, he looks in a
cabinet underneath the sink in the kitchen and retrieves an
old-fashioned looking phone.
SETH
Found it.
Chris sparks the joint and hits it, stands up, and hands it
to Seth. He grabs the phone and dials.
CHRIS
Is Bob there?...can I talk to
him?...Thanks.
Seths passes the joint back to Chris, who starts to hit it,
but is cut off by a voice on the phone.
CHRIS
What's up man? Yeah, we're at the
house. What time do you get off?
Cool. I need you to do me a favor.
I got a flat tire close to the
house and I don't have a spare. Can
you stop by my house on the way
here and grab the spare for me?
Thanks dude. Later.
Chris hangs up the phone and hits the joint.
CHRIS
He'll be here at about one. He's
gonna bring the spare.
SETH
Cool.
Chris looks around the room, taking everything in.
CHRIS
What the fuck are we supposed to do
here? Ain't shit goin' on man!
SETH
I know man. Hey, pass that.
Chris hands the joint to Seth.
5.
CHRIS
Wanna go outside and check out the
water?
SETH
Sure.
CUT TO:
EXT. RIVER SHORE - NIGHT. THE WATER LAPS SMOOTHLY AND
GRACEFULLY ONTO THE BANK. IT SLOSHES ONTO THE PIER THAT
CHRIS AND SETH ARE SITTING ON, STARING INTO THE WATER.
SETH
Remember when Bob used to tell us
that this place was haunted?
CHRIS
Yeah. He said that back in the
Sixties a pontoon boat caught on
fire and everyone on it died.
SETH
Now on some nights a fog comes out
of the water and consumes the
surrounding area.
The two laugh half-heartedly. They are bored. A twig snaps
somewhere in the woods behind them, making them jump.
CHRIS
Dammit dude! I'm bored as fuck!
SETH
Me too.
CUT TO:
The MANs POV.
Chris and Seth are just lying on the pier, doing nothing.
Muffled footsteps can be heard as the Man advances slowly.
His heavy, labored breathing echoes throughout the woods. He
looks to the right and sees a WOMAN creeping through the
trees. She stops, looks at him, and nods. The Man looks to
his left and sees three more people, Man #2, Man #3, and
Woman #2, all staring intently at Chris and Seth.
CUT TO:
6.
CAMERA moves to the other side of the pier, showing Chris
and Seth lying there, showing the menacing shadows slowly,
carefully advancing through the woods.
CUT TO:
The Man stops walking and holds up his arm, making his hand
into a fist. Everyone else stops and looks at him. The Man
drops his arm and all of them bolt into the night, straight
for the pier.
CUT TO:
Chris looks up from the joint he is finishing, only to see
five dark-clad people running towards him.
CHRIS
Yo Seth, what the fuck's-
He is stopped as the Man delivers a swift, hard left hook to
his jaw. Chris topples backwards, then rolls. He almost
falls off the pier, but manages to stop and pull himself up.
Seth looks around, bewildered. He has no idea what is
happening. Man #3 and Woman #2 grab Seth by his neck and
throw him onto the shore.
Chris stands up and attempts to fight back to the Man, but
Man #2 and the Woman are now on top off him too. They
overpower Chris and take him to the shore, throwing him down
next to Seth.
CHRIS
What the fuck is this shit! What
the fuck is going on?!
As the two cower underneath the five people, the Man begins
to kick them both savagely, in the head, the neck, the
chest, everywhere. The rest of his group joins in.
FADE TO BLACK.
EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT. TREES SURROUND THE PERIMETER
OF THE CLEARING, GIVING AN OMINOUS, FOREBODING VIBE TO THE
SCENE. CHRIS AND SETH ARE HANGING FROM A TREE, TIED FROM
THEIR WRISTS. TWO TORCHES PROVIDE THE ONLY LIGHT. THE COVEN
ARE GATHERED IN A HUDDLE, AS IF DISCUSSING THEIR NEXT MOVE.
CHRIS SLOWLY OPENS HIS EYES, REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS.
Chris is bleeding from a long cut in his left cheek. A dark
red patch of matted hair indicates that he has sustained a
pretty bad head wound also.
CHRIS
Wha- Wher- What's going on?
7.
The coven turns and looks at him for a moment, then return
to their conversation.
Chris looks over at Seth, who is stirring. He cracks his
eyes open a little.
SETH
Dude, what the fuck is going on?
Blood is dripping to Seth's eye from a gash over his right
eye. His nose is bleeding, and blood is seeping from the
corner of his mouth.
Chris looks at the coven and begins screaming at them.
CHRIS
What the fuck is this shit! What's
going on! Hey, I'm talking to you
assholes.
The Man looks up and points a knife at Chris.
MAN
Shut up boy. You'll learn everything
you need to know shortly.
The Man turns back his discussion. Seth looks over at Chris.
SETH
What the fuck are we gonna do?
CHRIS
I dunno. These ropes are too tight,
I can't get out.
SETH (SCREAMING)
What the fuck man! All I wanted to
do was go to the river and get high!
That's all! I'm not supposed to
fuckin' be here!
Seth begins wriggling, trying to release himself from his
bonds. It is an exercise in futility.
The coven disperses and surrounds the tree that Chris and
Seth are bound to. The Man stands in the middle, in front
of the tree. He steps forward and begins to speak.
MAN
I have consumed the flesh of fell
demons. I have tasted the Devil's
black blood; it courses through my
veins. I have seen beyond this
world of skin, blood, and bone.
8.
Everyone in the group drops to their knees and bows to the
trees except the Man. He continues speaking as Chris and
Seth struggle to undo the ropes.
MAN
Death is coming. He is coming
tonight. It is the twilight winter.
The Man draws an evil-looking dagger from his pocket.
MAN
I will sacrifice thee to be his.
The ritualistic drinking of
innocent blood will forever embody
me to him. To the Great One.
The Man lunges forward and thrusts his knife into Chris's
side, right underneath his rib cage. Chris screams in pain
as blood begins to run down his side, staining his shirt and
pants. The Man stabs him repeatedly in the side as the rest
of the group rushes and begins attacking Seth also.
The Man leans down to examine the wounds in Chris's side.
Blood is pouring freely, dripping to the ground and
slithering down his leg. The Man leans his head in and puts
his mouth the the largest wound and begins to suck the blood.
CUT TO:
The other four people step away from Seth, knives dripping
with blood. He is cut up very badly, but has sustained only
minor wounds. The coven step away from the tree, admiring
their macabre handy work. They begin laughing, half
heartedly at first, which then rises and turns into a high-
pitched cackle.
Chris and Seth pass out, but they look dead. Blood keeps
pouring from their wounds as the coven disperses and makes
their way to the other side of the clearing.
CUT TO:
The Man looks at his followers with pride.
MAN
Tonight was a successful ceremony.
I now embody the powers of The
Great One. He lives inside of me,
his blood flows through my veins.
The Man looks back at the tree.
9.
MAN
Get them down from there and bury
the bodies. I will be in the forest.
I must seek the council of The
Great One.
The Man turns and walks into the dense thicket of trees. The
night seems to swallow him whole as the other four people
walk towards the tree, into the circle of light. The flames
flicker across Seth's face as his eyes open and he sees the
coven coming closer. He knows what they are coming to do, so
he closes his eyes and plays possum.
The coven cut the ropes and Chris and Seth fall to the
ground with a sickening thud. They gather the bodies and
drag them into the forest.
CUT TO:
Four shovels lay on the ground between two trees. The coven
drop the bodies and each pick up a shovel and begin digging.
A voice sounds from somewhere in the forest.
MAN (OS)
Jack! Monica! C'mere!
Man #2 and Woman #1 drop their shovels and make their way
towards the voice. The rest keep digging.
CUT TO:
CLOSEUP of Seth's eyes. They are wide open. He watches as
the last two of the coven dig his own grave. He watches and
waits. The hole slowly gets bigger and bigger. When he his
sure that they aren't paying attention, Seth makes his move.
Seth reaches and grabs one of the left-over shovels. He
slowly pulls himself to his feet, glowering with eternal
hatred at the two people who had helped cause him and his
best friend all of this pain.
Seth advances on Man #3 and Woman #2. He clutches the shovel
tightly in his hand as he advances on the two people. He
raises the shovel above his head and brings it crashing down
on Man #3's head.
Woman #2 jolts around, surprised. She gives Seth a strange
look before he lets the shovel loose on her face. As her
unconscious body hits the ground, we ZOOM IN on Seth's eyes.
They have a manic twinkle as he looks at the two people
lying on the ground. He grabs the shovel and begins bashing
Man #3's head into the dirt, splashing blood all over the
trees and himself. Then, Seth turns on Woman #2.
10.
Seth drops his shovel and limps to Chris's unconscious body.
He hoists his best friend onto his shoulders and stumbles
into the forest.
CUT TO:
EXT. BULLDOZER - SUNRISE. A LARGE BULLDOZER SITS NEXT TO A
CLEARING ON A SMALL SERVICE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST.
CHRIS IS PROPPED UP ON THE DOZER WHILE SETH RIPS THEIR
SHIRTS APART TO MAKE BANDAGES. CHRIS SLOWLY BEGINS TO COME TO.
CHRIS (DAZED)
Wha- Where am I?
SETH
If ya really want the truth, I have
no idea. This is just a little spot
that I found. We're out in the
middle of fucking nowhere.
Chris tries to sit up, but his wounds begin to open again.
He yelps in pain and leans back, remembering the events of
the night before.
CHRIS
Who the hell where those assholes?
And how did we get away from em?
SETH
They took us down from the tree and
were about to bury us. I was awake
and managed to take a shovel to two
of em. They're dead.
CHRIS
You sure?
SETH
Oh yeah. If they ain't dead, they
ain't got faces anymore. But that
also means that the other three are
probably gonna be lookin' for us.